SIR: It was my
purpose to have come to headquarters yesterday, but the importance of knowing
the ground in this quarter, so broken and complicated, induced me to continue
what I had begun, and I continued my exploration. Big Black River is so easily
passable at many points that I am forced to extend my lines to watch all, and
the result of my personal observations is contained in an order made last
night, which is now being carried into effect. I found the enemy watching with
cavalry an easy ford at Messinger's house. The family consisting of many women,
whose husbands and brothers were evidently serving an easy purpose of keeping
up communications, so I moved them all by force, leaving a fine house filled
with elegant furniture and costly paintings to the chances of war. Also the
family of Hill, with other war widows, at a place on the Birdsong road, is
removed to a harmless place within our lines. These may appeal to the tender
heart of our commanding general, but he will not reverse my decision when he
knows a family accessible to the enemy—keen scouts—can collect and impart more
information than the most expert spies. Our volunteer pickets and patrols
reveal names and facts in their innocence which, if repeated by these women,
give the key to our points.
As a general thing,
the valley of Big Black River above the bridge has a wide fertile valley on
this side, the hill coming down rather abrupt from the other. The ground slopes
easily and gradually from the ridge, marked on Wilson's map from Oak Ridge,
Neily's, McCall's, Wixon's, and Tiffintown. Innumerable roads and cross-roads
intersect the country, which cannot be obstructed, but which, running on narrow
ridges, with narrow corn-fields, admit of easy defense. It is only by familiarity
with the country, its ugly ravines, its open, narrow ridges all coming to a
common spur, that a comparatively small force can hold in check a large one.
If the enemy crosses
at one point, he must take some days to get over his men and matériel,
and then would have to feel his way, as he knows full well that many of them
have been made impassable to his wagons and artillery. This will give us time
to fall on him or await his attack. Should he cross at several points, our
tactics would be to hold small forces in obstruction at the several points
named in my order, and a heavy force fall on one or other of his detachments.
If the enemy forces us back, Wixon's will be the grand battle-field, or
somewhere on Clear Creek.
I think, unless
General Grant thinks my services more useful elsewhere, I had better remain, as
naturally all look to me for orders. Please ask the general to read the
inclosed order*
carefully, and, if any part is open to objection, to state it, that I may
modify in time. I sent 800 cavalry, under Colonel Bussey, up the Ridge road
toward Mechanicsville, last night, to sweep back by the lower Benton road. They
went to Post Oak Ridge, and have not yet reported.
Yesterday our
pickets skirmished a little at Messinger's. I was there, and did not see more
than 15 or 20 men, on horseback, as curious to watch us as we them. One man,
near Hill's, was shot through the head by a scamp from the bushes, who could
not be found. As usual, my cavalry are not bold, but the infantry go in without
any hesitation.
Not a sound,
syllable, or sign to indicate a purpose of crossing Big Black River toward us,
but I still enjoin on all that our enemy is too wary to give us notice a minute
too soon. Every possible motive exists for them to come to the relief of
Vicksburg, and we should act on that supposition rather than the mere signs of
movements which are known only to Johnston, and will not be revealed, even to
his own troops, till the last moment.
In order that you
may understand any future communication, mark your map as follows: One and a
half miles east of Young's, where the road comes in from Markham, mark Hill's;
1½ miles southeast of Hill's, Jones' plantation; 2 miles below Birdsong Ferry,
Jones' Ford; 1½ miles southeast of Cameron, Messinger's plantation and Ford; 1
mile east of Fox, mark Parson Fox; 3 miles east of Tiffin, on the Bridgeport
road, Brook. All these points may become of note. I still regard the country at
Tiffin, Brant, Cowan, W. Wixon, and Hardaway as the key-points of this region.
I still have my
headquarters by the roadside, in front of Tribbs', where the road forks to
Young's and Markham's.
When this letter is
read, please send it to my adjutant, to be copied in my letter-book, and
returned to you for file.
Assistant Adjutant-General.
* See General
Orders, No. 49, June 29, Part III, p. 449
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