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“General Williams moved from Robertsville, through Lawtonville, two days before Geary’s division of his corps had crossed, and on the 4th was thirty-five miles in the heart of Beaufort district, L.M. Keitt’s old stamping ground. Geary had the trains of the corps moved with considerable difficulty over roads where the mud averaged two and a half feet in depth, where I saw in several places animals standing upright in the middle of the road, literally imbedded to the ears in mud. Many miles of corduroy were built and sunk and built again. Coosawhatchie swamp and river, swollen by the heavy rains, were successfully crossed, although three-quarters of a mile of waist deep wading was required to do it.”

February 3rd

9:00 P.M. Again at the hospital I see the horrid results of every battle. Men mutilated in every shape conceivable, groaning, begging for assistance and gasping in death. Many of our wounded will have to lie all night in that horrid swamp, it being impossible to find them and carry them out on the narrow foot bridge that has been made. Many have had their heads propped up out of the water where they lay to keep them from drowning.

Many censure General Mower, commanding our division (the 1st Division, 17th A.C.) for shoving his men against the enemy in such a place, even after he knew the crossing had been made by the other divisions, which he did know, as I was present when a staff officer reported it. He ordered Lieutenant Harrison with a company of the 63rd Ohio to charge along the causeway and with an oath told him not to stop until he got into the enemy's fort. He [Harrison] started, but finding his men being swept off by the enemy's artillery, moved them off the causeway into the water, when finding Colonel Parks of the 43rd Ohio, he received orders from him not to try to go any farther as it was madness. General Howard is said to have criticized the whole of Mower's operation, but it is Mower's style.

We spent our Christmas at Savannah. From this point we make a feint on Augusta, and go to Robertsville and Blackburn Turnout where they have a little cavalry brush with our pickets; and thence we go northeasterly until we begin to think we own the county. Here Lieutenant Whitehorn came in one day, he being in command of the forage detail, having been something like twenty-five miles from the main column, though his orders were not to exceed five miles. I handed him my revolver, telling him not to go so far from the column or the Johnnies would take him. He said there were no Johnnies who could take him. This, I think, was March 8th. [Note: This event could not have been this late because he talks of the Salkehatchie crossing later below.] His detail consisted of himself and 22 men. Major Fox and Adjutant Benedict thought it would be fun to accompany them for the day. So, off they started, and got to a place near Solomon’s Grove. Lieutenant Whitehorn met a body of men dressed in blue, and naturally thought they were Kilpatrick’s. After passing flanks, the Rebs halted, fronted, drew sabre, and ordered Whitehorn to surrender. He, thinking he could whip the whole Confederacy, refused to surrender. Many of his men had their guns strapped to their saddles; and the Rebs had the woods full back of them. Whitehorn was struck over the head with a sabre and shot through -the arm. One man was killed and three wounded, Among the wounded was Cole, of Company E, shot through the lungs, and in this condition he made his way, I think, a distance of sixty miles, into our lines again. I hope he is living yet. Silas Grey, of Company H, was cut over the head with a sabre, and fell from his horse. He played possum on the Johnnies, and got into our lines. A truer, better soldier was never enlisted. After this conflict the Rebs sighted Major Fox and Adjutant Benedict, and they immediately started a race for our lines. Fox and Benedict were the winners. They got under the wire first, with the Johnnies shut out at the quarter post, or at our picket line. Except Grey and Cole, all of the command went to some Confederate prison.