280 Series I Volume XLIV- Serial 92 - Savannah
Page 280 | OPERATIONS IN S. C., GA., AND FLA. Chapter LVI. |
body of troops marched rapidly by the flank through McAlpin's plantation to the Augusta road and on into the city. Just outside of the city limits, near the junction of the Louisville and Augusta roads, I met the mayor of Savannah and a delegation from the board of aldermen, bearing a flag of truce. From them I received, in the name of my commanding General, the surrender of the city. This was at 4. 30 a. m., and I sent immediately another staff officer to announce the surneral commanding the corps. He had considerable difficulty in passing the line of another division of this corps on the Augusta road, but finally convinced them that he belonged to the Twentieth Corps and not to the enemy. In the meantime my entire division entered the city of Savannah at early dawn, and before the sun first gilded the morning clouds our National colors, side by side with those of my own division, were unfurled from the dome of the Exchange and over the U. S. custom-house. Barnum's brigade, which led in entering the city, was at once ordered to patrol it, reduce it to order and quiet, and prevent any pillaging or lawlessness on the part either of soldiers or citizens. My orders on the subject were very strict, and within a few hours this city, in which I had found a lawless mob of low whites and negroes pillaging and setting fire to property, was reduced to order; many millions of dollars' worth of cotton, ordnance, and commissary stores, &c., which would otherwise have been destroyed, were saved to the United States Government, and the citizens once more enjoyed security under the protection of that flag which again waved over them, exactly four years since the passage by the State of South Carolina of the secession act. Two regiments from Pardee's brigade, the Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania and Twenty-ninth Ohio Veteran Volunteers, were sent down to Fort Jackson, and early in the morning had possession of it and all the intermediate and surrounding works. The iron-plated ram Savannah, which lay in the river below the city, threw a few shells at these two regiments as they flung the Stars and Stripes to the breeze from the walls of Fort Jackson. All the other gun-boats of the enemy had been fired by them and burned to the water's edge. On the arrival had been fired by them and burned to the water's edge. On the arrival of the major-General commanding the Left Wing, I was by his order placed in command of the city. Until nearly 10 a. m. continued firing was heard in the direction of Beaulieu, and supposing that a portion of the enemy might still be south of us I kept one brigade under arms during the forenoon. Three rebel flags were captured by my command, which will be duly forwarded.
The following table will exhibit as near as possible the amount of public property taken possession of by my command on the morning of the 21st of December:
In enemy's In city of In forts Total.
front line. Savannah. below the
city,
including
Fort
Jackson.
Steam- . 3 . 3
boats. .
Schooner, . 1 . 1
unfinished
. .
Locomotive . 13 . 13
s. .
Cars. . . 230 . 230
Cotton. . . 25,000 . 25,000
Bales. .
Rice. . . 4,000 . 4,000
Tierces. .
Corn. . . 2,000 . 2,000
Bushels. .
Lumber. . . 55,000 . 55,000
Feet. .
Heavy 6 1 88 95
artillery.
. Pieces.
.
Light 5 1 3 9
artillery.
. Do. .
Muskets. . . 479 479
.
Page 280 | OPERATIONS IN S. C., GA., AND FLA. Chapter LVI. |