Today in History:

765 Series I Volume XXXI-I Serial 54 - Knoxville and Lookout Mountain Part I

Page 765 Chapter XLIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.


HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Iuka, October 27, 1863.

Brigadier General J. E. SMITH,

Commanding Division, Dickson's:

DEAR GENERAL: That you may act understandingly, I now advise you that at this moment General Ewing's command is moving, via Eastport, Waterloo, and Gravelly Spring, to Florence. There are two gunboats now at Eastport and more coming with transports, &c. I tried to go over the Colbert Shoals yesterday, but the boat Hastings, drawing fully 4 feet, could not pass, but I expect every hour boats of lighter draught, in which case I will get one or more to Florence, in which event I will have the three divisions now in front of Bear Creek move on to Tuscumbia, &c. Otherwise, I will move you all by the left flank to Chickasaw and cross you to Waterloo, Florence, &c.

General Blair's command will be at Cherokee, I expect, tomorrow. Will take the command of the Fifteenth Corps, of which your division must, of necessity, supply the place of the Third till some future chance enables us to make the change without too much cost to the Government.

When the time comes for you to move either way, if we do not have the railroad up to you, you will be able to send back all empty or light wagons to this point, to load up and join you at Waterloo. The road hence to Eastport is elegant, and I suppose that from Dickson to Chickasaw is also very good, though hilly.

I am, &c.,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE,
Iuka, Miss., October 27, 1863.

Editors of Memphis Bulletin:

I don't think you can conceive the mortification a soldier feels at the nauseating accounts given to the public as history. That affair at Collierville should have been described in these words: "Chalmers tried to take Collierville, and did not;" but ridiculous, nonsensical descriptions have followed each other so fast that you ought to be ashamed to print Collierville. Now I am again in authority over you, and you must heed my advice. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press, precious relics of former history, must not be construed too largely. You must print nothing that prejudices government or excites envy, hatred, and malice in a community. Persons in office or out of office must not be flattered or abused. Don't publish an account of any skirmish, battle, or movement of an army unless the name of the writer is given in full and printed. I wish you success, but my first duty is to maintain "order and harmony."

Yours,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.


SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPT. AND ARMY OF THE Tennessee,

No. 3. Iuka, October 27, 1863.

I. General Dodge's division and Fuller's brigade, of the Sixteenth Army Corps, will be forthwith fitted out for field service, and will


Page 765 Chapter XLIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.