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184 North Carotina Troops, 1861-’65.

sheaf rice which was secured in abundance at a near by rice
mill.

Extract from a communication of General Sherman to
Geneneral Grant 16 December:

“T think Hardee, in Savannah, has good artillerists, some
5,000 or 6,000 infantry, and it may be a mongrel mass of
8,000 to 10,000 militia and fragments.”

Extract from General Hardee’s reply to General Sherman’s
demand for the “unconditional surrender of the city” on 17
December:

“Your demand for the surrender of Savannah and its de
pendent forts is refused. With respect to the threats con-
veyed in the closing paragraph of your letter, of what may
be expected in case your demand is not complied with, I have
to say that I have hitherto conducted the military operation
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.”

Extract from communication of General Sherman to Gen-
eral Grant 18 December:

“I wrote you at length by Colonel Babcock on the 16th in-
stant. As I therein explained my purpose, yesterday I made
demand on General Hardee for the surrender of the city of
Savannah, and to-day received his answer Pefasimng. * *):*
I should like very much indeed to take Savannah before
coming to you; but, as I wrote you before, I will do nothing
rash or hasty, and will embark for the James river as soon as
General Easton, who has gone to Port Royal for that purpose,
reports to me that he has an appropriate number of vessels
for the transportation of the contemplated foree. * * *
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 Georgia.”

On 19 December, General McLaws, in whose division the

FirrietH REGIMENT. 185

Fiftieth North Carolina Regiment belonged, received the fol-
lowing communication from General Hardee:

“GENERAL :—Lieutenant-General Hardee directs me to
say that the pontoon is completed, and he desires that you
will see that your wagons containing cooking utensils and
baggage are sent over and on to Hardeeville at daylight in the
morning. Respectfully, General,

“Your obedient servant,
“DSi Poor:
“Assistant Adjutant General.”

About 10 o’clock on the night of 19 December, the writer
received instruction to report at once to General McLaws at
his headquarters at the Telfair House. On reaching there I
was informed that all arrangements had been made for the
withdrawal of our troops from the lines during the night, and
received instructions to report promptly at 12 o’clock to take
charge of the wagon train of our command, proceed at once
to the city, break open the cars in which our baggage was
stored and secure all important papers, ete., but not at-
tempt to carry out any private baggage. Shortly after day
of the 20th, this work had been accomplished and we com-
menced to cross the bridge. As we were the first to cross we
succeeded without accident or the loss of a single team, but
the other commands did not fare so well. The loose planks
forming the floor were constantly slipping down to the low
places, causing great gaps in the floor, at which the mules
would take fright and shying to either side, would get on
to the projecting planks and topple over into the river. Sev-
eral teams were lost in this way. After we crossed the
Swamp and struck the road across ‘the rice field we were in
full view of the enemy, who had occupied the South Carolina
side of the river for the purpose of cutting off our only line of
retreat. General Wheeler had been instructed by General
Hardee to keep this line open at any cost, and on the day be-
fore had been reinforced with troops and artillery for this
purpose. A fierce fight was raging at the time between the
two contending forces, each bent on the possession of the road,
which was of vital importance to us. We had a splendid