USA > Ohio > The history of Fuller's Ohio brigade, 1861-1865; its great march, with roster, portraits, battle maps and biographies > Part 26
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GENERAL SHERMAN'S REPORT.
over swamps and rivers, deemed impassable to others, at the most inclem- ent season of the year, and drawing our chief supplies from a poor and wasted country. We reached our destination in good health and condition. I thank the army and assure it that our government and people honor them for this new display of the physical and moral qualities which reflect honor upon the whole nation. You shall have rest before embarking upon new and untried dangers.
Report of Major-General W. T. Sherman, U. S. A.
Goldsborough, N. C., April 4th, 1865.
In order to have a clear understanding of events of the late campaign, I must endeavor to group the events of the past three weeks, connected with the armies under my command.
I was enabled to leave an army in the west under Major-General Thomas, of sufficient strength to meet emergencies in that quarter. I con- ducted another army consisting of the Fourteenth, Fifteenth. Seventeenth. and Twentieth Corps and Kilpatrick's Division of Cavalry, to the Atlantic Slope, aiming to approach the grand theater of war in Virginia by the time the season would admit of military operations in that latitude.
The first lodgment on the coast was made at Savannah, strongly forti- fied and armed, and valuable to us as a good seaport with its navigable streams inland. Near a month was consumed there in refitting the army. General Howard, commanding the right wing, was ordered to embark at Thunderbolt, thence by the 15th of January, make a lodgment on the Charleston Railroad at or near Pocotaligo. This was accomplished punc- tually at little cost by the Seventeenth Corps, Major-General Blair, and a depot of supplies was established at the mouth of Pocotaligo Creek, with communication back to Hilton Head.
The left wing, General Slocum, and the Cavalry of Major-General Kilpatrick, were ordered at the same time to rendezvous near Robertsville and Coosawhatchie, South Carolina, with a depot of supplies at Sister's Ferry, on the Savannah River. The rains of January swelled the river, broke the pontoon bridge and overflowed the whole bottom, so that the causeway was four feet under water. Slocum was compelled to move higher up the river to Sister's Ferry for a passage over. There the river was overflowed and three miles wide and he did not succeed in getting his command across until the first week in February.
General Grant sent Grover's Division of the Nineteenth Corps to gar- rison Savannah, and the Twenty-third Corps from Tennessee to re-enforce Terry and Palmer on the coast of North Carolina to prepare the way for my coming. I instructed General Foster to follow my movements inland by occupying in succession the city of Charleston and such other points along the sea coast. I advised General Grant that I would undertake at one stride to make Goldsborough and open communication with the sea by the New Berne Railroad about the 15th of March.
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On the 25th a demonstration was made against Cambahee Ferry and Railroad bridge across the Salkchatchie against the enemy who had adopted that river as his defensive line against our supposed objective, the city of Chaneston. The heavy rains had swollen the river so that the water stood in the swamps for a breadth of more than a mile and at a depth of from one to twenty feet.
On the 29th the roads back of Savannah had become sufficiently free of the flood to put Slocum's wing in motion. Admiral Dalgreen furnished the gunboat Pontiac and covered the crossing. General Howard moved the Seventeenth Corps along the Salkehatchie as high up as River's Bridge, the Fifteenth Corps by Hickory Holl, Loper's Cross Roads and Buford's Bridge. The Seventeenth and Fifteenth Corps drew out on the 31st of January but the real march began on the 1st of February.
All the roads northward were held by Wheeler's Cavalry, who by details of negro laborers, felled the trees, burned bridges, and made obetrue. tions to impede our march, but so well organized were our pioneer bat- talions, and so strong and intelligent our men that obstructions seemed only to quicken their progress. Felled trees were removed and bridges rebuilt by the heads of columns before the rear could close up.
On February 2nd the Seventeenth Corps was at River's Bridge, the Fifteenth at Loper's Cross Roads. Slocum was still struggling with the floods of the Savannah at Sister's Ferry with orders to hurry up and over- take the right wing on the South Carolina Road. The right wing was to push rapidly for the South Carolina Railroad at Midway.
The enemy was intrenched with heavy force at River's Bridge and Buford's Bridge. The Seventeenth Corps was ordered to carry River's Bridge, the Fifteenth Corps to carry Buford's Bridge. The former was carried skillfully and promptly by Mower's First Division, Seventeenth Corps on the 3rd of February, by crossing the swamp three miles wide, with water varying from knee to shoulder deep. The weather was bitter cold, but Generals Mower and Smith led their Divisions in person on foot, waded. the swamps, made a lodgement below the bri lge, and turned on the rebel brigade which guarded it, driving it in confusion and disorder toward Branchville. The wounded were sent to Pocotaligo.
The enemy retreated at once behind the Edisto, the whole army was pushed rapidly to the South Carolina Railroad at Midway, Bramburg and Graham Station. The Seventeenth Corps threatened Branchville and the enemy was forced to burn the railroad bridges and Walker's Bridge below across the Edisto. The railroad track was destroyed from the 7th to the 10th of February by the Seventeenth Corps from the Edisto up to Bram- burg. Our Cavalry threatened Augusta, skirmishing heavily with Wheeler's Cavalry. By the 11th of February, the enemy's forces were divided at Branchville and Charleston on the one hand and Aiken and Augusta on the other.
The Seventeenth Corps crossed the south fork of the Edisto River at Binnaker's Bridge, and moved straight for Orangeburg and on the 12tl1. found the enemy intrenched in front of the Orangeburg Bridge, but swept him away by a dash and followed him, forcing him across the bridge which was partly burned. Mower's First Division of the Seventeenth Corps was
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GENERAL SHERMAN'S REPORT.
moved to a point two miles below where it crossed. By four o'clock in the afternoon, the whole Seventeenth Corps was in Orangeburg and began the work of destroying the railroad . continuing as far as Lewisville with orders to push the enemy to the Congaree River and foree him to burn the bridges. which he did on the 14th. I turned all the columns straight on Columbia. The Seventeenth Corps followed the state road. The Fifteenth Corps crossed the North Edisto above the mouth of Caw Caw Swamp.
The enemy was found in strong position at Little Congaree Bridge across Congaree Creek, commanding the bridge with artillery. The ground in front was very bad, with a fresh deposit of mud from a recent overflow. The enemy's flank was turned by sending Stone's Brigade through a cypress swamp to the left and, following up the retreating enemy promptly, we got possession of the bridge and fort beyond.
February 16th, we reached the bank of the Congaree River, opposite Columbia, too late to save the fine bridge that spammed the river at this point. General Howard, Army of the Tennessee, Seventeenth Corps, First Division, First Brigade, crossed the Saluda near the factory and on the same night made a flying bridge across the Broad River about three miles above Columbia. A party of the Seventeenth Corps, crossed the Congaree in a skiff and entered from a point immediately west. Orders were to destroy all arsenals and public property not needed for our own use, as well as depots, railroads, and machinery, useful to the enemy, but to spare all dwellings, schools, colleges, asylums, and harmless private property. Gen- eral Wade Hampton (Rebel) had ordered all cotton, public and private, should be moved into the streets and fired, not in manifestation of a silly Roman stoicism, but from folly and want of sense.
Railroads were destroyed with other property to the Wateree Bridge and in the direction of Winnsborough. Slocum turned to the Catawba River and crossed in a terrible rain. General Beauregard had retreated with all his cavalry from Columbia. Cheatham of Hood's old Army was trying to make a junction with him at Charlotte. The right wing had broken up the railroad and turned for Peay's Ferry, where it was crossed over the Ca- tawba before the heavy rains set in, the Seventeenth Corps moving straight on Cheraw via Young's Bridge.
Butler's Division of the enemy's Cavalry was met at Mount Elon. Much bad road was encountered at Lynch's Creek, which delayed the right wing as the left wing had been at the Catawba. On March 2nd, the Seventeenth Corps entered Cheraw, the enemy retreating across the Pee Dee, and burning the bridge at that point. At Cheraw we found much ammunition and many guns which had been brought from Charleston on the evacuation of that city. These were destroyed, also the railroad trestles and bridges down as far as Darlington, and part of the branch road from Cheraw to Florence.
The right wing crossed the Pee Dee at Cheraw, the weather unfavor- able and the roads bad. The Seventeenth Corps reached Fayettsville with the Fourteenth Corps on the 11th of March, skirmishing with Wade Hamp- ton's Cavalry, that covered Hardee's retreating army, which crossed the Cape Fear River, burning the bridges. On the 9th of March, Killpatrick was surprised and his camp captured, but he rallied and drove the enemy. At
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.
Fayetteville, the old United States Arsenal and the vast amount of machin- ery, which had formerly belonged to the old Harper's Ferry Arsenal, was destroyed absolutely, every building was knocked down and burned, every piece of machinery was utterly broken up and some was cast into the river
Up to this period. I had succeeded in interposing my superior army between the scattered parts of the enemy. But the fragments that had left Columbia under Beauregard had been re-enforced by Cheatham's and Lee's Corps from the west and the garrison at Augusta. Hardee was across the Cape Fear River ahead of me and could complete the junction with the armies of Johnston and Hoke in North Carolina, and the whole under skillful and experienced Joe Johnston, superior to me in cavalry and for- midable enough in artillery and infantry, to justify me in extreme caution.
My two best scouts reached Wilmington with the intelligence of oui position. On March 10th the army tug "Davidson" reached Fayetteville from Wilmington, and the same day the gunboat Elone of the United States Navy also reached Fayetteville. General Howard of the Army of the Tenn- essee sent trains to the right toward Faison's Depot, to be ready to go to the aid of the left wing if attacked while in motion. The weather continued bad, the roads had become mere quagmire, and almost every foot had to be corduroyed to admit the passage of wheels.
The enemy was developed with artillery, infantry, and cavalry in an intrenched position where the road branches off toward Goldsborough through Bentonville. Hardee's force was estimated at twenty thousand and it was necessary to dislodge him that we might have the use of the Golds- borough Road as also to keep up the feint on Raleigh. The enemy was attacked on the Goldsborough Road, who retreated in a miserable, stormy night over the worst of roads. Hardee retreated on Smithfield.
I camped with Slocum's Column, twenty-seven miles from Golds- borough. The Army of the Tennessee was two miles south with pickets three miles forward. I found Howard's Army of the Tennessee well strung out owing to the very bad roads, and one regiment forward to the cross. roads near Cox's Bridge, across the Neuse River. Staff Officers reporting that the left wing had developed near Bentonville, the whole of the Rebel Army, I ordered that they fight defensively until I could call up Blair's Seventeenth Corps, then near Mount Olive Station, and come up on John- ston's left rear from the direction of Cox's Bridge. Couriers from Scho- field, reported him in possession of Kingston.
The First Division of the Seventeenth Corps made a night march to Falling Creek Church and by daylight was in rapid march on Bentonville. Slocum's left wing had the whole of the Confederate Army in their front and was attacked receiving six distinct assaults by the combined forces of Hoke, Hardee, and Cheatham, under command of General Joe Johnston himself, who moving rapidly by night from Smithfield, without unnecessary wheels, intended to overwhelm my left flank before it could be relieved by my co-operating columns.
On the 21st a steady rain prevailed, during which General Mower's First Division of the Seventeenth Corps, on the extreme right had worked well to the right around the enemy's flank, and had reached the enemy's flank and had nearly reached the bridge across Mill Creek, the only line of
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GENERAL SHERMAN'S REPORT.
retreat open to the enemy. Of course there was danger that the enemy would turn on him all his reserves and, it might be, let go his parapets to overwhelm Mower. Accordingly I ordered an attack from left to right by our skirmishers. Quite a noisy battle ensued during which Genera! Mower was enabled to regain his connection with his Corps by moving to his left rear. Still he had developed a weakness in the enemy's position, of which advantage might have been taken, but that night the enemy retreated to Smithfield, leaving his pickets to fall in our hands, with many dead, un- buried, and wounded in his field hospitals. General Johnston had utterly failed in his attempt, and we remained in full possession of the field of battle.
I am satisfied that the enemy lost heavily.
We had completed our march on the 21st and had full possession of Goldsborough, the real objective, with its two railroads back to the seaports of Wilmington and Beaufort, North Carolina. Supplies had been brought forward to Kingston and our wagons had been sent forward to receive them. Howard with the Army of the Tennessee remained during the 22nd at Bentonville to bury the dead and remove the wounded and on the follow- ing day all the armies moved to the camps assigned them about Golds- borough. The Right Wing ( Howard's Army of the Tennessee) reached Goldsborough on the 24th.
In general terms we have traversed the country from Savannah to Goldsborough with an average breadth of forty miles, consuming all the forage, cattle, hogs, sheep, poultry, cured meats, corn meal and so forth. The public enemy instead of drawing supplies from that region to feed his armies will be compelled to send provisions from other quarters to feed the inhabitants. Of course the abandonment to us by the enemy of the whole sea coast from Savannah to New Berne, North Carolina, with its forts, dock yards, gunboats, and so forth was a necessary incident to our occupation and destruction of the inland routes of travel and supply. But the real object of this march was to place this army in a position easy of supply whence it could take an appropriate part in the spring and summer campaign of 1865. This was accomplished on the 21st of March by the junction of the three armies (Sherman's, Terry's and Schofield's), and occu- pation of Goldsborough.
I beg to express in most emphatic manner my entire satisfaction with the tone and temper of the whole army. Nothing seems to dampen their energy, zeal or cheerfulness. It is impossible to conceive a march involv- ing more labor and exposure, yet I cannot recall an instance of bad tem- per by the way, or hearing an expression of doubt as to our perfect success in the end. I believe that this cheerfulness and harmony of action reflects upon all concerned quite as much honor and fame as "Battles gained" or "Cities won," and I therefore commend all Generals, Staff Officers, and men, for these high qualities, in addition to the more soldierly ones of obedience to orders and the alacrity they have always manifested when danger summoned them "to the front."
On the 1st of April, our arn.y lay at Goldsborough with detachments distributed so as to cover and secure our routes of communication and supply back to the sea at Wilmington and Morehead City. All were busy in
.
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repairing the wear and tear of our then recent and hard march from Sa- vannah, and in replenishing clothing and stores necessary for a further progress.
In the meantime. Major-General George Stoneman, operating from East Tennessee, with a division of Cavalry, had reached the railroad about Greensboro, North Carolina, and had pushed to Salisbury, destroying bridges and all kinds of rebel supplies to the Catawba Bridge. This was fatal to the hostile armies of Lee and Johnston, who depended upon that road for their supplies, and for their ultimate line of retreat. Major- General Wilson, also in command of the Cavalry Corps organized by him- self had started from Decatur and Florence, Alabama, and moved straight into the heart of Alabama, and struck one of the best blows of the war. His route, Tuscaloosa, Selma, Montgomery, Columbus, and Macon, was never before touched by our troops.
My purpose up to that time was to move more rapidly northward feigning on Raleigh and striking for Burksville, thereby interposing be- tween Johnston and Lee, but the auspicious events in Virginia had changed the whole military problem, and in the expressive language of Lieutenant- General Grant, "the Confederate Armies of Lee and Johnston" became the "strategic points." I estimated Johnston's Army at about thirty-five thou- sand. He was superior to me in cavalry.
On April 10th at daybreak, the heads of columns were in motion straight against the enemy. General Howard's Army of the Tennessee, making a circuit by the right and feigning up the Weldon Road to discon- cert the enemy's cavalry. All the columns met, within six miles of Golds- borough, more or less cavalry, with the usual rail barricades, which were swept before us as chaff. Johnston retreated rapidly across the Neuse River.
The rains had set in, making tlie resort to corduroy absolutely neces- sary to pass even ambulances. The enemy burned the bridge at Smith- field, we crossed over and there heard of the surrender of Lee's Army at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, which was announced to the armies in orders and created universal joy. Without a moment's hesitation, we dropped our trains and marched rapidly in pursuit to and through Raleigh, reaching that place on the 13th in a heavy rain. The cavalry went to Dur- ham Station, the Seventeenth Corps ( First Division, First and Second Brigades) to Jones Station. Johnston's Army was retreating rapidly to Greensborough. By the 15th the rains were incessant and the roads almost impracticable. I received General Johnston's first letter, April 14th. I agreed to meet liim at a point intermediate between our pickets on the 17th. We were delayed to reconstruct the railroad in the rear. At noon on the day appointed, I met General Jolinston and he gave me to under- stand that further war on the part of the Confederacy (Confederate troops ) was folly, that their cause was lost, and that every life sacrificed after the surrender of Lee's Army was the "Highest possible crime." He admitted that the terms conceded to General Lee were magnanimous and all he could ask. I again met General Johnston on the 18th. He satisfied me then of his power to disband two rebel armies in Alabama, Mississippi. Louisiana, and Texas, also North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Georgia.
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GENERAL FULLER'S REPORT.
The news of President Lincoln's assassination reached me on the 17th and was announced to my command on the same day. On the 24th, I learned that the memorandum was disapproved. General Grant arrived. General Johnston was notified of the suspension of the truce. General Johnston surrendered on the 26th. the terms of capitulation being sub- mitted to General Grant. Thus was surrendered the second great army of the so-called Confederacy. accomplished without further ruin and devasta- tion to the country and without the loss of a single life to those gallant men who had followed me from the Mississippi to the Atlantic.
I have no doubt that fifty thousand armed men of the rebel army were ยท disarmed and restored to civil pursuits by the capitulation made near Dur- ham Station, North Carolina on the 26th of April. On May 9th I reached Manchester on the James River. opposite Richmond, and found that all the four Corps had arrived from Raleigh and were engaged in replenishing their wagons for the resumption of the march toward Alexandria, Virginia.
W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General, Commanding.
Report of Brigade-General /. W. Fuller, U. S. A., Concerning Operations, February 2nd, 3rd and 9th.
HEADQUARTERS IN THE FIELD, FIRST BRIGADE, FIRST DIVISION, SEVENTEENTH CORPS.
February 4th, 1865.
At about two o'clock in the afternoon. February 2nd. three regiments of my command. then forming in the rear of my Division, reaching the swamps near River's Bridge (Salkahatchie River) from which point the enemy's artillery was firing at the troops in advance of me. Soon after I was ordered by the Major-General commanding the Division, to send one regiment into the swamp on the right, or easterly side of the road. and the other two on the westerly side, to support the line already formed. This order was executed, the Twenty-seventh Ohio forming the line on the right of the road, and the Thirty-ninth Ohio and Sixty-fourth Illinois on the left. The regiments remained in the swamp during the afternoon. At night the regiment on the right of the road was withdrawn and an hour or two afterward, I sent the Eighteenth Missouri to relieve the regiments on the left. This regiment ( it had marched with the train all day) re- mained on duty all night, five companies deployed as skirmishers, and the remainder held as a reserve on the road. During the night some of the skirmishers constructed rifle pits on the road, near the enemy's batteries, with a view of rendering it hazardous for him to use his guns.
On the morning of the 3rd. I detailed the Twenty-seventh Ohio to procure and carry lumber into the swamp. Later they were supplied with axes and ordered to cut and bridge a road leading through the river. A squad of the regiment serving as skirmishers to cover the advance work- ing parties, succeeded in crossing the main branch of the river about one or two o'clock and came upon a picket post of the enemy. Soon after this
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was announced the skirmishers of the Third Brigade were crossed and a detail of the Twenty-seventh Ohio felled some large trees ,across the stream to facilitate the passage of our troops. About three o'clock in the afternoon, I was ordered to move with my Brigade into the road in the swamp and soon after to cross the river. Captain DeGress, who brought the order, said that after crossing, "You will act upon your own judgment.' The crossing was slow and difficult owing to the deep water of the swamp and to the very few logs which were available in crossing the main river. As soon as I reached the opposite bank and learned the situation, 1 di- rected Colonel Tillson not to advance his command until the troops of my Brigade should be formed on his left, as I intended swinging forward the left of the line, in hopes of out-flanking and securing such of the rebels as were at or near their works. In order that no mistake might occur. I sent Colonel Tillson and Colonel Sheldon the following order : "When the line moves forward, Colonel Tillson will aim to keep his right, on or near the river. Colonel Sheldon will dress to the right, on Colonel Tilison, but be careful not to crowd to the right. Bayonets will be fixed, when the bugle sounds 'Attention.' If we find the rebels intrenched, we must rush forward and carry them by storm. As Colonel Sheldon has to swing his left forward, Colonel Tillson will move slowly at the start. The Eighteenth Missouri will move in reserve, behind the brigades."
Colonel Montgomery's brigade arriving, was directed to form on the left of the First Brigade, to form his left regiment, faced to the left and to march it by the right flank. I sounded the advance, moved my own brigade to the high and open ground near the enemy's position. As soon as the Second Brigade came up, we were advancing rapidly on the left and were executing a right wheel in fine style and driving the rebels before us, when the Major-General arrived and assumed command. Upon reaching the line of woods, which is nearly in the rear of the enemy's works. we were ordered to halt. Our skirmishers soon ascertained that the enemy had abandoned his position and fled. A few willing prisoners were picked up and about twenty dead and wounded rebels were found in a building which had served as an hospital. The wounded of this brigade were seven of the Thirty-ninth Ohio and one of the Eighteenth Missouri.
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