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Rafiki
Posts: 5811
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Fri Jul 06, 2007 8:28 pm

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Executive Mansion, Washington D.C.,
Late July, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: General Sphar

General,

Please provide your view on having General Burnside and his command board Farragut's ships and then immediately assault/besiege Savannah. From my point of view, Burnside isn't accomplishing much while holed up in Hardeeville, and it is my belief that such a move will throw Johnston off balance, especially if we send ships up the Savannah, making it difficult, if not impossible, to cross into Georgia, especially if he is to make any difference in an upcoming battle for Savannah.

Do note that Farragut does not have room for Burnside's entire command, so either a small garrison force or perhaps any empty supply wagons that are of no immediate use will have to be left behind in Hardeeville, at least for a fortnight after Burnside embarks.

I would also like your view on the slightly more long-term plan of creating an army under Burnside's command.

Respectfully,
A. Lincoln[/font]
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jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Sat Jul 07, 2007 2:51 am

[font="Courier New"][RIGHT]DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Jackson, Tn., Late July 1862[/RIGHT]
HON. EDWIN McMASTERS STANTON, Secretary of War:

SIR: I have the honor to report on the following developments in my department:

Western Command: Maj. Gen. Curtis is continuing to advance on Little Rock. Opposition is light; even the McCulloch cavalry division in Fort Smith is now reportedly gone; and evidence of destroyed rail lines in Little Rock and Madison, AR point to a rebel scorched earth strategy in effect.

Mississippi Expedition:Maj. Gen. Pope's small army is still in shambles from the invasion of Memphis, and has pulled back behind the lines to absorb replacements.

Foote's naval force is back in Cairo now, repairing too. It will soon be increased by 4 new operational river ironclads, which at nine City class boats in total, will be quite a formidable armada indeed; Memphis' days as a rebel stronghold are numbered, I think it's fair to say.

Army of the Tennessee : Miracle of miracles, just when we thought it could not be taken...the rebels have apparantly abandoned Corinth! The depot blown, tracks ripped up - only a token force remains.

As bad as Grant's losses were, Sidney Johnston's losses must have been, from his perspective, worse.

This move exposes Memphis to landward attack as well (indeed, enough of these bloody amphibious assaults I say...if we can possibly avoid them, we should!).

Although Grant's army still could use more rest, and needs to absorb many, many more replacements, I think we can take Corinth by assault this turn, and at least put heavily entrenched Memphis back under siege.

Maj. Gen. Wallace stands ready for his transfer destination orders.

Army of the Cumberland: Maj. Gen. Thomas is holding out in Chattanooga. Beauregard is there to with a slightly smaller division; another such division is just across the river. There is some risk that Thomas can be attacked by both if the latter divison under Ruggles can evade our patrol boats; but even if that happens I am reasonably confident in Thomas' defensive skills, and that he can and will hold out until Maj. Gen. Buell can blaze a trail to him.

Very respectfully, sir, I remain, your obedient servant,
[RIGHT]H.W. HALLECK,
Maj. Gen., Commanding[/RIGHT][/font]
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Rafiki
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Sat Jul 07, 2007 4:58 am

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Executive Mansion, Washington D.C.,
Late July, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: General Halleck

General,

thank you for your report.

In my view, there can be a small variety of reasons for the Confederate withdrawal:

- They have been somewhat beaten and need to reorganize and consolidate their forces.
- They are abandoning the western areas in favor of others

Since we have seen new forces arrive in other areas (Knoxville, New Orleans), and that they may have been caught by surprise by Thomas' seizure of Chattanooga, I consider a combination of the two the likeliest.

No matter what the cause is, however, it is important that we fill the vacuum left behind the confederate withdrawals as soon as possible. If their forces are unbalanced, we need to keep them that way; if they are abandoning areas, we need to make them pay the price for doing so.

Respectfully,
A. Lincoln[/font]
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Rafiki
Posts: 5811
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Sat Jul 07, 2007 5:03 am

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Executive Mansion, Washington D.C.,
Late July, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: Generals Sphar and Halleck

Gentlemen,

please make known your priorities with regards to reinforcements known. Stanton reports that replacements are being made available to front-line units as fast or faster than the units are able to absorb them, and we can now start looking at filling gaps in the TO&E's, strengthening our formations and perhaps address weaknesses and lacks of capabilities that have made themselves apparent in these past few months.

Respectfully,
A. Lincoln[/font]
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jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
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Location: San Diego, CA USA

Sat Jul 07, 2007 8:20 pm

Rafiki wrote:[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Executive Mansion, Washington D.C.,
Late July, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: Generals Sphar and Halleck

Gentlemen,

please make known your priorities with regards to reinforcements known. Stanton reports that replacements are being made available to front-line units as fast or faster than the units are able to absorb them, and we can now start looking at filling gaps in the TO&E's, strengthening our formations and perhaps address weaknesses and lacks of capabilities that have made themselves apparent in these past few months.

Respectfully,
A. Lincoln[/font]


[font="Courier New"][RIGHT]DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Jackson, Tn., Late July 1862[/RIGHT]
HON. EDWIN McMASTERS STANTON, Secretary of War:

SIR: As to the creation of new rifle divisions in the west (which are always welcome), the ideal we are striving for in our TO&E's is: 10 infantry regiments + 1 sharpshooter detachment + 1 cavalry regiment + 4 artillery batteries.

As for our existing divisions, using the above guidelines, we are woefully short of the ideal one sharpshooter per division (particularly here in Grant's army). Special attention towards raising the needed units that are lacking would be greatly appreciated.

The need for more independant cavalry regiments for raiding, counter-raiding, and police action behind the lines is also felt out here.

A couple marine/sailor units with pontooning ability would be helpful as well; one for Grant and Buell's army would suffice I would think.

Things we have in surplus currently and do not require are 1) divisional staff (we are overrun with these); 2) heavy caliber artillery (we have plenty I think); 3) additional river navy ships (I think we are adequate in this area now).

Very respectfully, sir, I remain, your obedient servant,
[RIGHT]H.W. HALLECK,
Maj. Gen., Commanding[/RIGHT][/font]
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Sat Jul 07, 2007 8:22 pm

To: President Lincoln, Sec. of War Stanton

From: HQ - Army of the Potomac, Manassas, VA, July 24th, 1862
Gen. Sphar, Cmdr. US forces - Eastern Theater



Mr. President and Secretary,

Burnside's force, as it is with the unfortunate loss of Gen. King, will likely be unable to seriously threaten Savannah. While it is under defended, Burnside's force is nearly played out, and cannot present a credible threat to the confederate forces in the area any longer, especially now that the rebels have transferred a competent commander in J.E. Johnston to the area. Therefore, I have Ordered Burnside to board the transports for reassignment. In order to get the best use out of Burnside , I believe we have two options.

The first option would be to bring Burnside back to refit his forces in a Mid-Atlantic state, then, once they are ready to go on the offensive again, use them to move into one of the coastal areas of Virginia or the Carolinas. The second would be to transfer him directly to New Orleans. Bragg is threatening Butler, and while he probably cannot maintain a siege long in that terrain, the transfer of Burnside, weakened as his force is, would provide security, and also, a competent commander for the city.

Our resupply attempt at Harper's Ferry did not go well, and Banks is now down to his last supplies. Fortunately, Sumner, despite letting himself be deflected from his objective, at least retreated the right direction. He and Fremont should be able to join forces in the next week. I plan to use Gen. Wallace to supplant Sumner, who has failed his men and his commanders too many times. He is past due for retirement, and I will attempt to speed up that process. If they are able to join forces, and I can convince one or the other to actually go on the offensive, I will make one last ditch attempt to relieve the town. If that fails, Banks will have to try and fight his way out, otherwise, the entire right flank of our Eastern forces will be in danger of surrender.

General Lee has finally stirred himself from his defenses and advanced on Manassas, where Gen. McClellan is waiting. Getting him to move may be harder than stealing gold from the devil (I've heard that even some of his generals now refer to the Army as "McClellan's Bodyguard"), but give him his due, he knows how to construct a position. He is firmly entrenched around the rail junction, with plenty of artillery, and should be able to shrug off any attack by Lee, simply by the strength of his position since we cannot depend on better leadership. In addition, I have restructured the corps of Porter and Keyes. Keyes will be marching to attempt to catch Lee in the flank or rear and press him against the anvil that Gen. McClellan's position will provide. Gen. McDowell and the force remaining in Stafford are also in position to support the assault if needs be. Moving Lee seems to be either an attempt to link back up with the forces in the Valley, perhaps indicating their supply level is also becoming critical, or simply an attempt to distract us from the main push coming at Harper's Ferry. If the latter, barring yet another catastrophe befalling the Army of the Potomac, the move will provide us with an opportunity. Even if we could have convinced the army to move, Gen Lee was set in very strong positions, and shifting him out of them would have proved to be difficult.

The remaining army staff from Fremont's failed offensive will be in Baltimore within a fortnight, so if the decision is made to pull Burnside back North, that is where he should be directed. If possible, I would like Wallace routed to join Sumner's force as soon as possible. As for soldiers, mainly replacements will be needed soon, but new infantry brigades may also be needed, especially if Banks faces a catastrophic defeat. Artillery and cavalry forces are currently adequate.

The decisive battle in the East may soon be upon us. The rebels are drawing this thing out much longer than I anticipated, which I take as a positive. If they were confident in their success, they would have forced the issue long before this.

I am most respectfully your obedient servant,

L.H.Sphar, Gen.

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Rafiki
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Sun Jul 08, 2007 9:25 pm

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Department of War, Washington D.C.,
Late July, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: General Halleck

General,

thank you for your report.

We will strive to fulfill your needs to as large an extent as possible.

Respectfully,
E Stanton[/font]
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Rafiki
Posts: 5811
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Location: Oslo, Norway

Sun Jul 08, 2007 9:52 pm

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Executive Mansion, Washington D.C.,
Late July, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: General Sphar

General,

thank you for your report and for your analysis of Burnside's situation.

It is my opinion that Burnside will provide such a significant boost to the defenses of New Orleans, as you point out, that we shall make that his destination. I do not like that this will mean that we will have little to no presence in the Carolinas for some time, but gaining the upper hand in the Mississippi delta is of significant value also. The army staff formerly under Fremont will be dispatched south at the earliest opportunity, and all in all, this should give as a strategic advantage in Louisiana large enough to carry the day.

I concur with your evaluation of Sumner and trust Wallace will prove of better metal than his predecessor.

I also concur with your evaluation and dispositions for the forces in the Valley and of the Potomac. We can only hope that the confederates supply is running out; reports from our agents indicate that this is at least starting to be the case for Jackson and more so for the town of Winchester, though the sketchy nature of those reports fail to give any details and exact numbers.

I see storm clouds gathering on the horizon, general, and I want you to know that my prayers and best wishes are with you and your men for what lies ahead.

Respectfully,
A. Lincoln[/font]
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Rafiki
Posts: 5811
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Mon Jul 09, 2007 7:53 pm

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Executive Mansion, Washington D.C.,
Late July, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: General Halleck

General,

please confirm that General Wallace has received instructions to report in the east, preferably to wherever Sumner will be by the time Wallace reaches Virginia.

Respectfully,
A Lincoln[/font]
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Rafiki
Posts: 5811
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Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:03 pm

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Department of War, Washington D.C.,
Late July, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: General Halleck

General,

I have received word from the governor of Indiana that some of the infantry brigades undergoing formation and training in his state have a sharpshooter regiment incorporated. This is in addition to the independent sharpshooter regiments that soon will be transferred to your command from the state of Ohio. I estimate that these units will go a far way in covering your needs in these regards.

Respectfully,
E Stanton[/font]
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Rafiki
Posts: 5811
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Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:12 pm

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Department of War, Washington D.C.,
Late July, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: General Sphar

General,

please provide a report on your needs for reinforcements. We are able to assess parts of your needs ourselves, but since we are not entirely familiar with the plans you and your staff are working on, we may not be providing you with the types of units you are most in need of.

Respectfully,
E. Stanton[/font]
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jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:42 am

[font="Courier New"][RIGHT]DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Jackson, Tn., Early August 1862[/RIGHT]
HON. EDWIN McMASTERS STANTON, Secretary of War:

SIR: I have the honor to report on the following developments in my department:

Western Command: Maj. Gen. Curtis and Brig. Gen. Sigel have laid siege to Fort Smith, Arkansas. Brig. Gen. Asboth is on the outskirts of Little Rock, and reports it lightly defended; the CSA supply depot there has been destroyed. Brig. Gen. Davis is resting to the north of both. Supply is hard to come by as they move farther south, but plans are afoot to resupply them all by river (see below).

The plan now is to take both Fort Smith and Little Rock, then move all three divisions east to link up with Grant's forces on the other side of the Mississippi, taking Madison along the way.

A proposal for your consideration: Perhaps with a few new cavalry units raised in Kansas and Missouri, along with a horse artillery, a drive can be made on the villages in the Indian Territory...and then a push into Arizona, taking Tucson?

Other than that possibility, with so little opposition, the campaign in the Transmississippi appears to be nearing a successful and speedy conclusion.

Mississippi Expedition: Maj. Gen. Pope's command is still reorganzing and processing replacements.

Foote and Porter now have a sizable fleet assembled at Cairo, ready to push down the Mississippi. Plans are being made to run past Memphis (if it does not fall) and send a resupply convoy to Curtis' army on the Arkansas.

Army of the Tennessee: Grant has Memphis under siege, and an assault on the works by Sherman is being planned for next week.

Corinth has fallen! We captured 1400 prisoners, and took close to 2000 stands of arms. Praise is in order for Maj. Gen. Heintzelman in overall command, as well as a newcomer in the department...Brig. Gen. Phil Sheridan. Sheridan's performance in his very first battle was exempliary; I would like to formally submit his name to you for immediate promotion to Major General. I think he would make a fine corps commander.

As soon as Memphis is secured, Grant's plan is to move south rapidly down the rail via Grenada, and then on to Vicksburg and Jackson. The hope is that such an aggressive move into the heart of secession by Grant will not only be beneficial in and of itself, but will also cause pressure to be lifted from beleagered points south and east.

Army of the Cumberland: Maj. Gen. Thomas fought a fierce battle at Chattanooga; the rebels threw practically everything they had in the area at him, but he managed to hold the field.

At this point, however, I feel it would be prudent to withdraw Thomas from the area, to safety across the river. I now do not feel entirely confident that Buell will be able to reach him in time, and the nation can ill afford another shock to national morale caused by the wholesale destruction of entire regiments. Chattanooga is not worth the hazarding of such a risk, in my opinion. Naturally, the depot will be destroyed before we leave, rendering the area difficult for the rebels to defend in the immediate future. We will retake it soon.

On a more positive note, Brig. Gen. Nelson reports the city of Knoxville to be undefended, and can be occupied within three days. It will be done.

Very respectfully, sir, I remain, your obedient servant,
[RIGHT]H.W. HALLECK,
Maj. Gen., Commanding[/RIGHT][/font]
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Rafiki
Posts: 5811
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Sun Jul 22, 2007 1:29 pm

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Executive Mansion, Washington D.C.,
Early August, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: General Halleck

General,

thank you for your report. I am heartened by hearing that your armies are advancing in most areas.

The progress of the Western Command is good, but make sure that you aren't pushing your men too far, even if I am calling for the fall of Arkansas as soon as possible.

I do not think the time is right for a push into Arizona, nor do I think the Indians pose a real threat; our resources are in much more need elsewhere. Once Arkansas has been secured, leave a sufficient garrison in strategic places, then move the main bulk of the forces south and east with the forces currently there.

I hope Memphis will fall soon, and I trust that Grant won't waste any time on unnecessary preparations.

Since the rebels have all but disappeared from your areas of operation (and moved to places like New Orleans), I want you to exploit the vacuum left behind and move into the areas they have vacated. Vicksburg and by extension, Jackson, are of particular interest, both by themselves and as staging areas for further operations.

Sheridan's performance has been duly noted, and based on your recommendation and other reports I have received, I'll make the necessary arrangements for his promotion shortly. The message shall be clear; commanders that do their job well, shall receive the honor and the credit that is them due.

I shall trust your judgement regarding Thomas' situation in Chattanooga, though I hope it is quite temporary. Atlanta is but a short distance from Chattanooga, and it would be of great help, both in regards to morale and to hurting the rebel war effort if it and the heartland of Georgia should fall into our hands.

Respectfully,
A Lincoln[/font]
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Rafiki
Posts: 5811
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Sun Jul 22, 2007 1:40 pm

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Executive Mansion, Washington D.C.,
Early August, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: General Halleck

General,

once Grant has taken control of Memphis, please start making arrangements for the transfer of his command eastwards. After the loss of the entire Army of Northern Virginia at Harper's Ferry, the east is in dire need of capable army leadership, and Grant is the prime choice for such a task. I shall leave it to you and general Sphar to coordinate the exact timing and details of this.

I suspect that you will not like loosing one of your best generals, but you may see this as an acknowledgment of what you have achieved so far and that I see no reasons that your success shall not continue, even without Grant.

Respectfully,
A Lincoln[/font]
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Rafiki
Posts: 5811
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Sun Jul 22, 2007 5:00 pm

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Department of War, Washington D.C.,
Early August, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: General Sphar

General,

I've received word from Augustus W. Bradford, governor of Maryland, that most of the militia regiments called up for service recently (e.g. in the towns of the Delmarva peninsula) have not been deployed forward and he is wondering if maybe a courier with orders to that effect may have been ambushed by confederates before being able to deliver the orders.

He is informing me that the troops are as ready as his officers can make them and my hope is that your generals may be able to train them further so that they can serve as proper line troops, that is, if there is time to do that, given the recent events at Harper's Ferry.

Respectfully,
E. Stanton[/font]
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Spharv2
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Thu Jul 26, 2007 11:02 pm

To: President Lincoln, Sec. of War Stanton

From: HQ - Army of the Potomac, Manassas, VA, August 7th, 1862
Gen. Sphar, Cmdr. US forces - Eastern Theater



Mr. President and Secretary,

My apologies for not being in communication sooner, but I have been attempting to pick up the pieces from the disaster that occurred in Harper's Ferry. The situation we find ourselves in is certainly bad, and I cannot at this time see any bright spots in the clouds, but we are still attempting to reverse the situation.

As you know by now, Gen Banks command was completely shattered by repeated assaults by the Rebels before our proposed offensive could be achieved. Banks was wounded in the defeat, and is currently convalescing in Maryland. Despite his defeat, I am proud of the job he did while in command. I fear it is my fault that he was put in a no-win situation, yet he did his duty and held out as long as was possible. There is no doubt he was outclassed, but unlike some of our other political appointees, he did his best and offered no excuses.

The situation as it now exists is this:

1. The Eastern armies are split and one half is currently leaderless and without direction.
2. The Army of the Potomac is currently being besieged at Manassas. They have the strength to easily hold out against the current opposing forces.
3. If the rebel army in the Valley chooses to proceed North or East, it will necessitate the pulling back of our entire army north of the Potomac River, or risk being surrounded.
4. The remnants of the Army of Virginia should be moved by rail to southern Pennsylvania as soon as possible to defend that state and prepare possible fallback positions for the AoP.

Currently, I am attempting once more to break the siege, by Lee, of Gen McClellan around Manassas. I still hope to hold on to that rail line as it restricts movement and communications between the Valley and Lee's forces. God willing, we will perform better in this attack than the last one, where Gen. McClellan refused to even venture out of his fine defensive positions to join the attack.

Our greatest needs at the moment are cavalry once more, as our division was ambushed and scattered, and naturally, infantry brigades to replace those lost in Harper's Ferry.

Once we again have the cavalry in place, I intend to begin raiding the valley extensively to impede any movements to and from there as much as possible. These groups will naturally be smaller than the grand division used the first time, though I may recreate that with some additional light infantry support for use raiding behind Lee's lines.

Regarding the militia, they will be moved up soon, but those troops are, at the moment, well nigh useless in a stand up fight, which is what I must protect against at this time. Once the lines are re-established and the front line troops are in place, those men will be moved into position. They would be of much better use in their current state being used to free up more experienced troops for front line service, as I fear their initial training would merely be enough to ensure they get in the way at the worst possible time. Once the situation improves, they can be moved to a command under McClellan who should be able to train them up well.

Due to the size of the planned rail movements in the next couple of weeks, as I bring Fremont and Sumner back around to shield the capital, I felt it was imperative to warn you that once again, the armies will be interfering with the regular traffic and commandeering a large amount of rolling stock. Hopefully, this will give you plenty of time to prepare the public for the disruptions.

I am most respectfully your obedient servant,

L.H.Sphar, Gen.

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Rafiki
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Tue Aug 28, 2007 9:17 pm

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Executive Mansion, Washington D.C.,
Early August, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: General Sphar

General,

thank you for your report.

First of all let me say that I see no reason to play any "blame game" for the fall of Harper's Ferry. If anything, I am as much at fault as any other for failing to provide the necessary formations and equipment to achieve victory.

Your requests for reinforcements shall be heeded. I also intend to ask the governor of Pennsylvania to call up a number of militia regiments to provide some cover while we reassemble the Eastern armies behind them, then let McClellan train them into fully battle-ready troops. You will, of course, have free control of all Eastern railroads in your effort to reorganize your armies

I believe that the focus for the remainder of 1862 will have to be securing the territory we currently control and build our forces up for the spring of 1863. For anything you can achieve beyond that, I will be thankful.

Respectfully,
A. Lincoln[/font]
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jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
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Wed Sep 05, 2007 6:17 pm

[font="Courier New"][RIGHT]DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Holly Springs, Ms., Late August 1862[/RIGHT]
HON. EDWIN McMASTERS STANTON, Secretary of War:

SIR: It is with eminent satisfaction that I report to you the capture of the city of Memphis, along with its guns, depot, stores, ammo, prisoners, etc. I would like to mention both Maj. Gen. Rosecrans and Brig. Gen. Sherman for special commendation for their role in the assault.

As per you orders, Maj. Gen. Grant now stands ready for transfer to the east. I recommend that his entire army staff go with him, so as to minimize the political fallout involved. I suspect McClellan with his entire staff will thus be eased out of Virginia to make room.

Command of Grant's forces will pass to Maj. Gen Pope, in the nearby Army of the Mississippi.

To the west, things go well also in Maj. Gen. Curtis' department. Fort Smith has surrendered, and the capital of Little Rock has been placed under siege. Plans are afoot to take both Little Rock and Madison, garrison them, then transfer the divisions to east of the river, for whatever operation Pope's army decides to next engage in.

To the east, Maj. Gen. Thomas has managed to extract himself from what I feared would be an untenable situation in Chattanooga, but not before stalwart rear guard demolished the depot there. If the rebels retake the city, the benefit to them now will be slim.

Further good news: Brig. Gen. Nelson took Knoxville, while the Nashville held off a determined 4 day assault by Nathan Bedford Forrest.

As things stand now, all population centers in Tennessee have been taken or are currently besieged, except for 3 mountain hamlets in the eastern tip of the state.

Still, I must say that I am somewhat unsatisfied with progress by Maj. Gen. Buell. Reports I am getting characterize him as a slow, unmotivating figure.

It has also occured to me that Maj. Gen. Burnside is now the ranking general in the United States Army (even ranking McClellan!), thanks to the expertise and skill he has gained in the defense of Hardeeville in South Carolina. Perhaps in exchange for Grant, Burnside could now be sent west, as a replacement for Buell? Due to Burnside's high ranking, this would be politically untroublesome; and in my opinion his learned expertise would make him an improvement over Buell.

And besides, the forces in Carolina, while they have indeed done well recently, are fought to a frazzle and should be withdrawn to New England for reconstitution, do you not agree? Which would make Burnside theoretically available?

Also, while we are on the subject of coastal withdrawals...should not the evacuation of New Orleans be contemplated as well? I had hoped Grant's success would draw attention away from Maj. Gen. Butler and his precarious position, but it seems to me the rebel forces in the west refuse to be distracted from their current goal. Indeed, their cutting of the rail lines south of Corinth seem to even preclude them from even being tempted towards such distraction.

Pope will of course begin a push down river towards New Orleans (unless perhaps you deem it wiser for him to head east, and link up with Buell near Chattanooga?), but what with fortresses at Vicksburg and quite possibly Port Hudson and Baton Rouge as well, timely relief of Butler from this direction seems to me unlikely.

Which leads into the final subject of river control. Admiral Porter reports the absense of rebel guns all along Arkansas River, plus the Mississippi all the way south to Bolivar (which he intends to capture very soon). He would also like to establish depots at Bolivar and Little Rock as soon as they are secured. The most cost efficient way to do this is with paddlewheel transports, interestingly enough...two will suffice to creat a depot (and they are much cheaper than wagons!). Could four or so of these units be added to future builds for the region?

I remain, sir, your obedient servant,
[RIGHT]H.W. HALLECK,
Maj. Gen., Commanding[/RIGHT][/font]
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Tue Sep 11, 2007 10:19 pm

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Executive Mansion, Washington D.C.,
Late August, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: General Halleck

General,

First of all, my congratulations to you and your men on the capture of both Memphis, Knoxville and Fort Smith.

Grant should indeed bring his staff with him. I see no reason to deprive him of his most trusted advisors, and am sure he'll provide enough information to Pope to ensure a smooth transition of command anyway.

I have received word that General Curtis was a bit miffed upon hearing that Sheridan had been promoted to Major General. Seeing as Curtis already holds the rank of Lieutenant General and that Sheridan has achieved considerable success on the battlefields, I am sure you can explain to Curtis that I would prefer him holding his criticism to himself if he is not able to do it through the proper chain of command without running to the newspapers with it at the same time.

Regarding Burnside, I see no problem on him taking over for Buell, as long as General Sphar has no need for him and as long as he is able to board the ships assigned to his transport; so far, there have been problems with doing that, it seems. I had hopes that the units under his command might be able to reinforce New Orleans, but they are in serious need of rest and refit before being brought into any new battle, provided they even get out of the one they have been fighting lately.

I see no reason to evacuate New Orleans. The troops currently stationed there are fit and well supplied, and if the Confederates wish to have two or three divisions enjoy the hospitality of the Louisiana swampland, I see no reason not to encourage it. Should they choose to assault the city, they'll find the defenders well entrenched and the cost of taking it high, and it should give Pope and Curtis, perhaps even Buell better room for advancing southwards.

Porter shall have his transports; I'll have Stanton make arrangements for the shipyards in Missouri to start building them forthwith.

Respectfully,
A Lincoln[/font]
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Spharv2
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Thu Sep 13, 2007 1:21 am

To: President Lincoln, Sec. of War Stanton

From: HQ - Army of the Potomac, Manassas, VA, August 23rd, 1862
Gen. Sphar, Cmdr. US forces - Eastern Theater



Mr. President,

Things may not be quite as dire as I had feared earlier this month. Though Genls. Fremont and Sumner were unable to rescue Banks' force at Harpers Ferry, Gen Fremont made a wise decision in retreating from battle southward up the Valley. From his current position I have ordered him to burn and destroy the rails in Winchester and Warren before swinging back north through Romney. This should eliminate the threat of an immediate Confederate offensive out of the Harper's Ferry area and into Pennsylvania as they will need that rail line to supply their forces as we still sit astride the rail junction at Manassas. Sumner is currently moving his force to Baltimore where he will collect all forces in the area and begin to organize them into a coherent force.

General McClellan has agreed to come out of his fortifications and attempt an immediate offensive against General Lee. Against the possibility of this move failing, I have ordered Gen. Keyes to move around Lee's right flank in order to get behind him and cut his rail lines. If Lee turns on him, it will free McClellan and Lee will be forced to attack across the river. If he does not, then not only will his rail lines be cut, but we will possibly have the opportunity to threaten Charlottesville. My hope is that McClellan will be able to push Lee back before the rebels can attempt to make a junction of their armies in the East. AP Hill is in supporting distance of Lee, but I cannot currently try to move him from his position as he threatens Alexandria.

I am pleased to hear of Grant's imminent arrival. Even should he win the coming battle, McClellan has had such a deleterious effect on his subordinates as to render them practically immobile and useless. Hopefully Grant can put some life into the moribund army. As soon as he arrives, I will replace McClellan and send him north to Baltimore. He is still stout in defense, and knows how to train up an army like no other, so he will be a good choice to organize the forces gathering there I believe.

I have no problems with Burnside moving west. He has done a good job, especially this month, in repelling the assaults on his diminishing forces, but his role in that area is done, and he can be used with much more effect elsewhere. I have not heard the reasons for his delay in departing with the fleet. I sent the orders to him early in the month, and he failed to execute them. I hope it was only because of the heavy attacks he was subjected to. He did damage Johnston's command severely, so it is my hope that those losses will provide him some breathing room to extricate himself from his position.

As far as current needs go, the army could use some divisional staff officers to replace those lost in Harpers Ferry. Without these, the reorganization of the army in Baltimore will take a considerable amount of time. I know they cannot be procured at a moment's notice, but we need to begin planning ahead in order to make that force capable of offensive action to recapture Harpers Ferry, or at least fix the rebel armies there to avoid their re-combination with the main force, as soon as possible.

I am most respectfully your obedient servant,

L.H.Sphar, Gen.

jimwinsor
General of the Army
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Thu Sep 13, 2007 6:39 pm

[font="Courier New"][RIGHT]DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Holly Springs, Ms., Late August 1862[/RIGHT]
HON. EDWIN McMASTERS STANTON, Secretary of War:

A postcript to my previous report: Grant and his staff are en route to Pennslyvania, and are due to arrive there in 30 days. In addition, 3 unused western divisional staffs are railing in that direction from various posts as well.

I remain, sir, your obedient servant,
[RIGHT]H.W. HALLECK,
Maj. Gen., Commanding[/RIGHT][/font]
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Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:41 pm

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Executive Mansion, Washington D.C.,
Late August, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: General Sphar

General,

thank you for your report. I am heartened that you find blue sky amongst the clouds over the Army of the Potomac. The plan you have outlined should work well into forcing the Confederates' hand and hopefully bring them over on the defensive, reaching back to Southern areas for food and supplies.

Be informed that I have ordered a small fleet up the Rappahanock. It should be able to provide some fire support against Confederate forces on the river's banks and also make it harder for them to cross to the North bank, should they desire to do so. The fleet is led by admiral Dupont; he will dispatch a liaison to Porter's HQ so that this fleet may be put to the best use for our forces in the area.

I trust you have been informed of the staff units coming out of the West. Additionally, I have ordered Stanton to initiate the needed activities for bringing together enough staff officers to provide the command personnel for 2 more divisions. However, I am afraid that it might take some time for this work to complete, and you might not be able to make use of these officers this campaign season. Time will ultimately show, I reckon.

Respectfully,
A. Lincoln[/font]
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Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:42 pm

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Executive Mansion, Washington D.C.,
Late August, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: General Halleck

General,

I'm sure general Sphar will highly appreciate the various command personnel you have dispatched eastwards.

I request from you a report on the situation among the population in the various states within your area of responsibility with regards to pro-Confederate sentiments and support,

Seeing as our struggle is to restore the Union to its former self, I wish to see full liberties as provided by the Constitution restored to the population of the areas falling under our control as soon as possible. However, this can only been done at a pace that does not threaten our control of the areas in question or the security and operational capabilities of our troops, and I shall therefore have to rely on information from you to decide this matter.

I would also like to hear how you intend to handle the Sioux uprising in the Great Plains.

Respectfully,
A Lincoln[/font]
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jimwinsor
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Mon Sep 17, 2007 10:22 pm

[font="Courier New"][RIGHT]DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Holly Springs, Ms., Early September 1862[/RIGHT]
His Excellency ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President, &c.:

Dear Sir: The following is in response to your request for an assessment on loyalties and control of the states in my department.

All the free states, and Missouri, are solidly (or in the case of Missouri, sufficiently) pro-Union in loyalties, hence there are no control problems in those states.

Arkansas is rather rabidly pro-Confederate leaning, however, this is not as problematic as is the case elsewhere. With the imminent capture of Little Rock, the campaign for the northern half of the state will be at an end; the troops used for the campaign transferred to the Mississippi for the drive south towards New Orleans. Supply for our outlying garrisons at Fort Smith and Little Rock will be by river, hence the need to control the hinterland of Arkansas to the Missouri border is not all that critical, I think.

Kentucky and Tennessee are much more problematic.

Loyalty there is generally very bad. Since the Emancipation Proclamation, loyalty in some areas, which had been rising steadily around 25% Union, have dropped to 0% Union.

This will have some very bad effects. Loyalty influences control, and once control of an area drops below 25%, the rail and supply lines through the area are cut. The worse the loyalty situation (below 50% for our side), the faster control drops.

Now, we can prevent disloyalty from dropping control levels by simply placing a unit there to garrison it. This is why the garrisoned towns and cities of Kentucky and Tennessee have stayed firmly under Union control.

We can also raise loyalty through martial law. But for martial law to be effective, we have to have a garrison in the area. Provided there is a garrison, martial law will raise loyalty by 1% every two weeks, until 30% is reached. If loyalty can get to at least 50% (that extra 20% by other means, for example), we wont have to worry about it dropping control levels while ungarrisoned. Which would be nice, as this frees up garrison troops for other things, like fighting the rebels.

So, the way I see it, the issue here is not so much martial law vs. not martial law, but making sure we have sufficient garrison troops. Whatever strategy you decide to employ, we will need garrisons to carry it out.

For example, if you want to go with full liberties, thats indeed possible; but we will need to have a unit garrisoning each vital province of a state. Probably for the duration of the war. This means not only towns and cities, but all rail provinces we wish to use in between. And this we have lamentably not been doing (for want of adequate units).

If you opt for a martial law strategy, again, we will need garrisons; martial/habeus has no effect on ungarrisoned areas. The benefit is, however, the slow eventual loyalty increase, such that we will be able to remove said garrisons once loyalty reaches appropriately pro-Union levels. 15 months of martial law will bring a province up from 0% Union loyalty to 30% Union loyalty.

So, however you decide to tackle the problem, we will need more rear-area garrison troops. Lots of them. Militia regiments would obviously be the best for this, as they are the cheapest to produce. As to how many we need, that is simple; count up the currently ungarrisoned rail lines (I see no need to bother with non-town, non-rail areas) we need to garrison, and that is the number of militia we need to raise. With more needed as we move further south, of course.

A heavy production burden no doubt, but for the campaign in middle Tennessee towards Atlanta, I do not see a way around this necessity, I fear.

For the drive down the Mississippi, I am going to stick close to the river for supply as near as practicible (as opposed to the inland rail lines south of Corinth). A river has no loyalty, which for our purposes is nice! All I need to do is maintain a chain of river depots (Memphis, Bolivar, etc) and we will be able to drive on Vicksburg through to New Orleans just fine, I believe.

Intelligence reports that Bragg's corps is no longer in the vicinity of New Orleans. Only Hardee and two CSA divisions maintain the siege there. My guess is (and it is only a guess), Bragg has been sent to Vicksburg, to begin digging in there. I shall send Foote down river with a few ironclads to carefully scout out Vicksburg, and verify this theory.

As to the troublesome Sioux, two newly raised cavalry regiments in Chicago shall be dispatched. And perhaps Brig. Gen. McCook, who has a bit of a reputation as an indian fighter.

Which on the subject, we could use some more brigadiers out west, for a few of our divisions are in need of leadership. If there are any such unemployed in the east, I am sure I will be able to find work for them here.

I remain, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
[RIGHT]H.W. HALLECK,
Maj. Gen., Commanding[/RIGHT][/font]
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Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:58 pm

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Executive Mansion, Washington D.C.,
Early September, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: General Halleck

General,

Thank you for your thorough analysis of the political situation within your area of responsibility. It was particularly the impact of a less than ideally loyal population on our Western operations I wished to know about, and your letter has provided me with the answers I sought.

I'm afraid that there is little alternative to instituting martial law throughout the states where we rely on bringing supply forward by train, since there is no possibility in any foreseeable future of providing soldiers for the escorts and garrisons you say are necessary without the institution of martial law. We have barely enough recruits for our front-line units, and that is before we even start to think about rear-guard militia, I'm afraid.

I too am anxious to learn what awaits us in Vicksburg. If you find it possible to secure the fortress before the Confederates are able to assemble large formations and extensive fortifications there, then by all means do so, but if you find that the Confederates are too many (for now) or that winter looms too close, I shall not hold it against you if you do not plan for seizing Vicksburg till next year.

I do, however, wish that you deal with the Sioux uprising forthwith, and your plan seems to me a good way to achieve this. The last thing I wish is to have roaming bands of hostile Indians in our Western states should the Sioux sentiments spread to other Indian nations.

I will have Stanton look into your request for more officers capable of division command, though I see no reason why we shouldn't be able to fulfill your request to at least some extent.

Respectfully,
A Lincoln[/font]
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Tue Sep 18, 2007 10:09 pm

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Executive Mansion, Washington D.C.,
Early September, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: General Sphar

General,

I have received word from Farragut that Burnside's command now has completed boarding and that they soon shall be setting sail for Baltimore. In this force are the cadres of 3 divisions, which in addition to the command staff arriving from the West should shortly provide you with enough command staff for 6 divisions. Also, staff for an additional 3 divisions have started to assemble in Washington, though I doubt they will be ready for front-line duty before winter is upon us.

Will these 9 divisional staffs be sufficient for your needs this year, given that recruitment and casualty rates stay as can be expected?

Respectfully,
A. Lincoln[/font]
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Thu Sep 20, 2007 1:25 am

To: President Lincoln, Sec. of War Stanton

From: HQ - Army of the Potomac, Manassas, VA, August 23rd, 1862
Gen. Sphar, Cmdr. US forces - Eastern Theater



Mr. President,

I am pleased that Gen Burnside was finally able to get himself out of the situation he was in. It is unfortunate that he was unable to get the supply train out too, but getting the troops out was much more important. Those divisions, plus the ones being gathered now should be sufficient to reform the army now gathering near Baltimore. As an aside, I would like to request the immediate promotion of Gen. Meade who has just arrived in Washington. I would like to have him replace Gen. McDowell who will begin the gathering of that force, to be joined by McClellan once Grant arrives.

The moves by Fremont and Keyes were both successful. Keyes will tear up the track behind Gen. Lee, then return to the Manassas area. I considered having him continue south, but he reports a large quantity of stragglers already, so I fear a battle would prove beyond his means at present. Fremont was successful in his raiding, and continued south. He will continue to tear up track as he goes, before turning north to cross the mountains and joining with our present forces.

Things are currently pretty stable, the rebels seem content to remain in place, which aides us. A vigorous continuation of their offensives after the debacle at Harper's Ferry could have been a very heavy blow to us. As it is, within the next month or two, we will have our army reorganization completed, and should have much more aggressive leadership in place. Replacing McClellan has the possibility to completely change the complexion of the struggle in the east. If Gen. Grant performs as well, and has the salutary effect on his subordinates, as he did in his former command, then we should finally be able to make our greater numbers felt. I just hope that I can begin to make the rebels feel the strain before this campaign season is over. The troops are ready and spoiling for a fight. If possible, I shall endeavor to give them just that before long.

I am most respectfully your obedient servant,

L.H.Sphar, Gen.

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Thu Sep 20, 2007 10:47 pm

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]Executive Mansion, Washington D.C.,
Early September, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: General Sphar

General,

All things considered, it is fortunate that we finally are able to bring Rosecrans and his remaining troops home. I am looking forward to hearing his report from this campaign, but I am fairly sure it could've ended much worse than it did, and that both Rosecrans and his men deserve credit for the job they have done in the face of dedicated and able opposition. That a number of supply wagons had to be left behind is of course unfortunate, and I do not doubt we soon shall see them laden with Confederate supplies in Northern Virginia or in Tennessee, but if that will be the worst of tomorrow's headaches, I won't be too sorry for it.

I too am confident in Meade's abilities and have heard good things about him from other people, as well as from yourself, and I am happy to inform you that only paperwork at the War Department remains in effectuating his promotion, and I expect that to be complete within a week or so, if not sooner.

I am pleased to see the efficiency you are showing in forging the new formations in Baltimore and elsewhere. As you point out, the Confederates have been hesitant in following up on their success at Harper's Ferry, and I am quite confident that they by-and-large have missed the window of opportunity that had been opened. With their supply currently effectively cut off, I doubt we will see any large-scale Confederate offensive north of the Potomac this fall.

There is one thing I request from you. I want you to submit the names of at least 2, preferably 4 of your generals that can report west to general Halleck. After all, he has lost his best army commander, and is currently facing a shortage in people suitable for command.

Respectfully,
A. Lincoln[/font]
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Thu Sep 20, 2007 11:04 pm

[font="Fixedsys"][RIGHT]War Department, Washington D.C.,
Early September, 1862[/RIGHT]

To: General Sphar

General,

We have received word from 12. fleet that they have been able to land some patrols on the south bank of the James river, finding only a single regiment of militia garrisoned in Petersburg. However, they were unable to ascertain if there are any forces in the surrounding areas, as well as determine the composition and size of the forces guarding Richmond. I do not know if you have plans for conducting any raids along the James, but if you do, there is a squadron of transport ships on their way to Baltimore that can be used for transporting a raiding force, should you wish to conduct any such operations.

I also wish to inform you that there currently are significant amounts of rolling stock standing idle, even when all shipments of supply and ammo have been planned for, in case you e.g. wish to let General Ord's division reach Caroll somewhat faster than they will on foot in the mud.

Respectfully,
Edward Stanton[/font]
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Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:21 am

To: President Lincoln, Sec. of War Stanton

From: HQ - Army of the Potomac, Manassas, VA, September 4th, 1862
Gen. Sphar, Cmdr. US forces - Eastern Theater



Mr. President,

The following is a list of generals that can be replaced, or at least their loss will not put the army too far behind in it's organization. I would ask that you send this list to Gen. Halleck and let him choose those he feels will perform best in his area of operation. As I do not know his situation as well as I might, I will let him pick and choose, then shuffle the commands as needed to fill in any holes.

One star generals:
William F. Smith
J. Shields
Alfred Pleasanton
G. Morell
G. McCall
Alpheus Williams
Phil Kearney

I highly recommend Kearney for a command. His skills as a cavalry leader are superb, and he will probably be of more use in the West.

Two star generals:
William Franklin
Edwin Sumner
Lewis Wallace

None of these have shown us much in the east I'm afraid, but the same could be said of all the generals in the East. Maybe a change of scenery will improve their performance.

Three star generals:
George McClellan
Irvin McDowell
Nathan Banks

I'm not sure if he needs a general of this seniority there, but these three are available if needed. They would all make adequate corps commanders under the right leadership, and could lead an army if needed.

If you wouldn't mind sending an order to board the trains to Gen. Ord, I would be grateful to you. They could probably use the work to get in shape, but I recognize that speed is of the essence at the moment.

I am still unsure as to the advisability of a seabourne move up the James. As we have seen in South Carolina, the difficulties if a withdrawal becomes necessary could lead to the loss of a large force. I would not be adverse to a reinforcement of Fort Monroe to push up the peninsula concurrent with the offensive to come in Northern Virginia, or a strike to attempt to reclaim Norfolk. Either of these could be reinforced if successful, and would have a handy fallback location if that should become necessary. The rebels have become particularly complacent outside of Fort Monroe, and currently they guard the path up the peninsula with a mere sharpshooter regiment. I would like another month at least to finalize the reorganization of the forces in my department to see what might be spared for any naval moves. Though, if you believe a quicker strike is advisable, I will endeavor to gather the forces necessary and provide them with leadership.

I am most respectfully your obedient servant,

L.H.Sphar, Gen.

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