a petty post at Scottsboro', where he was repulsed and his command scattered: getting over the Tennessee with a remnant of 200 men, but losing his last gun. Being still pursued, he fled to a place known as Red hill; where his bivouac was surprised" by Col. W. J. Palmer, 15th Pa. cavalry, and 100 of his men taken. Lyon escaped, after surrendering, by seizing a pistol, shooting a sentinel, and vanishing in the darkThis was the final blow given ness. to Hood's army. Thomas expected now to put his forces into well-earned Winter-quarters; but he soon received advices from Washington that this did not meet the views of Gen. Grant, who proposed to crush what was left of the Rebellion first and then rest. Accordingly, Gens. Smith's, Schofield's, and Wilson's corps were taken up by boats at Clifton, on the Tennessee, and conveyed to Eastport, Miss; and Gen. Wood's was directed to Huntsville, north Alabama, preparatory to a further Winter campaign. Stoneman, as directed by Thomas, started" from Knoxville in pursuit of the now over-matched and retreating foe: taking three mounted brigades, led by Burbridge and Gillem; at whose head, he swept" rapidly eastward, skirmishing, to Bristol; while Gillem, on his right, struck Duke at Kingsport, capturing 300 prisoners, with several well-laden trains, and dispersing Duke's command. Pushing Burbridge on to Abingdon, Va., where he was rejoined" by Gillem, Stoneman captured that place also; destroying there a large quantity of stores. Vaughan, with the Rebel frontier force of cavalry, had been flanked by this rapid advance, but had moved parallel with our column to Marion; where Gillem now struck" him and chased him 30 miles into Wytheville; capturing 200 men, 8 guns, and a large train. Vaughan was again attacked and driven at the lead mines, 15 miles farther east, which were captured, and all the works destroyed. At Max Meadows, near this point, Gillem destroyed the railroad and other valuable property. Breckinridge had by this time concentrated what was left of his various subordinate commands, and had been following our advance on Wytheville. Stoneman now turned upon and met him near Marion, ex Meantime, matters of decided interest had occurred in East Tennessee and south-western Virginia. Gen. Stoneman had been dispatched by Thomas from Louisville to Knoxville to take command there, while Burbridge, with all his disposable force, was sent thither from eastern Ken-pecting to give battle next morning; tucky through Cumberland gap. Breckinridge, doubtless apprised of this movement, withdrew from this neighborhood quite as rapidly as he had advanced; while Gen. Ammen, just arrived with 1,500 men from Chattanooga, was pushed out to Strawberry plains on his track. but Breckinridge, deeming his force quite too slender, retreated across the mountains into North Carolina during the night; losing a few wagons and caissons by our pursuit, which was not long persisted in. This retreat-doubtless, inevitably -abandoned to its fate Saltville, 31 Dec. 15. * Dec. 16. 30 Dec. 12. SHERMAN'S MARCH TO THE SEA. with its extensive and costly saltworks, hitherto successfully guarded and defended; and it now fell to Stoneman without a struggle: 8 guns, 2 locomotives, many horses and mules, and a large quantity of ammunition, being here captured. The salt-works were utterly destroyed. And now there being no hostile force left in this quarter to overcome, the country pretty thoroughly devastated, and East Tennessee utterly cleared of the enemy-Stoneman and Gillem returned quietly to Knoxville; while Burbridge led his force back through Cumberland gap into Kentucky. Gen. Thomas, in summing up the results of his campaign, states, that from Sept. 7, 1864, to Jan. 20, 1865, 6S9 he had captured 1 Major-General, 7 Our total loss during this campaign XXXII. SHERMAN'S GREAT MARCH. GEORGIA-THE CAROLINAS. GEN. SHERMAN, after sending back | but, at length, cutting that,' after to Chattanooga his sick and wounded, sending his parting messages, his surplus guns, baggage, and the garri- army stood clear of all posts and sons of his more northern posts in communications-a strictly movable Georgia, had still under his imme- column-and commenced its memodiate command the 14th, 15th, 17th, rable march. and 20th corps, numbering 60,000 infantry and artillery and 5,500 cavalry. Concentrating these around Rome and Kingston, Georgia, he thoroughly destroyed' such portions of the railroads and such other property as he judged might be used to his prejudice by the enemy, reserving for the last sacrifice the telegraph which still connected him with Grant, Washington, and the North; 'Nov 2-11, 1864. VOL. II.-44 For this, it had been organized in two grand divisions or wings: the right led by Gen. O. O. Howard, comprising the 15th corps, Gen. P. J. Osterhaus, and the 17th, Gen. Frank P. Blair; the left, led by Gen. H. W. Slocum, comprising the 14th corps, Gen. Jeff. C. Davis, and the 20th, Gen. A. S. Williams. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick led the cavalry; which careered in front and on either 'Nov. 11. ATLANTA COVINGTON MILLEDGEVILLE SANDERS MADISON "SPARTA CHEE R. GIBSON BOSTWICK LOUIS V. CUSHING MILLEN GREENSBORO UNION PT. WAYNESBORO trating on Milledgeville,' which was entered without opposition; Sherman thus far accompanying the 14th corps, which was the last to leave Atlanta," and had not had a chance to fire a shot. In fact, the principal resistance encountered by our infantry was that of the bad roads of Georgia at that rainy season. Osterhaus had seen (for a moment) a few Rebel cavalry at the crossing of Cotton river; but, though they set fire to the bridge, they were driven off so promptly that only the planks were damaged. Thus far, our infantry had mainly been busied with destroying railroads and foraging on the plenty of central Georgia; each subordinate commander being instructed to live on the AUGUSTA Country so far as possible; saving to the utmost the twenty days' bread, forty days' beef, coffee, sugar, &c., and three days' forage, contained in our wagons. Helping the trains across the Ocmulgee and its tributaries, and up the long, steep hills beyond, had been the principal labor of the march; which was intended to average 15 miles per day. SYLVANIA SPRINGFIELD SAVANNAH N flank of the infantry, so as to screen, so far as possible, the direction of our advance and the points to which it was directed. Each wing had its separate and efficient pontoon train. Gen. Sherman marched and camped first with one wing, then with the other. Kilpatrick held the laboring oar. 50 Moving south' from Atlanta with Howard, he had been confronted at East Point by Rebel cavalry; with whom he skirmished, driving them to Flint river, which he crossed at Jonesboro' at 7 A. M. next day; following the enemy to Lovejoy's, where they had taken post in the old Rebel works, having two guns. Dismounting Murray's brigade, Kilpatrick attacked and carried the works, capturing 50 prisoners; Atkins's brigade soon after charging the fleeing foe, and taking their guns. Kilpatrick pushed thence by McDonough and KILPATRICK ADVANCES TO WAYNESBORO'. Monticello to Clinton; whence he made a dash at Macon, driving in the enemy's cavalry; but was unable to carry the defenses, which were held by infantry and artillery. He burned a train of cars, and broke up the railroad; covering all the roads which diverged eastward from Macon, by the aid of Wolcott's brigade of infantry, which was sharply assailed from Macon, but worsted and beat off its assailants; while the right wing marched by to Gordon. to the Howard now advanced Oconee at Ball's ferry, where a small force in his van crossed on a raft, but was driven back with loss. When his two corps had been brought up, and a detachment thrown across the swift current in boats, the enemy had decamped. Meantime, the Georgia Central railroad had been demolished, and the right wing pushed on, keeping to the right of that road, and encountering no serious resistance. Sherman was here with Blair; Howard with Osterhaus. Slocum had moved out of Milledgeville simultaneously with Howard's advance from Gordon, and had concentrated at Sandersville,' driving out a small party of Wheeler's cavalry. Thence, the left wing followed the Central railroad, breaking it up to the Ogeechee, which it crossed" at Louisville; whence it kept north of that road, striking out for the Savannah river. The roads and bridges in our advance, bad at best, were of course made worse by the enemy; while the great swamps wherein this region abounds rendered the movement of our trains and guns a matter of difficulty, and 691 taxed the best efforts of our engineers and axmen. At Millen, on the Central railroad, half way from Sandersville to Savannah, was a great prison-camp, where some thousands of our captured soldiers had long endured unspeakable privations. Sherman was intent on reaching and liberating them. To this end, he had sent Kilpatrick, with most of our cavalry, far to our left, so as to give the impression that he was making for Augusta rather than toward the coast, lest the prisoners should be removed from Millen. Kilpatrick had advanced from Milledgeville by Sparta and Gibson to Waynesboro'," skirmishing with Wheeler, who constantly menaced, but did not seriously attack him; and now Kilpatrick learned that the enemy had taken the alarm and removed the prisoners from Millen: so he judged it wiser to fall back on the left wing than to persist in a hazardous, unsupported advance, which had no longer a motive. In effecting this retreat, Kilpatrick and his staff, with the 8th Indiana and 9th Michigan, were, through a misapprehension of orders, cut off from the main body and very nearly surrounded by Wheeler; but they fought their way out and rejoined their comrades with little loss. Wheeler pressing on, Kilpatrick dismounted, selected a good position, threw up a breast work, and received the enemy's charge; which, though desperately made, was repulsed at all points with little loss. He then moved on a few miles and camped, unpursued; being soon reenforced by Col. M. C. Hunter's brigade of Baird's division, which Jeff. C. Davis, hearing of his peril, had sent from the left wing to his aid. | off, taking a gun and some prisoners. The need of assistance, however, was now over. Kilpatrick now joined the left wing, and covered its flank when it again advanced. Sherman, still with Blair, crossed" the Ogeechee near Barton, advancing to Millen;" Howard, with Wood's and Corse's divisions of the 15th corps, still moving south of the Ogeechee on the old dirt road to Savannah; while Hazen's and John E. Smith's divisions, keeping farther to the right, reached Statesboro'." Hazen had a skirmish here with a regiment of cavalry, which was easily driven; but the roadless swamps were vanquished with more difficulty. Wood threw " over the Ogeechee, by a foot-bridge, Williamson's brigade, which moved down the left bank; while Corse crossed his division on pontoons at Jenks's bridge, some distance below; Rice's brigade, in advance, having a smart skirmish with a Rebel battalion which disputed the passage; losing 5 men and taking 17 prisoners. The right wing now moved down both banks of the river; Osterhaus crossing Cannouchee creek; while Blair encountered" a Rebel force holding an intrenched line, with guns in position and riflepits in front, in a dense swamp, where his men had to wade kneedeep to form line of battle. The enemy were not in great force, however, and were easily driven: two brigades pushing on to the Savannah and Gulf railroad and breaking it; while J. E. Smith's division closed up on Corse's, and Corse pressed on toward Savannah. He was opposed by 600 infantry and 2 guns; but his advance brigade quickly ran them 12 Nov. 30. "Dec. 2. "Dec. 4. 15 Dec. 6-7. He followed the fugitives across the Little Ogeechee to within 8 miles of the city, where he halted, and resumed breaking up the Gulf railroad; King's bridge having been burned by the enemy. No force remained in our front here save the garrison of Fort McAllister. And now Blair's pontoons were laid across the Ogeechee, near Fort Argyle, and the two wings thus substantially united before Savannah. Slocum had set forward from Louisville "-the 20th corps in advanceand had moved down between the Savannah and the Ogeechee; finding the roads mainly of quicksand, coated by a thin crust of firmer sand, which was soon cut through by our trains, rendering their movement barely possible, and requiring miles of 'corduroy.' At intervals, the Rebels had fallen trees across the roads, but not exactly where they were wanted. The 14th corps had advanced farther to the left, with Kilpatrick still farther east; Sherman's object being still to threaten Augusta and bewilder the enemy as to his purpose. Thus Kilpatrick, supported by Baird, was thrown out again to Waynesboro'; fighting" Wheeler and driv ing him 8 miles across Briar creek; while Baird destroyed the Augusta railroad; when the 14th was concentrated on Jacksonboro', and all moved rapidly down Briar creek toward the Savannah; Baird and Kilpatrick in the rear, which was now pressed by Wheeler, with sharp skirmishing, but with little loss on either side. Gen. Morgan, in Davis's van, was halted, near Ebenezer church, a strong fieldwork in his front," which seemed to Dec. 9. 17 Dec. 1. 1 Dec. 4. " Dec. 9. 16 |