memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第41部分

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　opening　communication　we　had　completely　destroyed　all　the　railroads　leading　into　Savannah；　and　invested　the　city。　　The　left　of　the　army　is　on　the　Savannah　River　three　miles　above　the　city；　and　the　right　on　the　Ogeechee；　at　King's　Bridge。　　The　army　is　in　splendid　order；　and　equal　to　any　thing。　　The　weather　has　been　fine；　and　supplies　were　abundant。　　Our　march　was　most　agreeable；　and　we　were　not　at　all　molested　by　guerrillas。

We　reached　Savannah　three　days　ago；　but；　owing　to　Fort　McAllister；　could　not　communicate；　but；　now　that　we　have　McAllister；　we　can　go　ahead。

We　have　already　captured　two　boats　on　the　Savannah　river　and　pre　vented　their　gunboats　from　coming　down。

I　estimate　the　population　of　Savannah　at　twenty…five　thousand；　and　the　garrison　at　fifteen　thousand。　　General　Hardee　commands。

We　have　not　lost　a　wagon　on　the　trip；　but　have　gathered　a　large　supply　of　negroes；　mules；　horses；　etc。；　and　our　teams　are　in　far　better　condition　than　when　we　started。

My　first　duty　will　be　to　clear　the　army　of　surplus　negroes；　mules；　and　horses。　　We　have　utterly　destroyed　over　two　hundred　miles　of　rails；　and　consumed　stores　and　provisions　that　were　essential　to　Lee's　and　Hood's　armies。

The　quick　work　made　with　McAllister；　the　opening　of　communication　with　our　fleet；　and　our　consequent　independence　as　to　supplies；　dissipate　all　their　boasted　threats　to　head　us　off　and　starve　the　army。


I　regard　Savannah　as　already　gained。　Yours　truly；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General。


By　this　time　the　night　was　well　advanced；　and　the　tide　was　running　ebb…strong；　so　I　asked。　　Captain　Williamson　to　tow　us　up　as　near　Fort　McAllister　as　he　would　venture　for　the　torpedoes；　of　which　the　navy…officers　had　a　wholesome　dread。　　The　Dandelion　steamed　up　some　three　or　four　miles；　till　the　lights　of　Fort　McAllister　could　be　seen；　when　she　anchored；　and　we　pulled　to　the　fort　in　our　own　boat。　General　Howard　and　I　then　walked　up　to　the　McAllister　House；　where　we　found　General　Hazen　and　his　officers　asleep　on　the　floor　of　one　of　the　rooms。　　Lying　down　on　the　floor；　I　was　soon　fast　asleep；　but　shortly　became　conscious　that　some　one　in　the　room　was　inquiring　for　me　among　the　sleepers。　　Calling　out；　I　was　told　that　an　officer　of　General　Fosters　staff　had　just　arrived　from　a　steamboat　anchored　below　McAllister；　that　the　general　was　extremely　anxious　to　see　me　on　important　business；　but　that　he　was　lame　from　an　old　Mexican…War　wound；　and　could　not　possibly　come　to　me。　　I　was　extremely　weary　from　the　incessant　labor　of　the　day　and　night　before；　but　got　up；　and　again　walked　down　the　sandy　road　to　McAllister；　where　I　found　a　boat　awaiting　us；　which　carried　us　some　three　miles　down　the　river；　to　the　steamer　W。　　W。　　Coit　（I　think）；　on　board　of　which　we　found　General　Foster。　　He　had　just　come　from　Port　Royal；　expecting　to　find　Admiral　Dahlgren　in　Ossabaw　Sound；　and；　hearing　of　the　capture　of　Fort　McAllister；　he　had　come　up　to　see　me。　　He　described　fully　the　condition　of　affairs　with　his　own　command　in　South　Carolina。　He　had　made　several　serious　efforts　to　effect　a　lodgment　on　the　railroad　which　connects　Savannah　with　Charleston　near　Pocotaligo；　but　had　not　succeeded　in　reaching　the　railroad　itself；　though　he　had　a　full　division　of　troops；　strongly　intrenched；　near　Broad　River；　within　cannon…range　of　the　railroad。　　He　explained；　moreover；　that　there　were　at　Port　Royal　abundant　supplies　of　bread　and　provisions；　as　well　as　of　clothing；　designed　for　our　use。　　We　still　had　in　our　wagons　and　in　camp　abundance　of　meat；　but　we　needed　bread；　sugar；　and　coffee；　and　it　was　all…important　that　a　route　of　supply　should　at　once　be　opened；　for　which　purpose　the　and　and　assistance　of　the　navy　were　indispensable。　　We　accordingly　steamed　down　the　Ogeechee　River　to　Ossabaw　Sound；　in　hopes　to　meet　Admiral　Dahlgren；　but　he　was　not　there；　and　we　continued　on　by　the　inland　channel　to　Warsaw　Sound；　where　we　found　the　Harvest　Moon；　and　Admiral　Dahlgren。　　I　was　not　personally　acquainted　with　him　at　the　time；　but　he　was　so　extremely　kind　and　courteous　that　I　was　at　once　attracted　to　him。　　There　was　nothing　in　his　power；　he　said；　which　he　would　not　do　to　assist　us；　to　make　our　campaign　absolutely　successful。　　He　undertook　at　once　to　find　vessels　of　light　draught　to　carry　our　supplies　from　Port　Royal　to　Cheeves's　Mill；　or　to　Grog's　Bridge　above；　whence　they　could　be　hauled　by　wagons　to　our　several　camps；　he　offered　to　return　with　me　to　Fort　McAllister；　to　superintend　the　removal　of　the　torpedoes；　and　to　relieve　me　of　all　the　details　of　this　most　difficult　work。　　General　Foster　then　concluded　to　go　on　to　Port　Royal；　to　send　back　to　us　six　hundred　thousand　rations；　and　all　the　rifled　guns　of　heavy　calibre；　and　ammunition　on　hand；　with　which　I　thought　we　could　reach　the　city　of　Savannah；　from　the　positions　already　secured。　　Admiral　Dahlgren　then　returned　with　me　in　the　Harvest　Moon　to　Fort　McAllister。　　This　consumed　all　of　the　14th　of　December；　and　by　the　15th　I　had　again　reached　Cheeves's　Mill；　where　my　horse　awaited　me；　and　rode　on　to　General　Howard's　headquarters　at　Anderson's　plantation；　on　the　plank…road；　about　eight　miles　back　of　Savannah。　　I　reached　this　place　about　noon；　and　immediately　sent　orders　to　my　own　head…　quarters；　on　the　Louisville　road；　to　have　them　brought　over　to　the　plank…road；　as　a　place　more　central　and　convenient；　gave　written　notice　to　Generals　Slocum　and　Howard　of　all　the　steps　taken；　and　ordered　them　to　get　ready　to　receive　the　siege…guns；　to　put　them　in　position　to　bombard　Savannah；　and　to　prepare　for　the　general　assault。　　The　country　back　of　Savannah　is　very　low；　and　intersected　with　innumerable　saltwater　creeks；　swamps；　and　rice…fields。　Fortunately　the　weather　was　good　and　the　roads　were　passable；　but；　should　the　winter　rains　set　in；　I　knew　that　we　would　be　much　embarrassed。　　Therefore；　heavy　details　of　men　were　at　once　put　to　work　to　prepare　a　wharf　and　depot　at　Grog's　Bridge；　and　the　roads　leading　thereto　were　corduroyed　in　advance。　　The　Ogeechee　Canal　was　also　cleared　out　for　use；　and　boats；　such　as　were　common　on　the　river　plantations；　were　collected；　in　which　to　float　stores　from　our　proposed　base　on　the　Ogeechee　to　the　points　most　convenient　to　the　several　camps。

Slocum's　wing　extended　from　the　Savannah　River　to　the　canal；　and　Howard's　wing　from　the　canal　to　the　extreme　right；　along　down　the　Little　Ogeechee。　　The　enemy　occupied　not　only　the　city　itself；　with　its　long　line　of　outer　works；　but　the　many　forts　which　had　been　built　to　guard　the　approaches　from　the　sea…such　as　at　Beaulieu；　Rosedew；　White　Bluff；　Bonaventura；　Thunderbolt；　Cansten's　Bluff；　Forts　Tatnall；　Boggs；　etc。；　etc。　　I　knew　that　General　Hardee　could　not　have　a　garrison　strong　enough　for　all　these　purposes；　and　I　was　therefore　anxious　to　break　his　lines　before　he　could　receive　reenforcements　from　Virginia　or　Augusta。　　General　Slocum　had　already　captured　a　couple　of　steamboats　trying　to　pass　down　the　Savannah　River　from　Augusta；　and　had　established　some　of　his　men　on　Argyle　and　Hutchinson　Islands　above　the　city；　and　wanted　to　transfer　a　whole　corps　to　the　South　Carolina　bank；　but；　as　the　enemy　had　iron…clad　gunboats　in　the　river；　I　did　not　deem　it　prudent；　because　the　same　result　could　be　better　accomplished　from　General　Fosters　position　at　Broad　River。

Fort　McAllister　was　captured　as　described；　late　in　the　evening　of　December　13th；　and　by　the　16th　many　steamboats　had　passed　up　as　high　as　King's　Bridge；　among　them　one　which　General　Grant　had　dispatched　with　the　mails　for　the　army；　which　had　accumulated　since　our　departure　from　Atlanta；　under　charge　of　Colonel　A。　H。　Markland。　These　mails　were　most　welcome　to　all　the　officers　and　soldiers　of　the　army；　which　had　been　cut　off　from　friends　and　the　world　for　two　months；　and　this　prompt　receipt　of　letters　from　home　had　an　excellent　effect；　making　us　feel　that　home　was　near。　　By　this　vessel　also　came　Lieutenant　Dune；　aide…de…camp；　with　the　following　letter　of　December　3d；　from　General　Grant；　and　on　the　next　day　Colonel　Babcock　；　United　States　Engineers；　arrived　with　the　letter　of　December　6th；　both　of　which　are　in　General　Grant's　own　handwriting；　and　are　given　entire：



HEADQUARTERS　ARMIES　OF　THE　UNITED　STATES　CITY　POINT；　VIRGINIA；　　December　3；　1864。

Major…General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　commanding　Armies　near　Savannah；　Georgia。

GENERAL：　The　little　information　gleaned　from　the　Southern　press　indicating　no　great　obstacle　to　your　progress；　I　have　directed　your　mails　（which　had　been　previously　collected　in　Baltimore　by　Colonel　Markland；　special…agent　of　the　Post…Office　Department）　to　be　sent　as　far　as　the　blockading　squadron　off　Savannah；　to　be　forwarded　to　you　as　soon　as　heard　from　on　the　coast。

Not　liking　to　rejoice　before　the　victory　is　assured；　I　abstain　from　congratulating　you　and　those　under　your　command；　until　bottom　has　been　struck。　　I　have　never　had　a　fear；　however；　for　the　result。

Since　you　left　Atlanta　no　very　great　progress　has　been　made　here。　The　enemy　has　been　closely　watched；　though；　and　prevented　from　detaching　against　you。　　I　think　not　one　man　has　gone　from　here；　except　some　twelve　or　fifteen　hundred　dismounted　cavalry。　　Bragg　has　gone　from　Wilmington。　　I　am　trying　to　take　advantage　of　his　absence　to　get　possession　of　that　place。　　Owing　to　some　preparations　Admiral　Porter　and　General　Butler　are　making　to　blow　up　Fort　Fisher　（which；　while　hoping　for　the　best；　I　do　not　believe　a　particle　in）；　there　is　a　delay　in　getting　this　expedition　off。　　I　hope　they　will　be　ready　to　start　by　the　7th；　and　that　Bragg　will　not　have　started　back　by　that　time。

In　this　letter　I　do　not　intend　to　give　you　any　thing　like　directions　for　future　action；　but　will　state　a　general　idea　I　have；　and　will　get　your　views　after　you　have　established　yourself　on　the　sea…coaSt。　With　your　veteran　army　I　hope　to　get　control　of　the　only　two　through　routes　from　east　to　west　possessed　by　the　enemy　before　the　fall　of　Atlanta。　　The　condition　will　be　filled　by　holding　Savannah　and　Augusta；　or　by　holding　any　other　port　to　the　east　of　Savannah　and　Branchville。　　If　Wilmington　falls；　a　force　from　there　can　cooperate　with　you。

Thomas　has　got　back　into　the　defenses　of　Nashville；　with　Hood　close　upon　him。　　Decatur　has　been　abandoned；　and　so　have　all　the　roads；　except　the　main　one　leadi