, 1864-12-21

Ills Army in BETTER Condition than
when II Startct1-AbuMilance of Sup-
plies, Negroes, Mules and Horses-
An Vnnolested march-Fort McA1-
lister Captured, aud Savannah In.
vested aud as Good as Won.

WASHINGTON, Dec. N--An Official dis
patch from Gen. Sherman has been received
BY the War Department, dated midnight, De-
cember Is, on Eunboat Donelson, Ossabaw
Sound. It was written before Gen. Foster
he'd reached him. He reports, besides some
military details Of future operations, which
gre omitted, the following:
To-day, ut s p. M, Gen. Hazens' division,
Of the 18th Corps, carried Fort McAllister by
assault, capturing its entire garrison and
Sound, and passed down to this gunboat to
communicate With the feet. Before opening
the communication we had completely de-
stroycd all railroads leading into Savannah,
and invested the city. The left Is on the Sa-
sannnh river, ten miles above the city, and
The right On the 0geehee, At Kings Bridge.
"Tlc army is IN splendid order, me
weate5 ns sna sapPes sn "of moested
by guerillas. We reached Savannah three
days ago, but owing to Fort McAlltster we
could not communicate; but now ne have
Fort McAlllster, Ee can 60 ahead. We haVe
captured two boats on Savannah river, and
prevented their gunboats from coming down.
The estimated population Of Savannah Is
s5, Goo, and the sarrfson 900. Gen. Hardee
commands.
ave hare not lost q wagon on the trip,
but have gathered In q large supply OF nc
grocs, mules and horses. Our teams arc IN
better condition than when we. started. aly
first duty will be to clear the army of super
tluous ucg1 ocs, mules and horses-
~ have utterly destroyed over Two hun
lrcd miles of rail, aud consumed all stores
and provisions that were essential to the ar
mics Of Lee and Hood.
"The quick work made with McAllister,
and the opening of communication with onr
fleet, and consequent independence for sup
plies, dissipates all their bvasted threats to
head mn mfr md afarrr f1tn rrTnv
II regard Satanndh az 1lrtddy ydined.
(signcd) nv. T. SHERMAN,
"Afnjor General"
New YoRI-, Tuesday, December eo.-rAe
Nrald's correspondent from Fort McAllister
md Hilton Head, 14th, says: When Gen.
Sherman arrived in front Of Savannah, after
having marched 800 miles, his troops mean.
while living on the very best provisions, he
had with him drove Of Zoo cattle. though
he started from Atlanta with only 200. He
also gathered up On the way over 1000 able
bodied negroes, and SO many horses, mules
and wagons rs to embar1ass him.
His army during a considerable portion of
the march, extended over q sweep OF country
sixty miles in breadth, as mach as four miles
at times intervening between the right wing
ofone column and the LEFT OF the other, but
communication was. at all times, kept UP be-
tween the two. His whole loss in men from
the time OF f1eay1pg Atlanta to his arrival in
front Of Savannah from wounds, sickness,
captured, struggling, and all other causes,
was only about 1000. The average daily
march WIS about 13 miles.
When the city Of Savannah was invested by
Sherman, 1t was unprepared for siege, and
it was bclic,cd it could not have held ont
more than few days. Gen. Slocum holds all
the approaches on the north side Of the city,
including all tho railroads leading out of the
town.. Gen. HowarC's army connects with
Slocum's right, and swings around the Oge-
chce river 1t Fort McAllistcr.