supplies and defences, was marching his army straight into their power. An aroused people were to hang upon his flanks with fire and sword; before him would go destruction, and instead of making he would find destitution, while formidable combinations under great military leaders would confront and overwhelm his hunger-weakened troops. In the light of his march, such is now refreshing reading.

In Europe various opinions were expressed. The London Times said, "Since the great Duke of Marlborough turned his back upon the Dutch, and plunged heroically into Germany to fight the famous battle of Blenhiem, military history has recorded no stranger marvel than the mysterious expedition of General Sherman on an unknown route against an undiscoverable enemy;" and a military journal of England said, "He has done either one of the most brilliant or one of the most foolish things ever performed by a military leader."

At home, among loyal people, there was confidence mingled with serious apprehension. Thoughtful men said he will find the bulk of population largely made up of slaves, who will hail his coming as a deliverer, and there will be little bushwhacking, for the whites will not venture to provoke both an advancing army and a domestic force strong enough to crush them. Many feared that he would find it impossible to subsist his large force; others that he must fail in reducing strongly fortified places, and that his only success would be that of a raid on a gigantic scale. Others trembled lest Hood should crush Thomas, and then turn upon Sherman while armies from the coast should confront him, and secure his destruction. Sherman himself said, "If Thomas had not whipped Hood at Nashville, 600 miles away, all my plans would have failed, and I would have been denounced the world over, but I knew General Thomas, and the troops under his command, and never for a moment doubted a favorable result."

The army moved in four columns, on two general lines, Sherman being with Jeff. C. Davis' division. Howard with the right wing moved from Whitehall on the 15th. His force was in two columns, Osterhaus marching by Rough and Ready, and turning to the left toward McDonough, a short distance from Jonesboro, while Blair marched to McDonough via the direct road. Kilpatrick was with the right wing, and met the enemy's cavalry in force near East Point,

and drove it to the crossing of Flint River, and Osterhaus met it at one or two points. Howard marched on the 16th by three routes to the vicinity of McDonough. At Cotton River Osterhaus barely saved the bridge, fired by the retreating cavalry. Kilpatrick crossed the Flint near Jonesboro at 7 A. M., and chased the foe to Lovejoy's, where they had taken position in the old rebel works with two pieces of artillery. Murray's brigade was dismounted, and carried the works. Atkins pursued them, overtook them, made a brilliant charge and captured their artillery.

On the 17th, the right wing, still in three columns, reached Jackson; on the succeeding day the Ocmulgee was crossed; on the 19th, with much difficulty, the trains mounted a steep and slippery hill, and it was not until the morning of the 20th the troops were all over the river. On the 20th the force moved on Gordon in two columns, Kilpatrick via the Clinton road and river road toward Macon; Osterhaus toward Clinton, and Blair by Blountsville. Kilpatrick waited at Clinton until the infantry arrived, and advanced toward Macon; met the enemy on the left hand road four miles from the city, drove them in, and charged their works though defended by artillery strongly supported. He forced the head of the column into the defences, but could not hold them. He struck the railway, destroyed a mile of track and a train of cars. On the 21st he took an advanced position covering all the roads leading from Macon. By the 22d the entire right wing closed up near Gordon. A demonstration was made toward Macon. The rebel cavalry made a dash and captured a cavalry picket post, but after a spirited encounter was driven from the ground in disorder. In the afternoon Wolcott's brigade met a sharp attack from rebel infantry and artillery, but repulsed it; General Wolcott being wounded. Howard ordered an advance forward to secure Oconee bridge, and prepare it for crossing. On the 23d the entire wing was in or about Gordon, and Hazen's division of the old 15th was marching on Irwinton, while Blair was wrecking the Macon and Savannah Railway.

Slocum's command, the left wing of Sherman's grand army, left Atlanta on the 13th and on the Decatur road, and encamped that night near the Augusta railway, south of Stone Mountain. It moved along the Augusta railway, destroying it as far as Madison. It then

moved south upon Milledgeville, the capital of Georgia, which it reached on the 21st and 22d. Governor Brown and his legislature fled, forgetting the role of Rolla, which the people had been exhorted to play. The soldiers organized a legislature, and performed divers acts of legislation not precisely recognized by the Georgian Constitution or usual under its peculiar institutions.

Davis' 14th Army Corps moved from Altanta on the 16th, via Decatur and Covington. On the 18th it crossed Yellow River on pontoon bridges; on the 19th crossed the Ulcofauhatchee and marched to Shady Dale; on the 20th was at Eatonton Factories; on the 23d it went into camp near Milledgeville.

After our boys had adjourned their legislature they celebrated thanksgiving day in the heart of the rebellion. They were merry, and sang and shouted to their hearts' content. Turkeys and chickens were at every mess fire, and the exercises were enlivened by such national songs as

and

"John Brown's body lies mouldering in the grave,"

"We'll rally round the flag, boys,"

while the army poets improvised stanzas adapted to the occasion. The enemy was alarmed by the magnitude and celerity of these. movements, and made frantic appeals to the people to resist. Beauregard appears once more, as witness:

"CORINTH, November 18th,
"via SELMA, November 18th.f

"TO THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA.

"Arise for the defence of your native soil! Patriotic Governor and gallant soldiers. Obstruct and destroy all the roads in Sherman's front, flank and rear, and his army will soon starve in your midst. Be confident! Be resolute! Trust in an overruling Providence and success will soon crown your efforts. I hasten to join you in defence of your homes.

"G. T. BEAUREGARD."

Then spoke out the Georgia delegation in Congress as follows:

"RICHMOND, November 19th.

"TO THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA.

"We have had a special conference with President Davis and the Secretary of War, and are able to assure you that they have done and are still doing all that can be done to meet the emergency that presses upon you. Let every man fly to arms.

REBEL PRONUNCIAMENTOES.

273

Remove your negroes, horses, cattle and provisions from Sherman's army, and bura what you cannot carry. Burn all bridges and block up the roads in his route. Assail the invader in front, flank and rear, by night and day."

Safe advice given at the distance of Richmond, but not easy of execution to the "People of Georgia." Senator B. H. Hill issued his manifesto from Richmond also, addressed to the People of Georgia.

"You have now the best opportunity ever presented to you to destroy the enemy. Put everything at the disposition of our Generals, remove all provisions from the path of the invaders, and put all the obstructions you can in his way.

"Every citizen with his gun, and every negro with his spade and ax can do the work of a good soldier. You can destroy the enemy by retarding his march. Georgians, be firm! Act promptly, and fear not!"

And to this manifesto was appended

"I most cordially approve the above.

"JAMES A. SEDDEN, Secretary of War."

But in vain. The day had gone by when Beauregard's name was a tower of strength, or when the decree of Southern Congressional hotspurs could call armies into the field. Senator Hill was to see that the negroes could not be safely trusted either with spade or ax, as quasi soldiers of the C. S. A.

On the 27th and 28th both wings were temporarily encamped between Sandersville and Irwin's Cross Roads, in the vicinity of the Georgia Central Railway. Four large rivers lay at the outset in the line of Sherman's march, all tending southeasterly; viz., the Ocmulgee, Oconee, Ogeechee and Savannah, with smaller streams and much marshy ground between the last named two. The right wing passed the Oconee below the Oconee Bridge, and the left at Milledgeville. The Ogeechee was crossed at Finn's Bridge in the march from Sandersville, and the main army grouped about Louisville in Jefferson County, where it made a temporary halt, foraging, bringing in mules and horses, and "working on the railroad." A portion of the 15th Corps was left at Griswoldville to protect the rear in the march upon Milledgeville, which was furiously assaulted by three rebel brigades, which met a bloody repulse, leaving behind in killed and wounded nearly a thousand men. At Sandersville there was some skirmishing with Wheeler's cavalry.

General Kilpatrick had marched from Milledgeville toward Millen on the 25th, hoping to liberate our brave prisoners held in torture disgraceful to humanity, and a message was received from him on the 29th that he was ten miles from Louisville hard pressed by Wheeler's cavalry. He had struck the railway on the 27th, and had been constantly skirmishing with Wheeler, but had continued to destroy the road. At Waynesboro he learned that the prisoners had been removed two days before, and as the object of the expedi tion was frustrated, he prudently resolved to fall back and await the infantry. Atkins moved his brigade to the intersection of the Waynesboro and Louisville roads, where he was to have halted until Murray should move into the rear, but from some misunderstanding he moved on, and the remainder of the force was attacked and partly surrounded, but gallantly cut their way out, and the two detachments united, crossed Buckhead Creek, burned the bridge, and halted for needed rest two miles beyond. Word came that Wheeler was crossing with his entire force, and coming on in hot pursuit. Our force assumed the defensive with a strong position, the flanks thrown toward the rear, and such barricades as could be were provided. On came the rebel cavalry in fine style, making a desperate charge only to be repulsed and rolled back, inflicting slight loss upon Kilpatrick. Our force advanced a few miles, and again halted, and were not pursued. Reinforcements were sent, but were not needed, and on the 29th Kilpatrick joined the main army, taking position near the 14th Corps.

The rivers were crossed, the enemy had been beaten at every point, the army was enthusiastic-the way was open to the sea, and Sherman was ready to go.