Savannah, Georgia is located inland from the Atlantic ocean about 15 miles and is bordered on the north by the Savannah River and is considered an important Atlantic seaport. The Savannah River divides Georgia from South Carolina.
Savannah was founded by the arrival of 114 colonists, including James Oglethorpe on February 12, 1733, just one year after the Crown founded the colony of Georgia. Before Oglethorpe’s arrival, features of the towns framework was developed.
They were greeted by the Tomochici, Yamacraw Indians and John and Mary Musgrove, who had a trading post on the Savannah River. Because of the relationship the Musgroves had with the Indians, Savannah was able to flourish unhindered by warfare. Mary
“Savannah’s physical layout was the subject of an elaborate plan by the colony’s founders. The plan consisted of a series of wards build around central squares, with trust lots on the east and west sides of the squares for public buildings and churches, and tithing lots for the colonist’ private homes on the north and south sides.” (Wikipedia)
In 1831, the Savannah-Ogeechee Canal from, Bryan County, connected the Ogeechee River to the Savannah River was completed, which allow rice and cotton to be exported. Savannah amassed an enormous amount of wealth.
Two months after General Sherman and 62,000 men captured the city of Atlanta, they began the march south to Savannah. They lived off of the land and by Sherman’s estimate, caused more that $100 million in property damage in Georgia alone. This harsh tactic was considered “hard war” or “total war” in today’s terms.
Sherman and his troops captured Savannah on December 22, 1864 and telegraphed President Lincoln this message: “I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the City of Savannah, with one hundred and fifty guns and plenty of ammunition, also about twenty-five thousand bales of cotton.”
