Today in History:

147 Series I Volume XLIV- Serial 92 - Savannah

Page 147 Chapter LVI. THE SAVANNAH CAMPAIGN.

over to the provost-marshal of the division. On the 10th, in advance on the Little Ogeechee, Major Johnson, with the footmen, was directed to advance and deploy his command as skirmishers on the enemy's position, which was effectually developed on the other side of the Little Ogeechee River, the mounted portion acting as flankers. From that date, December 10, to the occupation of Savannah, December 21, the footmen performed duty with the brigade in front of Little Ogeechee River, and the mounted men were occupied in looking for forage for the division, and on the 16th a skirmish with some rebel cavalry at Hinesville, in which one rebel was killed. On the 26th Major Johnson was ordered, by order of general commanding division, to proceed to Fort Boneventure with the footmen of my regiment (four companies) to perform guard duty at that place.

All of which I have the honor to submit.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

HECTOR PERRIN,

Lieutenant-Colonel, commanding.

Lieutenant WILLIAM C. GHOST,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.


No. 43. Reports of Major General Frank P. Blair, Jr., U. S. Army, commanding Seventeenth Army Corps. HEADQUARTERS SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Savannah, Ga., December 31, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of this command during the campaign from Atlanta to this point:

The command started from Atlanta on the 15th of November on the McDonough road, and moved, via McDonough and Jackson, to the Ocmulgee River, at Planters' Factory. We crossed the rive on the night of the 18th of November, and continued our march, via Monticello and Blontsville, to Gordon, on the Georgia Central Railroad, which point we reached on the 22nd of November. On the 23rd of November we continued our march along the railroad to the Oconee River, where the enemy were found in some force on the opposite side. Brigadier General Giles A. Smith's division (the Fourth) was sent to the railroad bridge, and a battalion of the First Alabama Cavalry to the crossing on the Ball's Ferry road. This battalion succeeded in crossing the Oconee River, but on proceeding a short distance on the other side were attacked by a strong force of the enemy. They succeeded in holding their position until their ammunition was expended, when they were obliged to fall back, with the loss of 21 killed and wounded. On the next morning I moved my entire command to the river and found the enemy intrenched at Ball's Ferry crossing. I succeeded in effecting a crossing above the road, and sent over about 200 men during the night. Upon this force striking the road, about daylight the next morning, they found the enemy just retiring from the river. During the day I crossed my entire


Page 147 Chapter LVI. THE SAVANNAH CAMPAIGN.