The New York herald., 1864-12-22

message was At sent TO General sherman, tsu-
dsring ali aid from General Foster and Admiral Dahgreu.
General Sherman then sgnalled thai he was investing
Fort Nc Alistsr, and wanted 10 know the boat COULD
help with her heavy guus Before any reply could os
given, General Sherman had sguaied to General Hazens
OF the Fifteenth corps, to take the fort immediately
sHAzsN's ASSAULT OF FoRr x'ALIIsrss
In dve minutes the rally had heen sounded oy the
bugles one voey OF musketry heard and the next
moment tho three brigade flags OF Hazens division were
placed almost simultaneously on the parapcls Oh Fort
McAster and our men swarmed into the work ana snot
down the rebels at their guns The fort was ours 10
twenty minutes after Gen. shermans order 70 take t
given Gen. sherman then sent word that he would
be down that night and to look out for his boat me
tug Immediately steamed down TO Osabaw sound to hnd
General Foster Admiral Dahgren bus they not being
there dispatches TO them warsaw announc-
ing General Shermans intended visit, and the tug re-
turned to It's old position While approaching the fort
again small boat was seen coming down. IL was hailed
..Whas boat is thats" and the welcome response
asheruan."
MEETING OF THE WARRIORS.
II alongside and cut Of the little dugouss
padded by two men, stepped General Sherman and Gen.
eral Howard stood the deck OF the Dandeion Tho
with every manifestation q delight and satisfaction BY
all He splendid spirits and expressed his grash-
cation a. reaching his base. ne remained on % Oo.se
boat he wrote his dispatches TO General Grant General
Hneck, General Foster and Admiral Dahigren. On inc
following day he board OF the Nemaha and uaS
received by General Foster The Nemaha then proceeded
to Warsaw Sound. when Admiral Dablgren accompanies
by his staff, came board and spent time in con-
verSnt0n with the General
TIE PRESIDENT SENDS VERBAL MESSAGE TO SHERMAN.
Colonel A. H. Markand superintendent Of mails for the
armies board with dispatches for General Sher
man and delivered verbal message from the President
Taking the General by the hand. the Colonel said:--
GENERAL SHKRMAr-Bcfore leaving Washington was
directed by the President to take you by the hand,
wherever met you, and say for him, "God bless you
and the army under your command" and he further
added snce cutting loose from Atlanta my pray
and those OF the nation have been for your
General Sherman seemed 70 be deeply affected, and
after moments silence could only say 81 thank the
During the day General sherman related mady
dotes OF his experiences coming through OF
humorous nature which must have been heard to have
been thoroughly appreciated He spoke confidently a
his ability to take Savannah saying that Hardeo was
his game Subsequently he returned to Fort McAissr
in boat placed at his disposal by Admiral Dahgren.
and General Foster reunsd to Hilton Head to arrange 70
get forward supplies OF hard bread and coffee. beef.
fresh and salt pork &C., were abundant in General Sher
mans command
OPENING or THE oGEscHKR RIVER.
On Thursday last General Foster, accompanied by Ma
ior Strong and Major Gray OF his stah and Leutenane
TO open the river to Sherans Of supplies
He passed the distractions below Fort McAlister,
and the dense fog, which arises nightly over
marshes, made impossible to venture further the chan
mel M Ss0s % s as
Foster ordered the steamer 70 90 on Inc river ran
through immense fields OF rce thousands Of acres 10 ex
tent either side and here and there passed large
steam rice mills surrounded by negro nuie. on tno
banks in front OF their quarters were groups
OF both aud Of all ages and sizes, who
watched our passage with wonder. not unmnged with
Joy, which they manifested by tossing up their hats.
waving bandanna handkerchiefs, making low courtesies
dancing plantation to the great amusement Of ALL
saKRMAs's ARMY RUNNING rnE RICE MILLS
Some OF the rice mills we're observed 70 bo running %
high rate and afterwards ascertaned that Genera
Shemrns soldiers were 10 possession and were engaged
in grinding rice and laying IN nice supply OF that pOpu-
There wore loud cries of where's your on
the part OF soldiers lining the banks They were pro
missed relief steamed on All Of them looked fas
aud jolly After twenty FIVE miles Of exceedingly tor
tuous navigation, in which 10 seemed We scarcely al
vauced inch towards destination, We finally
reached the railroad bridge Of the Savannah and Gulf
Hnoo~ and fO,vmA
destroyed by fire by our men some days before The
draw burned and the passage way was blocked wh
Captain Ketchu which had board Colonel Markiands
nearly three hundred bags OF mail matter for Shsr-
them out After an hour ana shaif Of hard work. super
Intended By Captain Ketchafn who displayed an extra
own hands and workipe like trooper, the debris
moved and the draw made passable
sHERMAN's AT KING 'sBeIDoR
The kand City wont through at once, followed y
the NSnsha, and without trouble We reached the
been Susnea BY the rebels 90 The approach o. our
had rebuilt by Captan Reose Chief Knginser %
nuodsea YARDS n nsS na srons
The engineer torce OF Sherman IN ecieus one as tne
engineers were oonssrucsi0s docks, and supple:
already being landed there The line OF communicseic.
Ds exclusively rely used 70 supply snsrman's sl.y.
GENERAL FOSTER,
old wound personally attended the opening Of hs
lne and by his energies and skill earned the thanks e
".
have expressed their high appreciatoa oe his vau
able services ACCOMPLISHING the great result ataee4
piles Sherman needed are now il the river passing up
his base aud his army ID likely to be troubled for the
lack OF thing necessary 10 mako his campaign $50
Goes. ~ s .rs. t. ..t.& s- .-r. F. ,sn -- r. -t.
mn REBELS usIso roKapoe AZ FORT x'AIInrss
many or our soldiers were killed or wounded Dy The sI
poson Of sorpcdoes which the rebels had planted thcky
soost and even % N The fort They were rite Shells bells
which exploded on beiog touched They were buried In
the ground all about the work aud it was found to %
extremely dangerous walk outside the beaten foot
paths made by the rebels General sherman ordered the
rebel garrison 70 be compelled 20 dig them out. which
they did In great numbers, without casualties 70 them
selves.
mont or savsrnnb there have been no serious fights.
TWO Rypr srRAiHRs CAPTURED. -
General sooum captured, on the savannah riv or
above Argyle Island two rebel steamers one o. which
was burned aadthe other employed In erryng troops
and supplies to Argyle Island, an island about three
miles above tho city ard to King Island, small island
soue distance nearer to town.
Rnsxl GUNaoA1s IN rnk SAVANNAH.
On Friday last couple OF rebel gunboais ascended the
river from the CITY, aud attempted 10 annoy our forces
py vigorous shenng. They did no, occasion any
dansge and only elected number of shots from our
twenty pounder PARROTS the city, which was easily
reached by oar proiectes. Finding that the city WAS
suffering from oar fire. the rebel gupboas dessted from
their annoyance and withdrew TO the deences OF their
batteries.
since then. General Socums torocs have made their
position seoure and will proceed to put heavy guss
n battery will destroy the rebel gunboats and mako
the city undesirable place Of residence, IL General
sherman is compelled to lay siege 10 and carry by
assault
HARDNESS OPERATIONS.
To thwart operations part to sti further
extend left beyond the Savannah ver and seze the
Union oanseway ne only aren len open 10 me rebes tn
escape they shall conclude to adopt that as last re-
the pos aud preven, frors Ealing into our hands
Whether General sherman proposes 70 tsxe that line Of
retreat not, not In posi,icn TO say II Is not
cut thas line, and meanwhae. Hardee, by ex-
Around the city proper HIS force IL yariousv
fifteen TO twenty thousand mon, os whom ouy
five thousand old soldiers the balance tsng Georgia
militia, consisting OF old men and boys General Sber-
his works and them by storm at
time u he did not feel confident OF having the town
without the great euson OF blood that an assault would
I necessarily produce. He desires TO his mon IN
| evarv and he will do nv moi k1IuQ n n hury