Sterling Price to Earl Van Dorn, August 4, 1862
Tupelo, Miss., August 4, 1862.
Maj. Gen. EARL VAN DoRN, Commanding District of the Mississippi :
GENERAL: I telegraphed you yesterday that dispatches from General Bragg make it almost impossible for me to re-enforce General Breckinridge. He says very pointedly that West Tennessee is now open to my army, intimating that he expects me to enter it. I do not feel at liberty to disregard such an intimation, especially when I consider the very important relations which this army bears to that in East Tennessee. I cannot get possession of the railroad before Thursday. It will then take at least a week to transport to this point the troops, &e., which
must be brought hither preparatory to a forward movement. I regret very much that I have to submit to even this unavoidable delay. I cannot think of protracting it, except under compulsion of the gravest necessity. To attempt to re-enforce General Breckinridge would protract it indefinitely. The success of the campaign depends now upon the promptness and boldness of our movements and the ability which we may manifest to avail ourselves of our present advantages. The enemy are still transferring their troops from Corinth and its vicinity eastward. They will by the end of this week have reduced their force to its minimum. We should be quick to take advantage of this, for they will soon begin to get in re-enforcements under the late call for volunteers. The present obstructed condition of the railroads is another reason for instant action. In fact every consideration makes it important that I shall move forward without a dayâs unnecessary delay. I earnestly desire your co-operation in such a movement, and will, as I have before said, be glad to place my army and myself under your command in that contingency. The very names of yourself and General Breckinridge would bring thousands to our ranks and carry dismay to those of the enemy.
You speak in your dispatch of the frightful amount of sickness in General Breckinridgeâs division. I fear the sweltering heats of this latitude will soon begin to tell fearfully upon my own ranks, and am for that reason the more anxious to take them northward, where we hope to gain accessions from those Tennesseeans and Kentuckians who have seen and felt the wretchedness of northern domination.
Captain Loughborough will deliver this communication to you and explain more particularly the condition of things in this vicinity.
Please inform me by telegraph of your determination, so that in the event of its being favorable we may concert a plan of operations.
I am, general, with the profoundest respect,
your obedient servant,
Major-General, Commanding.
[Inclogure B.]