The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-31
THE MARCH TO THE SEA.

A REVIEW OF THE CLAIMS TO THE HONOR OF
PROPOSING IT.
4 To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
AS you now discussing the history OF the
rebellion as illustrated BY General Snerman's re-
Gently published "Memoirs,n allow me TO call at
4 tent1on TO one or two points.
General Sherman, in his hrst volume, In refer
ring to the capture OF Forts Henry and Donelson.
describes an interview which took place between
Generals Haleck, Cullum and himself in which 1t
is made to appear that the plan for capturing
4 Fort Doneson originated in conversation with
these three officers, and the thought Of either
Sherman Culum communicated TO Halleck.
The impression left upon the mind OF the reader
is that General Halleck, instead Of Grant, is en-
titled 10 the credit OF the brilliant campaign
4 which ended In the destruction or the rebel
power in Tennessee and was the foundation OF
/ General Grants military career. II It can be
shown that General Grant is not entitled TO some
credit for this achievement tnen the inference
must be thar not only inc beginning, put 10 the
end OF his career, he claimed honors which did not
belong 10 him,
on referring 70 General Badeau's Military HIS
tory OF General Grantn hnd Ia the first volume
this statement -Referring 10 the late General
Charles L. smith, General Badeau says, ''Smith
on MS return reported that tue capture OF Fort
Henry was feasible; two guns would make short
work Of the iort'" Grant received this report on
the 22d OF January and forwarded 1t at once TO
HallecK. The same day ne obtained permission 10
visit ST. LOUIS the headquarters or the depart
mentS' "0n the sd ne started for st. LOUIS.
The express ooi ct or his visit was to procure
HallecK's permission to take Forts Henry ana
Donelson; bat wnen he attempted TO broach the
subject Halleck sllenced him so quickly and
90 SHARPLY that Grant said no more upon the mat
ter, but went back 10 Cairo with the idea
that mis- commander thought him guilty
OF proposing great military blunder."
General Grant, however, was not disposed
10 surrender his idea even under the rebuke OF
General Aaleck, and so I've days subsequently he
teeEra pied 10 st. Louis, with pei mission | Will
take and hold Fort Henry, on the Tennessee, and
establish and ho.d a large camp there.n on the
next day January 29 Grant wrote TO Halleck as
ioAows:-'ln We" " tue large force now con-
centratIng IN his district and the present feast
bIlty OF the plan, would respectfully suggest the
propnety OF suDdung Fort Henry, near the Ken
tucky an tennessee line, anu nod the posilon.V
"1ne advantages OF tnls move are a. percep fOle
70 the General commanding as TO myself, and,
therefore, iurLher statements are Unnecessary
ADMIRAL Fo0te lelegrapned on the same date %
Haneck confirming tue opinion OF Genera Grant.
On the SON oI January, the day after Grants
letter, General HaecK consented 10 the move
meht aud sent his Instructions, which are reported
IN full lie oruels Tor tue attack on Fort henry
were written on the 5th oil February 1862, aud tue
capture was effected that day, Fort Doueison fal-
Ing q lew da, later ton the l6tnl. Tals demon
states, therefore, that General Sherman's at
trlbutlng 10 me orders o! naaeck the success OF
TINS brilliant manuuvre IN Tennessee y a mistake.
loDserye that there Is mucn discussion as 10
Grant or SHERMAN. Inc autnonties In General
Snerman's BOOK when 90 quote YOU'D seen 70
be conclusive o. tne ~ Get, but on referring 10
General Badsaa's uisto.s Z nnd w. OF three
documents, wh.cn msi thr0w additional hsat
upon THIS controversy. - 80 - unaerstand
1Tst sugg esged tie All 20 nc sea "a letter
wdtSen septenpet -A ie4i out u yoa ull
VIII nna this stat~neut;-sOn tue IJin 81 Jauu-
arY, ls6l Grant returned u N as tour 70 Knox
TO nashville, wuere h.s neAaqa4rlsTs wee now
established Ou toe 10TH ne SAID 70 Hal
leck, II shall direct ste. man, therefore, 20
move out u Meridian via DIS spare force OF
cavalry, gong from Colintn, and destroying The
rOaos east aud sOutn OF there 80 enectualy that
the enemy Wal not attempt 10 re0uhd them dIr-
ing the rebellion. lie viii then return, unless OPP
porIunlty Of gong INTO Mobile with .no lorse ne
has appears perfectly plain. owlns 70 the iarge
nuRIDer oil veterans furloughed Will not be aOle
70 40 more a; Chattanooga than TO threaten an
91omSsi iront.s .fSls same letter. continues
General Badeau, contained an exposition Of
GRANTS pan 81 the campaign lor tue following
spring. ~ look upon tue next line for me 10
secure TO be tnat rom Chattanooga TO NOBLE.
Montgomery and Atlanta Deing tae Important IN
\ termediate points. 10 do tails large supplies
must be secured on the tennessee River, 80
a. u be independent Of the railroad from
Nashville to the tennessee for a considerable
length OF time.r "rhe grand movements SAYS
the General dictated 10 sherman months after
wards, aud ~ am 50 gran0ly executed, were al
ready marked out By tue chief Tor himself thus
Iong In adyance.n General Badeau tnus dem on.
strates tnat on the 18TH Of January, wuen Grant
was command OF the Army Of the West, aud
had no intention OF being transferred 70 tue East,
he was revolving tue same plans wnicn Cen
eral sherman now claims To nave discovered in
september u tue same year, eight months later.
COPY II the letter TO General Haleck, from
wnicu quote. was sent 70 General sherman, and
y on the lstu q January General Grant wrote 10
General Inom4s, "a quote from General Badeau's
DoOk, page $50 I'VE viii want TO De ready at the
earliest possible moment 10 tue spring Tor gen.
eral advance. look upon the line TOT this army 70
secure IA Its next campaign TO be that rom mat
tan0oga 10 MoVle; Atlanta and montgomery oeing
the important intermediate points,
Very clearly. therefore. we hnd tnat IN January
Ceuerai Grant vas contemplating tue movement
Noodle over the country as part oil MS cam
paIgn looking toward tue c0sng Of the rebellion.
On the 81 - Marcu General Grant received
dsrs 10 visit Washington, having been nominated
to command toe armies. his intention was TO
return 70 he Wes5 and not to remain IN the East.
General Baueau saJs, on page 61l:-'lhis was
wItR vlee TO tne movement against Atlanta and
Mobile, which. Notwithstanding ma promotion,
Grant stii intended 70 le4d Y person. lals oper.
AtOn mad now been frequently explained Dy nim
to DIS stan. ir was MS plan at TINS itne 10 ngnt
bis Wal 70 Atlanta, and then, holding tnat place
and the line between ~ AM Chattanooga, to cut
loose Nttn MS army either Tor Noodle or savannah
wuicnever events should OBSTINATE as tne most
practicable objective point. He meant 70 con.
centrate sherman, Thomas aud SchOneldis armies
Tor tnis purpose. ana enter aimed 10 doubt what
ever u entlle success. When ne starred for Wash
lngt8n, IL was MS nrm intention 70 return to
Cn4,tan ana waile he retained con rol of ali
toe armies TO lead In person those whlcn moved
toward the sea- A an evidence OF General
Grants intention, aud As connrming THIS state
ment, General Badeau quotes from a letter % Gen.
eral Grant TO O. neral sherman on tue 50 OF March,
sAylaR, ~ 81 ordered ~ Wasnln- ton, out / an
directed TO KEEP up telegr4puic communication
VITA Lnts c0mmand, / sha1 expect ia the course
oil ten or twelve days 70 return 10 itn
on tue ION Of March General sherman wrote
letter TO General Grant, which became some wnat
celebrated At that time, IN wncn ne says NOW,
as 10 the luture. Don's sta, in Wash.
Ington. Come vest laKe 10 Jourset the
whole Mlssl5si. pl Valley. Let Us make
II dead sure, aud / tell you the Atlantic
slopes and Pacific shores viii follow lts destiny
sure a. ne umbs Of tree live " die win the
man trunKu Here lies the seat ~ the coming
empire and from the Vest W zen our task Is
oon , Ne VAL make snort work or Charleston and
Richmond aud tue Impoverished coast o. the At
lantc.n
suomit these extracts as my contribution TO
this discussion. III certainly seems that General
GRANTS rienas have ABUNDANT rl2ht 70 claim Tor
M ONE credit Tor tnat grand campaign IA tue
West, a part 81 wnlcn was toe marcn y the sea