The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-09-12
THROUGH GEORGIA.
The Story of Gen. sherman's March to tn,
Sea. as Told by an Illinois Veteran Ate!
Reaching Savannah.

the honor of accompanying an expedition
through the heart of the so-called South
ern Confederacy that has electrified the
Nation and caused the Old World to won
der in amazement at the power and in
vincibility of the grand armies of the |
Union, l thought it not out of place to
drop you q few lines from this far-distant |
cline, giving a few incidents of our tri-
umphant march to the seaboard.
One year ago our front was at Chatta-
nooga, on the banks of the Tennessee, and |
today our front-why, we have no front |
South: it's on the flank. We have pressed |
south until we are fronted by the Atlantic |
Ocean. Whether the rebels claim any |
territory south of this line, or occupy any |
strong position, we have yet to learn. At |
any rate, Sherman, | understand, don't |
propose to Invade it."
Nov. 10, 1864, our command Fourth Di-
vision, Fifteenth Corps, took up its Zine |
of march from Rome, Ga, after de
stroying all the public property that would
be of any service to the rebels there. We
passed the Fourteenth Corps at Kings
ton, Ga, 20 miles south, who were en-
gagged in the destruction of railroads and
railroad property. Our duty was to pass
through and destroy the towns of Car
tersville, Allatoona, Ackworth, Big Shan
ty and Marietta. The citizens of these
towns had all gone either north or south,
anu IL WAS not DEOpDStu lHdl liieSt plates
should be left as rendezvous for guerril-
las and marauders that infested the coun-
try. We arrived at Atlanta on Nov. 10
and the destruction of railroads was COM
plete to this place; so much so that the
State of Georgia or the Southern Con
federacy cannot repair it. The ties were
all burned and the rails wound around
the telegraph poles, etc.
Our army was then concentrated, and
'swe all felt serious" We had cut our
communication with supplies, and knew
the amount Oh hand. What difficulties we
were to encounter before reaching another
base we knew not. 1t was to me like the
adventurous navigation on an unknown
sea. But having an abiding confidence
i'll the genius of our great leader and the
purity of our cause, we trusted our fate
to the powers that be, fully satisfied as
to the result. Our army lett Atlanta,
Ga, on Nov. 16, in four columns, the
Fourteenth Fifteenth, Seventeenth and
Twentieth Corps. These columns were
sub-dividcd in columns of divisions, sweep
ing a breadth Of country at least 40 miles
wide, with orders to subsist man and
beast en- the enemy. The country south
Of Atlanta was rich and abounded with
everything the heart could wish for. The
old farmers flor we saw no young mem
were very considerable. They had their
sweet potatoes picked and hOled for us,
their hogs and beef cattle convenient, and
the boys were not slow in going for
them when camping time came. In fact,
to sum it up in as few words as possible,
we lived Tip top"
From Atlanta the destruction of rail
roads from Macon. to Augusta was con-
tinued up to those respective places, the
rebel cavalry to the contrary nOtwith-
standing. Our division line of march was
midway of these railroads. We had sew
eral formidable streams to cross, but hav-
ing our pontoOn bridges with us, these
did not impede our march very much. we
passed through McDonough, Jackson and
Monticello, the County Seats of Henry,
Bates and Jasper Counties, but few
days before fourishing towns. The inhllb-
itants had abandoned them, leaving per-
haps their all to the mercy of the invad-
ing sOldiery. The highroads for the first
two weeks OF our march were literally
strewn with every conceivable convey
ance, in which the citizens were escaping
from the wrath to come, but were over
taken by our cavalry and their principal
means Of transportation taken and appro-
priated for the further prosecution of the
war. Such a state of things can be better
imagined than described.
On Nov 10 we crossed the Ocmulgee
River at Planters Factory, destroying the
factory, mills and 5000 bales of cotton
ceeding on our march, we struck the Ma
con & Savannah Railroad at Gordon, the
junction of the Milledgeville Branch Rail
road, about 20 miles from Macon and 10
miles from Milledgeville. Here our divi
sion commenced the destruction of rail
road property, and made an acceptable
job of it up TO Millen, at the junction
of the Augusta Road to Savannah.
On Nov. 20 we recrOssed to OcOnee
River The country through here is
pine growing, sandy, unsettled section,
with numerous SwampS.
Dec we crossed the Big Ogcechee
River Here we had considerable Skin
mishing, captured some prisoncrs-men
who We're exempt from military service
for disability and were in the employ of
their so-callcd Government as artisans.
But when the crisis came and Savannah
was at stake, they were pressed into the
ranks. Thus, you see, every man in the
South is in some way i'll the employ of
the Government.
Dec 10 we arrived on the Ogeechec
River, eight miles from the City of Sa-
vannah. Here they had some strong
works on the east side, and had dropped
the sluice-gates on this stream while the
tide was in, thus flooding the country i'll
front of their works and augmenting the
difficulty of an assault. Here Gen. Sher-
man Laid siege TO the city" The Sec
ond Division, Fifteenth Corps, was de-
tached and ordered TO take Fort Meal
lister situated at the entrance of the Big
Ogeechee and successfully commanding
the river. At sunset Dec Is the Stars
and Stripes hoated over that once rebel
stronghold, giving us possession Of the
river, % pieces of heavy ordnance and $50
prisoners. Casualties of the charge to the
Union forces, IA killed and 10 wounded,
principally from the explosion of tOrpe-
does that were placed by the rebels around
their works. This opened communication
with the fleet.
Dec. 10 all distractions had been re-
moved from the river. The fleet arrived
at Kings Bridge and the army received
its first supplies from the new-found base.
During all this time the army around the
works before Savannah were busily en-
gagged, especially in artillery fighting, con-
structing the lines, gaining all advan-
tage" we could from the enemy. One
event was the capture and destruction Of
train of cars on the Gulf Railroad laden
with valuables from Savannah. The road
shared the fate of the train.
On Dec. 10 Gen. Sherman demanded
the unconditional surrender of the city,
and, as was understood in camp, sent
with the demand a copy of Gen. Hoods
order demanding the surrender of Dalton,
Ca, last October, which was that in event
of successful assault no prisoners would
be taken. Gen. HardeeJ declined, assum-
ing that he was equal to the emergency.
But how different the result for, on the
night of Dec. 20, he abandoned his works,
all his heavy ordnance, and the City of
Savannah, crossing the river and retreat
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