Savannah daily herald. (Savannah, Ga.) 1865-1866, January 26, 1865, Image 2

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f Hmmrok f! *ily itetaW. ?V? >. W. MASON* AND CO. SAVANNAH, THURSDAY, JAN. 28. l c l*s. YHK €IT2SK*V ISfEETffNG. Additional B.eport. In addition to the resolutions adopted and Ibis meeting yesterday, the following -va* passed, on motion of Hr. Wilbur : ilxolvad, That special copies of the proceedings of this meeting bo forward ed by ills Honor, the Mayor, to the President of the United States; the Presi dent of the Chamber of Commerce, ol the City of New York ; the President of the Produce Exchange, of New York; >o Gen. W. T. Sherman; to Col. Julian Allen, of New York ; to His Honor, the Mayor of the City of Boston ; and the President of tlf<- Board of Trade of Bos ton. * The following were the Committee on Resulutions adopted by His Honor the Mayor: E. P. Woodbridge, Geo. W. Wyley, A. A. Solomons, T. R. Mills, E. Podelford. Judge Knapp, Wm. Hunter, Taut U. Wilder, Isaac Cohen, A. Cham pion, T. J. Walsh, John McMahon and fT. A Crane. While the Committee ou Resolutions were out, the Mayer introduced to the meeting Messrs. Archibald "Baxter, T. h L ithrop and C. H. B ibcock, of New York, W. 11. Briggs, H. <>. Baldwin, and Henry D. Hyde, of Boston. The following was the Mayor's open ing address: Follow Cn;z: vs: For the second dine since the capture of oar city, it has become my duty to summon you to meet together in public assembly. The occasion which brings you togeth er to-dav is one which will ever be rc- m irkulrtc even in the annals of the * last; il w weeks. So pregnant as they have ■jzm by events which makes reports in . history,* and which almost condense a t fife time in a day. S A brief record of the circumstances • Wilder which vve were placed will be necessary for a clearer understanding of our present condition i The capture of SavauuaU on the 21st 1 December, IS<U. produced greater alter ations in our condition than mere i military possession and military gov- 1 Tlio Confederate currency, ■ already inflated to an almost nomi nal value, was still the medium of exchange while Savannah was in the Confederacy, but the moment the United •States regained Savannah Confederate money was literally not worth the paper on which it was printed, and all of us, die City Government, were reduced to a ■lead level of poverty. Cut off from all communication with ■die external world, with no means to purchase prov isions, and no provisions hi purchase, I did not exaggerate your condition in my opening remarks on the •-,dh December. The want of fuel was supplied, ns far is practicable', by the direction ol the noble Geary, and lam happy to state that at the earliest practicable period his successor, Brevet Major General Grover, will take measures to furnish wood to our inhabitants. The statement made at the meeting oi the citizens, and the observation of eye witnesses from tin IS. rth, struck a sympathetic chord in the breasts of many generous citizens of New York and Boston, and recollecting thfc time honored adage, bis dat qui cito d:tt , (he Nvcs doubly who gives quickly.) iu tiie hortest possible time, at the most in v:iement season ot the year, behold the noble steamships winding their v tv Southward, freighted with provisions, accompanied by the committees, whose whole souled philanthropy his been their sole guide. These ships, this ac ceptable freight, these philanthropic gentlemen of the committees ol New York and Boston are here, and it is to give you an opportunity of expressing your heart-felt gratitude that you have met together this day. Ido not envy the man who is not willing to join heartily and sincerely in this expression <>£ feel ing, but Ido not belie ve there is one such within the sound ot my voice. I hope that this uay will prove that the citizens of Jravannah justly appre ciate the generosity ot New iork and Boston, and that tnoy will further show that they look upon tins action ns the Olive Branch of Peace, and that they will meet it on their part by the fairest, frankest acceptance of it as such. Such from what I have seen I believe to be the prevalent sentiment of our people. War stirs up the very foundation of society. We are now in the midst ot jarring elements, but a ray of light is dawning. We may expect that it will lead to a more perfect day, and we must in the meantime endeavor to profit by the words oi St. Paul: Tribulation worketh patience, and patience expe rience and experience hope? Mr. Baxter, Chairman of the deputa tion from New York, was the next speaker. He began by thanking the Mayor and Aldermen for the warm re ception with which he and his associates had been greeted, and for the opportu nity given of addressing them. He could not better improve that than by endeavoring to explain in a word or two the purport and meaning of his mission to Savannah. He. would say first of all that it had no political significance what ever—unless its Umion character could be considered such. He and his asso ciates were not the representatives of any political party or parties at the North, but represented men of all shades of sentiment, who concurred in this de monstration of good will to the citizens oi Savannah. Nor would he have any one believe th«p. this mission of peace was indicative of any change of purpose on the part of the North to put down this rebellion by force of arms as long as any one State, city or individual con tinued in a state of insubordination to the authority of the Government and the laws. Neither was it to be considered as an insidious attempt to coax back or cajole the citizens of tqc South to their allegiance. To ascertain its true import, those now present would have to go back to their own previous meeting ol 28th December last, in which, like sensi ble men looking at their position full in the face, they recognized themselves as once more brought within the pale of the Union and admitting their obliga tions, claimed the advantages under the proclamation of the President. He said their action then, and the reported suffer ing amongst them, had awakened among the citizens of New York those feelings of brotherhood, which through all those years of war had not been destroyed but had only slept. In proof of this he cited tiie resolutions of the New York Cham ber of Commerce, which plainly con nected the Savannah meeting of 23th December with the New York proceed ings of sth .January; and in further con firmation of liis view® he alluded to the tact that when New Orleans, Vicksburg, and other Southern cities, had fallen, there was no movement in the North to relieve the wants of those communities, because mere had been no expression of returning good sense and loyalty from any cne of them. He rejoiced that it had been otherwise here, and he was ready to hear his testimony, when he went North again, to the manner in which this mission had been re ceived by the people ot Savannah. He lurt iier begged his hearers to be lieve, that iu no section of the North with wnil'll he was iamiiiar. was there any thing like hostility or bitterness en tertained towards the people of the South. They regarded them as deluded, misguided and. infatuated in their at tempts to overthrow the Government, but cherished still towards them every fraternal hading, and their earnest purpose was to“!miy by-gones with the past,” as soon as ever the national authority should be restored. In this spirit there fore of love and kindness had the peo ple of New York sent his associates and himself to the people of Savannah : with reciprocal feelings, he could not help thinking, lie had been received and so he hoped that Iron, this uiendly demonstra- tiou from the people of one section to those of another, there might spring results which would in after years be manifest in a greatly increased prosper ity, happiness and concord among those which he hoped would then be. as of old, the citizens of one Republic. The following was the address of Mr. H. O. Briggs, of Boston : Mr. Mayor and Citizens: When we ; were appointed to take charge of the provisions contributed by the citizens of Boston, it was intended that nothing should be added to the letter sent by the General Committee to you, and which was presented upon our arrival. We j believe that a simple act of Christian da- j ties and obligation is better than a series ! of battles. The allusion that you have made to i Mr. Everett in your resolutions awakens : in us peculiar emotions. He was the j friend of the South before the war, and j he has been the rriend, during the last j four years of every loyal citizen of the j Southern States. When Col. Taylor, of j Tennessee, came to Boston, and repre- j sented the sufferings and destitution o, i the people of that section of country, j Mr. Everett engaged in that enterprise i for their relief with all his heart and j raised $70,0<)0, which has been distribu- j ted to those people. When the meeting j was called in Faneuil Hall to take into j consideration the wants of the people [ of Savannah, he left his business, which had engrosssed liis mind, and though not in his usual health, left ins home to engage, with voice and pen, in the enterprise. He j never made a nobler speech than on that occasion, his intellectual features bright ening up as his eloquence stirred the warm hearts of his hearers. But Mr. ; Mayor, we are here to-day simply to j give expression to our good will towards ! our suffering fellow-men, and I hope you j will receive these few words as such. Other interesting addresses were de livered by Messrs. W. H. Baldwin aud Henry D. Hyde, of Boston, and Capt. M. Veale, of Gen. Geary's Staff. Fire Alarms.— The sound of the fire bell yesterday afternoon was occasioned by the burning out of a chimney on Broughton street lane, between Bull and Whitaker streets. The fire about midnight was found to be in an outbuilding on Congress street lane, between Abercorn and Lincoln streets. The building was occupied by negroes. Loss very slight. The troops quartered in Warren square were promptly on the spot with an engine, and the progress of the flames was soon arrested. Thanks. —We are indebted to Brig. Gen. M. S. Littlefield, Lieut. Frank Geise, Assistant Provost Marshal of the Department, Lieut. Hebhard, Provost Marshal at Hilton Head, and Capt. R. I, Getty, of the steamer Plato, for files of New York papers to the 20th, extracts from which appear elsewhere. Change of Post Commissary.—Capt. James Gillette, C. S.. has been relieved at his own solicitation, from his position as Po3t Commissary, to resume his du ties as Division Commissary of the 2d Division 20th Corps. * Capt, Oglesby, C. S., succeeds him as Post Commissary. Savannah, Jan. 25, 1865; Mr. Editor: Sir—During my absence you published f.n article, from one of the New York papers, stating that I had ap plied for and that I had obtained a per mit to ship a cargo of merchandize. The statement is entirely erroneous, and I will be obliged if you will allow me to 1 say that I made uo such application, and further to state that my business at the North had no reference to my private interests. Very respectfully, Francis T. Willis. SAVANNAH’S PATRIOTS IN THE RE VOIi I'TIGX ARYJWAR. Chatham county, of which Savannah is the chief town, was so called in honor of t-lic celebiated Earl of Chatham, who took so decided a part in the Brit isu House of Peers in favor of the strug gling infant Colonics of America. Dur ing the Revolutionary war this county produced some distinguished soldiers’, and has since given to the country a number of men eminent in the Council Chamber, the Senate and the field. Dr. White, in his Statistics of Georgia, make favorable mention of seveal of these. The following instance of cool daring, almost reckless bfa very, shows how de voted!}* the Revolutionary heroes strug gled for their independence. During the siege of Savannah, one of the most extraordinary captures took place, that the annals of warfare ever produced. When General Provost call ed in his detachments, he ordered the commandant at Sunbury. on the Georgia coast, upon evacuating that post, to put the invalids on board the small armed vessels, and to send them by inland nav igation to Savannah under the care of Captain Trench, of the British Regulars. In consequence of head winds, Captain Trench and ids command were detained until some of D’Estaiug’s fleet were in possession of the pass, and he was in duced to sail up the Ogeechee river until he reached a point about 25 miles from the city of Savannah. Having arrived here, lie learned that the passage over land was also blocked up by the allied force, and he therefore made a descent upon the shore, and finally took post, with his party about 15 or 20 miles from Savannah. Colonel John White, of the Georgia State line, having ascertained that Captain Trench's force consisted of til soldiers possessing 130 stand of arms, and that he also had under his charge, in the river Ogeeehec adjacent to his camp, five vessels, four of them fully armed, and one of them mounting 11 guns, and manned by 40 seamen,, formed the resolution of capturing tue detachment. He disclosed his plans to those who were with him. McCall, ia his History of Georgia, says that the party consisted of Col. White, Captains George Melvin and A. E. El helm, a ser geant, and three privates, seven in all. Other historians make no mention of Captain Melville, or of a sergeant, but give the whole praise to White. El holm, and three soldiers, reducing the number to five. White built many watch-fires around the camp, placing them in such, a position, and at such intervals as to induce Captain Trench and his soldiers to believe that he was absolutely sur rounded by a large force. The decep tion was kept up through the night by White and his comrades, marching from fire to fire with the measured tread and the loud challenge of sentinels, now hail ing from the east of the British camp, and then shifting rapidly their position i aud challenging from the extreme west. Nor was this the only stratagem; each, mounted a horse and rode with haste in. diverse directions, imitating the manner of the staff, and giving orders with a loud voice. The delusion was complete. Capt. Trench suffered himself to be com pletely trapped. White carried his dar ing plan forward by dashing boldly and alone, to the camp of the British, aud. demanding a conferrence with Trench. “I am the commander, sir,” he said, u of the American soldiers in your vicinity. If you will surrender at once to my force I will see to it that no injury is done to you or your command. If you I decline to do this, I. must candidly in j form you that the feelings of my troops are highly incensed against you, and I can by no means be responsible for any consequences that may ensue.” Trench thanked him for his humanity, and said despondingly, that it was useless to con tend with late or with the large force tlnuil he saw was around him, aud an nounced his willingness to surrender his vessels, his arms, liis men and himself to Col White. At this instant Capt. El bolm came suddenly dashing up at full soeed. and saluting White, inquired of him where lie should place the artillery.