chattanooga, Dec. 15, 1862.
My dear Wigfall:
On my return from Murfreesboro' a day or two ago I had the
pleasure to find your letter, and the President. The latter is on a military
tour, and has taken immediate command in this country. Unless he is greatly
mistaken Mr. Seddon has not carried our point and reinforced Pemberton with
Holmes's troops. On the contrary he says that H. has not had orders on
the subject — requests or suggestions instead — which he thinks himself unable
to comply with and therefore will not comply with. Pemberton must be reinforced.
I have no other resource than the troops on this front, and must draw upon
them. This has blown away some tall castles in the air. I have been dreaming of
crushing Grant with Holmes's and Pemberton's troops, sending the former into
Missouri, and with the latter, Bragg and Kirby Smith, marching to the Ohio. Our
troops beyond the Mississippi seem to be living in great tranquillity.
Bragg's troops are in fine condition. Healthy looking and
well clothed. In fine spirits too. I see no evidence of the want of confidence
and dissatisfaction of which we heard so much in Richmond.
A great mistake has been made in the arrangement of my
command. Mississippi and Arkansas should have been united to form it. Not this
state and Mississippi, which are divided by (to us) an impassable river and
impracticable country. The troops in Middle Tennessee could reach
Fredericksburg much sooner than Mississippi. Then Genl. Holmes's communications
depend upon our possession of the Mississippi. It is certainly his business to
at least assist in the maintenance of his communications. The troops in
Arkansas, as having a common object, could be naturally united.
You perhaps see no special object on my part in troubling
you with this, and in truth I have no other than putting my troubles before
one, who has a head to comprehend grand war, and a heart to sympathize with me.
I start, this afternoon, to Pemberton's Army. About 9,000
men are ordered from Bragg's — and I hope to bring back a great many stragglers
who are scattered over the country S. W. of us.
A telegram from the War Department to the President gave us
information of the fighting at Fredericksburg on Saturday. What luck some
people have. Nobody will ever come to attack me in such a place.
Mrs. J. wrote to Mrs. Wigfall a day or two ago. This mild
climate is very favorable to her. She is in excellent health and spirits.
I hope that you have good accounts of Halsey — of his
health, I mean, for professionally there can be no doubt. Present me cordially
to Mrs. Wigfall and the young ladies.
Very truly yours,
J. E. Johnston.
SOURCE: Louise Wigfall Wright, A Southern Girl in
’61, p. 104-6
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