to be removed from his present field of operations, but preferred to serve under his old comrade. Johnston's order assuming the command of the "Army of the Tennessee, and all the troops in the Departments of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida," is dated at Charlotte, North Carolina, February 25th, when it was too late for him, or perhaps any general living, with the means then at his disposal, to oppose the progress of Sherman. The movement of Sherman was continued without delay upon Fayetteville, North Carolina, on the Cape Fear River, which point was reached March 11th by the Fourteenth and Seventeenth Corps, after skirmishing with Wade Hampton's Cavalry, that covered the rear of Hardee's retreating army, which had crossed Cape Fear River, burning the bridge. During the march from the Pedee, Kilpatrick had kept his cavalry well on the left and exposed flank. During the night of the 9th of March, his three brigades were divided to picket the roads. Hampton, detecting this, dashed in at daylight, and gained possession of the camp of Colonel Spencer's Brigade, and the house in which Kilpatrick and Spencer had their quarters. The surprise was complete, but Kilpatrick quickly succeeded in rallying his men, on foot, in a swamp near by, and, by a prompt attack, well followed up, regained his artillery, horses, camp, and every thing save some prisoners whom the enemy carried off, leaving their dead on the ground. Several days were spent in Fayetteville destroying property. The army tug Davidson here came up the river from Wilmington, and carried back dispatches from Sherman to Terry and Schofield. The gunboat Eolus also arrived at Fayetteville. At this time Johnston, the old antagonist of Sherman, had begun to get his forces well in hand, and to concentrate them at Raleigh, on Sherman's flank. Beauregard, falling back from Columbia, had been re-enforced by Cheatham's Corps from the West, and the garrison of Angusta, and ample time had been given to move these troops to Raleigh. Hardee had also succeeded in getting across Cape Fear River, and could therefore complete the junction with the other rebel troops in North Carolina. The whole, under the command of the skilful and experienced Johnston, made up an army superior to Sherman's in cavalry, and formidable enough in artillery and infantry to justify him in extreme caution in making the last step necessary to complete the march he had undertaken. He could no longer move at will with an overwhelming force, regardless of the enemy. Kilpatrick was ordered to move up the plankroad to and beyond Averysboro', to be followed by four divisions of the left wing. In like manner, Howard was ordered to hold four divisions ready to go to the aid of the left wing if attacked while in motion. The columns moved out from Cape Fear River on Wednesday, the 15th of March. Slocum, preceded by Kilpatrick's Cavalry, moved to Kyle's Landing, Kilpatrick skirmishing heavily with the enemy's rear-guard about three miles beyond, near Taylor's Hole Creek. At Kilpatrick's request, Slocum sent forward a brigade of infantry to hold a line of barricades. Next morning the column advanced in the same order, and developed the enemy, with artillery, infantry, and cavalry, in an intrenched posi tion, in front of the point where the road branches off towards Golds boro', through Bentonville. Hardee, with twelve thousand men, in retreating from Fayetteville, halted in the narrow swampy neck between Cape Fear and South Rivers, in hopes, by checking Sherman, to save time for the concentration of Johnston's armies at some point to his rear, namely, Raleigh, Smithfield, or Goldsboro'. It was necessary to dislodge him, that we have the use of the Goldsboro' road. Slocum was therefore ordered to press and carry the position, only difficult by reason of the nature of the ground, which was so soft that horses would sink everywhere, and even men could hardly make their way over the common pine barren. The Twentieth Corps, Williams, had the lead, and Ward's Division the advance. This was deployed, and the skirmish line developed the position of a brigade of Charleston heavy artillery armed as infantry (Rhett's) posted across the road behind a light parapet, with a battery of guns enfilading the approach across a cleared field. Williams sent a brigade (Case's) by a circuit to his left, that turned this line, and by a quick charge broke the brigade, which rapidly retreated back to s second line, better built and more strongly held. A battery of artillery (Winniger's), well posted, under the immediate direction of Major Reynolds, Chief of Artillery of the Twentieth Corps, did good execution on the retreating brigade, and, on advancing Ward's Division over this ground, Williams captured three guns and two hundred and seventeen prisoners. As Ward's Division advanced, he developed a second and stronger line, when Jackson's Division was deployed forward en the right of Ward, and the two divisions of Jeff. C. Davis's (Fourteenth) Corps on the left, well towards the Cape Fear. At the same time, Kilpatrick, who was acting in concert with Williams, was ordered to draw back his cavalry and mass it on the extreme right, and, in concert with Jackson's right, to feel forward for the Goldsboro' road. He got a brigade on the road, but it was attacked by McLaws's rebel division furiously, and was driven back to the flank of the infantry. The whole line advanced late in the afternoon, drove the enemy well within his intrenched line, and pressed him so hard that he retreated during the night to Smithfield. Slocum reported his aggregate loss in this affair, known as that of Averysboro', at twelve officers and sixtyfive men killed, and four hundred and seventy-seven wounded. Leaving Ward's Division to keep up a show of pursuit, Slocum's column was turned to the right, built a bridge across the swollen South River, and took the Goldsboro' road. In the mean time, Howard's column was moving towards Goldsboro', vid Bentonville, and on the night of the 18th was at Lee's Store, ten miles south of Slocum, who was on the road, five miles from Bentonville, and twenty-seven miles from Goldsboro', at a point crossed by the road from Clinton to Smithfield. General Sherman, anticipating no further opposition from the enemy, directed Howard to move his right wing by the new Goldsboro' road, which goes by way of Falling Creek Church. General Slocum's head of column had advanced from its camp of March 18th, and first encountered Dibbrell's Cavalry, but soon found his progress impeded by infantry and artillery. Johnston had moved by night from Smithfield, with great rapidity, and without unnecessary wheels, intending to overwhelm the left flank before it could be relieved by its co-operating columns. The enemy attacked the head of the Union column, gaining a temporary advantage, and took three guns and caissons of Carlin's Division, driving the two leading brigades back on the main body. Slocum promptly deployed the two divisions of the Fourteenth Corps, and rapidly brought up on their left the two divisions of the Twentieth Corps. These he arranged on the defensive, and hastily prepared a line of barricades. Kilpatrick also came up at the sound of artillery, and massed on the left. In this position the left wing received six distinet assaults by the combined forces of Hoke, Hardee, and Cheatham, under the immediate command of General Johnston himself, without giving an inch of ground, and doing good execution on the enemy's ranks, especially with artillery, the enemy having little or none. General Sherman, immediately on receipt of a dispatch from Slocum, sent him orders to call up the two divisions guarding his wagon trains, and Hazen's Division of the Fifteenth Corps, still back near Lee's Store, to fight defensively until he could draw up Blair's Corps, then near Mount Olive Station, and with the three remaining divisions of the Fifteenth Corps come upon Johnston's left rear from the direction of Cox's Bridge. At the same time he received couriers from both Schofield and Terry. The former reported himself in possession of Kinston, delayed somewhat by want of provisions, but able to march so as to make Goldsboro' on the 21st, and Terry was at or near Faison's Dépôt. Orders were at once dispatched to Schofield to push for Goldsboro', and to make dispositions to cross Little River, in the direction of Smithfield, as far as Millard; to Terry to move to Cox's Bridge, lay a pontoon bridge, and establish a crossing; and to Blair to make a night-march to Falling Creek Church; and at daylight, the right wing, Howard, less the necessary wagon guards, was put in rapid motion on Bentonville. At daybreak on the morning of the 20th, Hazen's Division of the Fifteenth Corps, Geary's of the Twentieth Corps, and Baird's of the Fourteenth Corps, reported on the field, having marched all night, from the new Goldsboro' road, where the trains were moving. Howard, with Logan's and Blair's Corps, came up on the right, by way of Cox's Bridge, and on moving forward the Fifteenth Corps, General Logan, found that the enemy had thrown back his left flank, and had constructed a line of parapet connecting with that towards Slocum, in the form of a bastion, its salient on the main Goldsboro' road, interposing between Slocum on the west and Howard on the east, while the flanks rested on Mill Creek, covering the road back to Smithfield. Howard was instructed to proceed with due caution until he had made strong connection on his left with Slocum. This he soon accomplished, and, by four P. M. of the 20th, a complete and strong line of battle confronted the enemy in his intrenched position. Sherman ordered all empty wagons to be sent at once to Kinston for supplies, and all other impediments to be grouped near the Neuse, south of Goldsboro', holding the rebel army in close contact with the enemy, ready to fight him if he ventured outside his parapets and swampy obstructions. Thus matters stood about Bentonville on 21st of March. On the same day, General Schofield entered Goldsboro' with little or no opposition, and Terry had got possession of the Neuse River at Cox's Bridge, ten miles above, with a pontoon bridge laid and a brigade across, so that the three armies were in actual connection, and the great object of the campaign was accomplished. On the 21st, a steady rain prevailed, during which Mower's Division of the Seventeenth Corps, on the extreme right, had worked well to the right around the enemy's flank, and had nearly reached the bridge across Mill Creek, the only line of retreat open to the enemy. Of course, there was extreme danger that the enemy would turn on him all his reserves, and, it might be, let go his parapets to overwhelm Mower. Accordingly, Sherman ordered at once a general attack by the skirmish line from left to right. Quite a noisy battle ensued, during which Mower was enabled to regain his connection with his own corps, by moving to his left rear. That night the enemy retreated on Smithfield. The losses of the left wing about Bentonville were nine officers and one hundred and forty-five men killed, fifty-one officers and eight hundred and sixteen men wounded, and three officers and two hundred and twenty-three men missing, taken prisoners by the enemy; total, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven. Slocum buried on the field one hundred and sixty-seven rebel dead, and took three hundred and thirtyeight prisoners. General Howard reported the losses of the right wing at two officers and thirty-five men killed, twelve officers and two hundred and eightynine men wounded, and one officer and sixty men missing; total, three hundred and ninety-nine. He also buried one hundred dead of the enemy, and took one thousand two hundred and eighty-seven prisoners. The cavalry of Kilpatrick was held in reserve, and lost but few, if any. Our aggregate loss at Bentonville was one thousand six hundred and forty-six. Thus the 21st of March found Sherman in virtual possession of Goldsboro', the real objective of the campaign, together with its two railroads to Wilmington and Beaufort, which large working parties were then putting in complete repair. In spite of a desperate enemy in Lis front, and of roads rendered nearly impassable by an almost unprece dentedly wet season, the army had, with inconsiderable loss, moved, in two months' time, through the heart of the Confederacy, thoroughly destroying the railroads between Goldsboro' and Savannah, and were now prepared to enjoy, in the camps assigned to them around Goldsboro', a period of much-needed rest, and an opportunity to replenish their wornout clothing and equipments. The following congratula tory order by General Sherman announced the result of his campaign: "HEAD-QUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, "L SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS-No. 35. "The General Commanding announces to the army that yesterday it beat, on its chosen ground, the concentrated armies of our enemy, who has filed in disorder, leaving his dead, wounded, and prisoners in our hands, and burning his bridges on his retreat. "On the same day, Major-General Schofield, from Newbern, entered and occupied Goldsboro', and Major-General Terry, from Wilmington, secured Cox's Bridge crossing, and laid a pontoon bridge across Neuse River, so that our campaign has resulted in a glorious success. After a march of the most extraordinary character, nearly five hundred miles, over swamps and rivers deemed impassable to others, at the most inclement season of the year, and drawing our chief supplies from a poor and wasted country, we reach our destination in good health and condition. "I thank the army, and assure it that our Government and people honor them for this new display of the physical and moral qualities which reflect honor upon the whole nation. "You shall now have rest, and all the supplies that can be brought from the rich granaries and store-houses of our magnificent country, before again embarking on new and untried dangers. “W. T: SHERMAN, Major-General Commanding." CHAPTER LXXV. Grant's Preparations for a Final Movement.-Rebel Attack on Fort Steadman.-Disas trous Repulse.-Object of Lee.-Movement on the Left Commenced.-Affair of Quaker Road.-Heavy Fighting on Boydton Road.-Decisive Battle of Five Forks. -Rebel Left Turned.-Assault on Petersburg.-Evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond.-Pursuit of Lee.-His Surrender to Grant.—End of Campaign. As March approached its close, preparatious began to be made by Grant for that grand movement on the enemy's right, his chief vulnerable point, which was to give us possession of Petersburg and Richmond, capture or destroy the army of Lee, and end the war by a single blow. The sorely tried Army of the Potomac, so often defeated and disappointed, but never dishonored, was about at last to reap the fruit of all its exertions, and to redeem the promise of its early prime. Anticipating that the decisive moment was at hand, and dreading the battle which Grant with superior forces was about to offer him, Lee had already commenced preparations to evacuate Petersburg and Richmond, and move southward to effect a junction with Johnston. To cover this movement he organized a night attack upon the Union lines in front of Petersburg-a desperate expedient, certainly, considering their strength, but the only one which under the circumstances was practicable. Grant had anticipated the evacuation, and had taken means to prevent the escape of the rebel army. Meanwhile the busy note of preparation was heard along the Union lines, and frequent reviews of corps and sub-divisions, which were witnessed by President Lincoln and a distinguished party of visitors, gave the camps a festive appearance. At daylight on the 25th of March, Gordon's rebel Corps, consisting of three divisions, was massed for a charge against our lines, in front of Fort Steadman, a square fort, covering about an acre of ground, and carrying nine guns, and supported by mortar batteries, on the right and left. It was the second regular fort in our line running from the river, the first being Fort McGilvrey. Just beyond Fort Steadman, and about three-eighths of a mile distant, was Fort Haskell; and between the two were mortar batteries 11 and 12. Simultaneously |