This, however, was but one instance of the general devastation accompanying Sherman's march. The words of a Federal soldier1 may be quoted as suggestive of the ruin wrought by the invading army:
It was sad to see the wanton destruction of property which. . . was the work of ‘bummers’ who were marauding through the country committing every sort of outrage. There was no restraint except with the column or the regular foraging parties. We had no communications and could have no safeguards. The country was necessarily left to take care of itself, and became a ‘howling waste.’ The ‘coffee-coolers’ of the army of the Potomac were archangels compared to our ‘bummers,’ who often fell to the tender mercies of Wheeler's cavalry, and were never heard of again, meeting a fate richly deserved.
General Beauregard at this time reported to General Lee that Sherman was advancing on Winnsboro, and would thence probably move on Greensboro, Danville and Petersburg, and that he did not believe it possible for the troops from Charleston or those of Cheatham to make a junction with him short of Greensboro. On the 19th, Gen. R. E. Lee wrote to the war department
I do not see how Sherman can make the march anticipated by Beauregard [to Greensboro], but he seems to have everything his own way, which is calculated to cause apprehension. . . . General Beauregard has a difficult task to perform under present circumstances, and one of his best officers (General Hardee) is incapacitated by sickness. Should his strength give way, there is no one on duty in the department that could replace him, nor have I any one to send there. Gen. J. E. Johnston is the only officer who has the confidence of the army and people, and if he was ordered to report to me I would place him there on duty. It is necessary to bring out all our strength, and, I fear, to unite our armies, as separately
