Chapter 93 (updated miles traveled)

CHAPTER XCIII

Monday, Dec. 26^th, our Regt. moved on the south side of Gaston Street in a park.  Here we went into camp and erected quarters.

On this last campaign we marched through ten counties viz. Dekalb, Newton, Morgan, Putnan, Baldwin, Washington, Jefferson, Bushe, Scriven and Effingham, and halted in Chatham having marched, by the serpentine route we pursued, at least 300 miles.  The soil of Morgan and Putnam counties appeared to be the richest, Baldwin comes next in order.  Madison, the county seat of Morgan County, is the prettiest town we passed through.  The residences are nearly all standing back from the streets and are surrounded with beautiful yards, which are thickly studded with trees, flowers, shrubbery and evergreens.

The following table was prepared by Comrade William H. Spade, and may be relied upon on for its accuracy, and contains the actual amount of miles traveled, upon the days given to the corresponding dates.

1st  day Nov.          15th     marched           15 miles

2nd “           “          16           “                    15    “

3rd “           “          17           “                    17    “

4th “           “          18           “                    16    “

5th “           “          19           “                    17    “

6th “           “          20           “                    14    “

7th “           “          21           “                    10    “

8th “           “          22           “                    15    “

9th did not move

10th           day Nov.          24th     marched           13 miles

11th           “           “          25           “                    8    “

12th           “           “          26           “        8    “

13th           “           “          27           “        12    “

14th           “          “          28           “        12    “

15th           “           “           29         “          12    “

16th           “           “           30 rested

17th           “           “          1 Dec. 12    “

18th           “           “          2             “        10    “

19th           “           “          3            “        2    “

20th           “           “          4            “        16    “

21st            “          “          5            “        15    “

22nd          “           “          6            “        9    “

23rd           “           “          7            “        9    “

24th           “           “          8            “        13    “

25th           “           “          9            “        15    “

26th           “           “          10           “        7    “

                                            Total       295 miles

The city of Savannah is one of the finest cities we ever beheld, it contains a number of beautiful buildings, as well as several fine parks.  The streets are shaded with beautiful live oak trees, from their wide-spreading branches long tufts of lichen floated gracefully in the breeze, giving them a weird appearance.

Several beautiful Monuments are erected in various parts of the city.  Among them is that of Count Pulaski, which rears its head above the highest houses.  This monument stands in the center of Bull Street, and is the first object to meet the gaze of the visitor as he enters the street.  In another part of the city is a monument erected to the memory of General Greene.

The weather during our stay in Savannah was mild and spring-like, and on the 1^st of January, 1865, we went about bare-footed and in our shirt sleeves, whilst the ladies promenaded the streets, with their furs and carrying their parasols.

While we remained in the city our duty was very light, and we passed a very pleasant month.  All that our regiment did was camp duty.  ­One of the reigning luxuries of our table was oysters, which we could buy at almost any price, as they were dredged out of the river a short distance below the city, the only drawback was the scarcity of butter, which was sold at the modest price of $1.50 per lb.  But then vinegar was plenty as well as pepper and salt, and we had often seated ourselves to a much less palatable meal than raw oysters, seasoned with vinegar, pepper and salt.

The Confederates had just left the city before we entered it, and as a matter of course, their money was current among them, and when we first entered the city we were somewhat surprised at the extravagant prices asked for the different commodities offered for sale, for instance, we were asked $20 for a quart of oysters, and which we afterwards purchased for a cup-full of roasted coffee.  It did not take the citizens long to learn the vast difference between the value of two standards of currency, the Greenback and the Confederate script.

The city contained several very fine cemeteries.  As was our usual custom we visited these silent cities of the dead.  A large number of Confederate officers, who had fallen during the rebellion were buried there.  Many of whom had beautiful and costly tablets erected over their graves, to mark their last resting places.  Among the most attracting was that of General Bee, who commanded a Georgia Brigade at the battle of Gettysburg, and who lost his life whilst gallantly leading his Brigade in a charge in that, to them, ill-fated battle.  It is the writer’s impression that the monument was erected by a devoted wife, but since we have no note of it, and trust entirely to memory, we will not be positive.

Part of the time that we remained in Savannah we were visited by plenteous showers of rain which we presume took the place of the Northern snow storms.  The water raised to a con­siderable height, the corduroy roads were badly damaged and swampy grounds of the Carolinas were almost completely deluged, certainly delaying a move if any had been contemplated.

From letters before us, written home to friends, by members of the company during our stay in the city, as early as the middle of January, 1865, we learn that the campaign of the Caro­linas was already discussed by the rank and file, and that they then already anticipated the grand movement which resulted so gloriously to our cause and so disastrously to the Southern Confederacy and its hopes.

On the 23^rd of January a Division of the 19^th Army Corps arrived from the Army of the Potomac and relieved our Division.  They were part of the troops that had taken part in the engagement at Fisher’s Hill.

As soon as we were relieved we received orders to make preparation for the contemplated move.  Clothing were issued to the men, the wagons were loaded with rations and forage, for men and horses, and every necessary arrangement completed for the prosecution of a vigorous campaign.

Thursday, Jan. 26^th.  In the afternoon we received orders to be ready to move at day-break on the following day.  This order created considerable bustle and excitement, even though it was not unexpected.  The first thing to be attended to, was the writing of the contemplated move to those who were interested in our behalf.  For a short time, pens, ink, paper, postage stamps and envelopes were in great demand.  This important matter once attended too, the boys proceeded to prepare for what was des­tined to be the last campaign of Sherman’s noble old army.

Perhaps the Army never started out from a place that they had more sincere occasion for regrets than had our Army and yet marched with less.  It was true that even the humblest private in the ranks could discover the “dawn of Peace,” and the joyous thoughts of soon being permitted to meet with their loved ones from whom they had been parted for the last three years, cheered them on their way, and thus the morning of the 27^th of January 1865, found the Army, not only ready but anxious for the move.