The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 45, In Two Parts. Part 2, Correspondence, etc. Page: 9
xiv, 903 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this book.
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CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.
HEADQUARTERS FOURTH DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS,
MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Memphis, Tenn., December 1, 1864.
Bvt. Maj. GeD. J. H. WILSON,
Comdg. Cavalry Corps, Military Division of the Mississippi:
GENERAL: Yours of November 20, by Lieutenant Noyes, has just
reached me by mail at this place.* Since Captain Woodward reached
me with your orders I have twice written you, neither of which letters
you appear to have received. I shall send this by special messenger,
that you may be more certain of receiving it. That your orders and
those of Major-General Thomas concerning the cavalry have not been
carried out is certainly no fault of mine. Half the command were in
Missouri or Arkansas, where they could not be reached, and were acting
under the orders of officers far above me in authority. The other half
were at Memphis, and could not be taken away from there, because
Major-General Washburn would not permit it, neither would he now,
until General Dana arrives. He is expected on Saturday next. The
cavalry which first arrived at Saint Louis, and which were ordered to
Memphis by General Rosecrans upon Captain Woodward's suggestion,
were a detachment of 400 men consisting of from one to ten men from
every company in seven different regiments. These men had been
absent from their commands seventy-five days, without clothing, &c.,
and had not been paid for si. months; neither could they receive pay
until the descriptive rolls of each one were furnished to the officer
commanding them. Moreover, they all belonged to regiments which
General Washburn and Lieutenant Noyes have arranged to leave here.
When Captain Woodward arrived in Saint Louis after leaving you he
found that with the exception of this mixed detachment all the rest of
Winslow's command had proceeded back through Missouri and Arkan-
sas, and he even received intelligence from officers returning from that
command that they had already been detached from General Curtis'
command and sent overland to Memphis. He told General Rosecrans
that it was your wish to have the command concentrated at some con-
venient point as quickly as possible and sent to Nashville. General
Rosecrans stated that it was adverse to his orders to do so, but
agreed with Captain Woodward that as at that time it was more
than probable that the majority of Colonel Winslow's command would
come out at Memphis, it would be best for that detachment to be sent
to their companies in Memphis to refit. In doing this Captain Wood-
ward also acted in obedience to my directions, as Memphis would cer-
tainly have been the best point to have concentrated had Winslow's
command come there, as was expected at that time. Besides, could I
have concentrated Winslow's and the Vicksburg cavalry at Memphis
immediately upon the receipt of your order, as was undoubtedly your
intention, I would have had force sufficient to have marched overland
via Fort Henry to Nashville, which would have been the most expedi-
tious route. But, as you will see, I was powerless, my command being
scattered from Kansas to Middle Tennessee by orders from superior
authority. I certainly understood your instructions, and every move
which I have made was with the intention of carrying them out with
the least possible delay. In answer to your inquiry as to why I was
absent from Saint Louis or Memphis, I have the honor to state that it
was by virtue of extract 7, Special Orders, No. 183, from headquarters
District of West Tennessee, by which order I was sent to Missouri and
* See Part I, p. 954.ORP. LVII.]
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Errata sheets for the Records of the War of the Rebellion include additions and corrections to the text and the index for Series 1, Volume 45.
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United States. War Department. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 45, In Two Parts. Part 2, Correspondence, etc., book, 1895; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth142229/m1/23/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.