Savannah Then and Now
Today is the anniversary, 160 years ago, of William T. Sherman’s famous Christmas gift to President Lincoln:
SAVANNAH, GA., December 22, 1864
(Via Fort Monroe 6.45 p.m. 25th)His Excellency President LINCOLN:
I beg to present you, as a Christmas gift, the city of Savannah, with 150 heavy guns and plenty of ammunition, and also about 25,000 bales of cotton.
W.T. Sherman,
Major General.
Have YOU ever been to Savannah? If so, what special memory do you have from the city? What Civil War-related stuff did you do?
Loved the checkerboard-like squares scattered about the old city. Stopped outside the old Sorrel-Weed House that was in the process of being rehabilitated. Moxley Sorrell was of course Longstreet’s Chief of Staff. The docent was an African American, which I felt both recognized the role of slave labor in it’s- and much of old Savannah’s -construction- as well as how far we’ve come as a society.
We visited the home that General Sherman used as his headquarters in Savannah.
Fort McAllister and The Pirate House.
Did research in the library there about Andersonville prisoners exchanged my ancestor in the 82 d Ohio was captured at Gettysburg and paroled at Savannah’s port to waiting Union ships. Quite a story!
Visited Fort Pulaski, well worth it.
Visited the home General Sherman used as his headquarters and where he hosted his officers with an elaborate Christmas party with wines and liquors from his host’s cellar.
The history museum is awesome, as are the forts
My wife and I had our honeymoon in Savannah, and I’ve been in love with the city ever since! I loved visiting old Ft. Jackson, and the Green-Meldrim House (which Sherman used as his headquarters) is spectacular!
I think my visits can be best described as ‘Strolling through History’. Best done with a guide book in hand, and plenty of time on your hands.
Lots of Civil War stuff and much Antebellum.
A fellow traveller from ‘Southern parts’ said it was a shame the original plan was never completed. I cannot help but agree.
I hope I can get back one day.