Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Saturday, December 10, 1864

We broke camp at 6 o'clock this morning and moved forward five miles, driving the rebels all the way. Our division was in the advance in line of battle and drove the rebels back inside their main works. There was some heavy skirmishing and we had to throw up breastworks. Our loss during the day was fifteen in killed and wounded. We had four men wounded by the explosion of torpedoes which the rebels had buried in the road. General Sherman was riding with our column, and when informed of what had taken place, ordered that the prisoners of our division be placed in front to pass over the road first. The prisoners requested that one of their number be permitted to return to their headquarters to inform their commander of the peril in which they were placed. This was granted and there were no more torpedoes planted in the road after that. The prisoners dug up five torpedoes for us.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 236

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Sunday, December 11, 1864

The Twentieth Corps relieved our corps this morning and we moved to the right about five miles, taking the position occupied by the Fifteenth Corps, which moved still farther around to the right. We went into camp about 4 o'clock, and the Eleventh Iowa was sent out on the skirmish line, where we have good works built by the Fifteenth Corps. Skirmishing is not very brisk because of the wide swamp between us and the rebels. We are still on two-fifths rations and there is nothing to forage.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 236

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Sunday, December 4, 1864

Rain last night. The First and Third Divisions and the First Brigade of the Fourth Division destroyed the railroad this forenoon for a distance of ten miles. The Iowa Brigade acted as train guard. We covered fifteen miles today and went into bivouac near Cameron Station. For the last two or three days, we marched through fine country, though in some places it is very sandy and the land is heavily timbered with pine. The soil is very sandy, but the higher land is well improved and thickly settled. Good crops were raised the past season, the work having been done by old men and negro women. Most of the citizens have left their homes.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 234

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Monday, December 5, 1864

We started out at 6 o'clock this morning, and by 11 our corps had destroyed twelve miles of railroad. We then left the railroad and marching ten miles, over very fine roads, went into camp near Oliver Station. A force of eight thousand rebels left Oliver this morning for Savannah. They came into the town last night and throwing up earthworks made preparations for a fight, but this morning they concluded that they had better move on, or they would get hurt, and the infantry left without firing a gun. Our cavalry had a little skirmish with them this morning. The Fifteenth Army Corps is on the west side of the Ogeechee river, but in advance of us, and perhaps the rebels were fearful of being cut off from Savannah.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 234-5

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Tuesday, December 6, 1864

We lay in camp all day. The day was spent in washing, cleaning and mending our clothes. The long march is beginning to tell on our clothing and shoes. My shoes are whole yet, but owing to so much sand, and wading through water, my feet are sore. My right foot is worn through on the bottom, and my toes are wet with blood every day. We are now within forty-five miles of Savannah, Georgia, and about ninety miles from Charleston, South Carolina. We can hear the large guns roaring from both places. The rebels are still retreating before us without much fighting. We are still in a rich country for foraging. Each regiment sends out its foraging party and we have plenty of sweet potatoes and fresh pork; We will have better roads now for marching as we approach Savannah. All is quiet in the rear of the army.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 235

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Wednesday, December 7, 1864

It rained all forenoon today, but because of the sand our road did not get muddy. We started at 7 this morning and after stepping off fifteen miles by 4 o'clock, we went into camp for the night. Our regiment led the advance of our corps. The rebels blocked our road by felling trees at the entrance to every swamp, thus delaying our march, since there were a good many swamps to cross. We had to build four or five small bridges, and also had to do some corduroy work. The First Michigan Engineers in advance of us had charge of the work.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 235

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Thursday, December 8, 1864

We left bivouac at 8 o'clock this morning, but owing to the roads, we moved very slowly, making only twelve miles before going into camp. Just before our regiment started into bivouac, we were ordered to stack arms and help our teams across a narrow swamp. We went about a half mile for rails, each man carrying from two to four, to corduroy the road so that the artillery and wagons could cross. Our cavalry had a skirmish with the rebels at noon today, when passing through Marlow Station, and captured a train of cars by cutting the railroad before the rebels could get the train past the station. We drew two days' rations today, with orders to make them last five days.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 235

Diary of Mary Boykin Chesnut: December 1, 1864

At Coosawhatchie Yankees are landing in great force. Our troops down there are raw militia, old men and boys never under fire before; some college cadets, in all a mere handful. The cradle and the grave have been robbed by us, they say. Sherman goes to Savannah and not to Augusta.

SOURCES: Mary Boykin Chesnut, Edited by Isabella D. Martin and Myrta Lockett Avary, A Diary From Dixie, p. 336

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Saturday, December 3, 1864

We started off on our railroad destroying this morning at 7 o'clock. Our corps destroyed about ten miles of road, from Millen down to Station No. 70, where we went into camp for the night. The Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps are off on our left, destroying the railroad from Millen toward Augusta. At Millen there was located one of those hell-holes, a rebel prison, where the rebels kept about thirteen hundred of our men as prisoners. They rushed them off on the train for Charleston, South Carolina, just before our army arrived. I never saw a feed-yard looking so filthy and forsaken as this pen.¹ We burned everything here that a match would ignite.

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¹ The treatment which our soldiers received in the Confederate prisons is the one dark, damnable stain that the South of that time will always have to carry. The North can forgive, but it cannot forget. — A. G. D.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 234

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Friday, December 2, 1864

We marched eleven miles today and went into bivouac after dark near the town of Millen. We passed through some fine country with very large plantations. We crossed the east prong of the Ogeechee river about dusk, the infantry crossing over the railroad bridge and the artillery and teams by pontoon bridge. Millen is on the bank of this river and is a junction of the railroad running between Augusta and Savannah. We demolished the railroad all along the line.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 233-4

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Thursday, December 1, 1864

A heavy fog this morning. Our division crossed the Ogeechee river early this morning, the other two divisions of the corps having crossed last night. We crossed near Benton Station on the Savannah railroad. Our brigade destroyed the railroad this forenoon all the way from Benton Station north to Sebastopol on the road running to Augusta. Our entire corps destroyed about fifteen miles of railroad. We left Sebastopol about noon, and after marching eight miles through swamps, went into bivouac at dark. All is quiet.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 233

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Wednesday, November 30, 1864

Weather pleasant. We broke camp at 8 o'clock and covered only ten miles by the close of the whole day's march, when we went into bivouac on the banks of the Ogeechee river. We had a bad road, it being almost one continuous swamp. Now and then there was a small farm with a log hut occupied by a poor woman and children, all the men and larger boys being off with the army.¹ All is quiet in the front, but the rebels keep close on our rear. It is reported that General Wheeler with his cavalry is in our rear. The boys all declare that it's the safest place for him to be, just so he doesn't get too close. This is the sixteenth day out from Atlanta and we have been on the march part of the time both day and night. We have had but little fighting, but we have destroyed one thousand miles of railroad and burned millions of dollars' worth of other property. Camp in the swamps of Georgia.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 233

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Sunday, November 27, 1864

We started at 8 o'clock this morning, marched eight miles, and went into camp for the remainder of the day. On our march this forenoon our division, the Third, destroyed ten miles of the railroad east of the Oconee river. The Fifteenth Corps is off on our right about two miles, while the Fourteenth and the Twentieth with Kilpatrick's cavalry are off on the left, out toward Augusta, Georgia. All is quiet in front. This is a very fine country, thickly settled and with some very nice farms, though the soil is very sandy and there is considerable pine timber.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 232

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Monday, November 28, 1864

We started at 7 o'clock this morning, marched fifteen miles, and went into camp at 5 p. m. Our division took up the rear on our march today and we had good roads for marching, with the exception of a small swamp which lay in our path. This is a fine country and there is plenty of forage. All is quiet in front, the rebels retreating without puffing up a fight.¹

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¹ Almost every day after leaving Atlanta large numbers of negroes, women, children and old men, came, some of them walking miles, to see the Yankees go by. The soldiers in the ranks would engage them in conversation and the odd remarks the negroes would make were often quite amusing. They were asked many questions, one as a joke, a favorite one with the boys, was asking the nice mulatto girls to marry them; the answer invariably would be in the affirmative. These incidents as well as others made a change, and broke the monotony of our long, weary marches. — A. G. D.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 232

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Tuesday, November 29, 1864

We left bivouac at 8 a. m. and marched twenty miles today, going into camp about dark. The Eleventh Iowa acted as rear guard. We had good roads, there being no hills. The country is very flat and heavily timbered and the soil is sandy, mixed with clay. We are on two-fifths rations now, but the country still affords additional rations, such as potatoes and pork. Our general direction is southeast on the west side of the Savannah and Macon railroad. All is quiet in front.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 233

Diary of Mary Boykin Chesnut: November 17, 1864

Although Sherman¹ took Atlanta, he does not mean to stay there, be it heaven or hell. Fire and the sword are for us here; that is the word. And now I must begin my Columbia life anew and alone. It will be a short shrift.

Captain Ogden came to dinner on Sunday and in the afternoon asked me to go with him to the Presbyterian Church and hear Mr. Palmer. We went, and I felt very youthful, as the country people say; like a girl and her beau. Ogden took me into a pew and my husband sat afar off. What a sermon! The preacher stirred my blood. My very flesh crept and tingled. A red-hot glow of patriotism passed through me. Such a sermon must strengthen the hearts and the hands of many people. There was more exhortation to fight and die, à la Joshua, than meek Christianity.

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¹ General Sherman had started from Chattanooga for his march across Georgia on May 6, 1864. He had won the battles of Dalton, Resaca, and New Hope Church in May, the battle of Kennesaw Mountain in June, the battles of Peach Tree Creek and Atlanta in July, and had formally occupied Atlanta on September 2d. On November 16th, he started on his march from Atlanta to the sea and entered Savannah on December 23d. Early in 1865 he moved his army northward through the Carolinas, and on April 26th received the surrender of General Joseph E. Johnston.

SOURCES: Mary Boykin Chesnut, Edited by Isabella D. Martin and Myrta Lockett Avary, A Diary From Dixie, p. 333-4

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Saturday, November 26, 1864

The weather is cool but quite pleasant. We lay in camp awaiting the completion of the pontoon bridge. At 10 o'clock we began our march and by 3 in the afternoon both corps had crossed the river. The Fifteenth Corps had an engagement with the rebels on the 22d inst. near Macon, and after the fight the rebels fell back and scattered, leaving their dead and wounded on the field. Their loss was about one thousand, while ours was only five hundred. Their force was mainly state militia and came out from town to attack our approaching army. It is reported that the rebels are concentrating some fifty miles ahead of us and are strongly fortifying themselves on the Ogeechee river. We are on two-thirds rations, but still we have plenty to eat.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 232

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Friday, November 25, 1864

Our brigade marched out early this morning and relieved the First Brigade at the railroad bridge across the Oconee river, the rebels being just beyond. We burned the bridge and after waiting there a short time, got orders to march back to Toomsboro, which place we reached by 7 p. m. From there we started for Hawkins Ford, some ten miles distant, and after marching six miles went into bivouac. The Fitteenth Corps came in on the same road in order to cross the river by our pontoon bridge, which the engineers commenced to build late in the evening, after our men had driven the rebels from the river — they had to leave or be taken prisoners.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 231-2

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Monday, November 21, 1864

We started on our march this morning in a rain which continued all day. We marched fifteen miles and went into camp. The artillery have the preference of the road and because of the muddy roads our division wagon train could not keep up. Our regiment was on train guard. We corralled the wagons four miles in the rear, where the First Division of the Seventeenth Corps went into bivouac, to safeguard the train, since the rebels' cavalry have appeared both in front and in the rear.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 230

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Tuesday, November 22, 1864

The weather has turned cold. We left our bivouac early this morning with the wagon train and at 10 o'clock caught up with our division at Gordon, where they were in camp last night. Gordon is fifteen miles from Milledgeville and is the junction of the railroad running from there to Savannah. General Sherman with the left wing of our army passed through here ahead of us, remaining in the town three or four days. We left Gordon about noon and marched ten miles on a byroad off to the right of our corps, going into bivouac near Irwinton, the county seat of Wilkinson county. This is a nice little town, but like all other places we passed through, is deserted, the citizens running away on the approach of our army, and leaving everything with the negroes. All is quiet at the front.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 230-1