The National tribune., 1900-02-01

The Seventeenth Corps marched away
from Atlanta on Nov. Is, 1864, in the di-
rection of McDonough, thence to Jack
sonville, to Gordon Junction, the crossing of
the Atlanta, Macon & MilleGgeville Rail
road, and stopped there, ready to reinforce
the Fifteenth Corps, the other part of Sher-
mans Right Division, if necessary; but it
had met only little opposition at Macon.
A part of our army struck off toward
Milledgeville, but found the enemy gone.
Some of our men went TO the State House,
organized" the state Legislature" pass
ed" some new laws" and repealed" the
ordinance of secession. They then ad-
journed sine die, and never went there
any more"
Dec 1 found us at Bostwick Station,
where we destroyed the railroad as much
as considered necessary, and then went on
to Milan Junction, on the Augusta and Sa-
vannah & Atlanta Roads. The rebels
were at loss to know just which place Sher-
man was aiming for, but they rather eX-
pected him to strike Augusta. But we
went towards Savannah, tearing up the
railroad track at intervals and at the best
points.
The rebels had a fiat-car ahead of us,
from which they would fire cannon at us
occasionally for several days; without
much damage, however. AT some places
they had planted torpedoes and felled
timber across the way. We got hold OF
some of their newspapers, which showed
that their kind intention was to drown"
Sherman's army in the Georgia SwampS,
and that their editors were vituperative.
Indeed, we now had to wade swamps every
day from shoe-mouth to waiSt-deep.
When we reached NARROW Station, on
Dec. S, we found the rebels on the opposite
side of the Salkehatchie Swamp. We
marched up, deplOyed as skirmishers, and
formed line of battle. Our regiment was
in front of our corps. The rebels fell
back, and we waded into the water after
them, firing all the time The swamp
was heavily timbered. We drove the rebels
put of it, and then formed line of march
again, as they were gone.
MOLASSES AND SWEET POTATOES.
The country was pretty well cleaned
up of provisions, except sweet potatoes,
which were to be found in quantities, as
good crops of them had been raised. We
also got plenty of sorghum molasses. We
got fresh beef every night from our Quar-
termaSter'S train, We having started from
Atlanta with beef on the hoof.
Wegenerally camped on some plantation.
1t WIS amusing to see the boys camp down
on farm; that is, amusing TO all but the
owner, and he was generally away. They
would make for the rail fences: in few
minutes after the order to break ranks was
given one could see whole regiments carry
ing fence-rails for camp-fires. 1t generally
took all TIE fences on a plantation to furnish
the army for night.
The regiments were continually shifting
as to the advance. We would usually
camp about or o'clock in the evening,
although the rear would possibly not get
there until several hours later.
Sherman wore a slouched hat and a
brown overcoat, and was always to be found
sharing the discomforts of the men whom
he was leading on that glorious march to
the sea. But we did not know where we
We're going, and the boys often growled,
as tits q soldiers privilege to do.
On Dec. II we reached the canal near
Savannah, and found the Johnnies in
trenched in strong breastworks. AS we
had been used to wading swamps, we Just
waded across the canal; but after we had
crossed there was still the water of swamp,
50 We could not make fires. We recrossed
the canal, and went around to the right.