The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-04-02

mand, and three days forage. Soldiers
must not enter the dwellings of the in
habitants, or commit any trespass; bat,
during halt or camp, they may be per-
United to gather turnips, potatoes, and
other vegetables, and to drive in stock in
sight of their camp. To regular foraging
parties must be intrusted the gathering
of provisions and forage at any distance
from the road Travelled.
50. To corps commanders alone is en-
trusted the power to destroy mills houses.
cotton-gins. etc; and for them this general
principle is laid down: IN districts and
neighborhoods where the army is unmo-
Tested. no destruction of such property
should be permitted; but should guerril-
las or bushwhackerS modest our march, or
should the inhabitants burn bridges, OBJ
Struct roads, or otherwise manifest local
hostility. then army commanders should
order and enforce devastation more or
less relentless, according TO the measure
of such hostility.
&c. As for horses. mules, wagons. etc.
belonging to the inhabitants. the cavalry
and artillery may appropriate freely and
without. limit; discriminating, however,
between the rich. who are usually hostile.
and the poor and industrious, usually neu-
trail or friendly. Foraging parties may
also take mules or horses. to replace the
jaded animals of their trains. or to serve
as pack-mules for the regiments or bri-
gades In all foraging, of whatever kind,
the parties engaged will refrain from
abusive or threatening language. and may,
where the officer in command thinks pro-
per. give written certificate of the facts,
but no receipts; and they will endeavor to
leave with each family a reasonable por-
ton for their maintenance.
- Negroes who are able-bodied and
can be of service to the several colomns
may be taken along; but each army COM
mander will bear in mind that the ques-
ton of supplies is very important one.
and that his first duty is to see to those
who bear arms.
IS. The organization. at once, of
good pioneer battalion for each army
corps. composed if possible or negroes,
should be attended to. This battalion
should follow the advance guard, repair
roads and double them if possible, so that
the columns will not be delayed after
reaching bad places. Also. army COM
manders should practice the habit of Civ
ing the artillery and wagons the road.
marching their troops on one side, and
instruct their troops to assist wagons at
steep hills or bad crossings of streams.
80. Capt. o. NJ. Poe, ChiefEngineer,
will assign to each wing of the army
pontoon-train, fully equipped and organ
lied: and the commanders thereof will see
to their being properly protected at all
times
by order of Maj-Gen. W. T. Sher-
...,,g 81. NJ. DAYTON, Aid-de-Camp.'
LAST DISPATCHES EXCHANGED.
Gen. Sherman had assumed the respon-
sibility of dividing his army; he. of course.
felt great concern for the success of that
portion of it left with Gen. Thomas.
who was to confront all the Confederate
forces that could be massed against him
by Gen. Beauregard and Gen. Hood. Gen.
Thomas was known to be a conservative
and cautious man, but was recognized
as one of the ablest and safest officers
of the army. Gen. Sherman had conf
dence in his ability TO cope with his an
tagonists, and believed that he had pro-
vided him with a sufficient force to sue
cessfully do so.
1t was gratifying, therefore, for him to
receive the following dispatch from Gen.
Thomas:
Nashville, Nov. 10. 1864: $50 a. m.
"Maj.-Gen. Sherman: Your dispatch
of u o'clock last night is received.
81 have no fears that Beauregard can
do us any harm now, and, if he attempts
to follow you, 1 will follow him as far as
possible. If he does not follow you,
will then thoroughly organize my troops,
and believe 1 shall have men enough to
ruin him. unless he gets out Of the way
very rapidly.
learn. is teeming with supplies this year,
which will be greatly to our advantage.
/ have no additional news to report from
the direction of Florence.
81 am now convinced that the greater
part of Beauregard's army is near
Florence and Tuscumbia, and that you
will have at least a clear road before
YOU for several days. and that your sue
cess Will fully equal your expectations.
''GEoRGE II. THOMAS, Major-General."
Gen. Sherman's answer was:
"'Dispatch received all right"
These were the last dispatches that
passed over the wires. On. Nov. II tele-
graphic communication with the North
was broken, although there We're still
trains loaded with men and material hur-
rying up the road to Chattanooga.
On Nov. IA, the whole army was con-
centrated at Atlanta. The Third Divi-
sion. Fifteenth Corps to which l be
longed, went into camp on the south side
Of the city early in the afternoon.
DESTROYING THE RAILROAD.
The work of destroying the railroad
tracks, round houses and machine shops
was in progress when we arrived. The
aim was to effectively destroy every
thing that could be used by the Confed-
crate authorities for military purposes.
The destruction of the railroads of
Georgia was the special mission of our
army, the opinion being that without the
use of this modern means Of transporta-
ton the Confederate army would be prac-
tically paralyZed.
The most careful preparation had been
made for the movements of this army by
Col l.. c. Easton, Chief Quartermaster:
Col. Amos Beckwith. Chief Commissary:
Col. Il. G. Baylor, Chief of Ordnance,
and Col. o. NJ. Poe, Chief of Engineers,
all of Gen. Shermans staff. The train
of wheels consisted of $500 wagons, 600
ambulances, 60 cannon, which with their
caissons and FORCES numbered 100; in
all. $3.50. These required 1900 mules
and horses; add to this the horses of the
cavalry and of officers, and the number
Is increased to $1,000 animals.
The wagons and amhulances were, Of
course, properly distributed amongst the
various commands.
They contained 20 days rations for
the army and five days forage for the
animals; large drove of beef cattle was
also taken along on the hoOf The bal
ance of the food and forage required for
the journey was to be gathered in the
country through which we passed. The
ammunition wagons contained 200 rounds
for each cannon and 160 rounds for each
man. The soldiers carried habitually 40
rounds of ammunition in their cartridge
boxes. Following is list Of the organ