mington to the ocean, is more strongly fortified than any one of our northern harbors, or any river in the world-nineteen forts and batteries line its approaches within the short distance named, all of the heaviest character, most scientifically constructed, and thoroughly armed-three lines of formidable obstructions, consisting of piles, torpedoes, sunken ships and cribs, chain cable, and rafts of heavy timber securely fastened together. The entire front of this line, was covered by succession of lakes and deep swamps, stretching from the river to the ocean, and only crossed by two narrow causeways. Then three miles outside of these works was a second strong line. The city was capable of stronger defense than any we have taken during the war. Its only lack was in men.

"Schofield was most heartily congratulated on all sides for this flattering result of his combination. Only one division, the 3d, and one brigade, Moore's, of the 2d Army Corps, were engaged. The remainder of the 23d Corps did not arrive. The total loss on both sides of the river after Schofield took command, will fall a trifle below 200. This was owing to the fact that the position assaulted could be turned. But few citizens left the city, except such as the enemy forced to enter the ranks. All able-bodied men hid themselves and thronged the streets as soon as our forces entered. The ladies were also out in force, and the negroes crowded all the aveNot a symptom of animosity was displayed by man, woman or child throughout the day. Early in the morning a large class of citizens began to help themselves to goods in various stores, but a provost guard soon stopped this traffic, so peculiar to rebel towns.

nues.

"The city contains a number of very fine church edifices and public buildings, and many beautiful private residences, but these serve to make the general shabbiness of the rest more conspicuous. The Union prisoners had been confined at Camp Lamb, about nine miles from the city, and their treatment was worthy of fiends from hell. Though agreements for a general exchange had been completed at Richmond, the starving process goes on. For three days before the evacuation, these prisoners had not received a mouthful to eat.

"To the credit of citizens, many attempts were made to relieve them, but food in all cases was taken away from them by order of the officer in command, and trodden into the ground before the eyes

of prisoners and citizens. It was thought that 700 were recovered, but many in a dying condition. All which has appeared in the public prints in regard to this matter, utterly fails to prepare one for the awful reality.

"After nerving myself for the visit, and trying to picture all its horrors, while riding slowly over a mile to the house where they had been collected, my brain reeled for a moment as the sickening reality burst upon me. An officer came in, and those who had never quailed on the field of death, whose cheeks had never blanched, stood aghast with tears in their eyes, grinding their teeth, clenching their hands, and thanking God that there was a hell. Pale, haggard and emaciated skeletons glared on us from glassy eyes, whose light of reason was just expiring. With matted hair, and skin blackened with smoke, scarcely covered with the filthiest shreds of cast-off rebel clothing, without blankets, and most of them without coats and shoes, they gazed on us with almost idiotic stare, while the majority could with difficulty be roused from their listlessness.

"Many had forgotten their names. Some could be aroused by asking them of home, wives and children; these magic words bringing them back from the grave into which they were sinking with hands clutching the bread our soldiers brought. As they lay there dying, an old negro woman passed from one to another, tender.y smoothing their awful passage to the grave, knowing that the authors of all this misery had escaped. How consoling to repeat, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord."

“The following are the names of the Western soldiers in this building, and as many more are scattered through the town:

Joseph Elmrich, 1st Ohio artillery; John H. Ashmend, 80th Indiana; George Oswald, Company F, 5th Ohio, Cincinnati; G. H. Clark, 1st Wisconsin; William T. Collins, Company G, 18th Missouri; Albert McCarter, Company I, 7th Indiana; James Cochrane, Company H, 8th Iowa cavalry; William F. Everman, Company H, 8th Iowa cavalry; James W. Hays, Company F, 8th Iowa cavalry; Thomas Rhodes, Company I, 3d Illinois cavalry; John Taylor, 12th United States; Taylor Worded, Company H, 14th Illinois cavalry; F. Ronodent, Company D, 20th cavalry; William D. Minger, 2d Kentucky cavalry; Gottert Sting, 14th Illinois cavalry; Joseph At

wood, 1st Indiana: John W. Lee, Company G, 14th Illinois cavalry; John Zerveirson, Company I, 16th Wisconsin; Croyden Pierce, Company A, 99th Indiana; Thomas C. Groves, Company K, 96th Illinois; William Plumb, Company K, 14th Illinois cavalry; William Munshaw, Company H, 5th Michigan."

It was horrible traveling, but Sherman set forward March 15th. Kilpatrick was in Slocum's advance, moving up the river or plank road to Kyle's, and had a sharp encounter with the rebel cavalry in the vicinity of Taylor's Hob Creek. Howard sent his trains to the right toward Faison's depot and Goldsboro, keeping four divisions in light order, ready to go to the aid of Slocum, if needed.

Hardee had attempted an imitation of the policy of General Grant toward Lee, and halted in force in a swampy, narrow neck, lying between South and Cape Fear Rivers, hoping to hold Sherman inactive until Johnston could concentrate his whole force at some point in Hardee's rear, such as Goldsboro, Raleigh or Smithfield. It was necessary to dislodge him, and the enterprise was formidable, as he commanded 20,000 men, veteran troops, with artillery, infantry and cavalry, and a position of his own choosing. Sherman wanted the Goldsboro road, and he also wished to keep up the appearance of moving on Raleigh.

Slocum was ordered to rout him. Williams' 20th corps was first, and it was led in turn by Wood's division. Rhett's brigade of Confederate artillery, armed as infantry, were stationed across the road, protected by a slight parapet, with a strong battery fairly sweeping the approach. Case's brigade was sent to the left, turned Rhett's line, and by a quick charge, broke it. The rebels fell back to a second and stronger line. Three guns and 217 prisoners, of whom 68 were wounded, were captured. The main rebel line extended from Black River on their left, to Cape Fear River on the right, covering fairly the roads to Goldsboro, Smithfield and Raleigh. On the 16th, Carlin and Morgan brought up their men, and a desperate, but unsuccessful effort was made to clear the Goldsboro road, but the enemy held his position, though severely punished. During the night he abandoned the line and fell back to Averysboro, chased by Wood's division, leaving his dead and wounded.

CHAPTER XXII,

REGIMENTAL SKETCHES.

THE NINETY-SECOND-REBEL TREATMENT OF PRISONERS-BREVET MAJOR-GENERAL SMITH D. ATKINS-COLOR BEARER "GEDEE" SCOTT-" FOR GOD'S SAKE SAVE THE FLAG ". THE NINETY-THIRD-FROM ATLANTA TO SAVANNAH-THE NINETY-FIFTH-REGIMENTAL STATISTICS-COLONEL THOMAS W. HUMPHREY-THE NINETY-EIGHTH A FATAL ACCIDENT THE NINETY-NINTH THE ASSAULT UPON VICKSBURG-THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIRST-RUNNING THE BLOCKADE-THE ONE HUNDRED AND SECOND-CAPTURE Of a BANK-THE ONE HUNDRED AND THIRD-DEATH OF COLONEL DICKERMAN-THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTH-THE One Hundred AND EIGHTH-PORT GIBSON AND CHAMPION HILLS THE ONE HUNDRED AND NINTH A BRIEF BUT DISGRACEFUL RECORD THE ONE HUNDRED AND TENTH-HEAVY LOSSES-THE ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVENTH-GALLANT CHARGE AT RESACA-THE ONE HUNDRED AND TWELFTH-SANDERS' RAID-THE ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTEENTH-COLONEL GEO. B. HODGE-THE RANKIN FAMILY.

NINETY-SECOND ILLINOIS INFANTRY.

THE
The service september 1, 1962. It was composed of five com-

92d infantry was organized at Rockford and mustered into
service September 4,

panies from Ogle, three from Stephenson and two from Carroll Counties. The following is the original roster:

Colonel, Smith D. Atkins; Lieutenant-Colonel, Benjamin F. Sheets; Major, John H. Bohn; Adjutant, I. C. Lawver; Quartermaster, George W. Marshall; Surgeon, Clinton Helm; 1st Assistant, Thomas Winston; 2d Assistant, Nathan Stevenson; Chaplain, Rev. O. D. W. White.

Co. A-Captain, William J. Ballinger; 1st Lieutenant, Harvey Simms; 2d Lieutenant, William Cox.

Co. B-Captain, Wilbur W. Dennis; 1st Lieutenant, William H. Crowell; 2d Lieutenant, E. F. Bander.

Co. C.-Captain, William Stouffer; 1st Lieutenant, Robert M. A. Hawk; 2d Lieutenant, Norman Lewis.

Co. D-Captain, Lyman Preston; 1st Lieutenant, George R. Skinner; 2d Lieutenant, Oscar F. Sammis.

Co. E-Captain, Matthew Van Buskirk; 1st Lieutenant, Joseph L. Spear; 2d Lieutenant, Jeremiah Vorhis.

Co. F-Captain, Christopher T. Dunham; 1st Lieutenant, Alfred G. Dunham; 3d Lieutenant, William C. Dove.

Co. G-Captain, John M. Schermerhorn; 1st Lieutenant, John Gishwiller; 2d Lieutenant, Justin N. Parker.

Co. H-Captain, James Brice; 1st Lieutenant, James Dawson; 2d Lieutenant, Edward Mason.

Co. I-Captain, Egbert T. E. Becker; 1st Lieutenant, David B. Colehour; 2d Lieutenant, Alexander M. York.

Co. K-Captain, Albert Woodcock; 1st Lieutenant, Horace J. Smith; 2d Lieutenant, Horace C. Scoville.

The regiment left Rockford on the 11th of October, 1862, for Cincinnati, and passed through Chicago on the afternoon of the same day. The time spent in Rockford had been well employed in drill, and the soldierly appearance of the regiment attracted the attention of our citizens who thronged the streets along the line of its march. Arriving at Cincinnati it was assigned to General Baird's Division, Army of Kentucky. It marched immediately into the interior of the State, and was ordered on the last of October to Mt. Sterling, Ky., to guard the place from rebel raids. It soon gained a reputation throughout Kentucky and was known as "The Abolition Regiment." Its anti-slavery sentiments were fully tested, even at the point of the bayonet. Its Colonel was sued and indicted in several of the civil courts of the State for stealing, as was alleged, men chattels." At the solicitation of prominent slaveholders, the regiment was finally relieved at Mt. Sterling and ordered to Danville, Ky. Here the brigade was reorganized and the command given to Colonel Atkins, who continued to hold it until the regiment was mounted. On the 26th of January, 1863, the 92d with General Baird's division was ordered to the Army of the Cumberland. During its stay in Kentucky, it lost nearly two hundred by death and discharge. The regiment was not permitted to leave Kentucky without a renewal of its difficulties with slave masters. The command was followed to Louisville, where General Gordon Granger issued an order, to appease the wrath of slave hunters, to the effect “that all slaves who had found their way into our lines during our stay in Kentucky, should be delivered to their masters or be left at Louisville." This order was in direct conflict with orders from the War Department, and was openly disobeyed.

Many amusing scenes occurred during these troubles, one of which is here mentioned, as illustrating the earnest zeal of the slave