his department, for his careful record and disposition of prisoners, and for his unremitting attention to the comfort and interest of myself and staff, while acting in his capacity of commandant of headquarters. No department of this army has been better conducted on this campaign than the medical. To Asst. Surg. D. L. Huntington, acting medical director, is due great praise for his diligence and eminent success. To him and to Doctor Duncan, the staff surgeons, the officers and soldiers at headquarters of the army are indebted for all the medical aid they required. Maj. C. H. Howard, senior aide-de-camp, is commended for his diligence, in causing my orders to be executed, in bearing dispatches by perilous and distant routes, and for affording me sympathy and moral support of one who identifies himself completely with the interests of the service. Capt. W. M. Beebe, jr., additional aide-de-camp, receives my thanks for his generous assistance, being over anxious to undergo any risk, or perform a gallant action. Capt. F. W. Gilbreth, aide-de-camp, is always at the post of duty, and has spared no pains to carry my orders promptly, and see them executed. Lieut. E. Blake, staff quartermaster and commissary of subsistence, has shown himself remarkably efficient, and has often received my special thanks. Capt. E. H. Kirlin, chief of scouts, has carefully reconnoitered the country through Capt. William Duncan and the other scouts, and kept me well advised of the movements of the enemy. Lieut. J. A. Sladen has cheerfully aided me, writing at my dictation, bearing dispatches, and keeping important records. My recommendations for the promotion of general and staff officers have already been forwarded and will be found separate in duplicate accompanying this report. The general-in-chief has been enabled, under a Providential care, not to be mistaken to conduct our noble army thus far to results that one year ago seemed scarcely possible of attainment. He has secured our complete confidence, and, therefore, it may not be improper for me to express the faith that it is our mission, under his direction, to give the finishing blow to this hated rebellion.*" Please find accompanying this a statistical record for the campaigns. Respectfully, O. O. HOWARD, Major-General, Commanding. Statistical report of property captured and destroyed, negroes freed, and prisoners captured, by the Army of the Tennessee during the recent campaigns in Northern and Central Georgia, from October 4 to December 31, 1864. * For map accompanying this report, see Plate LXIX, Map 5 of the Atlas. Subsistence captured (viz, breadstuff, beef, sugar, and coffee), at Government cost of ration in Louisville... Command started from Atlanta with head of cattle.. Consumed on the trip... Balance on hand December 18, 1864. Horses captured: By Fifteenth Army Corps By Seventeenth Army Corps Mules captured: By Fifteenth Army Corps Corn: By Fifteenth Army Corps Fodder: By Fifteenth Army Corps Miles of railroad destroyed.. 2 117 119 666 43 49 3, 523 $283, 202 1,000 10,500 11,500 9,000 2,500 369 562 931 786 1, 064 1,850 a Ocmulgee Mills (1,500 spindles) and large amount of cotton cloth burned; value not known. No. 8. Report of Capt. James M. McClintock, U. S. Army, Acting Chief Signal Officer. SIGNAL CORPS, U. S. ARMY, DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, Savannah, Ga., December 24, 1864. COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the detachment under my command during the campaign commencing November 15 and ending in the occupation of Savannah, Ga., December 21, 1864: On the 15th the detachment moved with the army from Atlanta in the following order, viz: With department headquarters, Lieutenant Sampson, acting adjutant; Lieutenant Ware, acting assistant quartermaster, signal detachment, and myself. With Fifteenth Corps, Lieutenants Sherfy, Weirick, Shellabarger, and Adams; and with Seventeenth Corps, Lieutenants Dunlap, Worley, Allen, and Kelly. During the time from the departure from Atlanta till the investment of Savannah no line of communication by signals was established or regular signal duty performed, owing principally to the unfavorable country through which we passed, it being densely wooded and quite level. Yet the detachment rendered valuable service upon the march by scouting, carrying information regarding roads, rivers, ferries, &c. In one instance a detachment, of which Lieutenant Sampson and ten men formed the greater part, was sent out by the general commanding to destroy a bridge on the Gulf railroad, but after proceeding some thirty miles was compelled to abandon the project, having met the enemy in greatly superior numbers. A rocket code was also established by Captain Bachtell, chief signal officer military division, for the purpose of transmitting information from the different corps to the general commanding the grand army, and used when occasion required. On the 10th of December, under orders from the general commanding, I accompanied a party to reconnoiter the country between the Ogeechee Rivers, with a view of opening communication with the fleet, which was supposed to be in the vicinity of Ossabaw Sound, but failed to see anything of our vessels. On the 11th Lieutenant Sampson and myself estab lished a station of observation at a rice mill on the Great Ogeechee two miles and a half north of Fort McAllister. From this point we obtained a good view of the rebel works on the Little Ogeechee, also part of the sound; and to the 13th a strict watch was kept during the day, while rockets were sent up at certain intervals through the night to attract, if possible, the attention of any vessel that might be in the sound near the mouth of the river. The sub-detachments, in charge of Lieutenants Sherfy and Dunlap, also put forth their efforts in a similar manner, but all was apparently of no avail. On the 13th Lieutenant Sherfy and party accompanied the Second Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, Brigadier-General Hazen commanding, which moved across the river and attacked Fort McAllister. Upon arriving near the fort he opened communication with the mill station, and during the engagement several important messages were transmitted. The rice mill being a good posi tion from which to observe the operations at the fort, there were consequently a number of general officers assembled at this point, and among them were Generals Sherman and Howard. About 2 p. m. a vessel was discovered in the sound, which finally moved up the river to within calling distance. We then opened with her, and messages were then exchanged between General Sherman and General Foster and Admiral Dahlgren. After the fall of the fort Lieutenant Sherfy moved his station to it, and again established communication with us. This line, by direction of the general commanding, was to be kept open until further orders. While in communication with Lieutenant Sherfy and the vessel we received great assistance from Lieutenants Ware and Kelly, who had arrived with the general just before the commencement of the fight at the fort. On the 14th Lieutenant Sampson and myself returned to headquarters, leaving Lieutenants Dunlap and Kelly to work the station. On the 17th I received orders from Captain Bachtell to extend the line to General Sherman's headquarters, due north from the fort. Lieutenant Sherfy was placed in charge, and opened it as soon as practicable. Length of line when completed twelve miles, with three intermediate repeating stations. On the 19th Lieutenant Dunlap reconnoitered the country between the fort and King's Bridge, fifteen miles up the river. At that place supplies for the army were to be landed, and communication between the points was necessary for the benefit of the commissary and quarterinaster. On the 20th, having reported favorably regarding the proposed line, he was instructed to open it, but the occupation of the city on the 21st by the Federal forces rendered this line useless. Lieutenant Sherfy, however, was retained, and many important messages transmitted until the evening of the 22d, when, by order of the general commanding, it was broken up and the officers withdrew to their respective detachments. I have the honor to be, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JAMES M. MCCLINTOCK, Captain and Acting Chief Signal Officer. Lieut. Col. W. J. L. NICODEMUS, Commanding Signal Corps, Ú. S. Army, Washington, D. C. No. 9. Report of Lieut. Col. David Remick, Chief Commissary of Subsistence. HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, Near Savannah, Ga., December 18, 1864. GENERAL: I have the honor to make the following report of subsistence for the Army of the Tennessee: We took from Atlanta as follows: Hard bread, 15 days; fresh beef, 10 days; sugar, 15 days; coffee, 25 days; salt, 60 days. It was thirty-four days from the time we left Atlanta until we received stores, which would give the following amount of subsistence taken from the country for 35,000 men: I would respectfully call your attention to the very imperfect coopering of packages containing stores. When they are to be transported over long and rough roads by wagons, the boxes of hard bread should be bound with iron hoops or hickory withes, and sugar should be put in substantial barrels. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, D. REMICK, Lieut. Col. and Chief Com. of Sub. Dept. and Army of the Tenn. Maj. Gen. O, O. HOWARD. No. 10. Report of Asst. Surg. David L. Huntington, U. S. Army, Acting Medical -Director. MEDICAL DIRECTOR'S OFFICE, HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, Savannah, Ga., December 25, 1864. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit a brief report of the operations of the Medical Department of the Army of the Tennessee, during the past campaign, terminating in the occupation of Savannah. Previously to entering upon the campaign such sick and wounded as would not immediately be fit for duty, or who were liable to embarrass the movements of the army, were transferred to the general hospitals at Chattanooga, Nashville, and beyond. The number thus removed was 748, the greater portion of whom were recruits suffering from measles and diseases incident to newly enlisted men. The army has been as well supplied with medical stores as the authorized transportation would allow. No scarcity has been felt, the sick and wounded receiving everything necessary. All preparations being complete, the army left East Point upon the 15th of November, and upon the 21st of December entered the city of Savannah. The average distance marched daily has been ten miles and two-thirds. The sanitary condition of the army has been peculiarly gratifying-the abundance of nutritious food, and particularly of vegetables, the fine weather, good roads, and easy marches, have all proved most salutary to the troops. From an examination of the weekly reports, I find that the average percentage of men unfit for duty from the 15th of November to the week ending December 17 has been scarcely 2 per cent. (in actual figures 1.9), and this including the wounded. During the same period, 32 cases of death from disease have occurred, and 29 men have died from wounds, the greater part of this number dying within three days after the receipt of the injury. On the third day's march one mild case of varioloid was reported. Immediate directions were given to vaccinate all who had been exposed, also all as to whom any doubt existed as to their having been vaccinated. No further case has come to my knowledge. Two cases of fractured thighs were left on the road, it being deemed impracticable to transport them. On the 22d of November, near Macon, the lines held by troops of the First Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, were attacked by the rebels. After gallantly repelling the assault, our loss was found to be 13 killed and 40 wounded. The wounded were transported in ambulances 190 miles, and have done remarkably well, many of the slighter cases having already returned to duty. At the passages of the Oconee and Ogeechee Rivers skirmishing occurred, but with very trifling injury to us. On the 13th of December the troops of the Second Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, assaulted and gallantly carried Fort McAllister, with a loss of 12 killed and 80 wounded. The major part of the casualties occurred from the torpedoes which were placed in and about the works. The wounds thus inflicted were generally of a grave nature. On the 19th of December the hospital transport Cosmopolitan reported, and, in obedience to instructions from the chief medical officer of the military division, I transferred to the hospitals at Beaufort, S. C., 266 cases of sick and wounded. |