Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-12-30
"Marching, Fighting, Camping.
Diary Continued

March H. 1866. evacuated our position
last night at o'clock, but returned after
marching a short distance. and re-occu-
pied our lines and re-evacuated them at
10 o'clock. Passed through Averysboro
on the road to Smithheld; camped about
half mile from the former. The mud
all the way awful. Marched 10 miles to-
day. Fair, March IS. Got a good nights
rest last night. Resumed our march at
II o'clock a. m. Cut across the country
to go to Bentonsville. We stopped at
dark and are about eight miles from Ben
louisville. Marched mostly in a settlement
road. Things indicate fight Clear day;
warmer.
March 19.-Our brigade was put on pick
ct last night, until the wagons or our
corps passed the point we were guarding.
Left our picket post last night at IL
o'clock midnight and marched about two
miles and camped for the night; on the
tramp at daylight this morning and got
to Bentonsville at about o'clock a. m. A
beautiful Sabbath day.
March 20.-After building breastworks
on the left of the line yesterday, our brig
ade was moved TO the right yesterday at
ternoon, and formed line and charged the
enemy. AS we were going to take up
our position to make this charge we pass
ed Gen. Joe Johnston, sitting on log
by the side of the road. We cheered him.
Terrible musketry fire In our front where
we made the charge. Went in and passed
over line of battle of Alabama troops,
lying down to let US pass over them.
They fell back after we passed them.
Soon got into the thick Of the fight. While
we were heavily engaged, orders were
passed along the line to left oblique. We
left obliqued. Another Gettysburg maneu-
yer. Just wanted to show Sherman's
folks that we could make any kind Of
a maneuver right under the muzzle of
their guns, and they could not help
misunderstanding like war when you
get used to 1t. The enemy fell back out
Of sheer admiration of US but kept up the
fight.
It was a hot old time and things were
lively II they were not lovely. We kept
up this left obIque movement and fight
ing heavily with the enemy until dark
caught us, when we were suddenly fired
into from behind. This countermanded the
oblique business, and we halted Chat Is,
my regiment did. as we were on the left
of the brigade and were above them).
We were in between two fires. After
little we got orders to cease firing and
lie down. We obeyed. After a while the
enemy in front and our men in the rear
ceased firing. We then got up and as the
woods were burning the enemy saw US and
we at once became engaged again, and
US too. We stopped firing and lay down
again. The firing front and rear stopped.
We got up again with the same result as
before. We then lay down and remained
down for some time. In the meantime men
had been sent to the rear to notify those
people that we were not the enemy, but
1t seems that they never got the word
Finally we got UP and we're not fired
on. We then moved by the right flank
and eventually got back to our lines.
This was the battle of Bentonville. We
filed out into the woods to camp and
built our fires. Near US was the fires of
some troops already in camp. While
was standing at my fire l heard voice
from behind me say: william" 1 turned
and 10 and behold 1t was my brother. His
camp fire was not over ten or 10 steps
from mine. He saw me and recognized
me standing in the fire light. I was glad
to meet him. had not seen him in years.
He was an officer IN Georgia regiment,
In Stovall's brigade. His full name was
p S. Johnson, ana I would like to learn
the company and regiment to which he be-
longed 1 have forgotten. So I was recon-