The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-26

the Carolinas. Major-General o. o..
Howard commanded the right wing,
and Major-General Henry w. Slocum
the left. The cavalry was under the
command of Brigadier-General JUDI
son Fitzpatrick. They moved via Col
umbia, S. c., towards Fayetteville, N
c. On March 7th, the army was cross
ing the North Carolina line south or
Rockingham. By March the nth va
rious commands had reached Fayette-
Vile, and were in full sway on North
Carolina soil up to April the 18th,
when the march for Washington, II.
c., began
Before examining in detail Sher-
mans career in North Carolina, It
NAV be well to note the military situa-
ton in the State at the time of Sher-
mans entrance from the South. The
mention of several events Will lndl-
cate the gravity of the situation. Fort
Fisher fell January 18th, 1868. Thls
put Terry in full possession OF the
Wilmington section, while Schoheld
controlled New Bern and all the coun-
try round, having taken possession Of
Kinston about the time Sherman was
entering the State. From this time
forth all the coast section was fully
dominated by the Federal armies. The
central portion of the State. however,
was still under Confederate control;
but without well organized defense.
So, General Joseph e. Johnson, now
residing at his home in Llncolnton, re-
ceived orders on February the 23rd,
1865, to report to Lee and to assume
command of the Army of Tennessee,
and of all the troops in the Depart
ment of South Carolina, Georgia ana
Florida. His orders said: "Concen>
trate all available forces and drive
back Sherman" Cd A hard task was
this, and no one appreciated the dlf-
ficulties more than he. CD The Army
of Tennessee was scattered; the com
missary stores in North Carolina were
held for Lees army in Virginia, and
nothing remained to supply the troops
in North Carolina, save what Johnson
could collect with his wagons. SO.
leaving Beauregard to guard the rail-
road from Charlotte to DanVllle, he
moved his headquarters TO Fayette-
vile on March the 4th, and began con-
centrating his forces. Lieutenant
General Hardee was moving in from
South Carolina via Fayetteville.
General Bragg was near Goldsboro
with Cookies Division, numbering
nearly five thousand men; and the
remnant of the Army of Tennessee,
nearly four thousand strong, under
Lieutenant General Stewart, was NOV
ing that way. The cavalry. command
Hampton, was busy harassing the
enemy and informing Of his move
ments Thus it appears, that all the
forces under Johnson were gathering
i'm the section between Goldsboro and
Fayetteville, facing an enemy out
numbering them four-fold CD Furth-
more, they were poorly organized
and i'll provided for, but in last
desperate struggle; while the enemy
h11t
over a conquering march. The last
stand was now to be made; and, In
brief, this was Johnson's position on
March the 18th, when Sherman lett
Fayetteville.
As already seen, Sherman's army
reached Fayetteville the 18th OF
March. The next three days were
spent in utterly destroying" all prop
erty valuable for the enemy, and in
crossing the Cape Fear. that the
march on Goldsboro might continue.
Orders were sent Terry at Whining
ton and Schofield at New Bern to join
sherman at Goldsboro about the goth.
(5) The real object of Sherman was
to put his army in a position OF
easy supply for the campaign OF 90,
by this juncture at Goldsboro. for
this movement made the whole coast
as far south as Savannah his, and
gave him easy control of the entire
country. Every move looked to this,
and all plans were to this end. AT
Fayetteville the horde of negroes ana
others following in the wake Of the
army were marched on to wilmington,
with supplies furnished for the Jour
ney co Howard sent from ms
command alone four thousand and five
hundred. mostly negroes. The effort
was to clear the army of all encum-
brances possible. This is desirable at
all times 1t was especially so now,
since more active opposition was eX-
pected.
But, before beginning the march
through North Carolina, let US enquire
what was the spirit animating the
army, and what the dominating pur-
pose of the chief in command? The
official records make this clear. There
is no better way than to judge one
out of his own mouth. By his own
words let him stand or fall, Sherman
is clear in his official reports. CD
His purpose was to destroy the ene~
my's country and starVe Lee at Rich
mond. OF South Carolina, he wrote
Terry: CD 1--WE have swept the coun-
try we'll" and instead of feeding
Lees army they will now call on Lee
to feed them" This course was adopt
ed to crush the enemy at home and
thus hasten the end. In calm If not
cruel, assurance Sherman writes of
his work: (9) 1.-THE simple fact that
mans home has been visited by
an enemy makes a soldier in Lees or
Johnson's army very anxious to get
home and look after his family and
property" On March the 22nd he
writes Fitzpatrick to continue to gath
er all food and forage of the country
that he could, adding: (10) II care
not how close you pinch the inhabit-
ants" He did except mere house,
hold goods and apparel of women in
the order; but little attention was paid
the exception made. A reign of terror
was the result. The horror of 1T all
even finds reflection in the official re-
ports. CID Every house along the
way was pillaged, trunks broken
open, jewelry, silver, ETC., taken
Some of the officers declared with en-
phasis that no way remained to stop
this but to stop foraging. The sys-
tenn is vicious and the results utterly
deplorable." (12) Morgan aftirms
that men in his command, encouraged
by some officers, had become high
waymen, robbing mal-treating without
mercy, burning houses, ETC., with all
cruelty and ferocity General Howard
declared that the conduct of the CAM