CHAPTER XL. GEN. SHERMAN'S NEW BASE AT SAVANNAH.-HE PREPARES TO MARCH THROUGH THE CAROLINAS. GEN. GRANT'S FIRST IDEA TO BRING SHERMAN'S ARMY TO VIRGINIA BY WATER.— OPENING OF THE CAROLINA CAMPAIGN.-HOWARD'S MOVEMENT TOWARDS CHARLESTON.— THE LINE OF THE SALKAHATCHIE TAKEN.-SLOCUM THREATENS AUGUSTA.-JUNCTION OF THE TWO COLUMNS IN THE VICINITY OF THE AUGUSTA AND CHARLESTON RAILROAD.— SCENES OF LICENSE AND PLUNDER ON SHERMAN'S MARCH.-SAVAGE ATROCITIES. THE TRACK OF FIRE.-SHERMAN'S " BUMMERS."—WHAT WAS THOUGHT OF THEM IN WASHING TON. SHERMAN TURNS HIS COLUMNS ON COLUMBIA.-DISPOSITION OF THE CONFEDERATE FORCES BETWEEN AUGUSTA AND CHARLESTON.-WHY COLUMBIA WAS NOT DEFENDED.GALLANTRY OF GEN. WADE HAMPTON.-SACK AND DESTRUCTION OF COLUMBIA.-SHERMAN'S SOLEMN PROMISE TO THE MAYOR.-ROBBERY AND OUTRAGE IN THE STREETS. THE CATHOLIC CONVENT.-SOME OF THE FEDERAL SOLDIERS TELL OF THE PROPOSED DESTRUCTION OF THE TOWN.-IT IS FIRED IN TWENTY PLACES.-HORROURS OF THE CONFLAGRATION. SCENES OF MISERY AND RUIN.-PROOFS THAT SHERMAN WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRE.-ARRAY OF EVIDENCE ON THIS SUBJECT.-FALL OF CHARLESTON. THE CITY EVACUATED BY HARDEE.-OCCASION OF DELAY BY PRESIDENT DAVIS.-AN EXPLOSION AND CONFLAGRATION.--APPEARANCE OF THE CITY AFTER FOUR YEARS OF CONFLICT.CAPTURE OF FORT FISHER.—FALL OF WILMINGTON. THE ENEMY'S VIEWS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF WILMINGTON.-HOW IT WAS TO BE USED AS ANOTHER BASE OF OPERATIONS TOWARDS RICHMOND.-ITS CAPTURE AUXILIARY TO SHERMAN'S MOVEMENT.—THE FIRST EXPEDITION AGAINST IT.—BUTLER'S POWDER-SHIP.-FAILURE Of the expeDITION. THE BUTLER-GRANT CONTROVERSY.-SECOND EXPEDITION AGAINST WILMINGTON.-GEN. BRAGG AGAIN ON THE MILITARY STAGE.-HOW THE ENEMY EFFECTED A LANDING ABOVE FORT FISHER. WANT OF VIGILANCE ON THE PART OF THE CONFEDERATES.-GEN. HOKE FLANKED AND RETREATS. THE FORT TAKEN BY ASSAULT.-CO-OPERATION OF THE ENEMY'S FLEET. -ITS TERRIBLE FIRE.-GEN. BRAGG EVACUATES WILMINGTON.-GRANT'S INSTRUCTIONS TO SCHOFIELD TO CO-OPERATE WITH SHERMAN. THE CAMPAIGN IN NORTH CAROLINA.— SHERMAN MOVES APPARENTLY TOWARDS CHARLOTTE, AND DEFLECTS TO FAYETTEVILLE. -MOVEMENT OF THE CO-OPERATING COLUMNS FROM WILMINGTON AND NEWBERN.-GEN, BRAGG ENGAGES THE ENEMY NEAR KINSTON.-SUCCESS OF THE CONFEDERATES.-ARRIVAL OF SCHOFIELD AND TERRY AT GOLDSBORO'.-SHERMAN PUSHES ON THERE.-Gen. JOHNSTON'S COMMAND, AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE CONFEDERATE FORCES.-HARDEE LOSES TWO-THIRDS OF HIS ARMY BY DESERTIONS.-HE ENGAGES THE ENEMY NEAR AVERYSPORO', AND IS COMPELLED TO FALL BACK.—THE ENGAGEMENT AT BENTONVILLE. -JOHNSTON FIGHTS TWO CORPS OF THE ENEMY AND KILPATRICK'S CAVALRY WITH FOUR TEEN THOUSAND MEN.-SUCCESS ON THE CONFEDERATE RIGHT.-JOHNSTON HOLDS HIE IN capturing Savannah, Sherman not only obtained a great prize in ordnance and cotton, which, after a fashion somewhat Oriental, he desig nated as a "Christmas gift" to his master in Washington. He also obtained a position of great military value. From the banks of the Savannah River, he beheld opened before him all the avenues into and through South Carolina, and discovered a new route, reaching to what had now become the last and contracted theatre of war in the Confederacy. The Northern newspapers declared that when Sherman's legions looked across the Savannah to the shores of Carolina, they sent up a "howl of delight." There was a terrible gladness in the realization of so many hopes and wishes-in seeing the most hated State of the South almost prostrate, and offering the prospect of outrage with impunity. It had been the first idea of Gen. Grant, anticipating the arrival of Sherman at Savannah, that, after establishing a base on the sea-coast, with necessary garrison to include all his artillery and cavalry, he should come by water to City Point with the remainder of his command, to ensure the capture of Lee's army or to smother it with numbers. But this plan of operations was changed. "On the 18th of December," writes Gen. Grant, "having received information of the defeat and utter rout of Hood's army by Gen. Thomas, and that, owing to the great difficulty of procuring ocean transportation, it would take over two months to transport Sherman's army, and doubting whether he might not contribute as much towards the desired result by operating from where he was, I wrote to him to that effect, and asked him for his views as to what would be best to do. A few days after this I received a communication from Gen. Sherman, of date of 16th of December, acknowledging the receipt of my order of the 6th, and informing me of his preparations to carry it into effect as soon as he could get transportation. Also, that he had expected upon reducing Savannah, instantly to march to Columbia, South Carolina, thence to Raleigh, and thence to report to me; but that this would consume about six weeks' time after the fall of Savannah, whereas by sea he could probably reach me by the middle of January. The confidence he manifested in this letter of being able to march up and join me, pleased me; and, without waiting for a reply to my letter of the 18th, I directed him, on the 28th of December, to make preparations to start, as he proposed, without delay, to break up the railroads in North and South Carolina, and join the armies operating against Richmond, as soon as he could." The middle of January saw Sherman's troops actually in motion for the Carolina campaign. His right wing, under Howard, was taken by SHERMAN'S CAROLINA CAMPAIGN. 663 water to Beaufort, where it began to move up the Charleston Railroad; while the left wing, under Slocum, with Kilpatrick's cavalry, was to cross the Savannah at Sister's Ferry, and move up towards Augusta. The design of this disposition of forces was to confuse the Confederates as to Sherman's real objective point, and divide their forces at Augusta from those at Charleston and its vicinity, under the impression that each place was threatened; thus preventing their concentration, which might readily make the rivers successive lines of defence, and eluding any opposition until he had passed Columbia, which was really his first objective point. Howard's movement on the right threatened Charleston and Branchville; and while one division remained at Pocotaligo to keep up the appearance of marching on Charleston by the railroad bridge near that point, the remainder of the command moved up the Salkahatchie River, crossed, almost without opposition, what might have been made a line of strong defence, and pushed on for the Augusta and Charleston Railroad. On the 6th February, Howard occupied two points on this railroad, at Ramburg and at Midway, and commenced destroying the track. Sherman's left wing had struck the road further up, towards Augusta, and had also commenced the work of destruction. In reaching this important line of communication, Sherman's march had been tracked by fire. The well-known sight of columns of black smoke attested its progress. In Georgia not many dwelling-houses were burned; in South Carolina the rule was the other way, and positively everything was given to destruction and pillage. The country was converted into one vast bonfire. The pine forests were fired, the resin factories were fired, the public buildings and private dwellings were fired. The middle of the finest day looked black and gloomy, for a dense smoke arose on all sides, clouding the very heavens. At night the tall pine trees seemed so many pillars of fire. The scenes of license and plunder which attended these conflagrations were even more terrible. Long trains of fugitives lined the roads, with women and children, and horses and stock and cattle, seeking refuge from the pursuers. Long lines of wagon covered the highways. Half-naked people cowered from the winter under bush-tents in the thickets, under the eaves of houses, under the railroad sheds, and in old cars left them along the route. Habitation after habitation, village after village, sent up its signal flames to the others, and lighted the sky with crimson horrours. Granaries were emptied, and where the grain was not carried off, it was strewn to waste under the feet of the cavalry, or consigned to the fire which consumed the dwelling. The roads were covered with butchered cattle, hogs, mules, and the costliest furniture. Valuable cabinets, rich pianos, were not only hewn to pieces, but bottles of ink, turpentine, oil, whatever could efface or destroy, was employed to defile and ruin. Horses were |