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 procuriug 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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