GAYLESVILLE, ALABAMA, October 27, 1864. 10 a.m.
Major General H. W. HALLECK, Chief of Staff:
I have sent the Fourth Corps, General Stanley, back to Stevenson. This corps is about 15,000 strong. I will also send all the men not suited to our long march, but they will answer for defending posts. These, with what General Thomas has, will enable him to hold Tennessee, and in a few days I hope to be all ready to carry into effect my original plan. No doubt Hood has gone off toward the west, about Decatur, and may attempt and succeed in crossing the Tennessee, although that river is high and patrolled by gun-boats. If he attacks fortified places he will soon cripple his army, so that Thomas can dispose of him. I will await a few days to hear what head he makes about Decatur, and may yet turn to Tennessee. It would be a great pity to take a step backward. I think it would be better even to let him ravage the State of Tennessee, provided he does not gobble up too many of our troops. General Thomas is well alive to the occasion, and better suited to the emergency that any man I have. He should be strengthened as much as possible, as the successful defense of Tennessee should not be left to chance.
W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General
GAYLESVILLE, ALABAMA, October 27, 1864. 4 p m.
Major General H. W. HALLECK, Chief of Staff:
General Canby telegraphs me from New Orleans, under date of October 18, that he had an intercepted dispatch from Jeff. Davis to Kirby Smith, ordering him to cross the Mississippi with his troops. General Canby says he has 8,000 troops afloat, and thinks he can prevent the crossing, which he thinks will be attempted about Gaines’ Landing. What reason have you to know that the Texas and Arkansas troops have rebelled against this order, as stated in your dispatch to General Thomas?
General Wilson is now well down toward Jacksonville with a Division of cavalry, but all indications are that Hood has gone over toward Decatur. I have sent the Fourth Corps to General Thomas in Tennessee, and think he will have troops enough to prevent Hood getting into Tennessee. I still adhere to my belief that the true way is to keep the offensive all the time, and am pushing my preparations for the march through Georgia.
W. T SHERMAN, Major-General.
SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS
HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF THE MISSISSIPPI, In the Field, Gaylesville, Ala., Numbers 107. October 27, 1864.
I. Pursuant to instructions of the War Department by telegraph, under date of October 23, Major Chambliss is recognized as the inspector of cavalry for the Military Division of the Mississippi, and Brigadier General R. W. Johnson is relieved from that duty.
II. Brigadier-General Johnson will report to Major General George H. Thomas, commanding
Department of the Cumberland, for assignment to other duty.
By order of Major General W. T. Sherman:
L. M. DAYTON, Aide-de-Camp.
I have orders to move all headquarters from Atlanta to Chattanooga:
Make arrangements for the removal of the headquarters and offices to Chattanooga as soon as possible. Notify the different officers of the staff and direct them to have their packing done so as to move without any delay. Captain Kellogg will be in Atlanta Saturday evening to move the mess arrangements. He has full directions for this.
HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, In the Field, Gaylesville, Alabama, October 27, 1864.
General JEFF. C. DAVIS, Commanding Fourteenth Corps:
GENERAL: Make all your dispositions to march toward Rome by the new bridge at the mill within the next there days.
I am, &c.,
W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General, Commanding
General WILSON From the CAVALRY CORPS, Terrapin creek,
A prisoner detached as a scout from one of Wheeler’s regiments near Gadsden says Hood marched from that place, the first corps at 4 a. m., the second at daylight, and third at noon last Saturday. They had speech making all the night before in which everybody was informed that they were going to Gunter’s Landing; ‘ clothing, &c., were issued. Citizens confirm this story. I have sent a regiment up the east bank of the creek with instructions to go to Ladiga and beyond. Another to go through Godhen and Cross Plains, and as far toward Jacksonville as possible, to bring in every man, horse, or mule they can find, and to ascertain positively what is at Blue Mountain. Wheeler was at Gadsden on Monday, and had two Divisions at Turkeytown when Garrard was there on Tuesday. Jackson seems to be yet between here and the railroad.
HDQRS. MILTIARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, In the Field, Gaylesville, Ala., October 27, 1864.
General O. O. HOWARD, Commanding Army of the Tennessee:
Make all your dispositions to move within the next three days by Cedar Bluff to the vicinity of Rome, in the direction of Vann’s Valley.
I am, &c.,
W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General, Commanding
Thomas Writes:
Your dispatch of 9 a. m. yesterday received. I dispatched you last night that the enemy had appeared in force before Decatur and drove in General Granger’s pickets. I have ordered him to defend Decatur to the last extremity, and have also ordered the gun-boats to patrol the river from Bridgeport to Decatur as well as they are able. I have also a small force at Whitesburg with artillery, and at Claysville. Have only been able to send Granger three new regiments, the others being necessary to replace guards for block- houses on the railroad to Chattanooga and Pulaski. I have urged forward the new regiments as rapidly as possible, but as yet there are eight regiments behind. Granger believes that Hood’s army is near Decatur for the purpose of crossing the Tennessee. I would like to get the Fourth Corps as soon as you can spare it.
Received your dispatch of 8 p. m. yesterday. have sent orders to meet Stanley, by courier. Granger reports enemy developing large force before Decatur but has made no attack as yet, nor had he approached the river either above or below Decatur as yet. Croxton reports no stir opposite him. I am constantly promised re- enforcements from Missouri and have requested they be sent to Eastport. If they reach there in four days Beauregard can hardly invade Tennessee.
GAYLESVILLE, ALABAMA, October 27, 1864. 7 a. m.
Major-General THOMAS:
Your dispatches of the 25th and 26th received. The Fourth Corps is already marching for Chattanooga. I have no doubt Hood has gone over abut Florence.
W. T . SHERMAN, Major-General.
HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, In the Field, October 27, 1864.
General SCHOFIELD: Commanding Army of the Ohio:
Make all your dispositions to move your army toward Rome within the next three days, to group about Vann’s Valley.
I am, &c.,
W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General.
Schofield Writes from Cedar Bluff, Alabama:
I respectfully request that in the organization and assignment of the new troops this winter, a full Division may be assigned to the Twenty-Third Corps, although it may not be able to serve with the corps during the present campaign. As you are aware, I have but two Divisions in the field, the First Division having been broken up. These two Divisions comprise thirty-one regiments, fourth of which are to be sent to the rear now, as their term of service expires Early this winter, leaving twenty-seven regiments (about 8,000 men) with which to commence the winter campaign. Seventeen of these regiments are to be mustered out next spring and summer from February to September, which will leave only three veteran and seven new regiments (ten in all) in the field. The aggregate strength of these then regiments is now 3,500 men. The winter campaign will probably reduce it to 2,500, which will be the effective strength of the Army of the Ohio. of course, when this result is reached the Army of the Ohio and the Twenty-Third corps must disappear, what little is left of the latter being absorbed by some other corps. This is the result which I have so long foreseen, and of which I have spoken to you on several occasions, when you have been so kind as to assure me that you would prevent its accomplishment. I would not refer to this subject again but for the fact that this is manifestly the last opportunity that can probably occur for filling up the corps so as to preserve its identity. I desire to make no requests that can in any degree embarrass you in your operations, and shall cheerfully and cordially acquiesce in whatever arrangement you may deem for the best interests of the service. I desire simply that you be fully apprised of the facts, and my apology for saying this much is the natural feeling, which I cannot suppress, at seeing my command rapidly approaching what appears to be inevitable dissolution.
I take care of business before I leave:
HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, In the Field, Gaylesville, Ala., October 27, 1864.
Honorable E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:
Captain Bachtell, chief of the signal corps, serving with this army, has asked my candid opinion of the services of that corps during the period of my command in this army. I have watched their operations closely, and willingly admit their zeal, and any expression that may have escaped me to the prejudice of that corps resulted from accidents of nature, such as fog, intervening forests, &c., that impeded them when I was over anxious for news. But in several instances this corps has transmitted orders and brought me information of the greatest importance that could not have reached me in any other way. I will instance one most remarkable case. When the enemy had cut our wires and actually made a lodgement on our railroad about Big Shanty, the signal officers on Vining’s Hill, Kenesaw, and Allatoona sent my orders to General Corse at Rome, whereby General Corse was enabled to reach Allatoona just in time to defend it. Had it not been for the services of this corps on that occasion I am satisfied we should have lost the garrison at Allatoona and a most valuable depository of provisions there, which was worth to us and the country more than the aggregate expense of the whole signal corps for one year. I am, therefore, willing to bear my testimony to the great utility of this corps, as well as the marked zeal which has always characterized their personal behavior. During this campaign several of their officers have lost their lives in the front rank.
I am, with respect,
W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General, Commanding
HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, In the Field, Gaylesville, Ala., October 27, 1864.
Honorable E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:
Heretofore I have invariably, since the war has been in progress, refused to recommend officers to promotion as generals, unless each had filled the position in actual battle and demonstrated by an absolute test his fitness. This rule is probably over severe; exceptions do occur; officers hold positions of influence, importance, and of absolute necessity which might debar them from attaining what all honorable and good officers seek to attain, high rank, unless promotion be open to them as well as the officers in the actual command of troops. A case is now before me: Brigadier General W. F. Barry, an officer of rare merit, of high professional skill and experience, and of undoubted ability, has held and still holds near me the office of chief of artillery, which is wrongfully construed a staff position. He actually supervises all the artillery of this army, and were it concentrated it would make an actual of necessity the artillery is distributed to posts, armies, Divisions, and brigades, so that at no one time is such a thing possible as a Division of artillery; yet we must confess that it is a out important arm of service, absolutely necessary to an army, and its officers should have the incentives of promotion held out as far as possible. For these reasons I beg to make an exception to my general rule and hereby recommend that Brigadier General W. F. Barry be brevetted major-general for gallant and meritorious services in the campaign of Atlanta, to date September 1, 1864, the date of the fall of that city.
I am, with great respect, your obedient servant,
W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General, Commanding
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