On the 10th of December the siege of Savannah commenced.  Sherman then, before proceeding any further with operations for the capture of the place, started with some troops to open communication with our fleet, which he expected to find in the lower harbor or as near by as the forts of the enemy would permit.  In marching to the coast he encountered Fort McAllister, which it was necessary to reduce before the supplies he might find on shipboard could be made available.  Fort McAllister was soon captured by an assault made by General Hazen’s division.  Communication was then established with the fleet.  The capture of Savannah then only occupied a few days, and involved no great loss of life.  The garrison, however, as we shall see, was enabled to escape by crossing the river and moving eastward.

When Sherman had opened communication with the fleet he found there a steamer, which I had forwarded to him, carrying the accumulated mails for his army, also supplies which I supposed he would be in need of.  General J. G. Foster, who commanded all the troops south of North Carolina on the Atlantic sea-board, visited General Sherman before he had opened communication with the fleet, with the view of ascertaining what assistance he could be to him.  Foster returned immediately to his own headquarters at Hilton Head, for the purpose of sending Sherman siege guns, and also if he should find he had them to spare, supplies of clothing, hard bread, etc., thinking that these articles might not be found outside.  The mail on the steamer which I sent down, had been collected by Colonel A. H. Markland of the Post Office Department, who went in charge of it.  On this same vessel I sent an officer of my staff (Lieutenant Dunn) with the following letter to General Sherman: 

CITY POINT, VA., Dec. 3, 1864.

MAJOR-GENERAL W. T. SHERMAN, Commanding Armies near Savannah, Ga.

The little information gleaned from the Southern press, indicating no great obstacle to your progress, I have directed your mails (which had been previously collected at Baltimore by Colonel Markland, Special Agent of the Post Office Department) to be sent as far as the blockading squadron off Savannah, to be forwarded to you as soon as heard from on the coast.

Not liking to rejoice before the victory is assured, I abstain from congratulating you and those under your command, until bottom has been struck.  I have never had a fear, however, for the result.

Since you left Atlanta, no very great progress has been made here.  The enemy has been closely watched though, and prevented from detaching against you.  I think not one man has gone from here, except some twelve or fifteen hundred dismounted cavalry.  Bragg has gone from Wilmington.  I am trying to take advantage of his absence to get possession of that place.  Owing to some preparations Admiral Porter and General Butler are making to blow up Fort Fisher (which, while hoping for the best, I do not believe a particle in), there is a delay in getting this expedition off.  I hope they will be ready to start by the 7th, and that Bragg will not have started back by that time.