The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-15
FROM ATLANTA TO THE SEA
A Soldiers Recollections of the March
Through Georgia.
The Buoyancy that Pervaded the Troops
How FOraging Was COnducted-The
Friendliness of the Negroes,
". R. H. in St. Louis Globe Democrat.


The campaign through Georgia from Atlanta
to Savannah, known in history the "March
to the Sea-" commenced on the morning of No
vem0er Is, 1864 Those who participated were
far from realizing what Juror our march was
to create. There nothing extraordinary
about it TO us, unless it was the closing of COM
munication and plunging headlOng into the enc
my's country without sign Of base to fall back
upon: but we had not done much falling back,
and don't believe there officer soldier
in the army who for one moment ever enter
tanned adoubtas to the result. The strangest part
of 1t to us was the absence of any considerable
force of the enemy in our front. This was "a new
and not altogether unpleasant sensation. We
soon found that the country was crammed
with supplies of every description, and we knew
that We could stand it as long as the provisions
held out, so there was nothing in particular to
worry about. The army had an unbounded con-
fdence in "Uncle Billy" as the soldiers called
Sherman. and when we reached Savannah if an
order had been issued for each man to provide
himself with plank and paddle and be ready at
a given hour to put TO sea, nobody knowing
where to or what for, there would not have been
heard grumble, but each fellow would have
started out to find his individual craft. and at
the ppolnted time the whole army would have
been ready to go TO Cuba the Bermudas or AT
RIGA.
don't know how it came about, hut there
was buoyancy of feeling which pervaded the
entire army we marched out from Atlanta
that bright November morning Perhaps it was
an neutrality-suspicious. that this march was
to play smash with the rebellion someh ow, de-
stroy their railroad communication and play
havoc with the country which was furnishing
their armies with supplies. Anyhow, a band
struck up that favOrite army hymn, "John
Browns a body Jb hes moderlng in the grave" and
ments, brigades, divisions and corps
until the whole army in mighty
chorus sang 1t as we had never done before. 1t
seemed to have a new significance, a deeper
meaning than ever. It seemed that the soul of
old John Brown was then marching on, sure
enough. The graves were thick all the way from
Chattanooga to Atlanta. and the country was
ribbed with earthworks and rihepts For
months the crack of infantry fire and the boom
of cannon had been an almost unceasing sound
in our ears. But Atlanta was ours. Hood had
gone North, to be cared for by Thomas, and we
were about TO penetrate the enemy's country
with fresh, confident army. Why should we
not sing John Browns hymn2
The army divided into two grand divisions
The right composed of the Fifteenth and Sew
enteenth cOrps,under Howard, and the left, with
the Fourteenth ana Twentieth corps, under SIo-
cum. The order of march on four parallel
roads, so II a body Of the enemy impeded the
march of one corps they would soon find them
selves tianked by the advancing columns
iher side. Sherman's orders were that all for
aging parties should he under the command
Of discreet officers, and should gather near the
line of travel meat of any kind, vegetables,
corn meal, whatever was needed by the
command, always keeping ten. days supplies
OF provisions in the wagons. Hard 0read, pa
con, coffee. sugar and salt carried with us.
Soldiers were forbidden to enter dwellings or to
commit any trespass, but during a halt or camp
they permitted to gather vegetables or
drive in stock in sight of their camp. The for
aging parties would gather great quantities of
fresh meat cut it into chunks of two, or three
pounds each, pile it by the roadside, and as the
column came by each man would fix bayonet,
spear his allowance, shoulder his gun and fail
into llue and continue the march. 1t was a novel
sight to ride along in the rear of a regiment and
see every bay0net protruding through piece of
meat. There an abundance of poultry in
the country when went in but imagine it
was mighty scarce when we came out. Vans
were also favOrite with the soldiers Not the
ordinary sweet potato OF commerce, but the big
lusty fellows as large a darkey's foot and
much the shape Good horses and mules were
taken wherever found, and the negroes would
often put our men on the track of fine stock
which had been hidden In the swamps.
Our line of march, that OF the Seventeenth
corps, lay through the Villages of McDonough
and jackson. AT the former place L remember
| of riding down party of stragglers who were
rummag ing about the grounds OF a fine mansion.
cultured LADY ana her two daughters seemed
grateful at the discontinue of the rascals,i and
they went into the garden and gathered me 3
fine bouquet as big as water bucket. They
told me that the master of the house was a we'll
known general in the Confederate army--I have
so we had pleasant talk, and IL was With regret
thai was obliged to put spurs to my horse and
overtake the column, which had passed out of
sight. soon found my big houqlTet rather CUM
brrsome, so / unloaded by giving 1t to General
Mower, who commanded the division
DISAPPOINTED YOUNG WOMAN
We found a beautiful country, good improve
ments and thrifty, intelligent people, better
educated and of finer type than those we had
met in other parts of the South. The day we
crossed the Oconee river a party of officers took
lunch on the porch of large country mansion.
very bright and attractive young lady came
out and seemed inclined TO talk. [ asked her
what she thought of the Yankees She replied:
az am greatly disappointed in you ALL"
asked if she expected 20 have horns and
hoofs2
She said: "Why, no. expected that an army
which could drive back Gen. Joe. Johnston all
the way from Chattanooga and capture Atlanta
must be the bravest and finest looking body of
men in the world. Look at them; see how com
mon they are and how dirty their uniforms have
become"
told her that sleeping on the ground and
marching through dust was not compatible with
IA tidy appearance. The weather pleasant
for the first nine or ten days. but when we
reached Gordon 1t turned suddenly cold. 1t was
Thanksgiving when We were there, and natur-
ally our thoughts turned homeward. We had
plenty to eat, and occasionally there was a tur-
key to he found. Everything being reduced to
the lightest possible marching order, there was
lit:le o. no baggage except among the general
officers and their stats. The general on whose
staff served had provided generously for
confo We had several good wall tents and a
cook tent Each was provided with cotton
mattress and COT, and there were plenty Of
spnt-bOttOmed chairs. Then We had we'll
supplied mess-chest with crockery, good
sized cook-stove, and to cap the climax our
cOuk foraged new mich COW, which led obedi
emily behind one of the wagons. We failed to
see anything particularly heroic about that kind
OF soldering We had headquarter guard of
twenty-five men who pitched the tents when we
went into camp, and If the nights were cool they
would drive stakes in the ground at a proper
distance from the center tent, make wall OF
rails and then bank them with earth on the back
side. In this manner huge fireplace was made,
probably fifteen or twenty feet long, and as the
tents stood on the windward side the smoke
blew away and we could toast our sbins, and,
perhaps sip steaming hot toddy to keep off the
malaria.
We did not enjoy that luxury every night, be-
cause our marches often extended till near mid
night, and the poor soldiers grew very tired, and
sometimes ahead we would see lights which in