Garden's Corners, holding the cross-roads and watching the crossings of the Combahee. I omitted to state in connection with the foregoing operations that the enemy destroyed three bridges fifty or sixty feet in length, and partially destroyed a fourth in our front, between Garden's Corners and Pocotaligo. They were quickly repaired by using abandoned buildings. The first stage in the operations assigned to me was now accomplished, but from the difficulty of getting supplies through the obstructions at Savannah, and from the tremendous freshet that followed several days of heavy rain, considerable delay was occasioned in other parts of the proposed plan. Major-General Logan continued to transport the troops of his command by water until the 17th of January, when he was directed to march what might be left at Savannah by the Union Causeway. A portion of one division, General John E. Smith's, succeeded in getting through by that route. The water soon flooded the road and it became perfectly impassable; therefore the general continued to embark his command for Beaufort, S. C., till he had ferried over everything except his Fourth Division, under General Corse. Major-General Foster had replaced my bridge at Port Royal Ferry. General Blair had established a depot on the Pocotaligo, about seven miles from the railroad station, which light-draught vessels were able to reach at high water.

By the 28th of January the Fifteenth Corps, three divisions being near Garden's Corners and Port Royal Ferry, with the Seventeenth Corps and the bridge train, was prepared to move forward in accordance with Special Field Orders, No. 19, from your headquarters, excepting that General Corse had been instructed to follow the Left Wing, to form a junction with us as soon as an opportunity should offer.

In compliance with a letter of instructions from your headquarters my Special Field Orders, No. 25, dated January 28, were issued, and the movements of the 29th and 30th followed. General Logan encamped near McPhersonville, General Blair abreast of him, on the river road, reconnoitering to Tenant's Branch. A division of General Foster's, under General Hatch, occupied the position near Pocotaligo and reconnoitered toward the Salkehatchie bridge. The command remained substantially in the same position during the 31st of January, excepting that one division of the Seventeenth Corps, under Brigadier General Force, made a demonstration of crossing the Salkehatchie in the direction of our right rear. He effected this by cutting wood, building fires, displaying a large skirmish line, the beating of drams, &c. The enemy opposed a considerable force of infantry and artillery.

The general-in-chief having become satisfied that the Left Wing was crossing the Savannah, permitted us to resume the march February 1. I moved General Blair to Whippy Swamp and General Logan to the vicinity of Hickory Hill Post-Office. The former encountered the enemy's cavalry soon after leaving camp and skirmished all day. Whippy Swamp Creek was reached about 1 p. m. General Blair found the road obstructed with felled trees and five small bridges destroyed. The obstructions were quickly cleared away, bridges built, the causeway corduroyed in part, and one division (Mower's) moved across to the other side. Lieut. William N. Taylor, assistant to my chief of artillery, was severely wounded in the skirmish at the creek. The enemy's force was estimated at 600 cavalry, that took the direction of Whippy Swamp Post-Office, and some forty or fifty more who defended the crossing in General Blair's front.

General Logan also met the enemy's cavalry and cleared away considerable obstructions. At points his road was filled with trees continu

13 R R-VOL XLVII, PT I

ously for five or six miles. Our men made short work of clearing away these obstacles, going at it joyously and declaring that they can remove them quicker than the rebels can make them.

The next day General Blair crossed one of his remaining divisions over Whippy Swamp and sent the other (General Force's) to a crossing higher up, opposite Angley's Post-Office. General Mower had the advance of the right column. On reaching the road leading to Broxton's Bridge he made a reconnaissance in force, developed a long skirmish line, a battery of artillery, and breast-works. The bridge over the Salkehatchie at this point was a continuous one and thoroughly destroyed. Leaving a regiment at this point to make a diversion, Mower pushed on rapidly to Rivers' Bridge, five miles above, hindered the enemy from destroying it, but was stopped by a furious discharge of musketry and artillery bearing on the narrow causeway-approach and all from behind works constructed on a bluff that was enough higher than the causeway to make the fire effective. Here the brave and excellent Colonel Swayne, of the Forty-third Ohio, lost a leg, and five or six other casualities occurred. During part of the day the Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry led the skirmishers and made several gallant charges against the enemy's cavalry, in one of which Lieutenant-Colonel Kirby, of General Blair's staff, was wounded.

The next day General Blair continued his operations. General Giles A. Smith's division was sent two miles below and crossed the Salkehatchie with its immense swamp and numerous branches by wading, while Mower confronted the works directly and cut two infantry roadways a mile and a half in length to enable him to turn the enemy to the north. Here the officers and men worked all day in the water and mud, often waist deep. Just at dark two of Mower's brigades had overcome all obstacles and got upon the enemy's right flank beyond his intrenchments. He had his rear open and succeeded in escaping with the exception of a few prisoners (about thirty reported). General Smith skirmished heavily with a force toward his right and prevented any assistance to the enemy from Broxton's Bridge.

I visited the field just after General Mower had carried the works. The position was as good for defense as any I ever saw, with abatis or slashing covering its front, and that undescribable river with its swamp to discourage every approach. General Blair's loss in this action was 10 or 12 killed and about 70 wounded. Enemy's loss, some 20 killed and 150 wounded.

Correspondent to General Blair's movement General Logan was to have reached Angley's Post-Office, but the general-in-chief held him back to enable the movement of the Left Wing to be co-operative, so that his head of column only reached that point on the evening of the 3d of February. The same day General Force closed up to Rivers' Bridge. On the 4th General Logan moved two divisions to Buford's Bridge and closed up the remainder of his column to Angley's PostOffice. He only reported skirmishing with enemy's cavalry, heavy roads sometimes obstructed and always to be corduroyed through the swamps and low ground.

Buford's Bridge (or bridges, as the river has some fifteen or more channels at this point) afforded a military position of equal difficulty with that at Rivers', but the enemy abandoned it as soon as we broke through below.

Great pains were taken to organize regular and efficient foraging parties for each brigade, battery, &c. They were permitted to mount themselves and required to bring in horses, mules, cattle, and all kinds

of food for men and animals. They were, however, prohibited by the most stringent instructions from disturbing the private houses and taking such things as money, jewelry, watches, and other private prop erty that the imperative necessity of the army did not demand. The inhabitants had cleared away nearly all the produce of the country west of the Salkehatchie. As soon as we had broken this line an abundant supply was open to us. The people were terrified at the extravagant reports regarding us, and buried everything that they could of value. The soldiers became very expert in discovering and exhuming these valuables, and always regarded them as their legitimate prize captures. In spite of every precaution to check it the system of foraging operated to loosen the restraints of discipline, and many acts were committed that every right-minded officer deprecates.

On Sunday (the 5th of February) my command simply crossed the river at Rivers' and Buford's Bridges, preparatory to advance. The 6th both corps moved to the Little Salkehatchie. General Logan found the enemy in some force at his crossing near Duncansville, but soon dislodged him and then rebuilt the bridge, 100 feet in length. General Blair did the same at the Cowpen Ford, constructing bridges to the extent of 260 feet. During the 7th both corps reached the Augusta and Charleston Railroad, the Fifteenth at Bamberg and the Seventeenth about four miles to the east of Midway. The Seventeenth was hindered en route by barricades, felled trees, and the bridges which were destroyed across Lemon Swamp. Both corps had considerable bad road to corduroy. The road' was made worse by a heavy rain all day that had commenced the night before. On arrival at the railroad reconnaissances were made to the several bridges across the Edisto. Holman's Bridge, Binnaker's, Cannon's, the railroad bridge, and Walker's were severally destroyed by the enemy on the approach of our forces. The 8th was spent in destroying the railroad. The Seventeenth Corps destroyed from the Edisto toward Bamberg to a point about half-way between. that place and Midway, and the Fifteenth Corps from that point on to Blackville; whole distance about twentyfour miles. The ties were all burned and the rails for the most part twisted. At this point General Logan's Fourth Division, under General Corse, formed a junction with him. The general-in-chief at this time encamped with the Fifteenth Corps, near Lowry's Station, and there issued his Special Field Orders, No. 25, that required me to move on Orangeburg.

Thursday, February 9, General Blair moved his command to the vicinity of Binnaker's Bridge, his head of column reaching that place about 12 m. As soon as our troops appeared the enemy opened from an intrenched position on the other side of the river with artillery and musketry. General Mower, who had the advance, immediately constructed a raft, and sending over a few men secured a lodgment on the other bank. By 6 p. m. he had a pontoon laid over which he began to cross his infantry. He pushed on, bearing to the right through a wide swamp, the men often wading through water three feet deep. By 9 p. m. he had gained the mainland and opened a skirmish with the enemy to the left and rear of his intrenched position. The enemy instantly fled, and General Blair had the bridge properly laid in the direction of the main road and a bridge-head constructed. Simultaneously with this movement General Logau had sent General Hazen's division to Holman's Bridge. He had crossed the river and penetrated nearly through the swamp above the old bridge, when he postponed

further operations until the morning. At daylight he found that the enemy had left his front. He therefore prepared the crossing of the South Fork of the Edisto at that place.

On the 11th the command marched as follows: Seventeenth Corps followed by a division of the Fifteenth, direct toward Orangeburg. The other three divisions of the Fifteenth Corps toward the same point along the Holman's Bridge road. General Force's division led the right column, and reached the Orangeburg bridge about 11 a. m. This bridge is over the North Fork of the Edisto. The stream is much of the same character as the others in this country, i. e., having several channels and bordered by wide swamps. The trees in these swamps, very many of them the cypress, are for the most part close together, and afford the soldier some compensation for the mud and water that he has to wade through, since they are a good protection against musketry. On arriving in sight of the bridge General Force developed, by his skirmishers, artillery commanding the main road, supported, as usual, by infantry in intrenchments. After careful reconnaissances General Blair discovered the extent of the enemy's skirmish line below, and found an open field, where the main stream ran near the west side of the swamp. The mounted infantry were sent down to make a demonstration at Rowe's Bridge, and General Blair made every preparation for forcing a crossing. General Logan moved to Poplar Springs during the day, and pushed forward some mounted men to Shilling's Bridge, six miles above Orangeburg.

The next day, the 12th, the Fifteenth Corps moved to Shilling's Bridge, where General Logan effected a crossing at two points, above and below the bridge, using the divisions of Major-General Hazen and Bvt. Maj. Gen. John E. Smith. He found the enemy strongly posted behind works across the river and swamp. The enemy's position was completely turned and his retreat so nearly cut off that great numbers of his men threw away their arms and ran. He captured 80 prisoners and about 200 stand of arms. Three of the enemy were killed and quite a number wounded. General Logan's loss was 1 killed and 5 wounded. Meanwhile General Blair continued his operations, General Giles A. Smith operating with his division upon the direct front, skirmishing with the enemy, and replying to his artillery fire by a battery carefully intrenched, whilst General Force quietly laid his bridge two miles below, crossed over to the mainland, suddenly appearing upon the enemy's left flank and rear. The country was so open that the enemy was able to escape. General Blair took some 10 or 12 prisoners. General Giles A. Smith noticed the first yielding of the enemy, and followed so closely as to meet the head of General Force's column near the depot. The Seventeenth Corps immediately set to work destroying the railroad toward Branchville-destroying about six miles in that direction. Soon after entering the town of Orangeburg a fire broke out in the upper story of a store building. The incendiary work was reported to have been done by a Jew, who was angry because the rebel cavalry had burned his cotton. The wind was high and the fire spread rapidly, consuming the poorer part of the town before its progress could be arrested. Our soldiers finally got it under control and prevented its spreading farther. Some 200 bales of cotton that the rebels had spared were carefully burned by our troops.

The next day, the 13th, General Blair continued the destruction of the railroad, making complete work up to the State road, a distance of thirteen or fourteen miles from Orangeburg. His mounted men were sent forward beyond the State road aud destroyed all the trestle-work

and bridges up to the Santee River. The rebels who were defending the railroad bridge set it on fire on their approach. Meanwhile General Logan marched in two columns, one on the right and the other on the left of Caw Caw Swamp, reaching Sandy Run Post-Office on the evening of the 14th. General Blair closed up to the same point during the 14th. One division having gone on to improve the destruction of the road toward Fort Motte, marched toward Sandy Run Post-Office by the river road, along the Congaree.

On the evening of the 15th I wrote to the general in-chief as follows: NEAR CONGAREE CREEK, S. C., February 15, 1865.

Maj. Gen. W. T. SHERMAN,

Commanding Military Division of the Mississippi: GENERAL: General Logan advanced at 7 a. m. to-day, his First Division, MajorGeneral Woods, leading. He came upon the enemy's cavalry a short distance from camp and skirmished with them (the rebels), driving them from different lines of rail piles till they reached the Congaree Creek. Here the enemy opened with artillery upon our advance. General Woods confronted the enemy's line with his skirmishers and first worked to the right in order to ascertain the character of the position, and to turn the enemy's left. Failing to dislodge him, I directed General Logan to develop his line farther to the (our) left. He deployed one brigade of General Woods' division about half a mile to the left of the State road, and pushed it on until the skirmish line had waded through a large swamp and come upon the bank of the Congaree Creek. A section of De Gress' battery opened on the enemy's front just as this movement was going on on the flank. The rebels gave way, crossed the bridge, set it on fire, and fired on our skirmishers with artillery and musketry from their works on the other side. Soon the skirmishers crossed the creek about half a mile north of the bridge when the enemy gave way and retreated to a new line about two miles nearer Columbia. The bridge partially burned was made passable for infantry and artillery in about ten minutes; the column commenced crossing and followed up the enemy, skirmishing most of the way. At dark General Logan placed two divisions in position on the high ground beyond the Congaree Creek. General Blair moved his command to the vicinity of Taylor's Mill. The enemy has abandoned his front, and he will repair the bridge across Congaree and be ready to cross in the morning. The casualties of to-day in General Logan's corps are 6 killed and 18 wounded. Major Perkins, picket officer of General Woods, was wounded, but not seriously. During the above operations General J. E. Smith made a diversion by threatening to cross the Congaree River at Bates' Ferry. The same vigor aud boldness that have characterized our men during the hardships of this campaign were again exhibited to-day. You yourself understand the difficulties of the ground, the mud, the water, swamps, the deep creeks, and ditches that they had to overcome in order to get at the enemy.

Very respectfully,

O. O. HOWARD,
Major-General.

Just at dark on the evening of the 15th the enemy appeared to have taken up a new position, thoroughly intrenched, some two or three miles south of the Columbia bridge. During the night he fired from a battery just south of Columbia, near the city, upon General Hazen's sleeping camp, but no return shots were fired. On the morning of the 16th the works in our front were abandoned and the enemy's force had crossed the bridges and they were burned. The two corps soon concentrated opposite Columbia, and the Left Wing met us at the same point. It should be remembered that the Saluda and Broad unite just above Columbia and form the Congaree. The Congaree is very wide, and we feared that it would be difficult to bridge it safely with the material we had, particularly as the river was high and very swift. The general-in-chief directed me to cross the Saluda at the factory about a mile above. A demonstration was made by placing batteries in position to silence those, before described, on the other side of the river, and a section was directed to fire upon some rebel troops in the