[6] Taking advantage of the opportunity to test the new 15-inch (380 mm) Dahlgren gun and the armor of the Passaic-class ironclad for the first time, on 27 January Rear Admiral Samuel Francis Du Pont sent Montauk, along with the gunboats Seneca, Wissahickon, Dawn and the mortar schooner C. P. Williams to bombard the Fort.

At Fort McAllister, after seven hours of fire from the monitors during the day, and from the mortar boats through the night, the attack resulted in only minor damage.

[8] After seven unsuccessful engagements over the next year, the US Navy retired to Ossabaw Sound to await the coming of General William Tecumseh Sherman, now on the march and destroying Georgia.

Anderson made the decision to defend the fort after not receiving orders or telegraph communications from General William J. Hardee regarding how he should react to the threat approaching.

[citation needed] To lead the attack, Sherman assigned his best, his old 2nd Division that he led at Shiloh, now commanded by General William Babcock Hazen.

As they stood on the roof of the mill, nervously awaiting the assault to begin, a staff member remarked "George Anderson is in command, General, the flag will never be lowered.

Seeing the stunned and bleeding commander sitting on a wooden crate, Hazen spoke to him, "Major Anderson, my apologies for your rough treatment."

[citation needed] Hazen could see across the marsh to the rice mill where General Sherman watched and waited,[13] anxious for a signal that the fort was theirs.

"[17] Before being confined, Anderson observed a company of Union soldiers marching out of the fort, on a course that would lead them into some buried ordinance that would have detonated under their feet.

This story was fondly remembered years later in a letter from the once-young lieutenant George W. Sylvis of the 47th Ohio, when he wrote to his old adversary.

With McAllister captured, General Sherman's forces were able to link up with the Union Navy delivering much-needed supplies and clearing the way to Savannah.

In a kind gesture of respect, General Hazen also invited Major Anderson to attend the meal, after clearing the request with Sherman.

[citation needed] The discussion was surely lively - during the meal Anderson engaged in a heated exchange with General Sherman about the tactics employed to defend the fort[20] and the bravery of all who fought there.

[23] His older brother, Robert H. Anderson was appointed by two post-Civil War Presidents to serve on the Board of Visitors at West Point, while Police Chief of Savannah for over 20 years.