The Washington herald., 1914-12-13
SHERMANS ARMY NEAR
SAVANNAH.
Deeember 9.

Fifty years ago today sherman's army
vas closing IN upon the defenses of Sa-
vannah, Ga, after a 300-mile march
! across the State from Atlanta. The most
notable raid OF the war was fast nearing
ban end, and NOV only q few thousand
Confederate troops were between the
Federal army and one Of the great cities
Of the South.
The Confederacy had been cut In two
sherman's army had left in its wake a
/ trail OF desolation sixty miles in breadth.
that cut through the heart Of Georgia
/ and lay waste one of the few fertile
j fields to which Lee had looked for the
subsistence Of his army defending Rich
mond.
sherman's march mad proved the Con-
/ federacy a shadow. Its cities and towns
were depopulated OF men. Its sole re-
manning strength was mustered along its
borders. Sherman had penetrated to the
interior OF the country and found none
but women. children. and a handful OF
militiamen TO contest him. Gen. Joseph
wheeler's cavalry. about 600 strong. was
practically the only Confederate force en-
| countered. and that was neutralized by
the Federal cavalrymen.
The march from Atlanta to the sea
had developed into a gigantic holiday
raid. The men sang as they trudged
along the dusty roads or picked their
way across the fields OF ripened corn;
bands played stirringsai thousands OF
foragers swarmed the countryside. rob-
| bing smokehouses and cellars of their
: choicest bits. and taking honey from the
hives; officers OF every grade, following
the example of their men, drank deep OF
the conniyal cup; the whole army amused
itself by burning houses, mills and cot
ton, wrecking railroads, sacking public
stores, and destroying" every ounce OF
brandy in the path Of its advance.
1t is doubtful II such absolute desola-
ton as Shermsn's army spread through
out the length and breadth OF its course
was visited upon a community in any
war in such a spirit OF levity.
Terrible Reality of War.
| Yet there were horrors in the march to
the sea that even the soldiers OF the Fed
! ersI army could not know. for they left
the worst behind them.
Only the women and children, the
| young boys and aged men who lived
there, could tell Of IL; and the bitterest
rebels of all, who are bitter even to-
day, are those women who saw the terri
bic reality OF war that Sherman's march
presented at their doors.
But try as they would the Federal ON
GERS were unable to keep the negroes
from following the army. As the Fed
erals passed the plantations, the entire
slave population would Join In the rear.
| Men and women, SO old and infirm that
they could scarcely hobble along. rode in
nondescript conveyances that had been
appropriated. ives free, ives free, the
day OBJ Jubilee hab come" they would
Shout to their brethren along the route.
In vain Sherman and his generals ap-
pealed to them to return TO their old
hnfTnAG IN Ror rIrka
the time was ripe. The negroes had seen
all the food for miles around destroyed
by the Federals and did not know how they
could live away from the army. They
camped when the army camped. and their
foragers We'd with the men in blue in
bringing in provisions.
Negro Refugees Drown.
All might have gone well had the coun-
try been uniformly productive But as
Sherman's army approached Savannah
there was a distinct change in the char
acter Of the land. The great plantations
Of the interior disappeared. Cornfelds
were supplanted by stretches OF rice
herds were fewer. and cellars more
scantily stocked. Forage as they might.
the "bummers" OF the army could scarce
ly secure enough for their regiments to
subsist upon, and the rations OF hard
tack in the wagons were for the first time
requisitioned. There was plenty OF rice,
but the men tired of II.
The negroes, who had no commissary
wagons or stores of hardtack. felt the
pressure and ofttimes were in actual
want. They went about the camps
seeking food and became a great en-
barrassment to the army. Finally. ac-
cording to Gen. ]. d. Cox. in his story
Of The March TO the Sea-" Gen. Davis
Commanding the Fourteenth Corps).
~ q E.gI
Creek northwest of Savannah), to be
taken up before the refugees who were
following that corps had crossed, so as
to leave them on the further bank Of an
unfordable stream.
1T would be unjust to believe that
the order would have been given IL the
effect had been foreseen. The poor refu-
gees had their hearts so set on liberia
tion, and fear OF falling into the hands
of the Confederate cavalry was so
great, that, with wild wailings and
cries. the great crowd rushed. like a
stampeded drove OF cattle. into the
water. those who could not swim as
well as those who could. and many
were drowned in spite Of the earnest
efforts of the soldiers to help them.
'As soon as the character of the un- |
thinking rush and panic was seen. all
was done that could be done to save
them from the water; but the loss of
life was still great enough to prove |
that there were many ignorant. simple |
souls to whom it was literally prefer
able to die free men rather than to live |
slaves" |
AS the Federals moved in upon the ]
city 1t was found that many of the |
roads had been planted with subterra- |
mean mines. They had been placed |
there by order Of Jefferson Davis. Al
number of officers and men were killed |
or mangled by treadIng upon them.
When Sherman learned of the danger. |
he was indignant that the Confederates |
should employ such methods OF war
fare. He Immediately ordered the Con- |
federate prisoners to be marched ahead
of the army. However. no other tor |
pedoes were found there.
Fifty years ago today the Federals |
closed in upon the defenses Of Savan- |
nah. some Eve miles outside the city. |
Reconnoisances were pushed at every |
point, and first steps taken to get into |
communication with the Federal feet |
on the Savannah River.
.,ronA nrprrOrEo. UxS /