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aptured from the enemy； and each at once was garrisoned by a full division of troops； if not more； so that success was actually crippling our armies in the field by detachments to guard and protect the interests of a hostile population。
I gave notice of this purpose； as early as the 4th of September； to General Halleck； in a letter concluding with these words：
If the people raise a howl against my barbarity and cruelty； I will answer that war is war； and not popularity…seeking。 If they want peace； they and their relatives most stop the war。
I knew； of course； that such a measure would be strongly criticised； but made up my mind to do it with the absolute certainty of its justness； and that time would sanction its wisdom。 I knew that the people of the South would read in this measure two important conclusions： one； that we were in earnest； and the other； if they were sincere in their common and popular clamor 〃to die in the last ditch；〃 that the opportunity would soon come。
Soon after our reaching Atlanta； General Hood had sent in by a flag of truce a proposition； offering a general exchange of prisoners； saying that he was authorized to make such an exchange by the Richmond authorities； out of the vast number of our men then held captive at Andersonville； the same whom General Stoneman had hoped to rescue at the time of his raid。 Some of these prisoners had already escaped and got in； had described the pitiable condition of the remainder； and； although I felt a sympathy for their hardships and sufferings as deeply as any man could； yet as nearly all the prisoners who had been captured by us during the campaign had been sent； as fast as taken； to the usual depots North； they were then beyond my control。 There were still about two thousand； mostly captured at Jonesboro； who had been sent back by cars； but had not passed Chattanooga。 These I ordered back； and offered General Hood to exchange them for Stoneman； Buell； and such of my own army as would make up the equivalent； but I would not exchange for his prisoners generally； because I knew these would have to be sent to their own regiments； away from my army； whereas all we could give him could at once be put to duty in his immediate army。 Quite an angry correspondence grew up between us； which was published at the time in the newspapers； but it is not to be found in any book of which I have present knowledge； and therefore is given here； as illustrative of the events referred to； and of the feelings of the actors in the game of war at that particular crisis； together with certain other original letters of Generals Grant and Halleck； never hitherto published。
HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES CITY POINT； VIRGINIA； September 12； 1864
Major…General W。 T。 SHERMAN； commanding Military Division of the Mississippi
GENERAL： I send Lieutenant…Colonel Horace Porter； of my staff； with this。 Colonel Porter will explain to you the exact condition of affairs here； better than I can do in the limits of a letter。 Although I feel myself strong enough now for offensive operations； I am holding on quietly； to get advantage of recruits and convalescents； who are coming forward very rapidly。 My lines are necessarily very long； extending from Deep Bottom； north of the James； across the peninsula formed by the Appomattox and the James； and south of the Appomattox to the Weldon road。 This line is very strongly fortified； and can be held with comparatively few men； but； from its great length； necessarily takes many in the aggregate。 I propose； when I do move； to extend my left so as to control what is known as the Southside； or Lynchburg & Petersburg road； then； if possible； to keep the Danville road out。 At the same time this move is made； I want to send a force of from six to ten thousand men against Wilmington。 The way I propose to do this is to land the men north of Fort Fisher； and hold that point。 At the same time a large naval fleet will be assembled there； and the iron…clads will run the batteries as they did at Mobile。 This will give us the same control of the harbor of Wilmington that we now have of the harbor of Mobile。 What you are to do with the forces at your command； I do not exactly see。 The difficulties of supplying your army； except when they are constantly moving beyond where you are； I plainly see。 If it had not been for Price's movement； Canby could have sent twelve thousand more men to Mobile。 》From your command on the Mississippi； an equal number could have been taken。 With these forces； my idea world have been to divide them； sending one…half to Mobile； and the other half to Savannah。 You could then move as proposed in your telegram； so as to threaten Macon and Augusta equally。 Whichever one should be abandoned by the enemy； you could take and open up anew base of supplies。 My object now in sending a staff…officer to you is not so much to suggest operations for you as to get your views； and to have plans matured by the time every thing can be got ready。 It would probably be the 5th of October before any of the plans here indicated will be executed。 If you have any promotions to recommend； send the names forward； and I will approve them。
In conclusion； it is hardly necessary for me to say that I feel you have accomplished the most gigantic undertaking given to any general in this war； and with a skill and ability that will be acknowledged in history as unsurpassed； if not unequaled。 It gives me as much pleasure to record this in your favor as it world in favor of any living man； myself included。 Truly yours；
U。 S。 GRANT； Lieutenant…General。
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI IN THE FIELD； ATLANTA； GEORGIA； September 20； 1864。
Lieutenant…General U。 S。 GRANT； Commander…in…Chief； City Point； Virgina
GENERAL： I have the honor to acknowledge； at the hands of Lieutenant Colonel Porter； of your staff； your letter of September 12th； and accept with with thanks the honorable and kindly mention of the services of this army in the great cause in which we are all engaged。
I send by Colonel Porter all official reports which are completed； and will in a few days submit a list of names which are deemed worthy of promotion。
I think we owe it to the President to save him the invidious task of selection among the vast number of worthy applicants； and have ordered my army commanders to prepare their lists with great care； and to express their preferences； based upon claims of actual capacity and services rendered。
These I will consolidate； and submit in such a form that； if mistakes are made； they will at least be sanctioned by the best contemporaneous evidence of merit； for I know that vacancies do not exist equal in number to that of the officers who really deserve promotion。
As to the future； I am pleased to know that your army is being steadily reinforced by a good class of men； and I hope it will go on until you have a force that is numerically double that of your antagonist； so that with one part you can watch him； and with the other push out boldly from your left flank； occupy the Southside Railroad； compel him to attack you in position； or accept battle on your own terms。
We ought to ask our coun