Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-12-07

General Curtis, commanding the depart
ment of Kansas, who Immediately collect
ed such forces as he could to repel the id
vasion of Kansas, while Gen. Rosecrans'
cavalry was operating in his rear.
The enemy was brought TO battle on
the Big Blue and defeated, with the loss
of nearly all his artillery and trains, and
a large number of prisoners. He made
a p~recipitate retreat to Northern Arkan-
sas. The impunity with which Price was
enabled to roam over the State of Mis-
souri, for a long time, and the incaleulable
mischief done by him, shows to how little
purpose a superior force may be used.
There is no reason why General Rose
Grams should not have concentrated his
forces and beaten and driven Price, be-.
fore the latter reached Pilot Knob.
| sHERMAN's MARCH FROM ATLANTA TO sA-
vANNAH.
General Sherman Immediately after the
fall of Atlanta, put his armies in camp in
and about the place, and made all prepar-
ations for r%eftting and supplying them
for future service. The great length of
road from Atlanta to the Cumberland
river, however, which had to be guarded,
allowed the troops but little rest. During
this time Jefferson Davis made a speech
in Macon, Georgia, which was reported in
the papers of the South, and soon became
known to the whole country, disclosing
the plans of the enemy and thus enabling
General Sherman to meet them. He ex-
hibited the weakness of supposing that an
army that had been beaten and fearfully
decimated in a vain attempt at the defen-
sive could successfully undertake the of
fensive againstthe army that had so often
defeated it. In execution of this plan,
Hood with his army was soon reported
to be southwest of Atlanta, moving far to
Sherman's right. He succeeded In reach
ing the railroad about Big Shanty, and
moved north on it. General Sherman,
| having a force to hold Atlanta, with the
remainder of his army fell upon him and
drove him to Gadsden, Alabama Seeing
the constant annoyance he would have
with the roads to his rear if he attempted
to hold Atlanta, General Sherman pro-
posed the abandonment and destruction of
that place, with all the railroads leading
to it, and telegraphed me as follows:
CENTREvTLLE, Ga, Oct. lS-Noon.-
Despatch about Wilson Just received.
Hood is now crossing CoOsa River, twelve
miles below Rome, bound west. If he
passes over the Mobile and Ohio road, had
l not better execute the plan of my letter,
sent by Colonel Porter, and leave General
Thomas with the troops now in Tennessee
to defend the State. He will have an am
Pile force when the reinforeements or
dered reach Nashville,
(Signed,l w. T. SHERMAN,
Major General.
For a full understanding of the plan re-
ferred to in this despatch, l quote from
the letter sem by Colonel Porter
~ will therefore give my opinion that
your army and General Canby's should
be reinforced to the maximum; that af-
ter you get Wilmington you strike fer
Savannah and the river: that Candy be
instructed to hold the Mississippi river,
and send a force to get Columbus, Geor-
gia, either by the way of the Alabama or
the ApalachicOla, and that ! keep Hood
employed and put my army in fine order
for a march on Augusta, Columbia and
Charleston to be ready. as soon as Viii
mington is sealed as to commerce, and
the city of Savannah is in our possession"
This was in reply to a letter of mine of
date September 18th, in answer to a de-
| spatch of his containing substantially the
same proposition, and in which l informed
him Of a proposed movement against
Wilmington, and of the situation in Viz
ginia, &c.
CITY PoINT, Va, Oct. IL, ls64-l1 A. NJ.
Your despatch of October 10th is re-
ceived. Does it not look as if Hood was
going to attempt the invasion of Middle
Tennessee, using the Mobile & Ohio, and
Memphis Il Charleston Roads to supply
his base on the Tennessee river about
Florence or DECATUR If he does this, he
ought to be met and prevented from get
ting north of the Tennessee river. If you
were to cut loose, 1 do not believe you
would meet Hoods army, but would be
bushwhacked by all the old men,
little boys and such railroad guards
as are still left at home. Hood
would probably strike for Nashville, think
ing that by going north he could inflict
greater damage upon us than we could
upon the rebels by going South. If there
is any way of getting at Hoods army, l
would prefer that but L must trust to
your own judgment. l find 1 shall notbe
able to send a force from here to act with
you on Savannah. Your movements,
therefore, will be independent of mine, at
least until the fall Of Richmond takes place.
l am afraid Thomas, with such lines of
roads as he has to protect, could not pre-
vent Hood from going North. With Viii
son turned loose with all your cavalry, you
will find the rebels put much more on the
defensive than heretofore.
ISignedl U. s. GRANT,
Lieutenant General.
Major General w. T. SHERMAN.
KINGsToN, GA, Oct. I'LL A. NJ.
Hood moved his army from Palmetto
Station across by Dallas and Cedartown,
and is now on the Coosa river, south of
Rome. He threw one corps on my road
at Ackworth, and 1 was forced to follow.
l hold Atlanta with the goth corps, and
have strong detachment along my line.
This reduces my active force to a compar-
atively small army. We cannot remain
here on the defensive with 250,0 900 men,
and with the bold cavalry he has he can
constantly break my roads. l would pre-
fer to make wreck of the road and coun-
try from Chattanooga TO Atlanta, includ-
ing the latter city, send back ali my wound
ed and worthless, and with my efficient
army move through Georgia, smashing
things to the sea. Hood may turn into
Tennessee and Kentucky, but l believe he
will be forced to follow me. Instead of
my being on the defensive | would be on
the offensive. Instead of guessing at what
he means to do, he would have to guess at
my plans. The difference in war is full
twenty-five per cent. j can make Savan-
nah, Charleston, or the mouth of the Chat
ahochie. Answer quick, as L know you
will not have the telegraph long.
[Signedl W. Il. SHERMAN,
Major General.
Lieutenant General GRANT.
CRY POINT, VA, Oct. II, '64-Il:3O p. m.
sYour despatch of to-day has been re-
ceived. If you are satisfied, the trip to
the sea coast can be made, holding the
line of the Tennessee river firmly, you may
make it, destroying all the railroads south
of Dalton or Chattanooga, as you think
best. --V- GRAsF, 1t Gea.
Nv. T. SHERMAN, Maj. zen"
Having concentrated his troops at At
lanta by the l4th of November, General
Sherman commenced his march. Threat
ening both Augusta and Macon, his COM
ing-out point could not be definitely fixed.
Having to gather his subsistence as he
marched through the country, it was not
impossible that a force Inferior to his own
might compel him to head for such point
as he could reach, instead of such as he
might prefer The blindness of the enemy,
however, in ignoring his movements, and
sending Hoods army, the only consider