Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Jefferson Davis to General John Bell Hood, November 7, 1864

RICHMOND, November 7, 1864.
(Via Meridian 11th.)
General J. B. HOOD:

No troops can have been sent by Grant or Sheridan to Nashville. The latter has attempted to re-enforce the former, but Earl's movements prevented it. That fact may assure you as to their condition and purposes. The policy of taking advantage of the separated divisions of Sherman's forces, by attacking him where he cannot reunite his army, is too obvious to have been overlooked by you. I therefore take it for granted that you have not been able to avail yourself of that advantage during his march northward from Atlanta, and hope the opportunity will be offered before he is extensively recruited. If you keep his communications broken he will most probably seek to concentrate for an attack on you. But if, as reported to you, he has sent a large part of his force southward, you may first beat him in detail, and subsequently without serious obstruction or danger to the country in your rear, advance to the Ohio River.

JEFFN. DAVIS.

SOURCES: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 39, Part 3 (Serial No. 79), p. 896; John Bell Hood, Advance and Retreat, p. 273

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