WAR NEWS

WAR BULLETIN

WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, Dec. 25, 7 p.m. – To Major General Dix: - A despatch [sic] has been received this evening by the President from Gen. Sherman. It is dated Savannah, Thursday 22d inst., and announces his occupation of the city of Savannah, and the capture of ammunition and about 25,000 bales of cotton. No other particulars are given.

An official dispatch from Foster to Gen. Grant, dated on the 22d at 7 p.m., states that the City of Savannah was occupied by Gen. Sherman on the morning of the 21st and that on the preceding afternoon and night Hardee escaped with the main body of his infantry and light artillery, blowing up the ironclads and the navy yard. He enumerates as captured 800 prisoners, 150 guns in good order, 100 cars, a large lot of ammunition and material of war, 30 steamers and 33,000 bales of cotton.

No mention is made of the present position of Hardee and his forces which had been estimated at about 15,000.

The despatches [sic] of Gen. Sherman and Foster are as follows:

SAVANNAH, GA, Dec. 22. – His Excellency Pres’t Lincoln – E beg to present you as a Christmas Gift, the city of Savannah with 150 heavy guns and plenty of ammunition, and also about 25,000 bales of cotton.

(Signed) W. L. [sic] SHERMAN, Maj. Gen.

The Steamer Golden Gate from Savannah arrived at 7 p.m.

Lieut. Gen. Grant and Maj. Gen. Halleck. I have the honor to report that I have just returned form Gen. Sherman’s headquarters in Savannah. I sent Major Gray of my staff as bearer of dispatches from Gen. Sherman to you, and also a message to the President. The city of Savannah was occupied on the morning of the 21’st. Gen. Hardee, expecting the contemplated assault, escaped with the main body of his infantry and light artillery on the morning of the 20th by crossing the river to Union City causeway opposite the city.

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

NOTE: The rest of the article was continued on the top of the next column, which unfortunately, was sewn into the binding of the bound newspaper. However, General Foster’s dispatch sited above, is found in the Official Records, Series I, Vol. 44, Serial # 92, p. 786 and the rest reads as follows:

The rebel iron-clads were blown up and the navy-yard burned. All the rest of the city is intact and contains 20,000 citizens, quiet and well disposed.

The captures include 800 prisoners, 150 guns, 13 locomotives in good order, 190 cars, a large supply of ammunition and material of war, 3 steamers, and 32,000 bales of cotton safely stored in warehouses. All these valuable fruits of an almost bloodless victory have been, like Atlanta, fairly won. I opened communication with the city with my steamers to-day, taking up what torpedoes we could see, and passing safely over others. Arrangements are made to clear the channel of all obstructions.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. G. FOSTER,
Major-General, Commanding Department of the South.