Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-06-25

hOSCi hV"iu VI nHy CstocS VI IHuIucl
or rape; and no army could have car.
ried along sufficient food and forage
for march of 800 miles, so that for.
aging in some shape was necessary
The country was sparsely settled,
with no magistrates or civil authori
ties who could respond to acquisitions
as is done inFall the wars of Europe;
SO that this system of foraging was
simply indispensable to our success.
BY it our men were supplied with all
the essentials of life and health, while
the wagons retained enough in case
of unexpected delay, and our animals
were well fed. Indeed, when we
reached Savannah, the trains were
pronounced by experts to be the fin
est in flesh and appearance, ever seen
with any army.
Habitually each corps followed
some main road, and the foragers,
being kept out on the exposed flank,
served all the military uses of flank
ers. The main columns gathered,
by the roads travelled, much forage
and food, chiefly meat, corn and
sweet potatoes, and it was the duty
Of each division and brigade quarter.
master to fill his wagons as fast as
the contents were issued to the
troops. The wagon trains had the
right to the road always, but each
wagon was required to keep closed
up, SO as to leave no gaps in the col
umn. If for any purpose any wagon
or group Of wagons dropped out OF
place, they had to wait for the rear.
And this was always dreaded, for
each brigade commander wanted bis
train up at camp as soon after reach
ing it with his men as possible.
have seen much skill and indus.
try displayed by these quartermas
tiers on the march in trying to load
their wagons with corn and fodder
by the way without losing their place
in the column. They would, while
marching, shift the loads of wagons.
so as to have six OF ten of them emp
ty. Then, riding well ahead, they
would secure possession Of certain
stacks of fodder near the road, OIL
cribs of corn, leave some men in
charge, then open fences and road
back for couple of miles,, return to
their trains, divert the empty wagons
out of column, and conduct them rap
idly to their forage, load up and re
gain their place in column without
losing distance.
DESTRUCTION OF COLUMBIA.
Having walked over much of the
suburbs of Columbia in the afternoon
and being tired, l lay down on a bed
in Blanton Duncan's house to rest
Soon after dark l became conscious
that a bright light was shining on
the walls, and calling some one Of
my staff, Major Nichols, | think), te
enquire the cause, he said there seem
ed to be house on fire down about
the market house. The same high
wind still prevailed, and fearing the
consequences, l bade him go in per
son and see if the provost guard was
doing it's duty. He soon returned
and reported that the block of build
ings directly opposite of the burning
cotton of that morning was on fire
and tha, it was spreading; but he had
found Gen. Woods OH the ground
with plenty Of men, trying to put the
fire out; OF, at least, to prevent its ex
tension. The fire continued to in.
crease, and the whole heavens be-
came lurid. I dispatched messen-
gers to Generals Howard, Logan and
Woods, and received from them re-
peated assurances that all was being
done that could be done, and that the
high wind was spreading the flames
beyond all control. These general
officers were on the ground all night
and Hazen's division had been
brought into the city to assist Woods
division, already there. About II
O'Clock at night went down town
myself, Colonel Dayton with me; we
walked to Mr.. Simon's house, from
which l could see the flames rising
high in the air and could hear the
roaring of the fire. I advised the Ia
dies to move to my headquarters,
had our own headquarter wagons
hitched up, and their effects carried
there as place of greater safety
The whole air was full of sparks, and
Of flying masses of cotton, shingles,
etc., some of which were carried four
or five blocks and started new fires.
The men seemed generally under
good control, and certainly labored
hard to girdle the fire, to prevent its
spreading, but so long as the high
wind prevailed, it was simply be-
yond human possibility. Fortunate
ly, about 3 or o'clock, A. NJ, the
wind moderated, and gradually the
fire was got under control; but it had
burned out the very heart of the city,
embracing several churches, the old
State House, and the school or asy-
lum of that very Sister of Charity
who had appealed for my personal
protection. Nickerson's hotel, in
which several of my staff were quar-
tered, was burned down, but the
houses occupied by myself, Generals
Howard and Logan, were not burned
at all. Many of the people thought
that this fire was deliberately plan
ned and executed. This is not true.
1t was accidental, and in my judg-
ment began with the cotton which
General Hampton's men had set fire
to on leaving the city (whether by
his orders or not is not materiaD,
which fire was partially subdued
early in the day by our men; but,
when night came, the high wind
tanned it again into full blaze, carried
it against the frame houses, which
caught like tinder, and soon spread
beyond our control.
The whole subject has since been
thoroughly and .judicially investiga-
ted, in some cotton cases by the mix
ed commission on American and
British claims under the treaty OF
Washington, which commission fail
ed to award verdict in favor Of the
English claimants, and thereby
settled the fact that the destruction
- 6 nroNo,.t., IN Cclum1ia 1urinr that