The National tribune., 1902-01-30
With Kilpatrick's Cavalry Around savannah.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: 7 wi
give Il little history OF the opening q
communications with ShcrmanS army AM
the North iuSt before the fail of Fort Nc
Allistcr.
On Dee =. 1861. the 9th Mich CAV.
with the Second Brigade Of Kilpatricil'
! Corus. under Gen. Smith u. Atkins, ha,
| a lively battle at Cypress Swami. Ga.
with Van Dorn'S command. the 9th Mich
losing three killed, two wounded and fiv,
prisoners. The gallant Capt. Fred s
Ladd was among the killed.
The morning of the Sth the 9TH Mich wa,
detailed as an escort to Gen. Fitzpatrick
who was ordered TO report to Gen. Shcr,
man in front of Savannah. We started at
8 4. m, with Gen. Fitzpatrick ana staff
in the lead. The roads were filled with
infantry. artillery and wagon trains. and
as an infantry regiment was never known
TO give an inch of the road 20 a cavalry
man, you can guess what time we had
getting through.
On the morning Of the 11th we found
Gen. Sherman about five miles from Sa-
vanuah. with most of the distance COY
cred with water. the rebels having cut
the dams of rice ponds to food the coun-
try and impede our progress. We We're
ordered 10 make a circnit of Il number of
miles. and strike a certain dam that had
been cut in one place only.
When we arrived at the dam we found
the Michigan Engineers and Mechanics
already bridging the cut. We commenced
crossing abOut 10 n. m. of the 18th in
squads Of two or three. sinGlc-filc. at Il
gallop. all the time under fire from Il
rebel battery about one and a half miles
away, Mt the upner end of the pond
When the whole regiment had crossed
and consolidated one mile from the cross
ing Gen. kilratrick and staff joined u.s.
ard We marched for 0ssabaw Sound
where We arrived ati 4 p. IN. of the 18th
We could see "Old Glory floating from
the masthead of one of the blockading
feet. nearly 10 miles away.
Signals. shots ana fires failed Ia attract
any response from them. \ siv-oarcd
boat was soon found. and when the tide
set ont Maj. Estus, with seven volunteers
(sX mt the oars and one mt the hou)
started for the ship. They beat cavalry
march for speed. too. IN about an hnur
we received signals that the. were there
and in communication with Uncle Sans
jolly sailors. ....
Maj. Estus carried a. dispatsE f~n,,
Gen. Sherman. saying: I've hnr" had
perfect success. and the army is IN fiu"
spirits. On the Majors return about %
officers and men from the boat accurn-
panied him. The officers and sailors want
ed to ride our horses. and we thoroughly
tuJoNcu seeing tneln 40 SO.
When they left us many "f them were
sore and lame from the tumbles they had
received while riding.
Many were the letters written 10 our
friends at the North that dav we lay oil
Ossabaw Sound. as the gunboat officers
agreed To send them by the first disuatch
boat. think this was the first mail sent
North from Sherman's dashing Yankee
boys when they reached the coast.
On the 10Th we moved back to Kings
Bridge and went into camp. Later we
were ordered TO 90 To Fort McAllister and
ind out if they had any guns with which
10 fight 4 land force. We marched up
the road that led back Of the fort and ont
ntO an opening in plain sight, and soon
found out that they had plenty of guns
rained toward land as we'll as toward the
river. We retired about two miles and
went into camp on the McAllistcr planta-
ion, where we remained until Cen Ha-
zen came over with his division and took
he fort. We were on the road rs Hazen
passed by, and would like to have joined
aim. but had to bc conteuted with the
-ackct lie soon made at the fort He as
'aulicd ana took it with ease. and would
nave had but a small loss had it not been
or the tOrpcdocs that were planted all
'ver the field back Of the fort. Thus the
gate 10 Savannah was opcned.-THOs. T.
JAitHCRN, Lieutenant, Co. G.. 9th Mich |
Cav., and Acting Adjutant, Putncy, s. ID. |