Today in History:

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

Page 208 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA., AND E. FLA. Chapter LIX.

Colonel James Wilson, provost-marshal-general; Colonel J. T. Conklin, chief quartermaster; Lieutenant Colonel William E. Strong, assistant inspector-general; Lieutenant Colonel D. Remick, chief commissary; Major T. W. Osborn, chief of artillery; Major E. Whittlesey, judge-advocate and commandant of camp; Captain C. B. Reese, chief engineer; Captain D. H. Buel, chief ordnance officer; Captain E. P. Pearson, Jr., chief commissary of musters; Captain F. W. Gilbreth, aide-de-camp; Captain P. A. Taylor, chief signal officer; Captain A.m. Van Dyke, assistant adjutant-general; First Lieutenant J. P. Sampson, Signal Corps, U. S. Army; First Lieutenant Amos Stickney, Engineer Corps, U. S. Army; First Lieutenant Joh A. Mills, acting assistant quartermaster; Lieutenant Joseph A. Sladen, acting assistant adjutant-general; Asst. Surg. D. L. Huntington, U. S. Army, assistant medical director; Actg. Asst. Surg. I. L. Hoover, U. S. Army, staff and escort surgeon.

I feel deeply grateful to every member of my staff mentioned above, and shall make in their behalf special recommendations to the War Department and to the State authorities for their advancement.

Lieutenant-Colonel Howard, my senior aide, was for the first time during active work necessarily separated from me at Savannah, and unable to resume his place during the campaign as communication was severed on his arrival at Beaufort.

Captain Samuel L. Taggart has conducted the business at Beaufort, S. C., to my entire satisfaction.

I cannot close this report without specially commending the commissary department of the army. Lieutenant-Colonel Remick, chief commissary, and his assistants, the division commissaries, have been indefatigable in securing a proper distribution of what has been taken from the country, and running mills night and day whenever it was possible in order to furnish the command with meal and flour.

The nature of the country has been particularly unfavorable for signaling, as it was flat, swampy, and very woody for the most part. The signal officers, however, making special reconnaissances and cheerfully doing any other duty that I called upon them to do.

Lieutenant McQueen was designated as my chief of scouts. He is universally beloved, and it filled us all with extreme regret to be obliged, on account of his wound, to leave him behind.

The services of Captain Duncan, of the Fifteenth Illinois Cavalry, in the way of reconnoitering and scouting have been invaluable to me. Captain J. L. King, commanding my escort company, was always ready for any enterprise. Captain E. N. Carpenter, Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry, escaping from prison and joining my staff at Columbia, rendered me great assistance on the march to Fayetteville, where the way was opened to rejoin his own command. I mentioned the cordial and prompt co-operation of Admiral Dahlgren, Major-General Foster, and their officers in the body of my report. I renew my thanks to them. Brevet Major-General Saxton and his officers gave us a hearty welcome to Beaufort, and rendered us every assistance in the way of supplies, camp, and quarters.

While I entertain great admiration for the officers and men to whom we owe so much, I cannot fail to recognize and acknowledge the hand of God in all our success and to express the conviction that He is conducting us steadily and surely through this mighty revolution. It is be being and acting coincident with His mighty purposes that we shall finally prevail.


Page 208 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA., AND E. FLA. Chapter LIX.