It would have been an easy thing to capture Mobile at the time I proposed to go there.

Having that as a base of operations, troops could have been thrown into the interior to operate against General Bragg's army.

This would necessarily have compelled Bragg to detach in order to meet this fire in his rear.

If he had not done this the troops from Mobile could have inflicted inestimable damage upon much of the country from which his army and Lee's were yet receiving their supplies.

I was so much impressed with this idea that I renewed my request later in July and again about the 1st of August, and proposed sending all the troops necessary, asking only the assistance of the navy to protect the debarkation of troops at or near Mobile.