The Washington herald., 1915-02-14
CIVIL WAR DAY BY DAY, FIFTY YEARS AGO


| Pocotaligo S. c., was at Divers and
| Beauforts bridges over the Salkehatohie
River. 1t was an ugly stream" wrote
Sherman. and at Rivers Bridge had so
overfown its banks that 1t flowed in no
| less than sixteen channels, separated by
| almost impossible morasses.
On the opposite banks the Confeder-
! ates had erected earthworks which
afterward were designated by Gen. o. o.
Howard, commanding the right wing.
as the strongest position I ever saw in
my life" They were manned by about
! 1000 Confcderates.
"Bummers" Capture Railroad.
The Seventeenth Corps. under Gen. r.
| ?. Blair, jr., was at Rivers Bridge. Gen.
J Howard at once ordered IT against the
enemy. Under Blair's direction the di-
vision of Gen. Joseph A. Mower opened
! up two parallel roads. laying foot bridges
mile and a half long across the sixteen
channels of the river. At the same time
Gen. Giles a. Smiths Division swan the
river lower down. after wading through
neck-deep swamps. and, in conjunction
with. Mowers men. attacked the Confed-
crates and sent them sCurryinG to the
rear.
The line Of the SaIkehatchie was then
abandoned by the Confederates. The
rlent wing OF sherman ) army CGOSSeu
at Rivers and Beauforts bridges; the cav
airy. under Gen. Judson Fitzpatrick, and
the left wing under Gen. II. W. Slocum.
comprising the Fourteenth and Twen-
tieth corps, crossed further upstream,
near Barnwell. and three days later both
columns approached the South Carolina
! Railroad.
Sherman and his generals now moved
cautiously. for they believed the Con-
federates would offer desperate resist
ance at that point. AS Gen. Howard
was reconnoitering at the front mount
ed man was seen far Off ahead. coming
down the road toward the Federal army
at a breakneck pace.
As the person drew rein at Howard's s
side and was recognized as one OF the
''bummers" he shouted. Hurry up. gen.
eral; we've got the railroad
so" wrote Sherman in his Memoirs.
while We. the generals, were proceed
ing deliberately to prepare for a serious
battle. a parcel of our foragers. in search
Of plunder. had got ahead and actually
captured the South Carolina Railroad,
line of vital importance TO the rebel gov
ernment."
The failure OF the Confederates to de-
fend that railroad had been due TO lack
of troops. Gen. w. H. Hardee. who COM
manded in the field, had under him
scarcely 1000 men. including about 1000
of Buffers cavalry. which. under Gen.
Wade Hampton, had been sent south
from Lees army at PetersburG. Gen.
Joe Wheeler's cavalry. about 500 men,
was off to the north, in front of Angus
ia. watching the movements Of the Fed
cral mounted troops under Gen. Kilpat
rick
Great efforts were being made to get
up troops with which to meet Sherman.
ID
Hoods army. less than 10000 were being
rushed east from Mississippi but were
not vet February ~ in the field. Includ-
ing the militia reserves. the greatest
number of troops on which Gen. G. T.
Beauregard. the department commander,
could depend. was A sCant 1900. Fifty
years ago today these were being gather
ed to block the way to Columbia, the
State capital and to Charleston.
show Their "Pure Cussedness.'
While marching over the country to
the South Carolina Railroad. Shermans
"bummers." or irregular foragers. were
busy plying their trade. Not satisfied
with seizng provisions, they looted pri-
vate houses and welded the torch until
the whole countryside was ablaze.
They were unCouth creatures, these
bummers. many of them the social out
casts of the large cities of the North.
others of more gentle breeding All had
become obsesscd of a desire to destroy.
The whole Federal army had long
breathed vengeance against the people
of South Carolina, who had begun the
war. and now found occasion to make
them suffer the consequences.
OF the 'bummers.' Capt. D. P. CO.
nynEham, Of Sherman's staff, wrote:
Fancy d ragged man, blackened by
the smoke of many a pine-knot fire.
mounted on a scragGy mule, without a
saddle. with gun, knapsaCk, butch
cr knife and plug hat, stealing his way
through tho pine forests far out on the
hanks of the column, keen on the scent
of rebels, or bacon. or silver spoons, or
corn, or anything valuable, and you have
him in your mind.
Think how you would admire him i'll
you We're a lone woman, with a family
of small children, far from help. when
nc blandly inquired where you kept your
valuables.
Think how you would smile when he
pried open your chests with his bayonet.
or knocked to pieces your tables. pianos.
and chairs, tore your bed clothing in
three-inch strips, and scattered them
about the yard
The bummers say it takes too much
time to use keys. Color is no protection
from these rough riders. They go
through negro cabin in search of dia- |
monds and gold watches with just as
much freedom and vivacity as they loot
the dwelling of a wealthy planter.
They appear to be possessed OF a |
spirit of pure cussedness.' One incident
of many will illustrate: 4 hummer |
stepped into a house and inquired for |
sorghum. The lady of the house pre-
sented A jug, which he said was too |
heavy; so he merely filled his canteen.
Then taking a huge wad OF tobacco from |
his mouth he thrust it into the jug. The |
lady inquired in wonder why he spoiled |
that which he did not want i
" oh, some feller'll come along and |
taste that sorghum and think you've /
nnisnnad him. hn, 4 4