accumulated since its occupancy. The pontoons were hauled out of the river and piled up to dry for burning, the machinery in foundries and mills broken and destroyed so as to be unfit for use. The large pieces of ordnance for which transportation could not be procured were either burst or spiked and the trunnions knocked off, and every preparation made for a speedy and quiet evacuation of the city when orders might be received. The difficulty in obtaining cars rendered it necessary to abandon a great deal of valuable public property and officers' baggage when the orders came, which were as follows, received on the 10th of November:

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Kingston, Ga., November 10, 1864.

Brigadier General J. M. CORSE,

Commanding, Rome, Ga.:

In execution of sealed orders, Numbers 115, you will destroy to- night all public property not needed by your command, all foundries, mills, workshops, warehouses, railroad depot, or other houses convenient to the railroad, together with all wagons shops, tanneries, or other factories useful to our enemy, destroy their bridges completely, and then move your command to-morrow to Kingston and beyond, passing General Davis' command, after which proceed by easy marches until you overtake your corps, and report to its commander.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

All troops were moved from town and immediate vicinity and strong guards and patrols were established, every precaution taken to prevent the spreading of the flames to private residences, and at 10 o'clock on the evening of the 10th the property destined for destruction was in flames.

At daylight on the morning of the 11th the column was moving to Kingston. Captain Burnham, provost-marshal, reported to me that so well were the orders executed by the provost-marshal guard that there was not a private residence burned or a family disturbed. *

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO M. CORSE,

Brigadier-General.

Major MAX. WOODHULL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

ADDENDA.

SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS,
HDQRS. MIL. DIV., OF THE MISS., In the Field, Kenesaw Mountain, Numbers 86.
October 7, 1864.

The general commanding avails himself of the opportunity, in the handsome defense made of Allatoona, to illustrate the most important principle in war, that fortified posts should be defended to the last regardless of the relative numbers of the party attacking and attacked.

Allatoona was garrisoned by three regiments, commanded by Colonel Tourtellotte, and re-enforced by a detachment from a DIVISION at Rome, under command of Brigadier General J. M. Corse, on the morning of the 5th, and a few hours after was attacked by French's DIVISION, of Stewart's corps, two other DIVISIONS being near at hand, and in support. General French demanded a surrender in a letter to "avoid an useless effusion of blood," and gave but five minutes for answer. General Corse's answer was emphatic and strong; that he and his command were ready for

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*For continuation of report, relating to the Savannah campaign, see Vol. XLIV, Part I.

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