The National tribune., 1901-06-13

stores and sang songs till the country
fairly rang with the echo.
Now and then some of the lovers of
the dance wOiIld clear off a place, or lay
down a floor from lumber found near by,
and then get the cOlOred boys who had
joined US to entertain US with the planta-
ton song and dance. The colored boy
that could not dance was looked upon by
his fellows as n mo count niger, no
how" The Joy of the colored boys knew
no bounds when permitted to dance be-
fore an admiring audience of "Massa
Linkum's Sogers," each trying to outdO
the other in some artistic cut of the
plantation pigeOn-wing.
Meantime the evening passed rapidly,
our campfres burned low, and at last the
great army lay in as sweet sleep as ever
men enjoyed. But in the sweetest of our
dreams the clear notes of bugle would
ring out. One could not help hearing it,
in spite of his desire to do otherwise, and
soon the camp was in motion. Then
came the odor of boiling coffee, frying
chickens, roasting sweet potatoes, and
whatever else our foragerS might have
brought to us the previous evening.
Dec. we moved at an early hour,
marched u miles through a swampy coun-
try, and about 8 o'clock at night went
into camp The roads were il a detest-
route were used to keep our wagons and
artillery from miring down.
The following day we marched 10 miles,
passing through NARROW. Trees had been
felled in the road, and our march other
wise obstructed We however, moved
forward, turning aside now and then to
escape being murdered by the vandals
who had buried torpedoes in the road over
which we were marching. Gen. Sherman
ordered body of prisoners, recently cap
tured. to be brought forward. and COM
PEELED them to march in close column
Al L .-l. 80 Lode hair
own torpedees. or to find and dig them up.
1t was amusing to note how gingerly they
walked, but none were found other than
the six dug up by our men.
Meanwhile our advance columns were
busily engaged in skirmishing with the
enemy, which, with slight intermissions,
continued throughout the long day.
Thus far our approach to Savannah
had not been stubbornly opposed. But it
became more and more apparent as we
moved along that the enemy intended to
call us to a halt in the near future, and
TO do his best to prevent us from going to
Savannah. or even getting a foothold
anywhere on the coast.
IN SIGHT OF SAVANNAH.
The morning of Dec 10 we started out
as usual for an all-day march, which
would have taken us down to the sea; but
after going five miles we were brought
TO a sudden halt, and formed our first line
of battle five miles from the city.
In our front was large ricefield part
ly covered with water. on the opposite
side Of which was a slight elevation, on
which the enemy were intrenched.
No sooner had we formed our line, with
the right of our regiment resting on the
road over which we had marched from
Millen, than We were awakened by a sui
len roar, followed by the familiar screech
of 24-pounder. The shot struck the
h.. -ssrtn+ ,-f
and. bounding, hit a colored boy who had
Joined US some days before. A number
of cOlOred boys standing near observed
the incident, and they, being superstitious,
general stampede was the result.
Our artillery Immediately responded to
the enemy's guns, and for a time we were
treated to q repetition of the scenes
around Atlanta. During the day we were
kept busy moving from place to place,
the object being to learn the strength of
the enemy confronting us. Late in the
day we moved to the sSlth side of the
Georgia Central RailrOats and went into
bivouac for the night.
The country for some miles inland from
Savannah was low and swampy, and be-
cause Of this the advantages for supply
ing our wants through our foraging de-
tails were very limited. However, rice
was found in abundance, some of which
was hulled and cleaned ready for use: but
the most was still in the straw and stored
away in buildings or stacked in the fields.
CLEANING RICE.
The stock of huled and cleaned rice
Boon gave out, when we were compelled
TO hull and clean what was needed for use
Not being familiar with the rude devices
used by the coIored people in huIling rice,
we made slow progress; in fact, it kept
us pretty busy to get enough hulled and
cleaned to satisfy the pangs of hunger.
After had appnrh pir hull
cleaned for mess, we would stop to rest,
and TO cook and eat it, and then 90 to
work to prepare enough rice for the next
meal.
Those who were never engaged in this
work can form no idea how closely the
hulls stick to the kernels or how much
pounding it required TO separate the two.
Then the grain had TO be separated from
the chaff.
After cleaning the rice we would put it
into 4 camp-kettle together with a good
sized chunk of Georgia beef and make n
rice soup. Thus for some days our bill
of fare was the same.
few miles to the south Of us flowed
the Ogeechee River, and at its mouth was
the rebel Fort McAlister. Gen. Sherman
began planning to capture this fort, which
would enable our vessels at anchor off
the mouth OF the Ogeechee laden with
provisions for Sherman's army to ap-
proach and land their stores.
Sunday, Dec. IL, heavy firing COM
mcnced early in the morning and contin-
ued throughout the day, but no general
engagement was brought on. About the
close OF the day We were ordered to move
to the right flank. We quietly moved off
under cover of the night, and after zig
gag march of about four miles came up
in the rear Of the Fifteenth Corps, which
was engaged in feeling of the enemy's
lines and cautiously forcing its way across
canals and flooded rice fields in the di-
rcction of Kings Bridge, on the 0geechee
River. Heavy cannOnading continued at
intervals throughout the long night, many
of the shells from the enemy's heavy guns
striking in our vicinity and doing US more
or less injury: One large shell exploded
near the 18th Wis. Battery, killing three
of the battery boys, and wOunding 9TH
eIS.
The following morning, after enjoying
breakfast OF Georgia beef, we marched
TO the right; as a command of the Four
teenth Corps came up during the night
and occupied our position. We moved to
the right about five miles, and took up
new position on the right of the road
leading from Kings Bridge to the city of
Savannah. Here we were engaged for
time in throwing up line of earthworks
along the edge of flooded rice field about
half a mile wide. On the opposite side
of the field, on an elevation, was the en-
emy.
Meantime the Fifteenth Corps was en-
l gagged in working its way to the right, and
i