The National tribune., 1902-03-13

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on the place; there were enough beside us
to carry away from it everything worth
having.
John had caught and butchered his pig
by the time / sailed forth, loaded down
with potatoes, so we returned to camp re-
joicing.
Rain and mud kept US company next
day for twenty miles. We moved to the
right of the main road to avoid the Twen-
tieth Corps, crossed Murder Creek, which
was much swollen, and encamped near
Cedar Greek. The difficulties of our
march were much increased by the OBJ
scure roads we followed.
On the 22d we did not move, and GER
tainly enjoyed a rest after laborious
marching in the mud. The weather cleared
off cool, with clustering wind. Our
camp was almost deserted, and the sur
rounding country was overrun with for
ayers. Our mess was fifty represented
along that line, and the result was that
our dinner consisted of cornbread, milk,
honey, butter and preserves.
We now made up our minds that this
campaign was likely to become picnic
or pleasure excursion. We were in the
midst of a land literally flowing with milk
and honey; no enemy to impede our march
by day or disturb our sumbers at night;
no mountains or steep hills to be scaled,
but an open, level country before us, with
smooth roads for our wagons and our
marching.
The air was clear and frosty when we
turned out on the morning of the 23d,
headed for Milledgevile, 10 miles distant.
We marched the first FIVE miles as fast as
our legs could carry us, then halted an
hour, which gave US time to burn a rail
fence the length Of the column.
GEoRGIA's CAPITAL.
We encamped in the suburbs Of the
capital of Georgia to await the concentra-
ton Of our army, as directed by Gen.
Sherman.
Here we found newspapers containing
an address to the people of Georgia by
Gen. BeaureSard, who had established his
base at Corinth, Miss, to direct the
movement by which Sherman was to be
fanked out of Atlanta. He had learned
the success of his strategy so far as At
lanta was concerned, but the crazy Sher-
man was retreating the wrong way and
must be headed off and turned back. He
tells how to do 1t in these words:
Arise for the defense Of your native
soil. Obstruct and destroy all roads in
Sherman's front, flank and rear and his
hasten to join you in defense of yonr
homes and firesides."
We also learned from the same source
tLat Governor Brown and the members
of the Legislature had departed with more
haste than dignity. Their last act was
to conscript every man in the State ex-
cept themselves; in other words, ordered
every man to the front in accordance with
Beauregards appeal, while they madly
fled to the rear. The paper stated that
two members had paid $4,000 in gold for
conveyance to remove their precious
bodies from the scene of danger, and con-
cluded caustic article commenting on the
action of the State officials in this way.
They are not fit to carry garbage to a
benr."
An Augusta paper declared that Gen
eral Georgia Mud is the best opponent for
General Demon Sherman. Let US pray
for rain"
The futility OF such methods and hopes
was apparent to us. Our canvas pontOons
replaced burned bridges so quickly that
we scarcely noted the interruption to our
march. Our Pioneer Corps composed of
experienced woodsmen from Michigan or
Wisconsin, cut their way through fallen
timber with the speed of a four horse
reaper in n grain field. Our foragers,
fully organized, armed and mounted,
numbering hundred or more to each bri-
gade, under officers selected for skill and
courage, swept our van and fanks clear
of bushwhackers or small bodies of hos
tile cavalry, and none such dared venture
within five miles of our marching columns.
The very few who tried the experiment
found our foragers as prompt to charge
a squadron of cavalry or a barricade as
TO corral drove Of cattle or assault
barnyard.
AS for Wheeler, with his division of
cavalry, Fitzpatrick was able to keep him
fully employed, so that he had no time
TO interfere with our wagons, which were
lightly loaded, and being equipped with
extra animals and having the right Of
way over all roads, they mingled with
our marching columns and were usually
ready TO park when we were to encamp.
Our stay at Milledgeville was short. We
left the next morning after our arrival,
crossed the Oconee River and headed to-
ward Sandersville. our next point of rem
devious.
A Provost-Marshal stood at the en-
trance Of the bridge and dismounted all
unauthorized riders. 1t was a motley