Today in History:

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

Page 188 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA., AND E. FLA. Chapter LIX.

crossed the river about twelve miles lower. At this point the river is called the Wateree. The country passed over from Columbia to the Wateree, a distance of near fifty miles, was high and rolling, with occasional outcroppings of the granite formation, a more fertile region and better cultivated than any passed over in South Carolina. Owing to a rapid rise in the Wateree a delay of four or five days occurred before the army was entirely across. From this point the march was in the direction of Cheraw, S. C., and Fayetteville, N. C. These places were both taken with very trifling loss. A half of two days was made at Fayetteville, during which about 300 men sick and a few wounded were sent on river transports to Wilmington. The Cape Fear River was crossed on pontoon bridges, and the march resumed in the general direction of Raleigh and Goldsborough, the latter being the objective point. On the evening of March 15 Kilpatrick came in contact with the enemy on the Fayetteville and Raleigh road near Averasborough. On the 16th they were found posted behind intrenchments, and in dislodging them the Twentieth Corps and cavalry division lost about 400 in wounded. They were promptly removed from the field and two or three adjacent houses and sheds used for hospitals. It was raining heavily during the greater part of the day. The enemy retired in the direction of Smithfield, and our march was resumed the following day to the eastward on roads leading in the direction of Goldsborough.

On the 19th of March a fierce attack was made by the whole rebel force, under General Joe Johnston, upon the advance and flank of the marching column of the Left Wing. The Fourteenth Corps, having the advance, was compelled to fall back a short distance eth Army Corps came up, when a line of battle was formed and temporary defenses thrown up. Two or three determined assaults by the enemy were made, but were successfully repelled. The ground was held that night by our troops, and on the 20th the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Corps were marched back to their assistance. Some severe fighting and heavy skirmishing occurred during the afternoon and heavy firing kept up until late at night. On the following morning it was found that the enemy had evacuated his intrenchments and retreated in the direction of Raleigh, abandoning his hospitals. Our loss, according to the hospital reports, during the two days was 9 officers and 145 men killed and 51 officers and 851 men wounded in the Left Wing. In the Right Wing, 2 officers and 35 men killed and 12 officers and 289 men wounded, making a total of 191 killed and 1,168 wounded. The wounded were well cared for in hospitals erected about half a mile in rear of the front or line of battle. On the 19th they came under fire and had to be removed. Although this battle occurred nearly at the close of a long march-of two months' duration, without an opportunity of replenishing supplies-there was no lack of any article essential to the comfort of the wounded. Most of those wounded on the 19th were made as comfortable as possible in wagons and moved on the 20th to the vicinity of the Neuse River, opposite Goldsborough, a distance of about twenty-five miles. Army wagons were used in consequence of a scarcity of ambulances. About 12 o'clock on the 21st the army renewed the march toward Goldsborough, and entered that place on the 23rd and 24th. All the wounded and sick were comfortably placed on bunks before evening of the 25th. As far as the number of tents would allow, they were placed under canvas in the open country around the town and the remainder placed in houses selected in town. They have done remarkably well. Supplies were rapidly brought up from New Berne, and the men before being wounded were in a vigorous


Page 188 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA., AND E. FLA. Chapter LIX.