Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/367

 366 Southern Historical Society Papers.

and where every order was so cheerfully and promptly obeyed, and where a small number of men for so long a time successfully resisted the determined and oft-repeated efforts of largely superior attacking forces."

The enemy having been thoroughly beaten back on the 3Oth, and Confederate reinforcements having, during the afternoon of that day and the morning of the ist of December, concentrated at Graham- ville in numbers sufficient to confirm the fruits of the victory and hold the line of the railway, General Smith regarded the necessity as no longer existing for detaining the Georgia State troops " beyond their legal jurisdiction." Accordingly, having asked and obtained permission from Lieutenant-General Hardee to lead his exhausted command back to Georgia, he arrived in Savannah with his troops at ten o'clock on the night of the ist of December. From that time, until the evacuation of the city, this officer and the State forces were posted on the right of the western lines of the city of Savannah where they rendered efficient service and sustained an honorable part prior to, and during the progress of, the siege.

This victory at Honey Hill relieved Savannah from an impend- ing danger which, had it not been averted, would have necessitated its immediate evacuation under the most perilous circumstances maintained the only line of communication by which re -enforcements were expected for the relief of the commercial metropolis of Geor- gia and finally afforded an avenue of retreat when, three weeks afterwards, the garrison, unable longer to cope with the enveloping legions of Sherman, withdrew from the city.

In acknowledgment and commendation of the conduct and ser- vices of General Smith and his command, the Legislature of Geor- gia, on the gth of March, 1865, passed the following complimentary resolution:

"Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives, in Gen- eral Assembly met, that the thanks of the State are due and are hereby tendered to General G. W. Smith, and to the officers and men composing the First Division of Georgia militia, and to the officers and men of the Georgia State Line, for their conspicuous gallantry at Griswoldville in this State; and especially for their un- selfish patriotism in leaving their State and meeting the enemy on the memorable and well fought battlefield at Honey Hill in South Carolina.

" The State with pride records this galiant conduct of her militia,