J. P. Garesche to Joseph J. Reynolds, December 5, 1862
Nashville, December 5, 1862.
GENERAL: You will proceed to Carthage, Tenn., and assume command of the forces ordered to that point, consisting of four regiments of infantry and a battery of artillery, under Col. A. S. Hall, who left Glasgow, Ky., with his command to-day, and of the regiment of Tennessee cavalry, commanded by Colonel Stokes, now in this city, which last will be directed to report to you at Gallatin. _
Your first care on arriving at Carthage will be to select ground for a small field-work, which shall command the landing and the town, considered as a depot, and enable you with one regiment to hold the town and cross the river at will, either for offensive or defensive purposes. These would be best subserved by placing it, if you can do so advantageously, on the south side of the river, and sufficiently near to the latter to answer for a téte-de-pont. As soon as you shall have chosen the site, press forward the work on it vigorously. You will keep open your communications with Hartsville, protect the river line, and guard the crossings as far on either side of Carthage as your force will permit you to do so, and scout the country all around, particularly in the direction of Sparta and Barkersville. Your supplies you will draw from Gallatin, but you will endeavor, as far as it can be done, to subsist your troops on the country, giving receipts for everything you take, as prescribed in General Orders, No. 17, from these headquarters. It is thought that you can at least procure corn enough, and have it ground, to enable you to issue corn-meal in lieu of flour three times a week.
By command of Major-General Rosecrans :
Assistant Adjutant-General and Chief of Staff.