The National tribune., 1902-03-13

A Lively struggle to Get at the Reoel COM
missary.
The campaign upon which Gen. Sher-
man was now entering was to add i'm
mensely to his fame as one of the great
est strategists in history.
He had essayed a task that few COM
maHders in the worlds annals have un-
dertaken. He was to move an army of
10000 men, in the dead of Winter, across
a country abounding in enormous natural
difficulties, and defended by n numerous,
brave and vigilant army, which would take
the utmost advantage of everyone of those
difficulties.
Directly across the path he proposed TO
take ran six great rivers-the Savannah.
Coosawhatchie, Salkehatchie, Santee and
Pedee-with smaller rivers and branches
between. Each one of these was bor-
dered by wide swamps, extending miles
on either side, and all swollen by the
heavy Winter rains.
1t would have seemed impossible to
march an army across them in times or
profoundest peace. How infinitely more
so with the State of South Carolina in
arms. supporting the trained army which
had been fighting for years in support of
| the rebellionI
To be stopped anywhere, for any length
of time, would mean destruction to Sher-
mans army, which would starve If en-
| tangled in the Swamps, and meet the fate
of Napoleons retreat from Moscow.
| The march was to bring out far higher
qualities of generalship in Sherman than
did the march through Georgia, made in
the pleasant Indian Summer, over an open
and delightful country, defended by an en-
emy vastly inferior in numbers.
Nothing but supreme strategy and abll-
ity in handling his army could win sue
cess, and Sherman showed himself fault
| less.
He first sent a portion Of his army TO
| Port Royal to take in reverse those VINO
might be defending the Savannah River,
and then crossed the rest at Sisters Fer
ry. 40 miles above Savannah.
The Salkehatchie River lay next across
his route and his army concentrated far
up on it, where they left the rebels di-
vided in opinion as to whether he was
marching on Charleston or Augusta. they
attempted to defend both, but while keep
ing up the pretense of attacking both, he
cut the railroad connecting them, and
marched on Columbia, the Capital of the
State While his enemies were confused
and undecided, he got his army across
both branches OF. the Edisto, and was in
the very heart of the State, with the
armies opposing him kopelessly divided.
Every move he made, however, was
enemies behind every creek, river and
swamp, who could only be dislodged by
wading and wallowing through deep mud,
ice-cold water and rushing streams.
The campaign through the CarOlinas is
not only a magnificent monument to Sher-
mans military genius, but even a grander
one to the courage, indomitable resolution
and invincible energy of the American sol
dier, who never suffered anything to dis
courage him, but instantly attacked every
obstacle that confronted him with superb
intelligence and will that conquered sue
cess. 81 IS.
As the boys rose from behind their log,
drew long breaths, in the moment of vic
tory, and looked around to take in the
situation more comprehensively, they saw
one of the wonderful metamorphoses COM
mon in the prompt and skillful movement
OF a great army.
The broad. turbid flood Of the Savannah
was being rapidly covered with n fleet of
arriving vessels-gunboats, regular and
improvised, transports, schOoners. scows,
natboats, and whatever else might be use
full in helping the army across.
Trains were struggling through deep
mud of the roads, and on the bare plain
where Shad Graham had established him
self regiments and brigades were arriving
and going into camp. \ regiment was be-
ing ferried over to take possession of the
bluff where the rebels had been.
''Hello, the boatl'' shouted 81. "As soon
as you land them men, come and take us
over We want to get out of here"
"a lot O. blamed cavalry shouted the
soldiers on the boat. Let them stay
there Don't let them get ahead of us,
or there won't be n chicken or pig left
in the whole country"
''We amt no cavalry" shouted 81, re-
sentfuIly Were foragers and scouts.
Come and take US over"
''Blim- blamed bummers," shouted the
men back. "a heap sight worse'n the
cavalry. Don't let them over, or the |
crows'll have to leave for want o some
thing to eat"
"The vote seems to be in favor of let !
ting you stay where you are" shouted
the Captain of the boat. They're unan-
imous that you're now where you won't
do any harm. The country'll be safer"
"Safety's got nothing to do with it,
yelled Shorty. THAT amt what we're
here for. We want to get where we'll be-
gin TO make South Caroiiny sick. We're /
on the lay for South Caroliny, and want
to get at her,"
This met the enthusiastic approval of
everybody. They threw up their caps and
shouted their realization that they were at
last on the soil where secession was inaTg-
urated, and in the State which had been
a thorn in the flesh of the country for
nearly a half-century.
That's right! Bully boys. Bring 'em
right over here and turn 'em loosel Set
'em on! Sic 'em, Tige" they yelled.
''All right, boys; you can trust u.s. an
swered 81, leading his men rapidly for
ward on the road on which the rebels had
retreated You'll hear from us before
night We want to keep those skedad
ding Johnnies OH the jump, now that
we've got 'em started, and not let 'em
have time to stop and fortify this side of
Augusty or Charleston"
His intentions were good, shrewd and
but the rebels had intentions no
less shrewd and soldierly, and were quite
as prompt in execution.
This 81 discovered inside the first mile,
as riding down on to fill which had been
thrown up to lift the read above the
water backing up from either side, he
found the road completely blocked by a
large cypress, which had been so skill
fully felled that it lay almost directly
lengthwise of the road, and filled it with
its immense cone of thick-growing, tough
fibered limbs. 1t was impossible to get
around it. for the water was very deep on
both sides. A few hundred yards far
ther they could see bridge in flames.
Still farther was a squad of rebel cav
airy. who sent long g-distance shots at them
as they approached the fallen cypress,
while mile away, where the roads met
on high table-land, called Sandy Hill,
men could be seen driving hogs and cattle
to some place of tconcealment and safety.
plague take it," grumbled 81; there