Most of these expeditions got off finally, but too late to render any service in the direction for which they were designed.

The enemy, ready to intercept his advance, consisted of Hardee’s troops and Wheeler’s cavalry, perhaps less than fifteen thousand men in all; but frantic efforts were being made in Richmond, as I was sure would be the case, to retard Sherman’s movements.  Everything possible was being done to raise troops in the South.  Lee dispatched against Sherman the troops which had been sent to relieve Fort Fisher, which, including those of the other defences of the harbor and its neighborhood, amounted, after deducting the two thousand killed, wounded and captured, to fourteen thousand men.  After Thomas’s victory at Nashville what remained, of Hood’s army were gathered together and forwarded as rapidly as possible to the east to co-operate with these forces; and, finally, General Joseph E. Johnston, one of the ablest commanders of the South though not in favor with the administration (or at least with Mr. Davis), was put in command of all the troops in North and South Carolina.

Schofield arrived at Annapolis in the latter part of January, but before sending his troops to North Carolina I went with him down the coast to see the situation of affairs, as I could give fuller directions after being on the ground than I could very well have given without.  We soon returned, and the troops were sent by sea to Cape Fear River.  Both New Bern and Wilmington are connected with Raleigh by railroads which unite at Goldsboro.  Schofield was to land troops at Smithville, near the mouth of the Cape Fear River on the west side, and move up to secure the Wilmington and Charlotteville Railroad.  This column took their pontoon bridges with them, to enable them to cross over to the island south of the city of Wilmington.  A large body was sent by the north side to co-operate with them.  They succeeded in taking the city on the 22d of February.  I took the precaution to provide for Sherman’s army, in case he should be forced to turn in toward the sea coast before reaching North Carolina, by forwarding supplies to every place where he was liable to have to make such a deflection from his projected march.  I also sent railroad rolling stock, of which we had a great abundance, now that we were not operating the roads in Virginia.  The gauge of the North Carolina railroads being the same as the Virginia railroads had been altered too; these cars and locomotives were ready for use there without any change.

On the 31st of January I countermanded the orders given to Thomas to move south to Alabama and Georgia. (I had previously reduced his force by sending a portion of it to Terry.) I directed in lieu of this movement, that he should send Stoneman through East Tennessee, and push him well down toward Columbia, South Carolina, in support of Sherman.  Thomas did not get Stoneman off in time, but, on the contrary,