major-general, to date February 1, 1865, the real commencement of our march through South Carolina, but more especially for his gallant on the 19th of March at Bentonville.

I am, with much respect, your obedient servant,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS LEFT WING, ARMY OF GEORGIA,
Goldsborough, N. C., March 30, 1865.

MAJOR: I have the honor of submitting the following report of the operations of the Left Wing of the army from our arrival at Savannah to the present date:

The Second Division of the Twentieth Corps entered Savannah on the morning of December 21, and was encamped in the city doing garrison duty from that date until January 19, when it was relieved by Grover's division of the Nineteenth Corps; General Geary, the division commander, performing the duties of military governor of the city. The duties devolving upon General Geary and his command, during our occupancy of Savannah, were important and of a delicate nature, an were discharged in a most creditable manner. Private property was protected and good order preserved throughout the city. General Geary discharged his duties to the entire satisfaction of the military and civil authorities, and won the confidence and esteem of all who had business connections with him. The Fourteenth Corps and the First and Third Divisions of the Twentieth Corps were encamped north of the city. On the last of December a pontoon bridge was constructed, under charge of Colonel Buell, across the Savannah River, and on the 1st day of January Ward's division moved over to the Carolina side, encamping about six miles from the River, on the Union Causeway.

On the 17th of January Jackson's division crossed the River and, together with Ward's, moved forward to Hardeeville. It was intended the Twentieth Corps should march to Robertsville as soon as the Right Wing commenced the march from Pocotaligo, while the Fourteenth Corps, moving up on the Georgia side of the River, should cross at Sister's Ferry and effect a junction with the Twentieth near Robertsville. An extraordinary freshet occurred before Geary's division could be moved over, which swept away a large portion of the Union Causeway from Savannah to Hardeeville and overflowed all the lowlands bordering the Rcame impossible to communicate with the troops on the Carolina side except by boats. On the 19th Jackson's division moved to Purysburg, from which point both his division and that of General Ward drew their supplies. On the 20th of January the Fourteenth Corps commenced its march for Sister's Ferry, but its progress was slow and difficult. It was followed by Geary's division of the Twentieth Corps and Corse's of the Fifteenth, which had also been prevented by the high water from crossing at Savannah. On the 29th of January the Fourteenth Corps, Geary's division of the Twentieth Corps, Corse's division of the Fifteenth Corps, and Kilpatrick's cavalry were encamped at Sister's Ferry, on the Georgia side of the Savannah River. On the same day the First and Third Divisions of the Twentieth Corps moved to Robertsville, three miles from Sister's Ferry, on the Carolina side of the River. On the morning of the 29th I crossed to the Carolina side and endeavored to open communication with General Williams, commanding the Twentieth Corps, who had accompanied