I have had detailed conversations with the
President, the
Secretary of War, and
General Halleck, with respect to your project of a campaign in
Alabama.
It meets the full approval of them all in every respect, not only because it keeps your army active during the otherwise useless weather of the Winter, but because it appears to them well conceived and as certain of producing the desired effect as any plan can be. ‘If it succeed’ said the
Secretary of War, ‘
Bragg's army become prisoners of war without our having the trouble of providing for them.’
You would be authorized to proceed immediately with its execution but for the anxiety which seems to exist respecting
East Tennessee.
If
Longstreet were expelled from that country, you could stars for
Mobile at once; I suppose
General Halleck will communicate with you fully on this subject.
I judge from my conversation with him that he does not understand clearly how an army, large enough to make
Longstreet's dislodgment certain, can be supplied while operating against
Rogersville and
Bristol, and accordingly I presume that, first, as soon as it is settled that he must be left in that region, you will be allowed to proceed south with the main body of your forces, leaving, of course, a sufficient number of troops to observe
Longstreet, and prevent his getting hold of
Knoxville,
Cumberland Gap, or any other controlling point now in our hands.
To my suggestion that the surest means of getting the rebels altogether out of East Tennesseee is to be found in the Army of the Potomac; the reply is, that that is true, but from that army nothing is to be hoped under its present commander.
This naturally led to your second proposition, namely, that either
Sherman or
W. F. Smith should be put in command of that army.
To this the answer is such as to leave but little doubt in my mind that the second of these officers will be appointed to that post.
Both the
Secretary of War and
General Halleck said to me that, as long as a fortnight before my arrival, they had come to the conclusion that when a change should be made,
