Today in History:

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

Page 171 Chapter LIX. THE CAMPAIGN OF THE CAROLINAS.

prisoners, excited the intoxicated soldiers to the first acts of violence, after which they could not be restrained. I don't know that I am called upon to give an opinion respecting this matter, but I volunteer the above. One think is certain, the burning houses, lighting up the faces of shrieking a scene which no man of the slightest sensibility wants to witness a second time.

On the 18th the Left Wing crossed the Broad River on a pontoon bridge thrown at the mouth of Wateree Creek, near Freshly's Mill, s and commenced the destruction of the Greenville and Columbia Railroad from Alston toward Columbia. On the 19th, by direction of General Sherman, I destroyed all the railroad shops, depots, city gasworks, &c., in Columbia, the Michigan Engineers furnishing the working parties. On the 20th the march was resumed. The Seventeenth Army Corps, together with the Michigan Engineers, at working parties. On the 20th the march was resumed. The Seventeenth Army Corps, together with the Michigan Engineers, at work destroying the Columbia and Charlotte Railroad from Columbia northward, while the Fifteenth Corps was a work from Columbia toward Kingsville. The Charlotte railroad was throughly destroyed from Columbia to White Oak Station, forty-four miles. At Winnsborough the whole army was concentrated, and the Left Wing assisted in the destruction of the railroad from Columbia toward Kingsville. The Charlotte railroad was thoroughly destroyed from Columbia to White Oak Station, forty-four miles. At Winnsborough the whole army was concentrated, and the Left Wing assisted in the destruction of the railroad thence to the northward. From Winnsborough and White Oak the Left Wing and the cavalry moved to Rocky Mount, and the Right Wing to Peay's Ferry. A pontoon bridge was thrown over the Catawba (Wateree) at each of these points, and after a great deal of trouble, arising from high water, rapid currents, and muddy roads, the army was transferred to the eastern bank of the river. This crossing was begun on the morning of the 23rd of February, and was completed on the 27th, after one bridge at Rocky mount had been carried away. It was 700 feet in length, and about 200 feet to it was totally lost. The balance was recovered and the bridge rebuilt. By this time the cavalry had passed through Landcaster, the Twentieth Corps was at Hanging Rock, and the Right Wing was at Tillersville, in the vicinity of which it crossed Lynch's Creek, after almost incredible labor in building bridges and corduroying roads. The remainder of the army crossed at Fenilly's and McManus' Bridges. The whole army as now moving on Cheraw, and was concentrated there on the 3rd of March without any opposition not easily overcome. A large amount of material of war was captured at Cheraw, all of which, except three guns brought away as trophies, was destroyed by the Michigan Engineers. The march was resumed on the 6th of March, the Fifteenth, Seventeenth, and Twentieth Corps crossing the Pedee on a pontoon bridge at Cheraw, and the Fourteenth Corps and cavalry on another at Sneedsborough. The whole army now aimed to concentrated at Fayetteville, N. C., the cavalry passing through Rockingham and thence via the first road north of the Fayetteville and Albemarle plan road; the Fourteenth Corps via Love's Bridge over Lumber River; the Twentieth Corps via Mc Farland's Bridge; the fifteenth Corps via Gilchrist's Bridge, and the Seventeenth Corps via Campbell's Bridge. All these bridges had been destroyed by the enemy anced either by a pontoon or a trestle bridge. The concentration at Fayetteville was effected on the 11th of March with very little opposition, though the enemy's cavalry was all around us. At Fayetteville it was found that the enemy had greatly enlarged the capacity of the old U. S. Arsenal. The major-general assigned to me the special duty of destroying it. The Michigan Engineers were at once set a work to batter down all masonry walls, and the break to pieces all machinery of


Page 171 Chapter LIX. THE CAMPAIGN OF THE CAROLINAS.