HEADQUARTERS　OF　THE　ARMY　WASHINGTON；　December　16；　1864
  Major…General　SHERMAN　（via　Hilton　Head）。
  GENERAL：　Lieutenant…General　Grant　informs　me　that；　in　his　last　dispatch　sent　to　you；　he　suggested　the　transfer　of　your　infantry　to　Richmond。　　He　now　wishes　me　to　say　that　you　will　retain　your　entire　force；　at　least　for　the　present；　and；　with　such　assistance　as　may　be　given　you　by　General　Foster　and　Admiral　Dahlgren；　operate　from　such　base　as　you　may　establish　on　the　coaSt。　General　Foster　will　obey　such　instructions　as　may　be　given　by　you。
  Should　you　have　captured　Savannah；　it　is　thought　that　by　transferring　the　water…batteries　to　the　land　side　that　place　may　be　made　a　good　depot　and　base　of　operations　on　Augusta；　Branchville；　or　Charleston。　　If　Savannah　should　not　be　captured；　or　if　captured　and　not　deemed　suitable　for　this　purpose；　perhaps　Beaufort　would　serve　as　a　depot。　　As　the　rebels　have　probably　removed　their　most　valuable　property　from　Augusta；　perhaps　Branchville　would　be　the　most　important　point　at　which　to　strike　in　order　to　sever　all　connection　between　Virginia　and　the　Southwestern　Railroad。
  General　Grant's　wishes；　however；　are；　that　this　whole　matter　of　your　future　actions　should　be　entirely　left　to　your　discretion。
  We　can　send　you　from　here　a　number　of　complete　batteries　of　field…　artillery；　with　or　without　horses；　as　you　may　desire；　also；　as　soon　as　General　Thomas　can　spare　them；　all　the　fragments；　convalescents；　and　furloughed　men　of　your　army。　　It　is　reported　that　Thomas　defeated　Hood　yesterday；　near　Nashville；　but　we　have　no　particulars　nor　official　reports；　telegraphic　communication　being　interrupted　by　a　heavy　storm。
  Our　last　advises　from　you　was　General　Howard's　note；　announcing　his　approach　to　Savannah。　　Yours　truly；
  H。　W。　HALLECK；　Major…General；　Chief…of…Staff。
  HEADQUARTERS　OF　THE　ARMY　WASHINGTON；　December　18；　1864。
  Major…General　W。　T。　　SHERMAN；　Savannah　（via　Hilton　Head）。
  My　DEAR　GENERAL：　Yours　of　the　13th；　by　Major　Anderson；　is　just　received。　　I　congratulate　you　on　your　splendid　success；　and　shall　very　soon　expect　to　hear　of　the　crowning　work　of　your　campaignthe　capture　of　Savannah。　　Your　march　will　stand　out　prominently　as　the　great　one　of　this　great　war。　　When　Savannah　falls；　then　for　another　wide　swath　through　the　centre　of　the　Confederacy。　　But　I　will　not　anticipate。　　General　Grant　is　expected　here　this　morning；　and　will　probably　write　you　his　own　views。
  I　do　not　learn　from　your　letter；　or　from　Major　Anderson；　that　you　are　in　want　of　any　thing　which　we　have　not　provided　at　Hilton　Head。　Thinking　it　probable　that　you　might　want　more　field…artillery；　I　had　prepared　several　batteries；　but　the　great　difficulty　of　foraging　horses　on　the　sea…coast　will　prevent　our　sending　any　unless　you　actually　need　them。　　The　hay…crop　this　year　is　short；　and　the　Quartermaster's　Department　has　great　difficulty　in　procuring　a　supply　for　our　animals。
  General　Thomas　has　defeated　Hood；　near　Nashville；　and　it　is　hoped　that　he　will　completely；　crush　his　army。　　Breckenridge；　at　last　accounts；　was　trying　to　form　a　junction　near　Murfreesboro'；　but；　as　Thomas　is　between　them；　Breckenridge　must　either　retreat　or　be　defeated。
  General　Rosecrans　made　very　bad　work　of　it　in　Missouri；　allowing　Price　with　a　small　force　to　overrun　the　State　and　destroy　millions　of　property。
  Orders　have　been　issued　for　all　officers　and　detachments　having　three　months　or　more　to　serve；　to　rejoin　your　army　via　Savannah。　Those　having　less　than　three　months　to　serve；　will　be　retained　by　General　Thomas。
  Should　you　capture　Charleston；　I　hope　that　by　some　accident　the　place　may　be　destroyed；　and；　if　a　little　salt　should　be　sown　upon　its　site；　it　may　prevent　the　growth　of　future　crops　of　nullification　and　secession。　Yours　truly；
  H。　W。　HALLECK；　Major…General；　Chief…of…Staff。
  HEADQUARTERS　OF　THE　ARMY　WASHINGTON；　December　18；　1864。
  To　Major…General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　commanding　Military　Division　of　the　Mississippi。
  My　DEAR　GENERAL：　I　have　just　received　and　read；　I　need　not　tell　you　with　how　mush　gratification；　your　letter　to　General　Halleck。　　I　congratulate　you　and　the　brave　officers　and　men　under　your　command　on　the　successful　termination　of　your　most　brilliant　campaign。　　I　never　had　a　doubt　of　the　result。　　When　apprehensions　for　your　safety　were　expressed　by　the　President；　I　assured　him　with　the　army　you　had；　and　you　in　command　of　it；　there　was　no　danger　but　you　would　strike　bottom　on　salt…water　some　place；　that　I　would　not　feel　the　same　securityin　fact；　would　not　have　intrusted　the　expedition　to　any　other　living　commander。
  It　has　been　very　hard　work　to　get　Thomas　to　attack　Hood。　　I　gave　him　the　moat　peremptory　order；　and　had　started　to　go　there　myself；　before　he　got　off。　　He　has　done　magnificently；　however；　since　he　started。　　Up　to　last　night；　five　thousand　prisoners　and　forty…nine　pieces　of　captured　artillery；　besides　many　wagons　and　innumerable　small…arms；　had　been　received　in　Nashville。　　This　is　exclusive　of　the　enemy's　loss　at　Franklin；　which　amounted　to　thirteen　general　officers　killed；　wounded；　and　captured。　　The　enemy　probably　lost　five　thousand　men　at　Franklin；　and　ten　thousand　in　the　last　three　days'　operations。　　Breckenridge　is　said　to　be　making　for　Murfreesboro'。
  I　think　he　is　in　a　most　excellent　place。　　Stoneman　has　nearly　wiped　out　John　Morgan's　old　command；　and　five　days　ago　entered　Bristol。　I　did　think　the　best　thing　to　do　was　to　bring　the　greater　part　of　your　army　here；　and　wipe　out　Lee。　　The　turn　affairs　now　seem　to　be　taking　has　shaken　me　in　that　opinion。　　I　doubt　whether　you　may　not　accomplish　more　toward　that　result　where　you　are　than　if　brought　here；　especially　as　I　am　informed；　since　my　arrival　in　the　city；　that　it　would　take　about　two　months　to　get　you　here　with　all　the　other　calls　there　are　for　ocean　transportation。
  I　want　to　get　your　views　about　what　ought　to　be　done；　and　what　can　be　done。　　If　you　capture　the　garrison　of　Savannah；　it　certainly　will　compel　Lee　to　detach　from　Richmond；　or　give　us　nearly　the　whole　South。　　My　own　opinion　is　that　Lee　is　averse　to　going　out　of　Virginia；　and　if　the　cause　of　the　South　is　lost　he　wants　Richmond　to　be　the　last　place　surrendered。　　If　he　has　such　views；　it　may　be　well　to　indulge　him　until　we　get　every　thing　else　in　our　hands。
  Congratulating　you　and　the　army　again　upon　the　splendid　results　of　your　campaign；　the　like　of　which　is　not　read　of　in　past　history；　I　subscribe　myself；　more　than　ever；　if　possible；　your　friend；
  U。　S。　GRANT；　Lieutenant…General。
  HEADQUARTERS　OF　THE　ARMY　CITY　POINT；　VIRGINIA；　December　26；　1864。
  Major…General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Savannah；　Georgia。
  GENERAL：　Your　very　interesting　letter　of　the　22d　inst。；　brought　by　Major　Grey　of　General　Foster's　staff；　is　fast　at　hand。　　As　the　major　starts　back　at　once；　I　can　do　no　more　at　present　than　simply　acknowledge　its　receipt。　　The　capture　of　Savannah；　with　all　its　immense　stores；　must　tell　upon　the　people　of　the　South。　　All　well　here。　Yours　truly；
  U。　S。　GRANT；　Lieutenant…General。
  HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OF　THE　MISSISSIPPI　SAVANNAH；　GEORGIA；　December　24；　1864。
  Lieutenant…General　U。　S。　GRANT；　City　Point；　Virginia。
  GENERAL：　Your　letter　of　December　18th　is　just　received。　　I　feel　very　much　gratified　at　receiving　the　handsome　commendation　you　pay　my　army。　　I　will；　in　general　orders；　convey　to　the　officers　and　men　the　substance　of　your　note。
  I　am　also　pleased　that　you　have　modified　your　former　orders；　for　I　feared　that　the　transportation　by　sea　would　very　much　disturb　the　unity　and　morale　of　my　army；　now　so　perfect。
  The　occupation　of　Savannah；　which　I　have　heretofore　reported；　completes　the　first　part　of　our　game；　and　fulfills　a　great　part　of　your　instructions；　and　we　are　now　engaged　in　dismantling　the　rebel　forts　which　bear　upon　the　sea…channels；　and　transferring　the　heavy　ordnance　and　ammunition　to　Fort　Pulaski　and　Hilton　Head；　where　they　can　be　mare　easily　guarded　than　if　left　in　the　city。
  The　rebel　inner　lines　are　well　adapted　to　our　purpose；　and　with　slight　modifications　can　be　held　by　a　comparatively　small　force；　and　in　about　ten　days　I　expect　to　be　ready　to　sally　forth　again。　　I　feel　no　doubt　whatever　as　to　our　future　plans。　　I　have　thought　them　over　so　long　and　well　that　they　appear　as　clear　as　daylight。　　I　left　Augusta　untouched　on　purpose；　because　the　enemy　will　be　in　doubt　as　to　my　objective　point；　after　we　cross　the　Savannah　River；　whether　it　be　Augusta　or　Charleston；　and　will　naturally　divide　his　forces。　　I　will　then　move　either　on　Branchville　or　Colombia；　by　any　curved　line　that　gives　us　the　best　supplies；　breaking　up　in　our　course　as　much　railroad　as　possible；　then；　ignoring　Charleston　and　Augusta　both；　I　would　occupy　Columbia　and　Camden；　pausing　there　long　enough　to　observe　the　effect。　　I　would　then　strike　for　the　Charleston　&　Wilmington　Railroad；　somewhere　between　the　Santee　and　Cape　Fear　Rivers；　and；　if　possible；　communicate　with　the　fleet　under　Admiral　Dahlgren　（whom　I　find　a　most　agreeable　gentleman；　accommodating　himself　to　our　wishes　and　plans）。　　Then　I　would　favor　an　attack　on　Wilmington；　in　the　belief　that　Porter　and　Butler　will　fail　in　their　present　undertaking。　　Charleston　is　now　a　mere　desolated　wreck；　and　is　hardly　wor