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| Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton | Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman |
| ON BOARD DANDELION, OSSABAW SOUND, December 13, 1864--11.50 p.m | |
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To Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.: |
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To-day, at 6 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 Ossabaw Sound, and I pushed
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 of the army is on the Savannah
River three miles above the city, and the right on the Ogeechee, at King's
Bridge. The army is in splendid order, and equal to any thing. The weather
has been fine, and supplies were 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, could not communicate; but, now that we have McAllister, we can go ahead. We have already captured two boats on the Savannah river and pre vented their gunboats from coming down. I estimate the population of Savannah at twenty-five thousand, and the garrison at fifteen thousand. General Hardee commands. We have not lost a wagon on the trip; but have gathered a large supply of negroes, mules, horses, etc., 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. We have utterly destroyed over two hundred miles of rails, and consumed stores and provisions that were essential to Lee's and Hood's armies. The quick work made with McAllister, the opening of communication with our fleet, and our consequent independence as to supplies, dissipate all their boasted threats to head us off and starve the army. I regard Savannah as already gained. Yours truly, |
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| W. T. Sherman, Major-General. | |
