USA > Illinois > History of the Fiftieth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry in the war for the union > Part 29
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50
Tuesday, Feb. 21st. Clear and pleasant. We start at 7 a. m. to-day, our brigade in center of division, which has the advance. We take the Windsboro road. Six miles from that place we turn to the right and march three miles, making eigh- teen miles to-day. Go into camp a long distance from wood
-----
357
FIFTIETH ILLINOIS INFANTRY.
and water. Companies F and G are detailed as picket guards. The 3rd division passing on they are relieved. The empty wagons are now loaded with refugees from Columbia.
Wednesday, Feb. 22nd. Clear. This morning the revel- lie beats as usual in all the camps except the Fiftieth. All around us seem to be getting ready to move. We have received no orders. Some of the observing ones, however, begin to stir and make the usual preparations. Soon an orderly dashes up for the command to move. The boys, many of them, are wrap- ped in slumber. At the command, "Fall in Fiftieth," they are on their feet. In a few moments the regiment is on the move, without its coffee, and somewhat cross at being thus disturbed and hurried off without breakfast. Upon investigation it is found that some time during the night the orders for moving at 7 o'clock a. m. were brought by an orderly, who, calling up our sergeant major, (acting in place of the Adjutant, who is un- well,) delivered the order. The tired and sleepy officer received it and carefully placing it under his head, departed for the land of Nod. In getting ready to move in the morning the order was found, and during the day the poor fellow was unmercifully guyed. The march this day is about six miles, over muddy roads, and we go into camp near the Wateree river. It is a very poor camp ground, wet and muddy.
Thursday, Feb. 23rd. Raining. We start at 7 and move to the river, our brigade in rear of division. Many of the boys , on the march, have gathered up mules or horses wherever they could find them, and move along with the command; this is against orders, but as the mode of travel is of some benefit to disabled men, not much notice is taken of it. At the river, however, this stock is generally taken up, the best turned in to the quartermaster, the poorest animals killed, while the soldier is ordered to rejoin his command. We crossed the Watere river at 1 o'clock p. m., here a great many animals were disposed of by shooting; passed through Liberty Hill, where one of our wagons broke down. We march on nine miles farther, and camp in a sandy field. The rain falls all night.
Friday, 24th. Rains all day. Marched fifteen miles, our
358
HISTORY OF THE
route passes Camden one and a half miles to the north. The 3rd brigade foragers descended on the town and captured it with 104 prisoners. This is an historic spot, General Gates having been defeated here, and Baron DeKalb killed during the war of the revolution, in defence of the principles for which we are now marching and fighting.
Saturday, 25th. The roads are some better; the timber is heavy ; the pines are scored on two sides as high as ten feet with an orifice cut at the bottom into which the sap callects. This is gathered and passing through certain formulas, produces tar and turpentine, the staples of North Carolina. We marched through a section of heavy timber, where fire had been started and was burning in the pine needles on the ground with great vigor; as it reaches these scored trees, the flames envelope them for many feet, burning off the rosin that had accumulated. To- day the fire was so intense as to compel us to leave our road, and in going through the timber we came to a turpentine still. As we neared it the fire reached it and it burst out into a mass of flames that flashed hundreds of feet high, while the bursting barrels of turpentine, stored near by, sent their contents down the run, a solid mass of fire. It was a beautiful sight. We camp to-night at the forks of the Cheraw and Darlington Court House road, near a church.
Sunday, Feb. 26th. Clear to-day, but cold; we march four miles and come to Lynch creek. The excessive wet weather . has filled all the crecks and rivers bank full. The cold of last night has frozen the mud stiff, and the creek is covered with ice about one-eighth of an inch thick. As usual the brigade foragers, under Captain Ahern, take the lead; following them is a drove of cattle belonging to the 1st brigade. We will fol- low the foragers as they cross the stream at Tiller's bridge. Arriving at the stream it is found to be outside its banks, the bridge over the stream being surrounded by water, covered with ice. The road to the bridge on either side is a causeway graded up from both sides, near the bridge being several feet higher than in the bottom. Over this road the water had risen to a depth of several feet. On the opposite side the road extended
1
359
FIFTIETH ILLINOIS INFANTRY.
across the bottom and was made of corduroy or logs, all cover- ed with water. Without hesitation Capt. Ahern and his fora- gers started into the cold water, it getting deeper and deeper, until it is up to the bellies of their horses. As the water grows deeper, their progress is slower. Over the shoulders of the men may be seen their cartridge boxes, it being important that they should keep their powder dry. Soon the tramping of the horses loosen the logs from their bed in the mud, and up they come, leaving a hole into which plunges the animal following; in due time they have gotten across and it is found to be three- fourths of a mile wide. On the high ground is a large farm house, in the yard of which there are a number of bee hives. A few of the foragers, among them two volunteers from the Fifti- eth, stop and begin to raid the honey and capture chickens, while the Captain and his men dash out to the front to recon- noiter, taking the road to Cheraw. The foragers were followed by a country wagon, to gather supplies, and immedialely behind this followed the cattle. Following the cattle was the 1st brig- ade, Gen. Rice commanding. He with his staff, not dreaming of an attack, are looking over theground to find a suitable place for his brigade to camp. His men are moving slowly through the water. Suddenly down the road from the direction in which Captain Ahern had gone, dashes a squadron of rebel cavalry, some of them dressed in blue, with their guidon at the head. To the rear dashes the General and his stati, followed, not fifty paces behind by the johnnies, firing and yelling as they come. On the left of the road, sitting on their horses, are two of the volunteer foragers, one of the Fiftieth and the headquarters or- derly of the 7th, with a shout as the General passes to the rear, they dash into the road behind his escort and in front of the coming enemy, and wheeling their horses, stop and fire at close range at the advancing foe; down goes the leader's horse at their feet, and wheeling their horses off the enemy go as fast as they come. The result of the melee is the killing of one rebel, and one horse, and wounding of two of our men. At the first intimation of danger the remaining foragers had taken position as skirmishers, and were in position of defence. The cattle had
360
HISTORY OF THE
struck with alarm, stampeded, and dashed back the way they had come, but were stopped by the water, while the 1st brigade, which by this time were well into the stream hearing the racket, made all haste to reach the shore, to the assistance of the Gen- eral and his staff. This squadron of rebs were known as Cobb's legion, and were on their way to defend the crossing. Coming down a by-road, they saw Capt. Ahern and his men pass along their front and they concluded to let them go by without moles- tation, and then dash in on the troops that were struggling in the water. The Captain at the same time observed them turn- ing into the road in his rear, made a wide detour, and having had several skirmishes during the day, got into camp the next morning.
Let us now go back to the troops in the rear. As soon as they discovered that they were wanted on the other side of the stream, with their cartridge boxes fastened to their mus- kets and held above their heads, they push forward as fast as possible; sixty minutes were occupied in the trip. Following the 1st brigade came the 3rd; the ice by this time was broken and the stream moving; much of the corduroy had been tram- pled out of place and the road been made nearly impassable. It was three hundred yards through the water to the bridge, and after wading along the causeway, covered as it was, with water, and reaching the bridge, the men would hesitate and draw a long breath before proceeding, as they viewed that wide ex- panse of cold water, of unknown depth, covered with a coating of ice. But the men behind were crowding and there was no turning back, so in they go, down into the water, deeper and deeper, until it was up to the necks of the shortest men, fre- quently, some of whom would slip off the bank and go clear under; in this way Orlando M. Allison of A; L. S. Foster of D ; Maurice Gleason (one of the Irish brigade of E, ) and several other short fellows, came near losing their lives by drowning, being rescued by comrades near. The troops over the creek go into camp and begin to entrench; building light works.
This story of the passage of the creek will not be com- plete without some incident familiar to the boys. As the regi-
361
FIFTIETH ILLINOIS INFANTRY.
ment came to the edge of the stream, a moments halt was made to prepare for the trip. "Look here, you," called the Colonel to a little puny fellow, "come and hold my horse." The boy, for he was a mere boy, quickly came and mounting the horse, while the Colonel was divesting himself of his pants said proud- ly, "I am Colonel now." "Forward," said the Colonel, and into the water they went, notwithstanding the efforts of the boy to dismount, the Colonel, conspicuous from his red under gar- ments, as he led the van on foot.
F. M. Behymer of D, being regimental blacksmith and with the wagons, thus describes the passage of our regimental teams :
"The stream was about three-fourths of a mile wide, and, excepting the main channel, axle deep, sometimes nearly swim- ming the leaders. We made slow progress as the teams in front soon cut up the road and mired down, stopping every few feet. The water was cold and the mules restive and hard to keep in place. Dick Hardesty, my teamster, proposed that I. should ride the lead mule in order to keep them straight. Taking off my shoes and socks to have them dry, I mounted. Such a ride; as the poor mule would step into a hole in the corduroy road vacated by a log, under he would go. As the train moved up we came to a slight bend in the road where there was less timber, and, as one of the division headquarter teams ahead was stuck, we decided to pull out and cross the bottom. Dick and I had proceeded about fifty yards when Blue Buck, who was driving the other team, called for help; looking back we saw that three of his mules were down, while he was holding the nose of his off wheeler out of the water by the bridle. We stopped and I waded back to him. Besides the water being cold the bottom was full of sweet briars, which scratched my feet and ankles badly. After making several at- tempts to pull out we were compelled to abandon the wagons, and unhitched. In the morning a detail of seventy-five men were sent down to unload, and after carrying out the most of the load, pulled the wagons out by hand."
Other details were set to work toaring down somo frame (23)
362
HISTORY OF THE
buildings from which a walk from shore to shore was made, fastening it up against the trees. On this walk, details un- loading the wagons, placed the contents, while others conveyed it to shore, and communications were established with the troops on the other side.
Monday 27th. Clear. Still in camp, washing up. An extra detail was sent with the foragers to-day. Six miles out they were confronted by a squad of twenty rebels, who did not attack. Returned to camp at dark well supplied. The men in camp have been hard at work unloading the wagons mired down, a greater part of which is considerably damaged.
The 28th, rainy, finds us still here. Details are sent out to forage. All mills that we can find are put to use grinding the corn, which is gathered up by our foragers. The foragers in the advance finding a mill, start it up and it is kept running until the troops have passed. To-day Colonel Hanna while re- connoitering, discovered a small stone mill; a regular old fashioned mill run by hand; a literal illustration of the mill of ancient times. As the Bible says, "Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken and the other loft," Math. 24-41. While here the mill was run day and night. It was found to be so useful an article that the Colonel said : "Charley, get a cart for it;" which was done at once, the wheels being taken from a farm wagon, so it became a part , of our regimental train. Many and many a night did the regi- ment have a detail of twenty men to run the mill. By vigor- ously turning it, two men at a time, we managed to get quite an extra supply of meal. Having supplied our needs we would loan it to the 57th, and occasionally to the others of the brigade.
On this day the 1st division sent out a forage detail of one Lieutenant and ten men. Two miles out all were captured and, after surrendering, were all killed but one, who being badly wounded, crawled back to the picket line and reported. A detail, with ambulances, was sent out and found the bodies cold in death ; robbed of their effects, and a label pinned to them. "Death to all foragers." Twenty-seven mon have been killed
363
FIFTIETH ILLINOIS INFANTRY.
in this manner and the love we have for the johnnies is not very much intensified by these murders.
Wednesday, March 1st. The waters have now gone down, and, the rest of the division crossing, we pull out at 1 o'clock and march twelve miles to Black creek. The roads are very bad and we go into camp at dark.
Thursday, March 2nd. The brigade foragers to-day start early to a mill six miles from Black creek and grind corn all day. Some of the boys, while out scouting, find a wagon load of bacon hid in a swamp and guarded by an old woman. Giving her a side of meat, she was told to get home as fast as possible. Having heard that the regiment had gone into camp a mile and a half away, Sergeant Logan of I, and his companion were sent to bring teams, each carrying a bundle of fodder, which was abundant in the country, to feed the stock in camp. They found the regiment had moved, and overtook them going into camp three miles further on, having moved camp three times to-day and marched nine miles. Obtaining two army wagons they returned to the mill for the meal and bacon; found everything all right, and, loading up, returned to the regiment at 11 p. m.
Friday, March 3rd. Pleasant. To-day the foragers start at 7 a. m. and go on fifteen miles to the front, then turning off to the right four miles, reach Burns' mill, where they secure twenty bushels of meal, and, leaving part of the force there to continue shelling and grinding corn, the rest go on to Mc- Kinzie's plantation, where they secure a load of bacon from the rebs and find six loads in the smoke house. They also se- cured twenty horses and mules. In the afternoon they pro- ceeded after the regiment, and at Cash Station two of the party pursued Colonel Cash and staff over a corduroy road across a swamp east of his house, securing as a trophy of the chase the Colonel's hat. Some of these brave johnnies were dressed in blue. The regiment was found camped five miles from Cheraw, outside the fortifications; the enemy evacua- ted this morning.
Saturday, March 4th. Pleasant. We start at S a. m. ;.
364
HISTORY OF THE
passed to the left of the city and two miles away go into camp, having marched nine miles, The enemy left twenty-two pieces of artillery, and a large amount of ammunition, but set fire to several public buildings, also to the bridge over the Pee Dee river, which was destroyed. A forage detail went out, but se- cured nothing but fodder.
Sunday, March 5th. Clear and pleasant. Ordered to move into Cheraw to relieve a regiment of the 17th A. C. doing provost guard duty. This duty is very hard. The whole regi- ment on duty during the night, putting out fires in different parts of the city; the whole of the 3rd brigade being employed to assist. Company F is dotailed to search for ammunition, which, when found, was thrown into the river, being useless for army service. Here is where we got our famous trick mule, or as we called it, our "What is it," A very small animal similar to a mule but with greater endurance. A circus had stranded here and so had the mule. It could only be ridden by two or three people. Geo. W. Robb of D, who weighed near two hund- red pounds, and Reuben King, a colored boy who had followed our fortunes from Lynnville, Tenn., and Pete Simpson, the Colonel's hostler. This mule was very sure footed and would carry Robb on its baek all day, with ease, jump through a hoop or over a bar, and kick and bite, in fun, and was never known to hurt any one. (It was taken with us, and at discharge left in charge of Col. Hanna, at Camp Point, where it ended its days.)
The boys of company D having learned, in the past few days, the great value of our mill in providing us with an extra allowance of meal, discovered another one, made of iron, which was immediately appropriated and put to use.
Monday, March 6th. The 20th A. C. passed through the city to-day without doing much injury. The Fiftieth are still on duty as provost guards. To prevent private property and citizens from being molested, and generally may be found a soldier sitting in state in the parlor or sitting room, or among the family, enjoying himself as best he can. In the camp the remaining soldiers not on duty, are busily engaged in washing
365
FIFTIETH ILLINOIS INFANTRY.
up their effects, and getting ready for the move which it is ap- parent is soon to come. Along the streets is heard the rumble and jar of the heavy wagon trains moving by. The tramp, tramp, tramp of the soldiers, and the heavy roll and clatter of the artillery as it passes. At the river, which has high banks, the crossing is somewhat difficult. The bridge having been des- troyed, the approach on either side to the pontoon that has been put down, is steep, and the troops, as they reach this point halt and are closed up in an almost solid mass.
We have found that the enemy, besides destroying their public buildings by fire, had also planted many percussion shells in the track on which our wagons were expected to move. These as fast as discovered were carefully removed. In a ravine to the left of the bridge was quite a pile of ammunition left by the retreating foe, and as more was discovered, some of it was thrown into the river, and some taken to this place. At 3 o'clock p. m. a tremendous explosion occurred, this ammu- nition having been fired by a soldier dropping a shell while carrying it. Hundreds of soldiers were thrown down, six were killed outright, and several severely wounded. Three houses were completely demolished. Shells and solid shot, grape and eannister rained all over the city. One of the boys, sitting by the fireside entertaining a young lady, was surprised by a shell passing through the side of the house and between them, bury- ing itself in the brick of the chimney.
At the camp of the Fiftieth, one-half mile away, the ser- geant major was engaged in washing his clothes, he was suffer- ing with a severe chill at the time; the Chaplain was standing near, when suddenly the air was full of shrieking missiles and a 12-pound shell struck the fire between them and went bounding on. The sergeant major was cured of the ague at once, while the Chaplain, not knowing what was up jumped into the air and then made good his escape.
Just at this time the cavalry and mounted infantry, among them the mounted part of the 7th Illinois, that had been sent down to Florence to destroy the railroad, returned with the report that the rebel cavalry were advancing in force from
366
HISTORY OF THE
Florence, under General Hampton, Immediately the guards were taken off of private property and preparations made for defence. The withdrawal of the guards was pleasing to the boys, who declared the city of Cheraw to be the worst bed of treason they had ever slept in. Many of the citizens, notwith- standing the care given them, treated the guards with great contempt.
Tuesday, March 7th. Clear and pleasant. Our corps, the 15th, moved out to-day; our brigade in rear of the army. We left the city at 9 a. m., heartily glad to get out of a place where we were so heartily unwelcome. Marching two miles we halied until the pontoon train came up, and at 12 o'clock struck out on our way to Fayetteville, N. C. We marched to- day twelve miles over very bad roads, through a beautiful coun- try. Corn and fodder are abundant and our millers are happy. Upon going into camp a detail of twenty men is made which; running the mill all night, grinds four bushels of meal.
Wednesday, March 8th. To-day is cloudy again. Part of our division is off on another road, three miles to the right, and at seven o'clock we started for it, reaching it at 9 a. m. The roads are fearfully bad, many times we stopped to build cor- duroy during the day. At 1 o'clock we bid farewell to South Carolina, to try our fortunes in the Tar Heel State. Crossing Crooked creek, Beaver Dam and Bowles creek, we go into camp at Springfield at 6 p. m., in a very muddy field, and raining hard. We have made, to-day, thirteen miles.
Thursday, March 9th. Weather cloudy and unpleasant. Starting at 7 o'clock a. m., we arrive at Laurel Hill, seven miles away, and rest two hours, then forward over a long and rough corduroy, and go into camp at dark in the brush, in a pouring rain. We have plenty of wood, but find it impossible to start a fire. Soon after dark we are ordered forward and shortly after starting are favored by the rain ceasing and the moon coming out; by its light we found good places to sleep, and by midnight all was quiet in the camp. We have marched ten miles to-day, over very muddy roads, and often in water knee
-
367
FIFTIETH ILLINOIS INFANTRY.
deep, besides being greatly annoyed by our trains and artillery miring.
Friday, 10th. Raining again. We started at 7:30 and cross a stream called Drowning creek, near a church of the same name. This name, it is said, was given it from the fact that during the revolutionary war a severe battle was fought here, (called the battle of the Allimance.) The torys running, were drowned in the creek, hence its name. Three miles fur- ther on we are ordered to halt, and at 2:30 the Fiftieth is or- dered forward to assist the pioneers in building a bridge and corduroy. Worked hard until dark and were then moved for- ward three miles from the brigade and went into camp for the night. Soon after going into camp, Captain Barber, A. D. C. to General Corse, ordered us forward but, from some reason, we did not comply. Our march to-day was seven and one half miles. While the regiment was at work, some of the soldiers, foraging in the surrounding country, came to an old settler's cabin, around which was about two acres of cultivated land. In the smoke house there was but a piece or two of meat; the ramrods of the soldiers soon found a box full buried in the ground inside. In front of the cabin was a large iron kettle hung over the fire boiling water; one of the boys kicked over the bottle and there buried under the fire was another iron ket- tle containing $80.00 in gold.
On Saturday, the 11th, we find it clear and pleasant and starting at 7:30 we march thirteen miles over very bad roads, and go into camp at 8:30 p. m., near a creek. At 7 a. m. on Sunday, broke camp. The day is nice and clear, and with good roads we march fast, passing through the village of Rock Fish Factory, and gointo camp two miles from Fayetteville, North Carolina, at 2 o'clock p. m., having marched fifteen miles. Here we learn an army tug, the Davenson, had arrived from Wilmington with despatches. Also that our sick and disabled will be sent down the Cape Fear river to Newbern, and with them many Union refugees, who have followed us.
The sergeant major informed the boys that he would en- deavor to mail any letters that might be ready, and a small
368
HISTORY OF THE
mail was prepared for our friends at home. This city, Fayette- ville, is an old French city. We have been out on this trip forty-five days, cut off from communication with the north. Our casualties small-one man captured by the enemy, and we have marched, since leaving Savannah, over 300 miles through the heart of the southern confederacy.
Monday, March 13th. We are resting to-day in camp our sick are taken to the boats which have ascended the river to the city, under cover of some gunboats. A pontoon is laid across the river, over which the 17th A. C. is moving out.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.