The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-04-01


had daughter, who was sold to q Mr..
Western Of Charleston, who had a GauRh-
ter by her. lhe latter was the mother of
our slave, and kept In eervitude by her
half sister, Mira. Smith, who afterward
sold mother and children to heartless ira
ders, who trafiicked them over the coun-
try This man was about forty years of
age. slight build, long, sandy hair and
whiskers, and evidently without Il particle
Of African blood in his veins; yet b. was
the b0ndman Of his kinsman.
LETTERS FROM GENERAL HOWARD TO GEN
ERALS BA.A1R AND LOGAN.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT
Army OF THE TENNESSEE
NEAR RIVERS BRIDGE,
SOUTH CAROLINA,
February 5, 1866.
MAJOR General Frank =. Blair, jun.:
GENERALIZATION me to tOcongra,uiate YOU
on the success achieved by your commund
in breaking the line Of the Salkaha,chis.-
The enetfl chose position OF incompara-
BILE strength, and met US ut every crossing
with defiant boldness. Your first division a
under Major General Mower, with almost
incredible celerity, cleared Whippy Swamp
with seven burned bridges and the road
filled with felled trees made y successful
reconnaissance to Braxton's Bridge. forc-
ing the enemy to destroy it and to defend
the causeway then, aided by the 9th Illi-
nois Mounted Infantry, drove back the en-
emy, reached Rivers bridges so oQuickly as
to arrest and effec:ually prevent their de.
struction. The same division, under the
same indomitable leadership, in one day
made two infantry roadways through the
onstrated strongly on the enemy's fortified
front, completely turned his position, and
planted himselffirrnly on the eastern shore
Vt this indescribably ugly Salkaha.chie.-
All this was done in the face Of canister,
shells and o sharp, obstinate musketry fire
from behind works. Your 4th Division,
under Brevet Major General Giles A. Smith
also crossed this wide and troublesome
swamp, walking In water above tho knee,
skirmlshed successfully with the enemy,
aud cut OF all reinfOrcemenss from below,
which might have hindered Gen. Mowers
success.
The immediate fsuits Of tho victory are
the abandonment by the enemy Of Brax.
ton River and Beaufort's bridges, the
supplies, placing AOrs du combat some two
hundred Of the enemy, aud the gain of mo-
rate over him produced by the wonderful
vigOr and b0ldnees ofour men in overcom-
ing apparently impossible obstacles.
1sympathize with you most deeply in
your losses. Every soldier who has fallen
is . most precious sacrifice, that must give
Swaine, Lieut.. Col. Kirby aud their wound
ed comrades we can i'll afford.
Permit me to thank you for your wise
dispositions, and your officers and men for
their cheerful, gallant, enterprising and
successful work, achieved at the very open
ing OF this campaign. SO
Very respectfully yours,
O. o. HowARD, MAI. Gen.
r. 8. Your Sd division, under Brig. Gen.
ENeNo that SnaAn tho anOCnn0fnl fonfnu >
through Anglessy, occupying the enemy
at Beaufort, and coming up just In time TO
reinforce II needed, 10 not forgotten or un-
appreciated. .. o. 81.
HEADo'Rs, Dept AND Army OF THEY
z TENN, PATTERSON CRoss- R0ADs, s. C.
r February %, 1865.
Major General ]. A. Logan:
GENERAI.-It is my purpose to publish
an order OF congratulatien to the army a.
soon rs the pressure Of duty will permit;
but I can not longer delay an expression
of thanks, due to yourself and your re-
markable corps, for tho completeness Of
success which has attended you duving the
vigorous operations from Savannah to the
taking OF Columbia. You were present
when General John e. Smiths division
forced its wayacross the little Salkahstchie
Swamp. You visited the bridge when Gen.
Hazeu crossed the Edisto, and also witness
sed the operation Of the same division, near
Skflling's Bridge, whore tho wide. deep,
and difficult swamp was crossed, and the
enemy's force captured or scattered, md
trust ,yon will do them honor BY graphic
and indefhtigablo labor, which resulted In
success. was with you at Congaree Creek
and shall not soon forget the dimcult
Rroufi1l. tho altnoet unassatlable position Of
the enemy at the bridge, when General
Woods division waded through the mud,
the swamp and the creek, and succeeded
In dislcdging the rebels and putting them
to flight. closed my letter to Gen. Sker-
man that day as follows: .sThe same vigOr
aud boldress that have characterized our
mon during the hardships ofthis campaign
were again exhibited to to-day. You your
the ificuities of the ground
the mud. tho water, swampe, deep creeks
and bitches, that they had to overcome In
order 70 get at the enemy. Again, l was
present when you pushed Hazen across the
Saluda. and also vlvidly recollect the work
Of the entire night, and the severe skirmish
Of the morning with Wood's division, to se-
cure the crossing Of the Broad. The sue
cessful expedition. Of Gen. Corse along the
line of the railroad, where he, together with
your mounted infantry, rendered useless
some thirty miles Of It, and destroyed an
immense amount Of rebel property, and
afterward pushed with SO much prompfl-
tude to the head Of the column, merely af-
forded us fresh instances of the earnest en-
ergy Of himself and his command. The
faithfulness with which every duty has
been executed, the unflagging attention to
order, and the cheerful and hearty deport-
ment Of the entire corps, afford me sincereI
pleasure and . peculiar faith In your sue
cess.
In this letter / have scarcely limited 1t
the operations Of your command; but, be-
lieve me, General, your own energetic Co
operation in these movements, which have
already In the fall Of Columbia
and Charleston, and in the almost irrepaf-
able disruption Of the enemy lines Of COM