Five miles south of Cheraw, S. C, March 3, 1865. General Wood says we have made 24 miles to-day. Our whole corps on one road and hardly a check all day. This is Thompson’s Creek, and the Rebels under Hardee thoroughly fortified it. Logan’s orders are to carry the works to-morrow, but as usual the [...]
New Market, S. C., March 2, 1865. A disagreeable, half drizzle, half sprinkle, all last night and to-day. Our brigade in advance and made 10 miles. Poor country, but pretty well settled. Many of the men have had no breadstuffs for three days. They drew two days of hardbread February 18th, and have foraged everything [...]
Left Bank Lynch’s Creek, March 1, 1865. We have finally got across this deuced creek. It has delayed us fully four days, more than any three rivers did before. Our division train is yet to cross and may not get over in 24 hours. We are getting hungry for the first time, having foraged the [...]
February 28, 1865. High water still keeps us here. We will probably get off to-morrow. It is thought we will cross the Great Peedee at Cheraw; there is so much swamp lower down that might trouble us. A thousand rumors afloat to-day. The citizens have it that Grant has whipped Lee since the Hatcher Run [...]
Tillersville, February 27, 1865. We have half a mile of bridging to build before we can get across this Lynch’s creek, the rains have swollen it so much. Our 6th Iowa foragers we thought captured are all right. They got across this creek before the freshet and it cut them off. The 97th Indiana men [...]
Fullersville, S. C., Sunday, February 26, 1865. Sixty hours of rain terminated at daylight this morning, but it has not hurt the sandy roads a particle. We made 11 miles in four and one quarter hours, and are now waiting for a bridge to be completed over this creek, “Lynch’s.” We think now we are [...]
February 25, 1865. Have not moved to-day. Rebels captured 15 men of the 29 Missouri to-day. Our foragers have been straggling for seven or eight miles in every direction; three of our regiment captured a refugee camp of seven men, ten guns, two revolvers, some pistols and 25 mules. Ordered to keep men well in [...]
West’s Cross Roads, 13 miles northeast of Camden, S. C., February 24, 1865. Made 14 miles a little south of east. We passed about a mile south of Gates’ old battle ground. A dozen foragers of the 99th Indiana were captured to-day, but our foragers caught more Rebels than that, besides 50 wagons and 200 [...]
Flat Rock P. O., February 23, 1865. Fifteen miles. Traveled east or northeast. Very rough, hilly country, hills rock topped. No enemy. Passed through a village called “Liberty Hill,” some elegant houses. Forage plenty. No news and don’t know anything.
Page’s Ferry, Wateree River, February 22, 1865. It seems to be certain that we have Charleston. Made about ten miles to-day. Our regiment and the 6th Iowa were sent down to an old ferry to make a demonstration. Found no enemy. The 2d and 3d are already across and we cross in the morning and [...]
Pleasant Hill, S. C., February 21, 1865. Fifteen miles to-day. Yesterday we traveled the Camden road. To-day we turned northwest. Poor country, quite rolling. Pine, scrub oak and sand.
Sixteen miles northeast of Columbia, February 20, 1865. The Provost Guards were the last to leave town. Fifty families of Columbians accompany us; have no idea how many negroes. Hard day’s march.
February 19, 1865. Another block of the city burned to-day. Our regiment was out and stopped the fire from spreading further. Have seen the men work better on other occasions. In destroying some captured ammunition to-day the 63d Illinois, by an explosion, lost three killed and 20 wounded. We captured about 20 cannon here. I [...]
February 18, 1865. Two-thirds of the city burned last night. The colonel and I got up last night and rode through the streets until 3. At 4 this morning the 40th Illinois cleared the streets with bayonets and order again reigned. Our regiment is on Provost duty, and I have just been through the streets [...]
Columbia, S. C., February 17th. The 3d brigade of our division marched all night and worked all night before they could get a cable across the river to string the pontoons, and the bridge was not completed until 10 a.m. There was lively skirmishing all the time. Our division crossed first. The 3d brigade captured [...]
February 16, 1865, 7 a.m. The Johnnies shelled our bivouac all night, but hurt no one, but induced us to extinguish our fires, and killed one of the 48th Illinois. We could hear their cars whistling all night. They had large fires near town. We can see the steeples of the city plainly this morning. [...]
Three miles from Columbia, February 15th. A rather lively day. We started the Johnnies right by our camp. Our brigade in advance of the corps and army. The 40th Illinois was deployed as skirmishers, and drove them four miles rapidly, losing only five men. Our regiment then relieved them. They opened artillery on us and [...]
Nearing Columbia, S. C, February 14, 1865. Good road to-day. Fine rolling country. Sand with pine wood and scrub oak. Saw the wagoners use their locks to-day for the first time since we crossed the Oconee, in Georgia. Logan’s escort got after some Johnnie foragers to-day and captured four wagons and 50 or 60 horses [...]
Twenty-four miles southeast of Columbia, S. C., February 13, 1865. Made 18 miles to-day. Rear guard for the corps in the morning, but the 2d and 3d Divisions took a right hand road and in the p.m. the 4th Division also went to the right. We followed a cow path to camp. Passed through two [...]
Shilling’s Bridge, left bank North Edisto River, February 12, 1865. Started at 7 a.m., moved one-half mile and laid still two hours waiting for Hazen and Smith to straighten out ahead of us. I thought I’d tell you how we had been bored today, fooling along the road from 7 a.m. until 3 o’clock in [...]
Seven miles west of Orangeburg, S. C., February 11, 1865. Made 18 miles to-day. Crossed South Edisto river in rear of the corps. The river here is about 40 yards wide, with a swift current, water very clear. First 10 miles to-day was through pretty good country, the last eight miles mostly pine forest with [...]
February 10, 1865. Had no “general” this morning (our signal for getting up), so when the “assembly” sounded we climbed from our blankets to our saddles and went off on a railroad burning expedition. Our brigade by noon had completely destroyed two and one-half miles. The 17th and our 3d Division crossed the South Edisto [...]
Bamberg, S. C., February 9, 1865. We were to go to Cannon’s bridge on the Edisto four miles, but heard the bridge was burned, so we did not go. I think we will go up the river towards Augusta. Late Confederate papers say that Thomas has started south towards Montgomery, leaving Hood behind him. Many [...]
Bamber’s Station, A. & C. R. R. February 7, 1865. Our regiment led the corps to-day. The 17th Corps strikes the railroad at Midway, three miles to our right, and the 20th to the left five miles. We are 14 miles northwest of Branchville. The enemy are on the opposite bank of the Edisto, two [...]
Little Salkehatchie River, February 6, 1865, 2 p.m. Yesterday was quite warm, but my overcoat is useful again to-day. General Kilpatrick caught up with us last night, also General Williams with five brigades of the 20th A. C. So instead of waiting several days Sherman said he’d chance them for the railroad with what troops [...]