The Washington herald., 1914-11-29
SHERMAN'S ARMY In GEORGIA
CAPITAL.
November q.


capital OF Georgia, which had been oc-
SGpied by his army the day before.
The entry Of the commanding general
en0ed the first stage of the great march
across Georgia from Atlanta to the
sea" The Federal army, $1,000 strong,
had marched out of Atlanta eight days
before. intent upon capturing Savan-
--Sh, 225 miles to the east.
Moving in two columns. one threat
ening Macon and the other Augusta,
tearing up railroads and burning and
devastating the country as it marched,
the army had cut wide swath through
the fruitful plains and valleys of the
State. 1t met with no serious opposi-
tion. for there were no available troops
in the Confederacy to meet it.
Sherman had organized his army into
two wings, the left comprising the
Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps, un-
der Gen. H. s. Slocum, and the right.
comprising the Fifteenth and Seven
teenth Corps, under Gen. o. o. Howard.
The cavalry, under Gen. Judson Kill
patrick, was independent of either
wing commander. acting under orders
from Gen. Sherman.
The Twentieth Corps. having follow
ed the Augusta Railroad to Madison.
seventy miles east of Atlanta. had
swung south to Eatonton. and thence
down the branch railroad to Milledge-
willie. The men in blue had marched
into the streets of the sleepy little town
on November %. Gen. SIocum had ta-
ken up quarters at the local hotel to
await the coming of Sherman the next
day.
Gen. Slocum learned that the honor
of receiving the surrender of the capi-
tai had been lost to his corps. Two
days before the first regular Federal
command entered the place. Capt. Will
lam Duncan. daring scout o. Gen.
Howard's corps, had dashed into Mill
edEeville at the head of ten of his meE
and had created such a panic that the
mayor surrendered to him and begged
the men to refrain from damaging the
city. Duncan and his comrades had
Ihereupon continued on their way.
On Howell Cobb's Plantation.
That night the commanding general.
who, with the Fourteenth Corps had
come east by way of Shady Dale. halted
for the night at plantation some ten
miles west of Milledgeville. He found
refuge from a bitter cold wind in a
comfortable log cabin. when Capt. o. NJ.
Poe, his chief engineer. and DR.. John
Moore. his medical director. had start
ed a roaring fire. After sending of
for his few belongings Sherman cas-
ually inspected his new quarters. The
first object of interest his eye lighted
on was a small box. marked with the
name Howell Cobb"
Sherman asked one Of the negroes if
Howell Cobb lived thereabouts. and
was informed that he was the owner
of the plantation. Cobb, who had been
Secretary of the Treasury in Buchan-
ans Cabinet. now was one of the most
prominent leaders in the Confederacy
and general of the Georgia State Mill
tia.
'Of course" wrote Sherman in his
memoirs. we coniscated his property.
and found il rich in corn. beans, pea
nuts and sorghum -molasses. Extensive
fields were all round the house; sent
word back to Gen. Davis Tin command
of the Fourteenth Corps) to explain
whose plantation it was. and instruct
ed him to spare nothing.
That night huge bonf1res consumed
the fence rails and kept our soldiers
warm and the teamsters and men. as
we'll as the slaves, carried off an i'm
mense quantity OF corn and provisions
of all sorts
As Gen Sherman and his staff rode
into Milledgeville the Fourteenth Corps
closed up to form a junction with the
Twentieth. Gov. Joseph E. Brown. of
Georgia, had made a hurried exit from
the town some days before. so Gen.
Sherman installed himself in the eXecu-
tive mansion, and there received the
reports OF his generals.
News of Gen. Howard'S successes at
the south was brought in by couriers.
Howard with his two corps. had struck
the railroad near Griswold. ten miles
cast of Macon. and had destroyed it for
ten miles to Gordon. at the junction of
the MiIledgeviIle branch. about fifteen
miles south of the capital. There IT
was concentrated on November 23
Its rear guard, a brigade under Gen.
Charles c. Walcutt, numbering l.SOO.
two regiments of Fitzpatrick cavalry, !
was stationed near Griswoldville.
There it had been attacked the day be-
fore by 5000 Confederate militia, and
in a desperate three-hOur contest had !
held its own, gnally driving of the
Georgians with loss to them of about
500.
The fight was so hot that the Con- |
fcderates reported having met with an |
entire Federal army corps. and believed !
themselves fortunate to have escaped |
with the loss they sustained. Gen. |
WaIcutt was severely wounded and |
was confined to his ambulance during |
the rest of the campaign.
Having seized the bridges over the |
Oconee River in their front the Fed-
erals now halted for a day and pre-
pared for the next move OF the cam
paign.
A Riotous Session.
Cen. Fitzpatrick fifty years ago today
sherman. arriving in time to partici-
pate in a mock session of the legisla-
lure at the State Capitol. Sherman
learned Of the affair after it's conclusion
and laughed heartily at its absurdities.
Capt. D. =. Conyngham, of the gem
erals staff. a newspaper correspondent,
gave a humorous picture of the pro-
Ceedings.
The halls and chambers were crowd
cd with honorable members in blue
he wrote. The meeting was held in
the senate chambers.
Col. J. c. Robinson was elected
president: Lieut. Col. H. c. Rogers.
clerk; w. w. Mosely was appointed
sergeant-at-arms to assist the pages;
Majs. Gwindow. Crane and others, in
keeping order and decently laying out
under the table any member seized
with Bourbon fits, which disease was
rather prevalent among the honorable
members. The honorable body took
their seats in the usual scrambling.
riotous manner of such bodies, and
with the strictest observance OF legis-
lativc usages.
The business of the house was open
ed by a general drink, and commit
tee on Federal relations was appoint
cd. COMPRISING Coils. watkins, Carman,
Zulick, Thompson. Ewing. and Cogs-
well. who retired and were soon en-
gagged in discussing the merits OF the
strong bottle of brandy. Snatches Of
song and laughter, which fioated up
from the committee room, proved that
the honorable gentlemen were literally
and chaerfuIly epzaped |