Letter

Unknown to Samuel Ryan Curtis, December 18, 1862

Washington, December 18, 1862.

Major-General CuRTIS, Saint Louis, Mo.:

It is the President’s wish that the Mississippi expedition be made as effective as possible by re-enforcements from Helena; but it is not intended to weaken your forces there, so as to endanger any necessary operation in Arkansas. If the movement into Arkansas cannot wait for the result of the other it must be made; but it is inexpedient to undertake too much at once, if it can be avoided. Please state how many troops you propose to retain in Arkansas.

: H. W. HALLECK, General-in- Chief.

Editor's Notes
From: Operations in West Tennessee and Mississippi, Pt. 1. Location: Washington. Summary: General-in-Chief Halleck instructs Major-General Curtis to balance reinforcements for the Mississippi expedition with maintaining sufficient troops in Arkansas, requesting Curtis's troop retention plans.
Sources
The War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 17, Part 1 View original source ↗