COLLEGE HILL, MISS.,
NEAR OXFORD,
Dec. 6, 1862.
Dear Brother:
I left Memphis Wednesday, Nov. 26, with 26 regiments of
Infantry, ten field batteries and one Cavalry regiment. In all about 18,000 men
to cooperate with Grant in attacking the enemy, then lying on the south bank of
the Tallahatchee, 18 miles south of Holly Springs and about 70 from Memphis.
Their strength is estimated from about 40,000 to 50,000 men, under Pemberton,
Price, Van Dorn and others. Grant allowed me 4 days to reach Tehullahoma. In 3
days I was near Tallahoosee, when I communicated with him, and next day reached
Tehullahoma, he advancing to Waterford. Coincident with our movement, an
expedition was planned to move from Helena under Gen. Harvey, to attack or
threaten Grenada, about 60 miles to the rear of the position of the enemy. On
approaching the Tallahatchee we found it abandoned, although its fords,
ferries, and crossing places had been well fortified and obstructed. Grant
moved on the main road south from Holly Springs, and I on his right about 10
miles, reaching the river at an old town called Wyatt. I had brought boats with
me from Memphis, with which we soon crossed our infantry and cavalry regiments,
swimming the horses, and found two long lines of intrenchments about 2 miles
back from the river, where there is a kind of neck. These were, however,
completely abandoned. Sending the Cavalry ahead to co-operate with Grant, then
pressing the rear of the retreating forces, deliberately set to work, built a
good bridge, and the day before yesterday I rode forward to Oxford, where I
found Grant and received his further orders to cross and occupy College Hill, 4
miles to his right.
I have one division, Dunn's, here, and 2 on Hurricane Creek,
to my rear. We have had two days’ hard rain and snow, making the roads very
bad. Indeed, since the building of the railroad, the mud roads, leading north
and south are disused and are washed very badly, the country resembling that
about Somerset, Ohio. We find plenty of corn, fodder, cattle, hogs, sheep,
&c., so that our enemies have not been starving. Salt is scarce, but they
are manufacturing it largely on the coast, and at well about Mobile. By our
movement, we have for the time being cleared North Mississippi. I doubt if we
shall proceed much further on this line, as operations should now proceed
against Vicksburg and Yazoo. I hear nothing from Virginia or Kentucky. We are
far ahead of them, and they should push up. . . .
I suppose you hear little of me. I allow no reporters about.
My official reports go to the proper office, and thus the enemy shall learn
nothing of my forces, plans or purposes, through an egotistical and corrupt
press. . . .
Yours affectionately,
W. T. SHERMAN.
SOURCE: Rachel Sherman Thorndike, Editor, The
Sherman letters: correspondence between General and Senator Sherman from 1837
to 1891, p. 170-1
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