Hood has waited for Forrest at Tuscumbia…

Hood has waited for Forrest at Tuscumbia for almost three weeks while his commissary officers have attempted to provide twenty days supply of rations for the upcoming campaign.

This is a difficult assignment because the supply line is tenuous, requiring transport on two railroads, followed by fifteen miles on poor roads to Tuscumbia, using wagons pulled by undernourished horses and oxen.

Hood had transferred his headquarters to Florence on the morning of November 13 and Major General Benjamin F. Cheatham's corps had marched across the river that day with the army's supply trains and cattle following on November 14.

The final corps, under Lieutenant General Alexander P. Stewart, crosses the Tennessee on November 20.

On November 16, Hood had received word that Sherman was about to depart Atlanta for his March to the Sea.

Beauregard had urged Hood to take immediate action in an attempt to distract Sherman's advance, emphasizing the importance of moving before Thomas could consolidate his forces.

Both Sherman and Thomas had considered it likely that Hood would follow Sherman through Georgia.

Although Thomas had received intelligence that Hood was amassing supplies for a movement north, he had discounted most of it—heavy rains during November have made the roads almost impassable.

By November 21, however, Thomas has evidence that all three of Hood's corps are in motion and he directs Schofield to withdraw gradually to the north to protect Columbia before Hood can seize it.

Schofield had arrived at Pulaski on the night of November 13 and assumed command of all forces there, including the IV Corps.

Thomas remains concerned that ten thousand troops from the XVI Corps, commanded by Maj. Gen. Andrew J. Smith, had not arrived as promised reinforcements from Missouri.