American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-06-28

| Mllledgevllle, and thence move rapidly
eastward to break the railroad which leads
from Millen to Augusta, then to turn up
on Millen and rescue our prisoners ofwal
supposed to be confined at that place.
accompanied the Twentieth Corps from
Milledgeville to Sandersville, approaching
that place on the Goth, we found the
bridge across Buffalo creek burned, which
delayed us three hours. The next day
we entered Sandersville, skirmishihe
with Wheeler's cavalry, which offered
little opposition to the advance of the
Twentieth and Fourteenth Corps, enter.
ing the place almost at the same mo.
ment.
DESTRUCTION OF THE GEORGIA RAIL
ROAD.
General Slocum was then ordered to
tear w and destroy the Georgia Central
Railroad, from Station IL (Tennlle) to
Station 10, near the crossing of Ogee-
chez, one of his corps substantially fol
lowing the railroad, the other by way of
Louisville, in support of Kilpatrck's cav
airy. In person shifted to the right
wing ard accompanied the Seventeenth
Corps, General Blair, on the south of tie
railroad, till abreast of Station 80 Bar
ton j General Howard, in person, with
the Fifteenth Corps, keeping further to
the right, and about one days march
ahead, ready TO turn against the flank Of
any enemy who should oppose our pro-
gress. At Barton, | learned that Kilpat-
rick's cavalry had reached the Augusta
Railroad, about Waynesboro, where he
asceytained that our prisoners had ben
removed from MiIlen, and therefore the
purpose Of rescuing them, upon which we
had set our hearts, was an impossbility.
Butas Wheeler's cavalry had hung around
him, and as he had retired to Louisville
to meet our infantry, in pursuance of my
instructions not to risk battle unless at
great advantage, | ordered him to leave
his wagons and all membranes with
the left wing, and moving in the diree-
ton Of Augusta, if Wheeler gave him
the opportunity, to indulge him with all
the f. .hting he wanted General Xii pat.
rick, supported by Baird's division Of in.
fantry of the Fourteenth Corps, again
moved in the direction of Waynesboro,
and encounterng Wheeler in the neigh,
borhood of Thomas Station, attacked
him in position, driving him from three
successive lines Of barricades handsome
ly through Waynesboro and across Brer
creek, the bridges over which he burned;
an then with Bard's division, reioined
the left wing, which, in the. meantime
had been marching by easy stages Of ten
miles day IN the direction Of Lumpkins
Station, at Jacksonboro.
The Seventeenth Corps took up the
destruction of the railroad at the Ogee
che. near Station 10, aud continued il
to Millen, the enemy offering litt9o NJ
opposition, although preparation had seem
ingly been made at Millen.
ARRIVAL AT MILLEN.
On the Sd of December the Seven
teenth Corps which | accompanied, wa'
at Millen; the Fifteenth Corps, Genera
Howard, was South of the Ogeeche, op
posite station I, Scarboro the Twentieth
Corps, Gen. Slocum on the Augusta rail
road, about four miles north Of Millen
near Buckhead churce, and The Four
teenth Corps, Gen. jeff G. Davis, in the
neighborhood of Lumpkin's Station, OF
the Augusta railroad All were ordered
to march in the direction of Savannah
the Fifteenth Corps to continue south Of
the Ogeeche, the Seventeenth to destroy
the railroad as far as Ogeeche church
and four days were allowed to reach the
line from Ogechee church to the neigh
borhood of Halley's Ferry, on the Sa
vannah river. All the colHmns reached
their destinations on time, and continued
to march on their several roads, Gen Da
Wis following the Savannah river road
Gen Slocum the middle road by way Of
Springfield Gen. Blair the railroad, and
Gen Howard still south and west of the
Ogeeche, with orders to cross to the east
bank, opposite eden Station" or Sta,
tion No. 2.
THE APPROACH TO SAVANNAH.
As we approached Savannah tn
country became more marshy and
difficult, and more obstructions were
met, in the way of felled trees, where
the roads crossed the creeks, swamps,
or narrow causeways but our pio-
neer companies were well organized
and removed the Instructions in an
incredible short time. No opposi-
tion from the enemy worth speaking
of was encountered until the heads OF
columns were within fifteen rsiles of
Savannah, where ali the roads lead
ing to the city were obstructea, more
or less, by felied timber. with earth
works and artillery, But these were
easily turned and the enemy driven
away, so that by the 10th of Decem-
Der the enemy was driven within his
lines at Savannah. These followed
substantial ly swamp creek, which
emptiesinto the Savannah river about
three miles. above the city, across to
the head cf corresponding stream
which empties into the Little Ogee-
chez. These streams were singular
ly favorable to the enemy as cover,
being very marshy, and bordered by
rice fields, which were flooded either