Tuesday, December 13, 1864

REV. G. S. BRADLEY, Chaplain, 22nd Wisconsin, Cheeve’s Rice Mill, Outside Savannah

At 1 O’clock joined Generals Sherman and Howard, at Dr. Cherne’s rice mill, on the Ogeechee, opposite Fort McAlister. I found Sherman on the roof of the mill, surrounded by his staff and signal officers and Bekley and Cole, wiaiting to communicate with Hazen on the island. While patiently waiting for Hazen’s signals, Sherman’s keen eye detected smoke in the horizon seaward. Up to this time he had received no intelligence from the fleet. In a moment the countenance of the chieftain lightened up, and he exclaimed: “Look! Howard; there is a gunboat!”

Time passed on, and the vessel now became visible, yet no signal from the fleet or Hazen. Half an hour passed and the guns of the fort opened simultaneously with puffs of smoke that rose a few hundred yards from the fort, showing that Hazen’s skirmishers had opened. A moment after, Hazen signalled. “I have invested the fort and will assault immediately.” At this moment Sickley announced. “A signal from the gunboat.”

All eyes are turned from the fort to the gunboat that is coming to our assistance with news from home. A few messages pass that inform us that Foster and Dahlgreen are within speaking distance. The gunboat now halts and asks: “Can we run up? Is Fort McAlister ours?”

“No,” is the reply. “Hazen is just ready to storm it. Can you assist?”

“Yes,” is the reply.

“What will you have us to do?”

But before Sherman can reply to Dahlgreen, the thunders of the fort are heard, and the low soundo f small arms in borne across the three miles of marsh and river. Field glasses are opened, and, sitting flat upon the roof, the hero of Atlanta gazed away off to the fort. “There they go grandly; not a waver,” he remarks. Twenty seconds pass, and again he exclaims: “See that flag in the advance, Howard; how steadily it moves; not a man falters. There they go still; see the roll of musketry. Grand, grand.” Still he strains his eyes, and a moment after speaks without raising his eyes—“That flag still goes forward; there is no flinching there.” A pause for a minute. “Look!” he exalims, “it has halted. They waver, no! it’s the parapet! There they go again; now they scale it; some are over. Look, there is a flag on the works! Another, another. It’s ours. The fort’s ours!”

The glass dropped by his side, and in an instant the joy of the great leader at the possession of the river and the opening of the road to his new base, burst forth in the words the old darkie had used, “dis chile don’t sleep tonight.” And turning to one at his side, Captain Andereid, he remarked: “Have a boat for me at once, I must go there,” pointing to the fort, from which half a dozen battle flags floated grandly in the sunset.


BREVET MAJOR GEORGE WARD NICHOLS, Fort McAllister

Fort McAllister is ours. It has been gallantly and bravely won. I saw the heroic assault fromthe point of observation selected by General Sherman at the adjacent rice-mill.

During the greater part of to-day the General gazed anxiously toward the sea, watching for the appearanceo f the fleet. About the middle of the afternoon he descried a light column of smoke creeping lazily along over the flat marshes,and soon the spars of a steamer were visible,and then the flag of our Union floated out. What a thrilling, joyful sight! How the blood bounded, when, answering the signal waved above us, we saw that the brave tars had recognized us, and knew that our General was here with his army!

The sun was now fast going down behind a grove of water-oaks, and as his last rays gilded the earth, all eyes once more turned toward the Rebel fort. Suddenly white puffs of smoke shot out from the thick woods surrounding the line of works. Hazen was closing in, ready for the final rush of his column directly upon the fort. A warning answer came from the enemy in the roar of heavy artillery—and so the battle opened.

General Sherman walked nervously to and fro, turning quickly now and then from viewing the scene of conflict to observe the sun sinking slowly behind the tree-tops. No longer willing to bear the suspense, he said: “Signal General Hazen that he must carry the fort by assault, to-night if possible. Say to him that on his action depends the safety of the whole army, and the success of the campaign.”

The little flag waved and fluttered in the evening air, and the answer came: “I am ready, and will assault at once!” The words had hardly passed when from out the encircling woods there came a long line of blue coats and bright bayonets, and the dear old flag was there, waving proudly in the breeze. Then the fort seemed alive with flame; quick, thick jets of fire shooting out form all its sides, while the white smoke first covered the place and then rolled away over the glacis. The line of blue moved steadily on; too slowly, as it seemed to us, for we exclaimed, “Why don’t they dash forward?” but their measured step was unfaltering. Now the flag goes down, but the line does not halt. A moment longer, and the banner gleams again in the front.

We, the lookers-on, clutched one another’s arms convulsively, and scarcely breathed in the eager intensity of our gaze. Sherman stood watching with anxious air, awaiting the decisive moment. Then the enemy’s fire redoubled in rapidity and violence. The darting streams of fire alone told the position of the fort. The line of blue entered the enshrouding folds of smoke. The flag was at last dimly seen, and then it went out of sight altogether. “They have been repulsed!” said one of the group of officers who watched the fight. “No, by Heaven!” said another; “there is not a man in retreat—not a straggler in all the glorious line!”

The firing ceased. The wind lifted the smoke. Crowds of men were visible on the parapets, fiercely fighting—but our flag was planted there. There were a few scattering musket-shots, and then the sounds of battle ceased. Then the bomb-proofs and parapets were alive with crowding swarms of our gallant men, who fired their pieces in the air as a feu de joie. Victory! the fort was won.

Then all of us who had witnessed the strife and exulted in the triumph, grasped each the other’s hand, embraced, and were glad, and some of us found the water in our eyes. In half an hour were were congratulating General Hazen, and in an hour more Generals Sherman and Howard were pulling down the stream, regardless of torpedoes, in search of the signaled vessel of the navy.

The victory of Fort McAllister, and the way it was done, is a grand ending to this most adventurous campaign. It is in reality the end, for here terminates our march. We set out for a new base, and we have found it. The capture of Savannah is another matter, and with its siege will begin a new campaign. Our soldiers are electrified by the brilliant episode just enacted, and are eager to go wherever the General directs.


L. M. DAYTON, A. A. G., Headquarters, Military Division of the Mississippi, In the Field, Near Savannah

General Field Order No. 13.

The General-in-Chief announces, with pleasure, that, to-day at four and a half o'clock, P. M., the Second Division, of the Fifteenth Army Corps, assaulted Fort McAllister, and carried the place, capturing the entire garrison and armament, giving full communication with the fleet and army of General Foster. By order of Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman


W. T. SHERMAN, Cheeve’s Rice Mill

This nigger will have no sleep this night!