Lastspring，whenyourmovementsontheMississippiRiverhaddrawnoutofTennesseealargeforceoftheenemy，IagainurgedGeneralRosecranstotakeadvantageofthatopportunitytocarryouthisprojectedplanofcampaign，GeneralBurnsidebeingreadytocooperate，withadiminishedbutstillefficientforce。Buthecouldnotbepersuadedtoactintime，preferringtoliestilltillyourcampaignshouldbeterminated。Irepresentedtohim，butwithoutavail，thatbythisdelayJohnstonmightbeabletoreenforceBraggwiththetroopsthenoperatingagainstyou。
WhenGeneralRosecransfinallydeterminedtoadvance，hewasallowedtoselecthisownlinesandplansforcarryingouttheobjectsoftheexpedition。Hewasdirected，however，toreporthismovementsdaily，tillhecrossedtheTennessee，andtoconnecthisleft，sofaraspossible，withGeneralBurnside’sright。GeneralBurnsidewasdirectedtomovesimultaneously，connectinghisright，asfaraspossible，withGeneralRoaecrans’sleftsothat，iftheenemyconcentrateduponeitherarmy，theothercouldmovetoitsassistance。WhenGeneralBurnsidereachedKingstonandKnoxville，andfoundnoconsiderablenumberoftheenemyinEastTennessee，hewasinstructedtomovedowntheriverandcooperatewithGeneralRosecrans。
Theseinstructionswererepeatedsomefifteentimes，butwerenotcarriedout，GeneralBurnsideallegingasanexcusethathebelievedthatBraggwasinretreat，andthatGeneralRosecransneedednoreenforcements。WhenthelatterhadgainedpossessionofChattanoogahewasdirectednottomoveonRomeasheproposed，butsimplytoholdthemountain—passes，soastopreventtheingressoftherebelsintoEastTennessee。Thatobjectaccomplished，I
consideredthecampaignasended，atleastforthepresent。Futureoperationswoulddependupontheascertainedstrengthand;
movementsoftheenemy。Inotherwords，themainobjectsofthecampaignweretherestorationofEastTennesseetotheUnion，andbyholdingthetwoextremitiesofthevalleytosecureitfromrebelinvasion。