July 14th, 2011
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/14/2011
Official copy letter, “J.T. Parrish AAG”, 1pp., 8” x12” on Confederate blue paper, Columbus, Georgia, August 1, 1864, written to Major General D.H. Maury, minor edge damage at top, 1” split at fold. In part, “By the express desire of the President, Gen. Hood has been requested to concentrate Roddey’s Cavalry Brigade at Opelika and as soon as possible put it in motion for the District of North Alabama. This command was revised and stationed there by the Department for special service and it is the intention to retain it there under its present commander reporting direct to the Commander of the Dept. ... The duty of holding and protecting the valley ... in South Ala. and operating on the enemy’s ... in middle Tennessee will befall occupation for Gen. Roddey and cannot be well entertained to better hands. Your obdt servant (signed) Braxton Bragg.” President Jefferson Davis and his military advisor, General Braxton Bragg, had envisioned a military operation into Tennessee, in the rear of the Union forces at Atlanta. The belief was that such a move would cut the supplies to Union Maj. Gen. Wm. T. Sherman's army and force a withdrawal of the Union army back into Tennessee and beyond. Gen. John Bell Hood, after his disastrous defeats in and around Atlanta, was anxious to please the officials in Richmond, and prove his generalship.
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