Today in History:

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

Page 523 Chapter LIX. THE CAMPAIGN OF THE CAROLINAS.

menced the campaign. We marched about ten miles in the direction of Sister's Ferry and bivouacked for the night. The road through that swampy region was almost impassable and the rain of that and the next three days made it quite, so causing a delay at that point of four days. On the 25th we resumed the march at 7 a.m. and went about eighteen miles. On the 26th we continued the march at 7 a.m., our brigade having in charge the division train, and with great difficulty made only about six miles through extensive swamps, and bivouacked near Springfield, Ga., where we found the Third Division, Fourteenth Army Corps. On the 27th the march was resumed at 7 a.m. through swamps, the troops wading the high waters of Ebenezer River waist-deep on a very cold day and advanced only about six miles. Samuel C. nelson, of Company D, has his foot badly injured by a wagon wheel running over it while wading the River and was sent to hospital. On the 28th resumed the march at 8 a.m. and advanced about five miles, arriving at Sister's Ferry about 11 a.m., and went into camp.

We remained there until the 5th of February, employed in the mean-time in unloading transports and constructing a road across the River and adjacent swamp. On the evening of the 5th we crossed Savannah River on a pontoon bridge and marched about two miles. On the 6th and 7th our division remained at the ferry for supplies, while the balance of the Left wing proceeded toward Branchville, S. C. On the 8th we marched at 7 a.m. and went about ten miles, and bivouacked at Brighton. We resumed the march on the 9th and went about twenty miles, camping at Dry Gall River. On the 10th we resumed the march at 7 a.m. and went twenty-two miles. We marched on the 11th at 6. 30 a.m., and were delayed by the First Division crossing our load, and advanced only about twelve miles, passing through Barnwell about 3 p.m. On the 12th marched at 6. 30 a. m; crossed the railroad at Willinchville [Williston] and went to South Edisto River, a distance of sixteen miles. The Twentieth Corps had destroyed the railroad in the vicinity of Willkinsville [Williston], and the First and Third Divisions, of Fourteenth Corps, went in the direction of Aiken to support our cavalry and destroy the railroad, while our division took charge of the entire corps train. On the 13th we marched at 7 a.m., crossed the South Edisto River and camped by the North Edisto, a distance of six miles, where the First and Third Divisions rejoined us and the train was left with the Third Division. On the 14th we marched eighteen miles, crossing the North Edisto. On the 15th we marched at 7. 30 a.m. and went about eighteen miles and camped near Lexington. A brigade of Wheeler's cavalry hovered upon our flank and skirmished with us during the day and severely wounded George Wheeler, of Company F. On the 16th we resumed the march at 6 a.m., passing through Lexington, and went within view of Columbia and found the bridge across the Saluda River burned. We then turned back and bore to the left up the River and bivouacked upon its banks, having marched about sixteen miles. On the 17th we marched at 6 a.m. and went about sixteen miles, crossing Saluda River and camping on the banks of Broad River. Columbia surrendered at 8 a.m. and the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Corps entered the city. On the 18th we crossed Broad River at 5 a.m. on a flat-boat, the Second and Third Brigades crossing in that manner. The pontoon was not completed until after midnight following. We threw up a barricade of logs to protect us against a threatened attack of the enemy. On the 19th marched about five miles and camped, and the regiments destroyed about one-third of a miles of railroad leading from Columbia


Page 523 Chapter LIX. THE CAMPAIGN OF THE CAROLINAS.