Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-20
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

Inc norm WAS kcenly INTERESTED d.
this time fifty years ago in Gen. Sher-
mans progress toward
Watching Savannah. for which point
e, he had started from At
9AeA Ai"A' lanta with the intention
of cutting the eastern Confederacy in
two. Dispatches. appeared in The Star
from day to day indicating Sherman's
nearness to the Georgia coast, and the
fall of Savannah was daily expected.
In The Star of December Is. 1864. is the
text of a dispatch from Rear Admiral
Dahlgren to Secretary Welles announc-
ing that he had just received a commu-
nication from Sherman's army, that
Sherman was within a few miles of
Savannah land in fine spirits" 1t was
Admiral Dahlgren's intention to bring
all of his force into connection with
the army
=: :;
In The Star of December 1t, 1864, is
a short paragraph telling of a pro-
posed enterprise, doubt
Gunboat for less long since forgotten,
r:L:. none other than for this
country to build a navy
for the republic of Liberia To be sure.
the navy" was to consist of a single
vessel, but it was expected to be eff
fective for it's intended purpose. The
paragraph reads:
The Senate today passed a bill au-
thorizing the construction of a gunboat
for the republic of Liberia, to be paid
for by that government in installments.
This measure, it is believed, will en-
able Liberia to break up the African
slave trade and relieve a portion of
our naval squadron required from time
to time on the African coast The
House. however. will probably be less
expeditions in passing the bill, owing
to the objections of the opposition. and
a protracted discussion is anticipated -
While interest centered in sherman s
expedition, the north recognized that
important military OPP
Hood Defeated erations were in prog
r.,,. ress in the west, ana
consequently the de-
feat of Hood by Thomas at Nashville
was hailed with great rejoicing. The
Star printed the news in its issue of
December Il. 1864. under AN unprece-
dented heading a quarter of column
deep. reading as follows: "Glorv.M Vic
tory! Hood Smashed Up and Done
For. Great Battle Yesterday. General
Thomas Official Report. The Enemy
Utterly Routed. Smith Captures Six
teen Guns and Two Thousand Prison
ers. Schofield Captures Six Guns and
Many Prisoners. Wood Captures Nine
Guns and 500 Prisoners. Garrard Cap
lures All of the Enemys Men and Guns
in Front of Him. Hatch Captures No
End of Prisoners. Hood Fleeing to the
Mountains. He Abandons Everything,
The Ground Paved With Small Arms.
Glory. Glory. Glory...'
This news was announced in the form
of an official bulletin from Secretary
Stanton to Maj. Gen. Dix. New York.
dated the War Department. December
II. s:35 am. Secretary Stanton said:
The official report of the great vic
Tory achieved yesterday by Maj. Gen.
Thomas and his gallant army, over the
rebel forces under Cen Hood, i'll front
of Nashville. was received this morn
ing. One of the most surprising cir
cumstances connected with this great
achievement is the small loss suffered
by our troops, evincing among other
things the admirable skill and eau
ton of Gen. Thomas in his disposition
of the battle. In our rejoicings at the
defeat of the enemy, thanks are due
to the Almighty for His protection to
our gallant officers and soldiers in the
great conflict they have passed
through.
Secretary Stanton's bulletins about
the campaign in Tennessee and else
where caused the widest
Federal rejoicing throughout the
north. In The Star of De-
oueeeSs' cember 10. 1864. is the fol-
lowing editorial aragraph regarding
them: