On the night of the 17th and morning of the 18th Charleston was evacuated.  Before the commencement of the retirement, orders were given by General Beauregard to General Hardee to withdraw the troops in the following order, but General Hardee being sick at this time, the execution of the order devolved upon General McLaws:  One brigade of Wright’s Division, in St. Paul’s Parish, to move by railroad to Monk’s Corner, then march by Sandy Run to the Santee; the other portion of Wright’s Division to move by Summerville to St. Stephen’s.  The troops in Christ Church Parish to go by steamer to St. Stephen’s.  The troops from James’ Island to move out by Ashley’s Ferry and follow the Northeastern railroad, to be followed in turn by all the troops in the city.  McLaws was to withdraw from Sherman’s front at Branchville and follow on to St. Stephen’s.  After all the troops were here congregated, the line of march was taken up in the direction of Cheraw.  Away to our left we could see the clouds of smoke rise as houses went up in flames, while forest fires swept the country far and wide.  It was not fully understood to what point Sherman was making, until he reached Winnsboro.  Here he turned the course of direction by turning to the right, crossing the Catawba at Pea’s Ferry and Rocky Mount, the right wing under General Howard, at Pea’s; the left, under General Slocum, at Rocky Mount, all marching to form a junction again at Cheraw.  Sherman did not dare to trust himself far in the interior for any length of time, but was marching to meet the fleet that had left him at Savannah and the troops under Schofield, at Newbern, N.C.  This is the reason he turns his course towards the sea coast.  Raiding parties, under Kilpatrick, were sent out in the direction of Darlington and Lancaster, burning and plundering at will.

About this time Fort Fisher and all the works at the mouth of the Cape Fear River fell into the hands of the enemy.  Wilmington surrendered and General Bragg, who was in command there, retreated to Goldsboro.

How, in the face of all these facts, could it be possible for Generals to deceive themselves or to deceive others, or how President Davis could have such delusive hopes, is now impossible to comprehend.  On February 22nd, after the fall of Wilmington, the Army of Sherman was on the border of North Carolina, while Hood’s was straggling through the upper part of this State, with no prospects of forming a junction with Beauregard.  President Davis wrote on that day: 

“General Beauregard:  I have directed General J.E.  Johnston to assume command of the Southern Army and assign you to duty with him.  Together, I feel assured you will beat back Sherman.”