Today in History:

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

Page 324 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA., AND E. FLA. Chapter LIX.

Animals captured.

Horses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Mules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

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Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a164

Forage for animals.

Pounds.

Corn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000,000

Folder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500,000

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Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b1,500,000

Commissary of subsistence department.

This command marched from Savannah with the following supplies of rations:

Articles. Number of Number of days'

rations. rations (full).

Salt and fresh meat 81,280 31

Hard bread 77,400 19

Coffee 13,700 31 1/4

Sugar 179,600 45

Salt 134,400 34

The amount required, including sales to officers, was 4,000 rations per day. The command was out sixty-four days. The deficit was supplied from the country, as follows: 172,000 rations meat, or its equivalent in turkeys, chickens, geese, &c.,; 180,000 rations breadstuffs, consisting principally of corn meal, ground by the command, as flour and meal were scarce and hard to find. Sweet potatoes were also used as a substitute. It is fair to presume that the foragers did not confine themselves strictly to the army ration, but indulged in many of the luxuries found while gathering the substantial, and that the quantity of honey, preserves, and other et cetars was quite large, but of which I can give no estimate.

Number of principal rivers, creeks, and mils of swamps crossed.

Principal rivers: Savannah, New, Coosawhatchie, Tullifinny, Pocotaligo, Big Salkehatchie, Little Salkehatchie, Broad, Wateree, Lynch's, Big Pedee, Cape Fear, Neuse, and Saluda Rivers; total, fourteen. Small creeks, varying from a few yards to 500 yards in width, ninety-two. Swamps, exclusive of creeks, thirty-eight. The whole estimated at forty-seven miles.

At all the rivers and creeks, with the exception of the Saluda, Broad, and Cape Fear Rivers, at the points where we crossed, the banks were low and swampy; generally both sides had to be crossed on narrow causeways from one to two miles in length. Many of them, however, had to be forded for the same distance.

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a The 164 animals reported were serviceable and were branded and properly accounted for. At Kelly's Ferry a large number (estimated at 15-) of unserviceable animals were taken from foragers and other mounted soldiers, and killed as worthless. There was also delivered to Captain J. A. Lynch, at Goldsborough, in compliance with orders from corps headquarters, 140 horses, 55 mules, 2 carriages, 5 buggies, and 4 carts.

b Whole amount was gathered from the country.

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Page 324 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA., AND E. FLA. Chapter LIX.