From there you could destroy the railroad and canal in every direction, so as to be of no further use to the rebellion.

* * * This additional raid, with one starting from East Tennessee under Stoneman, numbering about four or five thousand cavalry; one from Eastport, Mississippi, ten thousand cavalry; Canby, from Mobile Bay, with about eighteen thousand mixed troops--these three latter pushing for Tuscaloosa, Selma and Montgomery; and Sherman with a large army eating out the vitals of South Carolina--is all that will be wanted to leave nothing for the rebellion to stand upon.

I would advise you to overcome great obstacles to accomplish this.

Charleston was evacuated on Tuesday last." On the 27th of February, more than a month after Canby had received his orders, I again wrote to him, saying that I was extremely anxious to hear of his being in Alabama.

I notified him, also, that I had sent Grierson to take command of his cavalry, he being a very efficient officer.