Saturday, 24th—General Foster’s command is still in pursuit of the fleeing rebels through South Carolina. They had an encounter yesterday with them, in which the rebels were completely routed. General Foster was wounded in the fight and was brought into town this morning. General Sherman[1] reviewed the Fifteenth Army Corps this morning. We had company drill this afternoon.
[1] While on our march through Georgia, all the men had a chance to see Sherman at close range, as he rode with the different corps, changing from one to another. As we approached Savannah, going in on the main road, which was rather narrow he was with our corps, the Seventeenth, which had most of the fighting to do. I noticed that when he wished to get ahead to the front of the corps, he never would crowd the infantry aside, but instead rode alongside himself, leaving the good road for them. I have seen him ride this way, his horse on an ordinary walk, with his staff officers riding in single file behind him. Some of the boys would ask him questions, or make some joking remarks as to where we were going, and the general would seldom reply, but would always have a pleasant smile in recognition of the question asked. He won the respect of the boys, and they all had confidence in him. —A. G. D.
Friday, 23d—The citizens of Savannah have generally remained in their homes, only a few having left town. Four-fifths of the people are women and children, the rest being old men. They appear to be glad that our army has taken possession of the city, and most of them are willing to take the oath of allegiance. The people here are not so near starvation as they are in other places in this state. Two or three small boats came up the river from the coast, but they did not have any rations for the army, as there is danger from the torpedoes laid in the river. The torpedoes are being taken out as fast as the men can get to them.
Thursday, 22d—It is quite cool. Our camp is just inside the city limits. We tore down several houses and fences with which to build “ranches,” and then spent the rest of the day in cleaning accouterments and washing our clothes. The rebels, in their haste to get away, left about one hundred and fifty pieces of artillery and a large quantity of fixed ammunition. They also left hundreds of their sick and wounded soldiers here in the hospital.
Savannah is a very nice city, on high ground, affording a good view of the South Carolina coast. The town is well laid out, having wide streets and little parks at many of the intersections. There are some fine churches here. A large number of business houses and office buildings are vacant. They had a printing press here for the making of paper money. I passed the building this morning where the press was located, and found on the sidewalk two bales of the currency, which some one had thrown out. The bundles were of about one hundred pounds each and the money consisted of tens and twenties. I helped myself to $50.00 and walked on. At the present time this money is below par. The boys are offering $1,000 to citizens for a loaf of bread, and some of the officers have offered from $4,000 to $5,000 for some one to curry their horses, but they can find no one who will accept their offers.
Wednesday, 21st—The last artillery firing this morning was that of a thunderstorm. It seems that kind Providence wanted a hand in the capture of the city. We received orders about 10 o’clock to be ready to march at a moment’s warning, and immediately we were ordered to march, as the rebels had evacuated the place. We started at once and before noon reached the edge of the city and went into camp, while a part of the army went in pursuit of the fleeing rebels. They left their outside works last night at 10 o’clock, and this morning left the city, crossing the Savannah river by pontoon bridges, under cover of their gunboats. Their rear guard is now five miles below, just across the river on the South Carolina side.
Tuesday, 20th—Cloudy and windy this morning. Heavy cannonading with some skirmishing was kept up all day. Our batteries silenced the rebels’ batteries at every point. Four companies from our regiment went out last night to reinforce the details on building fortifications. The walls of the forts are to be twenty feet thick. We have a miserable camping ground right on the edge of the swamp, but we cleaned up a camp and at 4 o’clock this afternoon had company inspection. We have very poor water to use, having to get it from the swamp. But we are now drawing full rations, for which we are very thankful. All is quiet in the rear.
Monday, 19th—Weather pleasant. Reveille sounded at 1 a. m. and at 2 o’clock our brigade started for the rifle pits in front of Savannah. The first brigade was left at the bridge to guard the landing and to unload the boats. A little before daylight, unnoticed by the rebels, we passed over the same causeway that we went down on, and after marching about nine miles we formed a line of battle and sent out skirmishers. We soon drove the rebels across the swamp. They used grape and canister on us, but did little harm. At all the points where they have the roads blockaded, we have planted sixty-four-pounders, which keep their guns silent. There is some heavy cannonading and brisk skirmishing all along the lines.
Sunday, 18th—This morning, as yesterday, there was a very heavy fog, continuing till about 9 o’clock. We drew one day’s rations of hardtack, having been without bread of any kind for six days, during which time rice was almost our sole diet. Our company was partially reorganized today by promotions. Lieutenant Spencer was promoted to captain, J. A. White to second lieutenant, and I was made fifth sergeant. J. Tomlinson is to be made first lieutenant, but the promotion was not made today because his commission had not yet arrived.
Saturday, 17th—Large details of men from our division were sent out to cut and prepare timber for the engineers to build a wharf at the landing so that the boats can be unloaded more readily. Several hundred of us were at work, some cutting the trees—tall pines, others cutting them into proper lengths, and still others hewing and squaring the timbers. The teamsters then hauled them to the landing. Two more boats came up the river today, one loaded with hay for the mules, the other with our provisions. We received our mail today. All is quiet along the line and the weather is fine.
Friday, 16th—Left this morning at 8 o’clock for King’s bridge over the Ogeechee river at a point fifteen miles from Savannah, where we again went into camp. All the torpedoes having been removed from the river, small boats can now come up to the bridge and land. Two boats came up with mail and some other articles. There were four tons of mail for the army. All is quiet along the line, but we have no rations yet. We still have plenty of rice with the hull on, but all the mortars upon the plantation have now been gathered together and the cavalry have put all the negroes of the plantation at work hulling rice.
Thursday, 15th—The weather is fine—days warm and pleasant and nights cool. The Thirty-second Illinois arrived in camp at 11 o’clock with sweet potatoes, fresh pork and corn for our brigade. We are still lying in camp without rations. We had company inspection and drill for the recruits. The First Division of the Fifteenth Corps advanced their skirmish line this morning toward the rebels’ post south of Savannah. There was quite an artillery duel and some sharp skirmishing, but our men succeeded in gaining their position.
