General Thomas has defeated Hood, near Nashville, and it is hoped that he will completely, crush his army.  Breckenridge, at last accounts, was trying to form a junction near Murfreesboro’, but, as Thomas is between them, Breckenridge must either retreat or be defeated.

General Rosecrans made very bad work of it in Missouri, allowing Price with a small force to overrun the State and destroy millions of property.

Orders have been issued for all officers and detachments having three months or more to serve, to rejoin your army via Savannah.  Those having less than three months to serve, will be retained by General Thomas.

Should you capture Charleston, I hope that by some accident the place may be destroyed, and, if a little salt should be sown upon its site, it may prevent the growth of future crops of nullification and secession.  Yours truly,

H. W. Halleck, Major-General, Chief-of-Staff.

Headquarters of the army
Washington, December 18, 1864.

To Major-General W. T. Sherman, commanding Military Division of the
Mississippi.

My dear general:  I have just received and read, I need not tell you with how mush gratification, your letter to General Halleck.  I congratulate you and the brave officers and men under your command on the successful termination of your most brilliant campaign.  I never had a doubt of the result.  When apprehensions for your safety were expressed by the President, I assured him with the army you had, and you in command of it, there was no danger but you would strike bottom on salt-water some place; that I would not feel the same security—­in fact, would not have intrusted the expedition to any other living commander.

It has been very hard work to get Thomas to attack Hood.  I gave him the most peremptory order, and had started to go there myself, before he got off.  He has done magnificently, however, since he started.  Up to last night, five thousand prisoners and forty-nine pieces of captured artillery, besides many wagons and innumerable small-arms, had been received in Nashville.  This is exclusive of the enemy’s loss at Franklin, which amounted to thirteen general officers killed, wounded, and captured.  The enemy probably lost five thousand men at Franklin, and ten thousand in the last three days’ operations.  Breckenridge is said to be making for Murfreesboro’.

I think he is in a most excellent place.  Stoneman has nearly wiped out John Morgan’s old command, and five days ago entered Bristol.  I did think the best thing to do was to bring the greater part of your army here, and wipe out Lee.  The turn affairs now seem to be taking has shaken me in that opinion.  I doubt whether you may not accomplish more toward that result where you are than if brought here, especially as I am informed, since my arrival in the city, that it would take about two months to get you here with all the other calls there are for ocean transportation.