The National tribune., 1900-05-17

We went through Line Creek Swamp,
very had piece of county, skirmishing
every step Of the way Capt. Ed Town
into Loundsboro, but their horses were SO
tired they did not succeed in capturing any
of the 100 rebels they We're driving before
them Made 30 miles, fighting 25 of them.
April 11.-Marched at z and struck the
enemy about four miles from Montgomery,
at ford they had fortified, and went into
camp just at night. Made 30 miles. To-
morrow decides the fate OF Montgomery,
and our brigade has got to settle it, for the
rest of the force is still away behind.
April 12.-Started for Montgomery at
daylight and crossed the ford, where the
rebels had Dragged they would hold the
ford or die," but which they evacuated
during the night The 1st Wis. has the
miles of the city, and at the foot Of long
hill reaching to it, we met the Mayor and
all the dignitaries of the city in carriages,
carrying flags of truce, and begging to be
allowed to surrender the city.
Their proposition was accepted and we
entered the beautiful Capital of Alabama,
and for sometime that of the Confederacy,
in triumph. The streets We're all barricad-
ed with cotton-bales, and if properly manned
our entry would not have been such blood
less one. Hating in font of the State
House, it was only few minutes before the
Stars and Stripes We're flung to the breeze
from its dome, while cheer after cheer rent
| the air from the throatS of the brave sons of
| freedom who had marched over 500 miles
| through the SwampS and barrenS OF Ala
bama, Drawing everything. TWAS grand
sight, our triumphal entry into Mont
gomery. 1t was 8 by the clock on the State
House dome when we came in sight of 1t,
and the streets and sidewalks were lined
with women and children, who welcomed
us with smiling faces.
After detailing, Mai shiPman Provost os
Marshal, and his battalion, the "a
While crossing a creek within the city limits,
at which the water call had been sounded,
we were fired upon while watering our
horses, and went forward at gallop.
About two miles beyond We struck the
enemy in force. The 9TH Ky. charged
them about 10 miles, we supporting the
9TH and following in close order. Lieut.
Col. Bradley, commanding the 9TH, was
wounded in the foot. A rebel Captain
was killed, and three Lieutenants and a
dozen men were captured. also two flags
and a number Of guns and revolverS.
| We are now resting and feeding in
bivouac where darkness overlook us,
| having made 80 miles.
| April 14.-Yesterday was spent in camp
where we stopped the night before. Scout
ing parties were sent out in various direc-
| tions, and brought in two prisoners. one
the Adiutant of the 4th La, who was wound
ed at Chickamauga and has done no duty
since; the other citizen and a native OF
Connecticut. There are fires all around
us from burning cotton. The roads are
all obStructed with rail barricades every
mile. The slaves were worked night and
day building them. Here | got a fine
half-Arabian mare with motion as easy as
| a rocking-chair, and husky young darky
for a servant. His name was Bill, and he
was so much blacker than night that
used TO tell him his face sfone in the dark
ness like a lantern.
Bill stayed with me to the end of the war,
and l took him and my little mare home
with me to Wisconsin, The first year
| there he worked for $50, and put S1O0 of ii
in bank at the end of the year. The last
| heard OF him he was in business at Wau-
pun, Wis.
1t was learned at Headquarters that
Gen. Wilson, with all the corps except our
brigade, was going to take Columbus, and
| that we were to attack West Point, on the
Chattahoochee River. This stream had
high. steep. rocky banks, and was not
fordab!e in this section OF the State. The
bridges were strong, inclosed like house,
and covered with shingled roofs to protect
| them from the weather. To get possession
Of the bridges at West Point and Columbus
before the rebs could destroy them was
| important, and spurred us TO a greater
celerity of movement than ever.
Marched at 4:30 this morning and struck
| the enemy three miles from camp. This
has been an all-day running fight, the
rebels fighting behind the rail barricades:
When driven from one OF these they fell
back to the next, and kept it up all day.
The nature of the country was such that
only one company at time could be used
In MT let
advance and did all the fighting until
nearly sundown. when the I'd and 4th Ind.
took the lead. The Sergeant-Majora and l
were kept busy all day with details for
duty at the front and relieving the COM
pany doing the fighting there about half
l., was severely wounded in the side during
the afternoon. We captured over 100
prisoners and made 40 miles.
April 15.-Marched at 4:30. Entered
| the city of Tuskegee, beautiful place.
l. here took command of a detail OF 20 men
all so much oyerworked, in the kind OF
| lighting we have been doing. that | hated
to detail any Of them for extra duty and
| went myself whenever could. Pete
| Walker was a first class clerk and ably
looked after my business when / was Off
| in TISkegee after the brigade had gone.
| We chatted with a number of ladies, but
they were very bitter against US, while
| admitting we were the most orderly and
| best-behaved soldiers they had seen. We
were the first Union soldiers, l believe,
that had been in that locality during the
war. / am now writing in the Court,
House and shall move out in few minutes.
Got some good horses. caught up with the
command, and camped at Auburn, having
made 40 miles.
CIo be continued0
DECnl