Today in History:

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

Page 540 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA., AND E. FLA. Chapter LIX.

road, about noon; marched eighteen miles and encamped at night on the Edisto River. February 13, crossed the Edisto at 6. 30 a.m. and worked on the north side three hours building corduroy road; went into camp two miles beyond the River at 10 a.m. and marched again at 1 p. m; moved five miles and went into camp for the night. February 14, left camp at 6. 30 a.m. and marched twenty miles, crossing the North Edisto in the route. February 15, left camp at 7. 30 a.m. ; marched twenty miles and encamped at night two miles from Lexington. February 16, left camp at 6 a.m. ; marched near Columbia, S. C. In the p.m. of this day the command made a retrograde movement five miles and camped at night on the South side of Saluda River. February 17, left camp at 6 a.m. ; crossed the Saluda, marched twenty miles, and encamped for the night on Broad River. February 18, the command crossed Broad River at 9 a.m. and went into position on the north side, to the left and front of the Second Brigade; at 3 p.m. I was ordered with my command to make a reconnaissance toward the Winnsborough road; went about four miles, crossed Little River, and with one company pushed skirmishers as far as directed. I then withdrew, recrossed Little River, and returned to camp. February 19, the command tore up and effectually destroyed 475 yards of railroad track and ties and marched four miles. February 20, marched at 6 a.m. and encamped at Little River. February 21, left camp at 2 p. m; this and the Fifty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry were detailed as rear guard for the corps train; reached camp at 11 p.m., having marched fifteen miles. February 22, marched six miles and went into camp. February 23, marched ten miles and went into camp. February 24, crossed Catawba River; regiment worked all day assisting wagons out of the mud and corduroying roads. February 25, worked all day on roads. February 26, worked five companies all day on roads. February 27, no move; worked five companies half a day on road. February 28, left camp at 1 p. m; assisted part of corps train up the hill on the north side of Catawba River, after which the command marched five miles as train guard; reached camp at 10 p.m.

March 1, left camp at 6 a.m. and marched thirteen miles. March 2, left camp at 6 a.m. ; this regiment with the Fifty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under my command, were deployed as train guards; passed over some very bad roads; reached camp at 10 p.m. after a march of twenty-three miles. March 4, left camp at 6 a.m. and encamped on the Great Pedee River at 4 p.m. ; the regiment worked at corduroying roads until after dark. The command remained in camp until March 7 at 2 p.m., when it moved down to the pontoon bridge, which it crossed at 4 p.m., after which it marched one mile and a half and went into camp for the night. March 8, left camp at 6 a.m., marched twenty-five miles, and went into camp at 6 p.m. March 9, left camp at 8 a.m. ; this regiment and the Fifty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry and one section of the Nineteenth Indiana Battery, all under my command, marched as rear guard for the corps train; crossed Drowning Creek at 3 p.m. and destroyed the bridge; the vanguard of the enemy came up before the destruction was completed, but upon observing us retired. My command did not reach camp that night; we assisted wagons out of the mud until 3 o'clock of the morning of March 10, when the jaded and exhausted animals gave out and the guards rested by the roadside until daylight, wen we resumed the labor of assisting wagons over the bad roads. We reached the division camp at 8 a.m., where we rested one hour and then resumed the march in column in column; marched fifteen miles and went into camp at 4 p.m. March 11, left camp at 9 a.m., marched


Page 540 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA., AND E. FLA. Chapter LIX.