The National tribune., 1897-08-19
officer, but Hampton answered him with
q curse.
HOW RHETr SAVED HIS BOOTS.

sent Duncan to Gen. Fitzpatrick,
and heard afterward that Fitzpatrick
had applied to Gen. Slocum for his
prisoner, Col Rhett, whom he made
march on foot the rest of the way to
Goldsboro', in retaliation. There was
story afoat that Fitzpatrick made him
"get out =" of those fine boots, but re-
stored them because none of his own
officers had feet delicate enough to wear
them OF course. know nothing of this
personally, and have never seen Rhett
since that night by the cooper shop.
From Averysboro' the left wing turned
east, toward Goldsboro', the Fourteenth
Corps leading. | remained with this
wing until the night of the 18th, when
we were within u miles of Goldsboro'
and five from Bentonvile; and, sup
posing that all danger was over, L
crossed over to join Towards column,
to the right, so as to be nearer to Gems.
Schofeld and Terry, known to be ap-
preaching Goldsboro'. / overlook Gen.
Howard at Falling Creek Church, and
found his column we'll drawn out, by
reason of the bad roads.
| had heard some cannonading over
about Slocum's head of column, and
supposed it to indicate about the same
measure of opposition by Hardee's
troops and Hampton's cavalry before
experienced, but during the day mes
senger overlook me and notified me that
near Bentonville Gen. Slocum had run
up against Johnston's whole army. L
sent back orders for him to fight de-
fensively to save time, and that | would
come up with reinforcements from the
direction of Cox's Bridge, by the road
which we had reached near Falling
Creek Church. The country WAS very
obscure and the maps extremely de-
fective.
By. this movement l hoped Gen.
Slocum would hold Johnston's army
facing west, while | would come on his
rear from the east. The Fifteenth
Corps, less one division (Hazen's) still
ward Bentonville, Hazen's Division was
ordered to Slocum's flank, and orders were
also sent tor Gen. Blair, with the Seven
teenth Corps, to come to the same desti-
nation. Meantime the sound of cannon
came from the direction of Bentonville.
The night of the 18th caught us near
Falling Creek Church, but early the
next morning the Fifteenth Corps, Gen.
G. r. Woods's Division leading, closed
down on BentonvilIe, near which it was
brought up by encountering a line of
fresh parapet crossing the road and
extending north toward Mill Creek.
After deploying l ordered Gen. How
ard to proceed with due caution, using
skirmishers alone, till he had made
junction with Gen. Slocum, on his left.
These deployments occupied all day, dur
ing which two divisions of the Seven
teenth Corps also got up. AT that time
Gen. Johnston's army occupied the form
of V, the angle reaching the road lead
ing from Averysboro' to Goldsboro' and
the TANKS resting on Mill Creek, his lines
embracing the village of Bentonville.
Gen. Slocum's wing faced one of these
lines and Gen. Towards the other
and, in the uncertainty of Gen. john
ston's strength, l did not feel disposed
to invite general battle, for we had
been out from Savannah since the latter
part of January and our wagon-trains
contained but little food. l had also
received messages during the day from
Gen. Schofeld, at Kinston, and Gen.
Terry, at Faison's Depot, approaching
Goldsboro', both expecting to reach it
by March II.
MOWERS SHARP DASH.