, and make
its inhabitants feel that war and individual ruin are synonymous
terms. To pursue Hood is folly, for he can twist and turn like a
fox and wear out any army in pursuit. To continue to occupy long
lines of railroads simply exposes our small detachments to be picked
up in detail, and forces me to make countermarches to protect lines
of communication. I know I am right in this, and shall proceed to
its maturity. As to detail, I propose to take General Howard and
his army, General Schofield and his, and two of your corps, viz.,
Generals Davis and Slocum. . . . I will send General Stanley, with
the Fourth Corps, across by Will's Valley and Caperton's to Stevenson
to report to you. . . . I want you to retain command in Tennessee,
and before starting I will give you delegated authority over
Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, etc., whereby there will be unity
of action behind me. I will want you to hold Chattanooga and
Decatur in force, and on the occasion of my departure, of which
you shall have ample notice, to watch Hood close. I think he will
follow me, at least with his cavalry, in which event I want you to
push south from Decatur and the head of the Tennessee for Columbus,
Miss., and Selma, not absolutely to reach those points, but to
divert or pursue according to the state of facts. If, however,
Hood turns on you, you must act defensively on the line of the
Tennessee. . . . I do not fear that the Southern army will again
make a lodgment on the Mississippi. . . . The only hope of a Southern
success is in the remote regions difficult of access. We have now
a good entering wedge, and should drive it home. . . ."

"Sherman to Grant.
"Gaylesville, Ala., October 22, 1864.
"I feel perfectly master of the situation here. I still hold
Atlanta and the road, with all bridges and vital points well guarded,
and I have in hand an army before which Hood has retreated
precipitately down the valley of the Coosa. It is hard to divine
his future plans; but by abandoning Georgia, and taking position
with his rear to Selma, he threatens the road from Chattanooga to
Atlanta, and may move to Tennessee by Decatur. He cannot cross
the Tennessee except at Muscle Shoals, for all other points are
patrolled by our gunboats. I am now perfecting arrangements to
put into Tennessee a force able to hold the line of the Tennessee
whilst I break up the railroad in front of Dalton, including the
city of Atlanta, and push into Georg