Today in History:

659 Series I Volume XLIV- Serial 92 - Savannah

Page 659 Chapter LVI. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.

SPECIAL HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT AND FIELD ORDERS,
ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, Numbers 189. Eden (Numbers 2), GA., December 8, 1864.

The following will be the movements of this army to-morrow, the 9th instant: First, Major-General Osterhaus, after having broken the Gulf railroad, will cross his First and Second Divisions an the cattle, in charge of Captains Roots and Douglass and Lieutenant Todd, over the Ogeechee, laying his pontoons near the mouth of the canal, at an old ferry, about one mile north of Dillon's Bridge, near Fort Argyle. In case King's Bridge can be save there will be no objection to crossing at that point. Second, Brigadier General J. E. Smith's division will cross the Ogeechee at Jenks' Bridge, and follow the Fourth Division, General Corse commanding, leaving camp at 6 a. m. Third, the Third Brigade, First Division, Fifteenth Corps, Colonel Williamson commanding, will recross the river at Jenks' Bridge at 5 a. m., making all possible haste to clear the bridge for General Smith's division. He will guard the trains of the First and Second Divisions until they reach their respective divisions. Fourth, as soon as the division of General Smith has passed, the bridge will be taken up, and the pontoon train will proceed with the trains of the First and Second Divisions. Fifth, Brigadier-General Corse, commanding Fourth Division, will, at 11 a. m., push forward his division to the intersection of the King's Bridge road with the road on which he is now moving, and there take up a strong position, sending out a force to break the Savannah and Gulf Railroad. Sixth, the Seventeenth Corps, Major-General Blair commanding, will follow the Third Division, Fifteenth Corps, Brigadier-General Smith commanding, keeping on the west bank of the Little Ogeechee, moving at 7 a. m. After reaching the canal, Major-General Blair will reconnoiter, with a view to moving toward Savannah along the tow-path. Seventh, each division commander in the column moving on the east side of the road will be careful to move his troops on the left of his trains, giving the trains the road to facilitate this movement.

By order of Major General O. O. Howard:

SAML. L. TAGGART,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Bryan Court-House, December 8, 1864.

[General O. O. HOWARD:]

GENERAL: I arrived here by 1 p. m. The direct road to Dillon's practicable only for horsemen, and consequently I marched via Court-House (Eden). Both divisions will be here, notwithstanding there are two or three places which will delay the trains some time. Colonel Oliver's brigade is at the river about two miles from here. The bridge was burned when his troops arrived yesterday night. The enemy is in some force on the south bank, and opened to-day with artillery. My cavalry is looking up and down the river for a practicable place to cross. As soon as the parties return I will report again. The pontoons will be up before night, when I will try to cross some men here. The description which I received of the road beyond the Cannouchee is anything but inviting; the only good road seems to be the one from King's


Page 659 Chapter LVI. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.