Today in History:

137 Series I Volume XLVII-I Serial 98 - Columbia Part I

Page 137 Chapter LIX. THE CAMPAIGN OF THE CAROLINAS.

March 6. -Moved at 8 a.m. and marched to Cheraw, S. C., nine miles below Sneedsborough, to cross on the pontoon bridge of the Right Wing, which place we reached at 12 m. Waited until 2 p.m. until the remainder of the Fifteenth Army Corps had crossed, when we crossed and marched five miles and encamped for the night on the plantation of Mr. Woollard.

March 7. -Moved at 7 a.m. charge of a portion of the wagon train; crossed the North and South Carolina State line at 10 a.m. near a resin and tar manufactory of Mr. Green, which was burning as we passed, and is said to have contained 2,000 barrels of resin, &c. ; encamped for the night near Station Numbers 103, Rutherford and Wilmington, Railroad.

March 8. -Moved at 12 m. again in charge of the rear portion of the train; was detained several hours by the trains ahead by a very bad piece of road about five miles from the camp of the night before. The trains were all over this place by 7 p.m., when we marched about five miles and encamped for the night, the last regiment getting in about 10 p.m.

March 9. -Moved at 7 a.m. ; was detained several hours by the trains ahead of us, owing to the bad roads; encamped for the night at 4 p.m. about one mile west of Lumber River, N. C.

March 10. -Lay in camp awaiting the crossing of the river by the trains, which was a very tedious and difficult passage, which was caused by the rains of the night before; moved at 3. 30 p.m. ; marched about three miles and encamped for the night on the south side of Buffalo Creek.

March 11. -Moved at 6 a.m. and marched about five miles, when we caught up with the remainder of the corps, when the First and Third Divisions were ordered forward, unencumbered, to support the Fourteenth Army Corps at or near Fayetteville, N. C., in case the enemy should be found in any force at that place. Our division was ordered to escort the trains through. Our brigade had charge of 469 wagons. Marched to near Little Rockfish Creek, on the Rockingham and Fayetteville plank road, and encamped for the night, the last regiment arriving in camp at 2. 30 a.m. of the 12th.

March 12. -Moved at 6 a.m., the brigade in advance in charge of 450 wagons; marched to Fayetteville, N. C. ; arriving about 2 p.m., went into camp about half a mile southwest of the town. To-day was the first day that we have had mail communication since leaving Savannah, Ga., in all forty-four days out.

March 13. -Did not move until 1 p.m., when we received orders to pass through the town in review, Major-Generals Sherman, Slocum, and others being present. We halted at the east end of the town until our division train should come up and escort it across Cape Fear River and to camp. Owing to the difficult approaches to and from the bridge our brigade did not commence to cross until 3. 30 a.m. of the 14th, the last regiment crossing about daylight. Marched about five miles to where the corps had encamped the night before, the last regiment coming into camp about 6 a.m. of the 14th instant.

March 14. -Did not move this day.

March 15. -In accordance with orders from corps headquarters our division was detailed to escort the trains of the corps. The other divisions of the corps, in company with two divisions of the Fourteenth Army Corps, were to move to the left, unencumbered, so as to protect the trains from attack by the enemy. Moved at 12 m. The brigade, in charge of 660 wagons of the train, was detained by bad roads all day. Marched about eight miles. Three regiments of the brigade


Page 137 Chapter LIX. THE CAMPAIGN OF THE CAROLINAS.