Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-03-11
Garfield and ROsccrans,
An CSrUHLIsuEp LETTER FROM GARFIELD.
Confidential.

tN'hih'HliHi.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF TnE)
CUMBERLAND, NASHVILLE, July -, 1863. /
MY DEAR GOVERNOR: | have for a long
time wanted to write to YOU. not only to ac-
know ledge your last kind letter, but also to
say some things contidentialy on the move.
ments in this department; but have refrain
ed hitherto lest do injustice to a good man.
and say to YOU things which were better left
unsaid We have now. however. reached n
point upon which feel it proper. and also
due to that kind opinion which believe Won
have had of me. to acquaint You with the con
dition of affairs here.
| cannot conceal from YOU the fact that |
have been greatly tried and dissatisfied 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 1862 DAYS
which elapsed between the battle of Stone
River and the next advance of this army were
spent in idleness or tritiing During thatperiod
was performed the enormous and highly inn
portant labor which made the Army of the
Cumberland what il is. in many respects by
far the best the country has ever know n But
for many weeks prior to our late movement,
could not but feel that there was not that live
and earnest determination to fling the great
its power felt in crushing the she'll of the re-
bellion. | have no words to tell YOU with
how FESTIVE and unsatisfied a spirit | waited
and pleaded tor striking a sturdy blow. could
not justly say we were in any proper condi
tion to advance till the early DAYS OF Nav
At that time the strings began to draw sharp
ly upon the rebels, both on the Mississippi
and in the East. They began to fear for the
safety of Vicksburg, and before the middle
of May they began quietly to draw away for
ces to aid Pemberton. pleaded for an al, ance
but not till June began did General 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 y coun-
Gil of war was called. and out of Is Generals
whose opinion was asked |. were opposed to
an advance. was the only one who urged
upon the General the imperative necessity of
striking blow at once, while Bragg was
weaker and we stronger than ever before.
wrote careful review of the opinions of the
Generals, and exhibited the fact, gathered
from ample data, that we could throw 65. GOO
bayonets and sabres against Bragg's IL 600
allowing the most liberal estimates ofhis force
This paper was drawn up on the Sth of June
After its presentation, and a full cauvassing
of the situation. an advance was agreed upon
but it was delayed through DAYS which seemed
months to me, till the oath. when it was be
gun and ended with what results you know.
The wisdom Of the movement was not only
vindicsted. but the seventeen dissenting Gene
rails we're 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. no
longer exist. | shall never cease to regret
the sad delay which lost us so great an oppor-
tunity to inflict mortal blow upon the centre
of the rebellion. The work of expelling
Bragg from Middle Tennessee occupied nine
days and ended July ;, leaving his troops in
most disheartened and demoralized condi-
ton, while our army. with loss of less than
1000 men, was. in a few DAYS. fuller of
potential fight than ever before.
On the 18th inst the bridges were rebuilt
and the cars were in full communication from
the Cumberland to the Tennessee have
since then urged with all the earnestness l