178                                HISTORY OF THE SEVENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT O.V.V.I.

           Finally the last train of cars moved off, and the whole army went to the road and destroyed it from Atlanta to Chattanooga, and then marched to Atlanta. We stopped there but a day, and in that time destroyed the depots, all Government property, and everything which could aid a rebel in doing mischief, then bid adieu to the place, and pursuing the McDonough's road, plunged further into "Dixie." We moved in columns on different roads, and went as four stalwart mowers would move across a field, mowing a swath fifty miles wide. The Seventeenth Corps passed through Monticello, and struck the Central Georgia Railroad at Gordon. Another column went to Milledgeville. At Gordon we rested a short time, and heard cannonading toward Macon, and learned soon after that Hardee's old troops came out from Macon to punish the "Yankees;" a fight ensued and they hurried back to Macon with the certainty that they had lost three hundred men killed and as many more wounded in the skirmish, and that was the last we saw of the rebels.

           After destroying the railroad from Gordon to Milledgeville, and some miles in the direction of Macon, we started for Savannah. When we crossed the Ocmulgee river we destroyed the Government factories there, and all the mills on the road. Foraging the country as we went, we fared sumptuously, for we found the land flowing with milk, honey and Confederate scrip. Our jaded horses and mules were turned out, and fine animals conscripted to serve in their stead, and we progressed finely, and waxed fat and jolly.

           The Governor of Georgia fumed, and delivered himself of a proclamation, calling upon every male citizen to rally around the State flag: rise in their might; burn their crops; destroy their food; turn loose their hogs; run off their horses and cattle; fell trees across the road; burn the bridges, and annihilate Sherman and his adventurous Yankees. The Legislature had already passed an act calling out the State troops, and making conscripts of all men and boys, but by a special clause exempted themselves, then adjourned to Macon. We pursued the even tenor of our way unmolested, for the people did not make any haste to obey the Governor, and we crossed the Oconee, Camanchee, Little and Great Ogeeche rivers, and arrived at Millen, where a branch road runs to Augusta. A small body of rebel State troops had thrown up some earthworks at this point, but fled as we approached. After burning the depot and tearing up the road about fifteen miles toward Augusta, we traveled on and found the country growing more flat and swampy, and had to corduroy our roads the most of the way from there to Savannah. All the cotton, cotton gins and presses were destroyed along the entire route. At Station No. 2 we met a force entrenched with two pieces of artillery, and found our road obstructed by fallen timber. Our advance charged their works, when they fled without a fight, and we met no more resistance until we were within seven miles of the city, and ran against their line and battled.

           Our lines were formed and we rested until morning, when we found that the rice swamps, which extended from the Savannah to the Ogeeche rivers, (and become more troublesome as we approached the coast,) had been flooded, and the roads were all defended. Swinging around to the right, the Third Division took position east of the canal,

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