Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-02-05


that could be relied upon to do whatever
was humanity possible.
was soon told what was required of
me, and Gen. Howard pointed out upon a
small map the situation of the fort The
march from Atlanta had been perfectly
successful, requiring for the completion
of so splendid movement the possession
of our ratiOnS then atlOat Mt the mouth OF
the OgeeChec. | was to march that night
to Kings Bridge and in the morning cross
over and down to McAllister and assault
and capture it.
After nearly month of marching, al
though attended with very little fatigue
and really sort of prolonged picnic, we
had naturally looked forward to the rest
that follows such campaigns. | had made
myself comfortable at the plantation of
Mr.. Floyd, just twelve miles from Savan-
nah where | found every comfort the
men had arranged their little bivouacs
with more than usual care fora prolonged
occupancy and there were plenty of
straw for good beds, and boards to patch
out their shelters So, while the troops
were ever ready to do what was required,
there was a general feeling of disappoint-
ment at being so soon turned out to begin
all over again at a new camp. This camp
ing material Is necessary to soldiers
comfort. To an officer of some rank it
made little difference. His quarters were
in Il house. His table camp. bed, chairs
and Il few rugs and toilet articles We're
carried in a wagon or packed upon Il horse
and his servant, going ahead, arranged
them so that when he entered he found
his room precisely like the one he left in
the morning, with identically the same
furnishing, making it difficult sometimes
to comprehend that he had changed his
quarters at all.
Bat we were soon ON the road, and
marched back to the bridge which had
been burned by the troops that first reach
ed the river,thus compelling the engineers
to work all night to enable us to cross at
daylight of the 18th. The command was
called ut 4 o'clock, and at the break of
day breakfast was over, camp was broken,
and the wagons and command really to
march out and long before the sun came
up clear and bright the entire division
was over and making its way along an eN-
tenSiVe CauseWHy reaching across a great
stretch of rice marsh to the firm ground
beyond.
There could be no more mirthful, hap
Ply lot of men than my division that
morning. Every one in perfect health,
well fed and clothed, thoroughly in earn
est, free from the chickering's that idleness
begets, with the peculiar joy the early
morning gives to active Out-Of-dUOT work,
the men went forward, making their jokes
and telling stories, an example of readi-
ness and military strength aud efficiency
or cared for the object of their march,
and in fact no one knew much about it.
There was a general notion that we were
going to assai and capture some obstacle
separating the army from its food and
raiment. But the fact that it would cost
fight, where some would fail, although
we'll enough known, never seemed to en-
ter their thoughts.
While we were going along the cause
way the column WAS bcset by great
crowd of rice plantation people, Il simple
race, small, Ignorant, OF all shades Of
color, and speaking Il peculiar putojS
They We're entirely unique and distinct
from any other people and their chatter
was unCeaSing. and almost unintelligibc.
We soon reached beautiful shell road
upon the hard ground and, turning di-
rectly to the left, marched rapidly down
to the fort, just ten miles away. There
were many handsome country places along
this road, but only the servants We're in
them and several bore the uumistakable
mark of the ruthless cavalrymen, who,
struggling away from Fitzpatrick 5 com
mand the day before, had literally emp
tied the houses into the yard for Il better
chance to inspect their contents 1t i, as
tOnshing how much of almost every con
ceivable thing uncontrolled soldiers will
find and bring out of Il very small house.
When half way to McAllister, we met
Fitzpatrick with his division. He had re-
cOunoitered the fort, and confirmed what
Gen. Howard was able to tell me about its
situation. The entire country was beau
tiful, and occupied by people of wealth
and culture. The magnolia and live oak,
with wide-spreading branches festooncd
with long hanging moss, gave to the
landscape striking, and, to us, an unac-
CustOmed aspect, which was very inter
eSting
When mile away from McAllistcr, my