SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS,
HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF THE MISS.,
In the Field, Kingston, Ga.,
Numbers 120
November 9, 1864.
- For the purpose of
military operations this army is divided into two wings, viz, the Right
Wing, Major General O. O. Howard commanding, the Fifteenth and
Seventeenth Corps; the Left Wing, Major General H. W. Slocum commanding,
the Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps.
- The habitual order of
march will be, wherever practicable, by flour roads, as near parallel as
possible and converging at points hereafter to be indicated in orders.
The cavalry, Brigadier-General Kilpatrick commanding, will receive
special orders from the commander-in-chief.
- There will be no
general train of supplies, but each corps will have its ammunition train
and provision train distributed habitually as follows: Behind each
regiment should follow one wagon and one ambulance; behind each brigade
should follow a due proportion of ammunition wagons, provision wagons,
and ambulances. In case of danger each army corps commander should
change this order of march by having his advance and rear brigade
unencumbered by wheels. The separate columns will start habitually at 7
a.m., and make about fifteen miles per day, unless otherwise fixed in
orders.
- The army will forage
liberally on the country during the march. To this end, each brigade
commander will organize a good and sufficient foraging party, under the
command of one or more discreet officers, who will gather, near the
route traveled, corn or forage of any kind, meat of any kind,
vegetables, corn-meal, or whatever is needed by the command, aiming at
all times to keep in the wagons at least ten day's provisions for the
command and three days' forage. Soldiers must not enter the dwellings of
the inhabitants, or commit any trespass, but during a halt or a camp
they may be permitted to gather turnips, potatoes, and other vegetables,
and to drive in stock for their camp. The regular foraging parties must
be instructed as to the gathering of provisions and forage at any
distance from the road traveled.
- To army corps
commanders alone is entrusted the power to destroy mills, houses,
cotton-gins, &c., and for them this general principle is laid down: In
districts and neighborhoods where the army is unmolested no destruction
of such property should be permitted; but should guerrillas or
bushwhackers molest our march, or should the inhabitants burn bridges,
obstruct roads, or otherwise manifest local hostility, then army
commanders should order and enforce a devastation more or less
relentless according to the measure of such hostility.
- As for horses, mules,
wagons, &c., belonging to the inhabitants, the cavalry and artillery may
appropriate freely and without limit, discriminating, however, between
the rich, who are usually hostile, and the poor or industrious, usually
neutral or friendly. Foraging parties may also take mules or horses to
replace the jaded animals of their trains, or to serve as pack-mules for
the regiments or bridges. In all foraging, of whatever kind, the parties
engaged will refrain from abusive or threatening language, and may,
where the officer in command thinks proper, give written certificates of
the facts, but no receipts, and they will endeavor to leave with each
family a reasonable portion for their maintenance.
- Negroes who are
able-bodies and can be of service to the several columns may be taken
along, but each army commander will bear in mind that the question of
supplies is a very important one and that his first duty is to see to
them who bear arms.
- The organization at
once of a good pioneer battalion for each army corps, composed if
possible of negroes, should be attended to. This battalion should follow
the advance guard, should repair roads, and double them if possible, so
that that columns will not be delayed after reaching bad places. Also,
army commanders should study the habit of giving the artillery and
wagons the road, and marching their troops on one side, and also
instruct their troops to assist wagons at steep hills or bad crossings
of streams.
- Captain O. M. Poe,
chief engineer, will assign to each wing of the army a pontoon train,
fully equipped and organized, and the commanders thereof will see to its
being properly protected at all times.
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