The Washington herald., 1914-12-13
FEDERALS CAPTURE FORT
MALLISTER.
December Is.

Just twenty-eight days before the FedT
erals had marched out from Atlanta, de-
stroying the city behind them, and had
turned their faces to the Atlantic. 3n
miles away. The great raid across Geor-
gia had been a picturesque one There
had been little fighting, and the troops
reached the defenses OF Savannah in fine
trim. FoQd for man and beast had been
plenty. and as the Federals had taken
all the livestock within their reach, Sher-
man neared the ocean with ''as fine
train as ever seen with any army"
However. though Central Georgia had
been found rich in supplies. the eastern
sections yielded only rice, Of which the
soldiers soon tired. So Sherman deter
mined to gain control OF the Ogeechee
River. which was on his right flank.
and to bring to his army by water the
vast supply of food that had been pre-
pared for his coming and which was
stored at Port RoyaE S. c., about twenty
miles north of the mouth OF the Savan-
nah River.
Fort McAIlister blocked navigation or
the Ogeechee between Sherman's army
and the sea. The Federal commander
knew the fort to be very strong on its
river front. but believed thai its land
defenses were not OF such formidable
character. A 1,OO0-foot bridge over the
Ogeechee River at Kings plantation.
about fourteen miles southwest of Savan-
nah, had been rebuilt by the Federal en-
gineers. and the Second division Of the
Fifteenth Army Corps. under Gen Will
lam B. HaZen. was ordered to crUss the
river and attack the fort.
Charge Indian Fashion.
Moving at dawn, fifty years ago today
Hazen's command was soon on the road
that led down TO McAllisteT's plantation,
where the fort was located. The way was
a difficult one. and it was about II o'clock
when the command first exchanged shots
with the Confederate pickets.
About a mile out from the carthwork
Hazen's men captured a Confederate,
who pointed out line OF subterra tor
pedoes in the road over which the Fed
erals were advancing. Some time was
lost in removing the shells. which had
been planted by order Of President JEFF
fsrson Davis, and it was well along in
the afternoon before the men in blue
came into position in the rear OF the fort.
Fort McAllister, which was garrisoned
by about 800 men, under Mai. G. W. An
derson. mounted twenty-four guns OF
varying weight Including a field battery,
most Of them being on the water side.
Within a few days the trees in the rear
OF the fort had been feIled and formed
into a formidable abattis. Unfortunately
for the Confederates they had not been
given time to remove the stumps. which
afforded admirable shelter to an enemy.
Gen. Hazen depIoyed his regiments un-
der cover ot a skirt OF woodland and
opening his ranks so as to offer a less
compact target for the Confederates.
gave the word to charge the earthwork.
Each man was instructed to take advan-
tage Of the stumps, Indian fashion.
At 4:45 the bugle sounded the charge,
and fifteen minutes later the Federals
were in full possession of the fort. They
so outnumbered the Confederates that the
latter offered only feeble resistance. Gen
HaZens loss was twenty-four killed and
10 wounded. the majority OF the men be
ing cut down by the explosion OF sub
terra shells.
The Confederate loss was forty-eiGht
killed and wounded
All members of the garrison the artil-
lery. forty tons of ammunition. a num-
her of horses. a months supply of pro-
visions-the latter especially welcome to
the Federals at this time-and a large
amount Of private stores placed in the
fort for safety were captured.
sherman on n Roof TOP.
During the day Gen. Sherman and Cen
Howard were stationed in an improvised
signal tower on the roof of a rice mill at
Cheves plantation about three miles dis
tant from the fort. on the opposite side OF
the Ogeechee. Communication had been
opened with Gen. Hazen's column and
Sherman was impatient for the action
to commence
Late in the afternoon. as the sun was
low. faint cloud of smoke was discoy-
cred on the horizon to the cast. Soon
the smokestaCk of a steamer appeared
above the trapg and a,-fr, %
the United States flag came into view
about a mile below Fort McAIliStcr.
The watchers made out Il group OF Of
fcers on the deck Of the vessel. signaling
in wiGwag code, Who are YOU Th~
answer went back. Gen. sherman" ."
Then came the question: is Fort Nc
Allister taken?" Sherman's signaIers r.
piled. Not yet, but it will he in a min
ute"
Almost at that instant" wrote Shrr-
man in his memoirs, we saw Hazcn's
troops come out of the dark fringe Of
woods that encompassed the fort. tho
lines dressed as on parade. with coIors
flying and moving forward with a quick.
steady pace. Fort McAnister was then
all alive, its big guns belchinE forth
dense clouds OF smoke which soon en-
veloped our asssulting lines.
'One color went down. but was ur IN
a moment. On the lines advanced, faint
ly in the white suIphurOus smoke: there
was a pause. cessation of fire: the
smoke cleared away. and the parapets
were blue with our men, who fired their
muskets in the air, and shouted - that
we actually heard them. or felt that we
did. Fort McAllister was taken"
sherman Reaches the Atlantic.
Sherman boarded a little skin that his
men used in gathering oysters and was
rowed down to Gen. Hazen's headquar-
tiers near the fort. where he took supper.
He then proceeded down the river in the
yawl to find the vessel which he had seen
from the signal tower.
His eyes had been closed only a few
moments when he was awakened and in
formed that a small boat had Just come
up the river with news that Gen. John
@. Foster, commander Of the Department
OF the South. was waiting in a larger ves-
sci down the river. being unable to come
up in the small boat on account Of in
jut4es.
Again Sherman made the tedious jour
ney down the Ogeechee. conferred with
Gen. Foster, and in the early morning
proceeded with him to Ossabaw Sound.
where the U. S. S. Harvest Moon was met
with Admiral Dahlgren on board. A long
conference ensued. Arrangements were
made for bringing supplies for Sherman's
army from Port Royal to the Ogeechee,
and the Federal general. tired by the con
slant activities OF the previous day and
night. returned to Cheve's plantation
mounted his horse and made his way
back to headquarters in front OF sayan-
nah