The National tribune., 1897-07-29

Vent q Possibility OF lis reSlolaiioH sth0
partlv to utilize the Time necessary fol
Gen. Slocum to get up.
The country thereabouts was very
poor. but the inhabitants mostly re
manned at home. Indeed, they knew
not where TO 90. Tie enenny's cavalry
had retreated before rs. but his infantry
was reported in some strength at Branch
Vile. on the farther side Of the Edisto
vet on the appearance Of a mere squad
of cur men they burned their own
bridces-the very thing | wanted, tor
we had no use for them, and they had.
We all remained strung along this
railroad till the 9th Of f'ebruary-the
Seventeenth Corps on the right, then
the Fifteenth, Twentieth, and cavalry,
at Blackville Gen. Slocum reached
Blackyille that day with Geary's Divls-
ion. of the Twentieth Corps, and re
ported the Fourteenth Corps Gen. jeff.
c. Davis's) to be following by way OF
Barnwef. On the 10th | rode up to
Blackville,, where conferred with Gems.
Slocum and Fitzpatrick, became satisfied
that the whole army would be ready
within a day, and accordingly made Or
ders for The next movement north to Co
lumbia. the right wing TO strike Orange
burg en- route. Fitzpatrick was ordered to
demonstrate strongly toward Aiken, to
keep up the delusion that We might
turn TO Augusta; but be was notified
that Columbia was the next objective,
and that he should cover the lett flank
against Wheeler, who hung around 1t.
/ wanted to reach Columbia before any
part of Hoods army could possibly get
there. Some of them were reported as
having reached Augusta, under the
command of Gen. Dick TAYLOR.
Having sufficiently damaged the rail
road, and effected The junction of the
entire army, the general march was re-
sumed on the llth, each corps crossing
the South Edisto by separate bridges,
with orders to pause Oh tie road leading
from Oran@eburg to Augusta, till it was
certain that the Seventeenth Corps had
got possession Of Orangebufg. This
place was simply important as It's occu-
patton would sever the communications
between Charleston and Columbia. All
the heads Of column reached this road,
known as the Edsefeid road, during the
18th, and the Seventeenth Corps turned
to tire right, against o. aneei5urg.
Whea / reached the head OF column
opposite Orangeburg, / found Giies a.
Smiths Division halted, with battery
uniimbered, exchanging shots with
party on the opposite side Of the Edisto.
He reported that the bridge was gone,
and that the FLYER was deep and impats
able. I then directed Gen. Blair to
send q strong division below the town
some four or FIVE miles, to effect a cross-
ing there BE laid his pontoon-bridge,
but the bottom on the other side was over
flowed, and the men had to wade through
it, IN places as deep as their waists.
/ was with this division at the time, on
foot, trying to pick my way across the
oyerfowed bottom; but, as soon as the
head Of column reached the sand-hills,
/ knew that the enemy would not long
remain in Orangebur9, and accordingly
returned to my horse. on the west bank,
and rode rapidly up to where ] had
left Giles A. Smith. / found him in
possession Of the broken bridge, abreast
Of the town, which he was repairing,
and ] was among the first to cross over
and enter the town. BY and before
the time either Forces or Giles A.
Smiths skirmishers entered the place,
several stores were or fire, and / am
sure that some of the towns people told
me that Jew merchant had set fire to
his OWE cotton and Store, and from this
the fire had spread
SEVENTEENTH CORPS IL oRAYGEBURG.
This, however, was soon put out, and
the Seventeenth Corps tGen. Blair oc-
cupied the place during that night. [
remember to have visited a large hos
pital, on the hill near the railroad depot,
which was occupied by the orphan chil-
dren who had been removed from the
asylum in Charleston. We gave them
protection, and, / think, some provisions.
The railroad and depot were DESTROYED
by order, and no doubt good dead Of
cotton was burned, for we all regarded
cotton as hostile property, a thing to he
destroyed Gen. Blair was ordered to
break up this railroad forward to the
point where it crossed the Santee, and
then TO turn for Columbia.
On the morning Of the 18th | agaih
Joined The Fifteenth Corps, which crossed
the North Edisto By snilling's Bridge,
and moved straight for Columbia, around
the head Of Caw-CaW Swamp. Orders
were sent TO all the columns to turn for
Columbia, where it was supposed the
enemy had concentrated all the men
they could from Charleston, Augusta.
and even from Virginia. That night j
was with the Fifteenth Corps, q miles
from Columbia, where nv Aid, Col.
Audenfied, picked up rebel officer on
the road, who, supposing hin to be Of
the same service with himself, answered
all bis Questions frankly, and revealed
the truth that there was nothing IN CD