USA > Ohio > History of the Seventieth Ohio Regiment : from its organization to its mustering out > Part 13
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During the 18th and 19th of February, the arsenal, railroad depot. machine shops, foundries and other buildings were properly destroyed by detailed workingmen, and the railroad track torn up and destroyed to Kingsville and the Wateree bridge, and up in the direction of Winnsboro. At the same time the left wing and cavalry had crossed the Saluda and
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Broad Rivers, breaking up the railroad about Alston, and as high up as the bridge across Broad River, on the Spartanburg road, the main body moving straight for Winnsboro, which General Slocum reached on the 2Ist of February. He caused the railroad to be destroyed up to Black- stakes depot, and then turned to Rocky Mount, on the Catawba River. The Twentieth Corps reached Rocky Mount on the 22d, laid a pontoon bridge, and crossed over during the 23d. Kilpatrick's Cavalry followed. During the night of the 23d we had a very heavy rain, and from the 23d to the 26th we had heavy rains, swelling the rivers and creeks, and mak- ing the roads almost impassable. The Fifteenth Corps moved by Tiller's and Kelly's bridges; a detachment of the Fifteenth Corps was sent into Camden to burn the bridge over the Wateree, with the railroad depot, stores, etc.
The morning of February 26th opened with mists and fog, obscuring the sun's rays, while now and then the humid atmosphere condensed into drops of rain. The horsemen dashing through the woods of low pine trees shook off the moisture which had gathered upon the delicate spindles in beautiful drops of diamonds and pearls, and the gray mists swept over the hills and into the valleys, completely enveloping the long trains. Soldiers are taught, among other virtues, the cardinal one of patience ; but three days of continuous rain, with its accompaniments of sticky mud, roads to be corduroyed, streams to be crossed, wet feet and clothes, and smouldering fires, we thought sufficient for one term; but, when every one was just preparing to be discontented, that generous old friend, the sun, after a three hours' struggle with the storm, won the fight, and shone out upon us all-upon bedraggled mule, upon toiling soldier, upon roads of mud, and upon the most picturesque landscape we have yet seen in South Carolina
March 3d we reached Cheraw, the right wing of the army crossing Thompson's Creek. General Corse's Division of the Fifteenth Corps, with two Regiments of mounted infantry, pushed on to the bridge cross- ing the creek upon the main road, and succeeded in saving it from the flames ; so that the Seventeenth Corps, which led the advance, could cross without delay. Cheraw is ours, with many cannon and bountiful sup- plies of stores. The capture of Cheraw was of more value than we antici- pated, although the force opposed to us was not so large as had been reported. The Rebels appear to have made this place a grand depot for the munitions of war hurried away from Charleston in anticipation of attack. Besides the cannon we have captured thousands of small arms,
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a great quantity of fixed ammunition, and twenty tons of gunpowder, with commissary stores more than sufficient to fill all the wagons of the Seventeenth Corps and part of those of the Fifteenth Corps.
It is incomprehensible to me that the Rebels did not make a more obstinate resistance to our advancing columns; the truth is that the de- fense of South Carolina has been the most ridiculous farce of the war. The Georgians, with less bombast, did much better. In South Carolina there were several lines of infinite importance and great strength for a war of defense-first, the Salkahatchie, then the Edisto, Saluda, Broad, Catawba, and now the Pedee. At first we met with opposition, which delayed us, with more or less loss, but the passage of the others has been a work of comparative ease and safety.
March 5th .- The sun shines brighter to-day, and the fresh wind blowing from the north gives us strength and new life. It is a promise of future health, dry roads, and long marches. There were several pecu- liar incidents of our march. During the destructive fires at Columbia, Winnsboro, Cheraw, and other places, our officers and men have been very active in their efforts to preserve private property. One of the most significant features of our march through the South has been the frequent prayer and entreaty of the people that they might be permitted to join our column and march with us to the sea, or wherever we might go, so that they could leave this region of desciation to go anywhere out of the South and toward the pure air of freedom again. General Howard was in command of the troops at Columbia, and these unfortunates did not appeal in vain to his generous, sympathetic heart, which never refused to sympathize with those in distress. With the approbation of General Sher- man, General Howard at once organized an emigrant train, which was placed under guard of the cscaped prisoners belonging to other com- mands. This train was separated, and apportioned to cach Division of the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Corps.
March 6th .- We are now in the neighborhood of Snedsboro ; only the Fourteenth Corps and Kilpatrick's Cavalry will cross at that point ; the right wing, which in the last movement was the advanced column, was by reason of that fact enabled to lay their pontoons and move over two Corps before noon this morning. With the safe transfer of the army to the east bank of the Pedce, there will probably be a change in the forma- tion of our heads of columns. The army was not properly together until the different Corps arrived at the Salkahatchie,
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March 7th .- The army is now all upon the east bank of the Pedee, marching upon roads leading due east, Kilpatrick covering the left. To- day has been sunny and bright ; the roads have been dry-in truth we have seen dust rising over the moving columns for the first time since we left Savannah ; the gentle wind from the east has come to us laden with frag- rant perfume of pine and cedar, and all have journeyed on as happy and contented as mortals can be, and as glad as only soldiers have a right to be who have plodded on so many dreary days through heavy mud and pitiless rain.
March 8th .- We advanced fourteen miles to-day, and as was antici- pated, without any opposition whatever. Rain has fallen all day with a most disagreeable pertinacity. A more striking and unromantic contrast to the beautiful scenes of yesterday one does not care to imagine, much less experience. Pitching camp in the mud, with a torrent of water drenching everything about you, and especially yourself, is not the most cheerful business that any person, civilian or soldier, can engage in. There is no help for it, and I am painfully conscious that the impertinent floods of water will deluge us before morning, and even waterproof blankets will not save us. We go to bed and try to bear it with patience. The camp becomes as still as a graveyard, except that we have never heard that dead men snore. Now for the blankets and a good sleep.
March Ioth .-- The army, with the cavalry, crossed the Little Pedee River, or, as it is called near its source, "Lumber Creek." The Fifteenth Corps laid the pontoons, but the crossing at McFarlaud's was not so easy. On both sides of the stream there grew a forest of small water-oaks, which had become partially submerged by the flood of water. About five o'clock in the afternoon there descended from the heavens a deluge of rain. "Deluge" is the only expressive word to use; for so large a quantity of - rain fell in so short a space of time, that by nightfall the surface of the country was one entire sheet of water. The rain fell in torrents, blinding riders, horses and men, and drenching every one to the skin. Waterproofs were not proof against this flood water, which seemed to have a power and penetration peculiarly its own. The road soon became less marked ; a mile farther it degenerated into a single path ; and finally it disappeared from sight altogether.
March Ith .- The sun shone out again this morning bright and cheerful, making glad the hearts of all, and of none more than the soldiers and teamsters who have been laboring night and day through these wretched swamps. What a noble army we have herc! Every day pro-
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duces fresh and striking illustrations of the men's cheerful acceptance of all the discouraging circumstances of the situation. For instance: A wagon, painfully toiling along the road, suddenly careens ; the wheels arc submerged in a quicksand ; every effort of the mules or horses to "pull out" only buries the unfortunate vehicle deeper in the mire, and very soon the animals have dug for themselves a pit, out of which many are never extricated alive. The driver sees at once that it is useless to whip and swear, so he dismounts. Then the train guard, who have been rest- ing upon their muskets watching the proceedings, quickly stack their weapons, and at once plunge into the mud. A dozen of them are at work with shoulders at the wheels and body of the wagon, and finally they lift it out of the hole upon firmer ground. One or two wagons "stuck" in this way shows at once that the road must be corduroyed. Then, with many a jest and an untiring flow of good humor, the men wade into the neighboring swamp, cut down and split the trees, and soon bridge over these impassable places. A few rods farther on the head of column arrives at a creek which in ordinary seasons is ten fect wide and has a few inches of water running over a hard, sandy bottom. Now the water is four or six feet in depth, and spreads out to a width of sixty feet, encroaching upon the softer earth. A bridge must be built. Into the water dash our men without hesitation, for they know the work must be done at once. Waist deep, throat deep, not a dry spot about them. "No matter for that," they say ; "we shall be in camp by-and-by, and then before our roar- ing fires we will rehearse the incidents of the day." Thus we endure every hardship and shrink at no exposure of life or limb; not only without grumbling, but with good humor and merriment which no hardship damp- ens and no risk discourages. It has been said that a soldier has one right, which is always conceded and reserved-the right to grumble; but our men do not claim it. They are jolly and contented under circumstances which test a man to the utmost.
March 12th .- Our army occupies Fayetteville, Va. The capture of this city is of much greater importance than was at first supposed. The magnificent arsenal, which our government built here, contains millions of dollars' worth of machinery and material. Here are stored vast amounts of well-seasoned wood, weapons in all stages of completion, thousands of muskets ; in short, every description of machinery and tools requisite for the manufacture and repair of material of war. We take possession of this property by double right. It was originally the property of the
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United States, paid for by the general government, and was stolen from us ; and again it is ours by right of conquest.
The city of Fayetteville is beautiful. The arsenal buildings are situ- ated upon a commanding eminence at the west end of the city, and from every point they present an exceedingly picturesque appearance; and. taken together with the old buildings buried among the trees, which are just putting on their livery of green, the place has the romantic ap- pearance of some of the old towns in the vicinity of Paris. Toward the river there are mills and manufactories, and on its banks strongly con- structed steamboat piers, all showing evidences of the trade and com- merce belonging to river navigation, although there is not depth of water sufficient for any but light draught steamers, except at certain seasons of the year.
March 13th .- The army is now in full communication with Generals Terry and Schofield at Wilmington, by way of the Cape Fear River.
March 14th .- The transfer of our army to the left bank of the Cape Fear River is complete. The passage has been made easily, for a kindly sunlight has.glowed upon us, and for once we have not labored up steep banks nor through oceans of mud. We have left the town pretty much as we found it.
March 15th .- The order of march has been changed. The larger part of our trains are thrown over to the right, and two-thirds of the army are moving forward unincumbered with wagons.
March 16th .- Some fighting in our front most all day. The Rebels were found strongly posted in greater numbers than was anticipated. We had considerable rain to-day.
March 17th .- The early morning found the Rebels had evacuated their intrenchments, and were in full retreat toward Averysboro.
March 18th .- The last two days have been sunny, and the air deli- ciously pleasant, full of the balmy influences of spring. The trees feel it, for the peach and apple are full of their delicate pink and white blossoms. Their delightful fragrance floats in the air, greeting us with nature's ten- derest offerings. We are passing through a well cultivated country, with rich farm lands skirting the roadside. The houses are well built, the granaries are full of oats and corn, and our animals are getting their fill. much to their satisfaction, no doubt, for they have been on short rations for a day or two. The right wing has been very fortunate, for it has marched upon public roads, and has found more forage than it could bring away. The condition of our Regiment is excellent ; never was better ;
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and all enjoy the long marches to the queen's taste, and the boys are all in the best of spirits. and getting their share of everything that is good, and do their full share of duty every time.
March 19th .- The headquarters camp was pitched last night in the midst of the soldiers. Artillery, infantry and cavalry surrounded our camp upon all sides, and we were lulled to rest by a hundred bugle calls. This morning, before the dawn, we were aroused from sleep by a Brigade band playing the tune of "Old Hundred," a grand old anthem, which never sounded more sweetly than then, for with its strains came the thoughts of home and loved ones there. This has been a long campaign, marching for sixty days over four hundred miles of an enemy's country. and rest would be welcome.
March 20th .- All the heads of columns were pointed toward Golds- boro, N. C. The Seventeenth Corps was in the vicinity of Mount Olive. guarding the trains: the Fifteenth Corps was on the direct road from Lee's store to Cox's bridge ; the Fourteenth Corps and Twentieth Corps were on the Bentonville or Smithfield road, which diverges to the right about five miles from Bentonville, forming a junction with a road leading to Cox's bridge. It was at this cross-road, where the Rebels met our head of column, that the fight took place. Last night the detachments guard- ing the trains of the Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps were all moved up to General Slocum's line. General Hazen's Division, which was yet on the road from Lee's store, was marched back and put in position on Gen- eral Slocum's right. The Seventeenth Corps left the trains to the care of General Terry, who is coming up from Wilmington, and is now at Mount Olive, and starting at midnight, arrived at Cox's bridge, in the rear of two Divisions of the Fifteenth Corps. . The advance of the Fifteenth Corps and the Seventeenth Corps upon this road to-day took Johnston in the rear. Our troops moved rapidly forward, although many of them had marched a distance of twenty-five miles with empty stomachs, going into the fight hungry and not in the best humor with the Rebels. Our Brigade marched all night. General Wood was ordered to the left, with orders to make a junction with General Hazen on the right of General Slocum. Wood had a hard fight for the position, but he gained it before night, so that there is a line of battle extending from Kilpatrick's Station upon General Slocum's extreme left. beyond the Smithfield road, to Mill Creek on the right. This creck empties into the Cape Fear River.
March 21st .- During the whole day of to-day there has been skirm- ishing and hard fighting from extreme right to extreme left. General
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Wood, Corse, Hazen and Smith, who are on the right, have pushed for- ward their line of battle until the skirmishers are within one hundred and fifty yards of Johnston's principal intrenchments, and now there is one unceasing roll of musketry.
March 22d .- Johnston last night began to draw off his discouraged and defeated troops, leaving the field to us. It must be said to his credit that he made a bold effort, but it came near being his ruin. We have driven him beyond Mill Creek with our infantry, capturing hundreds of prisoners at every point. He has only saved his army by burning the bridges behind him. While our Regiment was getting into line of battle Lieutenant Hare, of Company A, was shot and instantly killed by a stray bail from the enemy. The battle of Bentonville was the last general en- gagement of the war, and was General Slocum's fight.
March 23d .- Leaving Bentonville our army has entered Goldsboro, N. C. Its march has been delayed seventy hours by Johnston's opera- tions, but the interruption has not materially interfered with the plans of General Sherman. Yesterday General Terry moved up to Cox's bridge, laid a pontoon, and crossed a part of his troops. General Schofield is in Goldsboro. Our army will at once be moved into position in the vicinity of this place to refit for the next campaign ; not only to be reclothed, but to gain the repose it needs. Mind, as well as body, requires rest after the fatigues of rapid campaigns like these. These ragged, bareheaded, shoe- less, brave, jolly fellows of Sherman's legions, too, want covering for their naked limbs. Yet, with all the hardships of the campaign, the Surgeons' returns show the wonderfully healthy condition of the army. Only two per cent. of sick are in the hospital. A much larger per cent. of the army would be in hospital had we remained quietly in camp during the past two months. The great majority of the soldiers are strong, healthy, cheerful, confident. Therefore we are all glad that we have reached a place of rest, With a few days of quiet for animals and men, rehabilitated mentally and physically, and equipped with supplies for future wants, we will soon be ready to strike another blow for our country and flag. Goldsboro is a beautiful little city. The camp of the 70th Ohio was in a large open field near by. While here we had the pleasure of meeting Lieutenant E. B. Hill, Frank Bradford and J. P. Glasscock, all Adams County boys.
March 24th .- The army is marching through the city to the desig- nated camping ground, where it will, for the present, remain. As the troops passed through we found food for infinite merrinient in the motley crowd of "bummers." These fellows were mounted upon all sorts of ani-
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ยท mals, and were clad in every description of costume ; while many were so scantily dressed that they would hardly have been permitted to proceed up Broadway without interruption. Hundreds of wagons, of patterns not recognized in army regulations, carts, buggies, barouches, hacks, wheel- barrows, all sorts of vehicles, were loaded down with bacon, meal. corn, oats and fodder, all gathered in the rich country through which the "bummers" had marched during the day. But few trophies were brought along with the army. And these were sent north by General Hazen of the Fifteenth Corps.
April 8th .- The period of the army's stay at Goldsboro is short, but marked by extraordinary activity in every department. General Sherman has given the command until the Ioth of April to rest and refit. The day of the entrance of the army witnessed the arrival of the first train of cars from Newbern. the soldiers replying to the well-remembered scream of the locomotive whistle with vociferous shouts of welcome.
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CHAPTER XIV.
April 10th .- The grand army which begins a new campaign to-day is perhaps the finest organization in numbers and material that has ever taken the field in this country. Then men are not raw recruits hastily gathered and pushed into the service to fill up a gap in wasted battalions, nor are they troops so long used to garrison life as to render themselves unserviceable for active work, but a grand army of veterans who have marched and fought over one-half the continent. The army is complete in all respects, and starts full of life and in the grandest of spirits. We hope of see the rebellion fully extinguished before the autumn leaves begin to fall.
April 12th .-- Last night, the army, which had drawn out of Golds- boro during the day, camped at a point ten miles from that place, on the main road leading toward Smithfield. The Twentieth Corps had the ad- vance, on the road nearest the Neuse River, the Twenty-third Corps fol- lowing in the rear. The Fourteenth Corps marched, four miles to the right, upon what is known as the Little River road. In this movement our extreme right wing consists of the Army of the Tennessee, composed of the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Corps. The country which we have traversed is rich in corn and fodder notwithstanding its recent occupation by the Rebel armies.
April 13th .- In the order of march described yesterday the army has moved upon l'aleigh. The central column and left wing crossed the river at Smithfield, the right wing going over at Battle's bridge, fifteen miles farther up.
This morning the news of the surrender of Lee reached us. Our army went wild with excitement when this glorious result was announced. and blessings were showered upon the grand old Army of the Potomac, which after so many mortifying failures, is thus crowned by Grant's genius with magnificent laurels. Our troops gave cheer after cheer to express their joy, and then, when cheers became too feeble an expression, uttered yell upon yell until they waked the echoes for miles around. Then the bands burst forth in swelling strains of patriotic melody, which the soldiers caught up and re-echoed with their voices. Everybody was proud and glad. In the language of our noble General, "Glory to God and our glorious country." With light step and eager hearts the soldiers have filed out upon the roads all day, marching with the elation of victory. The heads of columns have had some skirmishing with Rebel Cavalry during
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the day. but everything has been so quiet in the rear of the advanced guard that no one would have supposed there had been any fighting at the front but for the occasional sound of booming cannon. Along the ranks the soldiers shouted to his comrade, "We must push Johnston now!" Whenever Johnston makes a stand there will be one of the quick- est and most effective battles known in history. Our men are all ready for a furious onslaught upon any foe that may choose to meet them. To- night the army has halted some fourteen miles from Raleigh.
April 14th .- The capital of North Carolina was yesterday occupied by General Sherman. The victory was bloodless, with a single excep- tion. A Rebel fired upon General Kilpatrick as he entered the public street, after the place had been surrendered by Hampton, and although the poor wretch harmed no one, he was hanged at once for his attempted assassination.
The movement of the army upon Raleigh was continued in the man- ner already described, with the difference that the right wing was divided, the Fifteenth Corps crossing at Battle's bridge, while the Seventeenth Corps proceeded farther, passing the Neuse River at Neuse Mills, directly opposite Raleigh. By this last movement the city would have been ap- proached from the northeast by one of our columns without impeding the march of the other, which advanced more directly from the east and south. The event, however, proved that there was but little need of caution in the advance upon the city, for Johnston did not intend making a fight here.
Raleigh, the city of oaks, is a beautiful place. Situated near the geo- graphical center of the State of North Carolina, and encircled by the range of hills which mark the first rise of land above the level fields and swamps which sweep down with the rivers to the ocean, its position is admirable, and its natural attractions striking.
April 15th .- Orders have been issued for a new movement of the army in pursuit of Johnston. Under the directions for this march, the right wing moved upon Morrisville and Durham's Station, along the rail- road ; the central column going more directly west, to the south of Chapel Hill, and the left wing advancing upon roads yet farther south. The first objective was the town of Ashboro, situated about sixty miles south by west from Raleigh, and thirty miles directly south of Greensboro, the point of junction of the Raleigh and Danville Railroads. This new move- ment had begun ; the faces of our soldiers had again been turned south- ward, and we were once more about to undertake a pilgrimage which, to say the least, was of uncertain end, when an unexpected event instantly
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