Saturday, December 3, 1864

U.S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General, USA, City Point, Va.

Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman, Commanding Armies, near Savannah, Ga.:

The little information gleaned from the Southern press indicating no great obstacle to your progress, I have directed your mails, which had been previously collected in Baltimore by Colonel Markland, special agent of the Post-Office Department, to be sent as far as the blockading squadron off Savannah, to be forwarded to you as soon as heard from on the’ coast. Not liking to rejoice before the victory is assured I abstain from congratulating you and those under your coummuand until bottom has been struck. I have never had a fear of the result. After all becomes quiet, and roads up here so bad that there is likely to be a week or two that nothing can be done, I will run down the coast and see you. If you desire it, I will ask Mrs. Sherman to go with me.


W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General, Headquarters, In camp, Millen Georgia

Notes for Report: I entered Millen with the Seventeenth Corps (General Frank P. Blair), and here paused to communicate with all parts of the army. General Howard is south of the Ogeechee River, with the Fifteenth Corps, opposite Scarboro. General Slocum is at Buckhead Church, four miles north of Millen, with the Twentieth Corps. The Fourteenth (General Davis) is at Lumpkin's Station, on the Augusta road, about ten miles north of Millen, and the cavalry division is within easy support of this wing. Thus the whole army is in good position and in good condition.

We have largely subsisted on the country; our wagons are full of forage and provisions; but, as we approach the sea-coast, the country will become more sandy and barren, and food will no doubt became more scarce; still, with little or no loss, we have traveled two-thirds of our distance, and we will push on for Savannah. General Hardee is ahead, between us and Savannah. We will resume the march directly on Savannah, by the four main roads. The weather is fine, the roads good, and every thing seems to favor us.


CAPTAIN JAMES M. RANDALL, 21st Wisconsin, In the Field, near Lumpkin’s Station, Georgia

We crossed Buckhead Creek, a deep stream, on a pontoon bridge. The 21st Wis. was in the rear of the 14th Corps. Following us were probably three hundred black refugees, men, women and children. Some had followed our army fifty miles or more. All were joyous as they marched toward freedom. But for some reason Gen. Jeff. C. Davis, our Corps commander, desired to get rid of these followers, and he chose to do it at the crossing of Buckhead Creek. He ordered that as soon as the last soldier, and those blacks who were employed by officers, had crossed, the pontoon bridge should be immediately removed. Thus the poor creatures were left in the swamp to their doom. I saw the bridge removed and heard the piteous pleadings of these people to be allowed to cross. As they came to realize their helpless condition, they presented a sad sight.

I regard this as an inhuman act ordered by Gen. Jeff. C. Davis, and without an excuse. Our regiment went out on picket at night. My company was stationed on the railroad 250 paces north of the depot. General Sherman's Headquarters is in Millen.


MAJOR JAMES A. CONNOLLY, 123rd Illinois Infantry, In the field, near Lumpkin's Station, Georgia

We heard from the rest of our corps tonight and form the extreme right of the army. General Sherman with the right wing is probably within 20 miles of Savannah tonight. Our withdrawal from Waynesboro and march to this place this afternoon closes all demonstrations against Augusta. We have kept up the delusion of an attack on that place as long as we can, and with the sunlight of tomorrow the true design of our campaign will break upon the bewildered minds of the rebels. It is over a hundred miles tonight between the two extremes of our army, and tomorrow morning we commence closing up as rapidly as possible. The road we are encamped on tonight leads straight to Savannah. I heard tonight that General Davis turned back a lot of contrabands at Buckhead Creek, and I don’t doubt it, for he is a copperhead.


CAPTAIN GEORGE PEPPER, Aide-de-Camp, near Lumpkin's station


General S. sent note from Millen requesting Jennie go to there and meet up with the Headquarters wagon there. I am not sure whether this request was in the form of a direct order. There is something clandestine about it, being addressed "For Your Eyes Only." I sent word to the General that, as I am remaining here with the 14th Corps on General Davis' orders, Jennie had better remain as well. If this was a diret order, I suppose I face reprimand. Well, so be it. I cannot consider sending her away from here after lecturing her about staying afoot.

I heard there was some trouble at Buckhead Creek and that some of the Negroes there were left behind, on Davis' orders. All the more reason to keep a tighter watch on Jennie's whereabouts.