n；　on　the　plank…road；　about　eight　miles　back　of　Savannah。　　I　reached　this　place　about　noon；　and　immediately　sent　orders　to　my　own　head…　quarters；　on　the　Louisville　road；　to　have　them　brought　over　to　the　plank…road；　as　a　place　more　central　and　convenient；　gave　written　notice　to　Generals　Slocum　and　Howard　of　all　the　steps　taken；　and　ordered　them　to　get　ready　to　receive　the　siege…guns；　to　put　them　in　position　to　bombard　Savannah；　and　to　prepare　for　the　general　assault。　　The　country　back　of　Savannah　is　very　low；　and　intersected　with　innumerable　saltwater　creeks；　swamps；　and　rice…fields。　Fortunately　the　weather　was　good　and　the　roads　were　passable；　but；　should　the　winter　rains　set　in；　I　knew　that　we　would　be　much　embarrassed。　　Therefore；　heavy　details　of　men　were　at　once　put　to　work　to　prepare　a　wharf　and　depot　at　Grog's　Bridge；　and　the　roads　leading　thereto　were　corduroyed　in　advance。　　The　Ogeechee　Canal　was　also　cleared　out　for　use；　and　boats；　such　as　were　common　on　the　river　plantations；　were　collected；　in　which　to　float　stores　from　our　proposed　base　on　the　Ogeechee　to　the　points　most　convenient　to　the　several　camps。
  Slocum's　wing　extended　from　the　Savannah　River　to　the　canal；　and　Howard's　wing　from　the　canal　to　the　extreme　right；　along　down　the　Little　Ogeechee。　　The　enemy　occupied　not　only　the　city　itself；　with　its　long　line　of　outer　works；　but　the　many　forts　which　had　been　built　to　guard　the　approaches　from　the　sea…such　as　at　Beaulieu；　Rosedew；　White　Bluff；　Bonaventura；　Thunderbolt；　Cansten's　Bluff；　Forts　Tatnall；　Boggs；　etc。；　etc。　　I　knew　that　General　Hardee　could　not　have　a　garrison　strong　enough　for　all　these　purposes；　and　I　was　therefore　anxious　to　break　his　lines　before　he　could　receive　reenforcements　from　Virginia　or　Augusta。　　General　Slocum　had　already　captured　a　couple　of　steamboats　trying　to　pass　down　the　Savannah　River　from　Augusta；　and　had　established　some　of　his　men　on　Argyle　and　Hutchinson　Islands　above　the　city；　and　wanted　to　transfer　a　whole　corps　to　the　South　Carolina　bank；　but；　as　the　enemy　had　iron…clad　gunboats　in　the　river；　I　did　not　deem　it　prudent；　because　the　same　result　could　be　better　accomplished　from　General　Fosters　position　at　Broad　River。
  Fort　McAllister　was　captured　as　described；　late　in　the　evening　of　December　13th；　and　by　the　16th　many　steamboats　had　passed　up　as　high　as　King's　Bridge；　among　them　one　which　General　Grant　had　dispatched　with　the　mails　for　the　army；　which　had　accumulated　since　our　departure　from　Atlanta；　under　charge　of　Colonel　A。　H。　Markland。　These　mails　were　most　welcome　to　all　the　officers　and　soldiers　of　the　army；　which　had　been　cut　off　from　friends　and　the　world　for　two　months；　and　this　prompt　receipt　of　letters　from　home　had　an　excellent　effect；　making　us　feel　that　home　was　near。　　By　this　vessel　also　came　Lieutenant　Dune；　aide…de…camp；　with　the　following　letter　of　December　3d；　from　General　Grant；　and　on　the　next　day　Colonel　Babcock　；　United　States　Engineers；　arrived　with　the　letter　of　December　6th；　both　of　which　are　in　General　Grant's　own　handwriting；　and　are　given　entire：
  HEADQUARTERS　ARMIES　OF　THE　UNITED　STATES　CITY　POINT；　VIRGINIA；　　December　3；　1864。
  Major…General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　commanding　Armies　near　Savannah；　Georgia。
  GENERAL：　The　little　information　gleaned　from　the　Southern　press　indicating　no　great　obstacle　to　your　progress；　I　have　directed　your　mails　（which　had　been　previously　collected　in　Baltimore　by　Colonel　Markland；　special…agent　of　the　Post…Office　Department）　to　be　sent　as　far　as　the　blockading　squadron　off　Savannah；　to　be　forwarded　to　you　as　soon　as　heard　from　on　the　coast。
  Not　liking　to　rejoice　before　the　victory　is　assured；　I　abstain　from　congratulating　you　and　those　under　your　command；　until　bottom　has　been　struck。　　I　have　never　had　a　fear；　however；　for　the　result。
  Since　you　left　Atlanta　no　very　great　progress　has　been　made　here。　The　enemy　has　been　closely　watched；　though；　and　prevented　from　detaching　against　you。　　I　think　not　one　man　has　gone　from　here；　except　some　twelve　or　fifteen　hundred　dismounted　cavalry。　　Bragg　has　gone　from　Wilmington。　　I　am　trying　to　take　advantage　of　his　absence　to　get　possession　of　that　place。　　Owing　to　some　preparations　Admiral　Porter　and　General　Butler　are　making　to　blow　up　Fort　Fisher　（which；　while　hoping　for　the　best；　I　do　not　believe　a　particle　in）；　there　is　a　delay　in　getting　this　expedition　off。　　I　hope　they　will　be　ready　to　start　by　the　7th；　and　that　Bragg　will　not　have　started　back　by　that　time。
  In　this　letter　I　do　not　intend　to　give　you　any　thing　like　directions　for　future　action；　but　will　state　a　general　idea　I　have；　and　will　get　your　views　after　you　have　established　yourself　on　the　sea…coaSt。　With　your　veteran　army　I　hope　to　get　control　of　the　only　two　through　routes　from　east　to　west　possessed　by　the　enemy　before　the　fall　of　Atlanta。　　The　condition　will　be　filled　by　holding　Savannah　and　Augusta；　or　by　holding　any　other　port　to　the　east　of　Savannah　and　Branchville。　　If　Wilmington　falls；　a　force　from　there　can　cooperate　with　you。
  Thomas　has　got　back　into　the　defenses　of　Nashville；　with　Hood　close　upon　him。　　Decatur　has　been　abandoned；　and　so　have　all　the　roads；　except　the　main　one　leading　to　Chattanooga　Part　of　this　falling　back　was　undoubtedly　necessary；　and　all　of　it　may　have　been。　　It　did　not　look　so；　however；　to　me。　　In　my　opinion；　Thomas　far　outnumbers　Hood　in　infantry。　　In　cavalry　Hood　has　the　advantage　in　morale　and　numbers。　　I　hope　yet　that　Hood　will　be　badly　crippled；　if　not　destroyed。　　The　general　news　you　will　learn　from　the　papers　better　than　I　can　give　it。
  After　all　becomes　quiet；　and　roads　become　so　bad　up　here　that　there　is　likely　to　be　a　week　or　two　when　nothing　can　be　done；　I　will　run　down　the　coast　to　see　you。　　If　you　desire　it；　I　will　ask　Mrs。　Sherman　to　go　with　me。　Yours　truly；
  U。　S。　GRANT；　Lieutenant…General。
  HEADQUARTERS　OF　THE　ARMIES　OF　THE　UNITED　STATES。　CITY　POINT；　VIRGINIA；　December　6；　1864。
  Major…General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　commanding　Military　Division　of　the　Mississippi
  GENERAL：　On　reflection　since　sending　my　letter　by　the　hands　of　Lieutenant　Dunn；　I　have　concluded　that　the　most　important　operation　toward　closing　out　the　rebellion　will　be　to　close　out　Lee　and　his　army。
  You　have　now　destroyed　the　roads　of　the　South　so　that　it　will　probably　take　them　three　months　without　interruption　to　reestablish　a　through　line　from　east　to　weSt。　In　that　time　I　think　the　job　here　will　be　effectually　completed。
  My　idea　now　is　that　you　establish　a　base　on　the　sea…coast；　fortify　and　leave　in　it　all　your　artillery　and　cavalry；　and　enough　infantry　to　protect　them；　and　at　the　same　time　so　threaten　the　interior　that　the　militia　of　the　South　will　have　to　be　kept　at　home。　　With　the　balance　of　your　command　come　here　by　water　with　all　dispatch。　Select　yourself　the　officer　to　leave　in　command；　but　you　I　want　in　person。　　Unless　you　see　objections　to　this　plan　which　I　cannot　see；　use　every　vessel　going　to　you　for　purposes　of　transportation。
  Hood　has　Thomas　close　in　Nashville。　　I　have　said　all　I　can　to　force　him　to　attack；　without　giving　the　positive　order　until　to…day。　To…day；　however；　I　could　stand　it　no　longer；　and　gave　the　order　without　any　reserve。　　I　think　the　battle　will　take　place　to…morrow。　The　result　will　probably　be　known　in　New　York　before　Colonel　Babcock　（the　bearer　of　this）　will　leave　it。　　Colonel　Babcock　will　give　you　full　information　of　all　operations　now　in　progress。　Very　respectfully　your　obedient　servant；
  U。　S。　GRANT；　Lieutenant…General。
  The　contents　of　these　letters　gave　me　great　uneasiness；　for　I　had　set　my　heart　on　the　capture　of　Savannah；　which　I　believed　to　be　practicable；　and　to　be　near；　for　me　to　embark　for　Virginia　by　sea　was　so　complete　a　change　from　what　I　had　supposed　would　be　the　course　of　events　that　I　was　very　much　concerned。　　I　supposed；　as　a　matter　of　course；　that　a　fleet　of　vessels　would　soon　pour　in；　ready　to　convey　the　army　to　Virginia；　and　as　General　Grant's　orders　contemplated　my　leaving　the　cavalry；　trains；　and　artillery；　behind；　I　judged　Fort　McAllister　to　be　the　best　place　for　the　purpose；　and　sent　my　chief…engineer；　Colonel　Poe；　to　that　fort；　to　reconnoitre　the　ground；　and　to　prepare　it　so　as　to　make　a　fortified　camp　large　enough　to　accommodate　the　vast　herd　of　mules　and　horses　that　would　thus　be　left　behind。　　And　as　some　time　might　be　required　to　collect　the　necessary　shipping；　which　I　estimated　at　little　less　than　a　hundred　steamers　and　sailing…vessels；　I　determined　to　push　operations；　in　hopes　to　secure　the　city；　of　Savannah　before　the　necessary　fleet　could　be　available。　　All　these　ideas　are　given　in　my　answer　to　General　Grant's　letters　（dated　December　16；　1864）　herewith；　which　is　a　little　more　full　than　the　one　printed　in　the　report　of　the　Committee　on　the　Conduct　of　the　War；　because　in　that　copy　I　omitted　the　matter　concerning　General　Thomas；　which　now　need　no　longer　be　withheld：
  HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OE　THE　MISSISSIPPI；　IN　THE　FIELD；　NEAR　SAVANNAH；　December　16；　1864。
  Lieutenant…General　U。　S。　GRANT；　Commander…in…Chief；　City　Point；　Virginia。
  GENERAL　：　I　received；　day　before　yesterday；　at　the　hands　of　Lieutenant　Dunn；　your　letter　of　December　8d；　and　last　night；　at　the　hands　of　Colonel　Babcock；　that　of　December