Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-05-12
With Sherman's Army Forty-Four

Years Ago This Month of April.
Our army had marched and
marched, and done some fighting. We
had started out on the Atlanta cam
paign in early May, 1864. We had
fought many heavy battles during the
summer, and on the 10th of November
following were off for the sea. We
reached the confederate lines at Sa-
vannah December 9Th. After we had
besieged the place twelve days, the
confederates crossed TIE river into
South Carolina and we took posses
ion of the city. We remained there
until the 5th of January, when we set
of on the campaign of the Carolinas,
and by the cath of March We arrived
at Goldsboro, North Carolina. We
had gone through 425 miles of hostile
country flooded with water and trav-
ersed by several large rivers. Fifty
days of mid-winter had been spent
marching. and only ten in camps by
the way. We had been fifty-four
days with no news from the outside
world, mo letters from home; it took
US some ime to catch up. We spent
two weeks at Goldsboro in order to
rest and get a fresh start for Rich
mond.
News came to us at Goldsboro that
caused such rejoicing as l cannot un-
dertake to describe. Time and again
we had heard the report, Richmond
is taken!" and as often had shouted
ourselves hoarse with joy-only to be
disappointed. But this time there
seemed no doubt about the matter; it
was what we had good reason to ex-
pect. Two of our boys-and others
got their canteens filled and pro-
ceeded to make merry. They gave
as an excuse for their capers that
Richmond was not apt to be taken
more than half a dozen times year,
and that the occasion was well worth
celebrating. They made fun enough
for all the rest of us. The report was
true this time.
On the 10th of April we took up our
march for Raleigh sixty miles north
west. The starting out was like a
gala day performance. All the bands
vi AhO oi my WIZ pdSAAh6 thC pii
aquiver with lively music, and we
boys sang songs and shouted. Two or
three of the other columns were in
plain sight of us as they took differ.
ent roads up the valley of the Neuse.
1t was a most enlivening and joyous
spectacle.
Two or three days out we heard that
-, {ah
had been overtaken and captured
Again we made ourselves hoarse with
much noise. though the news seemed
too good to be true. But when we
began to meet soldiers of Lees late
army struggling along unarmed on
their way home, our doubts dissolved
and we wished for joy. The poor
beaten fellows came along singly and
in squads, acting as if glad it was all
over. We could plainly see that this
was the beginning of the end. We
had enough to talk about and specu-
late upon to make that four-days'
march up to Raleigh seem short. Al
most before we could realize that We
were so near. we saw. as we marched
up to the top of ridge, the beauti-
full capital of the state-only three
miles away. This was the 18th day
of April.
General Johnson had, in the mean
time, moved out beyond Raleigh, and
was in camp near Durham, 25 miles
to the northwest We marched
through the city and went into camp
three miles beyond. When morning
came the rain was pouring down in
torrents and all our belongings were
soppy, yet We were, nevertheless. or
dered into line. Soon we were off af-
ter Johnson. The ground was so
covered with wa, that as We
marched over the brow of hill, the
water flowed down the slope in a
broad sheet We neither whistled nor
sang nor cheered. and didn't care
much Just then what became of John
son and his men. We knew that
now, as Lee had surrendered. John
son could lead us merry chase clear
to the Mississippi river-if he chose.
He was skillful in retreat and could
strike back ward surprisingly. How
we wished he'd just stop and let us
capture him. But he had plans of
his own.
After passing over the brow OF this
hill We came into large open field,
where many thousands of men in due
order were standing in the rain in ST
lent, sullen endurance. We were
marched into our place and there we
too stood. taking our soaking as pa
tiently as We could Soon some o.
timistic chap, looking upward. dis
covered 2 rift in the cloud and
through it a small patch of deep blue
sky. He began to cheer. an that set
the rest Of us looking up and cheer.
ing too. With that everybody began
shouting. and the great multitude
made a joyful noise Especially did
the troops of at our left raise an up-
roar We soon discovered thar they
we're cheering iD order, regiment after
regiment This betokened good news.
borne By a messenger 10 one body OF
troops. then another. The cheering
came regiment by regiment, nearer TO
as We wondered what It al meant.
5y this time the sun was smiling
through rbe AnyiI shower and fba