Chapter 91

CHAPTER XCI

On Wednesday, Nov. 26^th, we moved about a half mile to our left and laid in the works of the 3^rd Brigade, while they were out on a foraging ex­pedition, and which returned on the 27^th, when we returned to our old quarters.

Friday the 28^th, we received orders to get ready for a fifty days campaign, with orders to subsist on the country; but positive orders were issued prohibiting the wanton waste or destruction of provender or property.  We at once proceeded to pack our surplus goods to send them back to Nashville, Tenn.  After which followed the usual discussion among the boys, as to where we would strike for, the general supposition being that Mobile, Ala., or Savannah, Ga., was to be our destination.

Saturday, Nov. 5^th, 1864, we moved about a mile in the direction of Macon and encamped for the night.  On the following day, Sabbath, we fell in and commenced a retrograde movement, reaching our old camp at Atlanta, at about dusk, tired and hun­gry, ready and willing to find fault with everybody.  At the time we could not see the policy, or the necessity of the move, but which we have since learned had its desired effect, by causing the Rebel Commander, Gen. Hood, to attempt his disastrous expedition to our rear, opening our way to the sea without let or hindrance, and which feat could hardly have been ac­complished in the presence of the entire Rebel Army.

On the following Tuesday, the 8^th, we held an election for President and Vice President, the regiment giving a majority of 116 for Lincoln and Johnson.

We had considerable sport with Jerry Moyer, one of the members of our company; he failed to have the proper papers, tax receipts and assessment certificate, and consequently was debarred from voting.  Jerry had lost several of his front teeth and when his vote was refused, Corp. Ulrich said:

“Jarr, du bist evva sthu old for stimma.”

Jerry just more than grew indignant at the proposition that he was too old to vote.  It was quite a long time before Jerry heard the last of it.

On Sunday the 13^th of the month, the 15^th and 17^th Army Corps joined us, they having been back along the railroad from Dalton to the Chattahoochie.  Our Brigade was engaged in tearing up the rail road track from Atlanta to the river.

Tuesday 15^th, we left Atlanta and marched to Stone Mountain about 15 miles.  While we were marching we could plainly hear the explosions in the city caused by the blowing up of the Depots and other buildings.  The heavens were black with smoke, and in the evening the same were all in a glare with the blaze ascending from the burning city.  When the troops joined us that had been left back to carry on the work of destruction, they informed us that nothing but a pile of smoldering ruins marked the site where once had stood the flourishing city if Atlanta.

Wednesday, 16^th, we marched about 15 miles along the Atlanta & Augusta railroad and encamped in the vicinity of Conyers, Newton County.

We were now standing at the very threshold of the Eden of the Confederacy.  The country through which we were passing was a beautiful one and was rich in provisions for man as well as beast.  The country abounded in sweet potatoes, often times as many as from 80 to 200 bushels were found on one heap, usually in the garden near the Mansion, protected from the weather by being covered over with grass, together with ham, bacon, chickens, geese, turkeys, ducks, hogs, honey, sorghum, corn-meal, &c., to all of which the men helped themselves with a lavish hand.  It was an amusing  sight to see the men returning from the interior of the country after a successful day’s foraging.  They would come loaded down with all manner of palatable luxuries, and not infrequently leading  a long eared specimen of the horse species, which if it was harnessed to some dilapidated vehicle loaded full of the fat of the land, they would have it completely hid underneath the load of good things.  Each company in the regiment had its beast of burden which not only served them during the day but made the night melodious with their sweet musical (?) voices.

It was really astonishing to see how much of the good things were to be had, a mess of four hungry and tired Yankees could easily dispose of at one sitting, without any great detriment to any thing except the Government buttons on the pantaloon waist­band.  We venture the assertion that on the great “March to the Sea,” that Sherman’s men carried a much heavier load in their stomachs than they did in their knapsacks.

Thursday, 17^th, we advanced to about 3 miles of Social Circle, having marched about 17 miles, we camped near the line between Newton and Walton Counties.

Friday, 18^th, we marched within about 3 miles of Madison, via Social Circle and Rutledge Station, a distance of fully 16 miles.  We entered Morgan county about noon.  At Social Circle, Loraine Dalrymple, a member of the 29^th Ohio, shot at a hog and missed it.  General Geary happened to see the affair, he said to one of his aids:

“Put that man under arrest, not for shooting, but because he missed the hog, I want my men to learn to shoot.”

The provost guard came up and arrested him and marched him to the rear where he remained for the day.

Saturday 19^th, we marched within two miles of the Oconee River via Madison about 17 miles.  The town of Madison was one of the pleasantest and beautifully situated towns that we passed through, it being the county town of Morgan County.  The houses were set back and were surrounded with beautiful yards, and the streets were lined with beautiful shade trees giving the town a fine appearance.

Our Division started out from Madison alone and proceeded to tear up the railroad for a long distance without severing the rails from the ties like a plow turns the sod over.

Sunday 20^th, we struck the Eatonton road at Park’s Bridge on the river and marched near Eatonton, about 14 miles.

Monday, 21^st.  We marched about 10 miles toward Milledge­ville.

Tuesday, 22^nd.  We crossed the Little River in the forenoon, marched through Milledgeville at dusk and crossed the Oconee River and encamped. having marched about 15 miles.

We remained in camp the next day when we had a good oppor­tunity of visiting the State House, and seeing the sights in the city.  The State House contained a fine library which was almost entirely destroyed, a large of number of the books were carried away.  The city had a large amount of ammunition as well as sev­eral thousand home-made swords.  All of which were destroyed.

Feb. 24^th.  We marched about 13 miles eastward of Milledgeville.

Feb. 25^th.  We marched within about 8 miles of Sandersville, making a distance of about eight miles.

Saturday, 26^th.  We marched to Sandersville ‘til noon, where W. H. Spade was detailed for train guard.  The troops went out to tear up the railroad, the wagon train remained in park, having traveled a distance of about 8 miles.

Sunday, 27^th.  We broke camp at daylight, destroying the railroad for a distance of 4 miles, then coming to the Conconchee River, passed through Davisboro and encamped, having traveled a distance of about 10 miles.

Nov. 28^th, Monday.  We destroyed the railroad near Davisboro and encamped near the town.

Tuesday, 29^th.  We continued on the move and passed Spier’s Station and encamped, traveling about 15 miles.

Wednesday, 30^th.  Started on the march early in the morning.  Crossed the Ogeecha River and encamped traveled about 8 miles.

Thursday, Dec. 1.  We moved about 10 miles during the day and encamped.

Dec. 2, Friday.  We broke camped and moved near Millen.  Here the confederates had a large stockade, in which they had a number of our men confined as prisoners.  A number of our men visited the stockade and brought back doleful accounts of the condition of the stockade in which the brave Union boys had been incarcerated.  The Stockade was located in low swampy ground, whilst the men were without a single covering to protect them from the rays of the sun or the falling of the rain, whilst only a short distance from the prison pen, was an extensive forest, from which abundant material might easily have been furnished for the men to make comfortable quarters in which to seek shelter from the rays of the sun or other unfavorable circum­stances.  This inhuman conduct will ever remain a blot upon the good name of the Southron people, and the cruelty which they exercised towards the defenseless Union prisoners can only be mitigated as time rolls on and the principal actors in the dis­graceful drama pass from time into eternity, and give an account at the Judgment bar of God, where mercy and justice will be dealt out by His unerring hand and when they will receive their just deserts.

Saturday, 3^rd.  We broke camp at noon, and marched all night, crossed the Augusta railroad and encamped, traveled about 10 miles.

Saturday, 4^th.  Broke camp at about noon and marched 6 miles and went into camp.

Monday, 5^th.  We broke camp in the morning and marched about 13 miles, encamping about 8 miles from the Savannah river.  During the day our troops were confronted by a body of Rebel State Militia, under Brigadier General R. M. Brown, (we think).  ­They had thrown up tolerable good breastworks but when our men advanced they fired a few shot and then retreated.

Our regiment was placed on picket and every precaution was taken to guard against a surprise.  In the following morning we packed up and moved to the road to await the arrival of the Division.