The Express.
London, England, 1865-01-09 00:00:00

THE AMERICAN MAIL.

CAPTURE OF SAVANNAH.
THE EXPEDITION AGAINST WILMINGTON

The Royal Mail steamship Cuba, from New
York on the 29th tilt, arrived at Liverpool yester-
day. She brings 64 passengers and 4413,600 dols.
in specie.

By the arrival of the Cuba we have advises from
New York to the 29th ult, five days later than
those brought by the previous mail.

FALL OF SAVANNAH.
An official despatch from General Sherman to the
Presideut, dated at Savannah, on Thursday, the
22ed December, announces his occupation of that
city, and the capture of one hundred and fifty guns,
a large quantity of ammunition, and about 25,000
bales el cotton. General Sherman's brief despatch
is supplemented by an official despatch from
General Foster to General Grant, in which
the particulars of the occupation of the city
are given. General Foster states that Savan-
nah was occupied by General Sherman on the
21st ult., and that on the preceding day and night,
General Hardee, anticipating an assault, had
escaped with the main body of his infante/ and
light artillery, by crossing the river to Union
Causeway, opposite the city. The Confederate iron-
dads were blown up and the navy-yard burned. All
the rest of the city remains intact, and contains
20,000 citizens, who are quiet and well disposed.
The captures include, according to General Foster,
800 prisoaers, 150 guns, 13 locomotives, 190 oars, a
large supply of ammunition, and other material of
war, three steamers, and 33,000 bales of cotton
(General Sherman says 25,000). The fleet was in
communication with the city, and arrangements
were making to clear the channel of all obstructions.
The following are the official despatches an-
nouncing this important event. They were pub-
lished on the 26th ult. :

Wm Department, Washington, Deo. 25.
To Major-General Dix, New York—A despatch bee been
received this evening by the President from General Sher-
man. His dated at Sevaseah, on Thursday, the 22ed
sad announces his am:patio:l of the city of fievenned sad
the capture of one hundred and fifty gam, plenty of sinum.
alike, sad shoot 25,000 bales of cotton. No other parti-
culars ere given.
An official despatch from Geared Foster to General
Great, dated cm the 22ad instant, et 7 p.m., states that the
city of &vanish was occupied by General Sherman on the
moaning of the 21st, sad that on the preceding afternoon
and night, Hardee escaped with the main body of his
infantry and light artillery, biewing up the iron-aids sad
the nary-yard. He eaumegates es captured 800 pri-
mness, 150 gauss, 13 keemotives, in good order, 190 cars,
• Lags lot ef ammunition mad materiels of war, three
sinegeors, aid 35,000 bike of cotton. No mention is mule
el
the present position of Haadells force. saki& had been
estimated at about 15,000.
The despatches of General Sherman and General Foster
are as follows :

Savannah. CL, Doe. 22.

To his Excellency President Liaooin.—l beg to present
you as a Christmas gift, the city a Savannah, with 150
heavy gins and plenty of ammunition. sod also •boat
24000 bales ol coston.—(Signed)—W. T. SHIENAIII, Ma*.
Gomel

Steamer Golden Gate, Savanaah River,
7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 22.
To Lieutenant-General Grant and Major-General H. W.
Halleck.—l hare the honour so report that I have jamb
returned from General Sherroan's beed-qiuurtera ia Savannah.
I dad Major Gray of my staff as bearer of despetchee from
Gelded Shermaa to you, and also • menage to the President.
The ei►y of Savannah was occupied on the morning of the
21st General Hardee, anticipating the cootemplated eseault,
escaped with the main body of his infantry and light artil-
lery, on the morning of the 20th, by crossing the river to
Union °someway, opposite the city. The rebel iron-clads
were blown up, and the Havy.yard was burped. All the
rest of the city is intact, sod contains twenty thousand citi-
zens, quiet and well-disposed. The captures iodide eight
licndned prisoner•, one hundred and fifty guns, thirteen
locomotives in good order, die hundred sad ninety
rare, • large supply of ammunition and mate-
rials of war, three steamers, end thirty-three thou-
mod bake of cotton safely stowed in warehouses.
All these valuable fruits of an almost bloodless
rioters have been, like Atlaata, fairly won. I opened
communication with the city with my steamers to-day,
taking up what torpedoes we could see, and passing safely
over others. Arrangements are made to deer the channel
of all ohetructiolia.—Yoant &et,
(Signed) J. G. Formes, Major-General.
(From the Savannah Reptibkoan, Dec. 21.)
TO THI CITIZanB pr s•vanuw.
By the fortunes of war we to-day par under the autho-
rlty of the Federal military forces. The insulation of
Savannah by the Confederate army, which took place last
night, left the gates to the city open, and General Sherman
I with his army will no doubt today take possession. The
mayor and common council leave under flag of truce this
neeraiog for the headquarters of General Sherman, to offer
W ennuadw of the city and ask terms of capitulation by
which private property act citizens may be respected. We
Amen to counsel obedience sad all proper respect on the
part of our caimans, and to express the belief that their
reperty and persons will be respected by our military
ruler. The fear expressed by many that General Sherman
will repeat the order of expulsion from our homes which he
enforced against the citizens of Atlanta we think to be
without fonadatioa. He assigned his reason in that case as
a military necessity. it was • question of food. He
amid not supply his army and the citizens with food,
end he stated that he most have full and sole occupation.
Bat in our came food eon be abundantly supplied for both
army and citizens. We would not be understood as even
intimating that we are to be fed at the coat of the Federal
government, but that food can be easily obtained, in all
probability, by all who can afford to (Ay in the Federal
ennency. It behoves all to keep within their houses until
General Sherman shall have organised a provost system
and such polka sa will insure safety to persons ma well as
property. Let our corded be such as to win the admira-
tion of a magnanimoos foe, and give to ground for corn-
plaid or harsh treatment on the put of him who will far
an indefinite period hold possession of our city. In our city
there are, as in other communities, a large proportion of
poor and needy families, who, in the present situation of
affairs, brought about by the privations of war, will be
thrown upon the bounty of their more fortunate neighbours.
Deal with than kindly, eizerolse your philanthropy sad
benevolence, and lot the hearth of the unfortunate not be
deserted by your frimadly aid.
The New York Tanta speaks in the following
terms of Elberman'a latent victory :

"The time ooverediby Sherman's campaisn,from
the day be left Rome until he planted his army
within the defences of Savannah, was just about
forty days. The campaign will stand as one of the
most striking feats in military history, and will
prove one of the heaviest blows at the vitality of the
great Southern rebellion."