The National tribune., 1903-01-01

passed IucllltleS LOT WOrk, WHICH the TeD-
els had employed to the best of their
ability. A very large portion Of the arms
and munitions for the armies in Virginia
were made, repaired and prepared there.
The place had seemed safely remote from
any possible incursion of the Yankees, SO
that much Of the work at one time done
in Richmond had been transferred thither.
Now it seemed SO securely inside the
Union lines that destruction would be
wanton waste. But to hold it would have
required a garrison, and Sherman felt
that he needed every man for his strug-
gle with his old and very able enemy, Jos.
e. Johnston, who might at any time be re-
iDforced by the whole Of Lees army.
Therefore, everything must be completely
destroyed. Muskets, pistols, bayonets,
cannon and machinery were sledged into
scrap iron, the woodwork burned, cart
ridges and powder thrown into the river,
and the walls battered down. Cotton, rO-
sin and turpentine were sent down the
river in the steamers which brought up
welcome stores of sugar. coffee, hard
bread and clothing. The meal and meat
collected for Lees army were distributed
to the troops. The shoes which had been
run through the blockade for the bare
feet in the trenches of Petersburg, shod
the men who had been scrambling through
the South Carolina morasses. The gray
clothing badly needed on the Appomattox
made the officers servants comfOrtab bic.
Nothing was left which would be of SER
vice to the rebels or help our own men.
With the supplies that came up the
river, our army was clothed anew, their
cartridge boxes and ammunition wagons
filled, the COmmissary train supplied, and
the army put in the best shape for the
great final campaign which was to end
81 Ix,,k yhnn xr,t,a
could more than surmise. 1t might be
that Joe Johnston would be driven back
upon Lee at Petersburg, and Sherman
and Grant, uniting, end the war in one
stupendous battle in which the whole
Confederate force would be crushed. 1t
might be that Lee would elude Grant, and
slipping away, attack Sherman's army 81
multaneously with Joe Johnston, trying to
crush it before Grant could come up to
help.
81 and Shorty circled out to the right.
to find road running parallel to the one
down the river, upon which the negroes
and refugees were travelling toward Will
mingt0n.
The country was the usual sandy bar
rens customary in the tide-water regions
of the South. Tall, straight, bare-trunked
yellow pines, standing hundreds of feet
apart, rising like giant columns to support
the sky over the sterile plains, on which
grew but hard. sparse, wiry grass; no.
where any underground or shrubbery to
Obstruct the view for miles in every direc-
ton.
"Same sorry old pine-barrens that we
saw in Georgia, around Andersonville,"
commented 81. "Soil too condemned poor
to raise anything but n disturbance.
Wouldn't trade one corn-rOw in Paps
field for q whole county of it"
Guess not" returned his partner.
1.-THE more you'd have Of this securing
stuff the sooner you and all your stock
would starve. Walk yourselves to death
trying to find something to eat"
As they looked through the pillared
space they saw from time to time. miles
away, men on horseback following and
making signals to others still farther
away.
weather may get stormy" said 81,
with an involuntary glance along the car
bines. "Close up, boys. and keep closed
up. Likely there's mint Of Johnnies
out there somewhere"
Cant see where they can be-" said
Shorty, looking down the wide avenues
between the trees. But rebels are mighty
uncertain. It's their business to be where
they're least expected, and they're mighty
good Mt that"
They passed house, and saw strip
of red calico hanging out Of the upper
window.
Whats the matter there?'' asked
Shorty. '.Haye they tore up flag or a
woman
SANDY and Pete. ride around behind
that house, and see If you see any signs
of rebels anywhere" commanded 81.
"Dcn't go any farther than that little rise.
and come back Mt once, if you don't see
anything"
There's quite lot of ,Johnnies passing
down criek. two or three miles away. !
way over there, where you see that line
of brush" reported Sandy. when they re-
Joined the squad n few minutes later.
I'VE could see them passing q gap where
there's likely a ford. They're not coming
for MS, or they'd come across the ford.
They're probably follering the crick down
to the river to strike that column Of mig
gers"