a hostile people in detail.  It is also of the utmost importance that our wagons should not be loaded with any thing but provisions and ammunition.  All surplus servants, noncombatants, and refugees, should now go to the rear, and none should be encouraged to encumber us on the march.  At some future time we will be able to provide for the poor whites and blacks who seek to escape the bondage under which they are now suffering.  With these few simple cautions, he hopes to lead you to achievements equal in importance to those of the past.

By order of Major-General W. T. Sherman,
L. M. Dayton, Aide-de-Camp.

[Special Field Orders, No. 120.]

Headquarters military division of the Mississippi
in the field, Kingston, Georgia, November 9, 1864

1.  For the purpose of military operations, this army is divided into two wings viz.: 

The right wing, Major-General O. O. Howard commanding, composed of the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Corps; the left wing, Major-General H. W. Slocum commanding, composed of the Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps.

2.  The habitual order of march will be, wherever practicable, by four roads, as nearly 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.

3.  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 corps commander should change this order of march, by having his advance and rear brigades 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.

4.  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 days’ provisions for his command, and three days’ forage.  Soldiers must not enter the dwellings of the inhabitants, or commit any trespass; but, during a halt or camp, they may be permitted to gather turnips, potatoes, and other vegetables, and to drive in stock in sight of their camp.  To regular foraging-parties must be intrusted the gathering of provisions and forage, at any distance from the road traveled.

6.  To corps commanders alone is intrusted the power to destroy mills, houses, cotton-gins, etc.; and for them this general principle is laid down: