FORCING THE PASSAGE OF THE LITTLE SALKAHATCHIE AND CONGAREE-CHARGING THROUGH MUD AND WATER-THE SURRENDER OF COLUMBIA THE CITY IN FLAMES-LOGAN'S MEN STAY THE DEVOURING ELEMENT. On February 5th, Logan's corps was forcing the passage of the Little Salkahatchie River, charging, through mud and water, in the face of the enemy's fire, and driving him from his line of works. Advancing on the line of the railroad, the 8th was spent in tearing up the railroad tracks, piling rails on ties and setting fire to them, and twisting every rail so that it could not again be used by the enemy. On the 12th, Logan was crossing the North Edisto,-skirmishing heavily in front and successfully flanking the enemy with other troops of the command,-in which action the enemy lost three killed, an unknown number of wounded, eighty prisoners, and two hundred stand of arms; Logan's loss being only one killed and five wounded. Continuing the movement on Columbia, on the 15th it was found necessary to force the passage of Congaree Creek, and at the same time make a demonstration on the Great Congaree. It was the dismounted cavalry command of General Wade Hampton that undertook to contest Logan's crossing of the Congaree Creek. Logan soon turned the enemy's position, which was hastily abandoned as our troops gallantly charged over his lines, and, in the face of a hot artillery fire, put out the flames of the burning bridge, which the enemy endeavored to burn behind him. night, all night long, the enemy shelled Logan's camp. the next day the enemy having shown no disposition to surrender the city of Columbia, a section of DeGrass' battery, from Logan's command, shelled it. On the 17th, after crossing the Saluda and Broad Rivers, the surrender of the city of Columbia was made, and the city occupied by Colonel Stone's brigade. That night Columbia was in flames. How the fire That On originated was never known. Sherman, in his "Memoirs," says: Many of the people thought that this fire was deliberately planned and executed. This is not true. It was accidental, and, in my judgment began with the cotton which General Hampton's men had set fire to on leaving the city (whether by his orders or not is not material), which fire was partially subdued early in the day by our men; but, when night came, the high wind fanned it again into full blaze, carried it against the frame-houses, which caught like tinder, and soon spread beyond our control. The brigade already in Columbia being insufficient to fight the conflagration and to restore order in the panicstricken city, Logan ordered in fresh troops, and to their exertions is due the preservation of such portion of the city as escaped the fire. Toward morning, order was fully restored. The 18th and 19th were spent by Logan's command in destroying the public stores found in Columbia, and in destroying the railroad running northward; also in organizing the trains of persons, negro and white, who desired to go North. -those trains which subsequently grew to such great proportions. PASSAGE OF LYNCH'S CREEK BOTTOM AND BLACK CREEK-LOGAN'S MEN," UP TO THEIR ARMPITS IN WATER," DRIVE THE ENEMY THE TERRIBLE QUICKSANDS AND SWAMPS BETWEEN LUMBER RIVER AND LITTLE ROCK FISH CREEK. On February 26th Logan's corps commenced the passage of Lynch's Creek Bottom-to whose difficulties and dangers allusion has already been made-the skirmishers, up to their armpits in water, driving the enemy's cavalry. Black Creek was passed under circumstances nearly as bad. The last of the wagons were, however, clear early in March. On March 5th and 6th the Great Pedee was crossed. All this while, of course, all the resources of the country through which the Union armies marched were put under contribu tion. The movement of Logan's corps on Fayetteville commenced March 7th. There had been heavy rains day and night, making the roads almost impassable, and the swamps. and creeks, despite all the difficulties of doing so, had to be corduroyed. In fact the succession of swamps, between Lumber River and Little Rock Fish Creek, can scarcely be described. Amid the most violent rains the whole corps on the 9th worked day and night, as pioneers, until the treacherous country was passed. It was a perfect quicksand. Thus, for some ten days, the troops of Logan's command were necessarily subjected to the severest trials of a soldier's life On the 10th, better ground was reached. On the 14th, the accompanying trains of refugees were sent off to Wilmington. CHARGES CROSSING THE CAPE CLEAR AND SOUTH RIVERS-THE BATTLE On the 15th, Logan's corps crossed Cape Clear River. On the 17th, it crossed South River, although the bottom of that stream had "fallen out," and the worst holes had to be filled in with bricks and huge logs, pinned down to keep them in position. On the 19th, Logan drove the enemy's cavalry across the Neuse River, near Goldsborough. On the 20th, he drove the enemy along the Bentonville Road across Cox's Bridge. Logan was now seeking to establish communication with the left wing of the Union forces, which was engaging the enemy under Johnston, and was marching to its support by the sound of the guns. On approaching Mill Creek, Logan expected to meet the enemy in force. He was confronted by the enemy's dismounted cavalry, who took position, as the Union troops advanced, behind successive barricaded points, from which Logan's men handsomely and successively drove him back. The last outwork defended by the enemy, before retreating within his main line, having been carried, Logan held the cross-roads to Bentonville and Smithfield, and intrenched opposite the main line of the enemy. At four o'clock that afternoon Logan advanced, drove the enemy, and went into an advanced line, which he firmly intrenched. There was skirmishing all that night. The right and left wings had now effected a junction in front of the V-shaped lines of Johnston's army. On the 21st Logan advanced on the enemy in gallant style, driving him into his works and developing most completely his entire line in our front. The advanced position was intrenched, and during that day and night Logan's batteries played on the enemy's works. During the night the enemy evacuated his entire line of works and retreated across Hannah Creek, burning the bridge behind him, to Smithfield. Logan then moved with his corps from his works on Mill Creek to Goldsboro', March 23d, and went into camp around that place— the object of the campaign having been accomplished. TWO STRIKING INCIDENTS OF LOGAN'S HUMANITY AND JUSTICE. Here, while his command is resting for a few days, it may be well to mention two striking incidents of General Logan's humanity and sense of justice and honesty which took place during the march through the South, after Atlanta, and are told by Governor Carpenter of Iowa (in the Inter-Ocean of May 5, 1874), Carpenter at that time being on Logan's staff. Said he, in speaking of that march : A certain Democratic General gave orders to the chief of his transportation that he should take up his pontoons as soon as his division or corps had crossed the rivers with their own impedimenta, and not allow "the niggers" to follow. Rebel cavalry hung upon the rear of the advancing army, and it became the finest possible sport for them to go "a-coloneling through those unarmed and helpless camp-followers, sabring them down on all sides without mercy, and turning back into servitude those whose lives they chose to spare. General Logan's course was slightly different. He ordered the officers in charge of his 95 pontoons not to remove them until the last "contraband" was safely across and under the protection of the army. Another fact Governor Carpenter stated in regard to his old commander: The army unfortunately contained a set of officers who were always anxious to jay-hawk almost anything in the way of property when they were in the "enemy's country." On one occasion several of these thrifty gentlemen made a descent upon a locality where there was a quantity of fine blooded horses, and they each brought one away with the intention of appropriating them to their own use. One morning there was a great commotion among these officers, and a free use of the idiom of Flanders, consequent upon an order from "headquarters" to the effect that these horses should be turned over to the quartermasters. A strong remonstrance was made, but the General informed them that the horses were now Government property, and, if used by private individuals, must be bought and paid for. These acts indicate the innate love of justice which has characterized this brave soldier throughout his whole career. FALL OF RICHMOND AND PETERSBURG-LOGAN ADVANCES ON SMITHFIELD JOHNSTON'S ARMY EVACUATES IT-THE ADVANCE ON RALEIGH-JOHNSTON SURRENDERS, AND THE WAR IS ENDED LOGAN ORGANIZES THE 66 SOCIETY OF THE ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE." On April 10th, Richmond and Petersburg having surrendered to General Grant, Logan's corps advanced on the right for Smithfield—which Johnston had, however, hastily evacuated-and Raleigh. Thus, his command had led the advance of the Army of the Tennessee, driving the enemy at every point until, passing through Columbia, Fayetteville, and Goldsboro', it reached Raleigh, near which point the surrender of Johnston's army took place, thus bringing the campaign to a triumphant close. It will be understood that, in thus following Logan's corps and narrating its operations, it is not intended to detract in the slightest degree from the credit due to other corps of the |