The National tribune., 1897-07-22
CHAPTER XIII.

i IL .
explained, the army designed for the
active campaign from Savannah north
ward was composed Of two wings, COM
manded respectively by Maj.-Gens.
Howard and Slocum, and was substanti-
ally the same that had marched from
Atlanta to Savannah. The same Gen
eral Orders were in force, and this cam
paign may properly be classed as con-
tlnuance of the former.
The right wing, less Corse's Division,
Fifteenth Corps. was grouped at or near
Pocotaliao, s. C., with It's wagons filled
with food, ammunition and forage, all
ready to start, and only waiting for the
left wing, which was detained by the
flood in the Savannah River. 1t was
composed as follows:
Fifteenth Corps, Maj-Gen. John A. Logan
Second Division, Maj j.-Gen. w. b. Hazen /;
Third Division, Brig Gen. John E. Smith !;
Fourth Division, Brig. Gen. John N. Corse
Artillery Brigade. IS guns, Lieut.-Col. w. ii
Ross, 1ss Mich. Art.
Seventeenth Corps. Mai. Gen. Frank P. Blair,
jr.-First Division, Maj Gen. Joseph A. Mower; ;
Second Division, Brig.-Gen. NJ. F. Force; (;
Fourth Division, Brig.-GeD Giles A. Smith
Artillery Brigade. IA guns, Maj. A. C. Water
house. 1st iii. Art.
The left wing, with Corsa's Division
and Kilpatrick's cavalry, was at and
near Sisters Ferry, 40 miles above the
city Of Savannah, engaged in crossing
the river, then much swollen. 1t was
composed as follows:
Fourteenth Corps, Maj. Gen. JEFF c. Davis
First Division, Brig. Gen. w. P. Carlin; Second
| Division, Brig Gen. John d.. Morgan; Third
| Division, Brighten. A. Baird. Artillery Bri-
gade, 16 guns, Maj. Charles Houghtaling. 1st
| Ill. Art.
Twentieth Corps. Brig. Gen. A. s. Williams
| First Division, Brig.-Gen. N. /. Jackson I;
| Second Division, Brig. Gen. J. w. Gcary; Third
Division Brig-Gen w. T. Ward. Artillery
| Brigade, 16 guns. Maj. J. A. Reynolds. 1st NY.
| Art.
C.vairy Division, Brig Gen. Judson Kilpat-
| rick-First Brigade, Col. T. j. Jordan, 9th Pa.
Cav; Second Brigade, Col. 8. d. Atkins. 92d
| H.; Third Brigade. Col. George Z. Spencer,
| 1st Ala. Cav. One battery of four guns.
/ The actual strength of the army, as
given in the following official tabular
statements, was at the time 60,07S men,
and 6S guns The trains were made UP
Of about $500 wagons, with six mules
to each wagon, and about 600 ambu-
lances, with two horses each.
The contents of the wagons embraced
an ample supply of ammunition for a
great battle; forage for about seven
days, and provisions for 20 days, mostly
of bread, sugar, coffee, and salt, depend
ing largely for fresh meat on beeve:
driven on the hoof and such cattle
hogs, and poultry, as we expected to
gather along our line of march.
The enemy occupied the cities o.
Charleston and Augusta, with garrison:
capable of making respectable if moi
successful defense, but utterly unable te
meet our veteran columns in the oper
field. TO resist or delay our progress
north, Gen. Wheeler had his division Of
cavalry (reduced to the size of a brigade
by his hard and persistent fighting evel
since the beginning of the Atlanta cam
paign), and Gen. Wade Hampton had
been dispatched from the Army of Fir
ginia to his native State Of South Caro-
lima, with a flourish Of trumpets, ane
extraordinary powers to raise men
money, and horses, with which "to STAY
the progress of the INVADER" and "tt
punish us for our insolent attempt II
invade the glorious State of South Caro-
lina!" He was supposed at the time tt
have, at and near Columbia, two small
divisions of cavalry commanded by him
self and Gen. Butler.
Of course, l had species of con
tempt for these scattered and inconsider
able forces, knew that they could hardly
DELAY us an hour; and the only seri
Gus question that occurred to me was
would Gen. Lee sit down in Richmond
(besieged by Gen. Grant,, and per
nit us, almost unopposed, to pas
through the States of South ant
North Carolina, cutting off and con
suming the very supplies on which HI
depended to feed his army in Virginia
or would he make an effort to escapt
from Gen. Grant and endeavor to catcl
us inland somewhere between Columbi;
and Raleigh?
/ knew full we'll at the time that thu