▁V icks burg , ▁leading ▁the ▁assault s ▁made ▁by ▁General ▁Sh erman ; ▁and ▁upon ▁its ▁fall ▁was ▁placed ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁a ▁division ▁in ▁the ▁XVI ▁Corps . ▁At ▁Ch att ano oga , ▁he ▁was ▁given ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Division ▁of ▁the ▁XV ▁Corps , ▁which ▁formed ▁the ▁advance ▁of ▁Sh erman ' s ▁army ▁and ▁carried ▁Mission ary ▁R idge . ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Ch att ano oga , ▁E wing ' s ▁command ▁led ▁a ▁di version ary ▁ra id ▁that ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁destruction ▁of ▁the ▁Empire ▁State ▁Iron ▁Works ▁in ▁D ade ▁County , ▁Georgia , ▁which ▁was ▁being ▁ref urb ished ▁to ▁increase ▁the ▁South ' s ▁manufact uring ▁cap ability . ▁Sh erman ▁considered ▁E wing ▁his ▁most ▁reliable ▁division ▁commander . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁after math ▁of ▁V icks burg , ▁E wing ' s ▁command ▁w reck ed ▁Confeder ate ▁President ▁Jefferson ▁Davis ' s ▁Fle et wood ▁Plant ation , ▁and ▁E wing ▁turned ▁over ▁Davis ' ▁personal ▁correspond ence ▁to ▁his ▁brother - in - law , ▁Sh erman . ▁However , ▁E wing ▁also ▁sent ▁copies ▁of ▁the ▁letters ▁to ▁a ▁few ▁people ▁he ▁had ▁known ▁in ▁Ohio , ▁which , ▁after ▁the ▁documents ▁were ▁published , ▁perman ently ▁sul lied ▁the ▁reputation ▁of ▁former ▁President ▁Franklin ▁Pier ce ▁of ▁New ▁Ham pshire . ▁Their ▁release ▁coinc ided ▁with ▁that ▁of ▁Pier ce ' s ▁book , ▁Our ▁Old ▁Home . ▁As ▁early ▁as