The National tribune., 1897-08-12

muskets, and $500 barrels of gun
powder. BY the carelessness OF sol
dier an immense pile of this powder was
exploded, which shook the town badly,
and killed and manned several of our
men.
We remained in or near Cheraw till
the 9th of March, by which time the
army was mostly across the Pedee River,
and was prepared to resume the march
on Fayetteville. In house where Gen.
Hardee had been, | found late New
York Tribune, Of fully a month later
date than any had seen. 1t contained
a mass of news Of great interest to us,
and one short paragraph which d thought
extremely mischievous.
HARMFUL NEWSPAPER PUBLICITY.
/ think it was an editorial to the
effect that at last the editor had the
satisfaction, to inform his readers that
Gen. Sherman would next be heard
from about Goldsboro, because his sup
plr-vessels from Savannah were known
TO be rendezvousing at Morehead City.
Now, knew that Gen. Hardee had read
that same paper, and that he would be
perfectly able to draw his own infer
ences. Up to that moment | had en-
deavored SO to feign to our left that we
had completely misled our antagonists,
but this was no longer possible, and /
concluded that we must be ready for
the concentration in our front of all the
force subject to Gen. Jos. Johnston's
orders, for | was there also informed
that he had been restored to the full
command Of the Confederate forces in
South and North Carolina.
On the 9Th of March | crossed the
Pedee, and all the army marched for
Fayettevilie-the Seventeenth Corps
kept well to the night, to make room ;
the Fifteenth Corps marched by a
direct read; the Fourteenth Corps also
followed direct road from Sneeds-
boro, where it had crossed the Pedee !;
and the Twentieth Corps, which had
come into Cheraw for the convent
ence of the pontoon-bridge, diyerged
to the left, SO as to enter Fayetteville
next after the Fourteenth Corps, which
was appointed to lead into Fayetteville.
Fitzpatrick held his cavalry still farther
to the left rear on the roads from Lam
caster, by way of Wadesboro' and New
Gilead, so az to cover our trains from
Hampton's and Wheeler's cavalry, who
had first retreated toward the north. |
travelled with the Fifteenth Corps, and
on the Sth of March reached Laurel
Hill, Y. C. Satisfied that our troops
must be at Wilmington, / determined to
send a message there; / called for my
man, Corpl Pike, whom / had rescued
as before described, at Columbia, who
was then travelling with our escort, and
instructed him in disguise to work hi.
way to Cape Fear River, secure boat
and float down to Wilmington to con
vey letter, and to report our approach
] alss called oil Gen. Howard fol
another volunteer. and he brought mt
very clever young Sergeant, after
81. AsA8AS COil4AiiH>aOl4tA O1flOSl III tls
Regular Army. Each Of these got OF
during the night by separate routes
bearing the following message, reduced
TO the same cipher we used in tele
graphic messages:
HEADq'Rs MILITARY DIVISION or THE
MISSISSIPPI, IN THE FIELD LAUREL Hill,
Wednesday. March g. 1865.
Commanding Officer. Wilmington, n C.:
We are marching for Fayetteville. viii b
there Saturday. Sunday and Monday, and wi
then march for Goldsboro'.
IL possible. send beat up Cape Fear Rive
and have word conveyed to Gen Schoiield ths
i ezpec, 10 meet him about Godsboro' We an
al well and have done finely. The rains In k
our roads difficult, and may delay us abou
Fayetteville. ia which case ] would like
have some bread sugar, and coffee We hay
abundance of all else. / expect to reach G old
boro' by the goth inst.
w. T. SHERMAN, Major General.
On the 9th i was with the Fifteent
Corps, and towards evening reached
little church called Bethel, in the wood
in which we took refuge in terribl