Nashville, Feb. 1, 1864.
. . . News from
Knoxville is uninteresting. So says General Foster, commanding there. Scouts of
General Dodge report great commotion among the enemy in front of Chattanooga.
They are moving troops from Dalton south on the Mobile road, either for Mobile
or Meridian. This is consequent no doubt on the movement of Sherman eastward
from Vicksburg and of the cavalry southeast from Memphis, which I mentioned in
previous letters. If we had supplies and the reenlisted regiments were back
from furlough, we could now strike such a blow as it would be impossible for
the enemy to recover from. We are doomed, however, to wait, I fear, till the
enemy recovers from the injuries he received at Chattanooga and becomes once
more a strong man in the fight.
Hundreds fleeing
from conscription are coming into our lines daily; great dissatisfaction exists
because the rebel government is conscripting men who have already sent
substitutes into the army. This is regarded by the people as an act of great
injustice, but what can they do against an organized despotism? Literally
nothing. Should this discontent seriously infect the army, we may hope
something from it, because, as at the recent battle of Chattanooga, they will
not fight with the determination that has characterized them in all the other
battles I have been in or known anything about. . . .
If there is
anything I can do for your friends at Vicksburg, not inconsistent with the good
of the service, I will do it cheer fully. I desire you to say this, not more on
account of their friendship to you than because of their uniform kind treatment
of me and of the general regard shown by them to the military authorities,
whatever may have been their feelings.
General Grant has
not got back from St. Louis yet, but is on his way and will be here, I suppose,
to-morrow evening. I am really anxious for his return, although everything has
gone on smoothly in his absence and the public service has not suffered. Still
here is his place, and when he is about I feel much easier in mind. . . .
SOURCE: James H. Wilson, The Life of John A. Rawlins,
p. 393-4
No comments:
Post a Comment