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s not complied with）； I have to say that I have hitherto conducted the military operations intrusted to my direction in strict accordance with the rules of civilized warfare； and I should deeply regret the adoption of any course by you that may force me to deviate from them in future。 I have the honor to be； very respectfully； your obedient servant；
W。 J。 HARDEE； Lieutenant…General。
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OE THE MISSISSIPPI； IN THE FIELD； NEAR SAVANNAH； December 18； 1864 8 p。m。
Lieutenant…General U。 S。 GRANT； City Point； Virginia。
GENERAL： I wrote you at length （by Colonel Babcock） on the 16th instant。 As I therein explained my purpose； yesterday I made a demand on General Hardee for the surrender of the city of Savannah； and to…day received his answerrefusing； copies of both letters are herewith inclosed。 You will notice that I claim that my lines are within easy cannon…range of the heart of Savannah； but General Hardee asserts that we are four and a half miles distant。 But I myself have been to the intersection of the Charleston and Georgia Central Railroads； and the three…mile poet is but a few yards beyond； within the line of our pickets。 The enemy has no pickets outside of his fortified line （which is a full quarter of a mile within the three…mile poet）； and I have the evidence of Mr。 R。 R。 Cuyler； President of the Georgia Central Railroad （who was a prisoner in our hands）； that the mile…posts are measured from the Exchange； which is but two squares back from the river。 By to…morrow morning I will have six thirty…pound Parrotts in position； and General Hardee will learn whether I am right or not。 》From the left of our line； which is on the Savannah River； the spires can be plainly seen； but the country is so densely wooded with pine and live…oak； and lies so flat； that we can see nothing from any other portion of our lines。 General Slocum feels confident that he can make a successful assault at one or two points in front of General Davis's （Fourteenth） corps。 All of General Howard's troops （the right wing） lie behind the Little Ogeecbee； and I doubt if it can be passed by troops in the face of an enemy。 Still； we can make strong feints； and if I can get a sufficient number of boats； I shall make a cooperative demonstration up Vernon River or Wassaw Sound。 I should like very much indeed to take Savannah before coming to you； but； as I wrote to you before； I will do nothing rash or hasty； and will embark for the James River as soon as General Easton （who is gone to Port Royal for that purpose） reports to me that he has an approximate number of vessels for the transportation of the contemplated force。 I fear even this will coat more delay than you anticipate； for already the movement of our transports and the gunboats has required more time than I had expected。 We have had dense fogs； there are more mud…banks in the Ogeechee than were reported； and there are no pilots whatever。 Admiral Dahlgren promised to have the channel buoyed and staked； but it is not done yet。 We find only six feet of water up to King's Bridge at low tide； about ten feet up to the rice…mill； and sixteen to Fort McAllister。 All these points may be used by us； and we have a good； strong bridge across Ogeechee at King's； by which our wagons can go to Fort McAllister； to which point I am sending all wagons not absolutely necessary for daily use； the negroes； prisoners of war； sick； etc。； en route for Port Royal。 In relation to Savannah； you will remark that General Hardee refers to his still being in communication with his department。 This language he thought would deceive me； but I am confirmed in the belief that the route to which he refers （the Union Plank…road on the South Carolina shore） is inadequate to feed his army and the people of Savannah； and General Foster assures me that he has his force on that very road； near the head of Broad River； so that cars no longer run between Charleston and Savannah。 We hold this end of the Charleston Railroad； and have destroyed it from the three…mile post back to the bridge （about twelve miles）。 In anticipation of leaving this country； I am continuing the destruction of their railroads； and at this moment have two divisions and the cavalry at work breaking up the Gulf Railroad from the Ogeechee to the Altamaha； so that； even if I do not take Savannah； I will leave it in a bad way。 But I still hope that events will give me time to take Savannah； even if I have to assault with some loss。 I am satisfied that； unless we take it； the gunboats never will； for they can make no impression upon the batteries which guard every approach from the sea。 I have a faint belief that； when Colonel Babcock reaches you； you will delay operations long enough to enable me to succeed here。 With Savannah in our possession； at some future time if not now； we can punish South Carolina as she deserves； and as thousands of the people in Georgia hoped we would do。 I do sincerely believe that the whole United States； North and South； would rejoice to have this army turned loose on South Carolina； to devastate that State in the manner we have done in Georgia； and it world have a direst and immediate bearing on your campaign in Virginia。
I have the honor to be your obedient servant；
W。 T。 SHERMAN； Major…General United States Army。
As soon as the army had reached Savannah； and had opened communication with the fleet； I endeavored to ascertain what had transpired in Tennessee since our departure。 We received our letters and files of newspapers； which contained full accounts of all the events there up to about the 1st of December。 As before described； General Hood had three full corps of infantryS。 D。 Lee's； A。 P。 Stewart's； and Cheatham's； at Florence； Alabamawith Forrest's corps of cavalry； numbering in the aggregate about forty… five thousand men。 General Thomas was in Nashville； Tennessee； quietly engaged in reorganizing his army out of the somewhat broken forces at his disposal。 He had posted his only two regular corps； the Fourth and Twenty…third； under the general command of Major… General J。 M。 Sohofield； at Pulaski； directly in front of Florence； with the three brigades of cavalry （Hatch； Croxton； and Capron）； commanded by Major…General Wilson； watching closely for Hood's initiative。
This force aggregated about thirty thousand men； was therefore inferior to the enemy； and General Schofield was instructed； in case the enemy made a general advance； to fall back slowly toward Nashville； fighting； till he should be reenforced by General Thomas in person。 Hood's movement was probably hurried by reason of my advance into Georgia； for on the 17th his infantry columns marched from Florence in the direction of Waynesboro'； turning； Schofield's position at Pulaski。 The latter at once sent his trains to the rear； and on the 21st fell back to Columbia； Tennessee。 General Hood followed up this movement； skirmished lightly with Schofield at Columbia； began the passage of Duck River； below the town； and Cheatham's corps reached the vicinity of Spring Hill； whither General Schofield had sent General Stanley； with two of his divisions； to cover the movement of his trains。 During the night