The siege of Savannah (December 9 – 21, 1864) occurred at the conclusion of the Savannah campaign, when Union armies under the command of Major-General William T. Sherman successfully besieged the Confederate city of Savannah during the American Civil War.
Prelude
Arriving in eastern Georgia, Major-General William T. Sherman discovered that Confederate Lieutenant-General William J. Hardee held fortified Savannah with 15,000 men. A skillful Confederate defense at Honey Hill kept the railroad open to Charleston, South Carolina.
The siege On December 13th, Major-General William T. Sherman stormed Fort McAllister at the mouth of the Ogeechee River, 15 miles from Savannah. On the 16th, the Confederate forces were strengthened by the arrival of Brigadier-General Ferguson's brigade of dismounted cavalry. Then, establishing communications with the Union naval forces under the command of Rear-Admiral John A. Dahlgren, Sherman began an investment of the city. With his lines of communication about to be cut, Hardee evacuated Savannah on the night of the 20th of December, and Sherman moved in on December 21st, presenting the city in a shipborne and telegraph message as a "Christmas gift" to United States President Abraham Lincoln.
References
Further reading
External links
Battle of Savannah at EBSCO Evacuation of Savannah at the Historical Marker Database Fall of Savannah at C-SPAN