The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-03-16
THE NEWS.
GARFIELD AND RosRCRANs.
A Letter Written by the Late President
CriticisIng the Management OF
the Array OF the

nE A11EaA <~SO 1ADSA1S4S<@~N<Ss
A Letter written by the Late President
CriticisIng the Management OF
the Array of the
Cumberland.
WASHINGTON, March 1.-THE follow
ing heretofore unpublished letter will
be read with interest. AS will be seen,
it reflects upon Gen. Rosecrans. 1t will
be remembered that Gen. Rosecrans dis
puted an extract in Blaine's eulogy on
the late President Garfield relating to
the army of the Cumberland. The let
ter, it is thought, is now made pu! lsc ny
Gen. Garfield's friends to show that mir.
Blaine was not so far from right as Gen.
ROsecrans may have thought him to be:
CONFIDENTIAL.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE
CUMBERLAND, NASHVILLE, July 81,
1858 My DEAR GOVERNOR: l have
for long time wanted TO write to you,
not only 10 acknowledge your last kind
letter, but also TO say something conf
Identially on the movements in this de-
partment; but have Tefrained hitherto.
lest 1 do injustice to = good man and
ssy to you things which were better left
unsaid. We have now, however,
reached a point upon which l feel it
proper, and also due to that kind opin-
ion which believe you have had of me,
to acquaint you with the condition of
affairs here.
~ cannot conceal from you the fact
that have been greatly tried and dis
satisfied with the slow progress that we
have made in this department since the
battle OF Stone river will say in the
outset that it would be in the highest
degree unjust to say that the 162 days
which elapsed between the battle OF
Stone river and the next advance of this
army were spent in idleness or trihIng.
During that period was performed the
enormous and highly important labor
which made the army of the Cumber-
land what it is, in many respects by far
the best the country has ever known.
But for many weeks prior to our late
movement could not help but feel that
there was not that live and earnest deter
mination to fling the great weight of
this army into the scale and make its
power felt in crushing the shell of the
| rebellion.
81 have no words to tell you with how
FESTIVE and unsatisfied spirit l waited
and pleaded for striking sturdy blow.
1 could not justly say we were in any
| proper condition TO advance until the
early days of May. At that time the
strings began to draw sharply upon the
rebels, both on the Mississippi and in
the east. They began to fear for the
safety of Vicksburg, and before the mid.
die Of May they began quietly to draw
away forces to aid Pemberton. plead
ed for an advance, but not till June be-
gan did Gen. Rosecrans begin seriously
to mediate an immediate movement.
"The army had grown anxious, with
the exception of its leading generals. who
seemed blind to the advantages of the
hour. In the first week of the month q
council of war was called, and, out oil
eighteen generals whose opinions were
asked, seventeen were opposed to an ad
vance. was the only one who urged
upon the general the imperative nccessi
ty of striking blow at once, while
Bragg was weaker and we stronger than
ever before, ] wrote careful review o.
the opinions of the generals, and exhibit
ed the facts, gathered from ample data
that we could throw 81, 600 bayonets and
sabers against Bragg's 1900, allowing
the most liberal estimates of his force.
This paper was drawn up on the 9Th
of June. After its presentation and
full canvassing of the situation, an ad
vance was agreed upon, but it was de
layed through days which seemed
months to me until the gath, when 1t was
begun and ended, with what results you
was not only vindicated, but the seven
teen dissenting generals were compelled
to confess that if the movement had been
made ten days earlier, while the weather
was propitious, the army of Bragg
would, in all human probability, nc
longer exist. l shall never cease to re
greet the sad delay, which lost US so great
an opportunity to infiict g mortal blow
upon the center of the rebellion. The
work of expelling Bragg from Middle
Tennessee occapied nine days, and end
ed July 8, leaving his troops in q mOst
disheartened and demoraliZed condi
ton; while our army, with loss OF less
than 1000 men, was in a few days
fore.
ION the 18th inst. the bridges were re
built and the cars were in full commun
ication from the Cumberland to the Ten
nessee. have since then urged, with
all the earnestness possess, rapid ad
vance, while Bragg's army was shattered
| and under cover, and before Johnston
and he could effect a junction. Thus
| far the general has been singularly dis.
inclined to grasp the situation with a
strong hand, and make the advantage
his own. / write this with more sorrow
than can tell you, for love every
bone in his body; and, next to my de-
| sire to see the rebellion blasted, is my
anxiety TO see him blessed. But even
| the breadth of my love is not sufficient
to cover this almost fatal delay.
| "My personal relations with Gen.
| Rosecrans are all that I could desire.
Officially, / share his counsels and re-
spOnsibilities even more than l desire
but beg you to know that this delay is
| against my judgment and my every
| wish. Pleasant as are my relations here,
I-would rather command battalion
that would follow and follow, and strike
and strike, than hang back while sucn
| golden moments are passing. But the
general and myself believe that / can
do more service in my present place
than in command of division, though
l am aware that it is a position that
promises better in the way of promotion
or popular credit But if this inaction
continues long, shall ask to be removed
| and sent somewhere where can be part
| of working army. But do hope that
| you will soon hear that this splendid
army is at least trying TO do its part in
| the great work. If the war department
| has not always been just, itcertainly has
been very indulgent TO this army. But
feel that the time has now come when it
should allow no plea to keep this army
back from the most vigorous activity.
81 do hope that no hopes of peace or
submissive terms on the part of the
rebels will lead the government to delay
the draft and the vigorous prosecution
! of war. IInleO d0aGOs ct dORd ferentes.
Let the nation now, display the majesty
of its power, and the work will speedily
end. 1 hope you will pardon this
lengthy letter, but ! wanted you to
know how the case stands, and was
unwilling to have you think me satisfied
with delays here.
with kindest regards, am, as ever,