Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-03

cry, half-clad men would halt for q few hours
rest our bugles and the crack Of carbines would
arouse thsm. Starving and discouraged many
threw away their muskets and scattered
throughout the country, hundreds gave them
selves up 40 prisoners and every day bodies Of
ragged men in gray or butternut were escorted
to the rear, and many guns were found by the
roadside which had been abandoned because
the wOrnout horses could no longer haul them
II not SO disastrous this vigorous pursuit was
almost as hard on US
HARD WORK ON TIE UNION FORCES.
Our cavalry was exhausted and many of their
horses had given out, the roads were in terrible
condition and our wagons with supplies could
not overtake us. The rain fell continually and
We were wet and had not enough to eat for days;
our fires, built OF green wood and water-soaked
fence rails, would not warm US. Dozens Of
men fell behind and went back to Nashville or
stopped by the wayside and either followed
their regiments at their leisure or we're brought
back as deserters few days later. Hood had
entered Tennessee with 40 900 infantry and
1000 cavalry. The latter, under Forrest, he
had sent south of the Cumberland with orders
ITO drain the country Of persons liable to mill
tary service. animals suitable for army pur-
poses and subsistence supplies of all kinds 4"
Forests absence had been q great disadvan-
tage during the battle and subsequent retreat
and he rejoined Hoods ragged column Of
starving men about the 22d and at once threw
cavalry and retarded our advance some. On
reaching Columbia Hood threw some of his ar
tillery into Duck river and burned the fine
bridge, thereby delaying our crossing until our
pontoon bridges could be brought up.
Our corps arrived at Columbia December "a;
next morning our division moved down near
the bridge to await our turn to cross, and sup
posing i: would come soon two Of US followed a
battery over and looked around town for a
while. On returning TO the bridge our division
was not in sight and knowing it had not crossed
and learning that some troops had been ordered
BACK we were very anxious to recrOss. but the
guard at the bridge had orders to keep it clear
for wagon train then ro'sing. He happened
to be fellow who had been in the barracks with
us at Camp Butler, and when we explained the
matter he snid couple of Orderlies had gone up
town to ge. shoes for some officers horses and
II we would get some horseshoes he would mis-
take US for them and pass us. We found some
rusty horseshoes and as We approached the
bridge we saw an officer followed by a numerous
staff and an escort of cavalry crossing and learned
that 1t was Gen. Thomas. The wagons began
70 come over again and the matter of getting
to the other side was both difficult and danger
our. The bridge made of boards laid on
canvas-covered boats, and was but little wider
than wagon. The mules. frightened by the
swaying Of the bridge and the sigh. of water on
both sides of them, crowded and pushed, and
many wagons came very near the edge. We
a
mile below found our division awaiting the put
ting down of another pontoon just arrived.
Next morning We crossed, and after tha. we
proceeded in a more leisurely manner as it was
seen that the routed rebels were so scattered
and demoralized that they would make no more
trouble, for a time at least. As an army they
never came together again, although part OF
them reorganized and joined Johnston in the
Caroiinas, eventually surrendering to Sherman.
THE LOSSES ON BOTH SIDES.
The total loss of the Union forces during the
two days battle and subsequent. pursuit was
only 3,047, of whom 46l were killed 1t is hard
to get any reliable figures as to the killed and
wounded on the Other side. as so many orgaai-
cations were destroyed, but altogether they
must have losi 10000 men. Amon; the trophies
tIen. Thomas had to show were ~ pieces of
artillery. 3,2c0 muskets hundreds of wagons,
besides folr generals and over 5000 other pris-
oners. including 1000 wounded in the hospital
at Franklin. AZ Columbia our forces separated.
our corps proceeding to some point on the
tennessee, where we embarked for Eastport.
near the northeaa ,t-n border of Mississippi,
and were tod to make Ourselves comfortable
FOR the rest OF the winter.
Tho first wears OF the war variety Of large
tents OF different types were used, soms
holding twenty or moce men, bat they were
announcement to transport. being generally stuck
In the mud in the rear when most needed and
by Ibis time troops in the field wore provided
WI the tent used in the French army; the
Official name is shelter tent, but il wa' usually
known as dog tent This is formed of two
pieces of stout duck each about six feet square
one side being provided with button; and the
Other with bu.tonholcs to match. Each man
had one OF these pieces and two going together
had "a tent which was always on hand and with
couple OF sticks four feet long and half dozen
pegs 1t took but two minutes TO get a shelter
n rnip orli
which two men could creep and sleep comfort
ably. These tents were very little protection
from the sun and none from the cold.
IN CAMP AT EAsrPonr
At Eastport plenty of timber was standing.
and We Gu. wha. we wanted and built houses:
some were large enough for eight or ten men,
bat mos: of ihen held two or four Ny tent
mate and myself made a very comfortable shell
ter by using CYPRESS bark. The cypress is a
singular tree. growing in swamps. in many
places In water from one to three fee. deep: it
grows to q height of forty or fifty feet and
from the roots Il sort Of stump springs up; a
dozen or more OF these knees. as they are
called. grow around single tree These knees
are smooth. cone shaped and from TWO to six
feet high. and Il cypress swamp is q queer look
ing place. as nothing else grows there. The
bark If these trees can be peeled off in long
slips: by driving stakes into the ground, max
ing frame six feet square. using
cypress bark for the sides and our
tents "a roof. building a bunk which took
up one SIDE and putting, mud chimney oppo-
size the door We had a very good house. Here
we remained in camp fo- several weeks. The only
thing oat OF the common order l remember is
that once for some req Ion our supply of hard
tack was Ell. of ard We were given shelled corn
for two days. The bows took this very good
naturally and many jokes were made about Dor
rowing corn from mule to be repaid when we
next drew rations. and u good story was told
OF Gen. Thomas, who was a grave, stern man
with little sense of humo-. When an army
mule team is led to water the driver mounts his
saddle mule, the ohar five are secured to each
o'her By the neck chains. the one nearest the
diver being tied to the saddle and the whole
lot kept in order by the whip. Every
soldier remembers the confusion that
accompanied the passage OF lot OF
mules and the blows and oaths that
seemed necessary to get them along One day
the general heard great noise il the road pass
ing his headquarters and saw q number ot
strings of 1--WE men. each with q niue chain
around hi, neck, being led Fast by men
mounted on mules, who were shouting and
cracking their whips. He sent an officer to ask
the cause of such an unusual punishment. and
driver replied, They amt being punished,
they have had their corn and We are taking
them to water" At first the general was in
clined to be angry, bu. he finally joined in the
laugh. Early in February boats began to
gather at the wharf, and one morning we were
ordered to be ready to move at noon; as is
usual with soldiers breaking camp we tore down
and burnt our houses. but we bad cause to re-