The Siege of Savannah in December, 1864, and the Confederate Operations in
Georgia and the Third Military District of South Carolina During General
Sherman's March from Atlanta to the Sea, by Charles Colcock Jones

Published: Albany, N.Y., J. Munsell, 1874

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                                    THE
                             SIEGE OF SAVANNAH
                                    IN
                              DECEMBER, 1864,
                                  AND THE
                   CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS IN GEORGIA AND
               THE THIRD MILITARY DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA 
                                  DURING
                          GENERAL SHERMAN'S MARCH
                          FROM ATLANTA TO THE SEA.
                                    BY

                           CHARLES C. JONES, JR.,
       LATE LIEUT. COL. ARTILLERY, C. S. A., AND CHIEF OF ARTILLERY
                             DURING THE SIEGE.
                          PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR. 

                              ALBANY, N. Y.:
                              JOEL MUNSELL.
                                  1874. 


                  Entered according to Act of Congress,
                            in the year 1875,
                        by CHARLES C. JONES, Jr.,
               in the Office of the Librarian of Congress
                          at Washington, D. C.

Page iii

                                  TO THE 
                            CITY OF SAVANNAH,
                              IS DEDICATED
                                  THIS 
                       NARRATIVE OF HER SUFFERINGS 
                                   AND 
                                HER FALL. 



Page v

PREFACE.
   To perpetuate the Confederate memories connected with the march of 
General Sherman from Atlanta to Savannah is the design of the following 
pages. To be guided in all that he relates by the genuine circumstances of 
the action has been the author's care. This sad chapter in the history of 
Georgia has been written only by those who made light of her afflictions, 
laughed at her calamities, gloated over her losses, and lauded her 
spoilers. A predatory expedition, inaugurated with full knowledge of her 
weakness, conceived in a spirit of wanton destruction, conducted in 
violation of the rules of civilized warfare, and compassed in the face of 
feeble resistance, has been magnified into a grand military achievement 
worthy of all admiration. The easy march of a well appointed army of 
seventy thousand men through the heart of a state abounding in every 
supply 

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save men and materials of war, and at the most delightful season of the 
year, has been so talked of and written about by those who either 
participated in the enterprise or sympathized with its leaders, that 
multitudes have come to regard this holiday excursion as a triumph of 
consummate military skill and valor--as one of the most wonderful exploits 
in the history of modern warfare. Audi alteram partem. 

NEW YORK CITY, December 20, 1874.



Page vii

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I. 
General Sherman's Intentions in Projecting his Expedition from Atlanta to 
the Coast--Composition and Strength of the Federal Army--Defenceless 
Condition of Georgia--Inability of the Confederate Leaders to Concentrate 
an Army of Opposition--The Federal Advance--General Beauregard's 
Dispatches--A Levy en masse ordered by the Legislature--Proclamation of 
Governor Brown--Circular from Georgia Representatives in Confederate 
Congress, to their Constituents--Supplemental Proclamation of General A. 
R. Wright, . . . . .1 

CHAPTER II. 
Operations of Maj. Gen. Gustavus W. Smith in the Vicinity of Atlanta--He 
Retires upon Griffin, and falls back to Macon--Movements of the 
Confederate Cavalry under Maj. Gen. Wheeler--Macon Defenses, their 
Armament and Garrison--Federal Demonstration against Macon--Battle of 
Griswoldville--Report of Brig. Gen. Phillips, . . . . .21 

CHAPTER III. 
The Federals occupy Milledgeville--Maj. Genl. Smith moves his Command from 
Macon, by way of Thomasville, to Savannah--Ordered by Lieut. Genl. Hardee 
at once to Grahamville, S. C.--Admirable Conduct of the Georgia State 
Forces--Battle of Honey-Hill--Signal Defeat of the Federal Expedition from 
Boyd's Neck, under the Command of Brig. Genl. Hatch--Complimentary 
Resolutions adopted by the Georgia Legislature, . . . . .32 

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CHAPTER IV. 
Adjutant General Wayne occupies Gordon--Retreats to Oconee Bridge--Major 
Hartridge's Report of Confederate Operations at that Point--Wayne's 
Command retires to Millen--Confederate Movements at Number 4 1/2 and 
Number 2, Central Rail Road--Col. Fizer disputes Osterhaus's Crossing at 
the Cannouchee--Maj. Gen. Wheeler's Report of the Operations of the 
Confederate Cavalry, . . . . . 44 

CHAPTER V. 
The Siege of Savannah--Concentration of Confederate Forces for the Defense 
of the City--Investment by the United States Forces--Federal Attempts to 
communicate with the Fleet--Confederate Line at Monteith--Obstruction of 
Roads leading into Savannah--Western Line for the Protection of the City, 
its Location, Principal Batteries, and Armament--Enumeration of Light 
Artillery Companies concentrated for its Support--Inundation of the Low 
Grounds in Front of this Western Line--the Western Line, how Subdivided, 
Commanded, and Garrisoned--Supply of Ordnance, Quarter-Master, and 
Commissary Stores--Statement of Rations issued, . . . . . 73 

CHAPTER VI. 
Confederate Forces in the 3d Military District of South Carolina, under 
Maj. Genl. Sam Jones, guarding the Line of the Charleston and Savannah 
Rail Road--Federal Advance from Gregory's Point, and its Repulse near the 
Tullifinney Trestle--Original Confederate Line conceived for the 
Protection of the Sea Coast of Georgia--Advanced Line controlling the 
Water Approaches to Savannah--Line of Defense for the Immediate Protection 
of the Eastern and Southern Exposures of the City--Location and Armament 
of the Savannah River Batteries, and of the Forts and Earth-works erected 
to guard the Water Approaches to the City--Relative Bearings and Distances 
of these Fortifications from Oglethorpe Barracks--Genl. Beauregard's 
Instructions for the Defense of Savannah, . . . . . 92 

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CHAPTER VII. 
Distribution of Confederate Forces along the Western Line--Federal 
Timidity and Hesitation--Capture of the Dispatch Boat Ida--Affair at 
Shaw's Dam--Repulse of the Assault upon Fort Hardeman--The Tender Resolute 
captured by the Enemy--Federal Movement against Fort McAllister--Assault 
upon and Capture of that Work by Hazens's Division--Reports of Major 
Anderson and of Brig. Genl. Hazen--Gallant Conduct of the Garrison, . 111 

CHAPTER VIII. 
Federal communication established with the Fleet--Evacuation of Savannah 
rendered Imperative--Line of Retreat considered and determined upon--
Location and Construction of Pontoon Bridges across Savannah River--
Progress of the Siege--Heavy Skirmishing between Confederate Cavalry and 
the Enemy on the Left Bank of the Savannah--Desertions from Brooks's 
Foreign Battalion--Sherman's Demand for the Surrender of Savannah, its 
Garrison, and Dependent Forts--Lieut. Genl. Hardee's Refusal--Maj. Genl. 
Sherman prepares to Bombard the City, . . . . . 131 

CHAPTER IX. 
Progress of the Siege--Maj. Genl. Wheeler's Cavalry Operations on the Left 
Bank of the Savannah and in Rear of the Federal Army--Confidential 
Circulars from Lieut. Genl. Hardee's Head Quarters directing the 
Evacuation of Savannah--Evacuation of the City--Order in which the 
Confederate Forces were withdrawn--Good Conduct of the Troops--Movement 
successfully concealed from the Enemy, until fully Accomplished--Line of 
Retreat--Heavy Guns disabled, Ammunition destroyed, and the Naval Vessels 
in the River burnt and sunk--Reports of Coln. Anderson commanding the 
River and Shore Batteries, and of Lieut. Coln. Jones, Chief of Artillery--
Genl. Beauregard's Orders for the Disposition of the Confederate Forces 
after their Retreat from Savannah--Formal Surrender of the City by the 
Mayor on the Morning of the 21st of December, 1864--The Federals occupy 
Savannah, . . . . . 145 

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CHAPTER X. 
Extravagant and Unjustifiable Destruction of Property along the Line of 
March--Comparison between the Conduct of Confederate and Federal Invading 
Armies--Sherman's Violations of the Accepted Rules of Civilized Warfare--
Wanton Insults, Wholesale Plunder, and Barbarous Treatment of Unarmed 
Citizens and Defenseless Women, Children and Negroes, by Federal Soldiery--
The Conduct of the Royalist Prevost in 1779 outheroded in 1864 by that of 
the Republican Sherman--The Campaign criticized as a Military Movement--
Its Success entirely attributable to the Weakness of the Confederacy--
Federal and Confederate Losses--Capture of Savannah in 1778--The 
Evacuation of the City, under the Circumstances, a Severe Reflection upon 
the Activity and Skill of the Federal Commander, and a marked Achievement 
on the part of the Confederates, . . . . . 164 

INDEX


ERRATA.
p. 49 18th line Hayward's . .  should be . . . . . Heywards. 
p. 64 13th line succeeded . .  should be . . . . . exceeded. 
p. 85 9th line mayor . . . . . should be . . . . . major. 
p. 91 9th line 1,1291 . . . .  should be . . . . . 11,291. 
p. 106 last line banks . . . . should be . . . . . ank. 
p. 151 14th line points . . .  should be . . . . . point. 
p. 155 7th line mariners . . . should be . . . . . marines. 
p. 159 27th line 300 . . . . . should be . . . . . 500. 
p. 163 20th line may orrequested . . . should be . . . mayor requested.