found that our fears had been well founded, as the Federal cavalry had reached and cut the railroad at or near Griswoldville, a point over which we had passed only a few minutes before.

"That evening or the next morning our train with Governor Brown and his family went down to Montezuma on the Southwestern railroad, and stopped on a sideling, and while there at dinner, at Mrs. Brown's table on board the cars, I remarked to her that she ought to have had some of our Milledgeville greens cooked for dinner. Until then I have no idea that she, the Governor, or any member of the family knew they were on board the cars. They had all left the mansion before the last loads of furniture were taken to the train. Even Aunt Celia did not know that those cut and piled in the yard had been brought away. Such is the origin and history of the cow and cabbage story.

"You allude in your letter to the work of General Taylor, and to another criticism it contains upon the Georgia State troops, and the policy he attributes to Governor Brown of keeping them within the State under all circumstances; and in which he refers to the fact of their having been outside the State, in South Carolina near Savannah, as a clever trick practised on them by General Toombs when they did not know where they were going, and done without the authority of Governor Brown.

"This, within my personal knowledge, does great injustice to the gallant troops who were at that time in the State service, and who distinguished themselves on every battle-field from the time they entered the service until the end of the struggle. It also does injustice to that able general, Gustavus W. Smith, who was in command of the State troops.

"After General Sherman had passed Macon on his march to the sea, I heard a conversation between Governor Brown and General Smith in reference to the use of the State troops beyond the limits of the State, in which the Governor instructed General Smith in emphatic terms to use the troops to the very best of his ability to annoy and cripple General Sherman's army during their march through the State. The Governor was asked by General Smith during the interview whether, if within his opinion the public interest and good of the cause required it, he should carry the State troops beyond the limits of the State, or whether he should confine himself within its boundaries. To which the Governor replied with great emphasis, Cripple the enemy all you can in the State. But if you see where any advantage can be gained, or where the common cause can be served by carrying them into South Carolina, or to any point beyond the limits of the State, do not hesitate a moment, but act promptly, and do all you can for Georgia and the Confederacy.'

"At that time General Wayne's brigade was in front of General Sherman between Macon and Savannah, doing all they could to guard the bridges on the Central railroad. And the body of the State militia were at Macon, where they remained in the trenches for the protection of the city until Sherman's

army had passed. They were then thrown rapidly by rail into Sherman's front near Savannah, and, as is well known to the country, were carried by General Smith across the Savannah river into South Carolina, where they fought a gallant battle and defeated the Federal general in command with heavy losses. They were then brought back to Savannah, and did all they could for the fortification of that city. When Sherman's army beleaguered the city, they were, as I am well informed, carried across on a pontoon bridge into South Carolina, and did all they could to annoy the enemy in that State up to about the time of the surrender. I am informed on the most reliable authority that there was no drawing back or murmuring on the part of the State troops when the order came to march across the river into South Carolina. But that they moved forward gallantly and cheerfully to discharge that important duty as they had hitherto done in every instance when duty called. Yours respectfully,

"IRA R. FOSTER."

CHAPTER X.

CORRESPONDENCE OF GOVERNOR BROWN AND JAMES A. SEDDON, SECRETARY OF WAR, 1864.

Upon the invasion of Georgia and the approach of overwhelming forces, under command of General Sherman to the city of Atlanta, Governor Brown called out the State militia, the boys down to the age of sixteen and old men up to fifty-five years of age, and the State officials-some of whom had been elected or appointed after being discharged for disability in the Confederate service, and others who had held civil office and had not been in the army. This force, such as elsewhere were non-combatants, in Georgia, under her Governor, was called to the post of imminent danger and hardship, and responded with great promptness. It amounted to about ten thousand men, organized in companies and regiments, choosing their own officers by election. They were under Major-General Gustavus W. Smith, with General Robert Toombs as chief of staff, both of whom, having held commands in the Confederate army, had resigned, and accepted commands of the State militia. But all under the command, for the emergency that called them out, of the Confederate General Johnston, until his removal, and afterward of General Hood-doing noble and gallant service, suffering great losses and hardships.

President Davis, with all the volunteer forces-independent commands-of this State, all the requisitions previously made more than filled, and all the arms-bear

ing men liable to conscription under Confederate laws, except the civil and militia officers already in service, made through Mr. Seddon, Secretary of War, a requisition upon Governor Brown for these troops to be turned over to the Confederate Government. The correspondence that ensued is pertinent and full of interest upon the subject of Georgia and the Confederacy. Hence we give it entire :

CORRESPONDENCE.

"CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA,
WAR DEPARTMENT.

RICHMOND, VA., August 30, 1864.

"HIS EXCELLENCY J. E. BROWN,

"Governor of GEORGIA,

"Milledgeville, Georgia.

"Sir:-The condition of your State, subjected to formidable invasion and menaced with destructive raids in different directions by the enemy, requires the command of all the forces that can be summoned for defence. From recent official correspondence submitted to the Department, it appears, on your statement, that you have organized ten thousand or more of the militia of your State, and I am instructed by the President to make requisition on you for that number, and such further force of militia, to repel invasion, as you may be able to organize, for Confederate service. Those within the limits of General Hood's Department will report to him; those outside, to the Commandant of the Department of South Carolina and Georgia.

"Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

“HON. JAMES A. SEDDON, SECRETARY of War.

"Sir:-Your letter of the 30th of last month only reached me by last

mail.

"You refer to the fact that I have organized ten thousand of the militia of this State, and say you are instructed by the President to make requisition upon me for that number and such other force of militia to repel invasion as I may be able to organize.

"You preface this requisition by the remark that the condition of my

State, subjected to formidable invasion and menaced with destructive raids in different directions by the enemy, requires the command of all the forces that can be summoned for defence.

"In common with the people of Georgia, I have abundant reason to regret that the President has been so late in making this discovery. This formidable invasion' commenced in May last, and has steadily forced its way, by reason of overwhelming numbers, through the most fertile section of Georgia, till its leader is now in possession of the city of Atlanta, menacing the centre of the State, threatening by his winter campaign to cut the last line of railroad that connects Virginia and the Carolinas with Alabama and Mississippi. The President, during most of the time since the campaign against Atlanta began, has had at his command a large force, said to number some 30,000 men, in Texas and Louisiana. Since the brilliant victories achieved by our armies in the latter State early in the season, this large force has had no enemy to confront, except the troops of a few garrisons, who were in no condition to penetrate the interior of the country or do any serious damage. Ile has also, if correctly reported, had about 20,000 men under General Early invading Maryland and Pennsylvania, thereby uniting Northern sentiment against us and aiding President Lincoln to rally his people to reinforce his armies. About the same time General Morgan was raiding in Kentucky, and General Forrest, the great cavalry leader, has been kept in Northern Mississippi to repel raids after the country had been so often overrun as to leave but little public property for them to destroy.

"Thus, reversing the rule upon which most great generals who have been successful have acted, of rapid concentration of his forces at vital points to destroy the invading army, the President has scattered his forces from Texas to Pennsylvania while a severe blow was being struck at the heart of the Confederacy; and Atlanta has been sacrificed and the interior of Georgia thrown open to further invasion for want of reinforcements to the army of Tennessee. Probably few intelligent men in the country, except the President and his advisers, have failed to see that if Generals Forrest and Morgan had been sent to destroy the railroads over which General Sherman's supplies have been transported for three hundred miles through an enemy's country, and to keep the roads cut for a few weeks, and at the same time the forces of General E. Kirby Smith and Major-General Early, or even half of them, had been sent to reinforce General Johnston, or, after he was superseded, General Hood, the army of invasion might not only have been repulsed and driven back, but routed and destroyed.

"This would instantly have relieved Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee from invasion and raids, and have thrown open the green fields of Kentucky for the support of our gallant troops. As the army of General Sherman is the only protection provided by the Lincoln government for the Western States, and as the battle for the possession of a large portion of the Mississippi Valley, as well as of the Gulf States, was to be fought in Geor