Last Year of the War---Confederate Prices---Wilson's Raid

The municipal officers of 1864 were re-elected, with the exception of a few changes of Aldermen. The candidates for Mayor were F. G. Wilkins and B. F. Coleman, and the former was re--elected.
Thos. P. Callier, Marshal
J. C. Lovelace, Deputy Marshal
M. M. Moore, Clerk
R. T. Simons, Sexton.
Aldermen:
1st Ward, J. J. McKendree, W. W. Robison
2d, F. S. Chapman, F. C. Johnson
3d, John King, W. H. Griswold
4th, J. C. Porter, J. McIlhenny
5th, John Quin, J. M. Everett
6th, J. M. Bivins, John Durkin

Council elected:
J. D. Johnson, Treasurer
Jos. E. Roper, City Physician
Peabody & Brannon, City Attorneys
W. H. Alston, Wharfinger
Mrs. McGehee, Hospital Keeper
_____ McKenzie, Bridge Keeper

Notwithstanding the now feverish excitement in reference to the war, the steady advance of the enemy, the waning prospects of the Confederacy, the constant withdrawal of the working men of the city to meet passing or apprehended raids, and the scarcity and high prices of all the comforts of life, Columbus still presented a busy appearance and had a large transient population. The factories and workshops were kept running busily, and all their fabrics not made for or taken by the Government, found a ready sale. Employment was given by these establishments and by the Quartermaster's Department and other agencies, to large numbers of people who otherwise would have suffered much. Never did a people, on the verge of such spoliation and humiliation as soon followed, more nobly display the virtues of patience and heroism.

A line of fine steamers was in January and February plying regularly between Columbus and Chattahoochee, making almost daily trips. They were the Jackson, Capt. Dan Fry; the Indian, Capt. C. D. Fry; the Shamrock, Capt. W. Wingate; the Mist, Capt. A. Fry; and the Munnerlyn.

We quote some auction prices (Confederate currency) in January: Cow and calf, $360; fine brood mare, $4,500; Negro boy 21 years of age, $3,950; Negro girl of 18, $3,700; Augusta shirting $6 per yard; salt 85 to 88c. per lb.; pink satin $70 per yard; cooking stove $1,500; cow $500; cloth shoes $30; blankets $70; dinner plates $82.50 per set; sugar $6 to $7.75 per lb.; silver coin $1 for $45.

Incidents

Frank, a promising son of Mr. Brad. Chapman, was killed by the accidental discharge of his gun, while he was hunting on the Alabama side of the river, on the 14th of January.

Capt. C. D. Fry fell from the hurricane roof of the steamer Indian, at Johnson's Landing, on the 25th of January, and received injuries which resulted in his death.

John Smith, living on the Alabama side near the upper bridge, was shot and killed by his step-son, William Wright, on the 11th of February. The difficulty originated in a dispute growing out of family matters. Wright fled.

An incident that caused great sensation and excitement in the city was the killing, on the 18th of February, of private John Lindsey, of the 17th Georgia regiment. He was shot by Bob Bennett, one of the Provost Guard of Columbus. Young Lindsey was accused of creating a disturbance of some kind, and the guard was endeavoring to arrest him. He had mounted his horse to go home, when Bennett fired and shot a ball through his head, killing him instantly. A large crowd soon gathered, and demanded the delivery of Bennett, who had sought the protection of the military authorities. Col. Von Zinken, commandant of the post, promised to deliver Bennett to the civil authorities, but it was afterwards announced that he had escaped. John Lindsey was a young man much beloved, for his generous and manly character, and was a brave soldier. Bennett belonged to an Arkansas regiment, and had been assigned to light duty on account of severe wounds. Col. Von Zinken was arrested, a few days afterwards, by the civil authorities, on the charge of the murder of young Lindsey. A court-martial was also ordered by Gen. Beauregard to investigate the charge. The civil trial was before Judges McKendree, Quin, Thompson and Salisbury, of the Inferior Court. Messrs. Peabody, District Solicitor, Johnson and Holt conducted the prosecution, Gen. Howell Cobb and Major R. J. Moses the defense. The charge against Col. Von Zinken was that he was accessory to the murder. The court, after a patient investigation of several days, in which a number of witnesses were examined on both sides, and able arguments made by the counsel, acquitted him of the charge.

Two boys, named John Madden and William McElrath, were killed at the Naval Iron Works on the 21st of February, by the explosion of an old shell which they had found in the yard and were trying to open.

Mr. Robert Aldworth was accidentally killed on his place near Columbus, on the 22d of February. He struck a Negro, with whom he had some difference, with the butt of his gun, and the shock discharged it, the load passing into his body and killing him in a few minutes.

Cotton sold in February at 75 to 80 cents, Confederate money. The following quotations of other articles are copied from the Sun of Feb. 26th: Bacon $4 to $5 per lb., Pork $2.75 to $3.50, Lard $3.75 to $4.50, Butter $5 to $6, Eggs $3.50 to $4.50 per dozen, Beef $2 to $2.50 per lb., Corn $14 to $16 per bushel, Sweet Potatoes $12 to $16 per bushel, Salt $1.10 to $1.25 per lb., Chickens $4 to $5 each, Osnaburg $6 per yard, Sorghum Syrup $12 to $16 per gallon, Cane do. $16 to $20, Sugar $7 to $10 per lb., Sole Leather $14 to $15 per lb.; Irish potatoes $50 to $60 per bushel.

On the 8th of March, the stable and carriage house of Mr. William Beach, on Randolph Street, and the residence of Mr. Peter Preer, adjoining, were destroyed by fire.

About the first of April a difficulty occurred on the streets between Dr. A. C. Wingfield, a physician of established reputation and much respected citizen, and Dr. _____ Rossey, in which pistol shots were exchanged, and Dr. Wingfield was killed. Dr. Rossey was acquitted on the ground of justifiable homicide. He was only a transient resident of Columbus.

Personal

The M. E. preachers for this year were: A. Wright, P. E.; W. P. Harrison, St. Luke's; Jos. S. Key, St. Paul's; J. R. Littlejohn, Girard; J. T. Ainsworth, Factory Mission; W. W. Robison, Colored charge.

At the County election held on the 4th of January, the following Judges of the Inferior Court were chosen: J. R. Ivey, J. J. McKendree, John Quin, D. B. Thompson.

W. A. Brannon and F. M. Brooks were Justices of Upper District, and J. A. Whiteside and R. W. Milfoed of the Lower. George Meredith and J. Shoup, Constables.

Marriages

January 1, George W. Allen and Bethany Higden;
2, Christopher C. Collins and Jessie A. Bridges;
3, Ephraim M. Tilton and Winney Long;
8, James D. Malam and Martha E. Johnson;
10, Newton A. Horn and Sarah Bell;
10, Henry Sillman and Nancy Halley;
12, William T. Hill and Polly Peck;
15, John W. Jones and Sarah Jane Bertram;
17, William Smith and Sarah I. Caffs;
18, William J. Slatter and America S. Greenwood;
19, James Baet and Louisa Jane Blake;
19, Julius Emerich and Hannah Finiler;
29, David Ballard and Eliza Ginn.

February 1, Thomas K. Wynn and Mary Lucinda Shelby;
6, James Corden and Sarah J. Allen;
12, Charles F. Duncan and Mary E. Campbell;
15, John W. Wright and Mary L. Hardaway;
15, Marcus Fish and Rosa Taylor;
16, James H. Ames and Lucy A. Smith;
16, James K. Hughes and Julia A. Coleman;
20, Redd G. Williams and Permelia Ann Biggers;
23, William A. Foster and Martha L. Skinner;
23, George W. King and Nancy Horton;
23, Thomas A. Power and Elizabeth McSwain;
23, David C. Stratten and Emily Crawford.

March 2, David W. Stubbs and Nelly C. Miller;
5, William B. Holmes and Laura J. Maxwell;
5, Andrew J. McDonald and Ann Manning;
6, Samuel E. Wells and Mary Ann Florence;
9, Richard M. Goodroe and Rebecca J. Smith;
12, Francis Hewson and Caroline C. Mahan;
13, James W. McDonald and Puss Mobley;
19, John Finney and Mary Benton;
19, James B. Hathcock and Sarah J. Cattle;
23, Thomas R. Guice and Vernie McJunkin;
23, William C. McCarty and Fannie P. Butt;
23, William D. Amyet and Jarusha Simmons;
23, John S. Stephens and Rebecca Pilkinton;
26, Thomas C. Freddy and Sarah J. Kelly;
26, Peter R. Hyatt and Sarah Lascar;
26, Solomon Clark and Minerva Patillo;
28, Francis W. Jenkins and Mary Ann Ward;
28, Charles W. Lefler and Mary A. Ward;
30, Fleming Hodges and Martha A. Bozeman;
31, A. W. Humphries and Elizabeth L. V. Taylor.

April 2, Josiah Coskins and Lucinda Gardner;
5, John S. Smith and Sallie C. Hanks;
9, LeRoy Kilgore and Martha Goodale;
9, Frank Lindsey and Laura Leake;
13, A. H. Chandler and Mary E. Pullum;
18, John W. Goodloe and Eliza A. Lewis;
29, James A. Clegg and Frances Blackstock;
29, Charles F. Reese and Mattie A. Wade;
30, William J. Wolf and Sarah Ann Jones.

In April, news of the approach through Alabama of a large Federal raiding party under command of General Wilson, caused a sensation in Columbus, which was quickened into a state of alarm and excitement when the enemy reached and captured Montgomery. Many refugees from that city and other parts of Alabama fled to Columbus. The local military authorities organized all the available forces for defense. The preparation was hasty, troops mostly wholly inexperienced, and the arms generally very inferior. The military authorities determined with these to attempt a defense of the city. The enemy arrived in sight of Columbus, on the Alabama side of the river, on Sunday, the 16th of April. We copy from the Enquirer, of June 27th, (which was the first number of a paper issued in the city after the raid,) an account of the attack and capture of the city:

On Sunday, the 16th of April, the last battle of the war, on this side of the Mississippi River, was fought in Girard, Alabama, opposite this city.

The Confederate troops consisted of two regiments of the Georgia State Line, Waddell's battery, some of the forces of Gens. Buford and Wofford, a small number of the Georgia reserves, the organized companies for local defense in this city, besides a number of citizens of Columbus and a few hastily collected reserves of Russell County, Alabama, numbering in all, perhaps, two thousand men. The outer fortifications, that had been constructed for the defense of the city, were abandoned for the want of men to defend so long a line, and the troops were drawn into a line of rifle pits, extending from Dr. Ingersoll's hill to the "upper bridge," over the Chattahoochee; this line embracing the Opelika railroad and the upper bridges, and two fortifications near the ends of the trenches, in which batteries were placed. A considerable portion of the excavation and embankment forming this line of defense was thrown up on the morning of the day of battle. The lower, or "city bridge," was not encircled within the line, but the plank on the Girard end had been torn up on Saturday evening, and on Sunday morning every preparation was made to fire and destroy this bridge in the event of an attempt by the enemy to force its passage.

The first appearance of the Federal forces was about two o'clock, p. m., when their advance drove in the Confederate pickets on the Hurt's bridge or lower Crawford road. It appears that at Crawford the advancing forces had divided and took the two roads from Crawford to this city, and that the column on the upper and shorter road awaited the arrival of the other to make the first demonstration. The Confederate pickets or scouting party, retreated into the town, closely followed by the Federals, who were within good rifle range and firing briskly at the retreating party. This advance was met by a fire from a small Confederate force near the creek bridge in Girard, and from the battery on the red hill near the upper bridge, and was soon compelled to retire. A portion of this party, however, made a dash at the lower bridge, firing through it when they found their passage stopped by the tearing up of the flooring. The order was then given to fire the bridge, which was quickly carried out, and it was soon wrapped in flames. In the execution of this order, Capt. C. C. McGehee, of one of the Naval Iron Works companies, acted with conspicuous gallantry. In this first brush two or three men on each side were killed and several wounded.

From two o'clock until dark no attack was made by the Federal troops, though it was evident that they were arriving in considerable numbers and were preparing for the conflict. They showed themselves in small squads on most of the hills commanding a view of the city and of the Confederate line of defense, and the men and their horses took shelter behind these hills and in the small timber along the western suburbs of Girard. The Confederate batteries, meantime, were engaged in shelling the eminences on which these demonstrations were made, and the general conviction in the city was that the Federals were making preparations for shelling Columbus at night. All the Federal forces, we believe, were mounted men, and the sequel proved that they had but two or three, if so many, pieces of artillery with them on Sunday afternoon.

Thus matters continued until night had fairly set in. It was a clear but dark night. About eight o'clock the Federals, dismounting their men, made a vigorous charge upon a portion of the Confederate line. It was met steadily by the Confederate forces, and the musketry firing was for some time sharp and rapid. The batteries also opened upon the assailants, and to those unused to the din of battle it appeared as if the destruction of life must necessarily be great. The attack was repulsed. Again and again the Federal forces, deepening their columns, advanced under cover of the night, to the assault, and again they met by a continued roll of musketry, at close quarters, and by the bellowing cannon in the fortifications. But the Confederate line of defenses was a long one to be manned by so small a force, and a single line of raw troops, even in trenches, could not be expected long to hold out against the constantly compacting and reinforced columns of their assailants. Before the line had been broken, however, it was discovered that a squad of the Federal troops had by some means made their way to the Girard end of the upper bridge and were actually holding the bridge at that end, in rear of the line of defense! How they gained this position is not yet fully known. It is generally supposed that it was by making their way, either in disguise, or under the shelter of some ravines and the darkness of the night, through the line in the neighborhood of the railroad bridge, and coming down on the bank of the river. This successful maneuver proved very embarrassing to the further defense of the city. Orders from headquarters in Columbus were intercepted on their way to the battlefield in Girard, and no communications could be kept up, nor any general understanding of the progress of the fight obtained. In a short time there was a promiscuous rush for the bridge. Friend and foe, horsemen and footmen, artillery wagons and ambulances, were crowded and jammed together in the narrow avenue, which was "dark as Egypt," or "Erebus," for that bridge had no gas fixtures and was never lighted. How it was that many were not crushed to death in this tumultuous transit of the Chattahoochee seems incomprehensible. The Confederates had no reserved forces, except a few squads for guard duty, in the city, and very little resistance was made after the Federals had crossed the bridge. But nearly all the known casualties on the Confederate side nevertheless occurred on this side of the river. The chivalric and lamented Col. C. A. L. Lamar fell while gallantly endeavoring to rally a squad of Confederates at the city end of the bridge. So did the noble and much-regretted young Alexander W. Robison, who was killed at the bridge. Judge Waddell, of Russell County, was shot and mortally wounded on the upper part of Broad Street. Mr. J. J. Jones, the local editor of this paper, and Mr. Evan Jones of Apalachicola, were also killed on Broad Street. Capt. S. Isadore Guillet, Col. Von Zinken's chief-of-staff, was killed on the Girard side, while gallantly doing his duty. If there were any other Confederates killed on that side of the river, we have not been able to learn their names. Mr. ____ Smith, a watch maker of this city, and an Englishman by birth, was killed on Broad Street; and we hear that two young men, whose names are unknown to us, were killed near the brickyard, in the eastern suburbs of the city. These are all the deaths on the Confederate side of which we have any knowledge.

We have no means whatever of making an estimate of the Federal loss in this fight. The darkness of the night prevented any view of the ground while the battle was going on, and the victors held the field and all access to it afterwards. Had the attack been made in the day time the loss of the assailants must have been much greater than it really was, and there is every reason to believe their casualties, were quite numerous.

Northern papers state that Gen. Wilson telegraphed that he captured about one thousand prisoners. The Confederate troops that escaped were scattered in every direction, some on either side of the river, and the organization so hastily collected to defend the city was dispersed to as many quarters as those from which it had been brought together.

Maj. Gen. Howell Cobb was the ranking officer of the day, but the direct command of the troops in the field was assigned to Col. Leon Von Zinken, whose coolness and intrepidity were conspicuously displayed and acknowledged as well by the Federals as the Confederates.

The fight was gallantly maintained on both sides. The Union troops have made ready acknowledgment of the courage with which the Confederates, for mostly raw troops and all hastily thrown together, stood their ground; and the attack of the Federals was made and followed up with an unquailing spirit.

It is plain that an error was committed in making the line of defense too long. Had the railroad bridge been partially destroyed, and the line shortened and doubled around the upper bridge, a much stouter and more prolonged resistance could have been made. But the Federal force would have taken the city in spite of the best dispositions made with our limited means, for they could have sent a large body of troops to cross the river either above or below the city, and have entered it from the Georgia side while they were making demonstrations against the force in Girard.

A very large quantity of cannon, small arms, ordnance and commissary stores fell into the hands of Gen. Wilson, and were destroyed.

We have called this the last fight east of the Mississippi. There was a sharp fight at West Point on the same day, but earlier in the day. There may possibly have been a brush or two in Western North Carolina after the 16th of April, but nothing like a battle of any importance. A fight occurred two or three weeks later in Western Texas, near the old Palo-Alto battle ground, in which the Confederates were successful; and this closed the fighting of the civil war, so far as we have any advice.