Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1911-03-15
Sherman Lost Opportunity

the presence of General Sherman
would be a drawing card, visited him
at his home in ST Louis to invite him
to attend our reunion.
with my regiment l had followed
Sherman from Atlanta to the sea, and
into North Carolina in the late winter
of '65, or, as some would put 1t, the
very early spring; so, while we were
discussing various incidents of the
war, it occurred to me TO ask the gen
eral about a strategic movement made
by the Union army in North Carolina
that had always puzzled me more or
less.
1T will be remembered by those
present that Gen. Joseph E. Johnston
attacked the left wing of Sherman's
army at Averysboro, N. c., on March
10, 1865, and handled it pretty rough
~. The Seventeenth Corps, under
| Gen. Francis P. Blair, was on the
right of the army and headed straight
for Goldsboro, N. c., some twenty-five
miles east, where we hoped to meet
the commands Of Schofield and Terry
coming up from the coast. Orders
were given to Blair to change his
course, which he did, marching all
night and gaining a position near the
Confederate left Then, about noon OF
March 81, orders were given to Gen.
Joseph A. Mower, commanding the
first division Of the Seventeenth corps,
to force a crossing over the swamp
which protected Johnston's left. This
was accomplished, and, much to our
surprise, we found ourselves at John
ston's headquarters where we recap
tured some of our own men who were
held as prisoners.
Mower learned from our men that
the Confederates were surrounded.
Sherman's TANKS resting on Mill
creek, a deep stream-and that the
only way Johnston could retreat was
across a narrow bridge, and this was
under the fire of our men. He at once
sent a staff officer to Sherman to ex-
plain the situation and ask reinforce
ments. Sherman, instead of rein
forcing, ordered a withdrawal, which
was being made just as Wade Hamp'
toms cavalry attacked Mowers right,
and the Confederate infantry his left.
This opened the pocket and let John
ston out.
81 led up to this situation and asked
General Sherman why he gave the or.
der to withdraw. In his vigorous man
ner he replied:
"T thought Mower was mistaken in
his position. l knew him to be brave,
hard fighter, but looked on him as
reckless, and I could not believe John
ston would ever permit himself to be
caught in such a position. l also knew
that if Mower was where he said he
was. Johnston would not surrender
without a desperate fight, which meant
that many of you boys would be left in
the pine woods of North Carolina to
the tender mercies Of the Confed-
crates. My spies had reported that
Lee was reinforcing Johnston, how
much they could not tell l did not
know what Schofield and Terry were
doing down at Newbern, and it was
possible that l might be forced back
to the seashore somewhere. l also
thought l could maneuver Johnston
out Of his position and, after making
a junction with our army at Colds
boro. give him attention later on.
"But if l had known the exact sit
uation,' the general concluded IN his
clear-cut, characteristic style, I would
have sent a division to reinforce Now
err, and sent orders to press the enemy
all along the line 10 prevent his send
ing troops against Mower, and John
ston would have been forced to sur
render before night-one Of my lost
opportunities, Mr. Brown"
Copyright, 1910, by e. J. Edwards. Al
Rights Reserved.l