1865/03/28 Report of Lt. Col. P.B.Buckingham

On the 16th of January the regiment was in camp on Hardee's plantation, six miles north of Savannah, under orders to be ready to move the following day. On the 17th the regiment, with the brigade and division, moved from camp and marched to Hardeeville, about ton miles, where it encamped and remained till the morning of the 29th, when the march was again resumed at 7 p. [a.] m. on the road to Robertsville. Distance marched, about seventeen miles, when we halted at 3 p.m. and remained over night. 30th, marched at 7 a.m., went about nine miles, and went into camp at about noon near Robertsville. 31st, moved out of camp at 8 a.m., marched about three miles, and went into camp on the road leading from Robertsville to Sister's Ferry, where we remained till the 2d of February.

February 2, marched at 7 a.m., on the road to Lawtonville, and, when near that place, found the enemy in small force behind intrenchments across the road, with a thick swamp in his front. This division formed in line of battle, Third Brigade on the left and the Twentieth Connecticut on the left of the second line. After brief skirmishing the enemy retired precipitately, and the regiment, with the brigade and division, went into camp in line of battle for the night. Marched at 7 a.m. on the morning of the 3d, passed through Lawtonville, made fifteen miles, and halted for the night. On the 4th the march was resumed at 7 a.m., and, after having made about ten miles, encamped for the night one mile east of Allendale. On the 5th, made about twelve miles, and on the 6th, crossed the Big Salkehatchie River, where the enemy had thrown up intrenchments and burnt Buford's Bridge, but had been compelled to evacuate their works by the movements of other portions of the army, and, after marching about fifteen miles, halted for the night. 7th, marched about eight miles, and on the 8th, about two miles, when we reached the Charleston and Augusta Railroad, near Graham's Station, and the regiment, with the brigade, was engaged all day in tearing up the railroad track, burning the cross ties, and twisting the rails. 9th, marched about fourteen miles along the railroad track in a northwesterly direction, passing through Blackville, where we halted for dinner, and about 2 p.m. again went to work destroying the railroad track, working till dark, when we went into camp for the night. 10th, marched at 7 a.m. through Williston to White Pond, twelve miles, and again worked until dark, tearing up and destroying the railroad track almost to Windsor, 105 miles from Charleston. 11th, marched at 7 a.m. back to Williston, where we took the road north toward Davis' Mill, on the Edisto River,which we reached about 4 p.m., having made about twelve miles, when we halted for the night. 12th, broke camp at 7 a.m. and crossed the Edisto River on a bridge built by a regiment of Michigan Engineers during the night, the men having to wade for half a mile on the north side of the river through water eighteen inches or two feet deep, and during the night ice had made of considerable thickness and the ground frozen quite hard; distance made to-day, about fifteen miles. 13th, marched at 8 a.m.; crossed the North Edisto near Williamson's Mill, and halted for the night six miles north of the river, and on the 14th marched six miles, and reached the cross-roads leading to Augusta, Lexington Court-House, and Columbia, when we again bivouacked for the night. 15th, left camp at 8 a.m.; marched to within two miles of Lexington Court-House, when we turned to the right, taking the road to Columbia; and on the 16th, about 4 p.m., encamped about one mile and a half south of the Saluda River and in sight of Columbia. 17th, marched at 10 a.m. in a northwesterly direction about six miles, and encamped on the south bank of the Saluda River for the night.

On the morning of the 18th we crossed the Saluda River on a pontoon bridge, taking a northerly direction, and on the 19th reached Broad River, where we bivouacked for the night, making in the two days about eighteen miles. On the 20th, marched at 3 p.m.; crossed Broad River and the Spartanburg railroad, where we halted till nearly sunset; then marched eight miles, reaching camp about midnight. 21st, took the road toward Winnsborough at 7 a.m.; reached that place about noon; passed through the town and encamped for the night three miles north on the road to Rocky Mount. On the 22d we reached Rocky Mount and encamped half a mile south of the Wateree River, having marched about seventeen miles. At about midnight the men were roused and we crossed the river on a pontoon bridge, which had been laid in the first part of the night, and, after moving some two miles, about 3 a.m. the men lay down and slept until daylight, when we marched about six miles and went into camp. On the 24th we only moved about three miles, the previous rain compelling us to corduroy the road the whole distance, and on the 25th marched about the same distance, this brigade corduroying the road as the day previous. 26th, made about six miles in the direction of Hanging Rock, and on the 27th remained in camp all day. On the 28th, marched about six miles through mud and rain, reaching camp about midnight, and on the 1st of March went about sixteen miles and encamped two miles north of Lynch's Creek.

On the 2d, the regiment was engaged during the afternoon in building corduroy road and only marched about four miles, and on the 3d we marched ten miles and reached Chesterfield about 4.30 p.m. 4th, marched ten miles on the road toward Sneedsborough and went into camp near the Great Pedee River about 1.30 p.m.; we remained until the morning of the 6th, when we moved back to Cheraw, about ten miles; rested till 3 a.m. on the morning of the 7th, when we crossed the Great Pedee River on pontoons and halted about daylight six miles from the river. Resumed the march at 10.30 a.m.; took the road toward Laurel Hill; made fourteen miles and halted for the night. 8th, resumed the march at 7 a.m.; marched about ten miles and halted eight miles from Lumber River for the night, and on the following day reached the river and encamped on the west side. 10th, marched at 6.30 a.m.; crossed Lumber River and reached camp about 11.30 p.m., having marched about ten miles, and on the following day took the road toward Fayetteville, which place we reached about dark and went into camp, having marched about twenty miles. Sunday, the 12th, remained in camp all day. On the 13th we crossed Cape Fear River and encamped five miles north of it. On the 14th, the regiment, with the brigade, was ordered out on a reconnaissance; leaving camp about 9 a.m. in light marching order, we proceeded north on the road to Raleigh, and, after marching about five miles the command was divided, a portion moving by a road to the right and three regiments proceeding on the road toward Raleigh. This regiment moved with the last-mentioned portion of the command, going as far as Silver Run, in all about ten miles from camp, and five companies, viz, I, H, D, K, and G, were sent to the front as an advance guard, and were engaged skirmishing the last three miles of the march for some three hours, driving the skirmishers of the enemy before them and compelling him to move a piece of artillery to the rear and into works, where their skirmishers were also compelled finally to take refuge. Here the enemy were found to be in strong force (at least a brigade, with three pieces of artillery), and the object of the reconnaissance having been accomplished, the regiment, with the others, all under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Buckingham, marched back to camp unmolested by the enemy, which we reached about 9.30 p.m., having marched in all about twenty miles. Capt. Ezra Sprague was in command of the regiment during the day after Lieutenant-Colonel Buckingham was placed in charge of the regiments composing this portion of the expedition.

A foraging party was sent out on the same day, which was led into an ambush, fired upon, several of the horses and mules, upon which they were mounted, killed and wounded, and six privates of the party captured, viz: Private David Jones and Musician W. S. Ward, Company H; James Downey and Lewis Curtiss, of Company K; Charles Lamue, of Company G, and Anthony Burke, Company B. Private John Scott, Company K, who was with the party, received three saber cuts during the melee, but escaped and returned to the regiment with the rest of the party, and only slightly wounded. Private Josiah Brandebary, Company H, fell out while on the march on the 13th without proper authority, has been missing since, and is supposed to have deserted, and has been reported as a deserter.

On the 15th the regiment, with the corps to which it is attached, moved out of camp at 7 a.m., and after marching about ten miles went into camp on the north side of Silver Run, just in the rear of the works into which the enemy was driven yesterday. On the 16th we broke camp at 6.30 a.m., and, after advancing about four miles, the enemy was found in considerable force by the First Division, which was in the advance. This division (the Third) soon came up and the regiment, with the brigade, was formed and moved forward under fire to relieve a brigade of the First Division, which had been skirmishing with the enemy for some time. After having advanced to the proper position, the regiment furnished thirty men and a commissioned officer to relieve the skirmishers in our front, and shortly after thirty additional men were furnished for the skirmish line. The enemy was soon driven from a line of works and compelled to leave behind some of his artillery. The skirmishers quickly followed the retreating rebels, took a number of prisoners, and drove the enemy into a second line of works, from which they were also finally dislodged, our skirmishers driving them some distance and into a strongly intrenched position, which the enemy held during the afternoon. Our line of battle was now advanced to within a short distance of the works of the enemy, where we threw up temporary rifle-pits, and the regiment and brigade bivouacked for the night behind them. During the night following the enemy evacuated his works and fled. I have to report the following casualties on this occasion :(*)

On the 17th we moved about four miles to Averasborough and encamped for the night, finding on the march evidence of great haste Ť53 R R--VOL XLVII, PT Iť on the part of the retreating rebels, who abandoned wagons, ambulances containing their wounded, and left a portion of their wounded on the field and in the adjoining houses without surgical attendance. On the 18th we marched about twelve miles with our train, over very muddy, miry roads, and reached camp about 5 a.m. the following morning, having marched all night, when we rested for about three hours. At 8 a.m. on the 19th we resumed the march in rear of the train, and about 1 p.m. we left the train and moved rapidly forward till about 3 p.m., when we reached a point near Bentonville, N. C., where the enemy had attacked a portion of the Fourteenth Corps, and the brigade was almost immediately formed on the right of the road leading toward Goldsborough, the Twentieth Connecticut Volunteers occupying the left of the line of the brigade, with the Twenty-sixth Wisconsin Volunteers in column in our immediate rear. In this position we were ordered to advance and relieve a brigade of the Fourteenth Corps, supposed to be in our immediate front. The regiment advanced with the brigade line through the woods for twenty or thirty rods, then across a swamp, when we emerged into an open wood of heavy pine timber, and some twenty rods from the swamp was a thick growth of underbrush directly in our front. After advancing nearly to the edge of the heavy pine forest we received a tremendous volley from the enemy, whose lines were concealed not more than a dozen rods from us, behind the underbrush, which was immediately returned. Our line was established and held till after dark without assistance, although the enemy brought up another line of battle against us, and made the most determined efforts to drive us from the field, yet the men stood as firm as a rock, never flinching under the murderous fire, or giving an inch of ground. Soon after dark the enemy retired, leaving his dead and many of his wounded in our hands, when we threw up a temporary line of works and bivouacked on the battle-field, after assisting in removing our dead and wounded. The regiment in this engagement, remarkable both for the obstinacy with which the rebels fought and for the terrible fire which they maintained, sustained its reputation for courage and valor, which it had already established on many a hard-fought battle-field. The officers and men composing it fight for no other honor than that of our common country; they seek no glory but that of maintaining the majesty of the law, and of sustaining and perpetuating the blood-bought privileges of human liberty, and hence they have never been known to turn their back on the foe.

On the morning of the 20th the rebels were found to have fallen back about a mile and a half, and this regiment, with the brigade, were withdrawn from its position and moved to the rear, and about 2 p.m. we moved over toward the left and advanced and extended our line in that direction, built intrenchments, remaining in this position over night and till the afternoon of the following day, when we again moved out of the line toward the right and rear of the corps, where we remained until the following morning (the 22d), when the enemy was found to have fallen back still farther, abandoning a strong line of works, and we moved to the right, taking the road to Goldsborough, halting over night ten miles from the battle-field. 23d, we resumed the march, passing through the camp of the Twenty-fourth Army Corps, crossed the Neuse River about noon, and encamped for the night four miles north of the river. 24th, broke camp at 5 a.m., and took the road to Goldsborough, which we reached about 10 a.m., passed through the town, and went into camp three miles north of the same.

The men have endured cold and wet, hunger and fatigue, they were poorly supplied with clothing at the commencement of the campaign, many of them before its termination had become almost naked and entirely barefooted, yet like veteran soldiers as they are, they have marched on, never repining or complaining, constantly keeping in view but one object, success. Under the watchful care of a kind Providence, and the skill of our great leader, we have triumphed over every obstacle, and made a campaign, which, when the history shall be made up, will be looked upon as no less wonderful than it has been successful. The soldier who has endured the hardships of this campaign, productive of such vast results, and who, although having license to take from the country through which we have passed subsistence for himself and comrades, and yet maintaining discipline, has restrained himself from lawlessness and from crime, as the soldiers of this army have done, deserves to have his name enrolled in the Legion of Honor. The men composing this army deserve well of their country.