Sunday, October 2nd, 1864
Meeting every night
during the past week and twice today.
Monday 3rd
Paid one dollar for my
shoes half soling.
Sunday 9th
Meeting twice today;
news this evening that Richmond is in our possession.
Monday 10th
On guard this evening at
Regt. Quarters. Meetings still progressing; no mail yet.
Saturday 15th
(to x) Received orders
to march.
Sunday 16th
Started on a foraging
expedition; Col. Robinson in command; marched 17 miles. Camp on South River.[1]
Monday 17th
Left to guard the Ford
while part of the train get their loads.
Tuesday l8th
We are relieved by
another Regt., take 400 wagons out and get forage; 14 miles.
Wednesday 19th
Return to camp, having
got all our wagons loaded, 800 in all; Col. Robinson in command; 17 miles, arrived
in camp 5 p.m.; received x from Richard, 1 from Jane.
Thursday 20th
(of x)
Wrote to Mr. Lacy,
Richard, Jane and John.
Sunday 23rd
At meeting 3 times
today; Chaplain Seymour and some others returned from furlough.
Wednesday 26th
Orders to march on a
scouting expedition, march at 6 a.m. camp at 12 p.m. 22 miles.
(Editor’s Note: It was also on Oct. 26th that Gen. Sherman began his
bold plan of a march to the sea. To Gen. Thomas, Sherman now delegated full
power over all the troops under his command, excepting four Corps with which he
intended to march from Atlanta to the sea.
Sergt. Hopper was a member of the latter group.)
Thursday 27th
Foraging until 12 p.m.
12 miles.
Friday 28th
Foraging again; camp at
12 p.m.; march 15 miles.
Saturday 29th
Start for town [Atlanta]
as advance guard, arrive at 4 p.m., 15 miles; took 50 prisoners, lost 20;
loaded all our wagons [illegible] 600, lots of cattle, sweet potatoes, sheep
and hogs; Capt. Lamb returned this evening.
Sunday 30th
Meetings still going on.
Monday 31st
Mustered by Lt. Col.
LeSage, had a vote of the Regt.; our Co. 9 for Abe, and 9 for Mac; the Regt. 50
majority for Lincoln.
Wednesday, November 2nd, 1864
A large dwelling house
caught fire during the night; it was too far gone for us to save it, but we
prevented several others from catching fire; received orders to be ready to
march tomorrow on a scout and afterwards on a heavy campaign.
(Editor’s Note: The meetings were evidently those held in planning the
march to the sea and the “heavy campaign” no doubt refers also to that proposed
march.)
Thursday 3rd
Received 8 month’s pay
$163.60 cts; orders to march countermanded.
Friday 4th
Making muster rolls.
Saturday 5th
March at 3 p.m.; camp 3
miles south of town [Atlanta].
Sunday 6th
The Rebs fired into our
pickets, killing one; received orders at 1 p.m. to return to Atlanta, 3 miles;
took possession of our old camp, the 15th and 17th Corps marching into town.
(Editor’s Note: Various divisions of Sherman’s army had been sent out
away from Atlanta for counterattacks on the Confederate Army.)
Wednesday 9th
Artillery firing this
morning; we tear down our tents and pack up; a small detachment of the enemy
were trying our lines but were repulsed.
Friday 11th
Large fire tonight, ten
or twelve houses burnt down; sent 2 of our engines to Nashville yesterday.
Saturday 12th
More fires.
Sunday 13th
At meeting another fire
broke out destroying railroad; tearing down all Public buildings [in Atlanta].
Monday 14th
Saw Sergt. Mulligan,
10th Illinois; received orders to march tomorrow; Atlanta is mostly in flames.
(Editor’s Note: Sherman turned his force toward Atlanta, preparatory to
taking up his march for the sea. Part of them moved to Kingston, from which
point all the sick and wounded and all surplus baggage and artillery were sent
to Chattanooga. Then the mills and foundries at Rome were destroyed and the
railway was thoroughly dismantled from the Etowah to the Chattahoochee. The
army crossed that stream, destroyed the railroads in and around Atlanta and on
the 14th of November the entire force destined for the great march to the sea
was concentrated around that doomed city. Their last channel of communication
with the Government and the loyal people of the North was closed when on the
11th the commander-in-chief cut the telegraph wire that connected Atlanta with
Washington City. Then that army became an isolated moving column in the heart
of the enemy’s country. It moved on the morning of the 14th. Then by Sherman’s
order the entire city of Atlanta except its Courthouse, churches and dwellings
was committed to the flames. In a short space of time the buildings in the
heart of the city covering full 200 acres of ground were on fire and when the
conflagration was at its height on the night of the 15th the band of the 23rd
Massachusetts played and the soldiers chanted the air and words of the stirring
song “John Brown’s soul goes marching on”.
Sherman left desolated Atlanta on the following morning.)
Tuesday 15th
March at 7 p.m., march
14 miles in an Easterly direction; camp at 9 p.m.
Wednesday 16th
Tearing up railroad all
day; marching until 12 p.m.; 10 miles.
Thursday 17th
March at 7 a.m.; camp at 1 a.m.; 20 miles.
Friday 18th
March at 7 a.m.; eat dinner at Social Circle [Georgia], camp at 11 p.m.; 22 miles.
Saturday 19th
March at 7 a.m.; pass through Madison [Georgia], camp at 1 p.m.; 10 miles; Madison is the prettiest town we have yet seen.
Sunday 20th
March at 8 a.m., march 15 miles, rain all day, camp at 12 p.m.
Monday 21st
March at 8 a.m., camp at 11 p.m., 15 miles.
Tuesday 22nd
March at 7 a.m., camp at 11 p.m. at Milledgeville [Georgia]; not much of a town; capture a large quantity of ammunition and guns.
Wednesday 23rd
In camp at Milledgeville; lay over.
Thursday 24th
Move at 6 a.m., march 14 miles, camp at 2 p.m.
Friday 25th
March at 6 a.m., cross several swamps[2], sharp skirmishing, capture several Rebs; 8 miles, camp at 5 p.m.
Saturday 26th
Leave camp 7 a.m., sharp skirmishing; passed through Andersonville at 11 a.m.; camped at Thirteenth Station [Georgia] 4 p.m., 9 miles; tear up the road.
(Editor’s Note: This evidently refers to Sandersville which was in the
direct line of march; Andersonville, the sight of the prison, is located south
of Macon, which locality was not included in the march.)
Sunday 27th
March at 7 a.m., camp at Davisboro Station [Georgia] 6 p.m., 20 miles.
Monday 28th
March at 7 a.m., destroy the road for 11 miles; camp at Spear’s Station [Georgia], 7 p.m.
Tuesday 29th
March at 7 a.m., destroy 2 miles of road, march 9 miles, camp at 5 p.m.
Wednesday 30th
March at 7 a.m., march 9 miles, camp at 5 p.m.
(Editor’s Note: On the 30th Sherman’s entire army with the exception of
the 15th Corps which covered the right wing had passed the Ogeechee River and
was ready to march on Millen, Georgia.)
Thursday, December 1st, 1864
March at 10 a.m., camp at 12 p.m., march 12 miles; crossed several swamps.
(Editor’s Note: Slocum marched from Louisville with the left wing on
the 1st of December, and the 20th Corps in advance.)
Friday 2nd
March at 6 a.m., camp at 9 p.m., marched 9 miles; crossed some swamps.
Saturday 3rd
March at 6 a.m., camp at 5 p.m., 15 miles; crossed the Augusta and Millen road; came across a Rebel Pen where they have kept our prisoners over 2 years.
(Editor’s Note: Sherman reached Millen where so lately thousands of
Union prisoners had been confined. The sight of the horrid prison-pen in which
they had been crowded and tortured with hunger, cold and cruel treatment in the
midst of plenty and in which 750 had died, made the blood of their living
companions-in-arms course more quickly in their veins because of indignation
and nerved them to the performance of every service required to crush the
rebellion. These captives had all been removed, no one then knew whither, and
were suffering in other prisons with equal severity.)
Sunday 4th
March at 6 a.m., 15 miles; camp at 7 p.m.
(Editor’s Note: After fighting Wheeler at Thomas’s Station on the
railway connecting Millen and Augusta, Slocum’s cavalry and infantry rejoined
the 14th Corps which was concentrated in the vicinity of Lumpkin’s Station on
the Augusta railway and camped.)
Monday 5th
March at 12 a.m., camp at 11 p.m., 3 miles.
Tuesday 6th
March at 9 a.m., camp at 8 p.m., 9 miles.
Wednesday 7th
March at 6 a.m., part of the Regiment detailed as foragers; the country is full of swamps[3], camp at 9 p.m.; 10 miles; rained all day.
Thursday 8th
March at 7 a.m., entered Springfield [Georgia] at 8 a.m.; wish it were Springfield, Illinois. It is a wonderful town, County seat, 1 Court House, 1 Church, 2 stores, 2 dwelling houses and lots of Negro houses: marched 12 miles, camped at 4 p.m.
Friday 9th
Heard the cannonading at Savannah last night, march at 7 a.m., the Rebs troubled us all day and blockaded the road through the swamps; part of our Brigade drove them from Fort Harrison; 10 miles.
Saturday 10th
March 7 a.m.; tear up part of the Savannah and Charleston railroad; camp within 4 miles of Savannah in line of battle, heavy skirmishing; the Rebs have fortifications along the river and gun boats; march 10 miles; can see Savannah and taste salt water.
(Editor’s Note: On approaching Savannah, Slocum had seized the
Charleston railway at the bridge and Howard had broken up and occupied the Gulf
Railroad for some distance to the Little Ogeechee, so that no supplies could
reach the city by the accustomed channels of communication.)
Sunday 11th
In camp until 5 p.m. when we changed position; about 11 p.m. we had orders to march to the rear to protect the wagon train. The Rebel Gen. Wheeler is reported in our rear; 4 miles, very cold.
(Editor’s Note: Wheeler followed Sherman closely and gave trouble
whenever and wherever he could but he was always repulsed.)
Tuesday 13th
(x from)
In camp all day; moved position this evening; detailed on picket.
Wednesday 14th
On picket; relieved this evening at 5 p.m. Fort McAllister stormed and taken last night with a loss of 8 killed and 80 wounded; 20 siege guns captured and 200 prisoners.
(Editor’s Note: On the 13th Sherman ordered Hazen to carry Fort
McAllister by assault with his second division of the 15th Corps. By one
o’clock on that day his force was deployed in front of Fort McAllister, a
strong enclosed redoubt, garrisoned by two hundred men under Major Anderson,
artillery and infantry and having one mortar and twenty-three guns. Hazen
assaulted as soon as Sherman had contacted the Government steamer in Ossabaw
Sound of the Ogeechee River. It was toward the evening of a beautiful day. His
bugles sounded a charge and over obstruction his troops swept impetuously in
the face of a heavy storm of grape and canister shot, up to the parapets and
over them, fighting hand to hand and after a brief but desperate struggle won a
victory. Before sunset Fort McAllister, its garrison and armament, were in the
hands of the Nationals, the Union flag was planted upon it and the way was
opened to the sea.)
Thursday 15th
(x to)
Some cannonading along the lines.
Monday 19th
Col. LeSage [Lessage] in command of a foraging party, found too many Rebs.
Tuesday 20th
2 years since the Holly Springs (Mississippi) affair.
(Editor’s Note: While Sherman left for Hilton Head to make arrangements
for preventing a retreat of Hardee toward Charleston if he should attempt it,
Hardee did manage to flee from Savannah with 15,000 men, crossed the river on a
pontoon bridge and was in full march on Charleston; also the National troops
were in possession of the Confederate lines and advanced into Savannah without
opposition. Hardee’s movement had been unsuspected by the National pickets.
Under cover of a heavy cannonade during the day and evening of the 20th he had
destroyed two iron-clads, several smaller vessels, the navy yard and a large
quantity of ammunition, ordnance stores and supplies of all kinds. He fled in
such haste that he did not spike his guns, nor destroy a vast amount of cotton
belonging to the Confederacy, stored in the city. He was beyond pursuit when
his flight was discovered.)
Wednesday 21st
Savannah surrendered to Gen. Geary, 4 a.m.; captured a large amount of cannon and commissary stores, 150 Rebs.
(Editor’s Note: So ended in perfect success and vast advantage to the
National cause Sherman’s autumn campaign in Georgia – his marvelous march to
the sea. In that march of 255 miles in the space of six weeks during which he
made a substantial conquest of Georgia, he lost only five hundred and
sixty-seven men. His entire Amy of over 65,000 men and 10,000 horses had lived
generously off the country having appropriated to their use thirteen thousand
beeves, one hundred and sixty thousand bushels of corn, more than five thousand
tons of fodder, besides a large number of sheep, swine, fowls, potatoes and
rice. He forced into the service five thousand horses and four thousand mules.
He captured one thousand three hundred and twenty-eight prisoners and one
hundred and sixty-seven guns, burned 20,000 bales of cotton and captured and
secured to the Government 25,000 bales. Full 10,000 Negroes followed the flag
to Savannah and many thousand others, mostly women and children, had been
driven back at the crossings of rivers, and denied the privilege. The pathway
of Sherman’s march averaged about 40 miles in width and by his admirable
strategy in bewildering his foe he made that march with ease and with abundant
success.
Friday 23rd
Moved our position, formed near the Old rebel works around the city [Savannah, Georgia].
Sunday 25th
Visited the city, 15,000 inhabitants, nothing destroyed.
Monday 26th
X to J
Tuesday 27th
On Battalion Drill.
Thursday 29th
Detailed on Picket, General Review of the 20th Corps by Gen. Sherman.
Friday 30th
Relieved of picket.
Saturday 31st
Orders to move; moved on the line near town.
Advance to the next three months
Back up to the last three months
Return to the main menu