GeneralHooddidnotmakeaseriousattackonDecatur，buthungarounditfromOctober26thtothe30th，whenhedrewoffandmarchedforapointonthesouthsideoftheTennesseeRiver，oppositeFlorence，wherehewascompelledtoremainnearlyamonth，tocollectthenecessarysuppliesforhiscontemplatedinvasionofTennesseeandKentucky。
TheFourthCorps（Stanley）hadalreadyreachedChattanooga，andhadbeentransportedbyrailtoPulaski，Tennessee;andGeneralThomasorderedGeneralSchofield，withtheTwenty—thirdCorps，toColumbia，Tennessee，aplaceintermediatebetweenHood（thenontheTennesseeRiver，oppositeFlorence）andForrest，oppositeJohnsonville。
Onthe31stofOctoberGeneralCroxton，ofthecavalry，reportedthattheenemyhadcrossedtheTennesseeRiverfourmilesaboveFlorence，andthathehadendeavoredtostophim，butwithoutsuccess。Still，IwasconvincedthatHood’sarmywasinnoconditiontomarchforNashville，andthatagooddealoffurtherdelaymightreasonablybecountedon。IalsorestedwithmuchconfidenceonthefactthattheTennesseeRiverbelowMuscleShoalswasstronglypatrolledbygunboats，andthatthereachoftheriveraboveMuscleShoals，fromDecaturashighupasourrailroadatBridgeport，wasalsoguardedbygunboats，sothatHood，tocrossover，wouldbecompelledtoselectapointinaccessibletothesegunboats。Heactuallydidchoosesuchaplace，attheoldrailroad—piers，fourmilesaboveFlorence，Alabama，whichisbelowMuscleShoalsandaboveColbertShoals。
Onthe31stofOctoberForrestmadehisappearanceontheTennesseeRiveroppositeJohnsonville（whenceanewrailroadledtoNashville），andwithhiscavalryandfieldpiecesactuallycrippledandcapturedtwogunboatswithfiveofourtransports，afeatofarmswhich，Iconfess，excitedmyadmiration。
ThereisnodoubtthatthemonthofOctoberclosedtouslookingdecidedlysqually;but，somehow，Iwassustainedinthebeliefthatinaveryfewdaysthetidewouldturn。
Onthe1stofNovemberItelegraphedveryfullytoGeneralGrant，atCityPoint，whomusthavebeendisturbedbythewildrumorsthatfilledthecountry，andonthe2dofNovemberreceived（atRome）
thisdispatch:
CITYPOINT，November1，1864——6P。M。
Major—GeneralSHERMAN:
Doyounotthinkitadvisable，nowthatHoodhasgonesofarnorth，toentirelyruinhimbeforestartingonyourproposedcampaign？
WithHood’sarmydestroyed，youcangowhereyoupleasewithimpunity。Ibelievedandstillbelieve，ifyouhadstartedsouthwhileHoodwasintheneighborhoodofyou，hewouldhavebeenforcedtogoafteryou。Nowthatheisfarawayhemightlookuponthechaseasuseless，andhewillgoinonedirectionwhileyouarepushingintheother。IfyoucanseeachanceofdestroyingHood’sarmy，attendtothatfirst，andmakeyourothermovesecondary。
U。S。GRANT，Lieutenant—General。
MyanswerisdatedROME，GEORGIA，November2，1864。
Lieutenant—GeneralU。S。GRANT，CityPoint，Virginia:
Yourdispatchisreceived。IfIcouldhopetooverhaulHood，I
wouldturnagainsthimwithmywholeforce;thenhewouldretreattothesouthwest，drawingmeasadecoyawayfromGeorgia，whichishischiefobject。IfheventuresnorthoftheTennesseeRiver，I
mayturninthatdirection，andendeavortogetbelowhimonhislineofretreat;butthusfarhehasnotgoneabovetheTennesseeRiver。GeneralThomaswillhaveaforcestrongenoughtopreventhisreachinganycountryinwhichwehaveaninterest;andhehasorders，ifHoodturnstofollowme，topushforSelma，Alabama。NosinglearmycancatchHood，andIamconvincedthebestresultswillfollowfromourdefeatingJeff。Davis’scherishedpleaofmakingmeleaveGeorgiabymanoeuvring。ThusfarIhaveconfinedmyeffortstothwartthisplan，andhavereducedbaggagesothatI
canpickupandstartinanydirection;butIregardthepursuitofHoodasuseless。Still，ifheattemptstoinvadeMiddleTennessee，IwillholdDecatur，andbepreparedtomoveinthatdirection;
but，unlessIletgoofAtlanta，myforcewillnotbeequaltohis。
W。T。SHERMAN，Major—General。
Bythisdate，undertheintelligentandenergeticactionofColonelW。W。Wright，andwiththelaboroffifteenhundredmen，therailroadbreakoffifteenmilesaboutDaltonwasrepairedsofarastoadmitofthepassageofcars，andItransferredmyheadquarterstoKingstonasmorecentral;andfromthatplace，onthesameday（November2d），againtelegraphedtoGeneralGrant:
KINGSTON，GEORGIA，November2，1884。
Lieutenant—GeneralU。S。GRANT，CityPoint，Virginia:
IfIturnback，thewholeeffectofmycampaignwillbeloSt。BymymovementsIhavethrownBeauregard（Hood）welltothewest，andThomaswillhaveampletimeandsufficienttroopstoholdhimuntilthereenforcementsfromMissourireachhim。WehavenowamplesuppliesatChattannoogaandAtlanta，andcanstandamonth’sinterruptiontoourcommunications。IdonotbelievetheConfederatearmycanreachourrailroad—linesexceptbycavalry—raids，andWilsonwillhavecavalryenoughtocheckmatethem。IamclearlyofopinionthatthebestresultswillfollowmycontemplatedmovementthroughGeorgia。
W。T。SHERMAN，Major—General。
ThatnamedayIreceived，inanswertotheRomedispatch，thefollowing:
CITYPOINT，VIRGINIA，November2，1864——11。30a。m。
Major—GeneralSHERMAN:
Yourdispatchof9A。M。yesterdayisjustreceived。Idispatchedyouthesamedate，advisingthatHood’sarmy，nowthatithadworkedsofarnorth，oughttobelookeduponnowasthe\"object。\"
Withtheforce，however，thatyouhaveleftwithGeneralThomas，hemustbeabletotakecareofHoodanddestroyhim。
IdonotseethatyoucanwithdrawfromwhereyouaretofollowHood，withoutgivingupallwehavegainedinterritory。Isay，then，goonasyoupropose。
U。S。GRANT，Lieutenant—General，ThiswasthefirsttimethatGeneralGrantorderedthe\"marchtothesea，\"and，althoughmanyofhiswarmfriendsandadmirersinsistthathewastheauthorandprojectorofthatmarch，andthatIsimplyexecutedhisplans，GeneralGranthasnever，inmyopinion，thoughtsoorsaidso。ThetruthisfullygiveninanoriginalletterofPresidentLincoln，whichIreceivedatSavannah，Georgia，andhaveatthisinstantbeforeme，everywordofwhichisinhisownfamiliarhandwriting。Itisdated—
WASHINGTON，December26，1864。
WhenyouwereaboutleavingAtlantafortheAtlanticcoast，Iwasanxious，ifnotfearful;but，feelingthatyouwerethebetterjudge，andremembering\"nothingrisked，nothinggained，\"Ididnotinterfere。Now，theundertakingbeingasuccess，thehonorisallyours;forIbelievenoneofuswentfurtherthantoacquiesce;
and，takingtheworkofGeneralThomasintoaccount，asitshouldbetaken，itisindeedagreatsuccess。Notonlydoesitaffordtheobviousandimmediatemilitaryadvantages，but，inshowingtotheworldthatyourarmycouldbedivided，puttingthestrongerparttoanimportantnewservice，andyetleavingenoughtovanquishtheoldopposingforceofthewhole，Hood’sarmy，itbringsthosewhosatindarknesstoseeagreatlight。Butwhatnext？IsupposeitwillbesaferifIleaveGeneralGrantandyourselftodecide。
A。LINCOLN
Ofcourse，thisjudgment;madeaftertheevent，wasextremelyflatteringandwasallIeverexpected，arecognitionofthetruthandofitsimportance。Ihaveoftenbeenasked，bywell—meaningfriends，whenthethoughtofthatmarchfirstenteredmymind。I
knewthatanarmywhichhadpenetratedGeorgiaasfarasAtlantacouldnotturnback。Itmustgoahead，butwhen，how，andwhere，dependedonmanyconsiderations。AssoonasHoodhadshiftedacrossfromLovejoy’stoPalmetto，Isawthemoveinmy\"mind’seye;\"and，afterJeff。Davis’sspeechatPalmetto，ofSeptember26th，Iwasmorepositiveinmyconviction，butwasindoubtastothetimeandmanner。WhenGeneralHoodfirststruckourrailroadaboveMarietta，wewerenotready，andIwasforcedtowatchhismovementsfurther，tillhehad\"carromed\"offtothewestofDecatur。ThenIwasperfectlyconvinced，andhadnolongerashadowofdoubt。TheonlypossiblequestionwasastoThomas’sstrengthandabilitytomeetHoodintheopenfield。IdidnotsupposethatGeneralHood，thoughrash，wouldventuretoattackfortifiedplaceslikeAllatoona，Resaca，Decatur，andNashville;
buthedidso，andinsodoingheplayedintoourhandsperfectly。
Onthe2dofNovemberIwasatKingston，Georgia，andmyfourcorps——theFifteenth，Seventeenth，Fourteenth，andTwentieth——withonedivisionofcavalry，werestrungfromRometoAtlanta。Ourrailroadsandtelegraphhadbeenrepaired，andIdeliberatelypreparedforthemarchtoSavannah，distantthreehundredmilesfromAtlanta。AllthesickandwoundedmenhadbeensentbackbyrailtoChattanooga;allourwagon—trainshadbeencarefullyoverhauledandloaded，soastobereadytostartonanhour’snotice，andtherewasnoseriousenemyinourfront。
GeneralHoodremainedstillatFlorence，Alabama，occupyingbothbanksoftheTennesseeRiver，busyincollectingshoesandclothingforhismen，andthenecessaryammunitionandstoreswithwhichtoinvadeTennessee，mostofwhichhadtocomefromMobile，Selma，andMontgomery，Alabama，overrailroadsthatwerestillbroken。
BeauregardwasatCorinth，hasteningforwardthesenecessarypreparations。
GeneralThomaswasatNashville，withWilson’sdismountedcavalryandamassofnewtroopsandquartermaster’semploysamplysufficienttodefendtheplace。TheFourthandTwenty—thirdCorps，underGeneralsStanleyandSchofieldwerepostedatPulaski，Tennessee，andthecavalryofHatch，Croxton，andCapron，wereaboutFlorence，watchingHood。Smith’s（A。J。）twodivisionsoftheSixteenthCorpswerestillinMissouri，butwerereportedasreadytoembarkatLexingtonfortheCumberlandRiverandNashville。Ofcourse，GeneralThomassawthatonhimwouldlikelyfalltherealblow，andwasnaturallyanxious。HestillkeptGranger’sdivisionatDecatur，Rousseau’satMurfreesboro’，andSteedman’satChattanooga，withstrongrailroadguardsatalltheessentialpointsintermediate，confidentthatbymeansofthisveryrailroadhecouldmakehisconcentrationsoonerthanHoodcouldpossiblymarchupfromFlorence。
Meantime，GeneralF。P。Blairhadrejoinedhiscorps（Seventeenth），andwewerereceivingatKingstonrecruitsandreturnedfurlough—
men，distributingthemtotheirpropercompanies。Paymastershadcomedowntopayoffourmenbeforetheirdeparturetoanewsphereofaction，andcommissionerswerealsoonhandfromtheseveralStatestotakethevoteofourmeninthepresidentialelectionthenagitatingthecountry。
Onthe6thofNovember，atKingston，IwroteandtelegraphedtoGeneralGrant，reviewingthewholesituation，gavehimmyfullplanofaction，statedthatIwasreadytomarchassoonastheelectionwasover，andappointedNovember10thasthedayforstarting。Onthe8thIreceivedthisdispatch:
CITYPOINT，VIRGINIA，November7，1864—10。30P。M。
Major—GeneralSHERMAN:
Yourdispatchofthiseveningreceived。Iseenopresentreasonforchangingyourplan。Shouldanyarise，youwillseeit，orifI
doIwillinformyou。Ithinkeverythinghereisfavorablenow。
Greatgoodfortuneattendyou！Ibelieveyouwillbeeminentlysuccessful，and，atworst，canonlymakeamarchlessfruitfulofresultsthanhopedfor。
U。S。GRANT，Lieutenant—General。
Meantimetrainsofcarswerewhirlingby，carryingtotherearanimmenseamountofstoreswhichhadaccumulatedatAtlanta，andattheotherstationsalongtherailroad;andGeneralSteedmanhadcomedowntoKingston，totakechargeofthefinalevacuationandwithdrawaloftheseveralgarrisonsbelowChattanooga。
OnthelothofNovemberthemovementmaybesaidtohavefairlybegun。AllthetroopsdesignedforthecampaignwereorderedtomarchforAtlanta，andGeneralCorse，beforeevacuatinghispostatRome，wasorderedtoburnallthemills，factories，etc。，etc。，thatcouldbeusefultotheenemy，shouldheundertaketopursueus，orresumemilitarypossessionofthecountry。Thiswasdoneonthenightofthe10th，andnextdayCorsereachedKingston。Onthe11thGeneralThomasandIinterchangedfulldispatches。HehadheardofthearrivalofGeneralA。J。Smith’stwodivisionsatPaducah，whichwouldsurelyreachNashvillemuchsoonerthanGeneralHoodcouldpossiblydofromFlorence，sothathewasperfectlysatisfiedwithhisshareofthearmy。
Onthe12th，withafullstaff，IstartedfromKingstonforAtlanta;andaboutnoonofthatdaywereachedCartersville，andsatontheedgeofaporchtorest，whenthetelegraphoperator，Mr。VanValkenburg，orEddy，gotthewiredownfromthepolestohislap，inwhichheheldasmallpocketinstrument。Calling\"Chattanooga，\"hereceivedthismessagefromGeneralThomas，dated—
NASHVILLE，November12，1884——8。80A。M。
Major—GeneralSHERMAN:
Yourdispatchoftwelveo’clocklastnightisreceived。IhavenofearsthatBeauregardcandousanyharmnow，and，ifheattemptstofollowyou，Iwillfollowhimasfaraspossible。Ifhedoesnotfollowyou，Iwillthenthoroughlyorganizemytroops，andbelieveIshallhavemenenoughtoruinhimunlesshegetsoutofthewayveryrapidly。
ThecountryofMiddleAlabama，Ilearn，isteemingwithsuppliesthisyear，whichwillbegreatlytoouradvantage。IhavenoadditionalnewstoreportfromthedirectionofFlorence。
IamnowconvincedthatthegreaterpartofBeauregard’sarmyisnearFlorenceandTuscumbia，andthatyouwillhaveatleastaclearroadbeforeyouforseveraldays，andthatyoursuccesswillfullyequalyourexpectations。
GeorgeH。THOMAS，Major—General。
Iansweredsimply:\"Dispatchreceived——allright。\"Aboutthatinstantoftime，someofourmenburntabridge，whichseveredthetelegraph—wire，andallcommunicationwiththerearceasedthenceforth。
AswerodeontowardAtlantathatnight，Iremembertherailroad—
trainsgoingtotherearwithafuriousspeed;theengineersandthefewmenaboutthetrainswavingusanaffectionateadieu。Itsurelywasastrangeevent——twohostilearmiesmarchinginoppositedirections，eachinthefullbeliefthatitwasachievingafinalandconclusiveresultinagreatwar;andIwasstronglyinspiredwiththefeelingthatthemovementonourpartwasadirectattackupontherebelarmyandtherebelcapitalatRichmond，thoughafullthousandmilesofhostilecountryintervened，andthat，forbetterorworse，itwouldendthewar。
CHAPTERXXI。
THEMARCHTOTHESEAFROMATLANTATOSAVANNAH。
NOVEMBERANDDECEMBER，1864。
Onthe12thofNovembertherailroadandtelegraphcommunicationswiththerearwerebroken，andthearmystooddetachedfromallfriends，dependentonitsownresourcesandsupplies。Notimewastobelost;allthedetachmentswereorderedtomarchrapidlyforAtlanta，breakinguptherailroadenroute，andgenerallytosodamagethecountryastomakeituntenabletotheenemy。Bythe14thallthetroopshadarrivedatornearAtlanta，andwere，accordingtoorders，groupedintotwowings，therightandleft，commandedrespectivelybyMajor—GeneralsO。O。HowardandH。W。
Slocum，bothcomparativelyyoungmen，buteducatedandexperiencedofficers，fullycompetenttotheircommand。
TherightwingwascomposedoftheFifteenthCorps，Major—GeneralP。J。Osterhauscommanding，andtheSeventeenthCorps，Major—
GeneralFrankP。Blaircommanding。
TheleftwingwascomposedoftheFourteenthCorps，Major—GeneralJeffersonC。Daviscommanding，andtheTwentiethCorps，Brigadier—
GeneralA。S。Williamscommanding。
TheFifteenthCorpshadfourdivisions，commandedbyBrigadier—
GeneralsCharlesR。Woods，W。B。Hazen，JohnE。Smith，andJohnM。
Gorse。
TheSeventeenthCorpshadthreedivisions，commandedbyMajor—
GeneralJ。A。Mower，andBrigadier—GeneralsM。D。LeggettadGilesA。Smith。
TheFourteenthCorpshadthreedivisions，commandedbyBrigadier—
GeneralsW。P。Carlin，JamesD。Morgan，andA。Baird。
TheTwentiethCorpshadalsothreedivisions，commandedbyBrigadier—GeneralsN。J。Jackson，JohnW。Geary，andW。T。Ward。
Thecavalrydivisionwasheldseparate，subjecttomyownorders。
ItwascommandedbyBrigadier—GeneralJudsonKilpatrick，andwascomposedoftwobrigades，commandedbyColonelsEliH。Murray，ofKentucky，andSmithD。Atkins，ofIllinois。
Thestrengthofthearmy，asofficiallyreported，isgiveninthefollowingtables，andshowsanaggregateoffifty—fivethousandthreehundredandtwenty—nineinfantry，fivethousandandsixty—threecavalry，andeighteenhundredandtwelveartilleryinall，sixty—twothousandtwohundredandfourofficersandmen。
Themostextraordinaryeffortshadbeenmadetopurgethisarmyofnon—combatantsandofsickmen，forweknewwellthattherewastobenoplaceofsafetysavewiththearmyitself;ourwagonswereloadedwithammunition，provisions，andforage，andwecouldillaffordtohaulevensickmenintheambulances，sothatallonthisexhibitmaybeassumedtohavebeenable—bodied，experiencedsoldiers，wellarmed，wellequippedandprovided，asfarashumanforesightcould，withalltheessentialsoflife，strength，andvigorousaction。
Thetwogeneralordersmadeforthismarchappeartome，evenatthislateday，soclear，emphatic，andwell—digested，thatnoaccountofthathistoriceventisperfectwithoutthem，andIgivethementire，evenattheseemingappearanceofrepetition;and，thoughtheycalledforgreatsacrificeandlaboronthepartoftheofficersandmen，Iinsistthattheseorderswereobeyedaswellasanysimilarorderseverwere，byanarmyoperatingwhollyinanenemy’scountry，anddispersed，aswenecessarilywere，duringthesubsequentperiodofnearlysixmonths。
[SpecialFieldOrders，No。119。]
HEADQUARTERSMILITARYDIVISIONOFTHEMISSISSIPPI
INTHEFIELD，KINGSTON，GEORGIA，November8，1864
ThegeneralcommandingdeemsitproperatthistimetoinformtheofficersandmenoftheFourteenth，Fifteenth，Seventeenth，andTwentiethCorps，thathehasorganizedthemintoanarmyforaspecialpurpose，wellknowntotheWarDepartmentandtoGeneralGrant。Itissufficientforyoutoknowthatitinvolvesadeparturefromourpresentbase，andalonganddifficultmarchtoanewone。Allthechancesofwarhavebeenconsideredandprovidedfor，asfarashumansagacitycan。Allheasksofyouistomaintainthatdiscipline，patience，andcourage，whichhavecharacterizedyouinthepast;andhehopes，throughyou，tostrikeablowatourenemythatwillhaveamaterialeffectinproducingwhatweallsomuchdesire，hiscompleteoverthrow。Ofallthings，themoatimportantis，thatthemen，duringmarchesandincamp，keeptheirplacesanddonotscatteraboutasstragglersorforagers，tobepickedupbyahostilepeopleindetail。Itisalsooftheutmostimportancethatourwagonsshouldnotbeloadedwithanythingbutprovisionsandammunition。Allsurplusservants，noncombatants，andrefugees，shouldnowgototherear，andnoneshouldbeencouragedtoencumberusonthemarch。Atsomefuturetimewewillbeabletoprovideforthepoorwhitesandblackswhoseektoescapethebondageunderwhichtheyarenowsuffering。Withthesefewsimplecautions，hehopestoleadyoutoachievementsequalinimportancetothoseofthepast。
ByorderofMajor—GeneralW。T。Sherman，L。M。DAYTON，Aide—de—Camp。
[SpecialFieldOrders，No。120。]
HEADQUARTERSMILITARYDIVISIONOFTHEMISSISSIPPI
INTHEFIELD，KINGSTON，GEORGIA，November9，1864
1。Forthepurposeofmilitaryoperations，thisarmyisdividedintotwowingsviz。:
Therightwing，Major—GeneralO。O。Howardcommanding，composedoftheFifteenthandSeventeenthCorps;theleftwing，Major—GeneralH。W。Slocumcommanding，composedoftheFourteenthandTwentiethCorps。
2。Thehabitualorderofmarchwillbe，whereverpracticable，byfourroads，asnearlyparallelaspossible，andconvergingatpointshereaftertobeindicatedinorders。Thecavalry，Brigadier—GeneralKilpatrickcommanding，willreceivespecialordersfromthecommander—in—chief。
3。Therewillbenogeneraltrainofsupplies，buteachcorpswillhaveitsammunition—trainandprovision—train，distributedhabituallyasfollows:Behindeachregimentshouldfollowonewagonandoneambulance;behindeachbrigadeshouldfollowadueproportionofammunition—wagons，provision—wagons，andambulances。
Incaseofdanger，eachcorpscommandershouldchangethisorderofmarch，byhavinghisadvanceandrearbrigadesunencumberedbywheels。Theseparatecolumnswillstarthabituallyat7a。m。，andmakeaboutfifteenmilesperday，unlessotherwisefinedinorders。
4。Thearmywillforageliberallyonthecountryduringthemarch。
Tothisend，eachbrigadecommanderwillorganizeagoodandsufficientforagingparty，underthecommandofoneormorediscreetofficers，whowillgather，neartheroutetraveled，cornorforageofanykind，meatofanykind，vegetables，corn—meal，orwhateverisneededbythecommand，aimingatalltimestokeepinthewagonsatleasttendays’provisionsforhiscommand，andthreedays’forage。Soldiersmustnotenterthedwellingsoftheinhabitants，orcommitanytrespass;but，duringahaltorcamp，theymaybepermittedtogatherturnips，potatoes，andothervegetables，andtodriveinstockinsightoftheircamp。Toregularforaging—partiesmustbeintrustedthegatheringofprovisionsandforage，atanydistancefromtheroadtraveled。
6。Tocorpscommandersaloneisintrustedthepowertodestroymills，houses，cotton—gins，etc。;andforthemthisgeneralprincipleislaiddown:
Indistrictsandneighborhoodswherethearmyisunmolested，nodestructionofeachpropertyshouldbepermitted;butshouldguerrillasorbushwhackersmolestourmarch，orshouldtheinhabitantsburnbridges，obstructroads，orotherwisemanifestlocalhostility，thenarmycommandersshouldorderandenforceadevastationmoreorlessrelentless，accordingtothemeasureofsuchhostility。
6。Asforhorses，mules，wagons，etc。，belongingtotheinhabitants，thecavalryandartillerymayappropriatefreelyandwithoutlimit;discriminating，however，betweentherich，whoareusuallyhostile，andthepoorandindustrious，usuallyneutralorfriendly。Foraging—partiesmayalsotakemulesorhorses，toreplacethejadedanimalsoftheirtrains，ortoserveaspack—mulesfortheregimentsorbrigades。Inallforaging，ofwhateverkind，thepartiesengagedwillrefrainfromabusiveorthreateninglanguage，andmay，wheretheofficerincommandthinksproper，givewrittencertificatesofthefacts，butnoreceipts;
andtheywillendeavortoleavewitheachfamilyareasonableportionfortheirmaintenance，7。Negroeswhoareable—bodiedandcanbeofservicetotheseveralcolumnsmaybetakenalong;buteacharmycommanderwillbearinmindthatthequestionofsuppliesisaveryimportantone，andthathisfirstdutyistoseetothosewhobeararms。
8。Theorganization，atonce，ofagoodpioneerbattalionforeacharmycorps，composedifpossibleofnegroes，shouldbeattendedto。
Thisbattalionshouldfollowtheadvance—guard，repairroadsanddoublethemifpossible，sothatthecolumnswillnotbedelayedafterreachingbadplaces。Also，armycommandersshouldpractisethehabitofgivingtheartilleryandwagonstheroad，marchingtheirtroopsononeside，andinstructtheirtroopstoassistwagonsatsteephillsorbadcrossingsofstreams。
9。CaptainO。M。Poe，chief—engineer，willassigntoeachwingofthearmyapontoon—train，fullyequippedandorganized;andthecommandersthereofwillseetotheirbeingproperlyprotectedatalltimes。
ByorderofMajor—GeneralW。T。Sherman，L。M。DAYTON，Aide—de—Camp。
Thegreatestpossibleattentionhadbeengiventotheartilleryandwagontrains。Thenumberofgunshadbeenreducedtosixty—five，oraboutoneguntoeachthousandmen，andtheseweregenerallyinbatteriesoffourgunseach。
Eachgun，caisson，andforgeswasdrawnbyfourteamsofhorses。
Wehadinallabouttwenty—fivehundredwagons，withteamsofsixmulestoeach，andsixhundredambulances，withtwohorsestoeach。
Theloadsweremadecomparativelylight，abouttwenty—fivehundredpoundsnet;eachwagoncarryinginadditiontheforageneededbyitsownteam:Eachsoldiercarriedonhispersonfortyroundsofammunition，andinthewagonswereenoughcartridgestomakeupabouttwohundredroundsperman，andinlikemannertwohundredroundsofassortedammunitionwerecarriedforeachgun。
Thewagon—trainsweredividedequallybetweenthefourcorps，sothateachhadabouteighthundredwagons，andtheseusuallyonthemarchoccupiedfivemilesormoreofroad。Eachcorpscommandermanagedhisowntrain;andhabituallytheartilleryandwagonshadtheroad，whilethemen，withtheexceptionoftheadvanceandrearguards，pursuedpathsimprovisedbytheaideofthewagons，unlesstheywereforcedtouseabridgeorcausewayincommon。
IreachedAtlantaduringtheafternoonofthe14th，andfoundthatallpreparationshadbeenmade—ColonelBeckwith，chiefcommissary，reportingonemilliontwohundredthousandrationsinpossessionofthetroops，whichwasabouttwentydays’supply，andhehadonhandagoodsupplyofbeef—cattletobedrivenalongonthehoof。Offorage，thesupplywaslimited，beingofoatsandcornenoughforfivedays，butIknewthatwithinthattimewewouldreachacountrywellstockedwithcorn，whichhadbeengatheredandstoredincribs，seeminglyforouruse，byGovernorBrown’smilitia。
ColonelPoe，UnitedStatesEngineers，ofmystaff，hadbeenbusyinhisspecialtaskofdestruction。Hehadalargeforceatwork，hadleveledthegreatdepot，roundhouse，andthemachine—shopsoftheGeorgiaRailroad，andhadappliedfiretothewreck。Oneofthesemachine—shopshadbeenusedbytherebelsasanarsenal，andinitwerestoredpilesofshotandshell，someofwhichprovedtobeloaded，andthatnightwasmadehideousbytheburstingofshells，whosefragmentscameuncomfortably，nearJudgeLyon’shouse，inwhichIwasquartered。Thefirealsoreachedtheblockofstoresnearthedepot，andtheheartofthecitywasinflamesallnight，butthefiredidnotreachthepartsofAtlantawherethecourt—
housewas，orthegreatmassofdwellinghouses。
ThemarchfromAtlantabeganonthemorningofNovember15th，therightwingandcavalryfollowingtherailroadsoutheasttowardJonesboro’，andGeneralSlocumwiththeTwentiethCorpsleadingofftotheeastbyDecaturandStoneMountain，towardMadison。Theseweredivergentlines，designedtothreatenbothMasonandAugustaatthesametime，soastopreventaconcentrationatourintendeddestination，or\"objective，\"Milledgeville，thecapitalofGeorgia，distantsoutheastaboutonehundredmiles。ThetimeallowedeachcolumnforreachingMilledgevillewassevendays。IremainedinAtlantaduringthe15thwiththeFourteenthCorps，andtherear—
guardoftherightwing，tocompletetheloadingofthetrains，andthedestructionofthebuildingsofAtlantawhichcouldbeconvertedtohostileuses，andonthemorningofthe16thstartedwithmypersonalstaff，acompanyofAlabamacavalry，commandedbyLieutenantSnelling，andaninfantrycompany，commandedbyLieutenantMcCrory，whichguardedoursmalltrainofwagons。
MystaffwasthencomposedofMajorL。M。Dayton，aide—de—campandactingadjutant—general，MajorJ。C。McCoy，andMajorJ。C。
Audenried，aides。MajorWardNicholshadjoinedsomeweeksbeforeatGaylesville，Alabama，andwasattachedasanactingaide—de—camp。AlsoMajorHenryHitchcockhadjoinedatthesametimeasjudge—advocate。ColonelCharlesEwingwasinspector—general，andSurgeonJohnMooremedicaldirector。Theseconstitutedourmess。Wehadnotents，onlytheflies，withwhichwenightlymadebivouacswiththeassistanceoftheabundantpine—boughs，whichmadeexcellentshelter，aswellasbeds。
ColonelL。C。Eastonwaschief—quartermaster;ColonelAmosBeckwith，chief—commissary;ColonelO。M。Poe，chief—engineer;andColonelT。G。Baylor，chiefofordnance。Theseinvariablyrodewithusduringtheday，buttheyhadaseparatecampandmessatnight。
GeneralWilliamF。Barryhadbeenchiefofartilleryinthepreviouscampaign，butatKingstonhisfacewassoswollenwitherysipelasthathewasreluctantlycompelledtoleaveusfortherear;andhecouldnot，onrecovering，rejoinustillwehadreachedSavannah。