American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-01-11
Important Information.

dered into the hands of the enemy:
"The works around the city were very
strong and the place in all probability
would have been held had it not been for
the fall of Fort McAllister. The usual
garrison numbered about one hundred and
twenty-five men, A day or two before it
fell, however, about six hundred more
troops were sent to their aid. The fort
was attacked on the north side by Sher-
mans forces. IF it were known that had
the fort been as strong on the land side
as twas on the water side, it could never
have been captured. After Sherman had
captured the fort he communicated with
the fleet and procured bountiful supply
of ammunition. Sherman also transfer
red the heavy guns from Fort McAllister
to position from which h. could shell the
city, in case he wished to. No demand
was made for the surrender of the city
until Saturday. On THAT day he demand
cd an unconditional surrender of the city
General Beauregard, in substance, inform
cd him that he knew the way to the city,
and could take it if he was able.
General Beauregard left the ci on
Sunday, The residents of Savannah did
not expect that the city would be captur-
ed. They were totally unprepared for
such a result. But very few of them
succeeded in getting away. Thousands
who did were obliged tolcave most of their
effects behind. The best order was main
taincd throughout the entire siege All
the whiskey was locked up.
-Four local companies were assigned to
police duty, and kept law breakers quiet
One or two fires occurred; but little prop
erty was damaged. All the rice on the
plantations in the vicinity of the city,
fell into the hands of the Yankees. Some
estimate the amount at 100000 blshe s.
The confederate Government succeeded
in removing mo of its stores The
main loss sustained by it, was the loss of
siege guns about the place, and the gun
boats. The pontoon bridge across which
our troops passed, was built at the foot of
one Of the streets of the city, During
the siege several attempts to destroy our
communications on the Carolina side were
made, all of which proved futile. Bisb-
op Abbott was in the city on Monday
Our informant does not know whether
he left the place or not. A large portion
Of the Central Railroad cars were sent
down the Savannah and Gull Railroad
before that line was interrupted. Both
of the printing Offices of the city fell in
to the hands of the Yankees. We are
Informed both editors left before the cap
itulation. Mr.. Snead, Of the RepuJH-
can, left early last week, with the Govern
mcnt funds, of which he was custodian.
Mr.. Smith, of the Ne,cs, did not leave
until Monday night.
The Richmond Eramiaer gives the
following editorial, strikingly significant
Of til public temper at the Capital:
| From the Richmond Examiner Dee. sOl
When in any crisis of nations fate,
men are seen to lose their heads, and to
look all around them in wild alarm, it is
proof that they at least are subdued If
the mass of their countrymcn had not
more presence of mind than they have,
| the doom of all would be near at hand.
They all seem to have some such fright
ened c9unsellors in the Confederacy at
this moment, and their wild outcries
crate and jar dreadfully upon the general
calm and resolute tone of the country
They do not help, but hinder They re-
semble shrieking passengers in tempest,
to whom the boatswain had to say: You
mar our labors; keep your cabins, you do
ssist the storm. One public journal ex-
horts those Confederate States to throw
themselves back into the arms of Eng
land, France, and Spain, the powers
which first planted colonies here; to go
back like the prodigial SON; to acknowl-
edge that we were young birds that had
broke shell too soon; to recall all those
high words we have had in our mouths
for one, two or three generations, about
liberty, the rights of nah and democra-
ey, and promise not to c SO any more.
TO be sure poor frightened creatures
tell US to take this course if we should
prove unable to maintain our own cause
against our enemies; but to outter the sug-
gestion, above all, to utter it now, is to
say too plainly, not as we should, but
when we shall, or rather inasmuch as we