The National tribune., 1888-11-29
sALKAHATCHIE SWAMP.
How sherman's Bummers rIanked the Rebels.


the 10Th Iowa, with the Third Brigade, Fourth
Division, Seventeenth Corps, resumed their
march, with Gen. Mowers First Division in
the advance. At II o'clock lively sllirmishing
with the euemy's cavalry began, and they were
steadily driven along the road to Mcpherson
vile.
Feb. the skirmishing continued, and the
enemy was steadily pushed back. Although it
was evident that they were being reinforced
by several brigades, he gave way only after OBJ
stInate resistance. and slowly. In the after
noon he fell back across the Big Sakahatchie
Swamp, stubbornly holding the two bridges
leading across the same known as Broxton5
and Rivers bridges two and half miles apart.
Both of these bridges were strongly fortified
with massive forts and Tedoubts and armed
with guns of the heaviest calibeT, deiying any
approach or assault in front, as the two roads
leading across the wide streams composing the
SAkahatchie Swamp were entirely exposed to
their conCentric, sweeping and terrible fire. In
the evening the 10th Iowa was ordered two
miles forward to reinforce Gen. Mowers ex-
IRENE left brigade (Col. John TilsOn's near
Rivers Bridge. where heavy musketry and
artillery fire was kept up all night.
Feb. 3 the regiment was relieved, and re-
turned to its brigade While lively demon
stratiOn was going on in front of Rivers Bridge
above and at Broxtons Bridge below, the regi-
ment, with the rest of the Third Brigade and
Fourth Division, were ordered to cross the Sal
kahatchie Swamp, three-fourths of mile above
Broxtou's Bridge to effect Judgment between
the two forts on the opposite bank and flank
said forts
After receiving an additional 90 rounds of
ammunition, to be carried by the men well
above their waists the SakahatChie was en-
tered-Gen. Giles A. Smith, commanding the
Fourth Division, Gen. B. +. Potts, command
ing the First Brigade and Gen. VIM. w. Bel
KNAPP, commanding the Third or Iowa Brigade,
ahead of their respective columns afoot, and
the officers and men wading through the "a
smaller aud wider streams and the marshy,
stagnant pools composing the Big Salkahatchie
Swamp, mile and half wide The water
averaged waist-deep, while at many points il
was still deeper, in dense cypress timber, full
of the usual" cypress knees" which were mostly
covered with water and running through a
thick underbrush and luxuriant creeping vines
of all kinds, enough to satisfy the taste of any
amateur botanist The wading across lasted
from 3 o'clock D. m. to 4:30 p. M, and great
credit is due to the officers and men of the
whole fanking party for the Steadiness, dis
patch and surprising regularity with which the
movement was effected by them, without the
least hesitancy and amidst a constant play of
artillery Smelling the woods from the neigh
boring rebel Qualifications at BFoXtons Bridge,
at place which, according TO the captured
rebel papers, WAS deemed absolutely impossible
N%NaAaAA'@@NAN~
Carolina.
Not 10 minutes after landing on the opposite
(northern) bank the 18th Iowa received a sud
den attack on its right flank by a rebel cavalry
and infantry force (attracted no doubt by the
noise of the division while crossing the tim
bered swamp, posted some 300 yards in a wide
and open field, on high, level ground, at the
edge of the timber, where the regiment
emerged from the swamp.
The 18th, without waiting for orders, in
stantly took arms, changed front from that
facing west to facing north, and at the same
time deploying heavy line Of skirmishers,
closely supported by the rest of the regiment
with its brisk and well sustained fire just at
the right moment and at the right place, soon
compelled the advancing enemy to halt, and
soon afterwards to take to flight toward the
timber beyond the field. The mainline, rs
well as that Of the skirmishers. was rapidly
fortified, the 10Th Iowa having thus become
the front of the division while the other regi-
ments of the brigade were forming on its line.
A wakeful, rainy, cold night followed, during
which the men were drying their clothes and
fitting their arms and acc0uterments to be
ready to meet the expected attack next morn
ing.
During the night, however, part of Gen.
Mowers Division also effected landing near
Rivers Bridge after hard fighting, and by day
light the enemy had disappeared entirely from
INC WHUiC line IL H6iu along JtlG IoaikdHabChiS,
retreating towards the Augusta, Brauchville
and Charleston Railroad. Feb. the regiment,
with division, marched by circuitous route
through the timber north of the Salkahatchie
to Rivers Bridge, where it put up temporary
Notifications on that and subsequent days;
while the bridge, which had been burned by
the enemy, was rebuilt aud communication
with the ammunition, supply and other trains
of the army restored. How perfectly safe peo-
pie on the north side of the Salkahatchie
thought themselves to be, appeared within the
two days the command were encamped at Riv-
ers Bridge, after the enemy had fled. At no
place during the trip were found such quanti
ties of fine hams chickens and all kinds of
provisions foraged by the division, as along the
Salkahatchie. People living there avowed
openly that if the Yankee army could cross
such q swamp. there was no use TO destroy their
bridges; for the next they expected to hear
was that the Yanks would jump from tree
top to tree-top to effect their march across
waters deemed perfectly safe lines by Hardee
! aud Beauregard.-L. S. TYLER, Co. II, 18th
Iowa, Salem Mass