The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-01-17
NATIONAL TRIBUNE WASHINGTON c. THURSDAY JANUARY H.

ness naturally sprang up bewtween the two
major generals, which increased as time
went on, enhanced probably by the reports
brought to each by gossiping staff officers anx-
ious TO curry favor with their several chiefs
But if clause in an official report was
deemed sufficient by the department. COM
mander in which to describe the severe and
hotly-contested battle of Corinth, the people
demanded further account, and the country
again rang with the praises of General Rose
Grams.
In the War Department his star was rapidly
rising to its zenith. A commander was re-
quired to relieve General Don Carlos Buell. in
command of the Army of the Cumberland, and
Rosecrans was selected.
He assumed command of that army on the
9th of October, and almost his first act was to
antagoniZe the War Department.
Halleck insisted that he should counter
march his army from the vicinity of Bowling
Green, where Buell. had left it. to Cumberland
Gap, in pursuit of Bragg who had retreated
into East Tennessee, and was at that moment
on its way around to Murfreesboro', within
thirty miles of the advance of the Union
army.
The occupation of East Tennessee had from
the first been an object dear to the heart of
President Lincoln. General Buell. had been
relieved of the command for pertistently re-
fusing to follow Bragg barefoot and hungry,
for he had no adequate transportation for such
a movement), and when Rosecrans declined to
move into East Tennessee. as he said, to meet
an enemy who was moving as rapidly as possible
to meet him, the President requested Halleek
to designate successor to Rosecrans. General
Rosecrans replied to General Halleck's note,
informing him of this in his usual manly and
straightforward fashion: My appointment
/ to the command having been made without
any solicitation from me or my friends if the
President continues to have confidence in the
TO use my judgment and be responsible for the
results; but If he entertains doubts he ought
at once to appoint commander in whom he
can confide, for the good of the service and Of
! the country"
The new commander now bent every effort
/ to the thorough organization of the different
I departments of his army 1t had been well
I drilled and disciplined by his predecessor, and
was in good fighting trim. He organized a
! typographical bureau and an inspector gen.
/ erals Department. divided the army into three
! grand divisions, the right wing under COM
mand of Major General a. McD. McCook; the
/ leftwing commanded by Major General Thomas
l.. CTittenden, and the center under Major
General George II. Thomas.
STONES RIVER.
! General Bragg had advanced as far as Muir
/ freesboro' in November and formed his army
across the Chattanooga road, as if to dispute
I any further advance of the Army of the Cum
j berland. The gage of combat was accepted as
soon as the completion Of the Louisville and
Nashville railroad warranted an advance by
& giving promise of abundant supplies and the
battle of Stones River was the result The
/ space given 10 this article viii not admit of a
/ description Of this desperately fought engage
nlent. For three days victory coquetted with
each side before perching upon the Union ban
Ders. Bragg retreated suilenly from the field
,oIF taI,
byviie where he erected line of works abso-
/ lutely impregnable to direct assault a delay
ipeomprehensible to the civilians who had
charge Of the War Department, but easily ac-
counted for by military students of the cam
| paigns of the civil war, followed the first vic
tory over the Confederate forces. The army
moved. however when the commander wifled
aud not in the direction which the enemy ex-
pected As he lay at Tullahoma and Shelby
vile, Bragg's right was protected, as he sup
posed, by rugged mountains. through which
i there were few roads, and none of them favor
able for artillery; his left was advanced so as
( TO compel q wide detour TO enable the Union
j army 10 reach the railroad in his rear. The
country around the left was more open and
intersected by good roads To the surprise of
all, General RosecIans selected the formerroute,
| for the excellent reason that he was not ex-
pected TO doit. A quick dash through Hoover 5
Gap by Wiideris Incompatible brigade Of
mounted infantry opened the-way for the CEN
ter. Further to the right through Guys Gap.
General Stanley forced a passage and attacked
Sheibyville with his cavalry, while Which
and Miller seized Liberty Gap and covered
McCook's flank. The left wing, by the most
I laborioHs march of all, moving clear around
! the enemyis right threatened his rear and
communications with Chattanooga. There
! WAS no help for it-Bragg must 20, and go
/ quickly, which he did, and Middle Tennes-
have been fought If, like less skillful generals,
/ the commander Of the Army of the Cumber-
land had attacked il front, through an abatis,
in mud up TO the knees of the men. This is
the grandest campaign of your life, exclaimed
the usually imperturbable Thomas, as ne
seized the hand OF General Rosecrans after lis
! return from the pursuit of the enemy across
Elk River. Still, it was lacking in the pyr0-
technics of the battlefield, and was lost TO
view amid the smoke and carnage OF Gsttys-
burg aud Nicksburg.
SPICY CORRESPONDENCE.
A good deal of spicy correspondence had
passed III The meantime between General Rose
cTaas and Secretary Stanton, in which the
former had on one occasion expressed his
regret that there was 50 little military knoWl-
edge 81 army headquarters IN Washington. 1t
may well be imagined that the peppery 5eere-
tary bided his time to strike a return blow
HhicA should crush his adversary.
The opportunity came with Chickamauga
when the two enemies of Roseerans the one
General Of the Army aud the other Secretary OF
War, were ail-powerful with the President
West Tennessee held by a division OF troops
and Middle Tennessee occupied by the Army
of the Cumberland, East Tennessee was eyi-
IDENTIFY the next objective To accomplish its
occupation two expeditions were fitted out
The Army Of the Ohio, under General Burn
side, was directed to move eastward across the
Cumberland Mountains from Kentucky to st
tack General Bnckmer at Knox siile, while
hosecrans moved against Bragg at Chatta-
no0ga. The Army Of the Tennessee was lying
idle at Nicksburg, and little knowledge of the
situation was required at Washington to die.
tate the union of that army with the Army Of
tie Cumberland.
General Roseerans suggestions TO this end
however. were, as usual, UNDECIDED, and, against
his Judgment he obeyed the pesemptoTy order
to move upon Chattanooga. Meantime General
Bragg had determined TO concentrate all his
force upon RosecraHs, knowing that the de.
struction Of his army would open the way foi
his unimpeded march upon the Northern
States. To this end he recalled Bucl1ner, who
evacuated East Tennessee. leaving Burnside
an uEHoested passage TO Knexyille; solicited
and obtained 8 corps from the Army of North
ern Virginia, under General Longstreet and
prepared to meet his old antagonist with an
overwhelming force. The movement upon
Chattanooga in ali that goes TO make bril-
liant strategicai march must forever stand