By Andrew W. Johnson
Contributor
Late in June 1864, Union Gen. William Sherman realized the weather conditions were no longer favorable to large flanking maneuvers and decided to meet the Confederate Army head-on with a frontal assault. He issued orders for an attack on June 27, 1864. The 22nd Wisconsin was poised for action with the brigade, but when the order came to attack, the brigade was not called upon to move.
During this time, Gen. Butterfield, commander of the Third Division, of which Company D of the 22nd Wisconsin Regiment was assigned, left on a leave of absence and never returned. The brigade found time to clean their weapons, uniforms and other gear while awaiting orders, until July 2, 1864, when Gen. Sherman changed his mind and decided to return to flanking maneuvers.
This changed somewhat on a very hot and humid day July 3, 1864, when Gen. Sherman learned that Confederate Gen. Johnston had retreated, and Sherman ordered his commanders to pursue him on the morning of July 4, 1864. The 22nd Wisconsin was already on the move with the brigade on July 3 and came up from Ruff’s Station in front of Johnston’s army near Nickajack Creek about seven miles from Marietta, Ga. The 22nd Wisconsin formed the first line as they built their defenses.
On July 5, Sherman learned that Johnston had fallen back again on July 4 and sent his army in pursuit covering a wide front. By the end of the day, Sherman and his troops were standing on a hill near Vining’s Station and nine miles distant could see buildings in the City of Atlanta. Now the only thing between them and the city were the Confederate troops of Gen. Johnston and the Chattahoochee Valley. They dug into these positions until July 17, 1864, during which time they extended their supply lines, which could now deliver supplies directly to their location, moved units across the river, rested and planned their next moves.
Other stunning news would reach the men of the 22nd Wisconsin as they approached the Chatahoochee, when on July 5, 1864, as a result of the ongoing feud with Lt. Col. Bloodgood, Col. William L. Utley resigned and left the service. Utley cited ill health, which was partly true, but he also had personal issues with and a general dislike for Gen. Butterfield. Prior to leaving, Bloodgood made remarks that incited Utley, and Utley responded by striking Bloodgood, knocking him to the ground. Lt. Col. Edward Bloodgood was now in command of the 22nd Wisconsin Regiment, a position he would retain until the end of the war.
On July 10, Gen. Johnston established new outer defensive lines on high ground in front of the City of Atlanta in an area near Peach Tree Creek, which was a deep creek, about 20 feet wide with marshy banks. Between his location and the city were strong inner defenses, set up about one mile and more from the city itself. Confederate President Jefferson Davis at this same time relieved Gen, Johnston and replaced him with Confederate Gen. Hood.
On July 17, Gen. Hooker moved his men across the Chattahoochee River. The 22nd Wisconsin crossed on pontoon bridges at Pace’s Ferry, then marched to a point near Nancy’s Creek where it went into camp.
Gen. Sherman resumed his advance on July 18, 1864, from the south side of the Chatahoochee River toward the City of Atlanta. The 20th Corps was at the center of the army and reached Peach Tree Creek on July 19, where the 22nd Wisconsin camped. They then helped construct bridges across the creek while under constant fire by enemy skirmishers. Later that evening, troops began crossing the bridge.
On the morning of July 20, the 22nd Wisconsin crossed the creek with the brigade at about 11 a.m., leading at the head of the column. They entered a valley area full of low ravines and high ridges. The 22nd Wisconsin Regiment was ordered forward and deployed as skirmishers. As they did so, they came under fire from the enemy but managed to make it to the top of the first ridge and drive the enemy back. It was a small victory for the men of the 22nd Wisconsin, as they were slowly winning back a reputation for being aggressive fighters. Gen. Johnston however, still lay ahead of them, and the fighting wasn’t over yet.
The 22nd Wisconsin moved from the first ridge to the second (Collier Ridge) at the “double-quick,” firing their rifles as they ran. The rebel pickets scattered as they closed in on them, and the 22nd Wisconsin secured that ridge as well. They could see the enemy in the tree line across an open field below them, and waited for the counter attack.
At 2:45 p.m., a line of Brig. Winfield S. Featherstone’s Confederate brigade made its move across the field shouting loud rebel yells with two more lines following directly behind them. Lt. Col. Bloodgood sent messengers to the rear requesting reinforcements then prepared to meet the enemy charging toward them. The Confederates charged the Union line and fierce fighting ensued, until both ends of the line were broken by cannon fire, consisting of both grape-shot and canister. The 22nd held the line until Featherstone’s troops were within 30 feet of them and still moving forward, at which time Bloodgood, in an effort to avoid being captured again, gave the order to “rally on the reserve” and fall back.
As Bloodgood was falling back from the first ridge, the rest of the regiments in the brigade had moved up to the first ridge and began to engage the enemy, which was coming in waves between the two ridges. After almost an hour of fighting, the rebels were forced back and began to run. The 22nd Wisconsin surged forward yelling and firing and managed to capture enemy prisoners, Enfield rifles and battle flags. At dusk the battle was over, save for some sporadic skirmishing. In the ravines, on the ridges and in the field below lay an estimated 200 dead rebel soldiers. After four hours of intense fighting, the Battle of Peach Tree Creek was over, and the fighting spirit of the 22nd Wisconsin and the rest of Coburn’s brigade would not be questioned ever again. The 22nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment went into the battle with 18 officers and 315 men. In the end they suffered seven enlisted men killed, along with one officer and 36 enlisted men wounded.
Afterward, the men rendered aid to all the wounded soldiers left on the battlefield with little regard to whether they were wearing blue or gray. The plied through the piles of twisted bodies on July 21, 1864, and all the dead were buried with dignity and respect.
On July 21, Gen. Hood changed the direction of his army, moving back through Atlanta, and on July 22, 1864, Union pickets discovered the withdrawal. Gen. Sherman ordered an immediate advance toward Atlanta to find them and encountered Confederate skirmishers about two miles outside the city. The Third Division moved up along the Buck Head and Atlanta Road and eventually ran into the enemy. Fierce fighting erupted, and Coburn ordered the men to fortify their positions before sending out skirmishers. The 22nd Wisconsin was in the center of the first line that morning. Gen. Hood attacked on the left at around noon, and by late afternoon fell back, having suffered heavy losses. The Atlanta Campaign was officially under way.
Starting on July 23, 1864, the line of the 20th Corps changed drastically, with many units moved to different positions. The 20th Corps was in the center of the line being held by the Army of the Cumberland. At that same time, Gen. Hooker became enraged when passed over for command of the Army of the Tennessee, and on July 28, he requested to be relieved from duty under Gen. Sherman. His request was granted, and Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum, who at the time was at Vicksburg, was given the new command position.
On July 28, the brigade was moving toward a battle at Ezra Church in support of Logan’s Corps engaged there. Afterward they camped in the area, where they erected new defensive works with the 22nd Wisconsin on the left. They remained there until ordered back a few miles on Aug. 2 to be closer to the railroad. While there, they encountered sniper fire and continuous skirmishing by the enemy. A sniper killed one soldier in the brigade while he walked the line carrying coffee. Sherman had started the siege of Atlanta, but soon realized he would have to move again if he hoped to accomplish his goal of capturing the city. He eventually moved forward on Aug. 7, 1864.
By July 31, 1864, Sherman was aware that Confederate Gens. Lee and Hardee were positioned in front of him, but he controlled the railroads, which he partially destroyed to prevent their use by the enemy. At the same time, the Confederate army began an evacuation of the city. Unable to remove its supply and ammunition trains due to the Union destruction of the tracks, they blew them up where they had been left sitting. This caused extensive damage to the city, and the explosions could be heard for many miles, to include the listening ears of Gen. Sherman.
On Aug. 10, 1864, Sherman ordered a bombardment of Atlanta, and the big guns roared all day and into the night, causing a lot of destruction and setting many buildings on fire. The 32-pound cannon balls rained down on the city, but the enemy refused to abandon its entrenchments. As a result of this, the 22nd Wisconsin Regiment was moved forward with the brigade to new positions within 200 yards of the enemy’s position.
The soldiers remained in position until Aug. 25, 1864, when Gen. Sherman came up with a new strategy. He ordered the 20th Corps to move en masse back to the shore of the Chattahoochee River, where they would dig in and protect the bridges. The rest of his army moved to the south of the City of Atlanta. At 8 p.m., Coburn and part of his brigade were on the move, but encountered delays lasting into the morning of July 26, as they moved toward Turner’s ferry on the river, eventually going into camp there.
The next day, July 27, 1864, Gen. Slocum arrived from Vicksburg and assumed command of the 20th Corps. That same morning, confederate units attacked Coburn’s line along the river with no results. By the end of the day, with the exception of the 20th Corps, all of Sherman’s army was lined up between Sandtown and Atlanta.
On Sept. 2, Gen. Slocum ordered his troops, to include part of the 22nd Wisconsin commanded by Capt. Oliver May, to depart from Turner’s Ferry, Ga., to conduct reconnaissance toward the City of Atlanta. They moved out, and upon reaching the city, discovered that they, Coburn’s Brigade including the 22nd Wisconsin Regiment, were the first Union troops to enter the city limits of Atlanta. As they entered the city limits, they encountered sporadic attacks by enemy skirmishers.
The brigade was then met at about 11 a.m. by the mayor of the city, James Calhoun, followed by a group of local citizens carrying a white truce flag. The mayor greeted Col. Coburn and surrendered the city, asking only for “protection for persons and property.” Confederate cavalry was still evacuating from the city, and the brigade moved forward through the streets, greeted both by citizens who rejoiced in their arrival and those who were not so happy to see them. During the reconnaissance movement that morning, the brigade suffered five men killed and 72 wounded.
Immediately following, Lt. Col. Bloodgood and the remainder of the 22nd Wisconsin was ordered to move from Turners Ferry and join the brigade occupying the city. Once rejoined, the brigade moved to positions on the east side of the city.
Gen. Sherman meanwhile, chased after the Confederates who were in retreat and skirmished with them near Lovejoy Station before returning to Atlanta between Sept. 5 and 8, 1864. Sherman rested his troops in the now-occupied city while making plans for the army’s next major campaign. The Union Army controlled the entire city and the surrounding countryside stretching out for almost 1 1/2 miles in all directions.
The 20th Corps at the time of the occupation of the City of Atlanta was commanded by Maj. Gen. Henry W. Sloan. The 20th Corp’s Third Division was led by Brig. Gen. William T. Ward. The Third Division included the Second Brigade, led by Col. John Coburn. Wisconsin’s 22nd Infantry Regiment, which included Company D, was part of the Second Brigade.
Gen. Sherman had deployed his divisions to protect all sides of the city, with General Ward’s Third Division, containing the 22nd Wisconsin, on the east and southeast side of the city. The 22nd Wisconsin was with the brigade on the east side of the city south of the Decatur Road. He also decided that the entire city of Atlanta should be converted into a military depot (Garrison), and as a result of his decision, all the civilians were ordered to evacuate as quickly as possible. On Sept. 8, 1864, Mayor James Calhoun made the announcement to the citizens of the city. A 10-day armistice was to be in effect, to allow though wishing to be received by the rebels to travel south toward the Confederate lines.
During this period, many of the ranking Union officers traveled home on leave and captains remained behind in charge of the regiments. There were also many men who had reached the end of their enlistments and were mustered out. The Second Brigade under the command of Lt. Col. Bloodgood remained on picket duty, guarding the front of the division.
While at City Point, Va., on Sept. 9, 1864, Gen. Sherman requested that Gen. Grant allow him to take his army south and east across Georgia, and while doing so, destroy the railroads being used by the enemy. He also requested permission to destroy anything of military value while en route as a sign to the southern people that the war was real.
Gen. Hood meanwhile, started moving on Sept. 18, 1864, with the intent of forcing Sherman to leave Atlanta by cutting off his communication lines to the north. When Sherman learned of this, he sent troops out to meet Hood.
On Sept. 20, Gen. Sherman recommended the Union Army and Navy capture and hold Savannah, Ga. He suggested taking his army from Atlanta on a long unsupported march across Georgia to accomplish that goal.
On the same day, Col. Coburn, who had been suffering from an enlarged hernia, which had first developed in 1862, was finally unable to continue his duties and resigned his commission. He was mustered out, along with a large contingent of the 33rd Indiana whose enlistments had expired. He departed for his home in Indiana on Sept. 22, and Lt. Edward Bloodgood of the 22nd assumed his command over the Second Brigade.
From Sept. 23 to 30, 1864, additional changes in command occurred within the 20th Corps. The Third Division was under the command of Col. Daniel Dustin. The Second Brigade, within the Third Division, was led by Lt. Col. Edward Bloodgood. The Second Bridge included the 22nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, of which Company D was a part, now led by Capt. Alphonzo G. Kellam.
In late September and early October 1864, Sherman monitored Hood’s movements through northern Georgia into Tennessee, then down to Resaca, Ga. Sherman moved his army Oct. 3 and arrived near Resaca on Oct. 14, 1864, forcing Gen. Hood to move on to Dalton, Ga. The 22nd Wisconsin remained behind in the City of Atlanta with the 20th Corps to guard the city and reinforce the defenses. When Sherman left the city Oct. 3, the Second Brigade provided numerous construction details for work on the fortifications. They also supplied men to foraging parties when supplies began to run low due to Gen. Hood cutting off their supply lines from the north.
Meanwhile, Gen. Sherman’s troops continued to follow Hood to Gaylesville, Ala., where they camped on Oct. 21. They remained there until Oct. 29, 1864 then moved back toward Rome, Ga. Gen. Sherman eventually pulled the army back to Kingston, where he established his headquarters.
On Oct. 31, 1864, the organizational chart changed again. From the beginning of the month until the end, eight of the nine brigade commanders had departed and the corps reorganized. Maj. Gen. Harry W. Slocum now led the 20th Corps, which included the Third Division, led by Brig. Gen. Wiliam T. Ward. The Second Brigade, within the Third Division, was now led by Lt. Col. Alexander B. Crane, who relived Bloodgood, who was ill and unable to command, on Nov. 1, 1864. The 22nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, which included Company D, was part of the Third Division.
Crane, having just returned from leave, was promoted to colonel, and put in charge of the brigade until Bloodgood was well again and returned to command the 22nd Wisconsin Regiment.
November of 1864 brought continued movements for the troops along with a few casualties, after Confederate Cavalry attacked the brigade. They were also able to receive their pay up to Aug. 31, which had accumulated over an eight-month period. The men also received new clothing in anticipation of the big march toward Savannah, Ga. On Nov. 2, 1864, Gen. Grant gave Gen. Sherman the permission he had been waiting for – they would march on Savannah!
Nov. 8, 1864 was Federal Election Day in the north, but the men in the field, for the most part, were unable to cast a vote. However, unofficial polls taken within the Union ranks saw the majority vote going to Abraham Lincoln.
The following day, as the Confederate troops once again attacked with cannon fire, the Second Brigade received a new brigade commander. Col. Daniel Dustin of Vermont, a Dartmouth graduate and formerly of the 105th Illinois Regiment, assumed command from Col. Crane. Col. Dustin would remain with the brigade until the end of the war and Coburn’s brigade became Dustin’s brigade.
Brigade reports for Nov. 9, 1864, showed the brigade strength at 2,690 men, with “1,531 men present with 1,222 muskets.” On the very same day, Gen. Sherman divided his army into two wings – the left wing of which was to be commanded by Maj. Gen. Henry Slocum, as follows:
• Left Wing – Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum; 20th Corps – Alpheus S. Williams; Third Division – Brig. Gen. William T. Ward; Second Brigade – Col. Daniel Dustin; 22nd Wisconsin – Lt. Edward Bloodgood with 711 men; and Company D.
Orders issued by Gen. Sherman on Nov. 11, 1864, as the army began to move were to destroy all shops, mills, foundries, warehouses, machine shops, railroad tracks, factories and anything else of military value in the City of Atlanta. Nearby garrison encampments and military sites and support facilities were also destroyed. Additional railroad stock and rails were confiscated and placed in storage for later use. This all took days to accomplish, and as the tasks were being completed, Sherman discontinued all his communication north. By Nov. 14, 1864, he had all his troops assembled south of Atlanta and began to move south and east toward Savannah, unsupported from the rear. As they marched away from the city, the men could see the flames glowing behind them on the horizon.
When Gen. Sherman started moving his army on Nov. 15, 1864, he actually had three goals in mind – Milledgeville, Millen and Savannah, Ga. The wings moved parallel to each other, spaced 20 to 30 miles apart. Company D, located in the middle of the left wing of the army, which was in the lead, marched toward Augusta, Ga. Sherman hoped to split the enemy by forcing them to face his army on multiple fronts, with no idea as to which one was the “actual front” or main objective force. As a result, the men in each wing foraged as they went, cutting a swath through the south 50 to 70 miles wide and 250 to 300 miles long. Anything of military value would be destroyed in its path.
For the most part, the men on the march were in good health and high spirits, following their recent rest and re-fitting. The sick had been sent to the rear and supplies included cattle for fresh beef, hardtack, coffee, salt and sugar. They also foraged items from the countryside such as sweet potatoes and other vegetables.
Squads of men were taken from every unit on the march and assigned to foraging duty. These ragged-looking, half-clothed Union soldiers soon became fondly known as “Sherman’s Bummers,” in part due to their unusual clothing attire – a combination of issued uniforms and civilian clothes appropriated from clotheslines found along the way.
The Bummers fanned out in all directions from the main body of the army, and returned with whatever supplies they could find. Sometimes this included the search of farmhouses, cellars, barns, wells, swamps and freshly dug holes where the locals buried food and anything of else of value they wished not to be found. They even went so far as to dig fresh graves, which contained not the bodies of their dearly deceased, but rather their smoked hams and other food items and valuables. The Bummers used their bayonets and ramrods to probe the ground and were quite successful in locating the hidden items. They also received many leads from escaping slaves as to the location of their master’s hidden treasures.
Another advantage to having the Bummers swarming out from the main body of the army was the illusion it created that the army was bigger than it actually was. This was not to say that the local populace did not suffer at their hand, but many Bummers considered what they were doing a “religious” undertaking, for the good of the enslaved. As a result, homes and other buildings were destroyed and all food located was removed along with all livestock. The items taken were transported back to the main army in buggies and wagons confiscated from their owners. The south was, as predicted, feeling the wrath of Gen. Sherman for their secessionist actions.
They marched to Social Circle, Ga., starting at 5 a.m. Nov. 17, arriving at 3 a.m. Nov. 18, crossing creeks, eating road dust and destroying military supplies as they went. They tore up railroad tracks, heated them over open fires then bent the rails around trees to prevent their reuse. Foraging dropped off, then picked up again, and the men never knew what, or if, they would eat at the end of the day.
On Nov. 18, 1864, at 6 a.m., after only two hours of sleep and a quick breakfast, the 22nd Wisconsin was on the march again with the brigade toward Rutledge, Ga. The good news came when they realized they were marching through a fertile farming area. Foraging brought in fresh vegetables, potatoes and meat, which helped to re-strengthen them as they continued to destroy railroad tracks near Madison, Ga. Only the military venues were destroyed, and records reflected that private residences went untouched as they passed through the town. In four days, they had covered 80 miles.
When they left again at 6 a.m. Nov. 20, 1864, the 22nd Wisconsin was in the rear of the division with the rest of the brigade. They were assigned to train guard duty, which required four men for each wagon in the train, and there were more than 50 wagons. They did not arrive in camp until late that night, when the last of the wagons pulled in. To make matters worse, it began to rain, and continued to do so into the morning of Nov. 21, when at 5 a.m., they moved out again.
By Nov. 22, the 22nd Wisconsin had moved with the brigade to within miles of Milledgeville, Ga., and was now marching in freezing cold weather and crossing ice-covered waterways. The 22nd Wisconsin had remained behind to guard the wagon trains when the main body moved across the Little River and attempted to stay warm near their campfires. They were unable to move until late in the evening, then marched all night and didn’t arrive before Milledgeville, the capital of Georgia, until Nov. 23, 1864. When they arrived, Gen. Slocum set up his headquarters in a hotel, and when Gen. Sherman arrived days later, he set up his headquarters in the governor’s mansion. During this major movement of troops, the Georgia State Militia, a collection of old men and young boys, attacked one of Sherman’s divisions near Griswoldville, which, surprisingly, was the only battle fought by Gen. Sherman’s troops during their entire march to Savannah.
On Nov. 23, 1864, having achieved the first goals of his march at Milledgeville and Gordon, Gen. Sherman began part two of his plan, with his two wings moving toward Millen, Ga. The 22nd Wisconsin Regiment, as part of the left wing, was to destroy railroad lines all the way to the Ogeechee River. The day was bitter cold, and Gen. Williams kept his troops in camp while some troops entered the city where they burned some public buildings and a powder magazine and plundered the State House. The Georgia Legislature abandoned the capital, and some Union officers held a mock legislative session in their absence, during which they “repealed” the Confederate Ordinance of Secession.
The weather improved slightly Nov. 24, 1864, and the corps moved out of Milledgeville, crossed the river and marched toward Hebron with the 22nd Wisconsin in the middle of the division. They marched on muddy roads, through wet, cold and foggy weather conditions. After only 13 miles of marching, they finally arrived at their camp at Buffalo Creek, at 3 a.m. on Nov. 25, 1864.
The bridge over the creek was burned down by a local farmer, and in retaliation, the farmer’s house was burned to the ground. Union pioneers rebuilt the bridge, and the army moved across the river. On Nov. 26, they moved forward to Sandersville, where they were attacked by Confederate cavalry and shot at from the local courthouse. Sherman ordered the courthouse be destroyed, and the engineers completed the task. The 22nd remained in Sandersville until Nov. 27, 1864, to guard the supply wagons.
As the army moved forward, the weather changed drastically, and by Nov. 30, 1864, it had become hot and oppressively humid. Gen. Ward’s division remained in their camp while other units were crossing the river at Coward’s Bridge. Finally, at 7 p.m., they too crossed over, marching though thick mud and heavy fog, and eventually went into camp after midnight Dec. 1 1864, a few miles east of Louisville.
On Dec. 1, 1864, the marching continued, through poor weather, swamps and creeks toward Millen, Ga. The rear units, still guarding the wagons, did not arrive in camp until sometime around 3 a.m. Dec. 2, 1864. They were allowed to rest until 3 p.m. then joined the center of the division as it moved another eight to nine miles and went into camp around midnight.
A cool and somewhat pleasant winter day greeted the army on the morning of Dec. 2, 1864, when the division moved again with the 22nd Wisconsin still guarding wagons in the rear of the column. They also encountered dangerous quicksand in a miserable swamp, and after a march of roughly 15 miles, eventually reached their camp near Jones Creek.
Dec. 3 brought more marching, as the 20th Corps made its way toward Sylvania, where it destroyed more railroad lines. As they approached Millen, Ga., the Confederate Army quickly evacuated Camp Lawton, a prison for 10,000 Union soldiers. On this date, Col. Dustin’s brigade, to include the 22nd Wisconsin, was guarding 240 cavalry wagons, which required the majority of his men, closely spaced in their ranks. They reached their camp around midnight, hungry and totally exhausted.
Gen. Sherman was extremely pleased with the progress of his army to this point having completed the second part of his planned movement, and on Dec. 4, 1864, announced that it was his intention to continue on to Savannah, Ga., and the sea. He ordered the depot and other public property at Millen destroyed, then on a beautiful December day, moved out with his army, divided by three corps, with the 20th Corps in the middle, directly toward Savannah, Ga.
They marched along the Savannah road through a flat, timbered landscape with occasional swamps. They camped that night near Sylvania with the brigade still assigned to guarding the wagon train. Opposition was light, consisting of harassing movements by the Confederates, such as cutting down timber to block the roads.
Dec. 6, 1864 found the brigade along with the corps marching roughly 15 miles, then camping in the forest just past Cowpens Creek near Springfield. The men were marching single file along with the wagons and managed to conduct foraging along the way, which brought in much-welcomed vegetables, meat and sugar cane. They marched for long days, often not arriving in the evening camps until very late.
On Dec. 9, 1864, the 20th Corps turned east, and encountered yet another miserable swamp while approaching Montieth Station, Ga. In the swamp area, they encountered felled timber and enemy redoubts and were struck with enemy artillery fire. They managed to overcome all these obstacles and continued to move forward. Some of the units were running low on rations, and foraging in a swamp did not bring welcome results. While they were fighting the swamp, cannon fire could be heard in the distance as Gen. Howard, commanding the right wing, was engaging the enemy near Savannah.
The 20th Corps moved forward and Dec. 10, 1864 approached Montieth Station about 10 miles distance from Savannah, Ga. They destroyed rail lines and supporting equipment of military value then moved on. The 22nd Wisconsin and the brigade moved to with five to 10 miles of Savannah and went into reserve behind two other brigades. Gen. Sherman’s army was now poised before Savannah and remained there until Dec. 21, 1864, when the Confederates evacuated the city.
On Dec. 11, 1864, Lt. Col. Bloodgood was ordered by Gen. Ward to take the 22nd Wisconsin Regiment from Col. Dustin’s brigade and move to a position at Gibbon’s Plantation on the Savannah River to protect Battery I of the First New York Light Artillery. The artillery was there in an attempt to block enemy traffic on the water.
Gen. Sherman managed to maneuver all four of his corps into positions facing the Confederate works in Savannah by Dec. 12, 1864. The 20th Corps was positioned on the river on the left. Entrance to the city was by a few railroad bridges or over one of three dirt roads, and Confederate artillery batteries covered them all.
The 20th Corps was also beginning to fight another battle – a scarcity of food. Without a rearward supply chain, they had, as Sherman anticipated when he started his march southward, begun to reach the bottom of their supplies. Food of any kind was scarce, and the 22nd Wisconsin along with the rest of the 20th Corps was reduced to one-third rations consisting of crackers and potatoes.
The resourceful men of the 22nd Wisconsin Regiment however, were able to locate and capture a rice mill on an island in the Savannah River. They took over operation of the mill, and were ultimately successful in providing barge-loads of rice to their fellow soldiers back on the line. At the same time, they also supported the artillery battery in attacking three armed Confederate boats attempting to run the blockade. They managed to disable and capture one of the boats.
Located just off the coast of Georgia were waiting Union Navy ships commanded by Rear Adm. John Dahlgren, loaded with much needed supplies, food stuffs and even mail. The fleet was attempting to make landfall but was hindered by the Confederate troops still controlling Fort McAllister. Sherman ordered the 15th Corps to eliminate the threat to their supplies. On Dec. 13 1864, the 15th Corps and a battery of artillery attacked and captured the fort, thus allowing Dahlgren’s flotilla to move up the Ogeechhee River and off-load their cargo. The beginning of the end was in sight for the City of Savannah, Ga.
Fog greeted the brigade on the morning of Dec. 16, 1864, as they began to shift their positions near Savannah. The 22nd Wisconsin was still back along the Savannah River standing duty at the Gibbon Plantation. Thanks to Dahlgren’s flotilla, the men stationed in the area received and sent mail and received new uniform clothing and food supplies.
During the night of Dec. 20, 1864, Confederate Gen. Hardee withdrew his troops across the state line into South Carolina but left some troops behind to give the illusion they were still there by continuously firing at Geary’s division. At 3 a.m. Dec. 21, 1864, the firing stopped, and Geary’s advancing pickets found empty enemy works. Gen. Sherman was immediately notified, and by 4:30 that morning the mayor of Savannah, accompanied by a board of delegates, surrendered the city to Union troops. The American flag was hoisted atop public buildings, letting the citizens know the city was back in Union hands.
Gen. William Ward’s Third Division, to include the Second Brigade, commanded by Daniel Dustin, moved into camp along a rice canal near the city. Col. Dustin’s men were located in the center with the wagon train behind their lines.
On Dec. 22, 1864, after Union troops had successfully achieved Gen. Sherman’s goal of occupying the City of Savannah, Ga., Sherman sent the now-famous telegraph message to President Abraham Lincoln:
“Savannah, Ga., Dec. 22, 1864… His Excellency President Lincoln, I beg to present you, as a Christmas gift, the city of Savannah, with 150 heavy guns and plenty ammunition, and also about 25,000 bales of cotton.”
By order of Gen. Sherman, Geary was appointed the commander of the post at Savannah. His division was assigned all guard and patrol duty for the city. A police force was established, schools and churches were reopened and business slowly returned to normal. The Union army supplied dry goods, firewood, meat and other necessities for the citizens of the city, regardless of race, color or political affiliation.
Meanwhile Brig. Gen. William T. Ward’s Third Division was assigned to the west side of the city guarding the railroad lines. They would hold this position until the end of the year. While in camp there, the 22nd Wisconsin Regiment was able to take stock of its status and discovered that during the Savannah campaign they had suffered no deaths or serious sickness and had 315 men present for duty.
Though the men of the 22nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment had not been involved in any serious major battles during their march from Atlanta to Savannah, they prided themselves in marching hundreds of miles through bad weather on bad roads, with lack of sleep and food, while protecting the wagons from attack, clearing timber, building corduroy roads, tearing up railroad tracks, warding off sickness, foraging for food and supplies and performing endless hours of picket guard duty. They had been part of Gen. Sherman’s grand plan to do what others thought couldn’t be done – take a stripped-down army with no rearward supply lines, cut through the middle of the enemy’s homeland and achieve success.
The army also realized at this time that they had picked up almost 10,000 former slaves since they started their march in Atlanta. These people would not be deterred from following the army, and they had to be fed just like the soldiers. Many of them performed chores for the army and provided entertainment for the worn-out troops in the form of songs and dance.
The army did not rest on its laurels while in Savannah, as Confederate forces were reforming just across the state line in South Carolina. Gen. Sherman prepared for yet another march, this time northward into the Carolinas. On Dec. 30, 1864, Gen. Sherman ordered a grand review down Water Street in Savannah for all the people to see.
The end of the year 1864 saw Gen. Sherman’s army constructing new lines of entrenchment defenses for when they departed the city and left a garrison behind. He also had supply depots established and readied his troops with new uniforms and equipment for the arduous mission ahead.
Gen. Sherman was looking to march his army north through the Carolinas and into Virginia where he planned to meet up with Gen. George Meade’s army, which was facing-off with Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. Gen. Sherman had been working on his plan since mid-December and was looking to repeat his march to the sea by moving his army north through South Carolina, North Carolina and into Virginia, again destroying anything of military value along the way. His authorization to begin this new march would finally come on Jan. 2, 1865.
Andrew W. Johnson is a Delavan native and a member of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War of Fredericksburg, VA. This is the fourth column in a series Johnson will write about the Delavan-area men who served in the Civil War. Part V will cover the second half of 1864.
