Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-02-07
IlIIIRs OF THE war.
...,,s, Of a Confederate
'''' r,vyman Who Saw Serv-
ice in '65.
,.st Pee Dee Boldly Passes
y Tsr.sgh Gen. sherman's
Lines.
-, Of the work Of Fire and
'''''''l sword On snerman's
Route.

~. .sr the Gazette ..,,,.. =,
". ., !, Of this series OF articles ~
Ibe WIZ .h,sshed In TnE GAZETTE, left
I I ~ Al the Confederate navy yaru,
J \ Ies YIN a part Of 1865, at the crossing
pc s @;imsIugton & Manchester railway
% e,s , Pc Dee river, s. C., with the
~ gt Oss.,' eunboat, Pee Dee,
pnlfoe',a"~ ascend the river on
~ bosom OF a pig iresnee.
D. ,sSsn the great and victorious
" I, Cen. Sherman, flushed with sue
Inl " ", nasslnc through the very heart
|ss w Carolina, on his march north
So ,., North Carolina. His divisions
|AIa l NY scattered in the woods look
y |. -, chersw. on the upper Pee Dee,
4 y mt mt Johnson, Of the Confederate
sn s'r conceived the bold idea OF as
49, ~ river, penetrating the main
Iiu'a IA reaching Gen Hardee, still at
kenw , rur ,rrpN,p,,
49, pKoygp SUCCESSFUL.
,,.,,. got under way, the Pee Dee
Ia IA he fierce current like a vessel OF
.,er nower aud pretensioni but, as
XXX snropeller and also fathottomed,
~ most difficult to prevent her head
q singing around to shore by the
!, tbe current. This impeded us
IN an extent that 1t was several days
~ -sr We reached Cheraw. At Society
~ M, ~ Y tonched the enemy's lines; and
frovsly to entering his proximity,
A !. iohnson ordered the guns to be
"a and the crew called to quarters.
4pTsyer, as we passed the enemy's
": no demonstration was made
5,inst as, The steamer showed no col
4 Al the landings the negroes Hooked
H. 10 MS, supposlng us a federal
4 ,6er until they saw our dress; and
\ tsem. as well as from the whites,
Z s,siu Johnson managed to elicit some
|}ormatIop as to the nearness of the
srmy. which concerned him at this mo-
8 nj most closely. Having arrived at
gnw, We anchored near the middle of
N stream; and, as soon as possible,
n Johnson communicated with Gen.
tnlee. whose headquarters were in the
I'M and where pickets still stood guard
|ue seven or eight miles to the south OF
Y Dwn. The night after our arrival
( southern horizon was lit up with the
Of the camp-hres. | had some pic
vs Of scenes in the old revolution, and
appeared equal to them. The Uuited
IIhhs srmy under Sherman, was in fact
Min 4 few miles Of Cheraw; and thu
{uiderate general about TO eyacuatC
town. From the latter Capt. johnson
keyed the fatal command to steam
NV lie river, burn all steamboats,
should meet, destroy the railwa,
ige and, finally, burning his owl
sl to march with his men in Sher
us rear, and reach the naval forces a
hnond by the Charlotte & Danvilllt
lnsd route then open.
A MARCH.
r uf craft remained day or two a
snH. During this time paid a visit
citizen uncle In the town, who wa
singulne that the town might yet b,
/ d BY what chances of war he diC
MORN me. | think now that my uncl,
~ hare been joking, for the very hou
conversation occurred the enemy
res we're about crossing Purrls creek
'ussm TO the southwark of the town
fnng my stay in the town, the street
Re iall Oisoldiers; companies and regi
aHs marched and countermarched, an,
mEthlng indicated the straightnes
'As OCCASION. That evening Lieutenan
'Aenl hardee commenced falling bacl
W northward and abandoning Cherav
he hostile army. All night long coul,
Aelrd the rnmbling Of artillery an,
pnssary wagons over the bridge tina
lhed the Pee Dee near the town, an
morning the retreat over the bridg
All progressing. Early on the sam
Eliag, having got up steam and til
y NV continuing undated, we weighe
~ sad steamed rapidly down on tn
y ~ Of the flood. SO swiftly did tn
~ agencies OF current and stear
ne vessel that we arrived at Pc
Snuge on the same afternoon, bring
\ wsn With us, in order to leave her
Y '1 \ that we met below Societ
\ having arrived at the yard" ever
salon was made both for destroyin
= .5aner and sayingher stores. Whe
ss0Anson's Intentions and command
aM,wn, y Is said, Masters Mat
IKE begged him not to burn the yes
Ivy allow him to pilot her to re
NV IN the river, away below tn
r ~ ~ olqge, where she might escap
.anu' scrutiny Of the enemy; anc
sns q subsequent events, it no.
MsoTtunate that Mr.. Congdon'
~ not taken, She might hav
y running the blockader I
as al events she could hay
N \ w destroyed When, as purser'
was ordered to see all th
s.s s"ses put ashore preparatory /
~, I, ! felt regret as well O
I'M 'ue TACT that the efforts Of s
~ should thus be thrown to III
~ 'ue, we were now TO leave VIII
Can't PHEASANT residence for one /
1'saerate service.
s,,s nse'noon Of our arrival at III
H0,'age was one Of hustle and COZ
s 4 gsn was awaiting us at Ii
ana having gotten ali the stor,
~ placed a guard over them,
aelsrs sf ,.' Tor the march kne
Mfmrk ~ procured q canteel
,rs s and other articles necessai
si,sa and late in the Afternoon
sSrs, y orders, superintended Ii
NM, Y p all the vessels provision
sne M, stores to the train. an h
snS Ses lor departure were hurrie,
- 4 'ag parties OF the enemy we,
nem \. aoroad, Nor aid we kno
Y. az s1 s' superior number Of n
n N, M :, y night the crew were tar yO'
!, spreoe,,1 ! !, s'oore, and were marche
- ,SSs H. . signaD 10th to the u trail Il
~ s,,,ss1s Executive ot,lcar 80 ,, -