Chapter 94

CHAPTER XCIV

Friday, January 27^th.  We left Savannah and marched eleven miles in the direction of Springfield.  The men were in the best of spirits and marched cheerfully to the music of the bands, and everything passed off very pleasantly.

Saturday, 28^th.  We marched within three miles of Sister’s Ferry, on the Savannah River, and remained in Camp here until the morning of the 4^th of February.  The river appeared to be very wild, and considerable difficulty was experienced in throw­ing a pontoon bridge across the same, and it is the writer’s opin­ion that it was owing to the high water that caused this delay.

From our camp, which was on a considerable bluff, we could look over the river and down upon the soil of South Carolina, which appeared to be receding out of sight, and more than one soldier sincerely wished, as he gazed upon the hot-bed of rebellion and secession, that it might disappear entirely.

After the pontoon bridge was successfully put down, and several regiments of troops were thrown across the river, and put to work building corduroy roads.  The rebels anticipating the move had placed a large number of torpedoes into the marshy ground and a number of men were injured by their exploding.

Saturday, Feb. 4^th.  We crossed the river and entered South Carolina, and marched about three miles near Robertsville.

When we crossed the river, General Geary rode past us, he pointed in the direction we were marching and remarked, “there boys is South Carolina, take off your gloves and get your matches ready, the people of the State had more to do with bringing on this unholy war, than the people of any other State, and they should be made to suffer for it.”

The Division and Brigade Commissary were loaded with ra­tions, they having been conveyed here by boat from Savannah.

It was while laying here that Lieut. B. T. Parks again reported to the Company for duty, having been acting in the capacity of Commandant of the Military Detective Force at Nash­ville; and having served as a volunteer aid on General Miller’s staff during Hood’s memorable campaign in the vicinity of Nash­ville.  As soon as Lt. Parks learned that the army under General Sherman contemplated another grand forward movement, he applied for permission to rejoin his command, and reached just as we were about to start out on our campaign through the Carolinas.

Lt. Parks always was a favorite among the boys of his comp­any, and his return, especially owing to his almost miraculous escape from death owing to the bullet which had passed through his head, occasioned much rejoicing among his comrades.

Sunday, 5^th.  We marched about 13 miles in the direction of Lawtonville, passing through Robertsville.

Our cavalry force under command of General Fitzpatrick, moved in advance as well as on both flanks of the moving columns, and to them was entrusted with the destruction of the unoccupied residences, as well as all the cotton gins, store­houses, &c.  And when it is taken into consideration that the army moved in four columns, frequently ten miles apart, the space of country devastated may be well imagined.  During the day the sky was blackened by the hundreds of columns of smoke which ascended from the burning property, while during the night the heavens were illuminated by the glare of the flames, as far back as the eye could trace.  Reminding the beholder of the pillar of fire which in the days of Moses guided the children of Israel through the wilderness.

Monday, 6^th.  We marched fully a distance of 16 miles, passing through Lawtonville.

Forage for man and beast was again becoming plenty and we were once more re-enacting the Georgia campaign; we were living on the country, very little rations besides coffee, pepper and salt were issued to us.  Details for foraging purposes were made each morning out of the regiment who were sent out to capture provisions for the men, and it was not often they returned at night empty handed.  Each company owned a mule or a horse, and the foragers generally made out to come home well loaded down with meat, corn meal, sweet potatoes, poultry, &c., and to which of all the men did full and complete justice.

Tuesday, 7^th.  We marched about 12 miles, to Whippy Swamp, at the head of Coosawhatchie River.  The marching during the day was principally over low marshy ground and was consequently muddy and disagreeable and fatiguing.

Wednesday, 8^th.  Marched 13 miles, crossed the Salkahatchie River over the bridge at Beaufort, here we encamped for the night.

Thursday, 9^th.  We marched 12 miles encamping at Blackville, by way of Barnville.  It was here that Jeremiah Moyer of our company, met with, to him, a serious loss.  He had gone to a well where there was a large number of men striving to get canteens full of water from “the old moss covered bucket which hung in the well.”  In the crowding and pushing incident to such an event, Jerry’s cap was knocked off of his head and it fell into the well.  As may well be imagined, Jerry did not say anything(?) he came back to the company bare-headed, and when asked where his cap was, he replied:

“Vy, them Ohio fools knocked it in the well.”

“It is too bad that you should lose your cap, Jerry,” remarked a sympathizing comrade.

“Oh, I don’t care about the cap, but its the nummers I don’t like to lose,” was Moyer’s reply.

This reply caused the boys to set up a shout, and Jerry walked away muttering:

“You all a darn fools, that’s just all what you are.”

Jerry had the letters G, 147^th P. V.” on his cap, having purchased them at Baltimore, and as he had carried them through the war, up to the time they went to the bottom of the well, and this was why he cared more for the “nummers” than he did for the cap.

Friday, 10^th.  The regiment went out foraging and returned to camp, having been successful in capturing a large amount of provision.

Saturday, 11^th.  We left Blackville and crossed the Edisto River, and after marching about 9 miles, went into camp.

Sunday, 12^th.  We broke camp and after marching about 13 miles we came upon the enemy and commenced to skirmish with the rebels, which were found to be in our front in tolerable force and with whom we kept up our skirmishing all night.  By morning they retreated.  This was the first opposition we had at the hands of the enemy and it reminded the boys a little of old times to hear the minnie balls come “zipping” and then fly “whizzing” past us, and owing to the fact that nobody was hurt, the boys enjoyed it hugely.

Monday, 13^th.  We followed after the enemy, marched a distance of about 5 miles and went into camp.

Tuesday, 14^th.  We marched about 8 miles and went into camp.  Rumors reached us that the enemy under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, in considerable number     were collecting in our front.

Wednesday, 15^th.  Broke camp at daybreak and moved forward very furiously.  Met the enemy about 10 o’clock, a. m., when a running fight ensued.  We marched about 10 miles and encamped about two miles from Lexington.

The enemy hung close about our Army and foraging was becoming very dangerous.  Near our camp the enemy captured six men and hung them to saplings where their life-less bodies were found on the following day, by their companions, hanging by their necks, dead, divested of every particle of clothing, while several of them were horribly mangled.

Thursday, 16^th.  Passed through the town of Lexington and marched in the direction of Zion’s church and encamped near the Saluda River.  The marching during the day was very irregular, and considering the fact that we only moved about six miles, it was tiresome.