memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第60章

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re　was　very　little　to　interest　a　stranger；　except　the　cemetery　of　Bonaventura；　and　the　ride　along　the　Wilmington　Channel　by　way　of　Thunderbolt；　where　might　be　seen　some　groves　of　the　majestic　live…oak　trees；　covered　with　gray　and　funereal　moss；　which　were　truly　sublime　in　grandeur；　but　gloomy　after　a　few　days'　camping　under　them：

Within　an　hour　of　taking　up　my　quarters　in　Mr。　Green's　house；　Mr。　A。　G。　Browne；　of　Salem；　Massachusetts；　United　States　Treasury　agent　for　the　Department　of　the　South；　made　his　appearance　to　claim　possession；　in　the　name　of　the　Treasury　Department；　of　all　captured　cotton；　rice；　buildings；　etc。　　Having　use　for　these　articles　ourselves；　and　having　fairly　earned　them；　I　did　not　feel　inclined　to　surrender　possession；　and　explained　to　him　that　the　quartermaster　and　commissary　could　manage　them　more　to　my　liking　than　he；　but　I　agreed；　after　the　proper　inventories　had　been　prepared；　if　there　remained　any　thing　for　which　we　had　no　special　use；　I　would　turn　it　over　to　him。　　It　was　then　known　that　in　the　warehouses　were　stored　at　least　twentyfive　thousand　bales　of　cotton；　and　in　the　forts　one　hundred　and　fifty　large；　heavy　sea…coast　guns：　although　afterward；　on　a　more　careful　count；　there　proved　to　be　more　than　two　hundred　and　fifty　sea…coast　or　siege　guns；　and　thirty…one　thousand　bales　of　cotton。　　At　that　interview　Mr。　Browne；　who　was　a　shrewd；　clever　Yankee；　told　me　that　a　vessel　was　on　the　point　of　starting　for　Old　Point　Comfort；　and；　if　she　had　good　weather　off　Cape　Hatteras；　would　reach　Fortress　Monroe　by　Christmas…day；　and　he　suggested　that　I　might　make　it　the　occasion　of　sending　a　welcome　Christmas　gift　to　the　President；　Mr。　Lincoln；　who　peculiarly　enjoyed　such　pleasantry。　　I　accordingly　sat　down　and　wrote　on　a　slip　of　paper；　to　be　left　at　the　telegraph…office　at　Fortress　Monroe　for　transmission；　the　following：


SAVANNAH　GEORGIA；　December　22；　1884。　To　His　Excellency　President　Lincoln；　Washington；　D。　C。：

I　beg　to　present　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。

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General。


This　message　actually　reached　him　on　Christmas…eve；　was　extensively　published　in　the　newspapers；　and　made　many　a　household　unusually　happy　on　that　festive　day；　and　it　was　in　the　answer　to　this　dispatch　that　Mr。　Lincoln　wrote　me　the　letter　of　December　28th；　already　given；　beginning　with　the　words；　〃many；　many　thanks；〃　etc。；　which　he　sent　at　the　hands　of　General　John　A。　　Logan；　who　happened　to　be　in　Washington；　and　was　coming　to　Savannah；　to　rejoin　his　command。

On　the　23d　of　December　were　made　the　following　general　orders　for　the　disposition　of　the　troops　in　and　about　Savannah：

Especial　Field　Order　No。　139。＇

HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OE　THE　MISSISSIPPI；　IN　THE　FIELD；　NEAR　SAVANNAH；　GEORGIA；　December　23；　1864。

Savannah；　being　now　in　our　possession；　the　river　partially　cleared　out；　and　measures　having　been　taken　to　remove　all　obstructions；　will　at　once　be　made　a　grand　depot　for　future　operations：

1。　　The　chief…quartermaster；　General　Euston；　will；　after　giving　the　necessary　orders　touching　the　transports　in　Ogeechee　River　and　Oasabaw　Sound；　come　in　person　to　Savannah；　and　take　possession　of　all　public　buildings；　vacant　storerooms；　warehouses；　etc。；　that　may　be　now　or　hereafter　needed　for　any　department　of　the　army。　　No　rents　will　be　paid　by　the　Government　of　the　United　States　during　the　war；　and　all　buildings　must　be　distributed　according　to　the　accustomed　rates　of　the　Quartermaster's　Department；　as　though　they　were　public　property。

2。　　The　chief　commissary　of　subsistence；　Colonel　A。　　Beckwith；　will　transfer　the　grand　depot　of　the　army　to　the　city　of　Savannah；　secure　possession　of　the　needful　buildings　and　offices；　and　give　the　necessary　orders；　to　the　end　that　the　army　may　be　supplied　abundantly　and　well。

S。　　The　chief…engineer；　Captain　Poe；　will　at　once　direct　which　of　the　enemy's　forts　are　to　be　retained　for　our　use；　and　which　dismantled　and　destroyed。　　The　chief　ordnance…officer；　Captain　Baylor；　will　in　like　manner　take　possession　of　all　property　pertaining　to　his　department　captured　from　the　enemy；　and　cause　the　same　to　be　collected　and　conveyed　to　points　of　security；　all　the　heavy　coast…guns　will　be　dismounted　and　carried　to　Fort　Pulaski。

4。　　The　troops；　for　the　present；　will　be　grouped　about　the　city　of　Savannah；　looking　to　convenience　of　camps；　General　Slocum　taking　from　the　Savannah　River　around　to　the　seven…mile　post　on　the　Canal；　and　General　Howard　thence　to　the　sea；　General　Kilpatrick　will　hold　King's　Bridge　until　Fort　McAllister　is　dismantled；　and　the　troops　withdrawn　from　the　south　side　of　the　Ogeechee；　when　he　will　take　post　about　Anderson's　plantation；　on　the　plank…road；　and　picket　all　the　roads　leading　from　the　north　and　west。

5。　　General　Howard　will　keep　a　small　guard　at　Forts　Rosedale；　Beaulieu；　Wimberley；　Thunderbolt；　and　Bonaventnra；　and　he　will　cause　that　shore　and　Skidaway　Island　to　be　examined　very　closely；　with　a　view　to　finding　many　end　convenient　points　for　the　embarkation　of　troops　and　wagons　on　seagoing　vessels。

By　order　of　Major…General　W。　T。　Sherman；

L。　　M。　DAYTON；　Aide…de…Camp。



＇Special　Field　Order　No。　143。＇


HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OE　THE　MISSISSIPPI；　IN　THE　FIELD；　NEAR　SAVANNAH；　GEORGIA；　December　26；　1864。

The　city　of　Savannah　and　surrounding　country　will　be　held　as　a　military　post；　and　adapted　to　future　military　uses；　but；　as　it　contains　a　population　of　some　twenty　thousand　people；　who　must　be　provided　for；　and　as　other　citizens　may　come；　it　in　proper　to　lay　down　certain　general　principles；　that　all　within　its　military　jurisdiction　may　understand　their　relative　duties　and　obligations。

1。　　During　war；　the　military　is　superior　to　civil　authority；　and；　where　interests　clash；　the　civil　must　give　way；　yet；　where　there　is　no　conflict；　every　encouragement　should　be　given　to　well…disposed　and　peaceful　inhabitants　to　resume　their　usual　pursuits。　　Families　should　be　disturbed　as　little　as　possible　in　their　residences；　and　tradesmen　allowed　the　free　use　of　their　shops；　tools；　etc。；　churches；　schools；　and　all　places　of　amusement　and　recreation；　should　be　encouraged；　and　streets　and　roads　made　perfectly　safe　to　persons　in　their　pursuits。　　Passes　should　not　be　exacted　within　the　line　of　outer　pickets；　but　if　any　person　shall　abuse　these　privileges　by　communicating　with　the　enemy；　or　doing　any　act　of　hostility　to　the　Government　of　the　United　Staten；　he　or　she　will　be　punished　with　the　utmost　rigor　of　the　law。　　Commerce　with　the　outer　world　will　be　resumed　to　an　extent　commensurate　with　the　wants　of　the　citizens；　governed　by　the　restrictions　and　rules　of　the　Treasury　Department。

2。　　The　chief　quartermaster　and　commissary　of　the　army　may　give　suitable　employment　to　the　people；　white　and　black；　or　transport　them　to　such　points　as　they　may　choose　where　employment　can　be　had；　and　may　extend　temporary　relief　in　the　way　of　provisions　and　vacant　houses　to　the　worthy　and　needy；　until　such　time　as　they　can　help　themselves。　　They　will　select　first　the　buildings　for　the　necessary　uses　of　the　army；　next；　a　sufficient　number　of　stores；　to　be　turned　over　to　the　Treasury　agent　for　trade…stores。　　All　vacant　store…　houses　or　dwellings；　and　all　buildings　belonging　to　absent　rebels；　will　be　construed　and　used　as　belonging　to　the　United　States；　until　such　time　as　their　titles　can　be　settled　by　the　courts　of　the　United　States。

8。　　The　Mayor　and　City　Council　of　Savannah　will　continue　to　exercise　their　functions；　and　will；　in　concert　with　the　commanding　officer　of　the　post　and　the　chief…quartermaster；　see　that　the　fire…companies　are　kept　in　organization；　the　streets　cleaned　and　lighted；　and　keep　up　a　good　understanding　between　the　citizens　and　soldiers。　　They　will　ascertain　and　report　to　the　chief　commissary　of　subsistence；　as　soon　as　possible；　the　names　and　number　of　worthy　families　that　need　assistance　and　support。　　The　mayor　will　forth　with　give　public　notice　that　the　time　has　come　when　all　must　choose　their　course；　viz。；　remain　within　our　lines；　and　conduct　themselves　as　good　citizens；　or　depart　in　peace。　　He　will　ascertain　the　name