334 NortruH Caroitina Troops, 1861-65.

Ogeechee river bridge, made temporary rifle pits and in two
days, the dark, blue lines showed up and the business pro-
ceeded. We were soon brushed away by a line of battle, not,
however, until that said crooked finger got in some work.
What their loss was we never knew. We lost several, among
them Sergeant-Major Daniel Young, a brother of the Major.
Captain McCauley was in command of the skirmishers and
afterwards remarked that according to tactics he took posi-
tion eighty paces in rear and got behind a big stump (as the
tactics said cover when convenient), when the firing com-
menced he looked out on one side and zip! came a ball; pretty
soon he looked on the other side and zip! came another, as
the firing increased he thought he would look over and see
what the boys were doing and he thinks there came three or
four baskets full of bullets all around and over him. About
that time he saw the boys coming back right lively and not
desiring to go contrary to the tactics, maintained his distance
pretty well. The Yanks did not push fast, but just came
gradually and moved us a little every day clear back to near
Savannah, which was nicely entrenched on an old canal.
Here commenced a siege which was kept up for several days,
and a head could not show above the works without danger.
The boys soon got used to it and were soon old veterans. We
were here brigaded with the Fiftieth North Carolina Regi-
ment, a part of the Thirty-sixth or Fortieth (they also were
heavy artillery from Wilmington), some Georgia Reserves
and the Seventh Regiment North Carolina Senior Reserves
(or Seventy-seventh North Carolina), and commanded by
Colonel Wash. Hardy, of the Sixtieth North Carolina, who
had been (I think) captured in some of the up Georgia battles
and exchanged. We all learned to love him for his bravery
and kind-heartedness. He always called us his “people.” He
appointed on his staff Lieutenants W. H. Borden and J. W.
Edmonson, of the Fiftieth Regiment, and occasionally I had
the honor of so serving. I do not think he knew what fear
was.

This organization was maintained, practically, to the sur-
render at Greensboro. Some changes were made at the re-

 

 

Trento BAtrTrAaLion. 335

organization of the army by Johnston, at or near Smithfield,
N. €.

THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA.

About 22 December, 1864, Savannah was, in the night time,
quietly evacuated undisturbed. ,We crossed Savannah river
on a long, shaky pontoon bridge that felt dangerous, and I
think some unruly horses and cannon went overboard. The
next morning found us among the great rice fields of South
Carolina on our retreat, to be followed by the withering and
devastating tramp of Sherman and his bummers and robbing
camp followers. The courses of his three corps could be dis-
tinguished by the columns of dark smoke from burning dwell-
ings and other property by day and weird lights from the
same by night. The glorious Palmetto State was in the coils
of the Python. Her citizens were insulted and outraged and
their homes destroyed. Her beautiful capital, Columbia, the
pride of the State, was laid in ashes and its charred remains
and silent chimneys left to mark the destroyer’s vengeance.
This is war, and Sherman said war was hell and it was such,
with him. There was little fighting on this mighty retreat.
When Johnston made a stand, Sherman just came up, sat
down with part of his army and just simply outstretched us
on one side or the other and we had to fall back or be sur-
rounded.

At Salkehatchie bridge 8 February, 1865, we were so
closely pressed that we failed to set fire to the kindling to burn
it. A hot fire was kept up by the Yankees and General Mc-
Laws asked for two volunteers from the Tenth Battalion to
burn the bridge. Sergeant J. E. Harriss, of Company A, and
Private H. M. Underwood, of Company D, promptly stepped
out and said “Here we are.” The General gave them orders,
and at the same time ordered a battery to “shell the woods.”
These men walked as straight to that bridge and fired it, as
they would to a dinner table. On their return they were
cheered and General McLaws complimented them and pre-
sented them with a thirty days’ furlough with transportation
attached, on the spot. They went home and returned in time
for the battle of Bentonville where both were wounded in my

 

ARSE ANTRAL PIR RIN*

a mepemenns