The last artillery firing this morning was that of a
thunderstorm. It seems that kind Providence wanted a hand in the capture of the
city. We received orders about 10 o'clock to be ready to march at a moment's
warning, and immediately we were ordered to march, as the rebels had evacuated
the place. We started at once and before noon reached the edge of the city and
went into camp, while a part of the army went in pursuit of the fleeing rebels.
They left their outside works last night at 10 o'clock, and this morning left
the city, crossing the Savannah river by pontoon bridges, under cover of their
gunboats. Their rear guard is now five miles below, just across the river on
the South Carolina side.
Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B.,
Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 239
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