Chapter 40:
- Gen. Sherman's new base at Savannah. -- he prepares to march through the Carolinas. -- Gen. Grant's first idea to bring Sherman's army to Virginia by water. -- opening of the Carolina campaign. -- Howard's movement towards Charleston. -- the line of the Salkahatchie taken. -- Slocum threatens Augusta. -- junction of the two columns in the vicinity of the Augusta and Charleston Railroad. -- scenes of license and plunder on Sherman's march. -- savage atrocities. -- the track of fire. -- Sherman's “bummers.” -- what was thought of them in Washington. -- Sherman turns his columns on Columbia. -- disposition of the Confederate forces between Augusta and Charleston. -- why Columbia was not defended. -- gallantry of Gen. Wade Hampton. -- sack and destruction of Columbia. -- Sherman's solemn promise to the Mayor. -- robbery and outrage in the streets. -- the Catholic convent. -- some of the Federal soldiers tell of the proposed destruction of the town. -- it is fired in twenty places. -- horrors of the conflagration. -- scenes of misery and ruin. -- proofs that Sherman was responsible for the fire. -- array of evidence on this subject. -- fall of Charleston. -- the city evacuated by Hardee. -- occasion of delay by President Davis. -- an explosion and conflagration. -- appearance of the city after four years of conflict. -- capture of Fort Fisher. -- fall of Wilmington. -- the enemy's views of the importance of Wilmington. -- how it was to be used as another base of operations towards Richmond. -- its capture auxiliary to Sherman's movement. -- the first expedition against it. -- Butler's powder-ship. -- failure of the expedition. -- the Butler -- Grant controversy. -- second expedition against Wilmington. -- Gen. Bragg again on the military stage. -- how the enemy effected a landing above Fort Fisher. -- want of vigilance on the part of the Confederates. -- Gen. Hoke flanked and retreats. -- the Fort taken by assault. -- co-operation of, the enemy's fleet. -- its terrible fire. -- Gen. Bragg evacuates Wilmington. -- Grant's instructions to Schofield to co-operate with Sherman. -- the campaign in North Carolina. -- Sherman moves apparently towards Charlotte, and deflects to Fayetteville. -- movement of the co-operating columns from Wilmington and Newbern. -- Gen. Bragg engages the enemy near Kinston. -- success of the Confederates. -- arrival of Schofield and Terry at Goldsboroa. -- Sherman pushes on there. -- Gen. Johnston's command, and distribution of the Confederate forces. -- Hardee loses two-thirds of his army by desertions. -- he engages the enemy near Averysboroa, and is compelled to fall back. -- the engagement at Bentonville. -- Johnston fights two corps of the enemy and Kilpatrick's cavalry with fourteen thousand men. -- success on the Confederate right. -- Johnston holds his ground against the whole of Sherman's army, and retreats deliberately to Smithfield. -- Sherman's arrival at Goldsboroa. -- conference at city point of Sherman, Grant and President Lincoln
