Today in History:

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

Page 701 Chapter LIX. THE CAMPAIGN OF THE CAROLINAS.

May 1, my division in advance, marched at 5 a. m, taking the road toward Dickerson's Bridge. Crossed Cedar Creek on an excellent bridge at Long's Mill. Reaching the Tar River we found that Dickerson's Bridge had been washed away. My Second Brigade pioneers, who had been sent in advance, constructed a footbridge for infantry; horses forded the stream. A mile farther up stream a pontoon bridge was laid down, on which our trains crossed. Encamped on the farm of B. A. Capehart. Weather to-day very pleasant and roads good; country fine and well cultivated; distance, twenty-two miles. May 2, division in advance, marched at 5 a.m. for Williamsborough, via diamonds and Salem Cross-Roads. At Salem we struck the Fourteenth Corps, who had left the route assigned them and were marching on our road. Here we took a circuitous road to the right and encamped at 2 p. m near Williamsborough, the Fourteenth Crops passing through the town. Weather cool and pleasant; roads excellent; country rich and well cultivated; water along the road very scarce; distance, nineteen miles. May 3, my division in advance, marched at 4. 30 a.m., passing through Williamsborough and following the road toward Taylor's Ferry, at which point both the Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps had to cross, the Roanoke River being too wide to admit of two bridges with our number of pontoons. 10 a.m. encamped at the State line within three miles of Taylor's Ferry. Country rich and well farmed; weather cool and pleasant; roads good; distance, twelve miles. May 4, my command in the rear to-day, marched at 6 a.m. and crossed Roanoke River at Taylor's Ferry on a pontoon bridge 385 yards long. From here we took the road to Saffold's Bridge over Merrin River, within four miles of which point we encamped; weather pleasant; roads good; country well cultivated; distance, twenty-two miles. May 5, division in rear, marched 5 a.m., crossed Hererrin River at Saffold's Bridge and took direct road for Blacks and Whites Station on South side Railroad. Crossed Flat Rock Creek encamped on Barnes' farm; weather very hot; distance, twenty-one miles. May 6, division in the rear; marched at 5 a.m. ; crossed the Nottoway and Little Nottoway on good bridges and passed Blacks and Whites Station and encamped near Wellville Station; weather excessively hot; roads dusty and water very scarce; distance, fifteen miles. May 7, division in the rear, marched at 6 a.m. toward Kidd's Mill, where we crossed the Appomattox on pontoon bridges and encamped one mile beyond on Hawser's farm; roads good and weather cloudy and pleasant; country poor and water scarce; distance, twenty miles.

May 8, division in the rear, marched at 6 a.m., passed through clover Hill Coal Mines, the extensive works of which were in full operation. Crossed Swift Creek and Falling Creek, and encamped near the latter, within severe miles of Manchester; weather exceedingly hot; roads dusty and water scarce, rendering the March very apprehensive; distance, twenty-one miles. May 9, moved camp three miles nearer Richmond; received orders to resume our March to-morrow, passing in review through Richmond; late in the evening these orders were countermanded. May 11, resumed the March toward Washington, my division second in line, moving at 10 a. m; passed through Manchester and Richmond, crossing James River on pontoon bridge and encamped at Brook Creek, four miles beyond the city on the Fredericksburg road; the day was oppressively hot; distance, twelve miles. May 12, my division, second in line, marched at 7 a.m. ; a heavy rain during the night had greatly swollen the streams and rendered the roads in this swampy region very bad; the air was very cold; we crossed Brook


Page 701 Chapter LIX. THE CAMPAIGN OF THE CAROLINAS.