664

SHERMAN’S ADVANCE FROM ATLANTA .

HOOK USED BY GENERAL SHERMAN’S ARMY FORTWISTING AND DESTROYING RAILROAD IRON.

what he proposed and pointed significantly to Goldsboro’, North Carolina , onhis map, saying, “ I hope to get there.” On November 15th we set forth ingood earnest. Slocum, Sherman accompanying him, went by the AugustaRailroad, and passed on through Milledgeville. I followed the Macon Bail-road, and for the first seven days had Kilpatrick with me.

Notwithstanding our reduction of the impedimenta, our wagon trains werestill long, and always a source of anxiety. Pushing toward Macon , I found

some resistance from General G. W.Smith’s new levies. The crossing of theOcmulgee, with its steep and muddybanks, was hard enough for the trains.I protected them by a second demonstra-tion from the left bank against Macon.Smith crossed the river and gave us bat-tle at Griswoldville. It was an affairof one division,— that of Chai’les B.Woods,— using mainly Walcutt’s bri-gade. Smith was badly defeated, and during the nielce our trains were hurriedoff to Gordon and parked there in safety. J Here, at Gordon, Sherman, fromMilledgeville, came across to me. Slocum had enjoyed a fine march, havinghad but little resistance. The stories of the mock Legislature at the Statecapital, of the luxurious supplies enjoyed all along, and of the constantfun and pranks of “ Sherman’s bummers,” rather belonged to that routethan ours. Possiblywe had more of thethrongs of escapingslaves, from the babyin arms to the oldnegro hobbling pain-fully along thfe lineof march — negroesof all sizes, in all sortsof patched costumes,with carts and bro-ken-down horses andmules to match.

We brought alongour wounded (over200,1 believe) in am-bulances, and though

SHERMAN’S TROOPS DESTROYING RAILROADS AT ATLANTA .FROM A PHOTOGRAPH.

they were jolted over corduroy roads and were much exposed to hardship,and participated in the excitements of the march, they all reached Savannah without the loss of a life. Our system of foraging was sufficiently good forthe army, but the few citizens, women and children, who remained at home,

} The Union loss at Griswoldville was 13 hilled, 69 wounded, and 2 missing= 84. General C. C.

Waleutt was among the wounded. The total Confederate loss was over 600.— Editors.