Lieut. General E. Kirby Smith, commanding the Trans-Mississippi Department, was capable of no demonstrations which would compel the recall of the formidable reënforcements which were hastening to the support of General Thomas. Such was the scarcity of troops in Alabama and Mississippi, that Lieut. General Dick Taylor could detach but a handful in aid of Generals Cobb and Smith, who, with the Georgia state forces, were concentrated in the vicinity of Griffin. Lieut. General Hardee could muster forces barely sufficient to constitute respectable garrisons for the fixed batteries on the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina. General Beauregard looked in vain throughout the length and breadth of his extensive military division of the west for the means of effectual resistance, and was disappointed in the amount of assistance which he hoped to realize from the Militia, Home Guards, and Reserves of the respective states embraced within the geographical limits of his command.

By carefully concealing his objective, and, with the heavy masses at command by well conceived feints cloaking his real design, General Sherman readily conjectured that the small army of observation which the Confederates might bring into the field would be so divided in the effort to defend various and important points, widely removed the one from the other, that unity of action would become quite difficult. For the same reason the chances of his encountering anything like formidable resistance, were well nigh dissipated.

At the outset, the cavalry corps of Major General Joseph Wheeler, and the Georgia state forces, under the command of Major Generals Howell Cobb and Gustavus W. Smith, constituted almost the only opposing forces on the Confederate side.

The season of the year selected for the movement was most propitious; just the period of invigorating airs and delightful autumnal suns, of clear skies and bracing frosty mornings, of firm roads, and abounding health. The stock upon the plantations, now in fine condition, could be relied on to supply any lack of transportation.

As, more than three hundred years before, the Spanish Adelantado in his quest of treasure compelled the aid of the Red men of this region to bear the burdens of his command while despoiling the homes and graves of the sons of the forest, in like manner did it enter into the calculation of these modern expeditionists to utilize the negroes found on the plantations adjacent to the lines of march by compelling them to accompany the columns and assist in transporting the booty which was to be ruthlessly collected on every side at the hands of unprotected women, fatherless children, and decrepit old men.

In obedience to a telegram from General Hood, received at Macon on the 12th of October, 1864, Major General Gustavus W. Smith concentrated, as rapidly as possible, all the available forces in that vicinity with a view to an early demonstration against Atlanta, then in possession of the Federals. In the execution of these orders he, in a short time, assembled at Lovejoy's station about twenty-eight hundred infantry, three batteries of Confederate light artillery, and between two and three hundred local reserve cavalry. This infantry belonged principally to the First Division of Georgia militia. His force being inadequate for a direct assault upon Atlanta, as it was then garrisoned, General Hood suggested that General Smith should cross the Chattahoochee and destroy the line of railroad between that river and the Etowah. Upon further consideration this movement being deemed impracticable, General Smith located his command, as a corps of observation, near Atlanta, preventing the enemy from foraging, confining the Federals within their lines, and acting as a support to Brigadier General Iverson who, with two brigades of cavalry, was in his immediate front. Major General Wheeler reached General Smith's headquarters on the night of the 12th of November, and soon after his cavalry corps began to arrive from Alabama.

On the afternoon of the 15th the Confederate cavalry, skirmishing heavily with the advancing columns of the enemy, fell back from Jonesboro to Lovejoys. The same day at dark General Smith commenced moving his command to Griffin where were field fortifications behind which he hoped to be able to check the Federal advance. Ascertaining the next day that large bodies of the enemy had passed through McDonough and were moving along the direct road from Atlanta to Macon, General Smith, at dark, began retiring his troops upon Forsyth. This march of thirty-five miles was accomplished in twenty-four hours. Information having there reached him that the Federal army was crossing to the east bank of the Ocmulgee river, General Smith retreated upon Macon and there turned over his command, with the exception of the Georgia militia and two regiments of the Georgia state line, to Major General Howell Cobb by whom he was assigned to the command of a portion of the lines around Macon on the west bank of the Ocmulgee river.

General Wheeler, commanding the Confederate cavalry, interrupted, to the extent of his ability, the advance of the enemy, and was present at Macon when that city was threatened. The important services rendered by his cavalry command during Sherman's march through Georgia will be subsequently considered when we have the pleasure of presenting his hitherto unpublished Official Report.

Considerable expense had been incurred, and much labor bestowed upon the construction of field-works for the protection of Macon. These fortifications were commenced by Captain M. B. Grant, but were subsequently changed under the directions of Major General M. L. Smith, chief engineer of Hood's army. On the west bank of the river the defensive line was about four miles in length; and, on the east side, about three miles. It consisted of a system of detached works within supporting distance of each other. The intention was to connect them by means of a stockade; but, at the time of Sherman's arrival, these works were incomplete, and the stockade had been scarcely commenced. About thirty guns were in position along the line, and were served by four or five light artillery companies from Hood's army who had lost their horses, and by some local artillerists. The Confederate force in Macon, when the Federals appeared before the city, consisted of about four thousand infantry, including the troops brought by General Smith from Lovejoys, the reserves from Columbus and other points in the state, the local troops, conscripts in camp, convalescents from the hospital, and a small battalion of Confederate troops, some two hundred strong, under the command of Lieut. Col. Nisbet. To these should be added the artillerists above mentioned, and General Wheeler's cavalry then numbering between two and three thousand men.

The Federal demonstration against Macon was very partial, and was easily repulsed. Sherman's army crossed the Ocmulgee above Macon, and this demonstration against the city was made by cavalry, and against the Confederate lines on the east bank of the river, where General Cobb had concentrated his forces in anticipation of an attack. In fact, it was merely a feint, while the Federal columns were moving upon Milledgeville and other points to the south. The casualties were inconsiderable. A few Federal prisoners were captured.

Lieut. Genl. Hardee reached Macon while Sherman was crossing the Ocmulgee above the mouth of the Towaliga. Satisfied that the demonstration against Macon was a feint, and that no further attack would be made, he left for Savannah to urge forward, as rapidly as possible, the defenses of that city. General Dick Taylor arrived just after the departure of General Hardee and, having remained only a day in Macon, joined General Hardee in Savannah.

The enemy having abandoned any serious designs which may have been entertained against the city of Macon, and it being deemed not improbable that the city of Augusta with its valuable powder mill, work shops, foundry, arsenal, and government stores, would attract the notice of Sherman, on the morning of the 21st of November, General Hardee ordered the First brigade, Georgia militia, to proceed with all dispatch along the line of the Central rail road and, moving by rail or otherwise as transportation could be secured, to rendezvous at Augusta at the earliest practicable moment. On the afternoon of the same day Major General Smith was directed to follow with the Second, Third, and Fourth brigades of Georgia militia, the two regiments of the Georgia State line, and Anderson's Confederate Light Battery. The Augusta and Athens battalions of local troops, under Major Cook, were ordered to the same point. Genl. Hardee left Macon for Savannah on the evening of the 21st of November. In his absence, and upon the arrival of Genl. Dick Taylor, the command devolved upon him, as the ranking officer. In pursuance of the foregoing orders Major General Smith, on the morning of the 22d, put his command in motion in the direction of Griswoldville, with instructions to halt there and await further orders. While detained a few hours in Macon in consummating necessary arrangements for the transportation of supplies and ammunition for his command, information was conveyed to General Smith that large bodies of the enemy were still in the vicinity of Macon and occupying positions along the proposed line of his march. An order for the recall of the troops was imperative, and received the sanction of Lieut. General Taylor. That order did not reach them, however, until they were on the eve of an engagement with what was then supposed to be a small force of the enemy. In the language of General Smith's report, “notwithstanding my order to avoid an engagement at that time and place, a collision occurred, we being the attacking party, and though the officers and men behaved with great gallantry, they failed to carry the works of the enemy, but held a position within one hundred and fifty yards of their line until after dark, when they were withdrawn to Macon by my order.” The First brigade was not engaged; having, in execution of orders given by General Hardee, passed Griswoldville prior to the appearance of the Federals. The Athens and Augusta battalions participated in the action. The Confederate loss was a little over six hundred killed and wounded, being more than one fourth of the effective muskets in action. Several of the best field officers of the command were killed or wounded. On this occasion the State and Confederate forces were confronted by Wood's Division of the 15th Army Corps,—General Walcott's brigade with two pieces of artillery, and a regiment of cavalry on either flank, being in advance. The Federals were protected by barricades and temporary works. Another corps of Sherman's army was marching from Clinton in rear of the position occupied by the Confederates, so that their situation was perilous in the extreme. This engagement, while it reflects great credit upon the gallantry of the Confederate and State forces engaged, was unnecessary, unexpected, and utterly unproductive of any good. The battle of Griswoldville will be remembered as an unfortunate accident whose occurrence might have been avoided by the exercise of proper caution and circumspection. It in no wise crippled the movements of the enemy, and entailed upon the Confederates a loss which, under the circumstances, could be illy sustained.

The Federal columns having withdrawn from the vicinity of Macon, and the line of the Central rail road being in their possession, the destination of Genl. Smith's command was changed from Augusta to Savannah. On the 25th of November it was ordered to move by rail to Albany, thence to march across the country to Thomasville, and there take the cars of the Atlantic and Gulf rail road to Savannah.

“We arrived,” says Genl. Smith, “in Thomasville by noon, Monday [the 28th], having marched from Albany, a distance between fifty-five and sixty miles, in fifty-four hours. At Thomasville, instead of finding five trains, the number I had requested to be sent, there were but two, and these could not be started until after dark, and did not arrive here [Savannah] until two o'clock Wednesday morning, occupying twice the time necessary between Thomasville and Savannah, and leaving the 2d, 3d, and 4th brigades at the former place.” Upon his arrival in Savannah, and before he had left the cars, General Smith received a peremptory order from General Hardee requiring him immediately to proceed with his command to Grahamville, South Carolina, to repel an advance of the Federals who, moving up from Broad river, were seeking to cut the line of the Charleston and Savannah rail road. It was absolutely necessary that this communication should be preserved. Upon its security depended the further occupation of Savannah. Over this road must the garrison retreat in the event that it became expedient to evacuate the city. By this route also, were reënforcements expected. General Hardee had no troops which could be detailed for this important service, except two regular Confederate regiments from Charleston, and it was feared that they would arrive too late. Not a moment could be lost, and it was urged upon General Smith that if he would move at once and hold the enemy in check until two o'clock P. M. several thousand troops, en route from North and South Carolina for the reënforcement of the garrison at Savannah, would arrive and ensure the effectual repulse of the Federals. Although the statute organizing the State forces confined their service and operations to the limits of Georgia; although, strictly speaking, there rested upon these troops no legal obligation to move beyond the confines of their own state whose territory they were instructed to defend; although General Smith had a qualified authority from Governor Brown to withdraw the Georgia State forces under his command from Confederate service in case they were ordered beyond the limits of the state, and although both commander and command were “almost broken down by fatigue and want of rest,” realizing that the battle for the salvation of the metropolis of Georgia was on the instant to be fought on Carolina soil, and, after a full conference with the lieutenant general becoming perfectly satisfied that it was right and proper the movement should be made, General Smith issued the requisite orders and, about eight o'clock on Wednesday morning, the 30th of November, arrived at Grahamville, South Carolina, with his leading brigade. The conduct of General Smith and the Georgia State troops in this trying emergency will be always remembered with peculiar pride and in especial honor.

On Tuesday, the 29th of November, a Federal force, under the immediate command of Brigadier General John P. Hatch, consisting of five thousand men of all arms, including a brigade from the navy, proceeded up Broad river to Boyd's Neck, where it landed with the intention of taking possession of and occupying the Charleston and Savannah rail road at Grahamville. This involved a march of only some seven miles. This expedition was conceived in aid of General Sherman who was known to be seeking the coast at some convenient point. By thus severing the communication between Savannah and Charleston, the former city would be completely isolated and Sherman enabled at pleasure, and without hazard, to cross the Savannah river at almost any point below Augusta, and establish communications with Port Royal, then the principal Federal depot on the south Atlantic coast.

When General Hatch effected a landing at Boyd's Neck the only Confederate force on duty at Grahamville was a part of a squadron of the Third South Carolina Cavalry. All available troops in the district had been sent into the interior to oppose General Sherman's advance. Colonel C. J. Colcock, the district commander, was fifty miles away, superintending the erection of field works at the principal crossings of the Savannah river. The Federals having effected a landing at Boyd's Neck at eight o'clock on the morning of the 29th of November, at a remove of only seven miles from the rail road, and there being at the time no Confederate forces in the neighborhood to dispute their advance, had they moved promptly upon Grahamville, the Charleston and Savannah rail road would have passed into their possession without a struggle. During the whole of the 29th they were engaged, however, in intrenching themselves at a point distant half a mile from where they landed, and thus the golden opportunity was suffered to pass unimproved. Colonel Colcock arrived at Grahamville about seven o'clock on the morning of the 30th, and an hour afterwards Major General G. W. Smith, with his leading brigade, was on the ground. Advices were received that the Federal column, marching up the Honey-Hill road, had passed Bolan's church and was then only five miles from Grahamville. The line of breastworks, previously constructed for the use of infantry and field-artillery, being equidistant between Grahamville and the church, it became all important that the advance of the enemy should be retarded in order that the Confederates might occupy those works. With this view Colonel Colcock pushed rapidly forward with a 12 pounder Napoleon gun of Kanapaux's Light Battery, under command of Lieutenant Zealy, and company K, of the Third South Carolina Cavalry, Captain Peeples. He encountered the head of the Federal column on a causeway a mile and a half in front of the breastworks. It was a most favorable position for impeding the enemy's progress. On the left was an impenetrable swamp, and on the right an extensive old field intersected by numerous canals and ditches. Lieut. Zealy's 12 pounder Napoleon was planted so as to command the causeway, and Captain Peeples's company was dismounted and deployed as skirmishers across the old field. The first shell from the Napoleon gun is said to have killed and wounded nine men of the enemy. Upon its discharge the column halted, and, after considerable delay, left the road, marching across the field with a view to flanking the Confederate position. In order to counteract this movement Colonel Colcock ordered his men to set fire to the broom-sedge which was dry, and covered the entire field. A strong wind at the time prevailing and blowing in the direction of the enemy, carried down upon them, with surprising rapidity, a fierce line of flame and smoke before which they precipitately retreated, in their flight abandoning blankets, haversacks, and knapsacks. Reforming in the road, the Federals advanced, Colonel Colcock retiring with his little command and disputing their progress from time to time as opportunity occurred.

Meanwhile General Smith had fully occupied the breast works, and completed his dispositions. To Colonel Colcock, the district commander, was assigned the immediate executive command of the main line.

The engagement commenced about ten o'clock in the morning, and from that time until nearly dark the enemy made continuous but fruitless efforts to carry the Confederate position. The Confederates brought into action five pieces of field artillery and about fourteen hundred effective muskets. There were also three companies and two detachments of the Third South Carolina Regiment of Cavalry, under Major Jenkins. 1 The Confederate line of battle extended from the Honey-Hill road, on which its right rested, in a semicircular form, through an open pine barren, to the Coosawhatchie road.

At a remove of some hundred and fifty yards, directly in front of the Confederate line, and extending almost its entire length, was a low, swampy ground, about twenty yards wide. Upon its appearance about one hundred and twenty yards in front of the field works occupied by the Confederates, and in a curve in the Honey-Hill road, the infantry and artillery immediately opened a murderous fire upon the head of the Federal column, before which it melted away. Thus commenced 1. The following organizations were present on this memorable occasion, and constituted the little Confederate army charged with driving back a Federal force more than three times as numerous. INFANTRY.The 1st Brigade Georgia Militia: Col. Willis.The State Line Brigade. [Georgia] Col. Wilson.The 17th Georgia, Confederate Regiment, Lt. Col. Edwards.The 32d . . . . .“ . . . . .“ . . . . .“ . . . . .Lt. Col. Bacon.The Athens Battalion . . . . .Major Cook.The Augusta . . . . .“ . . . . .Major Jackson. CAVALRY.Companies B and E, and detachments from Company C and the Rebel Troop, all belonging to the 3d Regiment South Carolina Cavalry, under command of Major Jenkins. ARTILLERY.A section of the Beaufort Artillery, Capt. Stuart.“ . . . . .“ . . . . .“ . . . . .De Pass's Light Battery.“ . . . . .“ . . . . .“ . . . . .the Lafayette Artillery.One gun from Kanapaux's Light Battery. the engagement. The Federals were advancing in apparent ignorance of this line of field works, and of the serious opposition which they were destined to encounter. Staggered by this unexpected and destructive fire, the enemy recoiled; and some time elapsed before they deployed in line of battle to the right and left of the Honey-Hill road in front of the Confederate line and just across the swampy ground to which allusion has already been made. This low ground was wooded to an extent sufficient to conceal the movements of the enemy, but not to protect them from the heavy fire of infantry and artillery which crashed through their ranks, causing great destruction and demoralization. So soon as the Federals had formed their line of battle, efforts were made to force the centre of the Confederate line and also to turn its flanks. These attempts were renewed from time to time, but on each occasion resulted in defeat and heavy loss. The Confederate troops in position bravely held their ground, and the gallant Thirty Second Georgia Regiment, which constituted a movable reserve, rendered efficient service in repulsing these attacks, appearing always at the proper point at the most opportune time.

Wearied with and disheartened by these repeated repulses, and perceiving their inability to force our position, the Federals, about four o'clock in the afternoon, slackened their fire, massed their artillery on their left and in the Honey-Hill road to cover their retreat, and commenced retiring. The Confederate left wing was advanced, but his men being greatly exhausted and having been for many hours without food, Genl. Smith did not deem it best to pursue. The retreat of the enemy was effected during the evening and night of the 30th, and the next morning found the remnant of General Hatch's army behind its breastworks near Boyd's landing, covered by the protecting batteries of the Federal gun boats.

The Confederate losses amounted only to four killed and forty wounded. Those of the enemy are stated by General Grant, in his official report, as seven hundred and forty-six in killed, wounded and missing. The Confederate artillery was admirably handled and did great execution. In General Hatch's command were several negro regiments. They suffered severely; and it appeared, upon a subsequent inspection of the field, that they were forced to occupy the most exposed positions. Some Confederate officers, who examined many of their dead bodies, noticed wounds in the back which suggested the impression that some of them at least had been forced into action at the point of the bayonet.

“I have never seen or known of a battle field,” says General Smith in his official report, “upon which there was so little confusion, and where every order was so cheerfully and promptly obeyed, and where a small number of men for so long a time successfully resisted the determined and oft repeated efforts of largely superior attacking forces.”

The enemy having been thoroughly beaten back on the 30th, and Confederate forces having, during the afternoon of that day and the morning of the 1st of December, concentrated at Grahamville in numbers sufficient to confirm the fruits of the victory and repel any new attack, General Smith regarded the necessity as no longer existing for detaining the Georgia state troops “beyond their legal jurisdiction.” Accordingly, having asked and obtained permission from Lieut. General Hardee to lead his exhausted command back to Georgia, General Smith arrived in Savannah with his troops at ten o'clock on the night of the 1st of December. From this time until the evacuation of the city, this officer and the State forces were posted on the right of the western lines of the city of Savannah, where they rendered efficient service and sustained an honorable part prior to and during the progress of the siege.

This victory at Honey-Hill relieved the city of Savannah from an impending danger which, had it not been thus averted, would have necessitated its immediate evacuation under the most perilous circumstances, maintained the only line of communication by which reënforcements were expected for the relief of the commercial metropolis of Georgia, and finally afforded an avenue of convenient retreat when, three weeks afterwards, the garrison, unable longer to cope with the enveloping legions of Sherman, evacuated the city. In acknowledgment of the gallantry, patriotism, and distinguished services of General Smith and his command in this brilliant affair, the Legislature of Georgia on the 9th of March, 1865, passed the following resolutions:

No resistance was offered to General Slocum when he occupied Milledgeville on the 23d of November. The Legislature hastily adjourned upon the approach of his column. The supreme court also adjourned, and the Governor left the capital. The capture of military stores at Milledgeville were unimportant. The State Library suffered severely, and the town was largely pillaged. On the 19th of November, Adjutant General Henry C. Wayne with the corps of Cadets, Pruden's Battery of Light Artillery, Talbott's company of Cavalry, Williams's Militia company, the Factory and Penitentiary Guards and the Roberts's Guards (convicts), aggregating about five hundred men, and under the immediate command of Maj. F. W. Capers, superintendent of the Georgia Military Institute, evacuated Milledgeville and fell back upon Gordon. On the afternoon of the next day this force retreated along the line of the Central rail road and took post at the Oconee bridge, “as the most important point on the Central rail road to be defended.” Upon arrival, Adjutant General Wayne found at the bridge a guard of 186 men, consisting of Heyward's company of South Carolina Cavalry, a section of Maxwell's Light Battery, Lieutenant Huger, and a detail from the 27th Georgia Battalion, all under the command of Major Alfred L. Hartridge who had been ordered by Major General Lafayette McLaws, commanding the district of Georgia, to defend this crossing to the last extremity. Major Hartridge thus details the services rendered in obedience to these instructions.

On Saturday, the 26th of November, the forces concentrated for the defense of the Oconee bridge were withdrawn, and the same day reached number 13 on the line of the Central rail road, where Huger's section of Maxwell's Light Battery was turned over to Maj. General Wheeler. General Wayne having received orders from General Hardee to occupy the rail road bridge across the Ogeechee, started at once with his command for that point, which was reached at one o'clock P. M. the same day.

The enemy having cut the Waynesboro road on the morning of the 27th, General Wayne was directed to fall back upon Millen and fortify that position. While at Millen, in the execution of these orders, he was notified that Kilpatrick's command, some four thousand strong, was moving upon that point. He therefore fell back with his command to number 4 1/2, behind the Little Ogeechee rail road bridge.

On the third of December, at day-break, he was joined by the State line and the First Brigade of Georgia Militia of General Smith's Division, under the command of General Robert Toombs, at the time acting as inspector general of the First Division. At eleven o'clock the same day General Baker arrived with his brigade of North Carolinians. Being advised that the 15th Army Corps, on the other side of the Ogeechee, was moving upon station number 2, Central rail road, and heavy columns of the enemy being in front on the rail road and on the right of the Confederate position, it was deemed best by Genl. Wayne to return at once to number 2. Upon arrival there he was met by Major Black of General Hardee's staff, with instructions to return at once to number 4 1/2 where he would be reënforced. This order was promptly obeyed.

Early in the morning of December 4th, Anderson's and Phillips's brigades of the Georgia militia reported for duty at number 4 1/2. Line of battle was formed behind the Little Ogeechee, with a force of four thousand infantry and three pieces of artillery. General Baker was assigned as executive officer in command of the line. At 1:35 P. M. the advance guard of the 17th Corps appeared on the left, and skirmishing began there and in front of the bridge on the rail road. At 4 P. M. Major General McLaws arrived from Savannah with instructions from General Hardee to assume the command. Having reconnoitered the position and being convinced of the utter inutility of offering resistance at this point, at half past five o'clock General McLaws ordered a withdrawal of the forces, which was done during the night, the troops falling back quietly to number 1 1/2. At 7 P. M. the enemy ceased skirmishing and began entrenching. The next day the State forces and Baker's command resumed their positions in the western lines for the defense of Savannah.

The passage of the Cannouchee by General Osterhaus's column had been vigorously but vainly disputed by Colonel John C. Fizer and his command.

In advance of the Federal approach the prisoners at Andersonville and Millen had been safely removed— much to the chagrin of the invading forces. The Confederate line at Monteith being found impracticable, was evacuated, as has already been indicated in the intelligent communication of Major Hartridge, the officer in command.

As most of the fighting in retardation of Sherman's advance was done by the Confederate cavalry, under Major General Wheeler, we have purposely refrained from alluding to the services rendered by this arm of the service in order that we might avail ourselves of the connected narrative contained in the following report.

This dispatch was directed on the envelop to Genl. Jeff. C. Davis.

Although every effort had been made to concentrate a large force for the defense of Savannah, such was the pressure upon the Confederacy and so great the paucity of troops, that at the inception and during the progress of the siege there were not more than ten thousand men fit for duty within the Confederate lines around that city. Nearly one half of these consisted of reserves and militia, and considerable details were employed in garrisoning the forts and fixed batteries in the Savannah river and along the line of the water approaches. No lack of patriotism existed on the part of the citizens, who responded freely to the following spirited address of their honored mayor.