The second Battle of Fort McAllister Bryan County Ga. December 13, 1864

Written by Trent Golden

 Forces Engaged:
2nd Division, XV Corps, Army of the Tennessee [US]
Fort McAllister Garrison (120 men) [CS]

Principal Commanders:
Brigadier General William B. Hazen [US]
Major George W. Anderson [CS]

Sherman's army marched across Georgia after the fall of Atlanta on September 2, 1864 reaching Savannah on December 10, 1864. His army was in dire need of supplies as they had foraged their way across the state with no federal supply line available to it. Admiral John A. Dahlgren's fleet anchored just off the coast had the supplies and six weeks of mail that Sherman so desperately needed. Realizing the only thing between him and the supplies were a few Confederate fortifications around Savannah, Sherman sent his cavalry out to scout Fort McAllister and other nearby fortifications. Upon their return, hearing of Fort McAllister's light defenses, Sherman established a plan for an assault by infantry, from the landward side of the fort. Sherman ordered Maj. Gen. Oliver Otis Howard's Army of the Tennessee to attack the fort and capture it so the army may be resupplied. Howard chose Brig. Gen. William B. Hazen XV Corp to lead the attack.

On December 13, 1864, Hazen's 4,000-man division maneuvered into position forming three brigades commanded by Col. Theodore Jones, Col. Wells S Jones, Col. John M. Oliver and awaited it's signal. Sherman and Howard climbed an observation platform erected on top of an abandoned rice mill across the river at Cheves Plantation. As the Sun began to set a tug-boat from the fleet approached as close as it was safe, and to its captain's question whether the fort had been taken, which reached Sherman just as Hazen's signal to his troops to advance had been given, he answered, " Not yet, but it will be in a minute."

Before the arrival of Sherman, Maj. George W. Anderson [CS] had ordered the river planted with torpedoes, sub-terra shells (landmines) placed along the land face and the ditch be reinforced by palisade and abatis. Hazen's men captured a picket about a mile from the fort, and learned of the position of a line of torpedoes in the road, these were removed, and the advanced brigade under Col. W. S. Jones approached within half a mile of the fort early in the afternoon. The garrison of the fort did not have time to remove the trunks from which the branches for this use had been taken, giving good cover to the skirmish line as it pressed close to the fort, picking off the gunners of the fort preventing effective use of artillery.
In a brief but intense battle of about fifteen minutes Hazen's men crossed the causeway reached the parapet and overwhelmed it's defenders. There was no formal surrender, but officers and men of the Confederate garrison ceased the struggle when they found that they had been overwhelmed.

Estimated Casualties:
US 24 killed 110 wounded
CS 48