December, 1864. |
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cold, and cruel treatment, in the midst of plenty, and in which seven hundred and fifty had died, made the blood of their living companions-in-arms course more quickly in their veins, because of indignation, and nerved them to the performance of every service required to crush the wicked rebellion.
These captives had all been removed, no one then knew whither, and were suffering in other prisons with equal severity.
The army now pushed vigorously on among swamps and sands, with the city of Savannah, where General Hardee was in command, as the chief objective.
Howard, with the Fifteenth Corps (Osterhaus), moved down the southern side of the Ogeechee, with instructions to cross it near Eden Station, in Bryan County, while the Seventeenth (Blair) moved along the railway.
Slocum, with the Twentieth (Williams), marched in the middle road, by way of Springfield, and the Fourteenth (Davis), along the Savannah River road.
The latter was closely followed by Wheeler, but Kilpatrick and Baird gallantly covered the rear ,of the moving columns between the Ogeechee and Savannah rivers.
While there was frequent skirmishing, and fallen trees and other obstructions were met everywhere, no enemy in force was seen anywhere, until the heads of columns were within fifteen miles of the city of Savannah.
All the roads leading into that town were obstructed by felled trees, earth-works, and artillery.
These were easily turned and the foe expelled, and by the 10th of December the Confederates were driven within their lines,1 and Savannah was completely beleagured.
Sherman forbore making an immediate attack, for the only approaches to the city were by five narrow causeways,2 all of which were commanded by heavy guns that were too much for the light field-pieces of the Nationals.
The military force in the city was. unknown, and so Sherman gave orders to closely invest the place, while he should open communication with the Government fleet, which he knew was waiting for him in the waters not far from Savannah.
On approaching Savannah, General Slocum had seized the Charleston railway, at the bridge, and General Howard had broken up and occupied the. Gulf railroad for some distance to the Little Ogeechee, so that no supplies could reach the city by the accustomed channels of communication.
Sherman's army was well supplied, and had the open country behind it, yet he deemed communication with the fleet of vital importance, and desired the possession of the Ogeechee as a proper avenue of future supply for his. troops, from the sea. He therefore ordered Kilpatrick to cross the Ogeechee on a pontoon bridge, reconnoiter Fort McAllister, that commanded it below the railway, and proceeding to Sunbury, open communication with the fleet.
Howard had already sent a scout (Captain Duncan) in a canoe down the Ogeechee for the same purpose.
Finally, on the 13th,
Sherman ordered General Hazen to carry Fort McAllister by assault with his second division of the Fifteenth Corps.
That active officer at once crossed the Ogeechee at King's Bridge, and by one o'clock on that day his force was deployed in front of Fort McAllister, a strong inclosed redoubt,
1 These lines followed substantially a swampy creek, which emptied into the Savannah River three miles above the city, and across to the bend of a corresponding stream which emptied into the Little Ogeechee: River. These streams, bordered by swamps and rice-fields flooded at high water, formed excellent flanks for the Confederates.
2 These were for two railways, and the Augusta, Louisville, and Ogeechee dirt roads.
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