05 FEB 1865 - Branchville
"The majority of the citizens here are of the same "cracker or sand hill" species we have found so plentiful everywhere we have been. I heard a soldier say to his comrade today the "the whole damned state was not worth the life of our Federal soldiers," He was about right. We everywhere hear the fear expressed of "Negro equality," while no one ever expressed a fear of equality with this class of "Southern white trash." They are lower than the negro in every respect, not excepting general intelligence, culture, and morality. A man not acquainted with this larger population of the South can form an idea of it in their style of living and cleanliness, &c. They are not fit to be kept in the same sty with a well-to- do farmer's hogs in New England. Once in ten or fifteen miles we find a plantation owned by a "reliable" man, a "first family" who lives in Charleston or Columbia, while every half mile we find a shanty with the poles a foot apart, a stick chimney, three or four half naked children, two or three with nothing but a shirt, but with an incrustation of dirt which entirely conceals the natural color; the mother with her person partially concealed by ragged cotton cloth and dirt combined. If you ask her where her husband is, the reply is "in the Army"... 12
07 FEB 1865 - Blackville "Our foraging parties are now gathering on the north side of the river more material than can be consumed, and large accumulations will be left in the morning... we find more supplies in this country than I feared we might. Chickens, sweet potatoes, fresh pork, and honey and fresh lard, all rewarded the zealous inquiries of our headquarters foragers today."13
"Our troops reached the R.R. about 2 P.M. .. There is a Gernam Jew who has a couple hundred bales of cotton and wants protection because he is a foreigner. He asks that his cotton be saved to pay some "beebles" [people] up in New York, who he owes some "little debts." He will hardly save the cotton. "14
"I visited today the residence of William Gilmore Simms, the South Carolina novelist and author of "Marion" &c. He has evacuated but has left a very ardent secesh family to protect the residence and library for him. He has a fine library. I think it will be saved, but I should have no objection to seeing it burned... many books from his library, bearing his autograph, found their way into camp, and were carried away by the men as mementoes." 15 > 02 FEB 1865 - Rivers' Bridge - Salkehatchire River. Federal losses about a dozen men killed and wounded. Confederate dead reported by Federal forces - four.
"We took last evening seven prisoners, and this morning picked up a few more. We learn that the 5th, 37th, 47th Georgia Infantry Regiments were here also 5th South Carolina Artillery, 4th Tennessee Cavalry, also two companies of Texas Cavalry, in all 2700 men, commanded by Colonel Harrison, 32nd Ga. Infantry."9
"At McBride's plantation, where Sherman had his headquarters, the out-houses, offices, shanties, and surroundings were all set on fire before he left. I think the fire approaching the dwelling hastened his departure... In Georgia few houses were burned; here few escaped, and 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 rose on all sides clouding the very heavens - at night the tall pine trees seemed so many huge pillars of fire. The flames hissed and screeched, as they fed on the fat resin and dry branches, imparting to the forest a most fearful appearance... The ruins of homesteads of the Palmetto State will long be remembered. The army might safely march the darkest night, the crackling pine woods shooting up their columns of flame, and the burning houses along the way would light it on, while the dark clouds and pillars of smoke would safely cover its rears. I hazard nothing in saying that three-fifths of value of the personal property of the counties we passed through were taken by Sherman's army." 10
03 FEB 1865 - Federal forces reach the Salkahatchie river.
"The actual invasion of South Carolina has begun... The well-known sight of columns of black smoke meets our gaze again; this time houses are burning, and South Carolina has commenced to pay an installment, long overdue, on her debt to justice and humanity. With the help of God, we will have principal and interest before we leave her borders. There is a terrible gladness in the realization of so many hopes and wishes. This cowardly traitor state, secure from harm, as she thought, in her central position, with hellish haste dragged her Southern sisters into the caldron of secession. Little did she dream that the hated flag would again wave over her soil; but this bright morning a thousand Union banners are floating in the breeze, and the ground trembles beneath the tramp of thousands of brave Northmen, who know their mission, and will perform it to the end." 11
| Contents |
 |
|
|
|||||
John C. Rigdon | |||||
|
|||||
