News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1905-02-01
copyright, 1905, by G. L. Kilmer.l
HTEN HE bravest deed of individual

Slocum, twas performed by a soldier
IN the ranks. 1t was at Bentonville,
n. c., the last battle of Sherman's
army, fought on the 10Th of March,
1865.
ION the march through the Carolinas
from Savannah toward Goldsboro l
commanded the left wing of Sherman's
army and General Howard the right
We Travelled upon roads many miles
apart. That was the stage of the great
march which was to unite the army of
the west with that of the east in front
of Richmond. That union of the forces
once effected the Confederacy would be
doomed. On the 18th of March we
brushed General Hardee's Confederates
out of Averysboro after a lively Skin
mish, and Sherman was of the opinion
shat Hardee would not stop again until
he reached Raleigh.
'Directing me to reach the Neuse riv-
er the following day, Sherman left me
on the morning of the 10Th to join
Howard. At thats moment there were
some skirmishing and light cannonad-
sng on my front, but Sherman thought
1T trivial, for he said that had nothing
to oppose me but a little cavalry. The
Confederate sI1irmishers soon gave
way, and I sent an aid to ride after
Sherman and tell him that l should not
need assistance, but would be at the
Neuse river on time.
Gust about that time one of my Off
GERS brought before me young man
dressed in Confederate gray. He was
haggard and sickIy looking, the reason
for which was soon made known. He
had been very anxious to see me, and
after much begging on his part his
guardians had gratified him. In an
swer to my questions he said he had
originally been in the Federal army;
that while on scouting expedition he
had been captured and narrowly miss
ed summary death as spy. To save
his life, or at least escape the horrors
of a prison dungeon, he had enlisted in
the Confederate service with the inten-
zion Of deserving to his own at the first
chance.
81 had met such characters before
and was skeptical He told me that he
had enlisted at Syracuse, n. Y, and
had been in the service all through the
,f
myself, but did not recognize the man.
However, Major William G. Tracy of
my staff came up and saw in the gal
yanized Yanll' a soldier who had en-
listed with him in the Third New York
volunteers in 1861. His name was
John r. Williams. Having established
very large Confederate force immedi-
ately in your front. all under command
of General Joe Johnston. He added
that Johnston had made a speech to
his army that morning, and the officers
had told the men that it was old Joe's'
intention to smash my column before
support could reach it and then go for
Towards.
"Of course was sorry had sent the
message to Sherman stating that
needed no help and remedied the blum
der at once by sending ii second mes
sage. This was carried by boy mem
Der of my staff, Lieutenant Joseph B.
Foraker. AS he started off | said to
him. Ride well to the right and don't
let the enemy get you, and, above all,
don't spare horsefesh.' He rode like
Paul Revere Oh his famous gallOp from
Boston to Lexington and reached Sher-
mans camp just at shutdown. Sher-
man Immediately started column to
my aid.
Lieutenant Foraker had scarcely
got out Of sight Of my camp when the
COnfederatGS advanced with terrific
force and drove back my leading di-
vision Johnston had under him that
day the best fighting army of Con-
federates in the field at that time. Gen
eraI Hardee's division had been in
front of us at Savannah and all the
way through the Carolinas but there
had been no fierce fighting. SO it was
fresh. General Bragg had brought
down Hoke's splendid division of vet
Grams from the Army of Northern Viz
ginia. These troops had left the
trenches at Petersburg the December
previous and had been lying idle at
Wilmington, and they were fresh.
"There was also a division under
General \. L. Stewart from Hoods old
Tennessee command. men who had
good share of pluck left or they would
not have made their way from LOUISE
ana to the coast in search of more
fighting. Besides that, there was
splendid body Of cavalry under Cen
eral Wade Hampton, comprising Gen
eral Joe Wheeler's corps and the di-
vision Of General NJ G. Butler that had
fought under ,Ieb Stuart aud Hamp-
hon in Virginia The force was about
10000 men. They fought like an army of
10000, for their leaders had filed them
with the hope that Sherman would be
given crushing blow if they destroyed
me there at Bentonville.