Knapsack notes of Gen. Sherman's grand campaign through the empire state of the South

Front matter

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Chapter I. From Kenesaw Mountain To Atlanta

The Situation andr Review — The Midnight Destruction of the Railroad and its Appearance — The Link of Communication Severed — Real Condition of Affairs — Comic Scenes — Arguments by the Wayside — Crossing the River — Our Second Arrival at Atlanta — The Grand Preparation — Loading the Trains — Final Visits to the City and its Results — Tlie General Appearance and Final Arrangements — The Destruction of the City — Its Sad Reminiscences — Terrible Fruits of Treason — Order of March — The Backward Look and its Suggestions — The Solemn Funeral of the City — The Closing View — The Duties of Provost Guard — Playing Opossum — Red Tape — Sad Wayside Scenes — Night Marching — Interesting Views for the Artist — Cruel Results of War — The Cause of our Slow Progress.

November 12th, 1864, finds us at Ruff's Station, situated between Marietta and the Chattaoochee river. At this camp we arrived on the eve of the 5th, weary, footsore, and worn out from hard marching and excessive fatigue, from a forced march of thirty-two days pursuit of the rebel Gen. Hood and his forces, having successfully accomplished the object of the trip. Here, then, having rested about six days in order to prepare for a more important campaign, and the troops having been amply clothed, as a judicious and necessary precaution, we, early on the morning of the 12th, were, with the whole division, ordered out on review by Maj. Gen. Mower, commanding the same, and, in military parlance, a sure indication of something yet in store and soon to be developed by the bone and sinew of the army, like the prophet's cloud of the size of a man's hand, that continued to expand until the horizon was darkened by its gloomy shroud.

Scarcely had the review been accomplished when orders were issued to break camp, and in a brief space of time the plain just now so thickly dotted with the whitened tents of our brave boys now assumes its wonted appearance, and ere fifteen minutes has elapsed the vast area so thickly peopled with the veterans of many a battle-field is deserted, and they are seen in well arranged columns on the highway, with polished guns and bristling bayonets gleaming in the sunshine, many conjectures passing from one to the other as to their probable destination. A few hours suffice to develop the object of our trip, for after a heated march of nearly nine miles we are brought to a stand on the line of railroad on the north side of the

Big Kenesaw Mountain soon to figure in history. Stacking arms, we commenced the destruction of the railroad, vigorously prosecuting the same until midnight, the long line of fires, with its curling wreaths of smoke, giving evidence how well we had accomplished our object. Having performed our task, we bivouacked for the night, each taking shelter as best he could from the inclemency of a cold and piercing wind.

Nov. 13th: At 3 A. M., ere some had scarcely got asleep, the regiment was aroused from its slumbers and ordered hastily to fall into line, as we had to reach camp left yesterday by 1 A. M. It being extremely cold, the effects of a piercing wind, the joke was not well relished by the boys, who felt much like an old bachelor when prematurely aroused from an after dinner nap, and, as a result, imprecations would be sometimes called down on the heads of those who were the cause, especially when, in their hurried steps, they would stumble over rocks and stumps in rounding the Kenesaw. In the course of a few hours fast marching, about 7-J- A. M., we brought up in camp left yesterday. Unburdening ourselves of all the essentials of a soldier's kitchen, larder, wardrobe and the all-important weapons — emblems of our invincible law and calling — and the forty rounds of rebel hard tack, we proceeded to hurriedly cook our breakfast and demolish the same, as only soldiers can when their appetites have been whetted pretty keenly by a previous march of seven or eight miles. Having masticated our usual amount of hard tack, and eased it down, the way of all the earth, by a quart or more of steaming beverage we call coffee, the assembly sounded, and packing up our invincible cargo and decorating our persons with the same, we fell in line of march, and bidding a long farewell to ' the place of our recent sojourn, we pulled out on the road for Atlanta.

No sooner were we fairly under way than conjectures were fairly rife among the boys, as they are at all times when in the execution of a new move, or the commencement of a new campaign, as to our probable destination and the result to be accomplished thereby ; and amusing as are the decisions of some in reference to the next most important position to be gained, others display such acuteness in their chain of logical acumen that many commanders might profit by their plain and convincing arguments. As we are bustling along the road thoughts arrest the attention of some as to the real condition of affairs. Having severed the link of communication that connected us with the north, they look back to see the effects of yesterday and last night's work, and as the buildings and piles of railroad ties send up alternately their volumes of flame and smoke, making the atmosphere murky with its presence, expressions, varied in their nature and meaning, escape their lips, and finally to solve the mystery of the scene in the wide-spread surrounding desolation, with an approving nod, exclaim: " The just fruits of treason and rebellion !" But suddenly some scene of a comic nature turns up, and the whole line reverberates with the echoes of a hearty yell, the evidence that something good has been relished by them. Thus alternately reason and amusement find room for exercise as we pursue our onward course. And here let me remark that there are but few questions of present or future policy that concern the interest of our country but what are overhauled and made to pass in scathing review in their arguments with each other, but for the present they consider the all absorbing attention of the nation should be the speedy suppression and overthrow of this causeless rebellion, and thus they suffer much to accomplish the same, making their actions speak louder than their words.

Having traveled several miles in this way, we suddenly stumble upon our, and the rebel works, north of the Chatahoochie, which changes the general subject of conversation, as they view the various contrivances resorted to for the better warding off of those ripping bullets, intended as so many messengers of death. When rounding the bluff at this important point, we are brought in full view of the river near Jenning's ford, where our army crosses the river for the third time ; first, in the advance on Atlanta ; second, in pursuit of General Hood ; and, lastly to penetrate the centre of the rebel confederacy. Having crossed the river, we rapidly pushed on our way until nearly dark, when we brought up, and went into camp about two and a half miles south of Atlanta, midway between the same and East Point, having marched since three A. M., from the north side of the Rig Kenesaw, a distance of thirty-one miles, stopping only for breakfast in the meantime. Having secured our necessary fuel, it being very cold, we prepared our suppers, and doing ample justice to the same, we erected our "dog tents" and turned in to snooze for the night, forgetting all our troubles, as we calmly resigned ourselves into the arms of Morpheus.

Nov. 14th : At five A. M. we were aroused from our slumber by the sound of reveille, in the numerous regiments composing the Army of the Tennessee. It was not long before all was life and bustle throughout the entire camp, only one day being allowed thoroughly to prepare for our departure on the morrow. All the division trains started for the city early in the morning, each to take in their apportionment of rations for the campaign. More clothing was also issued to those needing them. Numbers of officers and privates visited the doomed city for the last time, previous to departure, many of them returning at night in high glee, having used a liberal quantity of what the Indians call " wild-fire," while others of their comrades, more unfortunate than themselves, enjoyed the luxury of a few hours rest under guard, till the fiery potion had well nigh ceased to operate on their combative organs, and feeling pretty flat from the effects of a previously over-excited imagination, they could be seen wending their way to camp in the various directions of their respective regiments ; and, we trust, a little wiser if not better by the adventure. Thus the day passed, and it was not until late in the night that the noise of revelry and mirth were hushed to silence, and all retired to their respective tents, leaving nothing but the camp fires with their slowly burning embers as evidence of the conviviality that previously existed.

Nov. 15th: This being the day appointed to bid a final adieu to the Gate City ; and knowing the length of time it takes a large army to^Atraighten itself in proper line of march, were not permitted to enjoy an overdose of sleep, and as early as 4 A. M., a conglomeration of music was heard in every direction of our immense army, and where darkness previously existed, a thousand brilliant lights could be seen looming up beautifully bright, forming a contrast with the surrounding desolation, like so many stars issuing from the shroud of a dakening storm cloud. All parts of the camp exhibited signs of thrift and bustle. This is an important day to the army commanded by the brave and gallant Sherman. This is the last day for those who are to join our army from the north to do so, or they will be left amid the gloomy desolation. For several days, preparations have been making in the city, for its overthrow. The Gate City, which a few short months since was filled with rebel troops, and whose streets were teeming with thousands of helpless citizens, the heart of the Confederacy, whose pulsations beat high with confederate hope, through whose iron channels troops and munitions of war were constantly passing and repassing, whose shops and foundries were unceasingly moulding the missiles of destruction, over whose head tons and tons of molten lead and iron were being hurled for the space of forty-six days, as so many harbingers of its fate, where the sound of mirth and the drapery of mourning could be heard and seen in direful contrast, that city with its miles of encircling works, offensive and defensive, and its massive forts, whose suburbs furnished graves for thousands, both of loyal and disloyal victims of this most sanguinary struggle, the city that had long fed the Confederate army with the fruits of its treason, from the numerous outlets for many months ; that city to whose inhabitants the sound of artillery and musketry had become gravely familiar for many a day ; that city made classic by the bloody conflict on the extreme left flank on that memorable day of July 22d, when that brave and gallant hero, General McPherson, fell mortally wounded, as also the conflict of July 28th on the extreme right, and other signal engagements during Its important siege ; that city with its splendid depot, and other important buildings, and it? machine shops, evidence of the years of former industry and wealth, "whose clustering merchants raised the busy hum, and planned the schemes of commerce," is soon to feel still the withering blights, and the scourge of war, the sorry fruits of rebellion and treason.

The lesson of destruction is soon to be signally displayed. Already can be heard in the distance the thunder of explosion ; the ministers of its wrath are hurrying on the work of its destruction. Destruction it dealt for many a day, and now it is reaping the result and double measure is dealt out in all its stern reality. The public avenues that led to the highways, and brought in the development of its resources, were previously closed ; the iron horse no longer gives forth its accustomed signal ; a death like silence already pervades the public and private workshops ; the merry chiming of bells no longer evinces the happiness and prosperity of its inmates. Desolation already sits enthroned wixhin its precincts, but the final retribution it has invited, is reserved till now, when preparing to take our final farewell. But to return. At break of day the assembly sounded its preparation to depart, and regiments could be seen rapidly forming, and taking up their line of march for another field of operations.

The acres of tents which had just now overspread the surface, like the sails of a ship when a storm threatens, are hurriedly reefed, and assigned to the knapsack. The long lines of muskets in well arranged stacks, that just now stood in harmless silence on the color line, can now be seen gracefully reclining on the shoulders of the brave who know howtfb wield them, and now assume a more threatening aspect. The immense square of wagon trains that a short time since were motionless, can be distinctly seen forming gradually into a long line of march. Orderlies, swiftly riding and passing each other at every angle, could be seen passing and repassing as the bearers of dispatches to each commander in the different camps. All are sufficiently apprised of the order of the day, and cast your eyes where you will, all is bustle and activity, as there is no time to be lost ; and gradually each army corps takes up the line of march assigned it by the prime mover and commander of an army thoroughly inured to the hardships and difficulties of active service — the order of march being thus : The 14th army corps occupies the extreme left ; to its right is established the line of the 20th corps, and next in order is the 17th army corps; while on the extreme right, can be seen the 15th army corps, with its superb fighting material. Each corps has its own line of march separate and distinct, while all act in combination to secure the same end. Fairly under way, many an eye is turned to look back toward the city whose destruction is inevitably secured.

Explosion after explosion has been heard during the hours it has taken to form and disappear, each in their respective lines of march, but the backward look, as it views the dense volumes of smoke, ascending up as so much incense to atone for the crime it involved itself in, in time past, is not the look of sympathy or pity, but rather the loak of approving justice in the measure of atonement required ; for the last three and a half years of hard service with all its wearisome marches, its numerous conflicts, and incessant exposure to the inclemency of alternate heat and cold, and the various diseases incident to camp life, has enstamped upon the brow the indelible work of stern justice, and now as they look, their lips inaudibly express the justice of the measure. Not that they admire the infliction of the stroke, but like a merciful, yet stern judge, they think it necessary for the honor of the law, and as a measure best calculated to shorten the heated contest of civil strife. And yet further, the vigorous siege with all its bloody scenes and associations is yet fresh in their memories. The conflicts of the 20th, 22d, and 28th of July, is not yet erased from their minds, for here brothers, uncles, cousins, nephews, father and son, and sons and fathers, were mournfully separated from each other ; old and valued friendships and acquaintances were rent in twain, ne'er to match themselves again with the wily and treacherous foe on the gory battle-field. The tedious days and nights spent in the water-soaked trenches under the constant crackling of musketry and the hoarse and savage shrieks of those iron monsters, as they belched forth from a hundred cannon, loomed up fresh in their minds ; the many victims of deliberate aim on the skirmish line are not forgotten ; the numerous tons of iron and leaden hail that issued from its' centre and sent so many thousands of our brave comrades to an untimely grave during the summer months, brings up the sad reminisences connected with it.

The day is cloudy, the sun refuses to shine, the sky has clothed itself with its drapery of mourning, habiliments well befitting the solemn occasion. No longer the Gate City, throbbing with high life, but an isolated center, fit emblem of the widowhood that is to follow. Its suburban shades, soaked with the blood of our brave, and now containing the moldering remains of their lifeless forms, call to high Heaven to be summarily avenged, and their cries are heard. The destroying angel is abroad, and while the work of destruction is being executed, and the vast sheets of flame purify the atmosphere tainted with the blood of the innocent, the darkening clouds veil the solemn sight from the bright andfclue sky, and like so many pall bearers, kindly attend the solemn funeral and purification of the city, and shut in the sorrowful scene from the outer world, and now and then shed its tears over the scene in the form of light sprinkling showers, for be it remembered that while it is solemn work, and the act of retributive justice, yet it excites compassion in the mind of many a brave, as they recede from the solemn view, but consider it expedient for an example and warning, and as a necessary sacrifice, " That the whole Nation perish not."

Thus matters stand. As in the distance we recede from the sorrowful view, leaving the remnants of the city shrouded in its fatal gloom, to do penance and keep Sabbath until the day of its resurrection comes round.

To-day our division, it being the 1st division of the 17th army corps, is assigned to the' rear of the corps, our brigade rear brigade, our regiment rear of brigade, and our company to the left of the regiment, having been assigned to the duty of rear and provost guard, whose province it is to pick up all stragglers from their respective commands, unless provided with proper documents to show that they are so authorized. This sometimes proves a disagreeable task, for, in the case of a large army like ours, it must be that some, from accident, sickness or otherwise, will be found far in the rear of their respective commands ; in consequence, our duty necessitates us to urge them on faster than their physical strength will ofttimes permit them, although provision is made for such cases in the supply of diviison ambulance trains attached to each division ; but in order to secure transportation in the same they need a passport from the regimental surgeon, which cannot always be secured by the unfortunate applicant, for various reasons, some of which I will try to enumerate. In the first place it seems to be taken for granted by regimental surgeons and others that every regiment contains certain members who design to play the opossum, or in common military phrase, u to play off on the surgeon ' for a sick man, when in reality they are sound and healthy. Thus confusion often ensues in the exercise of the judgment in the case of the would-be patient. Second — It is ofttimes the case that a soldier really sick makes application, stating fully his case, but from an apparent healthy looking countenance is refused the privilege ; while another, with a more pallid and bleached appearance, is admitted, although more than a match in physical strength and endurance for the other.

Third — It is of no use to cloak the fact but that red tape, or favoritism, finds a free and easy channel to manifest itself in, in military as well as in civil and political life, so that some can always secure the requisite documents, while others, really sick, experience the cold shoulder to their fervent appeals, and often exhausting all their energy and strength in the prosecution of their journey, drop down by the wayside in utter helplessness. I will adduce the necessary proof in support of my assertion, and appeal to the Army of the Tennessee for its verity, that is, when we hurriedly moved out from East Point, in pursuit of the rebel Gen. Hood. They will remember seeing the sickening sight of many of our brave comrades left dead by the roadside for want of needed help. It is a black spot on our military horizon, and at its remembrance many sad and gloomy pictures intrude on our memories, and soften our affections, somewhat bronzed, by the oft-repeated scenes in our military experience. But they are not all such cases that we meet with straggling in the rear, but rather some refractory ones, who feel very huffy and insolent at being compelled to walk under guard, and plainly indicate their disapprobation of such treatment, but philo^hically conclude that a caged bird that can walk and won't walk, in military tacncs, is made to walk, they reluctantly conclude it best to follow. And thus, during the day, we are continually adding recruits to our number, and some from a class generally found in that particular province. Reaching camp we turn our trust over to the provost marshal, who examines into the nature of their several cases, rendering his decision and disposing of their several cases in accordance therewith.

Having, we trust, sufficiently explained the duty of rear and provost guard we will return to the march. About 1 P. M. our whole army left Atlanta in the rear, and our attention is now thoroughly turned to the coast. The advance is already in camp, or nearly so, but the difficulties connected with the progress of a large train are great, and owing to the same, the rear has not made many miles of progress. And while we are slowly wending our way along our course, being south-

KNAPSACK N.0TE8. 11

east, the general conclusion among the boys is, that our destination is Savannah. For when once the line of direction is marked out by the course we are steering, the boys generally decide pretty correctly the rallying point to be gained, just as the pointers of the dipper, or great bear, invariably point to the polar star. For when, on the 25th of May, we withdrew from the siege of Atlanta on our last grand flank movement that preceded the capture of Atlanta. Ere we had reached the West Point & Montgomery Railroad the decision had been generally rendered to this effect, that the possession of the only line of railroad south of Atlanta left the rebels was the object to be gained by the important move, and the same was fully realized. Other proofs could be adduced to show that their judgment in such matters often proves correct. Darkness comes on apace and the general appearance of the horizon indicates a disagreeable night, and as the progress of the train is impeded and brought to a stand, we turn into an open field on our left and hastily prepare our coffee. After supper, the train being motionless, we gathered around our several fires and began to review and talk over the incidents of the past, the conversation being interspersed with hearty jokes, and merry laughter on the part of the listeners, until the way was cleared for our further advance — fifteen miles a day being our daily allotted task during the campaign ; and having made but a short distance of our journey, we are necessitated to travel for the night, which often proves very disagreeable, but it must be done, and our progress proving rather too sluggish for comfort, it being rather chilly from previous showers, and the boys always apt to provide for their own comfort as well as circumstances will permit, are seen building fires along on each side of the road, and as the train during the tedious hours of night, only advances by fits and starts, the boys can be seen at every halt, huddling around the fires in groups, varying in their number and ofttimes presenting a very interesting scene for the artist's pencil.

Now and then, as the clouds disappear, the queen of night, in all her silvery brightness, looks down with queenly pride, as if anxious to ascertain our maneuvers, and then again, recedes from our vision, taking shelter behind her graceful curtains, as if to inform us that it is high time to retire ; but war, cruel war, often knows no night, no day, but is sternly exacting in its demands, insatiate with blood, it is at all times unrelenting in its severity toward the objects of its fury, and knows no settlement until it has been fully appeased in the payment of its stern exactions. But as time passes on, we reach the spot that explains the cause of our slow marching, and passing it, almost equal to " Bunyan's Slough of Despond," we glide more nimbly over the surface, until the dawning rays of twilight aHiounce the Lord of day, as ever ready to dispense its cheering light anew. The mules and horses being thoroughly jaded and hungry, they stop to feed and take a short rest, although four miles in the rear of our advance and camp, while we prepare to cook our breakfast, which consists principally of hard tack and coffee — having traveled only eleven miles during our first day's march from the doomed city.

Chapter II. Fkom Atlanta To Gokdon

Scarcity of Forage — General Appearance of the Country — Results of Compulsory Labor — Wayside Interrogation — Ludicrous and Comical Exhibition — The Serious Results — Untimely Disturbance from Rest — Difficulties Connected with a Scanty Wardrobe — Approach of the Town — Flight of the Inhabitants — Rush of Swarthy Recruits and their Performances — Series of Dissolving Views — Liberal Appropriation of Forage for Man and Beast — Arrival at Jackson — Hearing the Ocmulgee — Junction of the Two Corps — Return of Foragers — Negro Impressment — Crossing ~the Ocmidgee — Interesting Race and Its Results — Destruction of Stores, Factory and Mills — Disagreeable Night — Arrival at Monticello — Its pleasing Exterior — Polite Salutations — Destruction of a Gun Factory — Stated Hour of Revielle — Arrival at Hillsboro — Jeff, Davis and His Effigy — The Rush for West — Maneuvres of Troops — Rail Brigades and Divisions the Planters Dread — Various Modes of Cooking and the Variety of Dishes — Unique Sayings and Expressions — -The Drenching Storm and Baptism of Water — Salutary Regulatious — Gloomy Appearance of Things — Mutiny among the Pack Mules and Steers — Night Marching and the Principal Music of the Occasion — The Rival Contest — Grand Night Scene — Late Arrival in Camp — Troops Caught Napping — Introduction to the Lowlands — A Marked Change — Arrival at Gordon.

Nov. 16th: Having taken our usual refreshment, and the mules and horses enjoyed a short rest, and it being absolutely necessary to make up lost time, we promptly take up our line of march, and being far in the rear the advance division does not, as usual, wait our coming up, and then take the rear, but at its appointed time for departure keeps on its line of march, for it would hinder the general progress of the whole corps to await our arrival. Being accustomed to take matters as they are, the boys kept a stiff upper lip, and coursed on in their usual manner, sometimes fast and then again slow, as the case might be.

The country through which we passed yesterday was very good, and well adapted for farming purposes, but was very barren of everything in the shape of forage for either man or beast, from the fact that everything pretty much had been culled from it for the use of our army during the siege ; and subsequent to the capture of Atlanta, in our quarters about the same. But the appearance of things to-day indicate a greater plenty than is usually found near the outskirts of a large army like ours, so that the horses and mules heartily testified their approbation of its appropriation to the army, in the eagerness with which they devoured it. But being rear guard and having our charge to watch and care for, our time had not yet come to enjoy the common luxuries of the sunny South. For in the main line of march of an army, everything in the line of eatables is taken in out of the wet by those that are in the advance, leaving the rear only the scanty pittance of their refuse, and sometimes not that. But the regulations governing an army in its line of march are wisely ordered for this and other reasons, which I shall hereafter give. The soil and general appearance of the country, if anything, is better than that passed yesterday, and the timber principally oak and pine, the whole well watered by numerous little springs and streams. As we pass along our route, now and then, a large and stately mansion can be seen standing out in bold relief, reminding one of its being the product of compulsory labor and toil, while near by can be seen in more dwindling proportions, the numerous huts, whose swarthy inmates produced the wealth of the lordly proprietor, the whole scene being a sad comment on the injustice of such a course.