Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-12-29
STEAMER GOLDEN GATE

/ r. M.
To Lieut. Gen. GRANT and Maj. Gen H. w. HALLEcK:
have the honor to report that have Just returned from
Gen Shermans headquarters in Savannah
send Major Gray of my staff bearer Of dispatches
from Gen. Sherman to you, and also message to the
| President.
ne city OF Savannah occupied on the morning Of
the 2Is Gen. Hardee, anticipating the contemplated a.
sau escaped with the main body of his infantry and light
artillery on the morning of the 20h by crossing the river
10 Union Causeway, opposite the city The rebel IRON
cads were blown up, and the navy yard was burned All
the rest of the city intact twenty thousand
| citizens, quiet and we'll disposed
The captures include eight hundred prisoners one hmm
bred and fifty guns thirteen locomotives in good order one
hundred and ninety large supply of ammunition and
of war three steamers and thirty three thousand
bales of cotton, safely stored in warehouses ALI these va
liable fruits of almost boodess victory have BEEN like
Atlanta fairly
lopened communication with the city with my steamers
to-day taking up what topedoes could see and passing
safely others Arrangements are made to clear the
channel of all distractions
j. G. FOSTER, Major General.
Fortress Monroe on Sunday night, in ffty-eight
hours from Fort Pulaski, in Savannah river, we
have some additional particulars of the capture of
Savannah, as follows:
On the goth instant Gen Sherman having nearly com
peed tho Investment of the city and captured Fort Lee
and several other minor outworks in the immediate vi
cny OF the principal entertainments surrounding the
town. and planting his siege batteries such close prox
unity to the rebel lines to command eectuay every
position held by the forces under the command of Gen.
Hsrdee, sent summons by to the effect that
if the place was not certain length of time surrendered
hnp, harI,
To this summons the willy rebel General sent back reply
that as his communications yet open and his mon
fully supplied with subsistence stores of every kind they
were enabled to Withstand long SIEGE and he was de-
ermned to hold the city to the very last moment and de-
end the citizens and the property which had been placed
under his protection until his forces were overpowered
and he be compelled to surrender.
Every preparation had been made by Sherman TO AZ
saut the rebel position the next day. but when the morn
of the 2st instant dswned it was ascersned that the
enemy had evacuated their entertainments Several res
ments of Infantry Immediately advanced and took posses
sion of Them and shortly afterwards Gen. Sherman enter
ed the city at the head Of his bodyguard and received
from the hands ola depuaon of it's citizens the surrender
of place.
appears that Gen. Hardee on the night OF the Goth
seeing the impossby Of holding the city, and fearing that
the only means of escape left open hmscross the Sa
vannsh-wss likely to be cut of at any moment determn-
cd TO avail himself OF this route for his retreat His troops
immediately set to work to hastily destroy the navy yard
and all the Government property and at twilight under
the protection OF two iroGcsd rams succeeded in cross
ing the Savannah river the caussway to the north
| side, intending to push forward to Charleston
"Thirytwo thousand bales Of cotton were slowed in the
city, which the rebels n their haste neglected to destroy
The two ironclsd sunk and all the Govern
ment property and stores which they could not carry of
with them they burned threw into the river Four
steamers, small gunboat, captured, which toge
Their with the cotton and large amount Of the rebel NUM-
tons If war form part ofhe spo Of the victorious army