HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT
OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Louisville, Ky.,
November 6, 1861.
General L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General:
SIR: General McClellan telegraphs me to report to him daily
the situation of affairs here.
The country is so large that it is impossible to give clear
and definite views. Our enemies have a terrible advantage in the fact that in
our midst, in our camps, and along our avenues of travel they have active
partisans, farmers and business men, who seemingly pursue their usual calling,
but are, in fact, spies. They report all our movements and strength, while we
can procure information only by circuitous and unreliable means. I inclose you
the copy of an intercepted letter, which is but the type of others.* Many men
from every part of the State are now enrolled under Buckner, have gone to him,
while ours have to be raised in the neighborhood, and cannot be called together
except at long notice. These volunteers are being organized under the laws of
the State, and the 10th of November is fixed as the time for consolidating them
into companies and regiments. Many of them are armed by the United States as
Home Guards, and many of them by General Anderson and myself, because of the
necessity of being armed to guard their camps against internal enemies. Should
we be overwhelmed, these would scatter and their arms and clothing will go to
the enemy, furnishing the very material they so much need.
We should have here a very large force, sufficient to give
confidence to the Union men of the ability to do what should be done—possess
ourselves of all the State; but all see we are brought to a stand-still, and
this produces doubt and alarm. With our present force it would be simple
madness to cross Green River, and yet hesitation may be as fatal. In like
manner other columns are in peril; not so much in front as rear. The railroad
over which our stores must pass being much exposed, I have the Nashville
Railroad guarded by three regiments; yet it is far from being safe, and the
moment actual hostilities commence these roads will be interrupted, and we will
be in a dilemma To meet this in part I have put a cargo of provisions at the
mouth of Salt River, guarded by two regiments. All these detachments weaken the
main force and endanger the whole.
Do not conclude, as before, that I exaggerate the facts.
They are as stated, and the future looks as dark as possible. It would be
better if some more sanguine mind were here, for I am forced to order according
to my convictions.
Yours, truly,
W. T. SHERMAN,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume
4 (Serial No. 4), p. 340-1
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