HEADQUARTERS FIFTH
DIVISION,
Memphis, August 17,
1862.
Major-General GRANT, Corinth:
DEAR SIR: A letter from you of August 4, asking me to write
more freely and fully on all matters of public interest, did not reach me till
yesterday.
I think since the date of that letter you have received from
me official reports and copies of orders telling almost everything of interest
hereabouts; but I will with pleasure take every occasion to advise you of
everything that occurs here.
Your order of arrest of newspaper correspondent is executed,
and he will be sent to Alton by the first opportunity. He sends you by mail
to-day a long appeal and has asked me to stay proceedings till you can be heard
from. I have informed him I would not do so; that persons writing over false
names were always suspected by honorable men, and that all I could hold out to
him was that you might release him if the dishonest editor who had substituted
his newspaper name to the protection of another would place himself in prison
in his place. I regard all these newspaper harpies as spies and think they
could be punished as such.
I have approved the arrest of the captain and seizure of the
steamboat Saline for carrying salt down the river without permit and changing
it off for cotton. I will have the captain tried by a military commission for
aiding and abetting the public enemy by furnishing them salt wherewith to cure
bacon, a contraband article; also for trafficking on the river without license
or permit. I hope the court will adopt my views and stop this nefarious
practice. What use in carrying on war while our people are supplying arms and
the sinews of war? We have succeeded in seizing a good deal of Confederate
clothing, percussion caps, &c., some mails, &c.
At our last regular muster I caused all absentees to be
reported “deserted,” whereby they got no pay; but inasmuch as the order for the
muster for to-morrow, August 18, is universal, I will have the muster to-morrow
and all absent then will be treated as deserters, and I will remit the former
penalties as they are incurred under my orders.
I have sent out several infantry parties, as also cavalry,
and am certain there is nothing but guerrillas between this and Senatobia and
Tallahatchie. All the people are now guerrillas, and they have a perfect
understanding. When a small body gets out they hastily assemble and attack, but
when a large body moves out they scatter and go home.
Colonel Jackson commands at Senatobia, Jeff. Thompson having
been ordered away. Villepigue is at Abbeville Station, 18 miles south of Holly
Springs. They have guards all along the railroad to Grenada and cavalry
everywhere. I think their purpose is to hold us and Curtis here while they mass
against you and Buell or New Orleans. Price has been reported coming here, but
of this we know nothing. If he comes he can and will take care that we know
nothing of it till the last moment. I feel certain that no force save
guerrillas have thus far passed north toward McClernand.
All the people here were on the qui vive for Baton
Rouge and Nashville, but there seems to be a lull in their talk. I find them
much more resigned and less presumptuous than at first. Your orders about
property and mine about "niggers" make them feel that they can be
hurt, and they are about as sensitive about their property as Yankees. I
believe in universal confiscation and colonization. Some Union people have been
expelled from Raleigh. I have taken some of the richest rebels and will compel
them to buy and pay for all the land, horses, cattle, and effects, as well as
damages, and let the Union owner deed the property to one or more of them. This
they don't like at all. I do not exact the oath universally, but assume the
ground that all within our lines are American citizens, and if they do any act
or fail in any duty required of them as such then they can and will be punished
as spies.
Instead of furnishing a permanent provost guard I give
Colonel Anthony two good officers to assist him and change the regiment weekly.
All are in tents and have their transportation ready to move. I am also in
tents. I think 4,000 men could land opposite Helena, march rapidly to Panola,
destroy that bridge, then to Oxford and Abbeville and destroy that, thus making
the Tallahatchie the northern limits of their railroad. Afterward, Grenada,
Jackson, and Meridian must be attacked. Break up absolutely and effectually the
railroad bridges, mills, and everything going to provide their armies and they
must feel it. The maintenance of this vast army must soon reduce their
strength.
The lines of the Mississippi must be under one command. As
it is, Curtis and I are perfectly independent of each other. He was here the
other day. I know him well; he is very jealous of interference and will do
nothing at another's suggestion. If you want him to do anything you must get
Halleck to order it. Fort progresses too slow; 1,300 negroes at work on it. One
installment of guns received; balance expected every hour. Weather heretofore
unbearably hot, but now pretty cool.
Yours, truly,
W. T. SHERMAN,
Major-general.
SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume
17, Part 2 (Serial No. 25), p. 178-9
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