Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-12-15
srARTINe FoR THE SEA


those events, and I think viii copy
for this Corner what / once wrote
about our starting for the sea.
We were up early on the morninx
Of the 10th. One of the most bril-
liant campaigns of the war-of mod.
ern times even was to be under.
taken-a campaign which, if success.
ful, would do mitch to hasten the
close of the var, and. perchance,
make General Sherman famous.
We did not know that morning we
We're to march to Savannah: We
knew almost nothing concerning our
destination. A private in the army
Is not supposed to know anything. 1t
is his duty simply to do as ordered
Ito march, to go into camp, to
stand guard, to do fatigue duty. to
fght-to do anything or nothing, just
as he is bidden, and ask no ques-
tons
But the American soldier is no CT
pher. Even though he is a private
in the rear rank. He reads the pa
pers and knows what is going on;
what is not put down in print he
guesses at, and he is good at guess
ing. And so we had at starting a
tolerably clear notion of the main
features of the coming campaign.
We did not agree as to what point
on the coast was to be our destina-
ton. / do not suppose that General
Sherman himself was sure about that.
but after we were out on the roads
leading to the southeast, we came to
the conclusion that we were on our
way to Savannah
Long before daylight there was a
mighty commotion in our camps. Our
new recruits were all astir with the
excitement of new experience: and all
the rest of us were in an expectant
mood. Over toward Atlanta great
clouds of smoke, Redeemed by the
flames devouring the last remnants
of such buildings as it was Sher-
mans will to destroy, rolled over
the doomed city. Around US blazed
hundreds of camp-fires piled high
with camp rubbish and such other
stuff as we did not care to take
with us. The mules brayed, the driv-
ers cracked their long whips, ano
we hoys filled what vacant space
there was left in the vibrant atmo-
sphere with all the noise the human
throat and lungs are able to produce.
Our troops had, IN the meantime,
been for some time moving out on
roads toward the southeast, the
14th corps moving out on roads to-
ward Decatur, the 18th and 18th to
the south of them. Soon came the
order for us to "fall in We did SO
quickly. Colonel Proudfit gave the
order, 'Batta' ion, right face! For
ward march, and we were ON the
March to the Sea"
We were gay that morning as we
turned our backs upon the smoking
ruins of Atlanta. For months we had
been almost daily under the fire OF
the enemy Many of our good COM
rades who had marched into Georgia
with us last May were asleep under
the low mounds dotting the hiIlsides
and valleys where we had fought the
battles of the past summer; and,
though we sent tender ard loving
thoughts back to them, we looked
forward with lively interest to the
scenes awaiting us.
OF our departure Sherman has
since said: about a. m. OF NO
by the Decatur road, filled with
marching troops and wagons of the
14th corps, and, reaching the hill
just outside the old rebel works, we
naturally paused to look back upon
the scenes of our past battles. We
stood upon the very ground where
was fo'ight the bloody battle of July
22d, and could see the woods wherein
Mcpherson fell. Behind us lay At
lanta, smouldering and in ruins, the
black smoke rising high in air and
hanging like a pail over the ruined
city. Away off in the distance on
the McDonough road. was the rear
of Towards column, the gun barrels
glistening in the sun. the white-top-
ped wagons stretching away to the
south; and right before us the 14th
corps. marching steadily and rapidly
with CHEEKY look, and swinging
pace that made light of the thou
sand miles that lay between us and
Richmond. Some band, by accident,
struck up the anthem, John Browns
soul goes marching ol,-and never
before or since have I heard the
chorus Of Glory, Glory. HaIlelu1ah,
done with more spirit or in better
harmony Of time and place"
I'VE turned our horses heads to
the east Atlanta was soon lost be-
hind the trees and became a thing
Of the past Around it clings many
a thought of desperate battle, Of
hope and fear. tina. now seem like
the memory Of a dream: and nave
never seen the place since. The day
was extremely beautiful-clear sun
light with bracing air and an I'M
usual exhilaration seemed to pervade
sll minis--a feeling Of something to
come. vague and underlined, still full
Of venture and intense interest. Even
the common soldiers caught the in
spiration, and many group called