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474 J- F- Rf'odes Hardee found his position in Savannah untenable and on the night of December 20 evacuated it. Sherman took posession of the city and sent his celebrated dispatch to President Lincoln, who received it opportunely on the evening of Christmas day. " I beg to present to you," the general said, " as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah with i 50 heavy guns and plenty of ammunition and also about 25,000 bales of cotton," James Ford Rhodes.
