ousand
men monthly, and will gain no result." And again, "Hood may turn into
Tennessee and Kentucky, but I believe he will be forced to follow me.
Instead of being on the defensive I would be on the offensive. Instead
of guessing at what he means, he would have to guess at my plans. I
prefer to march through Georgia, smashing things, to the sea." And
again, "When you hear I am off, have lookouts at Morris' Island, S.C.;
Ossabaw Sound, Georgia; Pensacola and Mobile bays. I will turn up
somewhere, and believe me I can take Macon, Milledgeville, Augusta, and
Savannah, Georgia, and wind up with closing the neck back of
Charleston, so that they will starve out. This movement is not purely
military or strategic, but it will illustrate the vulnerability of the
South."

General Grant promptly authorized the proposed movement, indicating,
however, his preference for Savannah as the objective, and fixing
Dalton as the northern limit for the destruction of the railway.
Preparations were immediately made for the execution of these plans.

Early on the morning of the 18th, General Morgan marched his division
to rejoin the Army of the Cumberland, which at this time lay in reserve
at Galesville, Alabama, taking with him a large drove of cattle for
army consumption. The division reached the army and joined its corps at
11 A.M. on the 22nd.

Sherman had issued orders for his army to subsist off the country,
which it did with a good will, foragers being sent out from the
different commands daily. The country round Galesville was wild and
romantic, affording that beautiful scenery so peculiar to northern
Georgia and Alabama.

The army was soon again put on the move, part of it going with General
Thomas, and the remainder, the 14th, 20th, 15th and 17th Corps, going
with Sherman down the railway towards Atlanta.

Morgan's division marched to Rome, where it remained a few days, after
which it continued on to Kingston, where it arrived on the 1st of
November. At Kingston the army received eight months pay, and a partial
supply of clothing, having to wait until it arrived at Atlanta before a
complete supply would be issued.

While at Kingston, it will be remembered, the Eighty-sixth Regiment
camped on a piece of ground covered with all manner of stones, from the
minutest pebble to those that were large enough to make an uneven bed.
Again, on the 8th of the month, the division marched on, passing
through the ruined Cassville on to Carte