To the Citizens of Savannah:
By the fortunes of war we pass today under the authority
of the Federal military forces. The evacuation of Savannah by the Confederate
army, which took place last night, left the gates to the city open, and
General Sherman, with his army will, no doubt, to-day take possession.
The Mayor and Common Counsel leave under a flag of truce
this morning, for the headquarters of Gen. Sherman, to offer the surrender
of the city, and ask terms of capitulation by which private property and
citizens may be respected.
We desire to counsel obedience and all proper respect
on the part of our citizens, and to express the belief that their property
and persons will be respected by our military ruler. The fear expressed
by many that Gen. Sherman will repat the order of expulsion from their
homes which he enforced against the citizens of Atlanta, we think to be
without foundation. He assigned his reason in that case as a military necessity,
it was a question of food. He could not supply his army and the citizens
with food, and he stated that he must have full and sole occupation. But
in our case food can be abundantly supplied for both army and civilians.
We would not be understood as even intimating that we are to be fed at
the cost of the Federal Government, but that food can be easily obtained
in all probability, by all who can afford to pay in the Federal currency.
It behooves all to keep within their homes until Gen.
Sherman shall have organized a provost system and such police as will insure
safety in persons as well as property.
Let our conduct be such as to win the admiration of a
magnanimous foe, and give no ground for complaint or harsh treatment on
the part of him who will for an indefinite period hold possession of our
city.
