With Savannah safely in Union hands, a victorious General William T. Sherman telegrams U.S. President Abraham Lincoln with a simple message: “I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah with 150 heavy guns and plenty of ammunition and also about 25,000 bales of cotton.” The capture of the port city…
Empowered by his re-election last month, U. S. President Abraham Lincoln issues a proclamation for 300,000 more volunteers to serve in the military in order to finish the task of defeating the Rebellion. The Confederacy, by way of contrast, has exhausted efforts to recruit new soldiers. Twice as many solders have deserted as are now…
With Sherman’s army drawing ever closer to Savannah, Confederates assemble a force of 4,000 troops in front of Union forces at the Little Ogeechee River, hoping to prevent the Federals from crossing. However, the much larger Union army, spreading out to cross the river at three points, quickly dissuades the Rebels, forcing a rapid retreat…