DOCUMENT: W.T. SHERMAN

About 7 A.M. of November 16th we rode out of Atlanta by the Decatur road, filled by the marching troops and wagons of the Fourteenth Corps; and reaching the hill, just outside of the old rebel works, we naturally paused to look back upon the scenes of our past battles. We stood upon the very ground whereon was fought the bloody battle of July 22d, and could see the copse of wood where McPherson fell. Behind us lay Atlanta, smouldering and in ruins, the black smoke rising high in air, and hanging like a pall over the ruined city. Away off in the distance, on the McDonough road, was the rear of Howard's column, the gun-barrels glistening in the sun, the white-topped wagons stretching away to the south; and right before us the Fourteenth Corps, marching steadily and rapidly, with a cheery look and swinging pace, that made light of the thousand miles that lay between us and Richmond. Some band, by accident, struck up the anthem of "John Brown's soul goes marching on;" the men caught up the strain, and never before or since have I heard the chorus of "Glory, glory, hallelujah!" done with more spirit, or in better harmony of time and place. Then we turned our horses' heads to the east; Atlanta was soon lost behind the screen of trees, and became a thing of the past. Around it clings many a thought of desperate battle, of hope and fear, that now seem like the memory of a dream; and I have never seen the place since. The day was extremely beautiful, clear sunlight, with bracing air, and an unusual feeling of exhilaration seemed to pervade all minds--a feeling of something to come, vague and undefined, still full of venture and intense interest. Even the common soldiers caught the inspiration, and many a group called out to me as I worked my way past them, "Uncle Billy, I guess Grant is waiting for us at Richmond!" Indeed, the general sentiment was that we were marching for Richmond, and that there we should end the war, but how and when they seemed to care not; nor did they measure the distance, or count the cost in life, or bother their brains about the great rivers to be crossed, and the food required for man and beast, that had to be gathered by the way. There was a "devil-may-care" feeling pervading officers and men, that made me feel the full load of responsibility, for success would be accepted as a matter of course, whereas, should we fail, this "march" would be adjudged the wild adventure of a crazy fool. I had no purpose to march direct for Richmond by way of Augusta and Charlotte, but always designed to reach the sea-coast first at Savannah or Port Royal,South Carolina, and even kept in mind the alternative of Pensacola. The first night out we camped by the road-side near Lithonia. Stone Mountain, a mass of granite, was in plain view, cut out in clear outline against the blue sky; the whole horizon was lurid with the bonfires of rail-ties, and groups of men all night were carrying the heated rails to the nearest trees, and bending them around the trunks. Colonel Poe had provided tools for ripping up the rails and twisting them when hot; but the best and easiest way is the one I have described, of heating the middle of the iron-rails on bonfires made of the cross-ties,and then winding them around a telegraph-pole or the trunk of some convenient sapling. I attached much importance to this destruction of the railroad, gave it my own personal attention, and made reiterated orders to others on the subject. The next day we passed through the handsome town of Covington, the soldiers closing up their ranks, the color-bearers unfurling their flags, and the bands striking up patriotic airs. The white people came out of their houses to behold the sight, spite of their deep hatred of the invaders, and the negroes were simply frantic with joy. Whenever they heard my name, they clustered about my horse, shouted and prayed in their peculiar style, which had a natural eloquence that would have moved a stone. I have witnessed hundreds, if not thousands, of such scenes; and can now see a poor girl, in the very ecstasy of the Methodist "shout," hugging the banner of one of the regiments, and jumping up to the "feet of Jesus." I remember, when riding around by a by-street in Covington, to avoid the crowd that followed the marching column, that someone brought me an invitation to dine with a sister of Sam. Anderson, who was a cadet at West Point with me; but the messenger reached me after we had passed the main part of the town. I asked to be excused, and rode on to a place designated for camp, at the crossing of the Ulcofauhachee River, about four miles to the east of the town. Here we made our bivouac, and I walked upto plantation-house close by, where were assembled many negroes, among them an old, gray-haired man, of as fine a head as I ever saw. I asked him if he understood about the war and its progress. He said he did; that he had been looking for the "angel of the Lord" ever since he was knee-high, and, though we professed to be fighting for the Union, he supposed that slavery was the cause, and that our success was to be his freedom. I asked him if all the negro slaves comprehended this fact, and he said they surely did. I then explained to him that we wanted the slaves to remain where they were, and not to load us down with useless mouths, which would eat up the food needed for our fighting-men; that our success was their assured freedom; that we could receive a few of their young, hearty men as pioneers; but that, if they followed us in swarms of old and young, feeble and helpless, it would simply load us down and cripple us in our great task. I think Major Henry Hitchcock was with me on that occasion, and made a note of the conversation, and I believe that old man spread this message to the slaves, which was carried from mouth to mouth, to the very end of our journey, and that it in part saved us from the great danger we incurred of swelling our numbers so that famine would have attended our progress. It was at this very plantation that a soldier passed me with a ham on his musket, a jug of sorghum-molasses under his arm,and a big piece of honey in his hand, from which he was eating, and, catching my eye, he remarked sotto voce and carelessly to a comrade, "Forage liberally on the country," quoting from my general orders. On this occasion, as on many others that fell under my personal observation, I reproved the man, explained that foraging must be limited to the regular parties properly detailed, and that all provisions thus obtained must be delivered to the regular commissaries, to be fairly distributed to the men who kept their ranks. Source: William T. Sherman, Memoirs of General William T. Sherman, 2 vol. (1875). Headquarters Military Division of the Mississippi, in the Field,Kingston, Georgia, November 8, 1864. The general commanding deems it proper at this time to informthe officers and men of the Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Seventeenth,and Twentieth Corps, that he has organized them into an armyfor a special purpose, well known to the War Department andto General Grant. It is sufficient for you to know that it involvesa departure from our present base, and a long and difficultmarch to a new one. All the chances of war have been consideredand provided for, as far as human sagacity can. All he asksof you is to maintain that discipline, patience, and courage,which have characterized you in the past; and he hopes, throughyou, to strike a blow at our enemy that will have a materialeffect in producing what we all so much desire, his completeoverthrow. Of all things, the most important is, that the men,during marches and in camp, keep their places and do not scatterabout as stragglers or foragers, to be picked up by a hostilepeople in detail. It is also of the utmost importance that ourwagons should not be loaded with any thing but provisions andammunition. All surplus servants, noncombatants, and refugees,should now go to the rear, and none should be encouraged toencumber us on the march. At some future time we will be ableto provide for the poor whites and blacks who seek to escapethe bondage under which they are now suffering. With these fewsimple cautions, he hopes to lead you to achievements equalin importance to those of the past. By order of Major-General W.T. Sherman, L.M. Dayton, Aide-de-Camp. [Special Field Orders, No. 120.] Headquarters Military Division of the Mississippi, in the Field,Kingston, Georgia, November 9, 1864. 1. For the purpose of military operations, this army is divided into two wings viz.: The right wing, Major-General O. O. Howard commanding, composedof the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Corps; the left wing, Major-GeneralH. W. Slocum commanding, composed of the Fourteenth and TwentiethCorps. 2. The habitual order of march will be, wherever practicable,by four roads, as nearly parallel as possible, and convergingat points hereafter to be indicated in orders. The cavalry,Brigadier-General Kilpatrick commanding, will receive specialorders from the commander-in-chief. 3. There will be no general train of supplies, but each corpswill have its ammunition-train and provision-train, distributedhabitually as follows: Behind each regiment should follow onewagon and one ambulance; behind each brigade should follow adue proportion of ammunition-wagons, provision-wagons, and ambulances.In case of danger, each corps commander should change this orderof march, by having his advance and rear brigades unencumberedby wheels. The separate columns will start habitually at 7 A.M.,and make about fifteen miles per day, unless otherwise fixedin orders. 4. The army will forage liberally on the country during themarch. To this end, each brigade commander will organize a goodand sufficient foraging party, under the command of one or morediscreet officers, who will gather, near the route traveled,corn or forage of any kind, meat of any kind, vegetables, corn-meal,or whatever is needed by the command, aiming at all times tokeep in the wagons at least ten days' provisions for his command,and three days' forage. Soldiers must not enter the dwellingsof the inhabitants, or commit any trespass; but, during a haltor camp, they may be permitted to gather turnips, potatoes,and other vegetables, and to drive in stock in sight of theircamp. To regular foraging-parties must be intrusted the gatheringof provisions and forage, at any distance from the road traveled. 5. To corps commanders alone is intrusted the power to destroymills, houses, cotton-gins, etc.; and for them this generalprinciple is laid down: In districts and neighborhoods wherethe army is unmolested, no destruction of such property shouldbe permitted; but should guerrillas or bushwhackers molest ourmarch, or should the inhabitants burn bridges, obstruct roads,or otherwise manifest local hostility, then army commandersshould order and enforce a devastation more or less relentless,according to the measure of such hostility. 6. As for horses, mules, wagons, etc., belonging to the inhabitants,the cavalry and artillery may appropriate freely and withoutlimit; discriminating, however, between the rich, who are usuallyhostile, and the poor and industrious, usually neutral or friendly.Foraging-parties may also take mules or horses, to replace thejaded animals of their trains, or to serve as pack-mules forthe regiments or brigades. In all foraging, of whatever kind,the parties engaged will refrain from abusive or threateninglanguage, and may, where the officer in command thinks proper,give written certificates of the facts, but no receipts; andthey will endeavor to leave with each family a reasonable portionfor their maintenance. 7. Negroes who are able-bodied and can be of service to theseveral columns may be taken along; but each army commanderwill bear in mind that the question of supplies is a very importantone, and that his first duty is to see to those who bear arms. 8. The organization, at once, of a good pioneer battalion foreach army corps, composed if possible of negroes, should beattended to. This battalion should follow the advance-guard,repair roads and double them if possible, so that the columnswill not be delayed after reaching bad places. Also, army commandersshould practise the habit of giving the artillery and wagonsthe road, marching their troops on one side, and instruct theirtroops to assist wagons at steep hills or bad crossings of streams. 9. Captain O. M. Poe, chief-engineer, will assign to each wingof the army a pontoon-train, fully equipped and organized; andthe commanders thereof will see to their being properly protectedat all times. By order of Major-General W.T. Sherman, L.M. Dayton, Aide-de-Camp. Source: William T. Sherman, Memoirs of General WilliamT. Sherman, 2 vol. (1875).