The National tribune., 1901-06-13

ourselves before the Monumental City OF
the South, and engaged in the usual try
| ing duties of besieging army. Heavy
| siege guns were brought up from the
| Ogeechee River and placed in position,
and everything was made ready to open
| fire upon the enemy.
| Dec. 10 a brisk cannonading took place
between the opposing lines. Meantime a
heavy detail from our regiment was as
| sisting to build a line of heavy earth
works, when the saucy enemy threw a
number of shells among the working party;
but the boys Rugged the ground and es-
capped injury.
| limited supply of rice and beef and lib
eral sprinkling of rebel shot and shell, we
managed to live till Dec. 1S, when there
| came a glorious change. Coffee and hard
| tack, bacon and beans, took the place of
| rice and beef, and letters, big and sweet,
fresh from our Northern homes, made the
thought of rebel shot and shell a second
| ary one.
! For six long weeks we had been com
| pletely isolated from the outside world.
! What shouts of joy and thanksgiving
rang throughout the North when it was
learned that Sherman's army was in
camp near Savannah, while our enemies
cursed and wished the bottomless pit had
! swallowed us up.
! Dec 20 our artillery kept up an inces-
SAINT believing, accompanied by the thun-
/ dering of heavy siege guns, carrying shot
| and shell to all parts Of the enemy's line,
| bursting with terrific violence and striking
! terror and dismay into every heart. Mean
| time we remained in great expectation,
watching the enemy's works and the dirt
| fly in the air as some heavy shell landed.
and wondered how long flesh and blood
] could endure such a rain of death and
destruction.
EVACUATION OF SAVANNAH.
This one days reign Of terror con-
| vinced Hardee, commanding the COnfed-
| crate forces, that to attempt to hold the
city any longer would only subject it to
certain destruction and inflict untold mis-
cry and distress upon its inhabitants.
| Early the next morning our pickets no
ticed an unusual quiet all along the en-
emy'S works. Not a human being was
| visible where for some days previous an
| active army had been intrenched. Only
here and there stood heavy piece of ord
nance like a lone sentinel watching our
| every move.
| 1t required only moment to fathom the
meaning of the deathlike silence and then
our skirmishers moved forward, and with
| Il loud shout they were soon over the
now silent works Of the enemy. Bugles
rang out in the early morning air, Order
lies hastily rode here and there, ana soon
| Il
moving forward with quick and steady
tread. The enemy had disappeared from
our front, and Sherman's boys were after
them. We crossed the low, swampy
ground in our front. and were soon pass
ing through the enemy's works. Dash
ing on we soon learned that under the
cover OF the night Hardee had moved his
army across the Savannah River and
hastily marched off in the direction OF
Charleston, S. c.. leaving every evidence
of a hasty and timely evacuation behind
him.
We moved on straight TO the city, the
termination Of our march TO the sea. Here
and there could be seen rs we moved for
ward someone Fastening around some
friendly corner. The windows were cur
tanned, but many carcwOrn faces could
be seen watching us through partly-cl0sed
doors. The people Of Savannah had never
seen an army OF Northern soldiers, so they
thought best to study us awhile befo<t
venturing out among US.
Immediately following the evacuation
by the enemy our regiment was detailed
to duty in the city as provo-guards. We
were assigned quarters in Warren and
Oglethorp Parks, where we remained fol
some days following, holding the post OF
honor in the city.
Gen. Sherman soon formulated plan
of government for the city, when matters
began TO settle down 10 the new order OF
things, and peace and quiet reisned every
where
THE CITY OF SAVANNAH
Savannah is an old city, and the most
beautiful place it had been our fortune 10
visit during our entire service The city
in its best days had population of about