STRAWBERRY PLAINS, TENN., Maj. Gen. GEORGE H. THOMAS, Chattanooga: January 3, 1864. Send forward clothing for this command as fast as it arrives at Chattanooga. If you have clothing on hand that can possibly be spared, send it forward and deduct the same amount from that coming forward for Foster. Troops here are in bad condition for clothing, and before making much advance must be supplied. General S. D. STURGIS, U. S. GRANT, HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, Mossy Creek, January 3, 1864–9 a. m. General Parke's Headquarters, Strawberry Plains: I have withdrawn McCook, forming line on east side of creek, with Foster on left picketing and patrolling road to Dyer's Ford. Wolford covers mouth of Chucky road and to Hagood's Gap. We can hold the above line against a greater force than was against us on 29th. I know of no better line east of the hills, about 1 or 2 miles west of New Market. No indications of an advance by the enemy. Where is our infantry force? W. L. ELLIOTT, Brigadier-General, Commanding. JANUARY 3, 1864. Major-General_SHERIDAN, Second Division, Fourth Army Corps: GENERAL: General Granger did not go to Knoxville. He is at Strawberry Plains, and will meet General Grant there to-day. In haste. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. S. FULLERTON, Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General. General CROOK, COLUMBIA, TENN., January 3, 1864. Commanding Second Cavalry Division, Pulaski : General Logan relieved your troops at Huntsville several days ago. WM. SOOY SMITH, COLUMBIA, TENN., January 3, 1864. Rear-Admiral DAVID D. PORTER, Mound City, Ill. : A portion of my command should have reached Savannah yesterday. A brigade leaves here to-day, and will reach Savannah day after to-morrow. Please let your boats be held there to ferry us over upon our arrival. WM. SOOY SMITH, Brigadier-General, Chief of Cavalry. COLUMBIA, TENN., Captain HUDSON, Aide to General Grant, Paducah, Ky.: A portion of the command should have reached Savannah yesterday. It will be arriving for two or three days. Have ammunition and supplies gone up? WM. SOOY SMITH, Brigadier-General, Chief of Cavalry. Captain RAY, Aide-de-Camp, Nashville: I leave for Savannah this morning. send by escort this morning. COLUMBIA, TENN., Take care of my horse that I WM. SOOY SMITH, Brigadier-General, Chief of Cavalry. COLUMBIA, TENN., Major-General HURLEUT, Commanding Sixteenth Army Corps, Memphis: Part of the cavalry on this side of the river was due at Savannah yesterday. Remainder starts to-day from this point and Pulaski. If too late to operate in West Tennessee we can aid you in Mississippi. Please communicate with me at Savannah by a scout from Corinth immediately. WM. SOOY SMITH, Brig. Gen., Chief of Cavalry, Division of the Mississippi. HEADQUARTERS SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Brigadier-General ELLET, Commanding Fleet: GENERAL: You will immediately come up with your command and cruise between Milliken's Bend and a short distance above Greenville, to keep the river clear of guerrillas, and extend what protection you can to plantations along the bank. It has for certain purposes been found necessary to break up and remove the posts at Milliken's Bend and Goodrich's Landing, and Skipwith's, and the plantation lessees feel that they are left without any protection. You will reassure them as much as possible, and not let them become stampeded unnecessarily. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JAS. B. MCPHERSON, General CROOK, COLUMBIA, TENN., Commanding Second Cavalry Division, Pulaski: The news from West Tennessee indicates that Forrest has escaped into Mississippi. I have delayed my departure, hoping to receive definite intelligence. I start now for Savannah. For fear no rations have gone up the river for us, send 4,000 rations if you can, under escort of one good regiment of cavalry, to Savannah. We have no wagons here, or I would take the rations with us. Continue to collect and fit up your command. I will not order you across the Tennessee unless I see an opportunity to strike an effective blow; but hold yourself in readiness. WM. SOOY SMITH, Brigadier-General, Chief of Cavalry. HDQRS. CAVALRY DIVISION, SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Col. EDWARD PRINCE, Commanding Seventh Illinois Cavalry: COLONEL: You will organize a force of 300 men of your command, with five days' light rations and a full supply of ammunition, to start at daylight on the morning of January 4, and proceed to Somerville, Tenn.; thence scour the country south of the Hatchie with a view of destroying or capturing any armed force which may be in that country. You will give some attention to the country between the Loosahatchie River and the railroad. You will subsist your command on the country as far as is necessary, giving receipts for anything which may be taken. Blanks for this purpose are herewith inclosed, and they will be indorsed not transferable. You will report your whereabouts and progress from time to time by courier to the nearest telegraph station, thence by telegraph to these headquarters. By order of Brig. Gen. B. H. Grierson: S. L. WOODWARD, General FOSTER: HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS, On yesterday a week ago about 100 wagons passed from near Warrensburg in the direction of Warm Springs, accompanied by about a brigade of infantry. About same time a good many passed toward Warm Springs from mouth of Nola Chucky. I have ordered Colonel Palmer with his command to cross the French Broad, and go up that stream as far as may be necessary to gain further information as to the movements of the enemy and his wagon trains. S. D. STURGIS, Brigadier-General. HEADQUARTERS FOURTH ARMY CORPS, Brigadier-General SPEARS, Commanding, Buffalo Creek, East Tennessee: GENERAL: You will cross your command over to the south side of the Holston River as soon as possible, join General Sturgis, and await further orders from department or these headquarters. You will send to Hawkins' Ford all the available flat-boats not required for crossing your own troops as promptly as possible, to report to Major-General Sheridan. Report at once what facilities you have for crossing the river, at what time you will be ready to commence the movement, and about how long a time it will take you to get over. It is important that all our movements should be made with secrecy and dispatch, and that you should have a good supply of ammunition and rations on hand for every emergency. In case you should not be able to cross the river readily in your present vicinity it may be deemed expedient to order you to one of the ferries below, at or near this point. Report soon the means of crossing, the time required, &c., between Hawkins' Ford and your camp, so that all necessary instructions may be given with the least possible delay. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, G. GRANGER, Major-General, Commanding. Brig. Gen. W. D. WHIPPLE, NASHVILLE, January 4, 1864. Assistant Adjutant-General: Two Some days ago three steamers arrived with subsistence stores from Cincinnati for Carthage, under the orders of General Grant. I telegraphed for a naval gun-boat to convoy, and it was sent me. of the steamers went to Carthage and delivered their cargoes; the other steamer is here and two more to arrive, and I want to know what to do with them. I see no use in sending them to Carthage, as there are only 400 men there. Two steamers have also reported from Cincinnati with subsistence for Big South Fork of the Cumberland. Shall I send them forward also? Are these supplies for General Foster's command? I wait your answer. Captain RAY, Aide-de-Camp, Nashville: J. L. DONALDSON. SAVANNAH, TENN., Telegraph General Grant in my name as follows: Forrest having escaped into Mississippi, I am crossing but about 2,000 men from this side the Tennessee, leaving Crook's division to fit up and prepare for the spring campaign. The force I take over, united to the cavalry of West Tennessee, will be ample. I expect to reach Corinth to-morrow. I have 32 guerrilla prisoners. WM. SOOY SMITH, Brigadier-General CROOK, JANUARY 4, 1864. Commanding Second Cavalry Division, Pulaski: I cannot determine definitely what to do with you until I can communicate with the forces in West Tennessee. I will inform you as soon as possible. Meanwhile, act as if you were going to join me. I appreciate your desire to prepare for the spring campaign. Make yourselves as comfortable as you can where you are, even if you do not remain. Colonel DEWEESE, Nashville: WM. SOOY SMITH, CAMP NEAR MOUNT PLEASANT, Yes; send the detachment as soon as you can mount and equip it. Telegraph General Crook at Pulaski. WM. SOOY SMITH, Brigadier-General, Chief of Cavalry. HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Lieut. Col. T. S. BOWERS, Asst. Adjt. Gen., Military Div. of the Miss., Chattanooga: COLONEL: Finding it necessary to send an officer for rolls, blanks, &c., I have concluded to send my chief of staff, Lieutenant-Colonel Hammond, who has been over the country a good deal and knows how affairs stand in the command and along the line of railroad. The road is in good condition to Flint River, where the bridge is approaching completion, and will then be good to Huntsville; from that point to Decatur four bridges must be built (see inclosed dispatch* from Colonel Alexander, commanding brigade at Huntsville). An engineer regiment can do this work with more economy and expedition than by any other mode. The First Regiment Michigan Engineers are now at Bridgeport. The country roads are not in a condition to be used, and our mules are weak, so that wagons cannot do much. Some forage still remains in the country, and this we are bringing in as fast as circumstances will permit. It is, however, in limited quantities in this neighborhood, having been gathered from Stevenson, and, even if we get all, will be insufficient; farther west it is reported more abundant. I could get along very well if the railroad was managed with decency or good will. As things now are the road is almost a hinderance, because I cannot depend on it; two days sometimes pass without a train, and they are often five hours from Stevenson to this place. There is only one locomotive; we should have two by all means; we should also have double the number of cars now in use, but with what there are they could do four times as much if they tried. A few days since a conductor remained at Larkinsville (as reported to me by General J. E. Smith) over twelve * See p. 11. |