▁troops ▁and ▁a ▁batt alion ▁of ▁United ▁States ▁Mar ines ▁at ▁Greg orie ▁Point ▁near ▁Y emas see , ▁South ▁Carolina , ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁cut ▁the ▁rail ▁line ▁between ▁Sav ann ah , ▁Georgia , ▁and ▁Char l eston , ▁South ▁Carolina ; ▁they ▁were ▁defeated ▁by ▁a ▁significantly ▁smaller ▁Confeder ate ▁force ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Tul if in ny . ▁ ▁Early ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 5 , ▁Son oma ▁participated ▁in ▁operations ▁of ▁the ▁squad ron ▁clear ing ▁the ▁way ▁for ▁General ▁William ▁T ec um seh ▁Sh erman ▁in ▁his ▁march ▁north ▁from ▁Sav ann ah . ▁On ▁ 9 ▁February ▁ 1 8 6 5 , ▁Son oma , ▁the ▁s loop - of - war ▁, ▁and ▁the ▁side w heel ▁ste amer ▁ ▁engaged ▁Confeder ate ▁batter ies ▁at ▁T og odo ▁Creek , ▁near ▁North ▁Ed isto , ▁South ▁Carolina . ▁Son oma ▁was ▁hit ▁twice ▁in ▁the ▁action , ▁but ▁she ▁sil enced ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁guns . ▁On ▁the ▁same ▁day , ▁Sh erman ▁was ▁march ing ▁on ▁nearby ▁Orange burg , ▁South ▁Carolina , ▁which ▁he ▁took ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁February ▁ 1 8 6 5 . ▁Ass urance ▁of ▁Union ▁naval ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁waters ▁in ▁its ▁path ▁enabled ▁Sh erman ' s ▁army ▁to ▁travel ▁fast ▁and ▁light ▁and ▁helped ▁to ▁short en ▁the ▁war . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 6 ▁and ▁ 1 7 ▁February ▁ 1 8 6 5 , ▁Son oma ▁joined ▁in