Commanding Department of the Ohio, Louisville, Ky.:
GENERAL: I received your letter of the 29th with the map. Have made arrangements to move as light as possible, and hope to get started to-morrow, although with raw troops and raw mules I fear there will be some difficulty. I have but few wagons over and above the regimental wagons. The provisions will have to be hauled with hired teams until Captain Mackay can have time to break in his raw mules, which I fear will delay us much longer than we should be delayed. I have been told that the country we are going to is very poor, and it will be necessary to pass through speedily should we attempt to penetrate to Knoxville. I will therefore submit for your consideration if it would not be a better move for my main force to go down the river (should we succeed with Zollicoffer) as far as Burkesville, take to that place subsistence enough to last us to Nashville, place the subsistence on flat-boats, and march with a light train in two columns, one on each side of the river; the provisions and extra forage being floated down the river in boats under a strong guard.
The enemy being thus threatened on their rear and right, would greatly aid your advance in their front, and should they make a determined stand at Bowling Green, I might with my column cut off their retreat at Gallatin.
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. 524
No comments:
Post a Comment