Chapter 52: operations about Charleston, 1865.--fall of Charleston, Savannah, etc.
- Formation of the naval brigade. -- operations of Generals Sherman and Foster in the vicinity of Savannah. -- expedition up Broad River and Boyd's Creek. -- Savannah invested. -- evacuation of Savannah and its defences by the Confederates. -- the naval vessels again in Charleston harbor. -- movements of Army around Charleston. -- naval pickets captured. -- Landing of naval forces at Bull's Bay. -- gun-boats and batteries open a terrific fire on Fort Moultrie and works on Sullivan's Island. -- Charleston evacuated. -- Isolation of the Confederacy. -- naval officers commended. -- Confederate vessels captured. -- ingenious methods used by Confederates to prevent Union vessels from penetrating the inner harbor. -- plans of forts along the rivers. -- Georgetown, S. C., occupied. -- the flag-ship Harvest Moon sunk by torpedoes. -- Admiral Dahlgren relieved. -- complimentary letter from Secretary of the Navy, -- list of vessels and officers of South Atlantic Squadron, 1865.
In the latter part of November, 1864, Rear-Admiral Dahlgren received information that General Sherman had reached Milledgeville and was about to march upon Savannah. He accordingly entered into an arrangement with General Foster to co-operate with Sherman in case the latter might require assistance. It was decided to form a naval brigade, to be furnished with two field-howitzer batteries of four guns each. All the forces that could be spared from the vessels on blockade were withdrawn, and the night of November 28th was appointed for proceeding up the Broad River and into Boyd's Creek, one of its branches, whence a short march only was necessary to reach the railroad connecting Savannah with Charleston. The vessels of the Navy selected for this service were the Pawnee, Commander Balch; Mingoe, Commander Creighton; Pontiac, Lieutenant-Commander Luce; Winona, Lieutenant-Commander Dana; Wissahickon, Lieutenant-Commander McGlensey; Sonoma, Lieutenant-Commander Scott; all carrying heavy guns. There were four half-companies of welldrilled seamen under Lieutenant James O'Kane; Lieutenant-Commander E. O. Mathews commanded the Navy artillery, and the marines from the different vessels were under the command of First-Lieutenant George G. Stoddard. After a harassing progress of twenty miles through a thick fog, Admiral Dahlgren had the satisfaction of reaching the appointed landing with five of the six vessels with which he had started, for the Wissahickon had grounded near the entrance of the river and did not succeed in joining the other gun-boats. The troops were somewhat later in arriving, but finally the transports were seen coming up the river, and in half an hour afterwards two batteries of naval howitzers and nine companies of seamen and marines were landed under Commander Preble, and advanced in skirmishing order, to cover the landing of the troops, Admiral Dahlgren returning to his duty afloat. After General Foster had landed all his soldiers, an advance was made towards the railroad above Grahamsville. The Confederates had assembled in considerable force, and did all they could to impede the march of the Union forces by a fire of musketry
