About7a。m。ofNovember16thwerodeoutofAtlantabytheDecaturroad，filledbythemarchingtroopsandwagonsoftheFourteenthCorps;andreachingthehill，justoutsideoftheoldrebelworks，wenaturallypausedtolookbackuponthescenesofourpastbattles。WestoodupontheverygroundwhereonwasfoughtthebloodybattleofJuly22d，andcouldseethecopseofwoodwhereMcPhersonfell。BehinduslayAtlanta，smoulderingandinruins，theblacksmokerisinghighinair，andhanginglikeapallovertheruinedcity。Awayoffinthedistance，ontheMcDonoughroad，wastherearofHoward’scolumn，thegun—barrelsglisteninginthesun，thewhite—toppedwagonsstretchingawaytothesouth;andrightbeforeustheFourteenthCorps，marchingsteadilyandrapidly，withacheerylookandswingingpace，thatmadelightofthethousandmilesthatlaybetweenusandRichmond。Someband，byaccident，struckuptheanthemof\"JohnBrown’ssoulgoesmarchingon;\"themencaughtupthestrain，andneverbeforeorsincehaveI
heardthechorusof\"Glory，glory，hallelujah！\"donewithmorespirit，orinbetterharmonyoftimeandplace。
Thenweturnedourhorses’headstotheeast;Atlantawassoonlostbehindthescreenoftrees，andbecameathingofthepaSt。Arounditclingsmanyathoughtofdesperatebattle，ofhopeandfear，thatnowseemlikethememoryofadream;andIhaveneverseentheplacesince。Thedaywasextremelybeautiful，clearsunlight，withbracingair，andanunusualfeelingofexhilarationseemedtopervadeallminds——afeelingofsomethingtocome，vagueandundefined，stillfullofventureandintenseintereSt。Eventhecommonsoldierscaughttheinspiration，andmanyagroupcalledouttomeasIworkedmywaypastthem，\"UncleBilly，IguessGrantiswaitingforusatRichmond！\"Indeed，thegeneralsentimentwasthatweweremarchingforRichmond，andthatthereweshouldendthewar，buthowandwhentheyseemedtocarenot;nordidtheymeasurethedistance，orcountthecostinlife，orbothertheirbrainsaboutthegreatriverstobecrossed，andthefoodrequiredformanandbeast，thathadtobegatheredbytheway。Therewasa\"devil—may—care\"feelingpervadingofficersandmen，thatmademefeelthefullloadofresponsibility，forsuccesswouldbeacceptedasamatterofcourse，whereas，shouldwefail，this\"march\"wouldbeadjudgedthewildadventureofacrazyfool。IhadnopurposetomarchdirectforRichmondbywayofAugustaandCharlotte，butalwaysdesignedtoreachthesea—coastfirstatSavannahorPortRoyal，SouthCarolina，andevenkeptinmindthealternativeofPensacola。
Thefirstnightoutwecampedbytheroad—sidenearLithonia。
StoneMountain，amassofgranite，wasinplainview，cutoutinclearoutlineagainstthebluesky;thewholehorizonwasluridwiththebonfiresofrail—ties，andgroupsofmenallnightwerecarryingtheheatedrailstothenearesttrees，andbendingthemaroundthetrunks。ColonelPoehadprovidedtoolsforrippinguptherailsandtwistingthemwhenhot;butthebestandeasiestwayistheoneIhavedescribed，ofheatingthemiddleoftheiron—railsonbonfiresmadeofthecross—ties，andthenwindingthemaroundatelegraph—poleorthetrunkofsomeconvenientsapling。Iattachedmuchimportancetothisdestructionoftherailroad，gaveitmyownpersonalattention，andmadereiteratedorderstoothersonthesubject。