THE STORY Ok' THE GREA T MAR C H. FRO)! THE DIARY OF A STAFF OFFICER. llY BREVET nrAJOR GEORGE WARD ,N,ICIIOLS, AID-DE-CAnp TO GENERAL SHER~fAN, ~rtb II ~IIP IInll JillllstntroltS, NEW YORK: HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE. 1 8 6 5. I. /. 7&: I t. 9 ' / ~/ tT5rar:y I .est Virginia Un i ver3f~ Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, by HARPER & BROTHERS, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New York. ,P REF A C E. My service as aid-de-camp on the staff of Major Gen­ eral Sherman began with the fall of Atlanta. The re­ markable features and events of the campaigns of Geor­ gia and the Carolinas, visible to me during the whole of the Grand March, were noted daily in my journal. From that diary this Story of the March is compiled. Sherman's army rests upon the laurels it has bravely won. Its heroes are now in other fields of duty, and a - grateful Nation thanks them for their gallant deeds. I have told their story simply, and, I hope, honestly. G.W.N. CON TEN T S. P ART I. THE MARCH TO THE SEA. CHAPTER 1. The Opening Campaign ...................................... .. .... ..... Page 15 CHAPTER II. Pursuit of Hood.-The Defense of Allatoona .. ' ............... ........... 27 CHAPTER III. Preparations for the Seaward March.-The Burning of Atlanta. ...... 34 CHAPTER IV. Organization of the Army for the March................... ...... ...... ...... 42 CHAPTER V. Breaking Camp.-A Day's March.-The Divouac........, .. .. .......... 48 CHAPTER VI. Capture of Milledgeville.-Howell Cobb's Plantation.................. ... 66 CHAPTER VII. Wayside Incidents in Georgia.-An Original Character.-Cock-fight­ ing................................................................... ...... ......... 68 CHAPTER VIII. From Millen to the Sea-coast ..................... ........................ ......• 78 CHAPTER IX. The Storming of Fort l\1cAllistel' .............................. ................ 89 CHAPTER X. Evacuation of Sa'rannah by the Rcbels.-Its Occupation by Sherman. -Interview between Secretary Stanton and the Colored Clergymen.­ Talks with the People .. ........................ ............ ... ....... .......... 95 ... \ 2 x CONTENTS. CHAPTER XI. Review of the Georgia Campaign .................. ...... .. ... ..........Page 109 CHAPTER XII. General Sherman.. .............................. ................................. 116 PART II THE CA~IPAIGN OF THE CAROLINAS. CHAPTER XIII. Movement of Troops.-Crossing the South Carolina Border.-The Army under Fly-tents................................................................ 125 CHAPTER XIV. Advance to the Salkahatchie.-In the Swamps.-Desolation ......... 13t CHAPTER XV. Occupation of the Charleston and Augusta Railroad. - Branchville Flanked. - Passage of the Uppcr and Lower Edisto. - Capture of Orangeburg ...... .. ............................................................. 144 CHAPTER XVI. Marching upon Columbia.-Saluua Factory.-A View of Southern Fac­ tory Operatives.. ... ......... ............................. ..................... 152 CHAPTER XVII. Occupation of the Capital of South Carolina.-A terrible Conflagra­ tion ............................................................................... 160 CHAPTER XVIII. The March resumed.-Crossing the Catawba River.-News of the Fall of CharIeston.-Capture of Camden .............. ........................ 174 CHAPTER XIX. Marching upon Cheraw.-Bridges taken.-General Shermnn and the Ne­ groes .......................... ................................. ................... 187 CHAPTER XX. Capture of Cheraw.-Destruction of Rebel Artillery and Supplies.-The Enemy still befogged............................. ............................. 198 ! CONTENTS. XI CHAPTER XXI. Refllgee Loyalists.-The Emigrant Train.-Charleston Rebels... Page 208 CHAPTER XXII. Crossing the Pedee River.-The Army in North Carolina ............. 215 CHAPTER XXIII. Marching upon Fayetteville.-A Deluge.-An Adventure in tho Woods. -A perilous Road...... ....... ...... ... ... ...... ........ .... ............ .. .... 224 CHAPTER XXIV. Capture of Fayetteville. - The United States Arsenal retaken. - Talks with the Slaves.-Wade Hampton.-" Bummers" and their Peculiar. ities ............................... .. ." . .............................. '" .. .... .. 236 CHAPTER XXV. A Fight between Kilpatrick and Hampton.-The Army in Communica. tion with Wilmington.-Dcstruction of the Fayetteville Arsenal.-The Almy across Cape Fear River.-Refugees sent to Wilmington..... 247 CHAPTER XXVI. The Battle of Averysboro' ...................................................... 254 CHAPTER XXVII. The Battle of Bentonville.-Retreat of Johnston ... .... .................. 260 CHAPTER XXVIII. Entering Goldsboro' ........ .. , ................. ................................. 274 PART III. THE SURRENDER AND THE END. CHAPTER XXIX. Smithfield.-The Beginning of the-End .................................... 291 . CHAPTER n'X. The Capital of North Carolinn.-Its Surrender............................ 2!Ji> CHAPTER XXXI. _ A Talk with a Rebel Colonel.. ................. ....... .................. .... .. 301 xii CHAPTER XXXII. The Construction Corps of the Army .................................. Page 305 CHAPTER XXXIII. Pursuit of Johnston.-Conference between Sherman and Johnston.-A Truce ............................................................................. 308 CHAPTER XXXIV. The End............................................................................ 317 GOING HO~IE ...................................................................... 322 APPENDIX. I. General Sherman's Report of the Georgia Campaign............ 3~3 II. Report of the Campaign of the Carolinas .......................... 336 III. General Sherman's Testimony before the Committee on the 'Var...................................................................... 350 IV. General Sherman's Report of Operations in North Carolina, and Surrender of Johnston's Army ..................................... 354 V. Testimony before the Committee on the'Var-Continued.... 367 VI. Major General Barry's Report of the Campaign of the Caro­ linas...................................................................... 382 VII. Report of Engineer's Department..................................... 385 VIII. Extracts from Colonel Poe's Report of Operat.ions in the Campaign of the Carolinas........................ ............................... 386 IX. Quartermaster Reports............................................. .. .... 388 X. Commissary Stores furnished the Army ......................... ... 392 XI. Staff of General Sherman ............................................... 394 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. The Story of the March, \~ith the Badge of General Shennan's Head­ quarters, which is a combination of the Six Corps serving in the At­ lanta and subsequent Campaigns. The Arrow is the Badge of the 17th Corps; the Triangle, of the 4th; the Shield, of the 23d; the Star. of the ' 20th; the Cartridge-box, of the 15th; the Acorn, of the 14th Corps................................................................... Title-page. Sherman and his Generals ......... ................................. F,·ontispiece. Allatoona Pass ........................... .............................. Page 31 Atlanta in Ruins.............................. ...... .. ............. .............. 39 Sports of the Army (Vignette)................. .... .......................... 77 Rice-mill on the Ogeechee.................................................... 88 Fort McAllister........ ............. ............. ............ ...... ...... ....... 93 Treasure Seekers ................................................................ 113 Destruction of Columbia..................................................... ... 168 Corduroying at Lynch's Creek.................................... ........... 190 Army Mule ........................................................................ 205 Refugee Train .................................................................. ... 211 Headquarters Camp of General Sherman.. ........... ............. ........ 219 The Heroes that are not Gazetted ........................................... 231 A "Bummer" ............................................................ ...... .. 245 Battle of Bentonville......... ................................... .......... .... 270 The Conference between General Sherman and General Johnston .. .. 313 The Graves of our dead Comrades .................................... ........ 321 The End.......................... ..................................... ........ .... 322 THE STORY OF THE GREAT MARCH. PART 1. THE MARCH TO THE SEA. CHAPTER I. THE OPENING CAMPAIGN. IT was a proud day for the soldiers of Sherman's army when they encamped in and around the city of Atlanta. Their previous campaign had extended through the hot summer months, and after their protracted mancouvring, marching, and fighting, they were glad enough to rest on the glorious triumphs they had so long anticipated and so nobly won. In future years the thoughtful traveler in our Southern States may seek to trace the pathway of what is known as the "Atlanta Campaign;" and in surveying the field of operations, which extends from Chattanooga to Atlanta, must feel and acknowledge the military skiII and tenacity which, step by step, contested the advance of a conquer­ ing foe, fought many a bloody battle, but ever retired in good order, never In demoralized flight.