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CH. XIX.]

FAYETTEVILLE, N. C., HOW SERVED.

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destroying the bridge at that point. Ammunition, stores, railroad trestles, etc., found here were destroyed.

The columns were again put in motion, directed on Fayetteville, N. C., the right wing crossing the Pedee at Cheraw, and the left wing and cavalry at Sneedsborough. The weather continued bad,, and the roads were any thing but good; but the 14th and 17th corps reached Fayetteville on the 11th of March, skirmishing with Hampton's cavalry, that covered the rear of Hardee's retreating troops. The three following days were passed at Fayetteville,

doubt, would attract the attention of all the force the enemy could collect and facilitate the execution of this. Stoneman was so late in making his start on this expedition, February 27th, and Sherman having passed out of the state of South Carolina, Grant directed Thomas to change his course, and or dered him to repeat his raid of last fall, destroying the railroad toward Lynchburg as far as he could. This would keep him between our garrisons in East Tennessee and the enemy. It was regarded as not impossible that, in the event of the enemy being driven from Richmond, he might fall back to Lynch-destroying absolutely the United States burg, and attempt a raid north through East Tennessee. About the middle of February, Thomas was directed to start the expedition, consisting of 4,000 to 5,000 cavalry, as soon as he could get it under way

Columbia having fallen on the 17th of February, Slocum moved on Winns borough, which was reached on the 21st, the roads being destroyed, and a further movement made to Rocky Mount on the Catawba River. This was crossed on the 23d, and the cavalry marched to Lancaster, to keep up the delusion of a movement on Charlotte, N. C., to which Beauregard, with all the rebel cavalry, had retreated from Columbia. Very heavy rains caused considerable delay in advancing; on the 26th of February, however, the Catawba was crossed, and the left wing put in motion for Cheraw. The right wing was also delayed by bad roads, and by skirmishes with the rebel cavalry. On the 3d of March, Cheraw was entered, the enemy retreating across the Pedee, and

arsenal and the vast amount of machin-
ery which had formerly belonged to the
old Harper's Ferry United States arse-
nal. Every building was knocked down
and burned, and every piece of ma-
chinery utterly broken up and ruined
by the engineers, under the immediate
supervision of Col. Poe, chief engineer.
Much valuable property of great use to
the enemy was here destroyed or cast
into the river. "Up to this period,"
says Sherman, in his report, "I had per-
fectly succeeded in interposing my supe-
rior army between the scattered parts
of the enemy. But I was then aware
that the fragments that had left Co-
lumbia, under Beauregard, had been
reinforced by Cheatham's corps
from the west, and the garrison
of Augusta, and that ample time had
been given to move them to my front
and flank about Raleigh. Hardee had
also succeeded in getting across Cape
Fear River ahead of me, and could
therefore complete the junction with the
other armies of Johnston and Hoke in

1865.

North Carolina. And the whole, under the command of the skilful and experienced Joe Johnston, made up an army superior to me in cavalry, and formida ble enough in artillery and infantry to justify me in extreme caution in making the last step necessary to complete the march I had undertaken."

Smithfield, or Goldsborough. Slocum was ordered to dislodge Hardee, and clear the road for the advance. This was done, after a severe contest, at a place called Averysborough, our loss being about 600. The rebel loss was probably much greater.

On the 18th of March, when near Bentonville, the rebels attacked Slocum's head of column, gaining a temporary advantage, and took three guns and caissons, driving the two leading brigades back on the main body. As soon as Gen. Slocum realized that he had in his front the whole rebel force under Johnston, he promptly deployed the two divisions of the 14th corps, Gen. Davis, and rapidly brought up on their left the two divisions of the 20th corps, Gen. Williams. These he arranged on the defensive, and hastily prepared a line of barricades. Gen. Kilpatrick also came up at the sound of artillery, and massed on the left. In this position the left received six distinct assaults by the combined forces of Hoke, Hardee, and Cheatham, under the immediate command of Johnston himself, without giving an inch of ground, and doing good execution on the enemy's ranks, especially with our artillery, the enemy having little or

Sherman next sent word to Terry at Wilmington, and Schofield at Newbern, that, on Wednesday, March 15th, he would move for Goldsborough, feigning on Raleigh, and giving them orders to march straight for Goldsborough, which place he expected to reach about the 20th. The column from Newbern, we may here mention, was attacked on the 8th of March, at Wise's Forks, and driven back with the loss of several hundred prisoners. On the 11th, the rebels renewed the attack on our entrenched position, but were repulsed with severe loss, and fell back during the night. On the 14th, the Neuse River was crossed and Kinston occupied, and on the 21st, Goldsborough was entered. The column from Wilmington reached Cox's bridge, on the Neuse River, ten miles above Goldsborough, on the 22d of March. On the 15th, as above indicated, Sherman resumed his advance on Goldsborough. The weather continued unfavorable, none. Reinforcements were brought and the roads were proportionably bad up during the night of the 19th and and difficult to travel over. Hardee, on the 20th of March. The next night on retreating from Fayetteville, had halted in the swampy district between Cape Fear and South Rivers, having, it was supposed, about 20,000 men, and being in hope of delaying Sherman, so as to gain time for Johnston to concentrate the rebel troops either at Raleigh,

the enemy retreated to Smithfield, leaving the dead and wounded in the hands of our men. Slocum reported the loss on the left wing at 1,250, he having taken 338 prisoners. Howard's loss on the right was reported at 400; prisoners taken, about 1,200. Thus, as

CB. XIX.]

CONCLUSION OF SHERMAN'S MARCH.

Sherman states, "we had completed our march on the 21st of March, and had full possession of Goldsborough, the real 'objective,' with its two railroads back to the seaport of Wilmington and Beaufort, N. C. These were being rapidly repaired by strong work1865. ing parties, directed by Col. W. Wright, of the railroad department. A large number of supplies had already been brought forward to Kinston, to which place our wagons had been sent to receive them. I therefore directed Gen. Howard and the cavalry to remain at Bentonville during the 22d, to bury the dead and remove the wounded, and on the following day all the armies to move to the camps assigned them about Goldsborough, there to rest and receive the clothing and supplies of which they stood in need."

Sherman entered Goldsborough in person, on the 23d of March, where he met Schofield and his army. The left wing came in during the same day and next morning, and the right wing followed on the 24th, on which day the cavalry moved to Mount Olive Station, and Gen. Terry back from Cox's Bridge to Falson's. On the 25th, the Newbern Railroad was finished, and the first train of cars came in, thus furnishing the means of bringing from the depot at Morehead City full supplies to the army. Anxious to see and consult with the commander-in-chief, Sherman, on the 27th of March, visited Grant at City Point, returning to his headquart ers at Goldsborough, on the 30th. He stated, says Grant, in his report, "that he would be ready to move, as he had previously written me, by the 10th of

525

April, fully equipped and rationed for twenty days, if it should become necessary to bring his command to bear against Lee's army, in co-operation with our forces in front of Richmond and Petersburg. Gen. Sherman proposed, in this movement, to threaten Raleigh, and then, by turning suddenly to the right, reach the Roanoke at Gaston or thereabouts, whence he could move on to the Richmond and Danville Railroad, striking it in the vicinity of Burkesville, or join the armies operating against Richmond, as might be deemed best. This plan he was directed to carry into execution, if he received no further directions in the meantime. I explained to him the movement I had ordered to commence on the 29th of March. That if it should not prove as entirely successful as I hoped, I would cut the cavalry loose to destroy the Danville and Southside Railroads, and thus deprive the enemy of further supplies, and also prevent the rapid concentration of Lee's and Johnston's armies."

Thus, as we have briefly narrated, Sherman's army traversed the country from Savannah to Goldsborough, with an average breadth of forty miles, consuming all the forage, cattle, hogs, sheep, poultry, cured meats, corn meal, etc., and compelling the rebels to seek for food for the inhabitants from other quarters. "Of course," Sherman states, in his report, "the abandonment to us by the enemy of the whole sea-coast from Savannah to Newbern, North Carolina, with its forts, dock-yards, gun boats, etc., was a necessary incident to our occupation and destruction of the

inland routes of travel and supply. But In closing his communication to Gen. the real object of this march was to Halleck, under date of April 4th, Sher place this army in a position easy of man speaks in the highest terms of supply, whence it could take an appro- praise of his officers and men, and com priate part in the spring and summer mends them all for the soldierly quali campaign of 1865. This was completely ties of obedience to orders, and the accomplished on March 21st, by the utmost alacrity which was always manijunction of the three armies and the fested when danger summoned them to occupation of Goldsborough." the front.

CHAPTER XX.

1865.

FALL OF RICHMOND: SURRENDER OF LEE: THE REBELLION BROKEN IN PIECES.

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Grant's anxiety as to Lee's movements - Sends Sheridan to cut off Lee's communications - Sheridan's successful raid, starting from Winchester- Position of military affairs-Grant's instructions-Lee's attack on Fort Steadman - How repulsed- Important success- - Grant orders the army to move - Grant's note to Sheridan Movement from Dinwiddie Court House Further steps- - Attack on Warren's corps Battle of Five Forks - Attack on Petersburg, April 1st - Rebel defeat - Lee notifies Davis that Petersburg and Richmond must be given up - Both places occupied by our troops - Andrew Johnson's speech -Jeff. Davis's flight from Richmond - His style of talking-Lee's retreat and hopes - No supplies at Amelia Court House Lee in haste to escape- Hotly pursued by Sheridan-The latter secures the posi tion at Farmville-Battle at Sailor's Creek - Rebel loss heavy - Race nearly at an end-Grant's correspondence with Lee - Sheridan at Appomattox Station --The surrender of Lee-Terms liberal — How carried out The "Confederacy" in ruins - Sherman and Johnston-Latter surrenders - Dick Taylor and K. Smith surrender.

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GEN. GRANT, well aware of the posi- all Grant's efforts were devoted to the tion of affairs in the "Confederacy," as encircling and enclosing Lee in suchwell as in the loyal states, was desirous wise as that he could not escape, and of carrying forward operations so as to must, of course, speedily surrender; and bring the war to an effectual conclusion with his surrender, as every one knew, by the capture of Lee's army, the rebellion would be crushed for 1865. and he took his measures ac- ever. cordingly. He was very anxious lest Lee, finding the case hopeless, should abandon his position, and before Grant could prevent it, form a junction with Johnston's force, and thus protract the contest still further elsewhere." Hence,

* "At this time (March, 1865) the greatest source of uneasiness to me was the fear that the enemy would

leave his strong lines about Petersburg and Richmond, for the purpose of uniting with Johnston, before he

was driven from them by battle, or I was prepared to I had spent

make an effectual pursuit.

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days of anxiety lest each morning should bring the report that the enemy had retreated the night before.

I was firmly convinced that Sherman's crossing the Roanoke would be the signal for Lee to leave; with Johnston and him combined, a long, tedious, and expensive compaign, consuming most of the summer, might become necessary."--Grant's "Report," pp. 61-64

CH. XX.]

SHERIDAN'S SUCCESSFUL RAID.

527

1865.

It was deemed of the utmost import- seventeen battle-flags, were captured. ance by Grant that, before a general The prisoners, under an escort of 1,500 movement of the armies operating men, were sent back to Winchester. against Richmond, all communications Thence Sheridan marched on Charlot with the city, north of James River, tesville, destroying effectually the railshould be cut off. The rebels had with road and bridges as he went, which drawn the bulk of their force from the place he reached on the 3d of March. Shenandoah Valley and sent it south, Here he remained two days, destroying or replaced troops sent from Richmond, the railroad toward Richmond and and as Grant desired to reinforce Sher- Lynchburg, including the large iron man, if practicable, whose cavalry was bridges over the north and south forks greatly inferior in numbers to that of of the Rivanna River, and awaiting the the enemy, he determined to make a arrival of his trains. This necessary move from the Shenandoah, which, if delay caused him to abandon the idea successful, would accomplish the first of capturing Lynchburg. On the mornat least, and very possibly the latter of ing of the 6th of March, divid these objects. Sheridan, accordingly, ing his force into two columns, received orders, February 20th, to start Sheridan sent one to Scottsville, whence on his great raid against Lee's commu- it marched up the James River Canal to nications, by way of Lynchburg, and New Market, destroying every lock, and thence to destroy the railroad and in many places the bank of the canal. canal in every direction, so as to render From here a force was pushed out from them useless to the rebels. this column to Duiguidsville, to ob tain possession of the bridge across the James River at that place, but it failed. The enemy burned it on the approach of our troops. They also burned the bridge across the river at Hardwicksville. The other column moved down the railroad toward Lynchburg, destroying it as far as Amherst Court House, sixteen miles from Lynchburg; thence across the country, uniting with the column at New Market. The river being very high, Sheridan's pontoons would not reach across it; and the rebels having destroyed the bridges by which he had hoped to cross the river and get on the Southside Railroad about Farmville, and destroy it to Appomattox Court House, the only thing left for him was to return to Winchester..

Sheridan moved from Winchester on the 27th of February, with two divisions of cavalry, numbering about 5,000 each. On the 1st of March, he secured the bridge, which the rebels attempted to destroy, across the middle fork of the Shenandoah, at Mount Crawford, and entered Staunton on the 2d, the enemy having retreated on Waynesborough. Thence he pushed on to Waynesborough, where he found the enemy in force in an entrenched position, under Gen. Early. Without stop ping even to make a reconnaissance, an immediate attack was begun, the position was carried, and 1,600 prisoners, eleven pieces of artillery, with horses and caissons complete, 200 wagons and teams loaded with subsistence, and

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