The National tribune., 1883-11-01
Carrying the News of sarannah's Fall to the Fleet


To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
| notice that Forakers candidacy for COVER
nor of Ohio has revived the story of his daring
trip from Savannah to Fort Pulaski, carrying
Shermans famous dispatch presenting the city
and contents to President Lincoln. Perhaps
Foraker did carry said dispatch, but it was not
the first the fleet heard OF it, and in order that
as brave man as ever faced an enemy may
not be wronged by inference or otherwise,
propose TO tell the story as it looked TO one of
the actors.
Our troops took possession of the city during
the night of December Goth and morning of the
2lst, 1864. About noon Captain Warren F.
Langworthy, company g, Twelfth Wisconsin
V. V. l., with about six men, were detailed to
report to General Nj. d. Leggett, who instructed
the captain to procure suitable boat and pro-
ceed to the feet via Fort Pulaski, carrying the
news. Among the men were Sergeant E. III.
Ticknor Clarence Warren, and the writer,
whose boating experience ON the Niagara
River secured him the shippers berth by
acclamation. / selected metallic lifeboa and
confscated it in spite of the owners objections,
and among some ship stores / found large
coil OF fye-eighth line, which General Leggett
borrowed from US and used for flag hal
lizards at his headquarters in the cemetery
building. / soon found out that good soldiers
and frst-elass river men traftsmen) are not
always good oarsmen, and the amount of
crabs caught by the boys the first mile were
only equaled by the quantity of oaths used
when they found they could not drink the
salt water which the tide carried up to and
past the city.
When about four miles below the city we
Came suddenly in sight of the rebel ram
Savannah and her tender, hidden behind q
willow covered point. Soon her deck was
| crowded with the crew looking at us. We
| pulled as close to the Georgia shore as the
depth Of water would permit, and the gray and
ragged clothes of our crew seemed to satisfy
| the men ON the ram that we were friends
escaping from the city. They certainly could
| have blown us out of the water had they
| chose, but allowing rs TO pass, they steamed
| up near the city, threw a few shells into it,
and dropping down the river again, destroyed
| the ram during the night
| We reached the fort about dusk. Swells
| from the ocean made the landing difficult, and
/ the guard seemed determined to fire into us
| while | was trying TO keep the boat from being
crushed under the dock, and the captain hurl-
| ing red-hot adjeetiyes at the guards, who never
/ took their aim off from us till we had landed
and made known our erTand, when our recep-
tion was just as enthusiastic as it had just be-
| fore threatened to be fatal The garrison, /
/ think, was the One Hundred and Fifty y-fourth
New York V. /. know the commanding
| officer was Colonel Brown
| Captain Langworthy went out to the feet
the same evening spreading the news, and re-
ceiying fitting reception, while the officers of
| the garrison We'd with each other In feasting
| the boys on fresh oysters soft bread, and suit
ler's goods. We were glad to accept donations
of old clothes from our entertainers to replace
! gray and other colored rags Ny feet were
| objects of coIhmiseration, and upon taking a
survey of them the biggest footed man in their
regiment felt proud OF his small feet. About s
a. m. our host, the provost marshal. took US all
out and introduced US to $50 Confederate Off
GERS, who had just been removed from under
| fire of Charleston's guns, both Federal and
/ Confederate commanders having concluded TO
abandon the retaliatory system Our visit, as
well as soft rations, was cut short by the order
| TO embark ON the steamer Canonicus, and
with General Foster on board his headquarters
boat, we went up the river about noon on the
22d
Now, Sherman's famous dispatch is dated
| December 22d, and Foraker made the trip in
the dark with two negroes for guides and oars
men. N. d. Brown,
| Co. G., 18th Wis. Vet. VOL Inf.
/ CoLUMBIAyILLE MGR