National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-03-11

three days before the public without de-
NAL or question of its commences from
any quarter. We therefore reproduce it
entire, as our readers have a right to ex-
pect:
"[Conndcntlal.l
"HEADQuARTER3
" DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
NASHVILLE, July ~, 1868.
any DEAR Governor: have for n long time
wanted to write to you, not only to acknowledge
your last kind letter but also to say some things
coniidcntinliy on the movements in this depart
mcnt; but have RETAINED hitherto lest l do ill.,
justice to good man Hnd say to you things which
were better left llnsaid. We have now, however,
reached point upon which feel 1t proper, and
also due to that kind opinion which believe you
have had ofmc, to nCquaint you with the condi.
ton ofaflairs here.
81 cannot conceal from you the fact that have
been greatly tried aud 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 he in the highest degree un.
just TO say that the 1862 days which elapsed be-
tween the battle of Stone River ana tho next adj.
vance of this army were spent in idlCness or
trihng During that period was performed the
enormous 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
movement could not but feel that there was not
that live and earnest determination to ding the
great weight of this army into tho scale and make
Its power felt in crushing the she'll of the rebel
lion. have no words to tell you with how FESTIVE
and unsatislcd n spirit I waited and plead for
striking sturdy blow. ] could not Justly SAY we
were in any proper condition to advance till the
carly days Of May Atthat tim1 the strings began
to draw sharply upon the rebels, both on the Mis-
FtH 9.
the safety of Vicksburg and before the middle of
May they began quietly to draw away forces to aid
Pcmbcrton / plead for an advance, but not till
June began did General Ro3ecrans begin seriously
TO mediate an immediate movement The army
had grown anxious with the exception of its
leading generals, who seemed blind to the advan-
tageS of the hour. In the first week of the month
q council OF war was called, and out of eighteen
generals whose opinion was asked seventeen were
opposed to an advance.
81 was the only one who urged upon the Cen
ernl tho imperative necessity of striking blow at
once, while Bragg was weaker and we stronger
than ever before. wrote a careful review of the
opinions of the generals, and exhfbited tho fact,
gathered from ample data that we could throw
$1,000 bayonets and sabres against Bragg's II, 00O
allowing the most liberal estimates of his force
This paper was drawn up on the sth of juno.
After It's presentation and full canvnssing of the
situation an advance was agreed upon; but 1t was
delayed through days which seemed like months
to me, till the 2lth when II was begun and ended
with what results you know. TIC wisdom of the
movement was not only vludicated, but the
seventeen dissenting generals were compelled to
confess that fthe movement hud been made ten
days earlier, while the weather was propitious,
the army of Bragg would, in all human proba-
bility, no longer exist. shall never cease to re-.
greet the sad delay which lost so great an oppor
tunity to innct mortal blow upon the centre of
the rebellion The work of eXpelling Bragg from
Middle Tennessee occupied nine days, and ended
July 3, leaving his troops in q most dlsheartened
and dcmorali2ed condition, while our army, with
loss of less than one thousand men, was in n 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 tho Tennessee l have since then
urged, with all the earnestness | possess, rapid
advance while Dragg's army was shattered and
under cover, and before Johnston aud he could
effect junction. Thus far the Ganeral has been
snguarly disnclned to grasp the situation with
n strong hand and make tho advantage his own.
write this with moro sorrow than can tell YOU
for love every bone in his body, and next to my
desire 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 de.
lay. My personal relations with General Rose
Grams are all that could desire. Officially share
his councils and responsibilities even more than
desire. but beg you to know that this delay Is
against my Judgment and my every wish. Pleas.
ant a. are my relations here, would rather COM
mand II battalion that would follow and follow
and strike and strike than to hang back while such
golden moments are passing, But the General
aud myself believe that can DO more service in
my present place than in command of a division
though am aware that IL Is n position that prom
iscs better in the way Of promotion or popular
credit. But If this inRctiou continues long Shall
ask to be relieved and sent somewhere where
can he 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, It has certainly been very indul-
gent to this army. But feel that tho time has
now come when II should allow no plea TO keep
this army back from the most vigorous activity /
do hope that no hopes of peace or submisS i've
terms on the part of the rebels will lead the Gov
eminent TO delay the draGt and the vigorous prose-
cutiOn ofthe war 1He9 DInd0S ct d0nd JsrsRtes, 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 wanted YOU
to know how the case stands, and was unwilling
to have you thlnkme satisfied with the delays here
With kndest regards, am, as ever, your friend,
"Ion. S, +. CHASE. J. A. GARFIELD"
This was q most injurious letter to be
written concerning General Rosecrans by
his chief of staff to Mr. Lincoln's Secretary
ofthc Treasury, ltis charged therein that
there was not on the part of the General
"that live and earnest determination to
fling the great weight Of this army into
the scale and make its power felt in
crushing the shell of the rebellion;" the
writer represents himself rs waiting with
"a FESTIVE and unsatisiied spirit" and
pleading for the striking Of sturdy
blow" "Thus far" he says, "the Gen
eral has been singularly d,sb,cLt.ed to
grasp the situation with strong
hand and make the advantage his
own" This was written Of man
with whom his personal relations were
all that could be desired" Officially"
said General Garfield, | share his coun-
ellis and responsibilities even more than
/ desire" There is throughout the letter
vigorous assertion ofwant Of confidence
in General Rosecrans, and its force is
much increased by the iorvent words Of
friendship which go along with the as
serton, One wonders what an enemy or
stranger would have said of General
Rosecrans when he WAS dislrus,ed and
complained Of by one who could write
words like these; IL write this with
more SORROW than l can toll you, for |
love every bone in his body, and next
to my desire TO see the rebellion busted