USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > History of Savannah, Ga.; from its settlement to the close of the eighteenth century > Part 6
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After the fall of Fort McAllister the Federals had full command of the Great Ogeechee River, and General Sherman was enabled to establishi a convenient base of supplies for his army. Reinforcements could be had and heavy guns could be procured with which to prosecute the siege of
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Savannah. That the Confederates could much longer hold the town was impossible and the early evacuation of the city became a necessity. The only line of retreat now open to the Confederates was by boats to Screv- en's ferry landing, and thence into South Carolina. All hope of success- fully coping with the enemy was rightly abandoned by General Hardee . and he concluded to evacuate the city and thus save his command to the Confederacy.
Orders were issued for the immediate construction of suitable pon- toon bridges. The line of retreat selected by the engineers involved the location of a pontoon bridge extending from the foot of West Broad street to Hutchinson Island, a distance of about one thousand feet, a roadway across that island in the direction of Pennyworth Island, a second pon- toon bridge across the Middle River, another roadway across Penny- worth Island, and a third pontoon bridge across Back River, the further end of which rested on the Carolina shore.
The work of building the bridges and constructing the roads was placed in charge of Lieutenant-Colonel Frobel. On the evening of the 17th of December the first of the bridges was completed, and by half- past eight on Monday the 19th following the remaining bridges were completed and the route in readiness for the retreat of the Confederate garrison.
In the meantime, on the 17th of December, General Sherman de- manded the surrender of Savannah and its dependent forts. This demand was addressed to General Hardee and conveyed to the latter officer under a flag of truce. In his letter General Sherman said : "I have already received guns that can cast heavy and destructive shot as far as the heart of your city, also I have for some days held and controlled every avenue by which the people and garrison of Savannah can be supplied, and I am therefore justified in demanding the surrender of the city of Savannah and its dependent forts, and shall await a reasonable time your answer before opening with heavy ordnance." To this demand General Hardee in part replied : " Your statement that you have for some time held and controlled every avenue by which the people and garrison can be sup- plied is incorrect ; I am in free and constant communication with my de- partment. Your demand for the surrender of Savannah and its depen- dent forts is refused."
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Notwithstanding the defiant attitude of General Hardee and the ap- parent attitude of the Confederate forces to continue in the defense of the city, the work for preparing the way of retreat went steadily on. To deceive the enemy, on the 19th and 20th of December the Confederate artillery and infantry fire was heavier than it had been on any other pre- vious days. The work of spiking the guns and destroying of ammuni- tion was silently and skillfully done, and on the evening of December 20 the evacuation of the city began, and by three o'clock of the following morning the rearguard of the Confederate army had passed over to Hutchinson Island and the evacuation of the city was complete.
General Hardee in speaking of the successful retreat of the garrison, remarked the day after the evacuation to Colonel C. C. Jones, jr., chief of artillery during the siege, " that while sadly deploring the loss of the city he was persuaded nothing had been neglected which could have con- tributed to the honor of our arms ; and that under the circumstances he regarded the safe withdrawal of his army from the lines around Savan- nah as one of the most signal and satisfactory exploits in his military ca- reer."
The intention of General Hardee to evacuate the city with his com- mand was known to the civil authorities of the city, and on the night of December 20, when the troops had begun their successful retreat, Dr. R. D. Arnold, mayor of Savannah, and Aldermen Henry Brigham, J. F. O'Byrne, C. C. Casey, Henry Freeman, Robert Lachlison, Joseph Lipp- man, J. L. Villalonga and George W. Wylly met in the Exchange and resolved that the council should repair to the outer defenses of the city before daylight to surrender the city and secure such terms as would se- cure protection to the persons and property of the citizens. The history of events which closely followed this meeting is admirably told in Lee and Agnew's "Historical Record of Savannah," from which the following ac- count is taken :
" The council dispersed to assemble at the Exchange at a later hour where hacks would await to convey the members to the outer works. As they came out of the Exchange a fire was observed in the western part of the city, and by request Messrs. Casey, O'Byrne and Lachlison went to it with a view of taking measures for its suppression. The fire was caused by the burning of a nearly completed ironclad and a lot of
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timber near the mouth of the Ogeechee Canal which had been fired by the retreating troops. The wind was blowing to the west, and after ob- serving that no danger to the city need be apprehended from the flames, these gentlemen returned to the Exchange where the other members of the council had assembled and were in a hack prepared to start. They stated that other hacks had been provided, but General Wheeler's cav- alry had pressed the horses into service. Mr. O'Byrne procured his horse and buggy and conveyed Mr. Casey to the junction of the Louis- ville road with the Augusta road-about half a mile beyond the Central Railroad depot-and leaving him there returned for Mr. Lachlison who had walked in that direction. The party in the hack, meanwhile, had come up to Mr. Casey, and taking him up drove up the Louisville road. Mr. O'Byrne met Mr. Lachlison, and with him returned to where Mr. Casey had been left, but not finding any of the party there concluded they had gone up the Augusta road, and proceeded up it, hoping to overtake them. They advanced but a short distance when they heard the report of a gun and a minnie-ball whistled between them. They halted, and were then ordered by the picket to turn around, (they had unawares passed the enemy's picket and had not heard the command to halt), and come to them. They did as commanded, and after informing the officer of the picket who they were, were conducted to Colonel Bar- num to whom they stated the object of their mission. He then con- ducted them to General John W. Geary. They told him that the city had been evacuated, and that they, having started with the mayor and council to surrender it; but becoming separated from them, would assume the authority of consummating a surrender. General Geary at first did not believe them, and questioned them very closely. After becoming satisfied that they were what they assumed to be, he consented to receive the surrender. The aldermen then asked that the lives and property of the citizens should be respected and the ladies protected from insult. General Geary promptly replied that the requests should be complied with, and that any soldier detected violating the orders which would be given to restrain them should be punished with death. Messrs. Lachli- son and O'Byrne then asked that a detachment should be sent to look after the mayor and other aldermen, which was granted. General Geary then put his troops in motion and with Messrs. Lachlison and O'Byrne
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acting as guides, advanced toward the city. At the Central Railroad bridge they were met by the mayor and aldermen who had been over- taken by the detachment sent for them and returned with it. They, on being introduced to the general and told what had been done by Messrs. O'Byrne and Lachlison, confirmed their action. The line of march was then taken up to West Broad street, down to the Bay, and thence to the Exchange, in front of which the troops were drawn up. The officers and members of the council proceeded to the porch, from which General Geary addressed the troops, complimenting them upon their past deeds and upon the additional honor they had conferred upon themselves by capturing ' this beautiful city of the South.' During this speech Colonel Barnum observed a sergeant step out of the ranks to the store at the corner of Bull and Bay street, enter and come out wearing a fireman's hat. On coming down from the porch he called the sergeant to him, and drawing his sword ordered him to hold out the hat, which he did, and the colonel with one stroke of his sword cut it in half. He then stripped the chevrons from the sergeant's arms and reduced him to the ranks.
"After the speech the troops were dispersed in squads throughout the city, and, notwithstanding the strict orders they had received, com- mitted many depredations, among them the wanton destruction of valu- able books and papers in the Exchange and court-house belonging to the city and county. General Geary established his headquarters in the Cen- tral Railroad Bank, and his subordinate officers in the various unoccupied stores along the bay. On the 24th of December he issued an order re- garding the posts and duty of the provost guards, and instructing the civil authorities to resume their official duties."
General W. T. Sherman arrived in Savannah on the 25th, and after telegraphing President Lincoln he would present him Savannah as a "Christmas gift," he issued the following order from his headquarters at the Green mansion opposite Oglethorpe Barracks :
"HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, "In the field, Savannah, Ga., December 26, 1864.
"SPECIAL FIELD ORDER,
"No. 143.
" The city of Savannah and surrounding country will be held as a mil- itary post and adapted to future military uses, but as it contains a popu-
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lation of some 20,000 people who must be provided for, and as other cit- izens may come, it is proper to lay down certain general principles, that all within its military jurisdiction may understand their relative duties and obligations.
"I. During war the military is superior to civil authority, and where interests clash the civil must give way, yet where there is no conflict every encouragement should be given to well disposed and peaceful in- habitants to resume their usual pursuits. Families should be disturbed as little as possible in their residences, and tradesmen allowed the free use of their shops, tools, etc. Churches, schools, all places of amusement and recreation should be encouraged and streets and roads made per- fectly safe to persons in their usual pursuits. Passes should not be ex- acted within the lines of other pickets, but if any person should abuse these privileges by communicating with the enemy or doing any act of hostility to the government of the United States, he or she will be pun- ished with the utmost rigor of the law.
"Commerce with the outer world will be resumed to an extent com- mensurate with the wants of the citizens, governed by the restriction and rules of the treasury department.
" II. The chief quartermaster and commissary of the army may give suitable employment to the people, white or black, or transport them to such points as they choose, where employment may be had, and may ex- tend temporary relief in the way of provisions and vacant houses to the worthy and needy until such time as they can help themselves. They will select first, the buildings for the necessary uses of the army ; next a suffi- cient number of stores to be turned over to the treasury agent, for trade stores. All vacant storehouses or dwellings and all buildings belong- ing to absent rebels will be construed and used as belonging to the United States until such times as their titles can be settled by the courts of the United States.
"III. The mayor and city council of Savannah will continue to exer- cise their functions as such and will, in concert with the commanding of- ficer of the post and the chief quartermaster, see that the fire companies are kept in organization, the streets cleaned and lighted, and keep up a good understanding between the citizens and soldiers. They will ascer- tain and report to the chief C. S., as soon as possible, the names and mem- bers of worthy families that need assistance and support.
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"The mayor will forthwith give public notice that the time has come when all must choose their course, viz. : to remain within our lines and conduct themselves as good citizens or depart in peace. He will ascer- tain the names of all who choose to leave Savannah, and report their names and residences to the chief quartermaster that measures may be taken to transport them beyond the lines.
"IV. Not more than two newspapers will be published in Savannah, and their editors and proprietors will be held to the strictest accountabil- ity, and will be punished severely in person and property for any libel- ous publications, mischievous matter, premature news, exaggerated state- ments, or any comments whatever upon the acts of the constituted au- thorities; they will be held accountable even for such articles though copied from other papers.
" By order of MAJOR-GENERAL W. T. SHERMAN.
"L. M. BRAYTON, Aid-de-camp."
The people of Savannah in a spirit of moderation, and actuated by the most sincere motives, quietly undertook the work of adapting them- selves to the conditions imposed upon them by the fate of war. A meet- ing of the citizens was held in the Masonic Hall two days after General Sherman issued his order to "take into consideration matters appertain- ing to the present and future welfare of the city, Dr. R. D. Arnold pre- sided, and after several conciliatory speeches had been made, the follow- ing preamble and resolutions were adopted :
"WHEREAS, By the fortunes of war and the surrender of the city by the civil authorities, the city of Savannah passes once more under the au- thority of the United States ; and whereas, we believe that the interest of the city will be best subserved and promoted by a full and free ex- pression of our views in relation to our present conditions; we, there- fore, the people of Savannah in full meeting assembled do hereby resolve:
" That we accept the position, and in the language of the President of the United States, seek to have 'peace by laying down our arms and submitting to the national authority under the Constitution, leaving all questions which remain to be adjusted by the peaceful means of legisla- tion, conference and votes.'
" Resolved, That laying aside all differences, and burying by-gones
.
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in the grave of the past, we will use our best endeavors once more to bring back the prosperity and commerce we once enjoyed.
" Resolved, That we do not put ourselves in the position of a con- quered city, asking terms of a conqueror, but we claim the immunities and privileges contained in the Proclamation and Message of the Presi- dent of the United States, and in all the legislation of Congress in refer- ence to a people situated as we are, and while we owe on our part a strict obedience to the laws of the United States, we ask the protection over our persons, lives and property recognized by these laws."
Soon after the Federal troops had arrived in Savannah they threw up intrenchments to resist any attempts that might be made by the Con- federates to recapture the city. Intrenchments were also thrown up on the Thunderbolt road upon which guns were mounted, bearing upon the city, being intended as a rallying point if they should be driven from the other intrenchments. In building the latter line, they ran their works through the Catholic Cemetery, tearing up the ground and in many cases mutilating or covering up the monuments and tablets erected over the dead. In some instances it was claimed bones were dug up, and left scattered about. The officers who authorized the work, when remon- strated with, claimed the work was necessary and excused their inhu- manity on the ground of "military necessity."
The confiscation of the cotton which was stored in Savannah was the most severe financial blow suffered by the city during its occupancy by the Federals. At the time the city was evacuated there were 30,500 bales of upland and over 8,000 bales of Sea Island cotton stored in the warehouses, only 1,000 bales it is claimed belonging to the Confederate States government. The United States quartermaster seized all of this cotton and shipped it to New York where upland cotton at this time com- manded $1.25 per pound and Sea Island $3 per pound, making the to- tal value of the seized cotton about $28,000,000.
While the people were suffering all the annoyances and hardships in- cident to military rule they were called upon to bear a calamity which at one time threatened to destroy the entire city. This was the fire of the 27th of January, 1865, which destroyed over one hundred buildings. It commenced in a stable in the rear of old "Granite Hall" and it was claimed was started by the Federal soldiers. Granite Hall had been used by the
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Confederate authorities as an arsenal, and in it on this occasion were stored thousands of rounds of ammunition. Under the direction of a United States officer the citizens and soldiers commenced to remove the ammunition, but before much of it had been removed the fire was com- municated to the powder and explosion after explosion followed in rapid succession. Fragments of shells flew in all directions, killing a negro and wounding two or three citizens. "During this novel bombardment," says a local historian, " which put a stop to the working of the engines in the vicinity and allowed the fire full sway, a piece of shell struck the reservoir. A jet of water immediately sprung out, which for novelty and beauty surpassed any fountain, looking in the fiery glare like a sheet of molten silver." Before the flames were extinguished over one hun - dred houses located on West Broad, between Pine and St. Gaul streets, and a few on Broughton and Congress streets were destroyed.
No act of General Sherman's while in Savannah called forth more bitter denunciation than his order requiring the wives and families of Confederate officers to be sent into Confederate lines. Word was sent privately to the ladies that it was the intention to remove them and that they must register their names by a certain time. All did not comply with this request as is evinced by the following order of Major-General C. Grover then in command of Savannah :
"OFFICE PROVOST MARSHAL, DISTRICT OF SAVANNAH. March 28, 1865.
" The wives and families of Confederate officers who have not regis- tered their names at this office will do so at once."
" By order, BREVET MAJOR-GENERAL C. GROVER, Commanding. " ROBERT P. YORK, Provost Marshal District of Savannah, Ga."
Three days after this order was issued the ladies and children were placed on the steamer Hudson to be carried to Augusta, but when the boat arrived at Sister's Ferry, about sixty-four miles from Savannah, the captain refused to proceed further. Captain Edward C. Anderson, who was stationed at this point, had the ladies and children transferred to the shore and transported to Augusta in wagons, the only means of convey- ing them to their destinations. The suffering and exposure they had to endure was, however, of short duration, for shortly after their arrival in
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Augusta the armies of Generals Lee and Johnston surrendered and they were soon united at their homes with their lawful protectors.
With the end of the war the restrictions which had been placed upon the commerce and business of Savannah were gradually removed, a civil government was restored, and the people brave and courageous, with no useless regret, took up the work of retrieving their fallen for- tunes and restoring the city they loved to its rightful place among the commercial centers of the South. With unhesitating confidence they put the past with all its ruin and blasted hopes behind them, and beginning at the very bottom, applied themselves to planting in steady labor, frugal living and self-denial. the shattered foundation of public and individual prosperity. The progress they have made challenges wonder and ad- miration. To-day Savannah has no disturbing element; order, industry and thrift are everywhere, while its growth in material wealth, and pop- ulation suffers no disparagement in comparison with any Southern city.
CHAPTER XXVII.
HISTORY OF THE MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS OF SAVANNAH.
Growth of Military Ideas- - Chatham Artillery -- Savannah Volunteer Guards -- First Volunteer Regiment of Georgia-Georgia Hussars-Colored Military Companies.
F OR an even century no American city has had a more brilliant mili- tary history than Savannah. The causes which fostered and de- veloped the sentiments which have made the city conspicuous in this re- gard, Colonel C. H. Olmstead admirably explains in his prelude to a his- tory of the First Georgia Regiment, published in the Morning News of May 5. 1886, from which we make the following liberal extracts :
"From the eventf il day on which General Oglethorpe landed upon the bluff at Yamacra v until the present time, the city of Savannah has been noted for the vigorous hold of the military ideas upon the minds and hearts of its citizens. Military spirit born of necessity has always
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been high, and a belief in the military virtues has been inherited by gen- eration after generation, imbibed as it were with mother's milk.
"The earliest picture of the city represents a few scattered houses surrounded by a wall of living forest, but upon the left a flag flutters in the breeze and a battery of cannon points over the waters of the river, promising even in that early day a hot welcome to every foe. The col- ony was planted upon ground claimed by the Spaniards. Within easy distance was the strong fortress of St. Augustine, a base from which again and again the land and naval forces of his Majesty Philip the Fifth were hurled against the little handful of Englishmen. A regiment was one of the first of Oglethorpe's wants, and from the beginning each colonist felt in his inmost soul that the safety of altars and firesides depended upon stout arms and brave hearts. No wonder that then was born the spirit that has never since died. The war of the Revolution certainly had no tendency to weaken the sentiment, but rather added fuel to the flame, and to this day the imagination of every native of the old city kindles to a white heat, as he recalls the rush of Pulaski's Legion and the fall of that gallant chieftain, the desperate assault upon Spring Hill redoubt by the allied forces, and the death of Jasper. We mourn over the fortunes of that fatal day as though it had been yesterday, and how our hearts rejoice as we think of the glorious morn when the British ships sailed away never to return save as the 'white winged messengers of peace.' and the ' Ragged Continentals' once more marched in to enjoy their own again.
" These events were talked of at the fireside by old men and women, even as late as forty years ago. As little children they had witnessed them, and the story was handed down from one to another, ever excit- ing a generous ardor in noble souls to prepare for the day when their manhood, too, might be put to the crucial test, their courage and self- denial tried as by fire. What Savannahian who ever saw him, can forget the venerable figure of Sheftall Sheftall, that old soldier of the Revolu- tion, pacing back and forth in the quaint old uniform in which he had fought for liberty, and who can tell what influences his simple life in the community may have had in moulding military thought and desire ?
"The War of 1812 found Savannah still an outpost. The proximity of Britain's great naval stations in the West Indies, kept our people keenly
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on the alert to repel invasion. Florida was still a dangerous neighbor, and so once again the maps of the city show the homes of its inhabitants guarded by cannon. From the river on the east around to the river on the west we see a line of strong redoubts and salients, telling the story of a people ready to defend themselves, a people who had added to nat- ural bravery the skill and military capacity which belong only to those who study the arts of war in the piping times of peace.
" The legitimate outgrowth of this gallant spirit was the banding to- gether of the young men of Savannah as volunteer soldiery. Scarcely had the echoes of the Revolution died away, when the ' Dextrous Com- pany of Artillery ' was forined-that splendid organization whose guns pealed forth a welcome to Washington and thundered a mournful fare- well over the grave of Greene. Other companies were formed in quick succession, each doing its full share in fostering the manly vir- tues received of their fathers, and in transmitting to their successors the traditions of a glorious past."
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