Excerpt from Report of the Secretary of War
In the month of February, 1864, General Sherman's movement, with a large force, from Vicksburg, into the interior of the State of Alabama, as far as Meridian, inflicted heavy loss upon the enemy by the destruction of railroads and supplies, the capture of prisoners, and the escape of negroes and refugees. This operation demonstrated the capacity of an invading army to penetrate the rebel States and support itself on the country, and was the forerunner of the great movements in Georgia.
The arrangements for the spring campaigns of 1864 were made, on the part of the government, to put forth its strength. In all the bureaus of the War Department supplies were provided on a scale of great magnitude, to meet any exigency that could be foreseen. The estimates were based upon an army organization of one million of men. The States were called upon to strengthen the armies by volunteers; new drafts were ordered and put in execution throughout all the loyal States; vast supplies of arms, ammunition, clothing, subsistence, medical stores, and forage were provided and distributed in depots, to meet the wants of the troops wherever they might operate; horses, mules, wagons, railroad iron, locomotives and cars, bridge timber, telegraph cable and wire, and every material for transportation and communication of great armies under all conditions, were supplied. Congress, with unstinting hand, voted large appropriations for recruiting, paying and supplying the troops. The office of Lieutenant General, to command all the armies, was created by law. Ulysses S. Grant was appointed to that rank by the President, and assumed command, as Lieutenant General, on the 17th day of March, 1864, from which time the operations of all the armies were under his direction.
The national forces engaged in the spring campaign of 1864 were organized as armies or distributed in military departments, as follows:
The army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General Meade, whose headquarters were on the north side of the Rapidan. This army was confronted by the rebel army of Northern Virginia, stationed on the south side of the Rapidan, under General Robert E. Lee.
The 9th corps, under Major General Burnside, was, at the opening of the campaign, a distinct organization, but on the 24th day of May, 1864, it was incorporated into the army of the Potomac.
The army of the James was commanded by Major General Butler, whose headquarters wore at Fortress Monroe.
The headquarters of the army of the Shenandoah, commanded by Major General Sigel, were at Winchester.
Three armies were united under Major General William T. Sherman, viz: the army of the Cumberland, Major General Thomas commanding, the army of the Tennessee, Major General McPherson commanding; and the army of the Ohio, Major General Schofield commanding. General Sherman's headquarters were at Chattanooga.
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