Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-02-25
CHAPT En- XVIII
NEARING THE ESD.

CHAPTER XVIII
NEARING TUE ESD.
Once more 20 Nashville.
Glorious news from Atlanta
Sherman and Johnston had been fight
ing tooth and nail over hundred miles
OF mountains and woods; ami the words
Dalton, Resaca, Dallas and Lost and
Kenesaw mountains had been written
in letters Of blood on the page Of his
tory.
Johnston had retired behind the In.
trenchments Of Atlanta, when Davis,
dissatisfied with his Fabian policy, hnd
deposed him, and put Hood In his place.
Sherman advanced ON the Georgian
city, when Hood attacked the Union
army three times with trcmcudou,
energy, but was rcpulscd with great
slaughter. ShcrmIn thcrcub)n rc-on.
acted his fnvoritc illnl; movement, filed
his wagons with fifteen dayS' rationg,
dextorously shifted his whole army
on his opponents line Of supplies, and
compelled the evacuation Of the city.
But the victory was dearly bought for
Sherman's Lieutenant, the gallant Me.
Pherson who, with the brave Logan,
had chiefly sustained the front Of the
battle, was killed in action.
Sherman now longcd to sweep
through the Atlantic States, but Hoods
army, though driven away, was hover.
ing near him, and rendered such move.
ment impossible when the glad tidings
was brought 10 tho Federal camp, that
the Southern General was setting out To
invade Tennessee.
''If Hood will only 20 there" Shcr.
man declared, 81 will give him rations
for the Journey"
And Hood went; and Sherman started
on that grandly picturesque expedition,
"Tho March TO the Sea"
Hood moved rapidly devastating the
country no passed through; and critical
old gentleman u thousand miles away,
reading their morning papers, growlcd
over Thomas delay, and declared, that
II they were In command Of the Federal
troops they would order affairs on n
very different plan; and their convic.
tions were sustained, when news came
that tho Rock Of ChiclSamuuga" was
being shut up at Nashville, just ms he
and Rosecrans had been ut Chattanoo.
ga. Why, these venerable stny-at-homcs
said such conduct was simply outrage.
GUS. oh, N they could only hold the
reinsl Even Grant caught the contngion
Of this popular discomfort, and actual ~
set out to take charge Of his troops in
person. when the North was electrified
with the report that Thomas In two
days bloody battle had driven the Con.
fedcrates out Of their entertainments
into hcadlong flight, and dissolved thcin
into n rnbble Of demoralizcd fugitivcs!
And this battle, so far aa any great
military movements were concerned,
finished the war in the West.
Grants advance on Richmond, Shcr.
mans march To the sea, Thomas dc.
r,ruc;ion Of an army, were compliments
~ cach other each neccssitics uf Tire
othcrs--nnd combined, were the forces
that broke the back Of the Confcdcracy
Five dates now stand ont lurid In the
completion Of that long calendar OF
carnage.
On April the 9th Lee sure ndcrcd To
Cent - hppomattox courthouse.
TN tn Goth ~ the same month Johu.
ston yielded - sherman
On thr lHiDf Nay Jefferson Davis
wns cap;ui-i go lrwinsvillc, In South.
err Georgia.
On tho lith ~ May all Confederate
troops cast of the Mississippi laid down
their nrinA
On tho 10Th Of May all west Of the
"Fnthcr Vt Waters" followed their ex.
ample, and the Confcdcrary. with It's
high hopes and great ambitions, was u
thing Of the past
There were uu more bivOuacs by the
cnmp-fircs now, M weary marches, no
CORY scenes of blttlc. no more hunger
and thirst In hNlrJgucrr cities for the
Fighting Fourth. for thu rcrilncnt was
on Its way H. Columbus to bc muntcrcd
out OF service. Its beloved Colonel had
suddenly and mystcriouSly resigned,
and had preceded them some weeks be.
fore, leaving the delightful tasl, Of con.
Quoting the jnbilant fellows home 10
Frank Bcsant, who had In vain sought
the reason Of his supcrior's dcscrtion OF
his men ut 50 interesting moment, but
had attributed II 10 some important
business calls, for he knew that Hop
kins was man Of large property, and
consequently would be glad 10 get back
TO his affairs
II was not till they were well into
Ohio and dispatch from his friend
reached him at n roadside station that
the real object Of Hopkins mission was
revealed 10 him
"Your commission was signed to-day
my boy. Though your hours OF com.
49,