HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT
OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis,
February 7, 1862.
Brig. Gen. D.C. BUELL, Louisville:
Your letter of the 5th just received.* I agree with you
entirely. Bowling Green must be given up if we can hold our position. The enemy
will concentrate at Nashville, Clarksville, or Paris, or will attempt to regain
his lost advantage at Fort Henry or Dover—I think the latter. It is all-important
that we hold our position and advance toward Nashville. I fear I may not be
able to do this without more troops. If from the condition of the roads you can
neither threaten nor attack Bowling Green nor follow him to the Cumberland, I
advise the sending of every man not necessary to sustain your line on Green
River down the Ohio, to operate up the Cumberland or Tennessee. If we can hold
Fort Henry and move up these rivers, you will have no further difficulty about
Bowling Green. The enemy must abandon it and fall back. If he moves all his
forces against me on the Tennessee I may not be able to resist him, but will do
everything in my power. I have only 15,000 men at Fort Henry and Dover. I throw
out these suggestions for your consideration. If you can help me still further
I know you will do so.
H. W. HALLECK,
Major-General.
_______________
* See p. 936.
SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume
7 (Serial No. 7), p. 592
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