Memorable Christmas gifts and "thank you" notes of the American Civil War

General Sherman to President Lincoln
(Telegram offering Savannah, Georgia as a Christmas present)
—transcription of above—

December 22, 1864 Dec 25— Dec. 25, 1864.

Savannah Ga Dec 22. 1864
Via Ft. Monroe Va Dec 25.

I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the City of Savannah with 150 heavy guns & plenty of ammunition & also about 25.000 bales of cotton.

W. T. Sherman
Major Genl