Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1875-06-03
The March to the Sea

' "e forthcoming volume of Genoro
. man memoirs, contains the fnIio,,'
sea. e'' HaTcn 10 the
49,, "About I A. NJ. November 10TH v. ro1.
IN, ,ra ,,'"t' ny the Decatur road, filled
E,,,.,. ''' mug troops and wagons of Tho
iu.r n,,;, ana reaching the hin
J">t outside OF the old rebel ynrls ,,. +''.'
'iaIy paused to look bacl, unon ,ho nat
" our past battles. We stood ma, ~
very ground whereon was to,.h, tno ,ho
n'o'"y battlc OF July 23d. ana co.,II ~
G'Psc oi wood where McPherson t.II
u Us iat Atlanta. smOulderino and il,
runs me black smoke rising high in ', ,hn ~
ar, ana hanging like pail over tbe rn;',iJ a''I
IEny. Away of in the distance on th. Wa
Isn nI's ROAD. was the rear Of IIow,r,l.s
U,"uin' .u,' ,h tne gun-barrels glistenlDr in the
49, "' '.c "hi'e topped wagons stretcbing
,I'a I"l - lhe south; and right before ne
a,I i,tn Ieehtn corps, marching steadiIv
ing pace, that made light of the ,ha,.s nmni
hiiies that lay between Us and ,ha nsnn
mona. some band, by accident str,nt ~,
.he anthem of John Browns sonI ,.o up
miarchlhs on the men caught mn ~
s'ia'n' ana never before or since how.
Iau ~" tl,e cnorus OF Glory. glory, hallelu.
Jan zone with more spirit or In hat,a.
harmony Of time and place. 0e''ei
- neh we turned our horses heads to
ene east; Atlanta was soon lost behind
screen screen ol trees and became a thing of rho |
pas around 1t clings many a thon1ht Of
oo,l a'c pattie. OF hope and fear. thar |
and ho, iiAe the memory of a dream.
anu nave never seen the place sinca Th
gay was extremely beautiful cIaar snn n'
lient, with bracing air. and on nn,,
IeelinS OF exhilaratiOn seemed m nar,,oda
All lhihds-a feeling of sometime RI CO..
vague ana underlined. still full of ventnra
shu intense interest. Even the common
soiuiers caught the inspiration. and m,nv
Stoup caiied out 20 me as | worked mn.
way past them. 'Uncle Billy. .uats
Grant Is waiting for US ct Richmond : fns
ueeu' .he general sentiment was tba, W..
we're marching tor Richmond. and ,ba,
.neIe we should end the war: but bou
did ,hau ] .nev seemed to care not; nor
cost IN life, or bother their brains ah's ame
[he great rivers to be crossed ana c,oI HYoo'
qulred FOR man and beast. that nod ~ t
Iathered by the way. There was .devne
may care feeling pervading officers and :
nen lnat maze me feel the full load of ra. !
'Ponsioiity, Tor success would be accent. q
~ os ihatter OF course, whereas. sbonld !,
We IAN; this march would be adinJoad \
nc sr wiz adventure of crazy fool. =
The first night we camped by th. road +"
lde near Lithonis. Stone Mountain
mass OF granite, was in plain view cni
,ut IN clear outline against the blue skv. =
ne whole horizon was lurid with the hon, =
lIes E OF rall-ties, and groups of men ali =
lsht were carrying the heated rails To the
e, trees, and bending them arounJ =
ne trunks Colonel Poe had provided toois =
or ripping up the rails and twisting then, "
men not; but the best and nsiest Eaw is y
ne one l have described, Of heatine ,hs " "
ildd!e OF the iron rails on bonfires msde y
the crOss-ties, and then windino ,han - -
round a telegraph-pole or the trnnt Of :. :.
pune convenlel: sapling. attached much n, "
importance to this destruction of the rail. y
'ad, ' gave 1t my own personal attention rs =,
le subject. ''"ers on II
ING next day. We passed through th. ne
anasome town Of Covin2ton. the Soldiers e,
oslng up their ranks. the color .bearers "
nIuriing their flags, and the bands strik. *
Y up patriotic airs. The white peonI. ~ ~