mighty man who
led this army through so many perils to lasting fame and achievements.
It had been on an active campaign for eight long months, digging in the
dirt and marching like the wind.

CHAPTER VIII.

RAID THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA--BATTLES OF AVERYSBORO AND BENTONVILLE.

At Savannah, General Sherman received instructions from the Lieutenant
General to embark his army on transports, and hasten to the James
river, to participate in the final destruction of the main army of the
rebellion. However, upon Sherman's earnest representation of the
difficulty of moving sixty thousand infantry, and ten thousand cavalry,
with their due allowance of artillery, so great a distance by water,
and on assurance that he could place his army at the desired place
sooner, in better condition, and with more injury to the enemy, General
Grant consented to this modification, and gave the necessary orders. A
division was drawn from General Sheridan's army of the Shenandoah, and
sent to Savannah as a garrison. This enabled Sherman to take with him
the entire army with which he made the raid through Georgia. He
determined to make the distance between Savannah and Goldsboro at one
stride. Some time was consumed in preparation, and by the 15th of
January, 1865, all was ready and the movement began.

On the 20th of this month, the 2nd division of the 14th Corps, still
under the command of James D. Morgan, moved out from Savannah eight
miles in a north-western direction, camping near Tuly's Station, where
the command lay wind-bound for four days.

Just a short time prior to this move from Savannah, General Feering was
placed in command of the 3rd brigade, under General Morgan, thus
relieving Colonel Langley of that command.

General Feering remained with his brigade, much beloved by all, until
the battle of Bentonville, N.C., where he was wounded, being so
disabled that he never afterwards resumed command of it. On the morning
of the 25th, at seven A.M., the command resumed its march from Tuly's
Station, the 14th Corps with Geary's division of the 20th, and Corse's
division of the 15th Corps, marched up the west bank of the Savannah to
Sister's ferry, where they crossed over to the South Carolina side, on
the 5th of February, having been detained one week on account of high
water at this ferry.

On the 8th, the division again cut loose from communications, marching
up the Savannah to a point opposite Barnwell, where it left the riv