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n hold a leg while some one else skins。
I am； general； very respectfully； your obedient servant； U。 S。 GRANT； Lieutenant…General。
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI NASHVILLE； TENNESSEE； April 10； 1864
Lieutenant…General U。 S。 GRANT； Commander…in…Chief； Washington； D。
DEAR GENERAL： Your two letters of April 4th are now before me； and afford me infinite satisfaction。 That we are now all to act on a common plan； converging on a common centre； looks like enlightened war。
Like yourself； you take the biggest load； and from me you shall have thorough and hearty cooperation。 I will not let side issues draw me off from your main plans in which I am to knock Jos。 Johnston； and to do as much damage to the resources of the enemy as possible。 I have heretofore written to General Rawlins and to Colonel Comstock （of your staff） somewhat of the method in which I propose to act。 I have seen all my army； corps； and division commanders； and have signified only to the former； viz。； Schofield； Thomas； and McPherson； our general plans； which I inferred from the purport of our conversation here and at Cincinnati。
First； I am pushing stores to the front with all possible dispatch； and am completing the army organization according to the orders from Washington； which are ample and perfectly satisfactory。
It will take us all of April to get in our furloughed veterans； to bring up A。 J。 Smith's command； and to collect provisions and cattle on the line of the Tennessee。 Each of the armies will guard； by detachments of its own； its rear communications。
At the signal to be given by you； Schofield； leaving a select garrison at Knoxville and London； with twelve thousand men will drop down to the Hiawassee； and march against Johnston's right by the old Federal road。 Stoneman； now in Kentucky； organizing the cavalry forces of the Army of the Ohio； will operate with Schofield on his left frontit may be； pushing a select body of about two thousand cavalry by Ducktown or Elijah toward Athena； Georgia。
Thomas will aim to have forty…five thousand men of all arms； and move straight against Johnston； wherever he may be； fighting him cautiously； persistently； and to the best advantage。 He will have two divisions of cavalry； to take advantage of any offering。
McPherson will have nine divisions of the Army of the Tennessee； if A。 J。 Smith gets here； in which case he will have full thirty thousand of the best men in America。 He will cross the Tennessee at Decatur and Whitesburg； march toward Rome； and feel for Thomas。 If Johnston falls behind the Coosa； then McPherson will push for Rome； and if Johnston falls behind the Chattahoochee； as I believe he will； then McPherson will cross over and join Thomas。
McPherson has no cavalry； but I have taken one of Thomas's divisions； viz。； Garrard's； six thousand strong； which is now at Colombia； mounting； equipping； and preparing。 I design this division to operate on McPheraon's right； rear； or front； according as the enemy appears。 But the moment I detect Johnston falling behind the Chattahoochee； I propose to cast off the effective part of this cavalry division； after crossing the Coosa； straight for Opelika； West Point； Columbus； or Wetumpka； to break up the road between Montgomery and Georgia。 If Garrard can do this work well； he can return to the Union army； but should a superior force interpose； then he will seek safety at Pensacola and join Banks； or； after rest； will act against any force that he can find east of Mobile； till such time as he can reach me。
Should Johnston fall behind the Chattahoochee； I will feign to the right； but pass to the left and act against Atlanta or its eastern communications； according to developed facts。
This is about as far ahead as I feel disposed； to look； but I will ever bear in mind that Johnston is at all times to be kept so busy that he cannot in any event send any part of his command against you or Banks。
If Banks can at the same time carry Mobile and open up the Alabama River； he will in a measure solve the moat difficult part of my problem； viz。； 〃provisions。〃 But in that I must venture。 Georgia has a million of inhabitants。 If they can live； we should not starve。 If the enemy interrupt our communications； I will be absolved from all obligations to subsist on our own resources； and will feel perfectly justified in taking whatever and wherever we oar find。 I will inspire my command； if successful； with the feeling that beef and salt are all that is absolutely necessary to life； and that parched corn once fed General Jackson's army on that very ground。 As ever； your friend and servant；
W。 T。 SHERMAN； Major…General。
HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES CULPEPPER COURT HOUSE； VIRGINIA； April 19； 1864。
Major…General W。 T。 SHERMAN； commanding Military Division of the Mississippi。
GENERAL： Since my letter to you of April 4th I have seen no reason to change any portion of the general plan of campaign； if the enemy remain still and allow us to take the initiative。 Rain has continued so uninterruptedly until the last day or two that it will be impossible to move； however； before the 27th； even if no more should fall in the meantime。 I think Saturday； the 30th； will probably be the day for our general move。
Colonel Comstock； who will take this； can spend a day with you； and fill up many little gaps of information not given in any of my letters。
What I now want more particularly to say is； that if the two main attacks； yours and the one from here； should promise great success； the enemy may； in a fit of desperation； abandon one part of their line of defense； and throw their whole strength upon the other； believing a single defeat without any victory to sustain them better than a defeat all along their line； and hoping too； at the same time； that the army； meeting with no resistance； will rest perfectly satisfied with their laurels； having penetrated to a given point south； thereby enabling them to throw their force first upon one and then on the other。
With the majority of military commanders they might do this。
But you have had too much experience in traveling light； and subsisting upon the country； to be caught by any such ruse。 I hope my experience has not been thrown away。 My directions； then； would be； if the enemy in your front show signs of joining Lee； follow him up to the full extent of your ability。 I will prevent the concentration of Lee upon your front； if it is in the power of this army to do it。
The Army of the Potomac looks well； and； so far as I can judge； officers and men feel well。 Yours truly；
U。 S。 GRANT； Lieutenant…General。
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI NASHVILLE； TENNESSEE； April 24； 1864
Lieutenant…General U。 S。 GRANT； Commander…in…Chief； Culpepper； Virginia
GENERAL： I now have； at the hands of Colonel Comstock； of your staff； the letter of April 19th； and am as far prepared to assume the offensive as possible。 I only ask as much time as you think proper； to enable me to get up McPherson's two divisions from Cairo。 Their furloughs will expire about this time； and some of them should now be in motion for Clifton； whence they w