The National tribune., 1896-11-05
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
MARCHING TO THE SEA
What a Company Commander Saw Gu that
Memorable Campaign.
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FnrroR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: We Ief'
the city on the morning OF the 2otn, anu al
the crossing of Buffalo Creek found the
bridge had been burned by a citizen. His
property was very promptly burned. Al
Sandersville we met the first resistance that
cost lives. Here the cavalry commanded py
Gen. Wheeler got in our way and Jew o.
them were killed before we cleared the road:
Some Chippewa Indians who had Joined
our regiment at Atlanta, and were making
their first campaign with us, seemed unwlli-
ing to leave the dead bodies with the scalps
on. but they readily fell into our way OF
making war and never afterwards expressed
desire to take scalps.
Nov. 2S we passed near to the residence oil
the Hon. Hershel V. Johnson, who had been
candidate for Vice-President upon the same
ticket with Stephen A. Douglas In 1861
His valuables, including his old manuscript
speeches in Congress- his private letters. and
gold-headed cane aud other less valuable
stuff. had been buried in the cabbage patch
In his garden and the cabbages set back over
them. useless precaution, for the ever
present hummer +" with the ramrod OF his
musket probed every foot of the ground I'M
til the treasure was discovered. The letters
from his son. an officer on Gen. Hoods stan.
afforded us an immense amount OF fun.
There were some horses mules and good
stock of -four and hams hid away In swamp
AT this place, and the overseer, who seemed to
be the only person who knew the secret, re-
sisted all persuasion to tell where they were
hid until rope was put around his neck and
thrown over tree-limb. This was form
of persuasion he could not resist.
The forager of our mess was genius OF
the highest type for the business In hand.
He never bothered with things he had no
use for such as sewing-machines, clocks or
farming implements but at this plantation
he laid in stock of -four and hams and a
mule to carry them, which lasted us until we
reached the vicinity of Savannah. 1t was
lucky he did SO, for the next day we reached
the piney woods country and forage became
scarce.
We ate the ham and -four with an added
satisfaction from the fact that so prominent
a Secessionist had been deprived of them and
also because they had been the means oil
saving that poor overseer's life, for the boys
would surely have hung him if he had not
piloied them to the hiding place.
Near Bostwck we burned several million
feet of pine bridge timber which had been
marked. ready to replace the destroyed rail-
road bridges in north Georgia and Tennes-
see when the Yankees should be driven out
of the country On Dec. 5 we heard can
nonading at Charleston, S. c., 20 miles dis
tant in an air line. On Dec. 9 we struck
the enemy in considerable force at Monteith
swamp. located about 10 miles from Savan.
nah. where they had INSTRUCTED the road
with felled timber and built fort.
We attempted to surround the fort, but
the enemy discovered the movement and
left in such great hurry that we only
secured three prisoners On Dec. 10 we
marched 10 within about four miles of Sa-
vannah. where we found formidable line o.
intrenchments which could be approached
only through swamps where the water was
three feet deep. We occupied a narrow
neck of land between the Savannah River
and Ossibaw Sound, on which there was NJ
forage. and the rebel Fort McAliister com
manded the only approach by which sup
plies could be brought to the army from
the feet which was awaiting us off the
coast.
This fort was soon captured by Gen
Hazen's Division, of the Fifteenth Corps
but it was several days before roads could be
built through the swamps and provisions
brought to the various camps On the day
of our arrival in front of Savannah some Of
the bummers," under command of Capt
Gilderseeve, 150th n. Y, had intercepted
and captured the small steamboat Ida, hav-
ing on board Col. Lynch. of Gen. Hardee's
staff, who was on his way up the river tt
warn the rebel gunboats that Sherman was
ut hand.
After stripping the boat of all its edible.
the Captain burned if. This was unfortu
nate, but nobody blamed the New Workers
They had been SO accustomed to burning
anything and everything useful to the enc
my that could not be carried in a haversack
that ii was to be expected. When, few
hours later, our regiment was ordered Il
cross the river TO Argyle Island. we coul(
find only two small skiffs that would carr,
eight men each at time. In this way
when about half OF the regiment had reached
the island we saw the smoke of the gun
boats, which had failed 10 receive the warn
ing, coming down the river.
AS they rounded a bend about mile
above us they were in range Of Winnegar',
battery (M) OF the LIST n. Y. l.. A. Capt
Ninnegar soon made it so hot for them that
the leading boat stopped and turned around
and the others tried TO do the same During
this operation one of them ran into the
armed tender Resolute which accompanied
the gunboats. and was crippled SO that she
drifted ashore TO the island and was captured
by our men just as her crew were leaving in
her boats. A few shots brought them back
and they surrendered, cursing each other fol
the bluDders that had brought on THEN
misfortune.
While these events were happening go,
my company across TO the island, but too late
10 take any part in capturing the boat The
Savannah River at this point lis divided by
Argyle Island into two channels. the mair
channel being along The Georgia shore The
island is rice plantation, which would nat
urally overflow 10 a depth of about two fee
at every high tide. but had been ditchet
and diked SO that the depth Of water coult
be regulated by food-gates. When we coul,
control these gates we could keep the islant
passaDle, but unfortunately the rebels bel,
the upper end of the island and could foo,
large portion Of il.
Argyle Island is about 10 miles long an.
al the end we occupied about mile wide
The plantation buildings were located OIL
the east side, near the eastern channel on
piece Of ground few feet above high water
As was too late TO have any fun in tn
a. naval battle" as we called it. and as tn
question Of something TO cat was an impor
tant one, / took the shortest road to tn
plantation buildings, but there was nothin
left there.
j found at the landing good six-oare
boat that would carry about 10 men and TIL
rowers. lmpressing crew of darkies 10 70,