General John Bell Hood to General Braxton Bragg, September 22, 1864

PALMETTO, September 22, 1864.

General BRAGG:

I shall, unless Sherman moves south, so soon as I can collect supplies, cross the Chattahoochee River, and form lines of battle near Powder Springs. This will prevent him from using the Dalton railroad and force him to drive me off or move south, when I shall fall upon his rear. I make this move, as Sherman is weaker now than he will be in future, and I as strong as I can expect to be. Would it not be well to move a part of the important machinery [from] Macon to the east of the Oconee River, and do the same at Augusta to the east side [of the] Savannah? If done, it will be important to make the transfer so as not to interfere with the supplies for the armies.

 J. B. HOOD,

General.

SOURCES: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 39, Part 2 (Serial No. 78), p. 862; John Bell Hood, Advance and Retreat, p. 252-3

Major General William T. Sherman to Ellen Ewing Sherman, July 29, 1864

IN THE FIELD, NEAR ATLANTA,

July 29, 1864.

Since crossing Chattahoochee I have been too busy to write. We have had three pretty hard battles. The enemy attacked my centre as we were fairly across the Peachtree Creek, and got badly beaten. Next as we closed in on Atlanta he struck our extreme left and the fighting was desperate. He drove back a part of the left, but the men fought hard and when night closed our losses amounted to 3,500 and we found nearly 3,000 dead rebels. Making the usual allowance the enemy must have sustained a loss of 10,000. Yesterday I shifted the Army of the Tennessee to my extreme right and in getting into position it was again attacked and repulsed the attack. The fight was mostly with the 15th Corps. Logan commanded it. McPherson's death was a great loss to me. I depended much on him. In casting about for a successor I proposed Howard who is a man of mind and intellect. He is very honest, sincere and moral even to piety, but brave, having lost an arm already. But he was a junior Major General to Hooker who took offense and has gone away. I don't regret it; he is envious, imperious and braggart. Self prevailed with him and knowing him intimately I honestly preferred Howard. Yesterday's work justified my choice, for Howard's disposition and manner elicited the shouts of my old corps, and he at once stepped into the shoes of McPherson and myself. I have now Thomas, Schofield and Howard, all tried and approved soldiers. We are gradually drawing our lines close up to Atlanta, fortifying our front against the bold sallies, and I now have all the cavalry out against the roads between Atlanta and Macon. I am glad I beat Johnston, for he had the most exalted reputation with our old army as a strategist. Hood¹ is a new man and a fighter and must be watched closer, as he is reckless of the lives of his men. It is wonderful with what faith they adhere to the belief that they whip us on all occasions though we have them now almost penned up in Atlanta. If no reinforcements come I think I will cut them off from all communication with the rest of the confederacy. . . .

__________

¹ On July 18 Sherman had learned that Hood had superseded Johnston in command of the Confederate forces in Atlanta.

SOURCES: M. A. DeWolfe Howe, Editor, Home Letters of General Sherman, p. 303-4.  A full copy of this letter can be found in the William T Sherman Family papers (SHR), University of Notre Dame Archives (UNDA), Notre Dame, IN 46556, Folder CSHR 2/16

Maj. General William T. Sherman to Ellen Ewing Sherman, July 9th, 1864

IN THE FIELD NEAR CHATTAHOOCHEE,

July 9th, 1864.

. . . We are now on the Chattahoochee in plain view of the City of Atlanta 9 miles off. The enemy and the Chattahoochee lie between us, and intense heat prevails; but I think I shall succeed. At all events you know I never turn back. I see by the papers that too much stress was laid on the repulse of June 27th. I was forced to make the effort and it should have succeeded; but the officers and men have been so used to my avoiding excessive danger and forcing back the enemy by strategy that they hate to assault; but to assault is sometimes necessary for its effect on the enemy. Had this assault succeeded I would have then fought Johnston with the advantage on my side instead of his having all the benefit of forts, ground, creeks, etc. As it was I did not give him rest but forced him across the Chattahoochee, which was the first great object. I have already got Schofield and Garrard across the river and therefore can cross the army when I choose. . . . The army is very large and extends from Roswell factory at the north around to Sandtown, but my centre is directly in front of Atlanta. I will have to manœuver some hereabouts to drive the enemy and to gain time to accumulate stores by rail to enable me to operate beyond reach of the railroad. Thus far our supplies have been ample and the country is high, mountainous, with splendid water and considerable forage in the nature of fields of growing wheat, oats and com, but we sweep across it leaving it as bare as a desert. The people all flee before us. The task of feeding this vast host is a more difficult one than to fight. . . .

SOURCES: M. A. DeWolfe Howe, Editor, Home Letters of General Sherman, p. 300-1.  A full copy of this letter can be found in the William T Sherman Family papers (SHR), University of Notre Dame Archives (UNDA), Notre Dame, IN 46556, Folder CSHR 2/16