Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-01

| IL was known 10 the corps COltLlDdI1OeFS
almost Immediately after we took possess
| sion of Chattanooga-th objective point
of the eampaign-that | intended to do
what could to move Gen. Bragg's boots
Tlaughterl, and that in pursuance of that
| intention, directed pOntoon bridges to be
| built with the utmost rapidity, so that we
! could get the use of theroads an the north
| side of the Tennessee. | had contracted
with two Of the heaviest bridge building
firms in the country-one in Cleveland
and one in Chicago-to rebuild the rail
| road bridges across the Tennessee and
| Running Water without delay, and | had
| ordered constructed four steamboats, for
our use on the rivers. The hull of
one was about finished, and the calking
| was being done on another before we
| crossed the river. | had also directed
other pontoOns to be constructed, by
which we could throw a bridge across the
| Tennessee, below the mouth of Lookout
Creek, on which to march and take pos
session of Lookout Valley. That matter
was known to the corps commanders,
and it was known, think, to my young
friend Phil Sheridan, for, though divi-
sion commander, he used to be down at
headquarters frequently, and l took
great deal of pleasure in consulting with
him.
Gen. P. II. Sheridan, interposing, said:
"I will state that rode in company with
Gen. Rosecrans at the time he was look
ing at the croseing of the river, when he
was making arrangements to put the
l. - T(Nhonrc
General Rosecrans continued At an
early period after his arrival l directed
General Badly Smith, he having reported
to me and been made Chief Engineer, to
| make careful examination of the shore
opposite the mouth or the Chickamauga,
with a view to operations as soon as
General Sherman should arrive. On the
! 10Th of October, we proceeded to examln-
| inc the exact point where we intended to
cross the river for the purpose OF TAX
ing possession of Lookout Valley. On
returning that evening, Ireceived tele-
graphic dispatch announcing my removal
from the command OF the Army OF
the Cumberland, and the appointment OF
Major General Thomas to that command.
Immediately sent note to General
Thomas, and another to General Granger,
requesting them to call at headquarters
that evening at ten o'clock. When they ar
rived the papers were all arranged IN
proper order to be read and were lying on
the table at headquarters, and when those
gentlemen came, laid them before Gen.
Thomas to read. After he had read them
over, he drew a long breath and turned
II, 20 cVnol- Jyhpn |
said: "Thomas don't say anything; there
is no misunderstanding can come between
you and me. know what you want to
say to me, for Garfield has told me; but
YOU can't desert this post. Applause. J
You are the only man for the place; what
YOU have to do, do it like a soldier, and 1t
will always be right between you and
me. - Renewed applause, and shouts OF
Good" Good" ''You arc honest,
etc.
Upon that, like a reasonable man,
noble soldier, and true patriot, he said
EWeIl, suppose | must do so, but don't
like ii. We then sent for the chiefs of
departments, and had report made out
by each of them of the condition of things
in their respective departments; and hay
ing done that, and discussed what was
best to be done, we wrote our orders
mine taking leave of the army and his as
Stunning the command. When we had
done that and sent the orders to the Ad-
iutant General, l said: 'Now, Thomas,
this won't probably produce very good
effect. and | think the less fuss there is
about it and the less said about it the
better it will be for the country, and for
all concerned (ROund after round ofap-
plausc) 81 have put you in possession,
you have always, as you know, been a con-
tidant with me; and particularly lately,
because l have always thought that the
second in command should know pretty
much the chief plans and views of the
commander, so that IN case of death or
accident he might be able to make them
effective You know pretty wen my
views heretofore, and you now have in
formation from the chiefs of depart
ments, but if there is anything you want
that | can give you, say so. If you think
necessary, l will stay, but but it would be
against my judgment. Said he: "Gen-
eral, would like to have you stay, but |
think your head right on that point"
NONs StuNlGluGlly thai II tnJ way NGu-
| Thomas came to take command Of the
Army of the Cumberland, and be its last
commander.
There is one other little incident which
l will tell you, because it concerns myself,
and that is: After the orders we're all
| dispatched and sent to die Adjutant Gen
eral, and orders were given for the bag
| gage to be made ready for my departure
| in the morning, Gen. Thomas said:
''Now, General, want you to be kind
enough to describe the exact plan for the
taking of Lookout Valley, as you pro-
| posed it" l went over it again, and told
| him when, where and how it was my pur-
| pose to cross the river; how to occupy
Lookout Valley, and to secure the use of
| the road on the south side of the river.
feel that it is due to myself TO state
that befOfc our parting we read, with
establishment and Indignation at the out
rageous implication it contained, a dis
patch TO Gen. Thomas to ''hOld Chatta-
nooga at all hazards" as if |, who had
taken it and knew its valus-who had
taken all the precautions and made all the
plans to hold it and who, if famous for
anything, it was not for 'giving up
had been in danger of yielding my grasp
on the place we had so dearly won.
In the morning, at o'clock, l left the
Army of the Cumberland, and have never
had the pleasure of meeting my compan-
ions in arms from that time to this, except,
as ships pass each other on the ocean, l
have met and passed them on my way
down the business current of life. l hope
may meet you all again, not only next
year, but yet many years; and may God
bless you and make you all prosperous and
happy, as you deserve to be. (Ihe Gen
eral took his seat amid long continued ap-
plause and cheer after cheer for General
RoseCrans.
Gen. Rosecrans, again rising from his
chair, said Il desire to supply one Omis-
sion; you know it is an old saying that
straws show which way the wind blows.
So sometimes a turning point shows the
= true man of honor and the true soldier from
a bogus one; and sometimes it is very
small line and a delicate point that makes
; | the division. Now | want to tell you some