USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > History of Savannah, Ga.; from its settlement to the close of the eighteenth century > Part 5
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The garrison surrendered numbered 365 men and 24 officers, and was composed of the following companies : German Volunteers, Captain John H. Stegin; Washington Volunteers, Captain John McMahon; Wise Guards, Captain M. J. McMullen; Oglethorpe Light Infantry, Company B, Cap- tain F. W. Sims; Montgomery Guards, Captain L. J. Guilmartin. The following constituted the field and staff officers : Colonel Charles H. Olm- stead, commanding post; major, John Foley ; adjutant, M. H. Hopkins ; quartermaster, Robert Erwin ; commissary, Robert D. Walker; surgeon, J. T. McFarland ; sergeant, Major Robert H. Lewis ; ordnance sergeant, Harvey Lewis ; quartermaster's sergeant, William C. Crawford; quarter- master's clerk, Edward D. Hopkins; commissary clerk, E. W. Drummond.
The captured garrison was removed by steamer to Port Royal and from thence by the steamer Oriental to Governor's Island, New York. The officers were confined at Columbus and the men in a fort on the same island known as Castle William. In the course of two months the offi- cers were sent to the prison on Johnson's Island, near Sandusky, O., and the men to Fort Delaware. In September, 1862, a general exchange of prisoners was effected and the Fort Pulaski officers returned to Savannah.
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HISTORY OF SAVANNAH.
The conduct of Fort Pulaski's garrison during the trying days of the siege was most heroic, and the people of Savannah, of whom nearly all were natives, have no reason but to feel a justifiable pride in their deeds. Although three thousand shot and shell were thrown into the fort only four were seriously wounded and some fourteen slightly, while the Fed- erals had several killed and wounded. On the second day of the bom- bardment, when the enemy's fire was hottest, occurred an incident, which for cool and undaunted bravery is especially deserving of mention. The halyards of the flag of the fort having been cut away by the incessant firing of the enemy, Lieutenant Christopher Hussy, of the Montgomery Guards, and John Latham, of the Washington Volunteers, immediately sprang upon the parapet, exposed to a rain of shot and shell, and seizing the flag carried it to a gun-carriage at the northeastern angle of the fort, where they rigged a temporary staff, from which the flag proudly floated until the surrender. " When," says Colonel Jones in his historical sketch of the Chatham Artillery, " the heroic memories of the momentous strug- gle for Confederate independence are garnered up, and the valiant deeds recorded of those who in their persons and acts illustrated the virtues of the truly brave under circumstances of peculiar peril and in the hour of supreme danger freely exposed themselves in defense of the national em- blem, let the recollection of this illustrious incident upon the parapet of Fort Pulaski be perpetuated upon the historic page, and the names of these two courageous men be inscribed upon the roll of honor."
The reduction of Fort Pulaski and subsequent movements of the Fed- erals led to the opinion that Savannah was to be attacked, but after results showed that the feints of the enemy in that direction were only intended to distract the attention of the Confederate military commanders who would thus be led to keep a large force here while hostile operations were conducted elsewhere. The military authorities in Savannah believ- ing the city would be attacked laid plans to defend it to the last extrem- ity, and that their work in this direction met the heartiest approval of the citizens, the following preamble and resolutions adopted by the city coun- cil on the 29th of April, 1862, clearly shows :
"WHEREAS, A communication has been received from the command - ing general stating that he will defend this city to the last extremity, and whereas, the members of the council unanimously approve of the deter- mination of the commanding general, therefore be it
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" Resolved, That the council will render all that is in their power to sustain the general and to carry out his laudable determination."
The district of Georgia at this time was commanded by Brigadier- General A. R. Lawton, but in May following General Lawton was or- dered with five thousand men to report to General Lee in Virginia, and shortly after departed. He was succeeded in command of the district by General Hugh W. Mercer, who remained until Lieutenant-General W. J. Hardee assumed command in 1864, a short time prior to the evacua- tion of the city. General Mercer was a lineal descendant of the heroic Mercer of Revolutionary memory, who, in the darkest hour of his coun- try's hopes, fell mortally wounded while leading the van at the battle of Princeton.
Fort McAllister is so inseparably associated with the record of valor- ous deeds of Savannah soldiers, that a history of the military operations in connection with the defense of this famous military post is necessary. It is situated about sixteen miles from Savannah, on Genesis Point, on the right bank of the great Ogeechee River, and was among the first of the numerous earthworks constructed for the defense of the city, being in- tended as a stronghold from which to dispute a passage up the river.
It was first attacked on June 29, 1862, when four gunboats tested the strength of its works and the efficiency of its garrison then composed of the De Kalb Riflemen under the command of Captain A. L. Hartridge. This attack was unsuccessful, and only two men were wounded. The ' fort was again made a target of by several vessels on the 2d of No- vember of the same year, the Emmett Rifles, Captain George A. Nicoll, being in command of the garrison. This attack was followed by another on the 19th of November, when the Republican Blues, under Lieutenant George W. Anderson, assisted the Emmet Rifles in defending the fort. At this time three men of the garrison were wounded. On this occasion the enemy again encountered a repulse which was but a prelude to others more signal.
On the morning of the 27th of January, 1863, the Federal ironclad Montauk, accompanied by three gunboats, a mortar schooner and a tug opened fire upon the fort.
The Montauk was armed with one fifteen-inch and one eleven-inch Dahlgren gun. For five hours and a half the big guns of the Montauk
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hurled their heavy projectiles against the sand parapet of the fort. De- spite this formidable demonstration, however, the earthworks were com- paratively uninjured and none of the garrison was injured. "To this bombardment," says Colonel Jones in the historical sketch of the Chatham Artillery, " remarkable historical interest attaches, because, on this oc- casion, a fifteen-inch gun was first used in the effort to reduce a shore battery; and the ability of properly constructed sand parapets to resist the effect of novel projectiles, far supassing in weight and power all others heretofore known, was fairly demonstrated. To the honor of this little fort and the praise of its heroic defenders let these facts be recorded and perpetuated."
Not satisfied with the experience of their repeated attacks, the Fed- erals, with the Montauk, four gunboats, and a mortar boat again began to bombard the fort early on Sunday morning of February Ist of the same year. After a six hours' contest the enemy for the fifth time was com- pelled to retire from the contest vanquished and discomforted. During the engagement Major John B. Gallie, commandant of the fort, was struck on the head and instantly killed, and seven others of the garrison were slightly wounded. Upon the death of Major Gallie the command of the fort devolved upon Captain George W. Anderson, who bravely continued the fight. This signal victory was made the subject of the fol- lowing complimentary order from General Beauregard, commanding the Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida : "The thanks of the country are due to this intrepid garrison who have thus shown what brave men may withstand and accomplish despite apparent odds. Fort Mc- Allister will be inscribed on all the flags of all the troops engaged in the defense of the battery."
The last naval attack upon Fort McAllister was made on the 3d of March, 1863. The enemy appeared early on that day with a formidable fleet consisting of four ironclads, five gunboats, and two mortar schooners. The terrible conflict which followed the commence- ment of the engagement was graphically and fully detailed in the Savan . nah Republican of March 11, 1863, from which we make the following extract : " About a quarter before nine o'clock the fort opened on the Passaic with a rifled gun, the eight and ten-inch Columbiads following suit, to which the Montauk replied, firing her first gun at nine o'clock.
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She was followed by her associates in quick succession. The fire on both sides was continued for seven hours and a half, during which the enemy fired two hundred and fifty shot and shell at the fort, amounting to about seventy tons of the most formidable missiles ever invented for the de- struction of human life. The fort fired the first and last shot. The enemy's mortar boats kept up a fire all night, and it was evidently their intention to renew the fight the next morning, but finding that the damage done to the fort the day before had been fully repaired, and the garrison fully prepared to resist, declined. Notwithstanding the heavy fire to which the fort was subjected, only three men were wounded : Thomas W. Rape, and W. S. Owens of the Emmett Rifles, the first on the knee and the latter in the face; James Mims of Company D, First Georgia Battalion, Sharpshooters, had his leg crushed and an- kle broken by the fall of a piece of timber while remounting a Colum- biad after the fight. The night previous to the fight Lieu- tenant E. A. Ellarbe, of the Hardwick Mounted Rifles; Captain J. L. McAllister, with a detachment consisting of Sergeant Harmon and Pri- vates Proctor, Wyatt, Harper, and Cobb, crossed the river and dug a rifle-pit within long rifle range of the rams and awaited the coming fight. During the hottest part of the engagement an officer with glass in hand made his appearance on the deck of the Passaic. A Maynard rifle slug soon went whizzing by his ears, which startled and caused him to right- about face, when a second slug, apparently, took effect upon his person, as with both hands he caught hold of the turret for support, and imme- diately clambered or was dragged into a port-hole. It is believed that the officer was killed. The display on the Passaic the day following, and the funeral on the Ossabaw the Friday following gave strength to the opinion. As soon as the fatal rifle shot was fired the Passaic turned her guns upon the marsh and literally raked it with grape shot. The ri- flemen, however, succeeded in changing their base in time to avoid the missiles of the enemy. Not one of them was hurt. Too much credit cannot be bestowed upon the daring act of a few brave men.
Captain George W. Anderson, of the Republican Blues, commanded the fort on this trying occasion, and lie and his force received, as they de- served, the highest commendation. Captain George A. Nicoll of the Emmett Rifles, Captain J. L. McAllister, Lieutenant W. D. Dixon, and
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Sergeant T. S. Flood (the latter was sick at the hospital when the fight commenced, but left his bed to take part in the fight), Corporal Robert Smith and his squad from the Republican Blues, which worked the rifle gun, Lieutenant Quin of the Blues, Sergeant Frazier, Lieutenant Rock- well, and Sergeant Cavanaugh, Captain Robert Martin and detachment of his company, who successfully worked a mortar battery, Captain McCrady, and Captain James McAlpin were entitled to and received a large share of the honors of the day."
This brilliant victory drew from Brigadier-General Mercer, command- ing the district of Georgia, a general order complimenting the garrison for their heroic defense, stating that the " brigadier-general command- ing again returns his hearty thanks to the brave garrison, and expresses the confident hope that this heroic example will be followed by all under his command. For eight hours these formidable vessels, throwing fif- teen-inch hollow shot and shell, thirteen-inch shell, eleven-inch solid shot, and eight-inch rifle projectiles-a combination of formidable mis- siles never before concentrated upon a single battery-hurled an iron hail upon the fort ; but the brave gunners, with the cool efficient spirit of disciplined soldiers, and with the intrepid hearts of freemen battling for a just cause, stood undaunted at their posts, and proved to the world that the most formidable vessels and guns that modern ingenuity has been able to produce are powerless against an earthwork manned by patriots to whom honor and liberty are dearer than life.
As a testimonial to the brave garrison, the commanding general will be solicited to direct that 'Fort McAllister, March 3, 1863,' be inscribed upon their flags." This request General Beauregard complied with in a general order, stating that he "had again a pleasant duty to discharge- to commend to the notice of the country and the emulation of his officers and men the intrepid conduct of the garrison of Fort McAllister, and the skill of the officers engaged on the 3d of March, 1863."
This was the last naval attack upon this battery. So far it had proved itself an overmatch for all that had been sent against it. Seven times had the Federals been repulsed before its Bermuda covered para- pets. After the engagement of the 3d of March the fort was consider- ably strengthened, especially its rear defenses, and its armament increased by the addition of some heavy and light guns. Late in 1864 its battery
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consisted of one ten-inch mortar, three ten-inch Columbiads, one eight- inch Columbiad, one forty-two-pounder gun, one thirty-two-pounder gun, rifled, four thirty-two pounder guns, smooth bore, one twenty-four- pounder howitzer, two twelve-pounder mountain howitzers, two twelve- pounder Napoleon guns, and six six-pounder bronze field guns. The fort was finely equipped to resist a naval attack and to defend the Great Ogeechee River. It was never intended to resist a serious or protracted land attack.
The destructive march of General Sherman's army from Atlanta to the defenses of Savannah occupied the time from the middle of Novem- ber until the early part of December, 1864. The merits of this military movement it is not our purpose to discuss. That the methods employed in this predatory march were in many instances unnecessary and cruel the conservative military leaders of the world have long ago admitted. That the objective point of General Sherman's expedition was Savannah was fully realized by the people of this city early in his campaign. Every effort was made to guard the city from attack. The patriotism of the people was fully aroused, and they freely responded to the following spirited address of the mayor :
" MAYOR'S OFFICE, " SAVANNAH, November 28, 1864. 5
"FELLOW CITIZENS,-The time has come when every male who can shoulder a musket can make himself useful in defending our hearths and homes. Our city is well fortified, and the old can fight in the trenches as well as the young; and a determined and brave force can, behind en- trenchment, successfully repel the assaults of treble their number.
"The general commanding this division has issued a call for all men of every age, not absolutely incapacitated from disease, to report at once to Captain C. W. Howard at the Oglethorpe Barracks, for the purpose of organizing into companies for home defense. I call upon every man not already enrolled into a local corps to come forward at once and report to Captain Howard. Organization is everything. Let us emulate the noble example of our sister cities of Macon and Augusta, where the whole male population is in arms. By manning the fortifications we will leave free the younger men to act in the field. By prompt action a large local force can be organized from our citizens above the military age, and from those who have been exempted from field service.
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"No time is to be lost. The man who will not comprehend and re- spond to the emergency of the times is foresworn to his duty and to his country. R. D. ARNOLD, Mayor."
On the 10th of December, 1864, Sherman's army enveloped the west- ern and southern lines of the defenses of the city, and with this date the his - tory of the siege of Savannah properly commences. Although every ef- fort had been made to concentrate a large force for the defense of Savan- nah, such was the pressure upon the Confederacy and so reduced the troops that at the inception and during the siege there were not more than ten thousand men fit for duty in the Confederate lines around the city, and against this small number was brought to bear the Federal army consist- ing of some sixty thousand infantry, fifty- five hundred cavalry and a full proportion of artillery. This large force completely enveloped the west- ern lines erected for the defense of the city, extending from the Savannah River at Williamson's plantation to the bridge of the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad across Little Ogeechee. The Confederate line, according to Colonel Jones in his "Siege of Savannah," was subdivided and commanded as follows: "The right, extending from the Savannah River at William- son's plantation to within about one hundred feet of the Central Railroad crossing, garrisoned by the Georgia militia and the State line troops, was under the command of Major-General Gustavus W. Smith. Twenty guns were in position on his front.
"The batteries at the Central Railroad and Louisville Road crossings, and extending from that point to the head of Shaw's dam, were com- manded by Major-General Lafayette McLaws. Twenty-nine pieces of artillery were posted on his front.
" Lieutenant-General William J. Hardee was in general command with his headquarters in the city of Savannah. For holding this long line less than ten thousand infantry, dismounted cavalry, and artillerists were assembled ; and for the space of ten days this little more than a thin skirmish line confronted, at close quarters, Sherman's investing army over sixty thousand strong.
"The light artillery companies were distributed as the necessities of the line demanded, and were either actively engaged in handling the guns in position, or were posted at such convenient distances in the rear that they could move immediately to any designated point in their respective fronts. Only two of them were held in reserve park.
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"Lieutenant-Colonel Charles C. Jones, jr., was chief of artillery.
" On Major-General Smith's front Captain R. W. Anderson acted as chief of artillery of that division. Captain J. A. Maxwell was detailed as chief of artillery on Major-General McLaws' front, and Captain John W. Brooks acted in a similar capacity in Major- General Wright's divi- sion.
" By assignment of the general commanding, Major Black of his staff was designated as inspector on Major-General Smith's front; Colonel George A. Gordon, volunteer aid, inspector on Major-General McLaws' front; and Lieutenant-Colonel S. B. Paul, of the lieutenant-general's staff, inspector on Major-General Wright's front."
So judiciously was the strength of the Confederate line located that the Federals failed to attack it, and with the purpose of securing an out- let to the sea by an avenue other than the Savannah River, General Sherman turned his attention to Fort McAllister, which, if it could be captured, opened up communication with an expectant fleet.
The fort at this time was in command of Major George W. Anderson, the garrison consisting of the Emmett Rifles, Captain George A. Nicoll ; Clinch Light Battery, Captain W. B. Clinch ; Companies D and E., First Georgia Reserves, the first company commanded by Captain Henry, and the second by Captain Morrison. The whole force of the garrison was about one hundred and fifty men.
Against this small body of men in an absolutely isolated condition and without the least possible chance of support or relief from any quar- ter, the Second Division of the Fifteenth Army Corps of the Federal army, consisting of seventeen regiments, under the command of Brigadier-Gen- eral Hazen, was sent by order of General Sherman on December 13, 1864. General Hazen advanced at once to the assault, moving with his whole force against the fort and in a short time effected its capture with a loss to his command of one hundred and thirty-four officers and men killed and wounded. Major Anderson who was in command of the fort furnished a graphic account of this assault to Colonel C. C. Jones, jr., for publication in his " Historical Sketch of the Chatham Artillery," from which we take the following :
" About eight o'clock A.M. [December 13, 1864,] desultory firing commenced between the skirmishers of the enemy and my sharpshooters.
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HISTORY OF SAVANNAH.
At ten o'clock the fight became general, the opposing forces extending from the river entirely around to the marsh on the east. Re- ceiving from headquarters neither orders nor responses to my telegraphic dispatches I determined, under the circumstances, and notwithstanding the great disparity of numbers, between the garrison and attacking forces, to defend the fort to the last extremity. The guns being en barbette, the detachment serving them were greatly exposed to the fire of the enemy's sharpshooters. To such an extent was this the case that in one instance. out of a detachment of eight men, three were killed, and three more wounded. The Federal skirmish line was very heavy and the fire so close and rapid that it was at times impossible to work the guns. My sharp- shooters did all in their power, but were entirely too few to suppress this galling fire upon the artillerists. In view of the large force of the enemy -- consisting of nine regiments, whose aggregate strength was estimated between 3,500 and 4,000 muskets, and possessing the ability to increase it at any time should it become necessary-and recollecting the feebleness of the garrison of the fort, numbering 150 effective men, it was evident, cut off from all support, and with no possible hope of reinforcement, from any quarter, that holding the fort was simply a question of time. There was but one alternative-death or captivity.
"Late in the afternoon the full force of the enemy made a rapid and vigorous charge upon the works, and succeeding in forcing their way through the abatis, rushed over the parapet of the fort carrying it by storm, and by virtue of superior numbers, overpowered the garrison, fighting gallantly to the last. In many instances the Confederates were disarmed by main force. The fort was never surrendered. It was cap- tured by overwhelming numbers.
"I am pleased to state that in my endeavors to hold the fort, I was nobly seconded by the great majority of officers and men under my com- mand. Many of them had never been under fire before, and quite a number were very young, in fact mere boys. Where so many acted gallantly it would be invidious to discriminate, but I cannot avoid men- tioning those who came more particularly under my notice. I would therefore most respectfully call the attention of the general commanding to the gallant conduct of Captain Clinch, who when summoned to sur- render by a Federal captain responded by dealing him a blow on the
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head with his sabre (Captain Clinch had previously received two gun- shot wounds in the arm) immediately a hand to hand fight ensued. Federal privates came to the assistance of their officer, but the fearless Clinch continued the unequal contest until he fell bleeding from eleven wounds (three sabre wounds, six bayonet wounds and two gun-shot wounds), from which after severe and protracted suffering he has barely recovered. His conduct was so conspicuous, and his cool bravery so much admired, as to elicit the praise of the enemy and even of General Sherman himself.
"First Lieutenant William Schirm fought his gun until the enemy had entered the fort, and, notwithstanding a wound in the head, gallantly remained at his post discharging his duties with a coolness and efficiency worthy of all commendation.
" Lieutenant O'Neal, whom I placed in command of the scouting party before mentioned, while in the discharge of that duty and in his subse- quent conduct during the attack, merited the honor due to a faithful and gallant officer.
" Among these who nobly fell was the gallant Hazzard, whose zeal and activity was worthy of all praise. He died as a true soldier to his post, facing overwhelming odds. The garrison lost seventeen killed and thirty-one wounded."
Speaking of the gallant fight of these Confederate heroes in their de- fense of Fort McAllister, Colonel Jones in his "Siege of Savannah," justly says: "Among the golden deeds wrought by Confederates in their gigantic struggle for right, property, home, and national independence, the defense of Fort McAllister against seven naval attacks and their final assault will be proudly reckoned. The heroic memories of this earth- work will be cherished long after its parapets shall have been wasted into nothingness by the winds and rains of the changing seasons. Utterly isolated, cut off from all possible relief-capture or death the only alter- native-the conduct of this little garrison in the face of such tremendous odds, was gallant in the extreme."
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