and Liberty, seeking to communicate with the Federal fleet by way of Kilkenny bluff and Sunbury. Returning on the 16th, he went into camp in the vicinity of King's bridge, picketing and plundering the country south of the Ogeechee.

The attempt of Colonel Atkins, with two thousand cavalry, supported by a division of infantry under General Mower, to destroy the railway bridge over the Altamaha river was thwarted. Upon the first appearance of the enemy the Confederate cavalry, stationed at detached points along the coast south of the Great Ogeechee river, hastily retreated beyond the Altamaha, leaving the region lately occupied by them a prey to the daily incursions of the Federal cavalry.

The Federal artillery was distributed at convenient intervals and at suitable locations along the line, but was chiefly massed opposite the Confederate redoubts on our right, in front of Daly's farm, the battery on Lawton's plantation, and the work at Salt-Creek bridge. The work last mentioned, known as Battery Jones, was subjected to an incessant fire during the continuance of the siege.

Although severely repulsed at Honey Hill on the 30th of Novem ber, the Federals advancing from the South Carolina coast during the early part of December made several unsuccessful attempts to obtain possession of the Charleston and Savannah railroad, with a view to strengthening the operations of General Sherman and com. passing the isolation of the Confederate garrison in Savannah.

The western lines, about which the chief interest concentres, were begun so soon as it was ascertained that General Sherman had inaugurated his movement from Atlanta, and were constructed as rapidly as available labor and means would permit. The credit of their loca tion is due to Major John McCrady, then chief engineer of the district, under the direction of Major-General Lafayette McLaws. On the 20th of November the first assignment of guns was made for their armament, and others were hastened into position as rapidly as they could be withdrawn from the city lines and other localities from which they could be spared.

Troops for the occupation of these lines commenced taking their posts on the 7th of December, and at once entered, with much activity, upon the task of strengthening them and extending the infantry cover.

The troops of Major-General Gustavus W. Smith, numbering about 2,000 muskets, were disposed on the right from the Savannah river almost to the crossing of the Central railroad-a front of about

two miles and a half. His right was commanded by Brigadier-General Anderson, and his left by Brigadier-General Carswell. The two regiments of the State line took position near the Louisville road, and the First brigade of militia near the Augusta road. The intermediate line was occupied by the battalion of cadets. The second and third brigades of Georgia militia held the line from the Augusta road to the bank of the Savannah river; and Fort Hardeman, the advanced work across Williamson's rice field, was garrisoned by Colonel Hill with a detachment from the Third Georgia brigade, a company of cadets and Pruden's militia battery. A portion of Anderson's Confederate light battery and a part of Major Hamilton's battalion of light artillery were conveniently posted in support.

Major-General Lafayette McLaws' front, forming the centre of the line, commenced about one hundred feet to the right of the Central railroad crossing and terminated at the swamp to the left of the Daly farm. Measured along the entrenchments, its length was about three miles and three-quarters. His right was commanded by BrigadierGeneral Baker, and his left by Brigadier General Lewis. General Baker's forces consisted of North Carolina troops and Georgia and South Carolina artillerists. Those under General Lewis embraced Worthen's North Carolina battalion, detachments of the 4th Tennessee and the 12th South Carolina cavalry, the 2d, 4th and 9th Kentucky mounted infantry, the 3d battalion Georgia reserves, Major Cook's Athens battalion, the 5th regiment Georgia reserves and the 1st regiment Georgia regulars.

Daniel's light battery, Abell's light battery, and sections of the light batteries of Captains Barnwell and Wagner supported this portion of the line. The troops on General McLaws' front numbered about 3.750 men.

Major-General A. R. Wright, on the 11th of December, was assigned to the command of the left of the western lines extending from the Daly farm, or Telfair swamp, to the Atlantic and Gulf railroad bridge over the Little Ogeechee river, a distance of some seven miles. He had under him Brigadier-General Hugh W. Mercer, commanding his right from the Telfair swamp to a point near Lawton's house, and Brigadier-General John K. Jackson, commanding his left from the vicinity of Lawton's barn to the Atlantic and Gulf railroad crossing over the Little Ogeechee river. This front of MajorGeneral Wright was irregular, being interrupted by dense woods and impracticable swamps. It was held by about 2,700 men, twelve hundred under Brigadier General Mercer and the rest under Briga

dier-General Jackson. General Mercer's command consisted of Colonel Browne's local brigade (composed of Major Jackson's Augusta battalion, Major Adams' Athens battalion and a regiment of local troops under Colonel Nisbet), Brooks' foreign battalion, a detachment of the 55th Georgia regiment and Captain Barnes' company of artillerists from Augusta. This force was disposed as follows: Lieutenant-Colonel R. B. Nisbet occupied the line from Battery Richardson to Battery Barnwell. Griffin's detachment of the 55th Georgia regiment supported Batteries Wheeler and Simpkins, and Jackson's Augusta battalion of local infantry occupied the line from the last named work to Battery Barnes, which was held by Augusta artillerists under Captain George T. Barnes. Brooks' foreign battalion was posted near the left of Battery Barnes.

Brigadier-General Jackson's command was composed of Colonel Von Zinken's local troops, drawn from the Confederate arsenals and work-shops of Columbus and elsewhere in the State of Georgia, detachments from General Ferguson's cavalry brigade, dismounted, and local reserves from Savannah. Brooks' light battery was stationed at Battery Jones, at the crossing of the old Savannah and Darien stage road over Salt creek, and Captain Guerard's light battery, sections of Maxwell's and Barnwell's light batteries and a detachment of Major Hamilton's artillery battalion supported this line of General Wright.

In the defense of this western line the following members of this Association actively participated, viz: Colonel T. G. Barrett, on ordnance duty, Major J. V. H. Allen, Major George T. Jackson, Captain George T. Barnes, Captain John W. Clark, Surgeon DeSaussure Ford, Lieutenant Charles Spaeth, Lieutenant James L. Gow, and Berry Benson. Chaplain Weed and Charles A. Harper were present with the signal corps.

Every effort was made, by the erection of batteries and infantry entrenchments, by digging rifle-pits and constructing substantial covers, by felling trees in its front, and by flooding all approaches, to render this western line as formidable as the labor and materials at command would permit. Its efficiency will be conceded when it is remembered that for ten days it kept General Sherman's formidable army at bay. And yet, thirteen miles long as it was, and held by scarcely more than a skirmish line strengthened at intervals, it must be admitted that if the Federals had massed their forces for a determined assault they could at any time during the continuance of the siege have carried it. With an army more than six times greater

than that of the Confederates-and this Confederate force composed in large part of detailed men, reserves, militia, and boys unused to action-it seems marvellous that General Sherman should have contented himself with sitting down before our lines, erecting counter batteries, engaging in artillery duels and sharp-shooting, feeling for weak points day after day-after the capture of Fort McAllister making arrangements for the transportation of heavy guns with which to shell Savannah at great distance over the heads of her defenders, and finally suffering the garrison to withdraw by pontoon bridges and canal banks to the Carolina shore.

Had he indicated that activity and energy demanded by the situation, the probabilities are that he could have captured the entire Confederate army. The evacuation of Savannah and the subsequent seizure of many thousand bales of cotton afforded the Federal general an opportunity for a festive interchange of dispatches with the President of the United States, in which his famous "Christmas present" figures largely, but he pillaged a nest from which the eagle had flown, and all the balderdash which has been written and spoken about this vaunted "march to the sea" can never, in the clear light of history, cover up or excuse the lack of dash and the want of military skill betrayed by General Sherman, with the formidable force at his command, in permitting the Confederate garrison to retire unmolested by a route so precarious in its character, and by a flank movement which could easily have been frustrated by a single division.

Anticipating the retreat of the Confederates, the Federal commander did throw a considerable force on the left bank of the Savannah river— particularly upon the upper end of Hutchinson's Island and upon Argyle Island-with instructions to intercept the line of communication with the high ground in Carolina. In the attempt to carry these orders into effect the enemy encountered continuous and bloody resistance in the rice fields and along the dams. As the retention of this route was essential to the ultimate safety of the troops employed in the defense of Savannah, General Wheeler's available forces, assisted by General P. M. B. Young's command and such South Carolina light batteries as could be spared from points along the line of the Charleston and Savannah railroad, were concentrated for its protection. By these troops all efforts of the enemy to move upon and possess this avenue of retreat were stubbornly resisted and successfully frustrated. In these skirmishes on the left bank of the Savannah, and in the heavy fighting for the retention of this route,

Vice-President Eve of this Association displayed conspicuous gallantry and rendered important service.

The venerable and brave Commodore Josiah Tattnall, commanding the naval forces at this station, afforded such assistance as the nature of the case and the means at hand justified.

It lies not within the compass of this address to enumerate the details of the siege, which, for ten days, was closely maintained. An incessant cannonade was supplemented at various points by sharpshooting and musketry firing. The artillery duels were particularly fierce at Battery Jones, at Pine-Point battery, at the redoubts crowning the high grounds of the plantations of Lawton and Daly, at the Central railroad crossing, and at Williamson's place. On more than one occasion the Federals demonstrated in force and attempted to carry the Confederate works, but suffered repulse. Protected by their entrenchments, the Confederates sustained comparatively few casualties.

On the afternoon of the 13th of December, Brigadier-General Hazen, with the second division of the 15th army corps, by a rapid assault, swept over the abattis and rear defenses of Fort McAllister and compassed its capture with a loss to his command of one hundred and thirty-four killed and wounded. In the language of this victorious officer, the fighting was desperate and deadly; and, when overwhelmed by the enveloping forces, the Confederates contested every inch of ground within the fort, finally retreating to the bomb-proofs, "from which they still fought, and only succumbed as each man was individually overpowered.'

Upon the fall of this work General Sherman acquired full control of the Great Ogeechee river, and was thus enabled to communicate freely with the Federal fleet and establish a convenient base of sup plies for his army, then sadly in need of provisions for man and beast. The further retention of Savannah was rendered impracticable, and the salvation of its garrison became the problem of the hour. General Hardee's instructions from General Beauregard were to hold Savannah only so long as, in his judgment, it might be advisable to do so; and that whenever it became necessary to decide between a sacrifice of the garrison or the city, to preserve the former for operation elsewhere.

A conference between Generals Sherman and Foster and Admiral Dahlgren resulted in an agreement that the Admiral would speedily engage the Confederate batteries at Turner's Point, Rose Dew and Beaulieu, and furnish vessels suitable for the navigation of the Great