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Twenty…third Corps already constituted another army； 〃of the Ohio；〃 under the command of Major…General Schofield； and his two corps were commanded by Generals J。 D。 Cox and A。 H。 Terry。 These changes were necessary； because army commanders only could order courts…martial； grant discharges； and perform many other matters of discipline and administration which were indispensable； but my chief purpose was to prepare the whole army for what seemed among the probabilities of the timeto fight both Lee's and Johnston's armies combined； in case their junction could be formed before General Grant could possibly follow Lee to North Carolina。
General George H。 Thomas； who still remained at Nashville； was not pleased with these changes； for the two corps with General Slocum； viz。； the Fourteenth and Twentieth； up to that time； had remained technically a part of his 〃Army of the Cumberland； 〃 but he was so far away； that I had to act to the best advantage with the troops and general officers actually present。 I had specially asked for General Mower to command the Twentieth Corps； because I regarded him as one of the boldest and best fighting generals in the whole army。 His predecessor； General A。 S。 Williams； the senior division commander present； had commanded the corps well from Atlanta to Goldsboro'； and it may have seemed unjust to replace him at that precise moment； but I was resolved to be prepared for a most desperate and； as then expected； a final battle； should it fall on me。
I returned to Goldsboro' from Newbern by rail the evening of March 30th； and at once addressed myself to the task of reorganization and replenishment of stores； so as to be ready to march by April 10th； the day agreed on with General Grant。
The army was divided into the usual three parts； right and left wings； and centre。 The tabular statements herewith will give the exact composition of these separate armies； which by the 10th of April gave the following effective strength：
Infantry 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 80；968 Artillery 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 2；448 Cavalry 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 5；587
Aggregate 。。。。。。。。。。。。 88；948 Total number of guns； 91
The railroads to our rear had also been repaired； so that stores were arriving very fast； both from Morehead City and Wilmington。 The country was so level that a single locomotive could haul twenty…five and thirty cars to a train； instead of only ten； as was the case in Tennessee and Upper Georgia。
By the 5th of April such progress had been made； that I issued the following Special Field Orders； No。 48； prescribing the time and manner of the next march
＇Special Field Orders； No。 48。1
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI IN THE FIELD； GOLDSBORO'； NORTH CAROLINA； April 5； 1865。
Confidential to Army Commanders； Corps Commanders； and Chiefs of Staff Departments：
The next grand objective is to place this army （with its full equipment） north of Roanoke River； facing west； with a base for supplies at Norfolk； and at Winton or Murfreesboro' on the Chowan； and in full communication with the Army of the Potomac； about Petersburg； and also to do the enemy as much harm as possible en route：
1。 To accomplish this result the following general plan will be followed； or modified only by written orders from these headquarters； should events require a change：
（1。） On Monday； the 10th of April； all preparations are presumed to be complete； and the outlying detachments will be called in； or given directions to meet on the next march。 All preparations will also be complete to place the railroad…stock back of Kinston on the one road； and below the Northeast Branch on the other。
（2。） On Tuesday； the 11th； the columns will draw out on their lines of march； say； about seven miles； and close up。
（3。） On Wednesday the march will begin in earnest； and will be kept up at the rate； say； of about twelve miles a day； or according to the amount of resistance。 All the columns will dress to the left （which is the exposed flank）； and commanders will study always to find roads by which they can； if necessary； perform a general left wheel； the wagons to be escorted to some place of security on the direct route of march。 Foraging and other details may continue as heretofore； only more caution and prudence should be observed； and foragers should not go in advance of the advance…guard； but look more to our right rear for corn； bacon； and meal。
2。 The left wing （Major…General Slocum commanding） will aim straight for the railroad…bridge near Smithfield； thence along up the Neuse River to the railroad…bridge over Neuse River； northeast of Raleigh （Powell's）； thence to Warrenton； the general point of concentration。
The centre （Major…General Schofield commanding） will move to Whitley's Mill； ready to support the left until it is past Smithfield； when it will follow up （substantially） Little River to about Rolesville； ready at all times to move to the support of the left； after passing Tar River； to move to Warrenton。
The right wing （Major…General Howard commanding）； preceded by the cavalry； will move rapidly on Pikeville and Nahunta； then swing across to Bulah to Folk's Bridge； ready to make junction with the other armies in case the enemy offers battle this side of Neuse River； about Smithfield； thence； in case of no serious opposition on the left； will work up toward Earpsboro'； Andrews； B； and Warrenton。
The cavalry （General Kilpatrick commanding）； leaving its encumbrances with the right wing； will push as though straight for Weldon； until the enemy is across Tar River； and that bridge burned； then it will deflect toward Nashville and Warrenton； keeping up communication with general headquarters。
3。 As soon as the army starts； the chief…quartermaster and commissary will prepare a resupply of stores at some point on Pamlico or Albemarle Sounds； ready to be conveyed to Kinston or Winton and Murfreesboro'； according to developments。 As soon as they have satisfactory information that the army is north of the Roanoke； they will forthwith establish a depot at Winton； with a sub…depot at Murfreesboro'。 Major…General Schofield will hold； as heretofore； Wilmington （with the bridge across Northern Branch as an outpost）； Newborn （and Kinston as its outpost）； and will be prepared to hold Winton and Murfreesboro' as soon as the time arrives for that move。 The navy has instructions from Admiral Porter to cooperate； and any commanding officer is authorized to call on the navy for assistance and cooperation； always in writing； setting forth the reasons； of which necessarilly the naval commander must be the judge。
4。 The general…in…chief will be with the centre habitually； but may in person shift to either flank where his presence may be needed； leaving a staff…officer to receive reports。 He requires； absolutely； a report of each army or grand detachment each night； whether any thing material has occurred or not； for often the absence of an enemy is a very important fact in military prognostication。
By order of Major…General W。 T。 Sherman；
L。 M。 DAYTON； Assistant Adjutant…General。
But the whole problem became suddenly changed by the news of