Today in History:

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

Page 567 Chapter LIX. THE CAMPAIGN OF THE CAROLINAS.

[March 1], the was resumed, though the roads were yet almost impassable and the weather bad, and on the 5th of March we arrived at the Great Pedee River, crossing near Sneedsborough on the line between North and South Carolina; distance marched, seventy-two miles.

March 7, crossed the Great Pedee at noon and marched for Fayetteville, N. C., passing to the right of Rockingham, crossing Lumber River and several smaller streams, and with other regiments of the brigade occupied that town at noon on the 11th, driving out the enemy's rear guard; distance marched, seventy miles. During the passage of the army my regiment, with others of the brigade, was on guard duty in the town. March 15, marched toward Goldsborough, our division being in charge of the trains of the entire corps. The roads and the weather were very bad and our progress slow until on the evening of the 19th we reached and crossed the Great Cohera Creek. Cannonading was heard in front during the day; distance marched, thirty-two miles. March 20, the trains were consigned to the care of the Third Brigade, and my regiment with others of the First and Second Brigades marched on the Goldsborough road to the front about six miles, arriving at 8 a.m. ; we were halter here until 1 p.m., then moved into position, confronting the enemy's lines with the apparent intention of attacking them. Here we were exposed at intervals during the afternoon to artillery fire from the enemy's batteries, from which two casualties occurred in my regiment. At sunset we were moved back about a mile and encamped. March 21, the days was spent in making and repairing roads, and on the 22nd the March was resumed for Goldsborough, at which place we arrived on the 23rd; distance marched, thirty-eight miles.

During the campaign the regiment has drawn from the trains one-third rations of hard bread, coffee, and sugar; all other supplies have been foraged in the country along the line of March.

A summary of the casualty list hereto appended gives: Died of disease, 1; wounded in action, 2; missing and supposed to have been captured while foraging, 5; total, 8.

The total distance marched, not including foraging and work on roads or destruction of railroads, is 480 miles. The number of horses and mules captured or foraged in the country and turned over to the quartermaster's department is 30. The aggregate present of my regiment when it marched from Savannah on the 20th January was 526. The decrease during the campaign of sixty-three days was: Sent to general field hospital, 11; missing, supposed to have been captured, 5; total decrease (being about 3 per cent.), 16; aggregate present on arrival at Goldsborough March 23, 510.

When I remember that about one-half of my men are recruits of but a few month's service, and that the campaign has been one of the severest on record, the very small percentage of loss in men missing and sent to hospital during the March is more than satisfactory to me.

I am equally grateful to the recruit (who have well outgrown that name) for their patient and determined endurance of privations and hardships to which they were unaccustomed, and to the veterans who have so uniformly given a soldierly example to those less experienced.

I am, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

J. W. BISHOP,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Second Minnesota Vol. Infantry.

Captain S. FORTNER,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, 2nd Brigadier, 3rd Div., 14th Army Corps.


Page 567 Chapter LIX. THE CAMPAIGN OF THE CAROLINAS.