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intermediate points.
To do this, large supplies must be secured on the
Tennessee River, so as to be independent of the railroad from here to the
Tennessee for a considerable length of time.
Mobile would be a second base.
The destruction which
Sherman will do the roads around
Meridian will be of material importance to us in preventing the enemy from drawing supplies and in clearing that section of all large bodies of rebel troops.
I do not look upon any points except
Mobile in the south and the
Tennessee River in the north as presenting practical starting points from which to operate against
Atlanta and
Montgomery.
They are objectionable as starting points to be all under one command, from the fact that the time it will take to communicate from one to the other will be so great But,
Sherman or
McPherson, one of whom would be entrusted with the distant command, are officers of such experience and reliability, that all objections on that score, except that of enabling the two armies to act as an unit, would be removed. * * * *
The same objection will exist probably not to so great an extent, however, if the movement is made in more than one column.
This will have to be with an army of the size we will be obliged to use.
Heretofore I have refrained from suggesting what might be done in other commands than my own, in cooperation with it, or even to think much over the matter.
But, as you have kindly asked me in your letter of the 8th of January, only just received, for an interchange of views on our present situation, I will write you again in a day or two, going outside of my own operations.