by heavy rains and very difficult to cross, and only discontinued the pursuit on the 29th of December, when it was ascertained by General Thomas that, aided by these obstructions to our movement, and by the vigorous resistance of his rear-guard under Forrest, Hood had successfully recrossed the Tennessee at Bainbridge.

"With the exception of his rear-guard," says Thomas, "his army had become a disheartened and disorganized rabble of half-armed and barefooted men, who sought every opportunity to fall out by the wayside and desert their cause, to put an end to their sufferings."

Thus ended Hood. A week before, the victorious columns of the army he had set out to destroy entered Savannah. Sherman's army passed on to future and final victories: Hood's, as an organized force, disappears from history.

When Jefferson Davis ordered Hood to destroy the railways leading north and invade Tennessee, and assured his followers that in thirty days the Yankee invader would be driven out of Georgia, he had counted, with a mind obscured by long concentrated hate, upon Sherman's being compelled to follow Hood. "If Hood will go into Tennessee," Sherman had exclaimed, halting at the last stage of his northward march, "I will give him his rations." And so saying, he changed front to the rear and marched down to the sea. He knew that Davis had thus thrown away the last chance of success, the last hope even of prolonging the war, and for the phantom of an invasion had exchanged the controlling advantage of interior lines.

In order that the Union arms should profit by this advantage, however, it was an essential condition that Hood should be held in check. To this end Sherman left behind him an equal army and Major-General Thomas. Slowly and doggedly retiring with inferior numbers, while waiting for the re-enforcements which were to render them equal to the force of the enemy, and drawing Hood after him far beyond the barrier of the Tennessee, Thomas saved his concentration by Schofield's masterly battle of Franklin, and gathering up his force

and completing his preparations with such deliberation that it seemed to many the hour for action would never come, in the full time he hurled his irresistible blow squarely against the weak front of the enemy and crushed it. Then the machinery so carefully studied and thoroughly organized seized the fragments and ground them to irrecoverable atoms.

CHAPTER XXV. ·

SAVANNAH.

WHILE in Savannah, General Sherman received a visit from the Secretary of War, Mr. Stanton, and had the satisfaction of obtaining the promotions he had recommended on his subordinate commanders.

General Sherman placed General Geary in temporary command of the city of Savannah, and directing him to restore and preserve order and quiet, adopted at the same time a policy of conciliation and justice which soon bore its fruits in the altered tone of the former adherents of the Confederate cause. The mayor, R. D. Arnold, who but a short time before had called upon the inhabitants to arm and go to the trenches to defend their city against the invader, now invoked the citizens to recognize the existing condition of affairs and to yield a ready obedience to the actual authorities. The mayor was continued in the exercise of his functions, so far as they were exclusively connected with persons not in the military or naval service.

A large public meeting of the citizens was held, at which Mayor Arnold's views were substantially adopted and Governor Brown requested to take measures for restoring the State to the Union. A National Bank was established, and active measures taken to resume trade with the North and foreign nations so soon as the military restrictions should be removed. Divine service was resumed in the churches, and soon Savannah was more tranquil than it had been at any time since its capture was first threatened in 1862.

On the 14th of January, General Sherman issued the following orders in regard to internal trade, the conduct of the citizens, and the outrages of the Confederate guerrillas :

"It being represented that the Confederate army and armed bands of robbers, acting professedly under the authority of the Confederate government, are harassing the people of Georgia and endeavoring to intimidate them in the efforts they are making to secure to themselves provisions, clothing, security to life and property, and the restoration of law and good government in the State, it is hereby ordered and made public:

"I. That the farmers of Georgia may bring into Savannah, Fernandina or Jacksonville, Florida, marketing such as beef, pork, mutton, vegetables of any kind, fish, etc., as well as cotton in small quantities, and sell the same in open market, except the cotton, which must be sold by or through the treasury agents, and may invest the proceeds in family stores, such as bacon and flour, in any reasonable quantities, groceries, shoes, and clothing, and articles not contraband of war, and carry the same back to their families. No trade-stores will be attempted in the interior, or stocks of goods sold for them, but families may club together for mutual assistance and protection in coming and going.

"II. The people are encouraged to meet together in peaceful assemblages to discuss measures looking to their safety and good government, and the restoration of State and national authority, and will be protected by the national army when so doing; and all peaceable inhabitants who satisfy the commanding officers that they are earnestly laboring to that end, must not only be left undisturbed in property and person, but must be protected as far as possible consistent with the military operations. If any farmer or peaceful inhabitant is molested by the enemy, viz., the Confederate army of guerrillas, because of his friendship to the National Government, the perpetrator, if caught, will be summarily punished, or his family made to suffer for the outrage; but if the crime cannot be traced to the

actual party, then retaliation will be made on the adherents to the cause of the rebellion. Should a Union man be murdered, then a rebel selected by lot will be shot; or if a Union family be persecuted on account of the cause, a rebel family will be banished to a foreign land. In aggravated cases, retaliation will extend as high as five for one. All commanding officers will act promptly in such cases, and report their action after the retaliation is done."

A large delegation of colored men called upon the Secretary of War, Mr. Stanton, to represent their views as to the condition and requirements of their race. Twenty of the number were clergymen of various denominations. In the presence of General Sherman and the acting adjutant-general of the army, Brevet Brigadier-General E. D. Townsend, the secretary put a number of questions to them, in order to develop the extent of their knowledge and comprehension of their legal and moral rights and duties under the existing state of affairs. These questions were answered with great clearness and force by the Reverend Garrison Frazier, one of the number. General Sherman having left the room for the purpose, the secretary inquired their opinion of him. Mr. Frazier replied:

:

"We looked upon General Sherman prior to his arrival as a man in the providence of God specially set apart to accomplish this work, and we unanimously feel inexpressible gratitude to him, looking upon him as a man that should be honored for the faithful performance of his duty. Some of us called on him immediately upon his arrival, and it is probable he would not meet the secretary with more courtesy than he met us. His conduct and deportment towards us characterized him as a friend and a gentleman. We have confidence in General Sherman, and think whatever concerns us could not be under better management."

Immediately afterwards, with the approval of the secretary, General Sherman issued the following orders, devoting the