The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-12-31


bic, long befora the Nimeaha got within
distance, but flag dutter could not be
construed any further. .sf... Al. Z.
The news was soon told. Sherman had
captured Fort. McAllistar, and re.opened
communication, and settled quietly down
to prosecute the siege Of Savannah. The
history OF the grand march, AZ related by
the Intelligent scouts whose narration /
sent you In my last. was confirmed in ev-
cry particular. No fghting--moderate
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. living-whole rail-
road lines taken up and smashed-ands the
military shen of Georgia shattered into az
many fragments a. an army with the most
they could desire, and with all the leisure
they had any use for. ssa
SHERMAN pEsCsxDs THE oercKEE.
On Wednesday morning, the 13sh inst,
General Sherman came down the Ogechee
river, in q small boat captured On that
stream. He was received on board the
Nimeaha, where be was most cordially
greeted by Gen. Foster and Admiral Dahl
gren. Sherman looked little rusty, and
wore the same dropping, round top felt hat
which was observable for not being new
when he flanked Atlanta, bu: he was in
buoyant spirits, and laughed and chatted
as only q man of his s8ngu!ne traits can.
He said that the resistance 10 his march
was less than he anticipated. The enemy
had nibbled little at his advance guards
and foragingparties,b but avoided fighting
with great perseverance,. He had roarned
the heart Of Georgia for month, his army
had lived luxuriantly of the necessities Of
Lees and Hoods army, and he had de-
strOyed railroads, beyond repair curingt the
war. All this he had done, without the
loss of thousand men. The whole story
Of his march could be summed up in q few
words: he had no! only accomplished ev.
erything he had deemed probable, bu. ma
nv things which were simply possible.--
Among the latter was the capture o. Sa-
vannah now he was certain Of the city,
with strong hopes of Its garrison.
Gen. Sherman remained in consultations
With General Foster and Admiral Dahl
gren for several hours, during which time,
Of course, plans for the cooperation of
Fosters army and the feet were arranged.
l-have It, on the authority Of one who
heard the remark, that Sherman declared
that all the navy in the world could not,
unaided, capture Savannah.
About 3oclock on Wednesday afternoon,
Sherman returned up the Ogeechee River,
and rejoined his army. III t.G
THE CAPTURE OF FORT xAcALLfsrER.
On the 18th inst, Hazen's division, tcom.
manced by Gen. Sherman himself former
W. Of the 18th Corps, was ordered to storm
Fort MacAllister, after demand for ite
surrender had been refused. TIE charge
was made in column 1T the double.GuicE,
and in less than fifteen minutes from the
time the word to storm was given, our Gag
floated from the fort, which is strongly
built Of sand, with deep bitches and mas
sive parapets. The garrison, consisting Of
three hundred men, were captured, togeth-
er with twenty. three fine gums Of heavy
caliber. The loss Of the division In the
charge was seventy killed and wounded.-
The great strengthen Fort MacAllister rem.
6opa Ufnpn hV ofnYyn n T6at cf ap.n0
second tn no valorous achievement of the
war. 1t was Gen. Hazen's division which
bore the brunt Of Hardee's attack upon our
right at Jonesboro', the day before the reb.
el evacuation Of Atlanta, SO its talent for
defense and odense IL pretty firmly estab-
70 say, as he did In describing the assaul;,
THAT was once my own division
sHERxAN's POSITION AROUND SAVANNAH.
General Sherman feels certain that Sa-
vannah is his legitimate property, ard the
| position Of his forces around it At this mo-
ment would seem fully to justify his anti
cipations. The main body OF his army is
on the west of the city, stretching around
it somewha. on the south. He has pas
sed body Of Infantry north Of Savannah
River, the only direction Of escape fo- the
garrison.
The situation is simply this: Sherman,
with an army ofveterans, ou- numbering
the garrison four to one-perhaps more-is
be!eaguering Savannah, holding all the
railroad communications, and has passed
q body OF troops north Of the Savannah
River, almost directly IN the rear OF the
force which has been confronting General
| Foster at Pocotaligo, Gnd hin dered seiz-
ure Of the Charleston and Savannah Rail-
road north of the river. The only avenue
| for the garrison TO escape, is over a marshy
country, between Posters army, near Po-
| = sk>~ -, Co. SAs.
Savannah River, and it is only through
this interval (Which may at any momen!
be closed, that further reinforcements or
supplies can enter Savannah. Since the
war began we have never had such i'm.
| mense advantages over the garrison of any
city in the South. At the very initiation Of
the investment, We hold ai! railroads and
have very nearly closed all outlet and inle.
Military writer's would call this fair start.
The defenses Of Savannah co2sis. of II.
ner and outer lines, the works on the west
and south having been bull. deliberately
! and with care, long before the city was se-
.iously endangered. The outer line is be.
tween three and four miles from the city,
/ and can no, be very tenacious,y held by
/ ed. The garrisoncan not be well supplied
for long before Sherman approached the
: city, he had cat all is railroads excep. .he
4 Gulf line and the Charleston line. The
former is branch road, ard could con.
4 tribute little in men and means, and the
Il capacity of the latter is limited.
i The water batteries below Savannah are
on the south side of the river, and are lia-
4 tle 70 fall az Fort McAllister fell, provided
enough firm land can be found iE the rea:
Of them to permit the move -nert of sufii.
cient body Of troops.
n sHERMAN's NEW BASE
Il Sherman has now as safe ard converter:
a base Of supplies as Grant. Indeed in
J some respect he has advantages over III.
armies on the James. His supplies ascend
the Ogeechee river short distance. ard
reach him after landing by q few miles
transportation over splendid she'll road
His fanks are protected by the Savannah
river on the left, and the Ogeechee on the
right, while his rear is approachable only
through strip OF country south ofMillen
} f,anked on both sides by impenetrable
swamps. Unlimited supplies can be sen,
from Port Royal, and any number Of heavy
guns from the same weL-stocked post. h
!. is i've days from New York, three days
from Fortress Monroe. He IS in an invig
Grating winter climate, as you may imagin.