HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, December
18, 1864. (Via Hilton Head.)
Maj. Gen. W. T.
SHERMAN,
Savannah:
My DEAR GENERAL:
Yours of the 13th, by Major Anderson, is just received. I congratulate you on
your splendid success, and shall very soon expect to hear of the crowning work
of your new campaign in the capture of Savannah. Your march will stand out
prominently as the great one of this great war. When Savannah falls, then for
another raid south through the center of the Confederacy. But I will not
anticipate. General Grant is expected here this morning, and will probably
write you his own views. I do not learn from your letter or from Major Anderson
that you are in want of anything which we have not provided at Hilton Head.
Thinking it possible that you might want more field artillery, I had prepared
several batteries, but the great difficulty of foraging horses on the coast
will prevent our sending any unless you actually need them. The hay crop this
year is short, and the Quartermaster's Department has great difficulty in
procuring a supply for our animals. General Thomas has defeated Hood near
Nashville, and it is hoped that he will completely crush his army.
Breckinridge, at last accounts, was trying to form a junction near
Murfreesborough; but as Thomas is between them Breckinridge must either retreat
or be defeated. General Rosecrans made very bad work of it in Missouri,
allowing Price with a small force to overrun the State and destroy millions of
property. Orders have been issued for all officers and detachments having three
months or more to serve to rejoin your army via Savannah; those having less
than three months to serve will be retained by General Thomas. Should you
capture Charleston, I hope that by some accident the place may be destroyed,
and if a little salt should be sown upon its site it may prevent the growth of
future crops of nullification and secession.
Yours, truly,
H. W. HALLECK,
Major-General and Chief of Staff.
SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume
44 (Serial No. 92), p. 741
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