PULASKI, TENN., January 1, 1865. Maj. Gen. J. M. SCHOFIELD, Columbia: You are authorized to visit your department; but in view of a continuance of active operations the major-general commanding desires that you will be as expeditious as possible. WM. D. WHIPPLE, Brigadier-General. Brigadier-General WHIPPLE, Pulaski: COLUMBIA, January 1, 1865. Your dispatch is received. I do not desire to leave my command in the field, if active operations are to continue. My request was based upon the order of December 29, directing my troops to go into winter camp. If the troops are likely to have three or four weeks' rest, I would like to go to Kentucky. Please inform me what the probabilities are. J. M. SCHOFIELD, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, After orders had been sent you to go to Dalton the rear-admiral telegraphed that the rebels were fortifying Eastport. This caused a suspension of your order. Since that the lieutenant-general has ordered an immediate prosecution of the campaign, and we are waiting to get information of Hood's line of retreat to issue orders for your corps to move. You will then probably go to Eastport. Dana has cut the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, and is pushing for the Cahawba. Roddey has been thrashed out of Decatur and out of sight by General Granger. Please keep sending the weekly report of effective force, it being necessary to provide provisions; also keep me posted with regard to number of animals in Twenty-third Corps. WM. D. WHIPPLE, Brigadier-General. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Maj. Gen. J. M. SCHOFIELD, Columbia, Tenn.: Pulaski, January 1, 1865. The major-general commanding directs that you march the Twentythird Corps, via Mount Pleasant and Waynesborough, to Clifton, on Tennessee River, and there embark for Eastport. Disembark at latter point, and prepare for an early prosecution of the campaign. Inform me when you will be at Clifton and what you wish sent you by steamer besides provisions and forage. WM. D. WHIPPLE, Brigadier-General WHIPPLE, COLUMBIA, TENN., January 1, 1865. Pulaski: I have received your dispatch ordering the Twenty-third Corps to Eastport via Clifton. I will start to-morrow, and expect to reach Clifton by the 7th. My troops will be supplied up to the 10th. I will want at Clifton 60,000 pounds of forage and 22,000 rations per day. J. M. SCHOFIELD, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE OHIO, Governor RICHARD J. OGLESBY, State of Illinois: GOVERNOR: I am anxious to have a few new regiments raised in the Western States for the Twenty-third Army Corps, which will soon be much reduced by the muster-out of old regiments. Our noble State is now honorably represented in the corps, though only by two regiments. I have called the attention of the War Department to the matter, and if my proposition meets with approval there, may I not rely on Illinois for at least three or four of the regiments necessary to enable the Twenty-third Corps to maintain its present prestige to the end of the war? Major Wells, who will hand you this, has already received my recommendation for the command of a regiment, for which he is in all respects well qualified. I am, Governor, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 5. The corps will march to-morrow morning for Clifton, via Mount Pleasant and Waynesborough, in the following order: Third Division; Second Division; First Division. Each division will be followed-first, by its baggage train; second, ammunition train; and third, two sections of supply train (six days' rations of subsistence and forage). The corps train will follow the trains of the last division. The leading division will move habitually at daylight in the morning, and will be followed by the other divisions at convenient marching distance. The divisions may also preserve this distance in encamping, if it be found convenient to do The day's march will be from ten to fifteen miles, according to the character of the road. so. By command of Major-General Schofield: J. A. CAMPBELL, Major and Assistant Adjutant-General. GENERAL ORDERS, No. 1. HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, I. During the temporary absence of the general commanding the division, Col. C. C. Doolittle, commanding First Brigade, as senior officer present, will assume command of the division. II. During the temporary absence of Capt. Theodore Cox, assistant adjutant-general at these headquarters, Lieut. E. E. Tracy, aide-decamp, will, in addition to his other duties, perform those of assistant adjutant-general of the division. He will be obeyed and respected accordingly. By command of Brigadier-General Cox: THEO. COX, Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General. GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DETACH. ARMY OF THE TENN., No. 1. Camp in Field, January 1, 1865. The major-general commanding announces the organization of his staff as follows: Maj. John Hough, U. S. Volunteers, assistant adjutant-general; Maj. J. J. Lyon, Twenty-fourth Missouri Infantry, acting assistant inspector-general; Surg. W. H. Thorne, U. S. Volunteers, medical director; Capt. C. K. Drew, U. S. Volunteers, chiet quartermaster; Capt. George W. Baker, U. S. Volunteers, chief commissary; Capt. Ross Wilkinson, Fifth Minnesota Infantry, aide-de-camp and provost-marshal; Capt. George R. Brown, Ninth Indiana Battery, chief of artillery; Lieut. J. B. Pannes, Seventeenth New York Infantry, acting ordnance officer; Lieut. Hunn Hanson, Fourth Missouri Cavalry, aide-de-camp. A. J. SMITH, HEADQUARTERS DETACHMENT ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, Waynesborough, Tenn., January 1, 1865. Brig. Gen. K. GARRARD, Commanding Second Division: The major-general commanding directs that you move with your command to-morrow morning, January 2, at 8 a. m., promptly; First Division at 9 a. m., in rear of Second Division; Third Division in rear, taking charge of train. Commanding officers of divisions will be held responsible that there is no straggling in their respective commands. Regimental and company officers will march in the rear of their respective commands. By order of Maj. Gen. A. J. Smith: J. HOUGH, Major and Assistant Adjutant-General. (Same to Brig. Gen. J. McArthur, commanding First Division; Col. J. B. Moore, commanding Third Division.) HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Maj. Gen. J. H. WILSON, Commanding Cavalry Corps, Huntsville: Upon receipt of your communication expressing a wish to concentrate the cavalry near Eastport, I immediately dispatched you authorizing you to do so, as in your note you said you would remain in your camp until you heard from me. A dispatch received from Washington yesterday directs me to concentrate my forces on the Tennessee, and be prepared to pursue Hood on receipt of orders. I therefore wish you to concentrate your whole force at Eastport, or vicinity, as soon as you can, and make every preparation for a renewal of the campaign. GEO. H. THOMAS, Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding. Brigadier-General WHIPPLE, HUNTSVILLE, January 1, 1865—7 p. m. Chief of Staff: I arrived here this evening. Find the country eaten out. Must have rations and forage as soon as possible. Please inform me who is to command the town. I would rather be relieved of civil matters. J. H. WILSON, HDQRS. CAVALRY CORPS, MIL. DIV. OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Major-General THOMAS: Your dispatch of 5 p. m. is just received. The suggestions of my communications were based upon [what] I regarded [as] very probable contingencies, but your instructions were so definite that I did not feel at liberty to delay in obeying them. My command is in no condition to make the march you direct; they have for over two weeks ridden over frozen or stony ways, and must have rations and an opportunity to shoe up and refit. Your order, however, is imperative, and I will, therefore, order everything back in the morning, unless authorized to delay. Long and McCook should be directed to march toward Eastport. Please notify Major Beaumont. J. H. WILSON, Brig. Gen. E. M. McCOOK: HUNTSVILLE, January 1, 1865. As soon as your command is in proper condition march, via Columbia, Mount Pleasant, and Waynesborough, with all your transportation to Eastport. J. H. WILSON, No. 1. SPECIAL ORDERS,) HDQRS. SIXTH DIV., CAVALRY CORPS, MILITARY DIV. OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Edgefield, Tenn., January 1, 1865. Col. W. W. Lowe, Fifth Iowa Cavalry, having reported for duty, is hereby assigned to the permanent command of the Second Brigade of this division, and, for the time being, will command all of the dismounted troops of this division heretofore in command of Major Davidson, Fourteenth Illinois Cavalry. Major Davidson, on being relieved, will resume command of his regiment. By command of Brigadier-General Johnson: E. T. WELLS, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS SIXTH DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS, Col. T. J. HARRISON, Commanding Brigade: COLONEL: General Johnson directs me to acknowledge the receipt of your communication* reporting the operations of your brigade on the 25th ultimo, and to communicate to you his sincere commendations and thanks for the gallantry exhibited by your troops upon that occasion. He expresses the opinion, founded both upon your report and his own previous observations of your command in action, that no troops would have pressed the enemy with more vigor, persistence, or success. He returns to you especially his thanks for this success, the credit of which inures, in a measure, to the whole division, and requests that this may be communicated to your troops. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. W. D. WHIPPLE, Pulaski: E. T. WELLS, Assistant Adjutant-General. NASHVILLE, TENN., January 1, 1865. The Thirty-ninth Missouri Regiment, composed of six and twelve months' troops mustered last fall, came in this morning. What orders have you for the regiment? L. H. ROUSSEAU, PULASKI, TENN., January 1, 1865. Maj. Gen. L. H. ROUSSEAU, Commanding District of Tennessee, Nashville, Tenn. : The following order was issued yesterday from these headquarters: SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS,} HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Pulaski, December 31, 1864. IX. In compliance with instructions received from the War Department, the Thirtyninth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, now at Louisville, Ky., will proceed without *See Part I, p. 603. |