The National tribune., 1903-03-19
Moves Off North Upon Tennessee-Sherman
Prepares to Counter by March Through
GEORGIA,

between Chattanooga ana ten. ESnerilliin
was established. Dispatches of Oct. IL
from Hon. Edwin NJ. Stanton, Secretary
of War. and Gen. Grant. COMMANDMENT
Chief of the Armies. to Gen. Sherman had
been entrusted for delivery to Gen.
Thomas. at Nashville. and he in turn en-
trusted them to Gen. Schofield at Chatta-
nGoga. Those dispatches were now dellv-
cred. and were rs follows:
"City Point. Va. Oct. 10. 1864: 800
n. m. Received p. n.y.
"Hon. Edwin NJ. Stanton, Secretary of
War:
son mature reflection. I believe Sher-
mans proposition is the best that can be
adopted. With the long line of railroad
in rear of Atlanta Sherman cannot MAIN
tain his position If he cuts loose. de-
stroying the road from Chattanooga for
ward. he leaves wide and destitute
country to pass over before reaching ter
ritory now held by us. Thomas could re-
tain force enough to meet Hood by giving
ND the road from Nashville to Decatur
and thence to Stevenson, and leave Sher-
man still force enough to meet Hoods
army if it took the other and most likely
course. Such an army as Sherman has
land with such n commander) is hard to
corner or canture.
"U. S. GRANT, Northumberland.
fr "War Department.
"Washington. D. c.. Oct. 13. 1864; $50
p. m. Received 18TH
sAIai.-Gen. Sherman: You will see by
Gen. Grants dispatch that your plans are
approved by him. You may count on the
cooperation of this department to the full
extent of the power of the Government.
Supplies will be forwarded with the ut
most dispatch to the points indicated.
Whatever results. You have the conf
dence and support OF the Government.
..EDwIN NJ. STANTON.
Secretary of War"
These dispatches gave authority for the
great movement which Gen. Sherman had
been urging upon the attention of Zen.
Grant and the War Department. The
subject had been considered nv the Pres-
dent. by the Secretary of War. and by
Gen. Halleck and was submitted to Gen.
Grant for his final action. His decision
rs set forth in his dispatch settled the
question. The only thing now remaining
for Gen. Sherman to do with Hoods
army was to pursue and drive it out OF
reach of his railroad system. This he
prouosed to do.
On the night of the 10th / received an
autograph letter from Gen. Sherman.
foreshadowing his great raid Here is
copy of it:
Headquarters Military Division OF the
Mississippi, in the Field.
'.Ship's Gan. Ga, Oct. 16. 1864.
"Gen Raum: I occupied Ships Gap
to-day. Two corps of THO enemy are rep
resented as at La Fayette and one has
gone down toward Dirt Town. l want
TO get one train up, and as soon as know
where the enemy is, / will follow. l
want all hands to go to work now to re-
pair damages on the road. That south
IAr,n hat
will be pushed with the utmost yigor.
We must finish the road to prepare for
the future. I want TO make raid that
will make the South feel the terrible char
acter of our people.
'W. T. SHERMAN,
"Major-GeneraI, Commanding"
PREPARING FOR THE GREAT MOVEMENT.
On Oct. II Gen Sherman issued his
remarkable order for stripping his army
of all unnecessary baggage. broken-down
teams etc. preliminary to his great move.
Here is the order:
Especial Field Orders, No. %.
rfieadquarters Military Division of the
Mississippi. in the Field.
'Ship's Gap. Ga. Oct. II, 1864.
ST Army commanders will at once
pack their trains at points convenient
to roads leading South. Each army will
make I'D Il Train OIL Tie UlOSI lHutHeTtut
wagons and worthless mules and horses,
ard prepare to send them to Chatta
nnoga. together with the sick and wound
ed, prisoners Of war. surplus servants,
tents, chairs, cots, and the furniture that
now fill our wagons and disgrace the
army-in other words each army will
strip its trains to the best teams, loaded
only with the essentials for long march,
depending on the country for forage and
tail nI Il xr-sm
report at what time of to-day or tonight
he will be ready to send back such train
and hold it at point convenient to
move toward RinggOld, but not dispatch
it until further orders.
''II. Maj.-Gen. Howard will continue
to reconnoiter well forward; also down
along the ridge about as far south as La
Fayette. Gen. Stanley will examine roads
between Dirt Town, and Gen. Cox will do
the same, but the armies will not move
until further orders based on more COM
plete intelligence of the plans and designs
of the enemy.
by order of Maj.-Gen. W. T. Sher-
man:
81. NJ. DAYTON, Aid-de-Camp."
Before starting out on the Atlanta cam
paign Gen. Sherman issued an order for
the reduction of baggage, so as to put
his army in the lightest possible march
ing order. Each regiment was allowed
one wagon, one ambulance, one pack
horse for each company and one tent for
headquarters. Each officer and soldier
was required to carry FIVE days rations.
Gen. Sherman set the example as to equip
ment. He and his staff took no tents;
they had wall-tent flies without poles,
and but little tent furniture.
The arrangements for the personal COM
fort of the Commanding General of the
great army were very meager These Or
ders undoubtedly led TO putting the army
in the field in wonderfully mobile con-
ditiOn, but the Army OF the Tennessee,
10 my knowledge, was used to this. and
this stringent order Of Gen. Sherman made
10 material reduction in its baggage. As
early as the Fall OF 1862 had so reduced
baggage in my regiment (the 18th lid
tsat one wagon was ample to carry the
headquarters and officers baggage. and
this. too, without dispensing with a few
wall-tents. The consequence was that
this order really made no change in the
baggage of the Third Division; it was al
ready down to the minimum and this
order of Oct 16, 1864, for the reduction
Of baggage did not affect my command.
My father had been an officer in the war
of 1872 for three years. He counseled
me when / entered the service that the
great thing TO maintain the health and
strength of officers and men was to have
comfortable place to sleep and whole
some food to eat.
l kept this in view during the whole OF
my military service, and in the handling
of troops never left anything undone to
SaDura fhacn two fhinUc for INV oou,v,,pI