USA > Iowa > A history of the Sixth Iowa infantry > Part 27
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On December 15th, a heavy fire was opened all along the lines and the enemy replied vigorously with the ar- tillery and small arms. The regiment was hotly engaged during the day firing at the enemy in his riffe-pits and heavy earthworks on the opposite side of the rice-canal. It was relieved at dark by another regiment and the men returned to the camp, one mile to the rear. There were no casualties during the 24 hours that the regiment was under fire. The most expert sharpshooters in the works of the enemy were never able to catch a man exposed in the open to their unerring fire.
King's bridge on the Ogeechee River, in the rear of the 15th Army Corps lines and 14 miles from the city of Savannah, where the ocean steamers arrived, was estab- lished as the base and depot of supplies for the army. All negroes, horses, mules, and army wagons, not re-
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quired during the siege operations around the city, to- gether with all of the sick and wounded men, were sent back to the Ogeechee River and Fort McAllister. From there the disabled were sent by boats to Port Royal Island and to far northern points where they would re- ceive better care and attention, and more plentiful sup. plies.
There was pleasant weather, with brisk cannonading along the lines during the day, on the 16th. The first mail since leaving Atlanta was received, bringing news from home and friends. The mail for the army had ac- cumulated in large quantities on board of vessels from northern ports, until the delivery at King's bridge was so large that it required several army wagons to convey it out to the lines for delivery to the troops of the differ- ent commands.
By December 17th, something to eat had become the paramount issue and a very serious matter in most of the camps. The issue made from the wagons had been ex- hausted and all the forage in the country had been gath- ered, and there was nothing left except to gather the new crop of rice from the surrounding plantations, thresh it out, pestle the hulls off in native mortars and then cook it in the tide water. By commencing early in the morn- ing, one could harvest, thresh, hull out, cook, and have ready to serve at supper in the evening, one quart of rice.
The rice-fields were perfectly level and arranged for be- ing flooded with sea water, during the process of growing the crop, from canals and reservoirs made for that pur- pose, which were filled at high tide for use, the fields be- ing drained at low tide. The plantations in the vicinity of the besieging forces had been flooded by the enemy, in the hope of effectually destroying the crop, but, by wad-
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ing in the mud and water, much of the grain was success- fully gathered and consumed by the army.
On December 18th, General Sherman ?? made a demand for the surrender of Savannah, sent in under a flag of truce, which was refused by General Hardee. Every- thing about the situation portended an early assault on the enemy's works. The Sixth Iowa was brought to the front lines as a support to the battery firing on the ene- my's main works. The men enjoyed a good night's rest, although in the face of the enemy and lying under six heavy guns in the battery.
The skirmishers in the rifle-pits kept up a lively pop- ping during the day, on the 19th, but only the distant roar of artillery was heard. . The regiment was relieved after dark and returned to the camp, when a supply of rations was issued consisting of hard bread, bacon, coffee, sugar, and salt - the first issued from the new base of supplies at King's bridge on the Ogeechee River.
On December 20th, at an early hour in the morning, with the intention of preventing a suspected evacuation by the enemy, all the batteries of the 15th Army Corps opened fire on the forts and the main works of the enemy with splendid practice. The enemy replied with their heavy guns, but they were soon compelled to cease firing on account of the terrific fire of the Union guns and the deadly fire of the sharpshooters in the rifle-pits, who kept vigilant watch for every head that appeared above the fortifications. Heavy firing continued throughout the day all along the lines, from the Ogeechee River to the Savannah River.
29 General Sherman, in his report, said that he demanded the surrender of Savannah on December 17th and that General Hardee refused the demand the following day. - War of the Rebellion: Oficial Records, Series I, Vol. XLIV, p. 11.
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The Sixth Iowa remained quiet in camp all day and then went on duty again at dark in the front rifle-pits, where every preparation was being made to assault the enemy's works at daylight the next morning. During the night, the vedette skirmishers kept vigilant watch on the movements of the enemy, but under cover of the dark night they succeeded in getting away. Their flight was discovered before daylight and the Sixth Iowa entered their main fortifications, situated on the King's bridge and Savannah road. Private V. Thornton Ware of Com- pany D, 6th Iowa, was the first man to cross over the canal at the Savannah road on the bridge stringers and announce the evacuation.
The whole army was at once put in motion and marched triumphantly into the city. The 20th Army Corps, hav- ing only three miles to travel, was first to enter and took possession of the city and the forts. When the First Di- vision, leading the 15th Corps, arrived at the south edge of the city, the Sixth Iowa was detached on a special mis- sion, passed through town and down to old Fort Jackson, a short distance below, which was found occupied by a regiment from the 20th Army Corps. The regiment, lat- er in the day, returned through the city and camped in position with the Second Brigade, on the south side near the Catholic cemetery, just inside of the old Confederate fortifications erected at the beginning of the war for the defense of the place.
The enemy had escaped during the night over a pon- toon bridge, made with rice boats, spanning the Savannah River in front of the city and connecting with the Union causeway, on the South Carolina shore.
The city of Savannah was one of the richest captures made during the war. General Osterhaus in summing up the results of the campaign said :
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Since October 4th to December 21st, the Fifteenth Army Corps had marched 684 miles; cut, corduroyed, and otherwise constructed thirty-two miles of road, built 1,502 yards of bridge; while it destroyed most effectually over 60 miles of railroad. Being on an exposed flank, the corps had a large share of the fighting during the campaign, and the actions at Allatoona, Griswoldville, and Fort McAllister will shine as bright stars in the record of the corps. With the as- sistance of Generals Woods, Hazen, Smith, and Corse, there are but few things which cannot be achieved by such officers and men as the Fifteenth Army Corps is composed of.
The casualties in the 15th Army Corps, during the pursuit of Hood and the Savannah campaign, were: killed, 12 officers and 182 men; wounded, 36 officers and 585 men ; missing, 25 officers and 612 men ; aggregate loss, 1452 men.
General Sherman, summing up the results of the cam- paign in orders to the army, said:
So complete a success in military operations, extending over half a continent, is an achievement that entitles it to a place in the military history of the world.
The army that marched down to the sea and captured Savannah was invincible in all its parts, generalship, or- ganization, administration, discipline, cheerfulness, con- stancy, brilliancy, and gallantry. This was evidenced by its long and difficult march, without the loss of a gun or linchpin; by the capture and occupancy of a hostile city, without injury to person or property ; and, by open- ing up local trade and establishing commerce for its peo- ple with the whole world.
The First, Third, and Fourth divisions of the 15th Corps were reviewed by General Sherman in the city, on December 24th. The troops formed on West and South
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Broad streets, at 9 a. m., all appearing neat and clean. The officers wore swords and sashes, the men were in light marching order, without knapsacks, blankets, or haversacks; companies were equalized; and the field music and regimental bands were consolidated and placed on the right of the brigade. On the approach of the review- ing party the ranks were opened and the troops presented arms. After the party had passed in front of each bri- gade the command was brought to parade rest.
Preparatory to marching in review the troops were formed in column of companies, the artillery brigade in the rear of the infantry. The column marched in quick time, sweeping through the broad streets of the beautiful city, with music by bands and drum corps, flags and ban- ners waving in the pleasant southern breeze - exciting the pride and admiration of soldiers, and eliciting the highest compliments from the citizens. General Sher- man, with a large reviewing party, took position in the lower part of the city near the docks, where mounted officers only saluted when passing the reviewing stand.
When each brigade had passed the reviewing point, the troops were then double-quicked for a distance, clear- ing the way for the advancing column, and then returned to camp at route step. The camps were established and the troops at once erected temporary quarters, with such canvas, lumber, and other available material as could be procured. These quarters proved to be comfortable and all hands settled down for a season of quiet and rest.
General Sherman, in a formal communication, present. ed the city of Savannah to President Lincoln as a Christ- mas gift, which was welcomed by the President in a gra- cious acknowledgment to General Sherman and his army, highly complimenting them for the splendid service ren- dered in the campaign.
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The war obstructions were soon removed from the Sa- vannah River, after which ocean steam and sail craft filled the docks along the levee, and commerce was again resumed with the outer world. The rigorous blockade maintained by the Union navy for nearly four years had almost hermetically sealed the port against all trade and traffic by sea going vessels. New England sail vessels in large numbers soon found their way to the open port, where they discharged their cargoes of beans, peas, and all sorts and kinds of merchandise and supplies for the army and city trade. Cotton was worth from $400 to $600 per bale; and, stored in the huge warehouses lo- cated along the river front were many thousand bales of Confederate cotton, pledged as security for their bonds sold in foreign countries, which had been captured with the city. Many deals - not kept in the records - were made by skippers and soldiers, whereby a $600 bale of cotton was exchanged for a $4 barrel of Portland ale. In modern trade parlance, Sherman's men were long on cotton and short on Christmas supplies.
On December 26th, orders were issued directing that the troops be thoroughly refitted with clothing, arms, and ammunition; inaugurating daily drills, guardmounting, parades, and Sunday inspections; instituting schools of instruction for commissioned and non-commissioned officers in each regiment and battery; and establishing camp guards and a system of passes, which required soldiers visiting the city to be clean and neat in appear- ance - wearing waist-belts and side-arms.
The Sixth Iowa marched into the city of Savannah with one field officer, 3 staff officers, 8 company officers, and 175 non-commissioned officers and privates, present for duty. Promotions in the regiment were announced to date from December 30, 1864, and January 1, 1865, as follows: Ma-
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jor William H. Clune, to be Lieutenant-Colonel; Captain David J. McCoy - Company B, to be Major; Assistant- Surgeon William S. Lambert, to be Major and Chief Sur. geon of the regiment; Quartermaster-Sergeant Orin P. Stafford, to be First-Lieutenant and Quartermaster; Company A, First-Lieutenant Rodney F. Barker, to be Captain, and First-Sergeant Albin L. Ingram, to be First- Lieutenant; Company B, First-Sergeant Orin S. Rarick, to be Captain, and Sergeant James E. Thomas, to be First-Lieutenant; Company C, Third-Sergeant Stephen J. Gahagan, of Company E, to be Captain; Company E, First-Lieutenant Robert A. Willis, to be Captain, and First-Sergeant John H. Key, to be First-Lieutenant; Company H, First-Sergeant James Swan, to be Captain; Company I, Third-Sergeant James Turner, to be Cap- tain, and First-Sergeant Zachariah Thomas, to be First- Lieutenant; Company K, Second-Sergeant Sebastian L. Blodgett, to be Captain. 20
Other officers present were: Adjutant Andrew T. Samson; Captain William H. Alexander, Company D; Captain Edwin R. Kennedy and First-Lieutenant Francis M. Kyte, Company F. Officers absent were: First- Lieutenant Eugene C. Haynes, Company D, wounded; First-Lieutenant Edward G. Fracker, Company G, sick ; 31 Second-Lieutenant John L. Cook, Company K, prisoner since May, 1863.
Filling the vacancies made in the non-commissioned staffs of the companies and the regiment furnished the
30 The author, Henry H. Wright, was also commissioned a second Lieutenant in Company D, January 1, 1865. - Report of the Adjutant General of Iowa, 1866-1867, Vol. I, p. 77.
31 The Adjutant General's report states that Lieutenant Fracker re- signed November 29, 1864. - Report of the Adjutant General of Iowa, 1866-1867, Vol. I, p. 78.
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opportunity to advance many worthy soldiers who had served faithfully and efficiently, participating in all the campaigns and battles with the regiment, from the be- ginning of the war. Notable among those promoted, were the following: Sergeant Moses T. Johnson, Com- pany F, to be regimental quartermaster-sergeant; Ser- geant William R. Chatten, Company A, to be first-ser- geant ; Sergeant Harvey Ford, Company B, to be first- sergeant; Sergeant Milton H. Ross, Company C, to be first-sergeant; Sergeant George S. Richardson, Company G, to be first-sergeant; Sergeant O. C. Snyder, Company H, to be first-sergeant; Sergeant Harvey B. Linton, Com- pany I, to be first-sergeant, and Sergeant Charles Hussey, Company K, to be first-sergeant.
These promotions although to subordinate positions, had been fairly won while serving among gallant soldiers and were, therefore, highly prized. All of those pro- moted were in every way fully qualified to command companies, and some of them to command regiments.
XXIV THE ADVANCE ON COLUMBIA
Nearly one million soldiers composed the Union armies on January 1, 1865. They were guarding and picketing along an almost continuous line fifteen hundred miles in length. They were guarding long lines of communica- tion, captured cities, towns, railroads, and fortified po- sitions; and fighting battles with a brave and hardy peo- ple who were holding a country particularly well adapted for defense, because of its broken character, its numer- ous large rivers, and its narrow and almost impassable roads. But of these none had such thrilling experiences as those had by Sherman's army of 65,000 men while forcing their way for a distance of a thousand miles through the heart of the Confederacy.
From Savannah to Goldsborough Sherman marched his army in midwinter, a distance of four hundred and fifty miles in fifty days, crossing five large navigable rivers, at any one of which a comparatively small force should have made the passage most difficult if not impossible. The country generally was in a primitive state of nature, with innumerable swamps and sluggish creeks, with none but simple dirt roads, nearly every mile of which had to be corduroyed. The enemy relied with pardonable con- fidence upon the impossibility of such an undertaking. General Hardee had reported to General Johnston that the swamps were flooded and impassable, at the very time the army was marching through them at the rate of
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fifteen miles a day, corduroying nearly every foot of the way.
While at Savannah at the beginning of the new year General Sherman consummated the plans and issued or- ders preparatory to entering upon the next stage of his famous campaigning, and every department of the army at once entered into active and zealous cooperation to put the troops and equipment in the most perfect readiness, when the word would be given to go forward again. The keynote of the campaign was sounded by General Sherman, when he said: "The army will cut a swath through the Carolinas fifty miles wide", which was the death-knell to the Confederacy.
The organization of the army remained substantially the same as it was from Atlanta to Savannah. It was composed of 188 regiments of infantry, 14 regiments of cavalry, and 17 batteries of artillery, formed into 39 bri- gades of 3 to 7 regiments each, 14 divisions of 2 to 3 bri- gades each; 4 army corps of 3 to 4 divisions each, and two armies - the Army of the Tennessee and the Army of Georgia - of two army corps each. These armies were designated as the right and left wings of the grand army. 32
In the composition of the army, troops were repre- sented who had fought at Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, and Lookout Mountain in the old 11th and 12th army corps of the Army of the Potomac. The 14th Army Corps, organized as a part of the Army of the
32 The official records list two hundred and fifty-nine regiments of infantry, eighteen regiments of cavalry, and thirty-two batteries of artil- lery in Sherman's army. These were formed into fifty-eight brigades, twenty divisions, six corps, and three armies. The Army of the Ohio was designated as the center. - War of the Rebellion: Official Records, Series I, Vol. XLVII, Pt. 1, pp. 46-60.
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Cumberland and commanded by General George H. Thomas at the battles of Stone River and Chickamauga, was present. The 15th and 17th army corps which had been successively commanded by General Grant, General Sherman, and General McPherson at Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, Vicksburg, and Missionary Ridge com- posed the Army of the Tennessee. All had been cement- ed into the one grand army during the four months of battles and campaigning in Northern Georgia for the capture of Atlanta.
General John A. Logan arrived at Savannah by ocean steamer from the north, where he had gone at the close of the Atlanta campaign to aid in the political campaign then pending for the presidency, and was restored in command of the 15th Army Corps. On January 7th, the corps was again reviewed by General Sherman and Gen- eral Logan on the large common just outside of the city and adjacent to the camps. All four divisions and the artillery brigade, composing the corps, participated. The ceremony was witnessed by many hundreds of officers of high rank in the army and by thousands of soldiers and citizens. The command made a splendid appearance and was highly complimented by all.
Pursuant to orders, the Army of the Tennessee com- menced the movement from Savannah to Beaufort, South Carolina, January 3rd, embarking on ocean transports at Fort Thunderbolt - the 17th Army Corps in advance. The Sixth Iowa, together with the rest of the First Di- vision, 15th Army Corps, broke camp at 9 a. m., January 10th, and marched four miles to Fort Thunderbolt on the Wilmington River, the point for embarking for Beau- fort, where it camped for the night. The whole division remained in camp the next day with large details from
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the regiments working on the construction of two new landings, which were made to expedite the loading.
The ocean steamers used for transporting the troops and wagon transportation of the army were of such character that it had been necessary to hoist each horse and mule over the side of the huge vessel by means of a sling and hoisting tackle and to take all the wagons apart before they could be loaded. The new landings erected obviated this necessity and the embarkment was greatly facilitated.
A cold drizzling rain, which continued throughout the day, made the situation, without tents or shelter other than gum blankets [tarpaulins ?], most uncomfortable for all. Officers and enlisted men, in small squads and parties, descended the river in row boats and small sail boats, hired from local fishermen, to the oyster beds, where they secured great quantities of the luscious salt water bivalves.
It was in the afternoon of January 12th, that the Sixth Iowa marched down to the levee to embark, but for some cause there was a delay until about 10 p. m., when the regiment boarded the steamer "Louise", which was soon gliding down the river and out through Wassaw Sound onto the old ocean.
The trip was pleasant and without special incident, ox- cept that it furnished the novelty of an ocean voyage for the troops and added another to their wide and varied campaigning experiences. January 13th, the steamer arrived at Beaufort, South Carolina, and was made fast to the dock before daylight. At an early hour the regi- ment disembarked and marched out into the town, where a halt was made in the streets and the men prepared breakfast.
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The population of Beaufort was composed chiefly o army officers and their families, recruiting agents fo colored troops, treasury agents speculating in cotton northern school teachers, church missionaries, and the negroes, while only a very few of the southern white in habitants remained in the city. The Union forces had been in full possession of the town and Port Roya; Island since the first of the war. New customs had been established in the schools, churches, and in the social life of the community conforming with the changed con- dition and new ideas concerning the great hordes of freedmen gathered there. All of this was strikingly in contrast with the prevailing sentiment among the troops of Sherman's army. The colored people had been recog- mized throughout the western armies as the true and loyal friends of the Union soldier and his cause and had been kindly and generously treated about the camps, but not many had learned to meet them on terms of equality in all the public and social conditions of life.
The new and radical customs and conditions found in the town at once engendered severe friction between the men and the colored people, causing considerable dis- turbance and some altercations. For a time serious pun- ishment was threatened for those who had assailed col- ored citizens for real or imaginary insults, but the good counsels of General Logan -- prompted by his great love for his men - soon secured an amicable adjustment of the affair and the release of the men, who had been ar- rested and confined in the city prison.
The First Division camped out three miles on the road leading to the Confederate fortified position at Pocotali- go, and just outside of the Union earthworks erected and ยท defended by a regiment of colored troops. The camps
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were first pitched on low marshy ground, but after the whole surrounding's had been flooded on account of the almost incessant rain, the camps were moved to higher ground in the same vicinity. The two weeks, during the rainy season in January, 1865, spent in the vicinity of Beaufort, South Carolina, camped in the overflowed marshes of the inhospitable region, will ever be remem- bered and noted as the most disagreeable period of sold- iering experience.
Before leaving Savannah, the commands had been re- lieved of all men incapacitated for active field duty, no difference what had caused the disability. They had been left in corps hospitals with proper medical and nurse attendants. But it was again found necessary to make a culling out of a large number of sick, made so on account of the severity of the inclement weather and the bad location of the camps. These were sent to the hos- pitals at Beaufort and later were sent farther north on government vessels.
The 17th Army Corps, General Frank P. Blair com- manding, which had preceded the 15th Corps to Beau- fort, had moved out on January 13th, and had driven the enemy from Garden's Corners, Stoney Creek, and Po- cotaligo. All of these were thoroughly fortified posi- tions, which had defied all former expeditions made against them by the coast armies in the Department of the South. The Iowa Crocker Brigade led the advance of the corps that cleared the way, wading through the swamps waist deep.
All possible preparation had been made for the ap- proaching campaign, and, on January 27th, camp was broken and the division marched westward, crossing Broad River on the pontoons at Port Royal Ferry. After
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marching 10 miles, the troops camped for the night at Garden's Corners.
January 28th, the troops remained in camp all day. The weather was very cold; ice formed on the water and it was the coldest day experienced during the winter. January 29th, the troops still remained in camp and a general inspection was held during the forenoon. Cap- tain W. H. Alexander, Company D, returned to the Beau- fort hospital, on account of a crippled leg and Lieuten- ant Francis M. Kyte, Company F, was assigned to com- mand the company. January 30th, the division broke camp and marched at 7 a. m., passed through Pocotaligo and, after traveling 12 miles, camped at night near Mc- Phersonville. The fortifications at Pocotaligo were of great strength and, properly manned, were capable of resisting almost any force making a direct attack.
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