On December 13, he stormed
Fort McAllister, and communicated with the Union fleet through Ossabaw
Sound, reporting to Washington that his march had been most agreeable,
that he had not lost a wagon on the trip, that he had utterly destroyed
over two hundred miles of rails, and consumed stores and provisions that
were essential to Lee's and Hood's armies. With pardonable exultation
General Sherman telegraphed to President Lincoln on December 22:
"I beg to present to you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah, with
one hundred and fifty heavy guns and plenty of ammunition. Also about
twenty-five thousand bales of cotton."
He had reason to be gratified with the warm acknowledgment which
President Lincoln wrote him in the following letter:
"MY DEAR GENERAL SHERMAN: Many, many thanks for your Christmas gift, the
capture of Savannah. When you were about leaving Atlanta for the
Atlantic coast I was anxious, if not fearful; but feeling that you were
the better judge, and remembering that 'nothing risked, nothing gained,'
I did not interfere. Now, the undertaking being a success, the honor is
all yours, for I believe none of us went farther than to acquiesce. And
taking the work of General Thomas into the count, as it should be taken,
it is, indeed, a great success.
Pages:
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520