Decr 26, 1864

A despondent Christmas has just passed, yet people contrived to eat hearty and good Christmas dinners. The soldiers unfortunately have not even meat, & have had none for several days. The Commissary General has signally failed in his duties. While there is plent of food in Georgia there is none here. There is no sufficient excuse for this. The food must be brought here & and the means to do so provided and organized.

Savannah was evacuated on Wednesday ot Thursday, all the armament & much material lost. My officer telegraphs that he saved nothing but his arms & ammunition. I presume our prisoners were lost. It is denouement to such laborious preparations. For nearly four years has it been prepared for a defence which lasted about four days, The key to the situation Fort McAllister seems to have been taken by surprise thus establishing communication with the fleet of the enemy. The Yankees claim the capture of sixty pieces of artillery from Hood & I fear it is but too true. I hope to hear however that he has escaped with 20,000 men, as the nucleus for a new army.

Josiah Gorgas Richmond, Virginia