Tuesday, 14th—We started to move forward at 9 a. m. and after an easy march of twelve miles[1] went into camp for the night. The rebels are still retreating before us.
[1] It will be recalled that in the campaign through Georgia we went in extra light marching orders. Just before we began our raid through the Carolinas, at Pocotaligo, we received further orders which stripped us of all unnecessary articles. General Sherman himself had only a fly-tent at night.
Now I never could stand to carry a heavy knapsack, generally not carrying enough to make it keep its shape. Before we left Pocotallgo, therefore, in order to make it keep its shape and thus carry easier, I made a frame out of a cracker box, eighteen inches square by four inches in depth, and placed it in my knapsack, then rolling my fly-tent, four by seven feet, and around it my rubber poncho, making B roll about eighteen or twenty Inches long, I strapped it on my knapsack and I was ready for the march. With this outfit, when I was well, I could easily march thirty to thirty-five miles a day. This I did without becoming fatigued, carrying besides, my rifle, cartridge-box, haversack with five days’ rations, and my canteen filled with water.—A. G. D.
