New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-22
loR HOOKER FIGHTING BACK.
HIS CRITICISM on A TRIBUNE CORRESPONDENT,
GENERAL GRANT AND GENERAL SHERMAN,

HIS CRITICISM on TRIBUNE CORRESPONDENT,
GENERAL GRANT AND GENERAL SHERMAN.
TO TIE EdttOr or me Trt6uhe.
SIR: My attention has just been called to an ar
ticle in your paper over the name OF VIM. +. u,
Shanks IN regard to the Battle of Lookout Noun
tain Aftor the lapse of much time since the bat
tie was fought liz everl am sorry he seems to have
forgotten some Of the circumstances necessarily
correct understanding of the fight, and have only
moment to call your attention to few OF his more
prominent omissions in his narrative, but viii refer
you Tor fuller details to my report OF that battle
now on file m the War Department-should you
desire TO inform yourself further on the subject.
On the whole however, / cannot do less I'll IN to
thank Mr. Shanks for the kindness IN his motives
in espousing the controversy. General Grant has
thought proper to open with me and my command
IN regard TO the fight. The interview said to have
been held with that gentleman by a correspondent
of The Herald have always seriously doubted, and
shall continue to do so until more fully confirmed
respecting it. lntervewers have of late dis
played so much cunning and misunderstanding
in the practice of their pursuits that |
think my incredulity will not appear strange
TO YOU. General Grant has held such high positions
that am unwilling to believe that he will yolunta-
rily go back on himself the troops that served
him with all the ardOr and devotion of their
lures, as he seems to have done, and which can
count for in no other way than that he was in his
cups or that the prospect of third term had erazed
his bra1n OF course, General Grant will never be
charged with having written spoken the sub
stance of the interview reported to u.s. for that is
foreign to his STYLE any one who has either read
or listened to him can readily discover. / strongly
suspect that the Interviewer was coached by an
other officer of the army, Of high rank, whose pc
culiar mode of warfare for time past has been
of this covert character.
But before calling your attention to some OF what
consider inaccuracies in Mr. Shanks's letter. may
premise briefly bysaying thatit was not the intention
of the General-nChief for any part of the Army of
the Potomac 20 take leading role in the operations
around Chattanooga. which fact was not aware Of
until my command was divided aud the Eleventh
Corps of it sent across the Tennessee to reinforce
General Sherman, who, with the Army Of the Ten
nessee, was operating on the opposite extremity OF
the enemy's line and then you will see by my report
that applied to go with the Eleventh Corps as
they were going into battle.
Subsequently the river got up, carried away the
drftwood and broke the bridges before all OF sher-
mans army had crossed, and then it was deter
mined, and not til then, that might make, with one
division of the Twelfth Corps and two divisions Of
other armies demonstration on LoOkoutIMountain.
General Grant had previously communicated de-
sign TO attack Lookout Mountain hut after division
Of my command, it Is equally clear and satisfactory
that his original design had been abandoned, and 1t