Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 9.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[85] following the main Louisville road for seven miles to Fleming's house; there turning square to the right by a small road, moved eight miles to Spiers Station, (No. Eleven,) which I reached at one o'clock. After a short halt for dinner, moved on, following the road toward Station No. Ten, and encamped about seven P. M. on the east side of a small creek which crossed the road six miles from Station No. Eleven, the camp of the First division being about one mile and a half in advance of mine. The roads travelled to-day were generally good, and quite dry and hard west of Spiers Station; east of that place, there was considerable swamp and marshy ground. The country through which we passed on the Louisville road was excellent, the plantations being large and the buildings fine. After leaving that road, the country is poorer, and appears to be newly settled. Distance travelled was twenty-one miles.

November 30.--Marched at six A. M., and reaching the encampment of the First division, found the troops had not yet left. At half-past 10, followed that division north toward Louisville, leaving Jones's brigade, which was then about three and a half miles distant, at the railroad bridge across the Ogeechee, to destroy that and the wagon-bridge across the river, and then to follow to Louisville. After halting a few hours for dinner, and to repair the bridge over the Ogeechee, which had been partly burned by the rebel cavalry, we crossed the river and encamped, at dark, two miles beyond, on the east side of Big Creek, on a high hill overlooking miles of the country, and two and a half miles south of Louisville. The country on both sides of the Ogeechee is an extensive swamp, with thick, tangled growth. These swamps, however, have good sandy bottoms, and it was not difficult to pass through them. The distance marched was ten miles.

December 1.--Moved at seven A. M., my division leading, following the road toward Millen. My advance was preceded by the Ninth Illinois mounted infantry. Crossed Big Dry Spring and Baker's Creeks, passing through the camp of Carlin's division of the Fourteenth corps, west of Baker's Creek, and encamped one and a half miles from Bark Camp Creek. The country passed through on this day's march was very swampy, although the roads in the main were very good. The facilities for forage were not as ample as on the previous days, the plantations being comparatively few; and although these few bore marks of having been well cultivated, the stock and provisions had been mostly removed. The distance travelled was thirteen miles.

December 2.--My division, still retaining the advance, moved at six A. M., and crossing Bark Camp Creek, moved easterly in the direction of Buck Head Creek, which I reached about noon. The roads travelled were excellent, following the course of a low dividing ridge. Passed but few plantations; among these was that of Dr. Jones, about five miles west of Buck Head Creek--one of the finest in this part of Georgia. Upon approaching the creek, I found a number of rail defences, which had been erected a few days previous during a fight between the cavalry of Kilpatrick and Wheeler. The bridge was destroyed, and the enemy's pickets fired upon us from the eastern bank. These were soon driven away by a regiment of my command, and the bridge was reconstructed by the Michigan Engineers. I crossed it with my advance at three P. M., and encamped on the east side of the creek, in the vicinity of Buck Head Church.

December 3.--My division having been assigned the rear of the corps, did not leave camp until eleven A. M., when I moved, following closely the rear of the Third division. Colonel Dustin's brigade, of that division, having been directed to report to me, was assigned the charge of the train of Kilpatrick's cavalry, which was given me to guard. Lieutenant Newkirk's battery was also under my orders, and was placed in rear of my Third brigade, which followed the trains. About five miles north of Millen, and not far from the railroad, there is a prison-pen or stockade, in which had, until recently, been confined some three thousand of our soldiers. The stockade was about eight hundred feet square, and inclosed nearly fifteen acres. It was made of heavy pine logs, rising from twelve to fifteen feet above the ground; on the top of these logs, at intervals of some eighty yards, were placed sentry-boxes. Inside of the stockade, running parallel to it, at a distance from it of thirty feet, was a fence of light scantling, supported on short posts. This was the “dead line.” About one third of the area, on the western side, was occupied with a crowd of irregular earthen huts, evidently made by the prisoners.

In these were lying unburied three of our dead soldiers, which were buried by us. Through the eastern part of the pen ran a ravine with a stream of good water. The atmosphere in the inclosure was very foul and fetid. A short distance outside the stockade was a long trench, at the head of which was a board bearing the inscription: “650 buried here.” On rising ground, a short distance south-east of the prison, were two forts, not yet completed; south-west of this stockade was a smaller one in process of construction. This prison, if indeed it can be designated as such, afforded convincing proofs that the worst accounts of the sufferings of our prisoners at Andersonville, at Americus, and Millen, were by no means exaggerated. I crossed the railroad about three miles north of Millen. The track at the crossing had been destroyed, and the ties were burning, this work having been performed by the troops preceding. A short distance beyond the creek, my column and trains became involved in a long and almost impassable swamp. To add to the difficulty, night closed in before my advance had crossed, and it was with the utmost labor, and only by the united efforts of myself, officers, and troops, that I succeeded in bringing the wagons through. Encamped for the night within three miles of Big Horse Creek, the advance division of the corps being camped on the creek. The rear of my