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ude； such as the Ocmulgee； Oconee； Ogeechee； Savannah； etc。
On the 20th of November I was still with the Fourteenth Corps； near Eatonton Factory； waiting to hear of the Twentieth Corps； and on the 21st we camped near the house of a man named Mann； the next day； about 4 p。m。； General Davis had halted his head of column on a wooded ridge； overlooking an extensive slope of cultivated country； about ten miles short of Milledgeville； and was deploying his troops for camp when I got up。 There was a high； raw wind blowing； and I asked him why he had chosen so cold and bleak a position。 He explained that he had accomplished his full distance for the day； and had there an abundance of wood and water。 He explained further that his advance…guard was a mile or so ahead； so I rode on； asking him to let his rear division； as it came up； move some distance ahead into the depression or valley beyoud。 Riding on some distance to the border of a plantation； I turned out of the main road into a cluster of wild…plum bushes； that broke the force of the cold November wind； dismounted； and instructed the staff to pick out the place for our camp。
The afternoon was unusually raw and cold。 My orderly was at hand with his invariable saddle…bags； which contained a change of under…clothing； my maps； a flask of whiskey； and bunch of cigars。 Taking a drink and lighting a cigar； I walked to a row of negro…huts close by； entered one and found a soldier or two warming themselves by a wood…fire。 I took their place by the fire； intending to wait there till our wagons had got up； and a camp made for the night。 I was talking to the old negro woman； when some one came and explained to me that； if I would come farther down the road； I could find a better place。 So I started on foot； and found on the main road a good double…hewed…log house； in one room of which Colonel Poe； Dr。 Moore； and others； had started a fire。 I sent back orders to the 〃plum…bushes〃 to bring our horses and saddles up to this house； and an orderly to conduct our headquarter wagons to the same place。 In looking around the room； I saw a small box； like a candle…box； marked 〃Howell Cobb；〃 and； on inquiring of a negro； found that we were at the plantation of General Howell Cobb； of Georgia； one of the leading rebels of the South； then a general in the Southern army； and who had been Secretary of the United States Treasury in Mr。 Buchanan's time。 Of course； we confiscated his property； and found it rich in corn； beans； pea…nuts； and sorghum…molasses。 Extensive fields were all round the house； I sent word back to General David to explain whose plantation it was； and instructed him to spare nothing。 That night huge bonfires consumed the fence…rails； kept our soldiers warm； and the teamsters and men； as well as the slaves； carried off an immense quantity of corn and provisions of all sorts。
In due season the headquarter wagons came up； and we got supper。 After supper I sat on a chair astride； with my back to a good fire； musing； and became conscious that an old negro； with a tallow… candle in his hand； was scanning my face closely。 I inquired； 〃What do you want； old man！〃 He answered； 〃Dey say you is Massa Sherman。〃 I answered that such was the case； and inquired what he wanted。 He only wanted to look at me； and kept muttering； 〃Dis nigger can't sleep dis night。〃 I asked him why he trembled so； and he said that he wanted to be sure that we were in fact 〃Yankees；〃 for on a former occasion some rebel cavalry had put on light…blue overcoats； personating Yankee troops； and many of the negroes were deceived thereby； himself among the number had shown them sympathy； and had in consequence been unmercifully beaten therefor。 This time he wanted to be certain before committing himself； so I told him to go out on the porch； from which he could see the whole horizon lit up with camp…fires； and he could then judge whether he had ever seen any thing like it before。 The old man became convinced that the 〃Yankees〃 had come at last； about whom he had been dreaming all his life； and some of the staff officers gave him a strong drink of whiskey； which set his tongue going。 Lieutenant Spelling； who commanded my escort； was a Georgian； and recognized in this old negro a favorite slave of his uncle； who resided about six miles off； but the old slave did not at first recognize his young master in our uniform。 One of my staff…officers asked him what had become of his young master； George。 He did not know； only that he had gone off to the war； and he supposed him killed； as a matter of course。 His attention was then drawn to Spelling's face； when he fell on his knees and thanked God that he had found his young master alive and along with the Yankees。 Spelling inquired all about his uncle and the family； asked my permission to go and pay his uncle a visit； which I granted； of course； and the next morning he described to me his visit。 The uncle was not cordial； by any means； to find his nephew in the ranks of the host that was desolating the land； and Spelling came back； having exchanged his tired horse for a fresher one out of his uncle's stables； explaining that surely some of the 〃bummers〃 would have got the horse had he not。
The next morning； November 23d； we rode into Milledgeville； the capital of the State； whither the Twentieth Corps had preceded us； and during that day the left wing was all united； in and around Milledgeville。 From the inhabitants we learned that some of Kilpatrick's cavalry had preceded us by a couple of days； and that all of the right wing was at and near Gordon； twelve miles off； viz。； the place where the branch railroad came to Milledgeville from the Mason & Savannah road。 The first stage of the journey was； therefore； complete； and absolutely successful。
General Howard soon reported by letter the operations of his right wing； which； on leaving Atlanta； had substantially followed the two roads toward Mason； by Jonesboro' and McDonough； and reached the Ocmulgee at Planters' Factory； which they crossed； by the aid of the pontoon…train； during the 18th and 19th of November。 Thence； with the Seventeenth Corps （General Blair's） he （General Howard） had marched via Monticello toward Gordon； having dispatched Kilpatrick's cavalry； supported by the Fifteenth Corps （Osterhaus's）； to feign on Mason。 Kilpatrick met the enemy's cavalry about four miles out of Mason； and drove them rapidly back into the bridge…defenses held by infantry。 Kilpatrick charged these； got inside the parapet； but could not hold it； and retired to his infantry supports； near Griswold Station。 The Fifteenth Corps tore up the railroad…track eastward from Griswold） leaving Charles R。 Wood's division behind as a rear…guard…one brigade of which was intrenched across the road； with some of Kilpatrick's cavalry on the flanks。 On the 22d of November General G。 W。 Smith； with a division of troops； came out of Mason； attacked this brigade （Walcutt's） in position； and was handsomely repulsed and driven back into Mason。 This brigade was in part armed with Spencer repeating…rifles； and its fire was so rapid that General Smith insists to this day that he encountered a whole division； but he is mistaken； he w