Halleck's Reward

On this day in 1862, Major-General Henry Halleck, Commanding the Department of the Mississippi is made responsible for all of Tennessee and Kentucky.  The rush to complete the Memphis & Charleston RR is now seen as part of the greater plan to drive the Confederates from Chattanooga.

The Seventeenth was also rewarded with a day of recovery from the four-day march.  The Fourth Division remained at Smith's Cross-Roads for another night.

WASHINGTON, June 8, 1862.
Major-General HALLECK, Corinth, Miss.:

We are changing one of the departmental lines, so as to give you all of Kentucky and Tennessee. In your movement upon Chattanooga I think it probable that you include some combination of the force near Cumberland Gap under General Morgan. Do you?

A. LINCOLN*

Overview of the entire Western Theater during the Civil War, courtesy of  flickr.com

Meanwhile, Wood is at Bear Creek, supplying regiments in a daily rotation to the project of rebuilding the bridge.  When not on duty, the men enjoyed the fresh water of a nearby swimming hole.  This was a great time of physical and mental recovery from the two months that had passed since Shiolh.


*ORE correspondence courtesy of my Favorite Link, Ohio State's eHistory