Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-11-19
Gen. R0secrans and the Admlnistratl0n---W
He was Removed---The Battle OF Chleka-

He
He was Rem0ved--aThe Battle OF cmeka-
manga.
The very intelligent Washington CORES
pendent of the Cincinnati Gazette gives long
account. from what he alleges to be authentic
sources, of the difficulties between Gen. ROSE
GRAMS and the Administration, which led to
his supersedure, and also new version of the
battle of Chickamauga. His statements wear
greater appearance of probability than any
thing that has yet appeared on the subject,
and are very interesting, especially in the
explanation given of the battle.
We subjoin the substantial portions of his
letter, which he prefaces with the following
1t need scarcely be said that the stories
OF Gen. Rosecrans' drunkenness, his opium
eating, his liability to epileptic fits, or his re-
ligious depressions, are alike utterly, wholly,
maliciously false. The War Department has
never entertained any such charge, or har-
bored any such impression. 1t is due to Gen.
Rosecrans that this should be said in the full
est and most emphatic manner. For, what
ever may have been his errors, this man has
done the nation such signal and distinguished
service that all loyal men will be tenderly
jealous of his fair fame"
The dissatisfaction in the War Department
and at the headquarters of the army with
Gen. RosECR4Ns dates back many months
The delay to follow up the victory at Stone
River on New Years, for five months, doing
nothing, while our armies in other quarters
were sorely pressed, and when his advance
would have won victories, by relieving them
not only in his but it other departments, ex-
cited first surprise and then Indignation The
Gazette writer gives the following as faith
ful reproduction of the tone and temper of
the dispatches which passed between the
authorities at Washington and the General:
Secretary Stanton would teIegraph-'I am
very much dissatisfied with your long delav
and think, unless you move at once the coun-
try cannot justify your course" Gen. Hal
leck would write-"I feel very kindly to YOU
General, and have the highest respect for the
abilities you have so signally displayed; but
be assured that neither your reputation nor
mine can withstand the effects of this DELAY
at crisis when the exigencies of the service
50 imperatiVely demand movement" The
President would write, II am very much
grieyed by your unaccountable delay. | am
bound to believe that you, on the ground, are
the best judge of what you can do, but YOU
see how vitality important movement is, and
you give me no reasons that seem to me sat
isfactOry, for the delay" To all this Gen
Rosecrans would answer-'I know what the
country needs; and l know too what the
army needs. must have my communications
and supplies secure. 1t has never been my
habit to move into place unless | could stay
there. II am not competent to command
the army you can remove me, but while | re-
main in command | must my own dscre-
ton, and move when get ready" Such pas
sages as this did not occur once or twice only
but Systematically
RosEcRANs, sensitive and impulsive, was
sometimes indiscreet and naughty in his re-
plies, and failed for some cause, to give the
Department thoroughly to understand the
reasons for his delay. When the pressure
was heaviest upon him to advance in order to
relieve GRANT, against whom BRAGG had sent
part of his forces RosECRANs obtained let
tiers from his corps and cavalry Generals,
that in their opinion Braces force had not
been materially weakened, that it was impru
dent to risk a battle with him, and agreed
i'll opposing an advance
Finally, however, On the 18th of June
nearly i've and halt months after his great
victory, Gen. Rosecrans decided to move
But he still delayed, as it seemed to the War
Department, unreasonably; and it was not
till the 23d, that the army was put in motion
The Department now has the indIsputable ey
idence, establishing beyond possibility of
doubt, that for weeks, if not months before
this movement was made, Bragg's army had
So weakened nv SpndinU trOppC +O NioI-,
burg, that he had but tony-one thousand men
of all arms remaining; while exclusive of Off
GERS, Rosecrans had Sirty.fpe thousand This
evidence, 1T claims, was either in Gen Rose
Grams possession or accessible to him before
he asked the opinion of his Generals
But when he finally moved, against the
wish of all his leading Generals, he handled
the army SO superbly, and made so successful
a campaign, that it was supposed the good
reasons the Department had for finding fault
with his not moving would be forgotten in
the brilliancy of his operations when he did
move. Unfortunately, however, he had de-
layed till the June freshets were upon him.
Bragg, retreating by turnpikes and railroad,
escaped, while Rosecrans was toiling over the
dirt roads by which he had to make his flank
movement. Bragg was driven from nine
miles of Notifications at ShelbyvilIe and from
five at Tullahoma; and all Middle Tennessee
was relieved without battle, but the War
Department would not forget that but for the
delays of which it complained the movement
would have escaped the June rains and Bragg
would have been crushed instead of driven
Thus the foundation was laid for future disa-
grecments and grave dissatisfaction while
an enemy had also been made of the hero of
Vicksburg
The next ground of complaint was the de-
lay at Tullahoma. The Department thought
he should have pushed on at once to Chatta-
nooga. The Gazette writer thinks sufficient
allowance was not made for the difficulties of
the situation, the destruction of railroads and
bridges by the enemy, the treshets and the
badness of the roads generally. He admits,
however, that it was an unfortunate and ag-
grayating circumstance that Gen. r. went at
this time to Nashville, and spent two weeks
there at a hotel inspecting the garrison and
examining the condition of his communica-
tons. The Department at Washington was
irritated, and construed his conduct into in
difference to its desires.
Hitherto it had confined itself to sugges-
tons and entreaties; now it became peremp-
tory. Orders began to be sent instead of ex-
postulations. Under this spur, Gen. Rose
Grams returned, moved the army up to the
Tennessee river, and completed his means for
crossing it. This was accomplished between
17thsAugust and lst September Considering
the immense amount of work to be done, it