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be shorter to go up the
Ohio in them.
To keep the command of
Cincinnati, I would construct a strong work, heavily armed, at
Covington.
Now, for the operation of
Western Tennessee.
The object should be to drive the enemy from there and resume the command of the
Mississippi River.
For these purposes I would concentrate rapidly at
Grand Junction Price's army, and all that could be spared from
Vicksburg of
Van Dorn's. From there I would make a forced march to
Fort Pillow, which I would take with probably only a very small loss.
It is evident that the forces at
Memphis and
Yazoo River would then have their line of communication by the river with the
North cut off, and they would have either to surrender or cross without resources into
Arkansas, where
General Holmes would take good care of them.
From
Fort Pillow I would compel the forces at
Corinth and
Jackson, Tennessee, to fall back precipitately to
Humboldt and
Columbus, or their lines of communication would be cut off also.
We would then pursue them vigorously beyond the
Mississippi at
Columbus, or the
Ohio at
Paducah.
We would thus compel the enemy to evacuate the
State of Mississippi and
Western Tennessee, with probably the loss on our part of only a few hundred men.
General Price could then be detached into
Missouri to support his friends, where his presence alone would be worth an army to the
Confederacy.
The armament and ammunition of the works referred to should be collected, as soon as possible, at
Meridian and
Chattanooga.
Such are the operations which I would carry into effect, with such modifications as circumstances might require, if the
President had judged proper to order me back to the command of that army which I had, with
General Bragg's assistance, collected together and organized, and which I had only left to recover my shattered health, while my presence could be spared from it, and until he informed me that it was ready to take the offensive.
Hoping for its entire success, I remain, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
