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

Page 562 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA., AND E. FLA Chapter LIX.

taken by my command during the late campaign commencing at Savannah, Ga., January 20, and ending at Goldsborough, N. C., March 22, 1865

I assumed command of this brigade January 1, 1865. At that time, and up to that present, the brigade was composed of the following regiments, viz: The Second Minnesota Volunteers, commanded by Lieutenant Co. J. W. Bishop; the One hundred and fifth Ohio Volunteers, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel G. T. Perkins; the Seventy-fifth Indiana Volunteers, commanded by Major C. J. McCole; the One hundred and first Indiana Volunteers, commanded by Major G. W. Steele; the Eighty-seventh Indiana Volunteers, commanded by Major R. C. Sabin. On the 20th day of January we took up line of march from the suburbs of Savannah, with the after brigades of this division, by way of Springfield, Ga., after considerable delay occasioned by bad weather and bad roads, and arrived at Sister's Ferry on the 28th of January, 1865; distance, forty miles.

February 5, crossed the Savannah River and marched through Robertsville and Brighton; crossed the Salkehatchie River and arrived at Branwell Court-Houses on the 10th; distance, sixty miles. February 11, moved to a point near Aiken Station, on the Augusta and Charleston Railroad, and assisted in destroying eight miles of railroad track, and arrived at Davis's Mill on the South Edisto on the 13th; distance marched, forty miles. February 14, proceeded across South Edisto and North Edisto River, and crossing Congaree Creek, passed Lexington Court-House, and encamped on the banks of the Saluda River, six miles from Columbia, on the 16th; distance marched, forty miles. February 17, crossed the Saluda River at Hart's Ferry and marched for Alston, crossing Broad River at Freshly's Ferry, and on the 19th destroyed at Alston Junction one mile of railroad, and crossing Little River near Monticello, arrived near Winnsborough on the 21st; distance, thirty miles. February 22, moved northward along the railroad, destroying several miles of the track, and turning eastward arrived on the banks of the banks of the Catawba or Wateree River near Rocky Mount on the 23rd; distance, thirty-four miles. Here the greater portion of the Fourteenth Corps was deviled by heavy rains, wich rendered the crossing almost impracticable, the freshet breaking our pontoon bridge several times and well nigh rendering it necessary to abandon artillery and transportation. But on the evening of the 28th, after a night and day of hard labor, we succeeded in parking our train miles north of the River.

The march was resumed, and though the roads continued of the worst character, we arrived at Haile's Ferry, about twelve miles above Cheraw, on the Great Pedee, March 5. We had now reached the line between North and South Carolina; distance marched, seventy-two miles. March 7, crossed the Great Pedee and marched for Fayetteville, going at the rate of from eighteen to twenty-three miles per day. On the evening of the 10th of March an incident occurred that ought to be mentioned. Major Steele, of the One hundred and first Indiana, with a party of twenty mounted men foraging horses and mules, advanced six miles in front of the head of our column, within for miles of Fayetteville, made a dash on the enemy's pickets, and captured 1 lieutenant and 10 men without loss, and brought them into camp. Took possession of the city on the 11th at noon, this brigade being in advance, with the Seventy-fifth Indiana, Major McCole commanding deployed as skirmishers, driving the guard of the enemy before us; distance


Page 562 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA., AND E. FLA Chapter LIX.