The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-01-17


to renewed activity Of thought on this
subject by reading an article in the
Nashville Union, Of January Is, 1864,
above the signature of A. Mr.. Editor,
am but an unlearned soldier, and can
not answer A. in the bombAstic and
grandiloquent style of language which
he spreads on so thickly. The article
aforesaid is voluminous in its exaltation
Of Generals Grant and Thomas, to the
disparagement of Rosecrans. That may
be sll right, but We of the 14th, 10th and
21st Army Corps "can's see it." And
here let ne "giVs credit to whom credit
is due" Grant, Thomas Hooker, Slocum,
Sherman, MeCoOk, Crittenden, Granger,
Steadman, and every commander of
prominence who has ever, figured con-
spicuously or otherwise in our armies
wheFeaGter located, are equally entitled to
kind consideration at our hands through
the press, or wherever an opportunity
| occurs TO make mention Of them. But
we appeal directly to the heart of every
soldier to decide for himself, if Rose
Grams be entitled to an honorable men
ton among the names above recorded.
Methinks I hear an affirmative response
to this question, thrice repeated, from an
hundred thousand threats. And not
content at that, it rings out on the air in
"thTee times three with \ tiger" But
why the need Of this question? you ask.
Read the article to which l am taking
exceptions attentively. The writer, who
ever he be, has written well-in this,
that language with him is only sport,
and nOtrequiring effort; thence his liabil-
ity to get it too thickly spread Oh, and
not so pregnant Of truth as we could
wish for his credit, and the cause Of JUS
tiee. The privatiOns Of the army at
Chattanooga, after the battle Of Chicka-
maugs, are told in such language that one
reading it can only stop to shudder, and
then admire the wOrdpainting Of the
prolific delineatOr. The hunger of the
battle bruised, but still willing ones, was
not so extreme as the writer would have
us believe. The desperate extremity Of
hunger had not yet come, and we did not
see the foreshadowing Of it. l know not
how much was needed to make the con-
dition of our army at that time 3 despe
rate or tragic one; but this can explicit
ly be stated: that nearly every man Of
the Army of the Cumberland evinced =
Willingness to suffer more and more, il
need be, rather than give Chattanooga
to the enemy. Could an army thus 10y
81 and true, under the very acumen Of a
desperate condition, Gas "a" wants us to
believe,) be of the same opinion with
him respecting the man who is accused
Of being the cause of it alp Now read
carefully the written vituperatiOn against
R9secrans. Note how the army was
brought to this starving state, and left
thus by whom? Rosecrans? All! thou
the fatality Of 0ar, the dsstinyo Of arm;ss.
the iyTevOcaJls sl01y and poI0eT Of circum-
stances, had naught to do in the matter;
but ROsecrans, the supreme dispOser Of
fates, and the man all sufficient TO make
q destiny for an army or armies, was
alone accountable. Well, if this be 50,
and aRosecrans led to this and left TO
this one of the best armies in the world,
and its parallel be found in the surren-
der of Vicksburg by Pemberton," only
that Rosa surrendered the Army Of the
Cumberland TO q worse state of things.
IF all this be a verify of truth, we must
pause to ask why do the men who have
long fought under ROsecrans, and know
him well, persist in loving him for his
sterling qualities as q man and soldier?
The people, of al grades or condition,
who are loyal to the cause of liberty, i'd
mire Grant for services rendered the
country in this, her hour Of trial; and
soldiers bow the knee TO the Hero crown /
ed with victories; but their worship for
successful generals is not unmixed with
a sense Of their own WOrthiness. The
world has not yet known = General who
did not depend upon the individual
prowess Of his soldiers, or their willing
ness to endure privations and hardship,
that it might conduce to success, mostly
fer bis glory. And this is too much the
case and too often is the common mass
Of soldiers left out in the cold, when
glory, victory. success rings out on the
waiting winds that bear it on in = chorus
Of praise 10 one man.
Mr.. Editor, have tried in feeble way
TO Vindicate the character Of Gen. Rose
Grams; and If the writer Of the article
referred to in your paper cant see il as
I do, and your readers are in the same
way, shalt still feel that . soldiers
duty has been done, in thus speaking for
a dearly loved and noble commander.
The hearts Of ell soldiers, in whatever
army Gen. Roseerans was the dominant
and ruling spirit, viii beat with quick
sning Of Joy at the mention Of bis name;
and g when this cruel war is over" the
embaitIsd host Of memories shall hasten
on over the arena Of our Utmost soul, 70
make room for Rosecrsns.
Most respectfully, yours,
HAREY D,
Battery @, 1st o. Y. La.
NASHVILLE, Jan. Il, 1864
The Paris correspondent Of the London /
Us-,ld aavs that the Arohduke persists
- docI;nino and that the French troops 1