CHAPTER XXIII.

A CHRISTMAS GIFT.

THE defensive works constructed by the enemy to cover the rear of Savannah, and now garrisoned by the Confederate forces under Lieutenant-General Hardee, followed substantially a swampy creek which empties into the Savannah River about three miles above the city, across to the head of a corresponding stream flowing into the Little Ogeechee. These streams proved singularly favorable to the enemy as a cover, being very marshy and bordered by rice-fields, which were flooded either by the tide-water or by inland ponds, the gates to which were controlled and covered by his heavy artillery. The only approaches to the city were by five narrow causeways, namely, the two railways, and the Augusta, the Louisville, and the Ogeechee roads, all of which were commanded by the enemy's heavy ordnance.

To assault an enemy of unknown strength at such a disadvantage appeared to Sherman unwise, especially as he had brought his army, almost unscathed, so great a distance, and could surely attain the same result by the operation of time. He therefore instructed his army commanders closely to invest the city from the north and west, and to reconnoitre well the ground in their respective fronts, while he gave his personal attention to opening communications with the fleet, which was known to be waiting in Tybee, Wassaw, and Ossabaw sounds, in accordance with the preconcerted plan. Williams' twentieth corps held the left of the Union line, resting on the Savannah River, near Williamson's plantation; Jefferson C. Davis' fourteenth corps was on its right, extending from the Augusta railway, near its junction with the Charles

ton railway, to Lawton's plantation, beyond the canal; Blair's seventeenth corps next, and Osterhaus' fifteenth corps on the extreme right, with its flank resting on the Gulf railway, at Station No. 1. General Kilpatrick was instructed to cross the Ogeechee by a pontoon bridge, to reconnoitre Fort McAllister," and to proceed to St. Catherine's Sound, in the direction of Sunbury or Kilkenny Bluff, and open communication with the fleet. General Howard had previously sent Captain Duncan, one of his best scouts, down the Ogeechee in a canoe for a like purpose; but it was also necessary to have the ships and their contents, and the Ogeechee River, close to the rear of the camps, as the proper avenue of supply.

The enemy had burned King's Bridge, over the Ogeechee, just below the mouth of the Cannouchee; but although a thousand feet long, it was reconstructed in an incredibly short time, and in the most substantial manner, by the Fifty-eighth Indiana, Colonel Buell, under the direction of Captain C. B. Reese, of the Engineer Corps; and on the 13th of December, Hazen's division of Osterhaus' fiifteenth corps crossed the bridge, gained the west bank of the Ogeechee, and marched down the river with orders to carry by assault Fort McAllister, a strong inclosed redoubt, manned by two companies of artillery and three of infantry, numbering in all about two hundred men, and mounting twenty-three barbette guns and one mortar.

On the morning of the 13th of December, General Sherman and General Howard went to Dr. Cheves' rice-mill, whence Fort McAllister was in full view. At the rice-mill a section of De Grass' battery was firing occasionally at the fort opposite, three miles and a half distant, as a diversion, having for its principal object, however, to attract the attention of the fleet. During the day the two commanders watched the fort and the bay, endeavoring to catch glimpses of the division moving upon the work, and of vessels belonging to the fleet. About noon, the rebel artillery at McAllister opened inland, firing occasionally from three or four different guns. By their glasses the generals could observe Hazen's skirmishers firing on the fort; and about the same time a movable smoke, like that from a

steamer, attracted their attention near the mouth of the Ogeechee.

Signal communication was established with General Hazen, who gave notice that he had invested the fort, and also that he observed the steamer. General Sherman signalled him from the top of the mill that it was important to carry the fort by assault that day.

The steamer had approached near enough to draw the fire of the fort when her signal-flag was descried. Captain McClintock, of the Signal Corps, aided by Lieutenant Sampson, speedily communicated with the vessel, and ascertained that she was a tug, sent by General Foster and Admiral Dahlgren for the purpose of communicating with the army. The signalofficer of the steamer inquired, "Is McAllister ours?"

Just at that moment a brisk firing was observed at the fort. Hazen had sounded the charge, and instantly his brave division had rushed through the torpedoes and abattis which obstructed the approach to the fort, and gaining the parapet, after a hand-to-hand struggle of a few moments' duration, the garrison had surrendered.

From their position at the rice-mill, Sherman and Howard could see the men discharge their pieces in the air, and hear their shout of triumph as they took possession of the fort and raised the old flag over their conquest..

Hazen's loss in killed and wounded was about ninety men, while the garrison lost between forty and fifty, killed and wounded; and the remainder, about one hundred and fifty in number, were captured, together with twenty-two pieces of artillery and a large quantity of ammunition.

The substantial fruit of this victory, however, was to be found in the fact that communication with the sea was established, and the prompt receipt of supplies secured.

As soon as he saw the Union colors planted upon the walls of the fort, Sherman ordered a boat, and, accompanied by General Howard, went down to the fort, and there met General Hazen, who had not yet communicated with the steamer, nor indeed seen her, as the view was interrupted by some trees.

Determined to communicate that night with the fleet, Sherman got into another boat, and caused himself to be rowed down the Ogeechee, until he met the navy tug-boat Dandelion, commanded by Lieutenant-Commander Williamson, who informed him that Captain Duncan, who, it will be remembered, was sent down the river a few days previously by General Howard, had safely reached Major-General Foster and Rear-Admiral Dahlgren, commanding the land and naval forces on the South Atlantic coast, and that these officers were hourly expected to arrive in Ossabaw Sound, where the Dandelion was then lying.

At midnight, Sherman wrote brief notes to General Foster and the admiral, and a dispatch to the secretary of war, recounting the main facts of the campaign, and the present situation.

"The weather has been fine," he said to Mr. Stanton, "and supplies were abundant. Our march was most agreeable, and we were not at all molested by guerrillas. We have

not lost a wagon on the trip, but have gathered in a large supply of negroes, mules, horses, etc., and our trains are in far better condition than when we started. My first duty will be to clear the army of surplus negroes, mules, and horses.

The quick work made with 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."

He then returned to Fort McAllister, and before daylight was overtaken by Major Strong, of General Foster's staff, with intelligence that General Foster had arrived in the Ogeechee, near Fort McAllister, and was very anxious to meet General Sherman on board his boat. Sherman accordingly returned with the major, and met General Foster on board the steamer Nemaha; and, after consultation, determined to proceed with him down the sound, in hopes of meeting Admiral Dahlgren, which, however, they did not do until about noon, in Wassaw Sound. General Sherman there went on board the admiral's flagship, the Harvest Moon, after having arranged with General Foster to send from Hilton Head some siege ordnance and boats suitable for navigating the Ogeechee River. Ad

miral Dahlgren furnished all the data concerning his fleet and the numerous forts that guarded the inland channels between the sea and Savannah; and Sherman explained to him how completely Savannah was invested at all points, save only the plank-road on the South Carolina shore, known as the "Union Causeway," which he thought he could reach from his left flank across the Savannah River. The general also informed the admiral that if he would simply engage the attention of the forts along Wilmington Channel, at Beaulieu and Rosedéw, the army could carry the defences of Savannah by assault as soon as the heavy ordnance arrived from Hilton Head.

On the 15th, Sherman returned to the lines in the rear of Savannah.

Having received and carefully considered all the reports of division commanders, he determined to assault the lines of the enemy as soon as the heavy ordnance should arrive from Port Royal, first making a formal demand for surrender. On the 17th, a number of thirty-pounder Parrott guns having reached King's Bridge, Sherman proceeded in person to the headquarters of Major-General Slocum, on the Augusta road, and dispatched thence into Savannah, by flag of truce, a formal demand for the surrender of the place, accompanied by a copy of Hood's threat, at Dalton, to take no prisoners, and on the following day received an answer from General Hardee conveying his refusal to accede thereto. In his reply, General Hardee pointed out that the investment was still incomplete.

In the mean time, further reconnoissances from the left flank had demonstrated that it was impracticable and unwise to push any considerable force across the Savannah River, since the enemy held the river opposite the city with iron-clad gunboats, and could destroy any pontoons laid down between Hutchinson's Island and the South Carolina shore, and thereby isolate any force sent over from that flank. Sherman, therefore, ordered General Slocum to get into position the siegeguns, and make all the preparations necessary to assault, and to report the earliest moment when he could be ready.

General Foster had already established a division of troops