ON
BOARD DANDELION,
Ossabaw Sound,
December 13, 1864 — 11.50 p.m.
(Received 15th.)
General H. W. HALLECK, Washington:
To-day, at 5 p.m., General Hazen's division of the Fifteenth
Corps carried Fort McAllister by assault, capturing its entire garrison and
stores. This opened to us the Ossabaw Sound, and I pulled down to this gunboat
to communicate with the fleet. Before opening communication we had completely
destroyed all the railroads leading into Savannah and invested the city. The
left is on the Savannah River, three miles above the city, and right on the
Ogeechee, at King's Bridge. Were it not for the swamps we could march into the
city, but as it is I would have to assault at one or two places over narrow
causeways, leading to much loss; whereas in a day or two, with my
communications restored and the batteries in position within short range of the
city, I will demand its surrender. The army is in splendid order, and equal to
anything. Weather has been fine, and supplies abundant. Our march was most
agreeable, and we were not at all molested by guerrillas. We reached Savannah
three days ago, but owing to Fort McAllister we could not communicate; but now
we have McAllister we can go ahead. We have already captured two boats in the
Savannah River, and prevented their gun-boats from coming down, and, if General
Foster will prevent the escape of the garrison of Savannah and its people by land
across South Carolina, we will capture all. I estimate the population at 25,000
and the garrison at 15,000; General Hardee commands. We have on hand plenty of
meat, salt, and potatoes; all we need is bread, and I have sent to Port Royal
for that. We have not lost a wagon on the trip, but have gathered in a large supply
of negroes, mules, horses, &c., and our teams are in far better condition
than when we started. My first duty will be to clear the army of surplus
negroes, mules, and horses, and suppose General Saxton can relieve me of these.
I am writing on board a dispatch-boat, down Ossabaw, at
midnight, and have to go back to where I left my horse, eight miles up, in a
row boat, and thence fifteen miles over to our lines by daylight, so that I
hope this will be accepted as an excuse for this informal letter; but I know
you are anxious to hear of our safety and good condition. Full and detailed
reports of the events of the past mouth will be prepared at a more leisure
moment, and in the meantime I can only say that I hope by Christmas to be in
possession of Savannah, and by the new year to be ready to resume our journey
to Raleigh. The whole army is crazy to be turned loose in Carolina; and with
the experience of the past thirty days I judge that a month's sojourn in South
Carolina would make her less bellicose.
The editors in Georgia profess to be indignant at the
horrible barbarities of Sherman's army, but I know the people don't want our
visit repeated. We have utterly destroyed over 200 miles of railroad, and
consumed stores and provisions that were essential to Lee's and Hood's armies.
A similar destruction of roads and resources hence to Raleigh would compel
General Lee to come out of his intrenched camp. I hope General Thomas has held
Hood. My last accounts are of the fight at Franklin, but rebel papers state
that Decatur, Ala., has been evacuated. This I regret, though it is not
essential to the future. If Hood is making any real progress I would not
hesitate to march hence, after taking Savannah, for Montgomery, which would
bring him out of Tennessee; but it seems to me that winter is a bad time for
him. I will try and see Admiral Dahlgren and General Foster before demanding
the surrender of Savannah, which I do not propose to make till my batteries are
able to open. The quick work made with McAllister, and the opening
communication with our fleet, and consequent independence for supplies,
dissipated all their boasted threats to head me off and starve the army. The
efforts thus far have been puerile, and I regard Savannah as already gained.
Yours, truly,
W. T. SHERMAN,
Major-General.
SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume
44 (Serial No. 92), p. 701-2
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