OR, Series 1, Vol. 47, Part 1, Page 1080

Itinerary of Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Cheatham’s corps
 
   Friday, January 27 -- Took the cars for Meridian {south on the Mobile & Ohio RR}, reaching that place early on the morning of the 28th.
   Saturday, January 28 -- Took cars for Demopolis {Selma & Meridian RR}; ran off the track when we had gone about fourteen miles and remained on the side of the road the rest of the day and that night.
   Sunday, January 29 -- Started again and reached Demopolis late in the afternoon. Here we took the train for Selma, but when within fourteen miles of that place and about 11 o'clock at night, our engine ran off the track and we did not get away until the night of
   Monday, January 30 -- Made Selma; and on the following morning, Tuesday, January 31, we transferred our baggage and horses to the packet Southern Republic, which started for Montgomery that night.
   Wednesday, February 1 -- Reached Montgomery about 2 p.m., where we remained until the morning of Friday, February 3, when we took the cars for Columbus {Montgomery & West Point RR}, reaching that place before night.
   Saturday, February 4 -- Our baggage and horses were sent on and the general and most of the staff laid over a day, which was passed most agreeably with Mrs. W.
   Sunday, February 5 -- Left Columbus at daylight and arrived at Macon about 4.30 p.m. {Muscogee RR, South Western RR}
   Monday, February 6 -- Left Macon at 8 a.m. {Central (of Georgia) RR} and arrived at Midway about 2 p.m., and an hour later moved in wagons and on horseback to Milledgeville, one mile and a half distant, where we stayed all night.
   Tuesday, February 7 -- Left Milledgeville in a storm of rain and rode horseback twenty-five miles, bivouacking near Colonel Lane's, two miles from Sparta.
   Wednesday, February 8 -- Started again at sunrise and completed the balance of the break on the Macon and Milledgeville Railroad {Central (of Georgia) RR}, some twelve miles, reaching Mayfield Station at 12 m., and leaving there on the train at 4 p.m. {Milledgeville RR}, we reached Camak Station, on the Georgia railroad, just after night.
   Thursday, February 9 -- Taking the first train which came along, about 10 a.m., we arrived at Augusta about 5 p.m. Stayed near the depot all night, and on the morning of
   Friday, February 10 -- We moved across the river into South Carolina, making our quarters at the Widow Mayer's, one mile from the bridge.
   Saturday, February 11 -- Was spent by the general and most of the staff present in examining the country about Bath Mills and vicinity.
   Sunday, February 12 -- The enemy near Aiken, seventeen miles from Augusta. Wheeler fighting them.
   Monday, February 13 -- The enemy reported retreating, or, rather, falling back, from Aiken, and orders from General Beauregard for General C[heatham] to move with his corps to Columbia, S.C., at once.
   Tuesday, February 14 -- Stationary, but preparing to move.
   Wednesday, February 15 -- Left our quarters at Mrs. Mayer's this morning and marched twenty miles, stopping at Bauskett's Mills, twenty-one miles from Augusta.
   Thursday, February 16 -- Left our quarters at Bauskett's Mills and marched to Mr. Norris', twenty miles.
   Friday, February 17 -- Started from Norris' about sunrise. Learning that the enemy had gotten between us and Columbia on the road we were traveling, it became necessary to make a considerable detour to the left and make for McNary's Ferry, on the Saluda, which point the head of the column reached about 3 p.m. As there was but one raft at this ferry, Smith's division, with the artillery, crossed here, and Bates' division went to Holly's Ferry, three miles below. By 2.30 a.m. the next day everything was across. Our quarters for the night at Mrs. Wise's, three-quarters of a mile this side.
   Saturday, February 18 -- In motion again by sunrise, reaching Frog Level Station, on the Greenville {& Columbia} railroad, a distance of seven miles, by 1 p.m.; the troops camped two miles beyond, and our quarters for the night at ----. Quite a lot of commissary stores were found here, which were issued and shipped off. The enemy being between us and Columbia, General Beauregard directs that we cross the Broad River at a point above Newberry.
   Sunday, February 19 -- Leaving Frog Level about 8 a.m., we marched to Newberry Court-House, eight miles distant, reaching it at 11. Here we also found a quantity of stores, which were shipped off up the road.
   Monday, February 20 -- Still at Newberry, but orders issued to move to-morrow, General Beauregard directing a concentration at Charlotte, N. C., if not at some point farther south. Quarters at Mr. Fair's.
   Tuesday, February 21 -- Started at daylight and marched twenty-one miles to the Ennoree River. Received dispatch from General B[eauregard] that evening to the effect that that route was not practicable, and to cross Broad River and cut across Sherman 's track, behind him, for Wilmington, N. C.
   Wednesday, February 22 -- Marched back again to Newberry and quartered at Mr. Fair's.
   Thursday, February 23 -- Troops took cars at Newberry {Greenville & Columbia RR} and came to Pomaria, seventeen miles below; portion of staff came horseback. Break on railroad and General C[heatham] not able to get down until the morning of Friday, February 24, which day and the following, being Saturday, February 25, we remained stationary.
   Sunday, February 26 -- Left Pomaria and traveled ten miles over roads made exceedingly bad by two days' hard rains. Our quarters that night at Mr. Caldwell's.
   Monday, February 27 -- Left Caldwell's this morning and marched to Odle's Church, seventeen miles. Quarters at Mr. Watson's. Generals Lowrey and Loring joined us to-day with the troops they brought from the rear.
   Tuesday, February 28 and Wednesday, March 1 -- At Mrs. Watson's. No boats at the ferry, and had to build some.
   Thursday, March 2 -- Crossed the Ennoree at Jones' Ferry and marched nearly to Unionville. Our quarters at Mrs. Young's, four miles from Unionville.
   Friday, March 3 -- Moved through Unionville and marched to Skeift's Ferry, on Broad River. Our quarters at Colonel Gist's.
   Saturday, March 4 -- Spent at Colonel Gist's. General Stewart's corps not yet crossed. Our infantry all over by night.
   Sunday, March 5 -- Crossed ourselves after everything was over and marched to within three miles and a half of Chester Court-House. Quarters at Mrs. Hardin's.
   Monday, March 6 -- Moved into Chester this morning and made our quarters at Colonel Brown's. From this time till the following Saturday time passed -- I scarcely know how; I took no note of it. * * * It became necessary to follow on after the troops, all of which had taken the cars at this point en route for Smithfield {Charlotte & South Carolina RR, North Carolina RR}, where we will probably concentrate our strength, and on the afternoon of Saturday --
   March 11 -- We left Chester {Charlotte & South Carolina RR} and reached Charlotte, N. C., forty-five miles, that night about 11 o'clock. Here we remained until the morning of Sunday, March 12, when we got up steam {North Carolina RR} and made Salisbury, forty-five miles distant, by 4.30 p.m. Here we unloaded and, as a day or two will probably elapse before we can get off, took quarters at Major Smith's and Mr. Murphy's, where remained until Sunday, March 19, when we again took the cars. Our detention at Salisbury was occasioned by a difference in the gauge of the railroad tracks, which necessitated a change of cars, and a scarcity of rolling-stock {Beauregard was having the North Carolina RR gauge changed from Greensboro toward Charlotte to match the Piedmont RR gauge}.
   Monday, March 20 -- Reached Smithfield Depot this afternoon about 5 o'clock, unloaded our train, and bivouacked on the side of the railroad {North Carolina RR}.
   Tuesday, March 21 -- Left the station this morning for the army, which we reached about 2 p.m., and found it skirmishing sharply with the enemy. Just after we reached General Johnston's quarters the Seventeenth Army Corps endeavored to get in on our left, but were handsomely driven from the field by our cavalry and infantry.

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