*****
“Major-General Thomas:
“Reports of scouts make it evident that Joe Johnston has removed most of his force from our front, two divisions going to Longstreet. Longstreet has been reinforced by troops from the east. This makes it evident the enemy intends to secure East Tennessee if they can, and I intend to drive them out or get whipped this month. For this purpose you will have to detach at least ten thousand men besides Stanley’s division (more will be better). I can partly relieve the vacuum at Chattanooga by troops from Logan’s command. It will not be necessary to take artillery or wagons to Knoxville, but all the serviceable artillery horses should be taken to use on artillery there. Six mules to each two hundred men should be taken, if you have them to spare. Let me know how soon you can start.
“Grant,
“Major-General.”
On the 9th Major-General J. M. Schofield arrived at Knoxville, and assumed command of the Army of the Ohio.
General Grant reported on the 11th,—
“Major-General H. W. Halleck,
“General-in-Chief:“I expect to get off from Chattanooga by Monday next a force to drive Longstreet out of East Tennessee. It has been impossible heretofore to subsist the troops necessary for this work.
“U. S. Grant,
“Major-General.”
*****
“Major-General J. M. Schofield,
“Knoxville, Tennessee:“I deem it of the utmost importance to drive Longstreet out immediately, so as to furlough the balance of our veterans, and to prepare for a spring campaign of our own choosing, instead of permitting the enemy to dictate it for us. Thomas is ordered to start ten thousand men, besides the remainder of Granger’s corps, at once. He will take no artillery, but will take his artillery horses, and three mules to one hundred men. He will probably start next Monday.
“U. S. Grant,
“Major-General.”
How General Grant abandoned the move against Longstreet, while Longstreet kept Schofield bottled up all through that trying winter in his works about Knoxville, is old history.
The Confederate government finally abandoned the plan of occupying East Tennessee, and on the 7th of April Longstreet was ordered, with the part of his command that had originally served with the Army of Northern Virginia, to join General Lee on the Rapidan.
I have gone thus far into the East Tennessee campaigns for the pleasure it gives me to reproduce the following resolutions passed by the Confederate Congress during General Longstreet’s arduous work in the winter of 1863–64: