The capture of Fort Fisher has a most important bearing on my campaign, and I rejoice in it for many reasons, because of its intrinsic importance, and because it gives me another point of security on the seaboard.  I hope General Terry will follow it up by the capture of Wilmington, although I do not look for it, from Admiral Porter’s dispatch to me.  I rejoice that Terry was not a West-Pointer, that he belonged to your army, and that he had the same troops with which Butler feared to make the attempt.

Admiral Dahlgren, whose fleet is reenforced by some more ironclads, wants to make an assault a la Fisher on Fort Moultrie, but I withhold my consent, for the reason that the capture of all Sullivan’s Island is not conclusive as to Charleston; the capture of James Island would be, but all pronounce that impossible at this time.  Therefore, I am moving (as hitherto designed) for the railroad west of Branchville, then will swing across to Orangeburg, which will interpose my army between Charleston and the interior.  Contemporaneous with this, Foster will demonstrate up the Edisto, and afterward make a lodgment at Bull’s Bay, and occupy the common road which leads from Mount Pleasant toward Georgetown.  When I get to Columbia, I think I shall move straight for Goldsboro’, via Fayetteville.  By this circuit I cut all roads, and devastate the land; and the forces along the coast, commanded by Foster, will follow my movement, taking any thing the enemy lets go, or so occupy his attention that he cannot detach all his forces against me.  I feel sure of getting Wilmington, and may be Charleston, and being at Goldsboro’, with its railroads finished back to Morehead City and Wilmington, I can easily take Raleigh, when it seems that Lee must come out.  If Schofield comes to Beaufort, he should be pushed out to Kinston, on the Neuse, and may be Goldsboro’ (or, rather, a point on the Wilmington road, south of Goldsboro’).  It is not necessary to storm Goldsboro’, because it is in a distant region, of no importance in itself, and, if its garrison is forced to draw supplies from its north, it, will be eating up the same stores on which Lee depends for his command.

I have no doubt Hood will bring his army to Augusta.  Canby and Thomas should penetrate Alabama as far as possible, to keep employed at least a part of Hood’s army; or, what would accomplish the same thing, Thomas might reoccupy the railroad from Chattanooga forward to the Etowah, viz., Rome, Kingston, and Allatoona, thereby threatening Georgia.  I know that the Georgia troops are disaffected.  At Savannah I met delegates from several counties of the southwest, who manifested a decidedly hostile spirit to the Confederate cause.  I nursed the feeling as far as possible, and instructed Grower to keep it up.

My left wing must now be at Sister’s Ferry, crossing the Savannah River to the east bank.  Slocum has orders to be at Robertsville to-morrow, prepared to move on Barnwell.  Howard is here, all ready to start for the Augusta Railroad at Midway.