Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-12-30
FR01T sHERasAN,s ARmY..

p M,-76 Maj. Gen Dir:-A dispatch has
been received this evening by the President
from General Sherman, it is dated Savannah
Dec. -, and Announces his occupation of The
city Of Savannah and the capture of j 50 guns
plenty of ammunition, aud about 5000 bales
ofcotton. No other particulars aregiven.
An official Dispatch from General Foster to
General Grant, dated on the I'D, ?. III. states
that the city of Savannah was occupied by Sher-
man on the morning of the Dist and that on the
preceding afternoon and night Hardee escaped
with the main body of his infantry and artillery
blowing up the iron-clads and the navy yard
be enumerates as captured: 800 prisoners, $50
guns - locomotives in good order, 100 cars, a
large lot of ammunition and materials Of war
three steamers and $4,000 bales Of cotton. Nc
mention is made of the present position of Har-
dee's force, which had been estimated at 1000
The dispatches of Generals Sherman and Fos-
ter are as follows:
Savannah, Ca, Dec 22.-70 his EoceLLencu
President Li'scolh:-I beg to present you as q
Christmas Gift the city ofSavsnnah, with $50
heavy guns and plenty Of ammunition and also
about 25,O00 bales of cotton.
w. t. SHERMAN, Major General
Steamer Golden Gate, Savannah River p.
M.-December 22.-To Lieut. Gen. Grant and
MqjorGenerdl Helleckc:--l have the honor 10 re-
port that | have just arrived from Sherman s
headquarters in Savannah. | send Major Grey,
ofmy staff, as bearer of dispatches from General
Sherman TO you, and also message to the Pres
ident
The city of Savannah was occupied ON the
A. M. OF the 2lst. Hardee, anticipating the
contemplated assault escaped with the main
body of his infantry and light artillery in the
forenoon of the 90th, by crossing the river to
Union Causeway, opposite the city.
The rebel iron clads were blown up, and the
navy yard was burned. Allthe rest of the city
is intact, and contains 10000 citizens, quiet and
well disposed. The captures include 800 priso-
ners, $50 guns, Id locomotives in good order, 80
cars, a large supply of ammunition and materi
ais of war steamers and 80 900 bales of cotton,
safely stored in warehouses. All these valuable
fruits of an almost blOodless victory, have been,
like Atlanta, fairly won. opened command
with the city with my steamers to-day, taking
up what torpedoes we could see. and passing
safely over others. Arrangement are being
made to clean the channelsofall distractions
j. g. FOSTER, Major General.
Richmond papers of yesterday state that on
the 2Sd, 26 vessels of the Wilmington expedition
had reappeared.
The dispatch of Gen. Bragg is published in
the Richmond papers as follows:
Wilmington, Dec. 23.-Twenty six vessels of
the federal fleet reappeared this forenoon. There
has been no change since my last dispatch.
This is the latest intelligence received from
that expedition.
e. NJ. STANTON, Sec. of War.
Fortress Monroe, Dec 26-The steamer Cali
fornia arrived here at late hour last night, in
fifty-eight hours from Fort Pulaski, bringing
important dispatches from Sherman and the
glorious conirmatOry intelligence ofthe capture
Of Savannah. ON the 2lst inst. On the 10Th
Sherman having nearly completed the invest
ment OF the city, and captured Fort Lee and
several other minor OutwOrks in the immediate
vicinity of the principal entertainments surrOun-
ding the town, and planting his siege batteries
in such close proximity to the rebel lines as to
command, effectually, every position held by
The forces under command of General Hardee
sent a summons by flag of truce, 10 the effect,
hat il the place was not surrendered at GER
tain time, bombardrnent and assault would at
Dnce commence. To this summons the willy
rebel General sent back reply, that as hiscom-
municatlOns were yet oDen and his men fully
supplied with subsistence and stores of every
kind, he was enabled TO stand long seige, and
was determined to hold the city to the very last
and defend the citizens and property
which had been placed under his protection un-
til his forces were Overpowered and compelled
to surrender.
Livery peeu tDdOe Oy S16f-
man to assault the rebel position the next day,
but when the morning of the 2lst instant dawn
ed, it was ascertained that the enemy had evac-
mated their entrenchmenis. Several regiments
IF infantry were Immediately advanced who
ook possession of them, and shortly afterwards |
Sherman entered the city at the head of his
body guard, and received from the hands of
reputation of citizens the surrender of the place
1t appears that General Hardee, on the night |
# the Goth, seeing the impossibility of holding
he city, and fearing that the only means of es-
ape left open across the Savannah river was |
likely to be cut off at any moment, determin-
ID TO avail himself of this route |
or his retreat. His troops Immediately set to |
work and partially destroyed the navy yard and |
Government property, and at twilight, under |
of two iron clads rams, succeeded in |
;rOssing the Savannah river, over the causeway, |
o the north side, intending TO push forward to |
charleston. Thirty-two thousand bales of cot
on were stored in the city, which the rebels, in
heir haste neglected to destroy.
The two iron clad rams were sunk, and all
he Government property and stores which they
,Ould not carry off with them, they burned or
hrew into the river.
-Four small steamers. one gunboat were cap |
ured, which, together with the cotton, and |
arge amount of rebel munitions of war, form |
art of the spoils of Sherman's victorious army