easily floated the
blazing flakes to the near roofs of buildings. On the night following
Sherman's entrance the wind rose to a gale, and neither the efforts of
the citizens, nor the ready help of Sherman's soldiers were able to
check the destruction. Confederate writers long nursed the accusation
that it was the Union army which burned the city as a deliberate act of
vengeance. Contrary proof is furnished by the orders of Sherman, leaving
for the sufferers a generous supply of food, as well as by the careful
investigation by the mixed commission on American and British claims,
under the treaty of Washington.

Still pursuing his march, Sherman arrived at Cheraw March 3, and opened
communication with General Terry, who had advanced from Fort Fisher to
Wilmington. Hitherto, his advance had been practically unopposed. But
now he learned that General Johnston had once more been placed in
command of the Confederate forces, and was collecting an army near
Raleigh, North Carolina. Well knowing the ability of this general,
Sherman became more prudent in his movements. But Johnston was able to
gather a force of only twenty-five or thirty thousand men, of which the
troops Hardee brought from Charleston formed the nucleus; and the two
minor engagements on March 16 and 19 did little to impede Sherman's
advance to Goldsboro, where he arrived on March 23, forming a junction
with the Union army sent by sea under Schofield, that had reached the
same point the previous day.

The third giant stride of Sherman's great campaign was thus happily
accomplished. His capture of Atlanta, his march to the sea and capture
of Savannah, his progress through the Carolinas, and the fall of
Charleston, formed an aggregate expedition covering nearly a thousand
miles, with military results that rendered rebellion powerless in the
central States of the Southern Confederacy. Several Union cavalry raids
had accomplished similar destruction of Confederate resources in Alabama
and the country bordering on East Tennessee. Military affairs were
plainly in a condition which justified Sherman in temporarily devolving
his command on General Schofield and hurrying by sea to make a brief
visit for urgent consultation with General Grant at his headquarters
before Richmond and Petersburg.

XXX

Military Governors--Lincoln's Theory of Reconstruction--Congressional
Election in Louisiana--Letter to Military Governors--Letter to
Shepley--Amnesty Proclamation, D