break；　and　had　reached　me　at　Big　Shanty　as　soon　as　the　fleet　horseman　had　reached　him　（General　Johnston）　at　Marietta
  I　doubt　whether　the　history　of　war　can　furnish　more　examples　of　skill　and　bravery　than　attended　the　defense　of　the　railroad　from　Nashville　to　Atlanta　during　the　year　1864。
  In　person　I　reached　Allatoona　on　the　9th　of　October；　still　in　doubt　as　to　Hood's　immediate　intentions。　　Our　cavalry　could　do　little　against　his　infantry　in　the　rough　and　wooded　country　about　Dallas；　which　masked　the　enemy's　movements；　but　General　Corse；　at　Rome；　with　Spencer's　First　Alabama　Cavalry　and　a　mounted　regiment　of　Illinois　Infantry；　could　feel　the　country　south　of　Rome　about　Cedartown　and　Villa　Rica；　and　reported　the　enemy　to　be　in　force　at　both　places。　　On　the　9th　I　telegraphed　to　General　Thomas；　at　Nashville；　as　follows：
  I　came　up　here　to　relieve　our　road。　　The　Twentieth　Corps　remains　at　Atlanta。　　Hood　reached　the　road　and　broke　it　up　between　Big　Shanty　and　Acworth。　　He　attacked　Allatoona；　but　was　repulsed。　　We　have　plenty　of　bread　and　meat；　but　forage　is　scarce。　　I　want　to　destroy　all　the　road　below　Chattanooga；　including　Atlanta；　and　to　make　for　the　sea…coaSt。　We　cannot　defend　this　long　line　of　road。
  And　on　the　same　day　I　telegraphed　to　General　Grant；　at　City　Point：
  It　will　be　a　physical　impossibility　to　protect　the　roads；　now　that　Hood；　Forrest；　Wheeler；　and　the　whole　batch　of　devils；　are　turned　loose　without　home　or　habitation。　　I　think　Hood's　movements　indicate　a　diversion　to　the　end　of　the　Selma　&　Talladega　road；　at　Blue　Mountain；　about　sixty　miles　southwest　of　Rome；　from　which　he　will　threaten　Kingston；　Bridgeport；　and　Decatur；　Alabama。　　I　propose　that　we　break　up　the　railroad　from　Ohattanooga　forward；　and　that　we　strike　out　with　our　wagons　for　Milledgeville；　Millen；　and　Savannah。　　Until　we　can　repopulate　Georgia；　it　is　useless　for　us　to　occupy　it；　but　the　utter　destruction　of　its　roads；　houses；　and　people；　will　cripple　their　military　resources。　　By　attempting　to　hold　the　roads；　we　will　lose　a　thousand　men　each　month；　and　will　gain　no　result。　　I　can　make　this　march；　and　make　Georgia　howl！　　We　have　on　hand　over　eight　thousand　head　of　cattle　and　three　million　rations　of　bread；　but　no　corn。　　We　can　find　plenty　of　forage　in　the　interior　of　the　State。
  Meantime　the　rebel　General　Forrest　had　made　a　bold　circuit　in　Middle　Tennessee；　avoiding　all　fortified　points；　and　breaking　up　the　railroad　at　several　places；　but；　as　usual；　he　did　his　work　so　hastily　and　carelessly　that　our　engineers　soon　repaired　the　damagethen；　retreating　before　General　Rousseau；　he　left　the　State　of　Tennessee；　crossing　the　river　near　Florence；　Alabama；　and　got　off　unharmed。
  On　the　10th　of　October　the　enemy　appeared　south　of　the　Etowah　River　at　Rome；　when　I　ordered　all　the　armies　to　march　to　Kingston；　rode　myself　to　Cartersville　with　the　Twenty…third　Corps　（General　Cox）；　and　telegraphed　from　there　to　General　Thomas　at　Nashville：
  It　looks　to　me　as　though　Hood　was　bound　for　Tuscumbia。　　He　is　now　crossing　the　Coosa　River　below　Rome；　looking　weSt。　Let　me　know　if　you　can　hold　him　with　your　forces　now　in　Tennessee　and　the　expected　reenforeements；　as；　in　that　event；　you　know　what　I　propose　to　do。
  I　will　be　at　Kingston　to…morrow。　　I　think　Rome　is　strong　enough　to　resist　any　attack；　and　the　rivers　are　all　high。　If　he　turns　up　by　Summerville；　I　will　get　in　behind　him。
  And　on　the　same　day　to　General　Grant；　at　City　Point：
  Hood　is　now　crossing　the　Coosa；　twelve　miles　below　Rome；　bound　weSt。　If　he　passes　over　to　the　Mobile　&　Ohio　Railroad；　had　I　not　better　execute　the　plan　of　my　letter　sent　you　by　Colonel　Porter；　and　leave　General　Thomas；　with　the　troops　now　in　Tennessee；　to　defend　the　State？　He　will　have　an　ample　force　when　the　reenforcements　ordered　reach　Nashville。
  I　found　General　John　E。　　Smith　at　Cartersville；　and　on　the　11th　rode　on　to　Kingston；　where　I　had　telegraphic　communications　in　all　directions。
  》From　General　Corse；　at　Rome；　I　learned　that　Hood's　army　had　disappeared；　but　in　what　direction　he　was　still　in　doubt；　and　I　was　so　strongly　convinced　of　the　wisdom　of　my　proposition　to　change　the　whole　tactics　of　the　campaign；　to　leave　Hood　to　General　Thomas；　and　to　march　across　Georgia　for　Savannah　or　Charleston；　that　I　again　telegraphed　to　General　Grant：
  We　cannot　now　remain　on　the　defensive。　　With　twenty…five　thousand　infantry　and　the　bold　cavalry　he　has；　Hood　can　constantly　break　my　road。　　I　would　infinitely　prefer　to　make　a　wreck　of　the　road　and　of　the　country　from　Chattanooga　to　Atlanta；　including　the　latter　city；　send　back　all　my　wounded　and　unserviceable　men；　and　with　my　effective　army　move　through　Georgia；　smashing　things　to　the　sea。　Hood　may　turn　into　Tennessee　and　Kentucky；　but　I　believe　he　will　be　forced　to　follow　me。　　Instead　of　being　on　the　defensive；　I　will　be　on　the　offensive。　　Instead　of　my　guessing　at　what　he　means　to　do；　he　will　have　to　guess　at　my　plans。　　The　difference　in　war　would　be　fully　twenty…five　per　pent。　　I　can　make　Savannah；　Charleston；　or　the　month　of　the　Chattahoochee　（Appalachicola）。　　Answer　quick；　as　I　know　we　will　not　have　the　telegraph　long。
  I　received　no　answer　to　this　at　the　time；　and　the　next　day　went　on　to　Rome；　where　the　news　came　that　Hood　had　made　his　appearance　at　Resaca；　and　had　demanded　the　surrender　of　the　place；　which　was　commanded　by　Colonel　Weaver；　reenforced　by　Brevet　Brigadier…General　Raum。　　General　Hood　had　evidently　marched　with　rapidity　up　the　Chattooga　Valley；　by　Summerville；　Lafayette；　Ship's　Gap；　and　Snake…Creek　Gap；　and　had　with　him　his　whole　army；　except　a　small　force　left　behind　to　watch　Rome。　　I　ordered　Resaca　to　be　further　reenforced　by　rail　from　Kingston；　and　ordered　General　Cox　to　make　a　bold　reconnoissance　down　the　Coosa　Valley；　which　captured　and　brought　into　Rome　some　cavalrymen　and　a　couple　of　field…guns；　with　their　horses　and　men。　　At　first　I　thought　of　interposing　my　whole　army　in　the　Chattooga　Valley；　so　as　to　prevent　Hood's　escape　south；　but　I　saw　at　a　glance　that　he　did　not　mean　to　fight；　and　in　that　event；　after　damaging　the　road　all　he　could；　he　would　be　likely　to　retreat　eastward　by　Spring　Place；　which　I　did　not　want　him　to　do；　and；　hearing　from　General　Raum　that　he　still　held　Resaca　safe；　and　that　General　Edward　McCook　had　also　got　there　with　some　cavalry　reenforcements；　I　turned　all　the　heads　of　columns　for　Resaca；　viz。；　General　Cox's；　from　Rome；　General　Stanley's；　from　McGuire's；　and　General　Howard's；　from　Kingston。　　We　all　reached　Resaca　during　that　night；　and　the　next　morning　（13th）　learned　that　Hood's　whole　army　had　passed　up　the　valley　toward　Dalton；　burning　the　railroad　and　doing　all　the　damage　possible。
  On　the　12th　he　had　demanded　the　surrender　of　Resaca　in　the　following　letter
  HEADQUARTERS　ARMY　OF　TENNESSEE　IN　THE　FIELD；　October　12；1861。
  To　the　officer　commanding　the　United　Stales　Forces　at　Resaca；　Georgia。
  SIR：　I　demand　the　immediate　and　unconditional　surrender　of　the　post　and　garrison　under　your　command；　and；　should　this　be　acceded　to；　all　white　officers　and　soldiers　will　be　parolled　in　a　few　days。　　If　the　place　is　carried　by　assault；　no　prisoners　will　be　taken。　　Most　respectfully；　your　obedient　servant；
  J。　　B。　　HOOD；　General。
  To　this　Colonel　Weaver；　then　in　command；　replied：
  HEADQUARTERS　SECOND　BRIGADE；　THIRD　DIVISION；　FIFTEENTH　CORPS　RESACA；　GEORGIA；　　October　12；　1884。
  To　General　J。　B。　HOOD
  Your　communication　of　this　date　just　received。　　In　reply；　I　have　to　state　that　I　am　somewhat　surprised　at　the　concluding　paragraph；　to　the　effect　that；　if　the　place　is　carried　by　assault；　no　prisoners　will　be　taken。　　In　my　opinion　I　can　hold　this　poSt。　If　you　want　it；　come　and　take　it。
  I　am；　general；　very　respectfully；　your　most　obedient　servant；
  CLARK　R。　WEAVER；　Commanding　Officer。
  This　brigade　　was　very　small；　and　as　Hood's　investment　extended　only　from　the　Oostenaula；　below　the　town；　to　the　Connesauga　above；　he　left　open　the　approach　from　the　south；　which　enabled　General　Raum　and　the　cavalry　of　Generals　McCook　and　Watkins　to　reenforce　from　Kingston。　　In　fact；　Hood；　admonished　by　his　losses　at　Allatoona；　did　not　attempt　an　assault　at　all；　but　limited　his　attack　to　the　above　threat；　and　to　solve　skirmishing；　giving　his　attention　chiefly　to　the　destruction　of　the　railroad；　which　he　accomplished　all　the　way　up　to　Tunnel　Hill；　nearly　twenty　miles；　capturing　en　route　the　regiment　of　black　troops　at　Dalton　（Johnson's　Forty…fourth　United　States　colored）。　　On　the　14th；　I　turned　General　Howard　through　Snake…Creek　Gap；　and　sent　General　Stanley　around　by　Tilton；　with　orders　to　cross　the　mountain　to　the　west；　so　as　to　capture；　if　possible；　the　force　left　by　the　enemy　in　Snake…Creek　Gap。　　We　found　this　gap　very　badly　obstructed　by　fallen　timber；　but　got　through　that　night；　and　the　next　day　the　main　army　was　at　Villanow。　　On　the　morning　of　the　16th；　the　leading　division　of　General　Howard's　column；　commanded　by　General　Charles　R。　Woods；　carried　Ship's　Gap；　taking　prisoners　part　of　the　Twenty…fourth　South　Carolina　Regiment；　which　had　been　left　there　to　hold　us　in　check。
  The　best　information　there　obtained　located　Hood's　army　at　Lafayette；　near　which　place　I　hoped　to　catch　him　and　force　him　to　battle；　but；　by　the　time　we