Showing posts with label Fort McAllister. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fort McAllister. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Diary of 1st Sergeant John L. Ransom: November 25, 1864

This morning got up cold and stiff; not enough covering. Pushed off in the direction pointed out by the darkey of yesterday. Have come in the vicinity of negro shanties and laying in wait for some good benevolent colored brother. Most too many dogs yelping around to suit a runaway Yankee. Little nigs and the canines run together. If I can only attract their attention without scaring them to death, shall be all right. However, there is plenty of time, and won't rush things. Time is not valuable with me. Will go sure and careful. Don't appear to be any men folks around; more or less women of all shades of color. This is evidently a large plantation; has thirty or forty negro huts in three or four rows. They are all neat and clean to outward appearances. In the far distance and toward what I take to be the main road is the master's residence. Can just see a part of it. Has a cupola on top and is an ancient structure. Evidently a nice plantation. Lots of cactus grows wild all over, and is bad to tramp through. There is also worlds of palm leaves, such as five cent fans are made of. Hold on there, two or three negro men are coming from the direction of the big house to the huts. Don't look very inviting to trust your welfare with. Will still wait, McCawber like, for something to turn up. If they only knew the designs I have on them, they would turn pale. Shall be ravenous by night and go for them. I am near a spring of water, and lay down flat and drink. The “Astor House Mess” is moving around for a change; hope I won't make a mess of it. Lot of goats looking at me now, wondering, I suppose, what it is. Wonder if they butt? Shoo! going to rain, and if so I must sleep in one of those shanties. Negroes all washing up and getting ready to eat, with doors open No, thank you; dined yesterday. Am reminded of the song: “What shall we do, when the war breaks the country up, and scatters us poor darkys all around.” This getting away business is about the best investment I ever made. Just the friendliest fellow ever was. More than like a colored man, and will stick closer than a brother if they will only let me. Laugh when I think of the old darky of yesterday's experience, who liked me first rate only wanted me to go away. Have an eye on an isolated hut that looks friendly. shall approach it at dark. People at the hut are a woman and two or three children, and a jolly looking and acting negro man. Being obliged to lay low in the shade feel the cold, as it is rather damp and moist. Later.—Am in the hut and have eaten a good supper. shall sleep here to-night. The negro man goes early in the morning, together with all the male darky population, to work on fortifications at Fort McAllister. Says the whole country is wild at the news of approaching Yankee army. Negro man named “Sam” and woman “Sandy.” Two or three negroes living here in these huts are not trustworthy, and I must keep very quiet and not be seen. Children perfectly awe struck at the sight of a Yankee. Negroes very kind but afraid. Criminal to assist me. Am five miles from Doctortown. Plenty of "gubers" and yams. Tell them all about my imprisonment. Regard the Yankees as their friends. Half a dozen neighbors come in by invitation, shake hands with me, scrape the floor with their feet, and rejoice most to death at the good times coming. “Bress de Lord,” has been repeated hundreds of times in the two or three hours I have been here. Surely I have fallen among friends. All the visitors donate of their eatables, and although enough is before me to feed a dozen men, I give it a tussle. Thus ends the second day of my freedom, and it is glorious

SOURCE: John L. Ransom, Andersonville Diary, p. 123-4

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: January 28, 1863

The bombardment of Fort McAlister continued five hours yesterday, when the enemy's boats drew off. The injury to the fort can be repaired in a day. Not a man was killed or a gun dismounted. The injury done the fleet is not known. But the opinion prevails here that if the bombardment was continued to-day, the elongated shot of the enemy probably demolished the fort.

Last night and all this day it snowed incessantly — melting rapidly, however. This must retard operations by land in Virginia and probably in North Carolina.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 248

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Diary of Judith Brockenbrough McGuire: December 17, 1864

The military movements are important, but to what they tend we know not. More troops have been added from Sheridan to Grant, and Early to Lee, and Sherman has crossed Georgia with little opposition or loss. Our last news is, that he has taken Fort McAllister, some miles below Savannah. What fate awaits that city we tremble to think of. A raid on Bristol and up the railroad, towards Saltville, has alarmed us for the salt-works; but General Breckinridge having turned up in the right place, suddenly appeared in their front and drove them off, to the great relief of the public mind.

SOURCE: Judith W. McGuire, Diary of a Southern Refugee, During the War, p. 322

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Gen. Sherman stormed and took Ft. McAlister . . .

. . . near Savannah, on the 14th, capturing with it 500 prisoners, 21 heavy guns, and a large quantity of ordinance stores. This puts Sherman in full communication with Admiral Dahlgren and the fleet, and furnishes him with an excellent base of supplies. The reported battle of the 10th did not take place. All communication between Savannah and Richmond is cut off. The following is a brief account of his march.

New York, Dec. [14] – The Herald’s correspondent from Fort McAllister and Hilton Head, 14th says: When Gen. Sherman arrived in front of Savannah after having marched 800 miles, his troops in the meanwhile living on the very best provisions, he had with him a drove of 1200 cattle, though he started from Atlanta with only 200. He also gathered up on the way over 7,000 able-bodied negroes, and so many horses, mules and wagons as to embarrass him. His army during a considerable portion of the march extended over a sweep of country 60 miles in breadth – as much as 40 miles at times intervening between the right wing of one column and the left of the other, but communications were at all times kept between the two. His whole loss in men from the time of leaving Atlanta to his arrival in front of Savannah, from wounds, sickness, capture, straggling, and all other causes, was only about 1,000. The average daily march was about 12 miles.

There is scarcely any news from the army of the Potomac, except heavy firing on Dutch Gap Canal. Grant seems to be waiting for the result of Sherman’s operations, and for those of the fleet that lately sailed from Hampton Roads.

At last accounts the remnant of Hood’s army was at Duck River, retreating rapidly. Gen. Thomas had captured 61 pieces of artillery, and our loss but few over 2,000. – Gen. Forest attacked Murfreesboro, on the 15th and was repulsed, losing 1,500 killed, and all the wounded fell into our hands.

– Published in The Union Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa, Friday, December 23, 1864

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Fort McAllister

Fort McAllister which was captured on the 14th by Sherman, is a very strong earthwork situated on the Ogeechee river, about 16 miles south of the mouth of the Savannah river. It has previously bid defiance to two attacks from our naval forces. The first of these took place nearly two years ago, on the 27th of January, 1862, the monitor Montauk, commanded by Capt. Worden, bombarded its earth wall for nearly six hours without either receiving or doing much damage. Each appeared to be invincible against the other. The second and more important attack was made on the 3d of March, 1863. – The vessels employed in this engagement were the monitors Montauk, Passaic, Petapsco, and Nahans [sic], and the gunboats Seneca, Wissahickon and Dawn, and several mortar schooners. This formidable force rained shot and shell for one whole day with no more damage to the rebels than the dismounting of a gun or two.

– Published in The Union Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa, Friday, December 30, 1864