FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128  
129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   >>   >|  
xpect to find me at the Yazoo River, if not inside of Vicksburg. I confess, at that moment I did not dream that General McClernand, or anybody else, was scheming for the mere honor of capturing Vicksburg. We knew at the time that General Butler had been reenforced by General Banks at New Orleans, and the latter was supposed to be working his way up-stream from New Orleans, while we were working down. That day General Grant dispatched to General Halleck, in Washington, as follows: OXFORD, December 8, 1862. Major-General H. W. HALLECK, Washington, D. C.: General Sherman will command the expedition down the Mississippi. He will have a force of about forty thousand men; will land above Vicksburg (up the Yazoo, if practicable), and out the Mississippi Central road and the road running east from Vicksburg, where they cross Black River. I will cooperate from here, my movements depending on those of the enemy. With the large cavalry force now at my command, I will be able to have them show themselves at different points on the Tallahatchie and Yalabusha; and, when an opportunity occurs, make a real attack. After cutting the two roads, General Sherman's movements to secure the end desired will necessarily be left to his judgment. I will occupy this road to Coffeeville. U. S. GRANT, Major-General. I was shown this dispatch before it was sent, and afterward the general drew up for me the following letter of instructions in his own handwriting, which I now possess: HEADQUARTERS THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE, OXFORD, Mississippi, December 8, 1862. Major-General W. T. SHERMAN, commanding Right Wing Army In the Field, present. GENERAL: You will proceed with as little delay as practicable to Memphis, Tennessee, taking with you one division of your present command. On your arrival at Memphis you will assume command of all the troops there, and that portion of General Curtis's forces at present east of the Mississippi River, and organize them into brigades and divisions in your own way. As soon as possible move with them down the river to the vicinity of Vicksburg, and, with the cooperation of the gunboat fleet under command of Flag-Officer Porter, proceed to the reduction of that place in such manner as circumstances and your own judgment may dictate. The amount of rations, forage, land transportation, etc., necessary to take, will be left entirely to yourself. The quartermast
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128  
129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
General
 

command

 

Vicksburg

 

Mississippi

 

present

 
Washington
 
December
 

OXFORD

 
movements
 

proceed


practicable

 

Memphis

 
Sherman
 

working

 
judgment
 

Orleans

 
dispatch
 
general
 

afterward

 

GENERAL


instructions

 

commanding

 

SHERMAN

 

TENNESSEE

 

DEPARTMENT

 

handwriting

 

possess

 

HEADQUARTERS

 

THIRTEENTH

 

letter


Curtis

 
manner
 

circumstances

 

reduction

 

Porter

 
Officer
 

dictate

 
quartermast
 

amount

 
rations

forage
 

transportation

 
gunboat
 
cooperation
 

troops

 

portion

 
assume
 

arrival

 
taking
 

division