Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891 to R. M. Sawyer
Order a pdf of this item here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00119 Author/Creator: Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891 Place Written: Chattanooga, Tennessee Type: Autograph letter signed Date: March 28, 1864 Pagination: 3 p. ; 20.7 x 27 cm. Order a Copy
Instructs Sawyer, Assistant Adjutant General of forces in Nashville, Tennessee, to ready his cavalry to pursue Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest. States Forrest likely will not try to take Fort Donelson, Tennessee, but will instead move into Kentucky. Instructs Sawyer to order Union General Lovell H. Rousseau to hold infantry at Nashville until Forrest's direction is determined. Speculating that Forrest divided his command, orders General James Clifford Veatch to cover the area west, and Rousseau to cover the area east of the Tennessee River. States that if Forrest crosses into Kentucky, Generals Stephen Gano Burbridge and Edward Henry Hobson should attempt to cut him off. Declares "Impress on all that they must not act on the defensive, but must pursue and do all that is possible to kill, capture and destroy every man of Forrest's command that has crossed the Tennessee." Written on Head Quarters Department of the Cumberland stationery, which has been crossed out.
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.