SUMMON TO SURRENDER.

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"The weather has been fine, and supplies were abundant. Our march has been most agreeable, and we were not at all worsted by guerrillas. We have not lost a wagon on the trip, but have gathered in a large supply of negroes, mules, etc., and our trains are in much better condition than when we started.

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營

* The quick work made with Fort McAllister, and the opening of communication with our fleet, and the consequent independence for supplies dissipates all their boasted threats to head me off and starve the army. I regard Savannah as already gained."

Major Strong, of Major-General Foster's staff, arrived at the fort before daybreak, and informed General Sherman that General Foster was in the Ogeechee on the steamer Nemaha. Sherman went to him, and after some time they proceeded down the sound in search of Dahlgren, whom they found about noon in Wassau Sound. Conference was held; Foster was to send some heavy artillery from Hilton Head; Dahlgren informed Sherman as to the fleet, the rebel forts guarding channels, etc., while Sherman informed the Admiral that with the exception of the plank-road on the South Carolina shore, Savannah was invested, and that he hoped to reach from his left flank across the Savannah River. He asked the fleet to engage the attention of the forts along the Wilmington Channel at Beaulieu and Rosedew, and he would take Savannah with his men as soon as his heavy guns could arrive from Hilton Head.

Returning to his lines in the rear of Savannah, on the 15th, General Sherman considered with care the reports of his subordinates, and formed his plan for assaulting the city on the arrival of the guns to be sent by General Foster. Several thirty-pounder Parrotts reached King's Bridge on the 17th, and he sent to Hardee, by flag of truce, a formal demand for the surrender of the city, and as a suggestion, enclosed a copy of Hood's demand for the surrender of Dalton, with its sanguinary alternative, "No prisoners being taken in case of a refusal." Hardee answered coolly that the investment was incomplete; that he had men and means to hold out, and that he should not surrender.

General Sherman decided after careful and scientific reconnoissance from the left flank that it was not prudent to push any considerable force across the Savannah River, under fire from the rebel ironclad gunboats, which could destroy our pontoons, and isolate any force which might cross from Hutchinson's Island to the South Caro

lina shore. Arrangements were made for Slocum to assault, while he went in person to Port Royal, and arranged with Foster to reinforce a division placed in the point between the Coosawhatchie and Tullifenney rivers, at the head of Broad River, where he could bring his artillery. There was a chivalrous strife among division com

manders who should first enter the city.

Preparations for the assault were nearly complete, when Hardee decided to retreat. Accordingly he opened a fierce fire of shot and shell on the Union lines, from gunboats and batteries. On the night of the 20th he decamped, pontooned the river, and marched toward Charleston on the only open road. General Geary, suspecting the movement, pushed his division up to the city, and on the morning of the 21st received the surrender of Savannah from the hands of the Mayor, and sent the tidings to his superior, General Slocum.

Sherman sent to President Lincoln this note, dated December 22d:

"I beg to present you as a Christmas gift with one hundred and fifty heavy guns, and plenty of ammunition, and also about twenty-five thousand bales of cotton."

The sea was reached. The wonderful march was made—the conquering army had established its base-tons of letters from home were received, and eagerly read; and the army of the Union had made another grand stage toward its final goal.

Colonel Bowman, in his valuable work, "Sherman and his Campaigns," thus sums up:

"The army marched over three hundred miles in twenty-four days, directly through the heart of Georgia, and reached the sea with its subsistence trains almost unbroken. In the entire command, five officers and fifty-eight men killed, thirteen officers and two hundred and thirty-two men wounded, and one officer and two hundred and fiftyeight men missing; making a total list of casualties of but nineteen commissioned officers and five hundred and forty-eight men, or five hundred and sixty-seven of all ranks. Seventy-seven officers and twelve hundred and sixty-one men of the Confederate army, or thirteen hundred and thirty-eight in all, were made prisoners. Ten thousand negroes left the plantations of their former masters, and accompanied the column when it reached Savannah, without taking note of thousands more who joined the army, but from various causes had to leave it at different points. Over 20,000 bales of cotton were burned beside the 25,000 captured at Savannah. 13,000 head of beef-cattle, 9,500,000 pounds of corn, and 10,500,000 pounds of fodder were taken from the country, and issued to the troops and animals. The men lived mainly on the sheep, hogs, turkeys, geese, chickens, sweet potatoes and rice gathered by the foragers from the plantations along the route of each day's march. Sixty thousand, taking merely of the surplus which fell in their way as they marched rapidly

LINCOLN TO SHERMAN.

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over the main roads, subsisted for three weeks in tho very country where the Union prisoners at Andersonville were starved to death or idiocy. Five thousand horses and four thousand mules were impressed for the cavalry and trains; three hundred and twenty miles of railway were destroyed, and the last remaining links of communication between the Confederate armies in Virginia, and the West effectually severed by burning every tie, twisting every rail while heated red hot over the flaming piles of ties, and laying in ruin every depot, engine-house, repair-shop, watertank and turn-table."

This wonderful march, made in four great columns, was from first to last a mystery to the rebel authorities, who knew not at what point the cloud they saw would launch its vengeful bolt. Their old vantage of interior lines was gone.

Mr. Lincoln was overjoyed. From the time the army leaped from its base at Atlantą until the head of the conquering column was before Savannah the Government was in suspense, hearing nothing except through rebel journals. Sherman's brief dispatch brought unutterable gladness to the patriot President. He immediately replied:

"MY DEAR GENERAL SHERMAN:

"EXECUTIVE MANSION, "WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 26, 1864.)

1864.}

"Many, many thanks for your Christmas gift, the capture of Savannah. "When you were about to leave Atlanta for the Atlantic coast, I was anxious, if not fearful; but feeling you were the better judge, and remembering that nothing risked, nothing gained,' I did not interfere. Now, the undertaking being a success, the honor is all yours, for I believe none of us went further than to acquiesce. And taking the work of General Thomas into the count, as it should be taken, it is, indeed, a great success.

"Not only does it afford the obvious and immediate millitary advantages, but in showing to the world that your army could be divided, putting the stronger part to an important new service, and yet leaving enough to vanquish the old opposing forces of the whole-Hood's army-it brings those who sat in darkness to see a great light.

"But what next? I suppose it will be safe if I leave General Grant and yourself to decide.

"Please make my grateful acknowledgments to your whole army, officers and men. "Yours, very truly,

From Chattanooga to Savannah, and the end not yet.

"A. LINCOLN."

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE CLOSE OF 1864-THE OPENING OF 1865.

MR. STANTON'S SUMMARY OF 1864-RESUME-BANKS-SHERman-Stanton AND THOMAS -HOOD'S ARMY Destroykd-JOIN MORGAN-OTHER OPerations-In THE EASTTHE VALLEY OF THE SHENANDOAH-SHERIDAN-THE LOST BATTLE SAVED OPENING YEAR-GRANT REPORTS THE SITUATION-STANTON'S ENUmeration-REDUCTION OF FORT FISHER-SCHOFIELD'S CORPS-BATTLE AT KINGSTON-CANBY'S DEPARTMENTMOBILE-DEFENCES-THE FORTS-FARRAGUT-THE PLAN-LASHED VESSELS-PASS THE FORTS-GUNBOATS-RAM TENNESSEE-TERRIFIC FIGHT-TRIUMPH-MOBILE BAY OURS-FORTS SURRENDER-THE CITY INVESTED-CARR'S BRIGADES ASSAULT AND CARRY THE SPANISH FORT-FORT BLAKELEY TAKEN-OUR LOSSES-MOBILE OURSLOSSES CAPTures-Wilson's GIGANTIC ALABAMA RAID-ANDERSONVILLE-Record OF ITS HONORed Dead.

HE year was closing with grand achievements to the cause of the

TU year was wis of war reported the forces under arme

at the opening of the spring campaigns as follows:

The spring operations of the West began in March with the ill-fated expedition of Banks against Kirby Smith, costing our State so heavily in the loss of men. Sherman began his brilliant campaigns in May. Atlanta gained, Hood was bated with the golden apple of West Tennessee, and clutched eagerly at the tempting lure. We have seen the result. Secretary Stanton, in his report, thus introduces and quotes from General Thomas:

"While General Sherman's army was marching south from Atlanta to the sea coast, the rebel army under Hood, strongly reinforced, was moving north, threatening Tennessee. The task of encountering this formidable foe, and defending the border states from invasion, was entrusted to Major-General George H. Thomas, who was ably assisted by his second in command, Major-General Schofield. In his report,

General Thomas says:

"I found myself confronted by the army which, under General J. E. Johnston, had so skillfully resisted the advance of the whole active army of the military division of the Mississippi, from Dalton to the Chattahoochee, reinforced by a well-equipped and enthusiastic cavalry command of over 12,000 men, led by one of the boldest and most successful cavalry commanders in the rebel army. My information, from all sources, confirmed the reported strength stated of Hood's army to be from forty to forty-five thousand infantry, and from twelve to fifteen thousand cavalry. My effective force, at this time, consisted of the 4th Corps, about 12,000, under MajorGeneral D. S. Stanley; the 23d Corps, about 10,000, under Major-General Schofield; Hatcher's division of cavalry, about 4,000; Croxton's brigade, 2,500, and Capron's brigade, of about 1,200. The balance of my force was distributed along the railroad, and posted at Murfreesboro, Stevenson, Bridgeport, Huntsville, Decatur, and Chattanooga, to keep open our communications, and hold the posts above named, if attacked, until they could be reinforced, as up to this time it was impossible to determine which course Hood would take, advance on Nashville, or turn toward Huntsville. Under these circumstances, it was manifestly best to act on the defensive until sufficiently reinforced to justify taking the offensive. On the 12th of November communication with General Sherman was severed, the last dispatch from him leaving Cartersville, Georgia, at 2:25 P. M. on that date. He had started on his great expedition from Atlanta to the sea board, leaving me to guard Tennessee, or pursue the enemy if he followed the commanding General's column. It was, therefore, with considerable anxiety that we watched the force at Florence, to discover what course they.would pursue with regard to General Sherman's movements, determining thereby whether the troops under my command, numbering less than half those under Hood, were to act on the defensive in Tennessee, or take the offensive in Alabama.""