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ents； will be better than any that can be obtained now。
It may not be possible for you to march to the rear of Petersburg； but； failing in this； you could strike either of the sea…coast ports in North Carolina held by us。 From there you could take shipping。 It would be decidedly preferable； however； if you could march the whole distance。
》From the best information I have； you will find no difficulty in supplying your army until you cross the Roanoke。 From there here is but a few days' march； and supplies could be collected south of the river to bring you through。 I shall establish communication with you there； by steamboat and gunboat。 By this means your wants can be partially supplied。 I shall hope to hear from you soon； and to hear your plan； and about the time of starting。
Please instruct Foster to hold on to all the property in Savannah； and especially the cotton。 Do not turn it over to citizens or Treasury agents； without orders of the War Department。
Very respectfully； your obedient servant；
U。 S。 GRANT； Lieutenant…General。
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OE THE MISSISSIPPI； IN THE FIELD； NEAR SAVANNAH； GEORGIA； January 2； 1865。
Lieutenant…General U。 S。 GRANT； City Point。
GENERAL ： I have received； by the hands of General Barnard； your note of 26th and letter of 27th December。
I herewith inclose to you a copy of a projet which I have this morning； in strict confidence； discussed with my immediate commanders。
I shall need； however； larger supplies of stores； especially grain。 I will inclose to you； with this； letters from General Easton； quartermaster； and Colonel Beckwith； commissary of subsistence； setting forth what will be required； and trust you will forward them to Washington with your sanction； so that the necessary steps may be taken at once to enable me to carry out this plan on time。
I wrote you very fully on the 24th； and have nothing to add。 Every thing here is quiet； and if I can get the necessary supplies in our wagons； shall be ready to start at the time indicated in my projet （January 15th）。 But； until those supplies are in hand； I can do nothing； after they are； I shall be ready to move with great rapidity。
I have heard of the affair at Cape Fear。 It has turned out as you will remember I expected。
I have furnished General Easton a copy of the dispatch from the Secretary of War。 He will retain possession of all cotton here； and ship it as fast as vessels can be had to New York。
I shall immediately send the Seventeenth Corps over to Port Royal； by boats； to be furnished by Admiral Dahlgren and General Foster （without interfering with General Easton's vessels）； to make a lodgment on the railroad at Pocotaligo。
General Barnard will remain with me a few days； and I send this by a staff…officer； who can return on one of the vessels of the supply…fleet。 I suppose that； now that General Butler has got through with them； you can spare them to us。
My report of recent operations is nearly ready； and will be sent you in a day or two； as soon as some farther subordinate reports come in。
I am； with great respect； very truly； your friend；
W。 T。 SHERMAN； Major…General。
＇Entirely confidential＇
PROJET FOR JANUARY。
1。 Right wing to move men and artillery by transports to head of Broad River and Beaufort； reestablish Port Royal Ferry； and mass the wing at or in the neighborhood of Pocotaligo。
Left wing and cavalry to work slowly across the causeway toward Hardeeville； to open a road by which wagons can reach their corps about Broad River； also； by a rapid movement of the left； to secure Sister's Ferry； and Augusta road out to Robertsville。
In the mean time； all guns； shot； shell； cotton； etc。； to be moved to a safe place； easy to guard； and provisions and wagons got ready for another swath； aiming to have our army in hand about the head of Broad River； say Pocotaligo； Robertsville； and Coosawhatchie； by the 15th January。
2。 The whole army to move with loaded wagons by the roads leading in the direction of Columbia； which afford the best chance of forage and provisions。 Howard to be at Pocotaligo by the 15th January； and Slocum to be at Robertsville； and Kilpatrick at or near Coosawhatchie about the same date。 General Fosters troops to occupy Savannah； and gunboats to protect the rivers as soon as Howard gets Pocotaligo。
W。 T。 SHERMAN； Major…General。
Therefore； on the 2d of January； I was authorized to march with my entire army north by land； and concluded at once to secure a foothold or starting…point on the South Carolina side； selecting Pocotaligo and Hardeeville as the points of rendezvous for the two wings； but I still remained in doubt as to the wishes of the Administration； whether I should take Charleston en route； or confine my whole attention to the incidental advantages of breaking up the railways of South and North Carolina； and the greater object of uniting my army with that of General Grant before Richmond。
General Barnard remained with me several days； and was regarded then； as now； one of the first engineers of the age； perfectly competent to advise me on the strategy and objects of the new campaign。 He expressed himself delighted with the high spirit of the army； the steps already taken； by which we had captured Savannah； and he personally inspected some of the forts； such as Thunderbolt and Causten's Bluff； by which the enemy had so long held at bay the whole of our navy； and had defeated the previous attempts made in April； 1862； by the army of General Gillmore； which had bombarded and captured Fort Pulaski； but had failed to reach the city of Savannah。 I think General Barnard expected me to invite him to accompany us northward in his official capacity； but Colonel Poe； of my staff； had done so well； and was so perfectly competent； that I thought it unjust to supersede him by a senior in his own corps。 I therefore said nothing of this to General Barnard； and soon after he returned to his post with General Grant； at City Point； bearing letters and full personal messages of our situation and wants。
We were very mUch in want of light…draught steamers for navigating the shallow waters of the coast； so that it took the Seventeenth Corps more than a week to transfer from Thunderbolt to Beaufort； South Carolina。 Admiral Dahlgren had supplied the Harvest Moon and the Pontiac； and General Foster gave us a couple of hired steamers； I was really amused at the effect this short sea…voyage had on our men； most of whom had never before looked upon the ocean。 Of course； they were fit subjects for sea…sickness； and afterward they begged me never again to send them to sea； saying they would rather march a thousand miles on the worst roads of the South than to spend a single night on the ocean。 By the 10th General Howard had collected the bulk of the Seventeenth Corps （General Blair） on Beaufort Island； and began his march for Pocotaligo； twenty…five miles inland。 They crossed the channel between the island and main…land during Saturday； the 14th of January； by a pontoon… bridge； and marched out to Garden's Corners； where there was some light skirmishing； the next day； Sunday； they continued on to Pocotaligo； findi