NOVEMBER 9, 1864:
With President Lincoln’s re-election an
accomplished fact and the status of Atlanta rendered unimportant to his war
aims, General William Tecumseh Sherman U.S.A issues Special Field Orders Number
120, giving an outline for the military organization of what will become known
as “Sherman’s March To The Sea”:
Headquarters Military
Division of the Mississippi, In the Field, Kingston, Georgia, November 9, 1864
I. For the purpose of
military operations, this army is divided into two wings viz.: The right wing,
Major-General O. O. Howard commanding, composed of the Fifteenth and
Seventeenth Corps; the left wing, Major-General H. W. Slocum commanding,
composed of the Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps.
II. The habitual order
of march will be, wherever practicable, by four roads, as nearly parallel as
possible, and converging at points hereafter to be indicated in orders. The
cavalry, Brigadier - General Kilpatrick commanding, will receive special orders
from the commander-in-chief.
III. There will be no
general train of supplies, but each corps will have its ammunition-train and
provision-train, distributed habitually as follows: Behind each regiment should
follow one wagon and one ambulance; behind each brigade should follow a due
proportion of ammunition - wagons, provision-wagons, and ambulances. In case of
danger, each corps commander should change this order of march, by having his
advance and rear brigades unencumbered by wheels. The separate columns will
start habitually at 7 a.m., and make about fifteen miles per day, unless
otherwise fixed in orders.
IV. The army will forage
liberally on the country during the march. To this end, each brigade commander
will organize a good and sufficient foraging party, under the command of one or
more discreet officers, who will gather, near the route traveled, corn or
forage of any kind, meat of any kind, vegetables, corn-meal, or whatever is
needed by the command, aiming at all times to keep in the wagons at least ten
day's provisions for the command and three days' forage. Soldiers must not
enter the dwellings of the inhabitants, or commit any trespass, but during a
halt or a camp they may be permitted to gather turnips, potatoes, and other
vegetables, and to drive in stock of their camp. To regular foraging parties
must be instructed the gathering of provisions and forage at any distance from
the road traveled.
V. To army corps
commanders alone is intrusted the power to destroy mills, houses, cotton-gins,
&c., and for them this general principle is laid down: In districts and
neighborhoods where the army is unmolested no destruction of such property
should be permitted; but should guerrillas or bushwhackers molest our march, or
should the inhabitants burn bridges, obstruct roads, or otherwise manifest
local hostility, then army commanders should order and enforce a devastation
more or less relentless according to the measure of such hostility.
VI. As for horses,
mules, wagons, &c., belonging to the inhabitants, the cavalry and artillery
may appropriate freely and without limit, discriminating, however, between the
rich, who are usually hostile, and the poor or industrious, usually neutral or
friendly. Foraging parties may also take mules or horses to replace the jaded
animals of their trains, or to serve as pack-mules for the regiments or
bridges. In all foraging, of whatever kind, the parties engaged will refrain
from abusive or threatening language, and may, where the officer in command
thinks proper, give written certificates of the facts, but no receipts, and
they will endeavor to leave with each family a reasonable portion for their
maintenance.
VII. Negroes who are
able-bodied and can be of service to the several columns may be taken along,
but each army commander will bear in mind that the question of supplies is a
very important one and that his first duty is to see to them who bear arms.
— William T. Sherman, Military Division of the
Mississippi Special Field Order 120, November 9, 1864
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