The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-03-16
WAR SECRETS.
Extraordinary Letter From the
Late General Garfield.
Criticisms UpOu General Rosecranss
Army Management and What He
Says in Reply.
Confidential. ]
H'DQ'S Dept OF THE CUMBERLAND,
NASHVILLE. JulV 27. 1863.


NASHVILLE, July 27, 1863.
MY DEAR GOVERNOR-I have for a long
time wanted to write you, not only to
acknowledge your last kind letter, but
also to say some things cOnfidentially
on the movements in this department
But l have refrained hitherto, lest do
injustice to a good man, and say to you
things which we're better left unsaid.
We have now, however, reached point
upon which feel it proper and also
due to that kind opinion which be-
lieve 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 dissatis-
fed 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 1862 DAYS which
elapsed between the battle of Stone
River and the next advance of the army
were spent in idleness or trifiing. Dur
ing that period was performed the enOr-
nous and highly important labor which
made the army of the Cumberland
what 1t Is, in many respects by far the
best the country has ever known. But
for many weeks prior to our last move
ment, could not but feel that there
was not live and earnest determine
tiOn to fling the great weight of this
army into the scale and make its power
felt in crushing the shell of the rebel
lion. 1 have no words to tell you with
how restiVe and unsatisfied a spirit
waited and pleaded for striking a
sturdy blow. 1 could not justly say we
were in proper condition to advance till
the early days of May. At a time the
strings to draw sharply upon the rebels
were both on the Mississippi and in the
East. They began to fear for the safety
of Yicksburg, and before the middle of
May they began quietly to draw away
forces to aid PembertOn. | pleaded
for an advance. But not until June
began did General ROsecrans begin Sc
riOusly to mediate an immediate move
ment. The army had grown anxious
with the exception of its leading GEN
erals, who seemed blind to the advant-
ages of the hour.
In the first week of the month cOun-
Gil of war was called, and out of
eighteen Generals whose opinion was
asked, seventeen were opposed to an ad
vance. l was the only one who urged
upon the General the imperative neces-
sity of striking a blow at once, while
Bragg was weaker and we stronger than
ever before. | wrote careful review
of the opinions of the Generals, and eX
hibited the fact, gathered from ample
data, that we could throw 5000 bayO-
nets and sabers against Bragg's 41,OOO,
and allowing the most liberal estimates
of his force. The paper was drawn up
on the 8th of June. After its pTesenta-
tiOn, and full canvass of the situation,
an advance was agreed upon, but it was
delayed through days, which seemed
months to me, till the 24th, when it was
begun and ended with what results you
know. The wisdom of the movement
was not only vindicated, but the seven
teen dissenting Generals were COM
PEELED 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 opportunity to inflict mortal
blow upon the center of the rebellion.
The work of eXpelling Bragg from Mid
die Tennessee occupied nine days, and
ended July Sd, leaving his troops in a
most disheartened and demoraliZed con-
ditiOn, while our army, 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 pos
sess rapid advance, while Bragg's
army was shattered and uncovered, and
before Johnston and he could effect
junction. Thus far the General has
been singularly disinclined to grasp the
situation with strong hand and make
the advantage his own.
l write this with more sorrow than
can tell you, for 1 love every bone in his
body, and next to my desire to see the
rebellion put down, is my anxiety to see
him blessed. But even the breath of
my love is not sufficient to cover this al
most fatal delay. My personal relations
with General ROsecrans are all that L
could desire, but 1 beg you to know
that this delay is against my Judgment
and my every wish. Pleasant as are my
relations here, would rather command
a battalion that would follow and fol-
low, and strike and strike, than to hang
back while such golden moments are
passing. But the General and myself
believe that | can do more service in
my present place than in command of a
division, though / am aware that it is a
position that promises better in the
way of promotion or popular credit; but
if the inactiOn continues long 1 shall
ask to be relieved and sent somewhere
where lean be part of working army.
But do hope that you will soon hear
that this splendid army is at least try
ing to do its part in the great work. If
the War Department has not always
been just, it has certainly been very in
dulgent to this army. But l feel that
the time has now come when it should
allow no plea to keep this army back
from the most vigorous activity. l do
hope that no hopes of peace OF submits
sive terms on the part of the rebels
will lead the Government to delay the
draft and the vigorous prosecution of
the war. TimeO Danaos ct donna fer
entes. Let the nation now display the
majesty of its power and the work will
be speedily ended.
| hope you will pardon this lengthy
letter, but L wanted you to know how
the case stands, and l was unwilling to
have you think me satisfied with the de-
lays here. With kind regards, 1 am, as
ever, your friend.
j. A. GARFIELD.
To Hon. s. Chase.