The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-23
GRANT AND THOMAS.
The Inner History of the Great and Decisive
Struggle at Nashville.

The Inner History of the Great and Decisive
Struggle at Nashville.
t. +. f., in New York sun.
In letter from j. T. Headey, published In
the Sun of Oct 6. that gentleman says. speaking
of the orders from General Grant to General
Thomas relative to attacking General Hood
then before Nashville Grant never gave any
such order. without any reserve, nor did
Thomas ever move under any such supposed or
der
There can be no question regarding the fact
that General Grant was dissatisfied with what
he then considered unnecessary delay on the
part of General Thomas in making at attack.
Whatever Interpretation others may give to the
Lieutenant generals orders, we have his own
estimate as to their peremptoriness. In vol. z,
p. 223. "Shermans Memoirs" is to be found
confidential" letter from Grant to Sherman.
dated from Washington, Dec IL, 1864, which
says: st has been hard work to get Thomas to
attack Hood / gave him the most peremptory
order, and had started to 60 there myself, before
he got off.
More than this, for it seems to be we'll estab-
lished that. on Dec. g. General Grant determined
to relieve the loyal Southerner whose undaunt
ed courage had stood our arms in such good stead
at Chickamauga, and had given strength and
backbone to Shermans army In the numerous
and severe contests which eliminated in the cap
ture of Atlanta
The National Tribune of Washington, d. c.,
in its issue of April s. 1888 published the follow
ing order as having been discovered in the War
Record Office
HEADQUARTERS OF ARMY WAR DEPARTMENT, }
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OFFICE
WASHINGTON, d. c., Dec. 8, 1864.
'[General Orders, No. j
'In accordance with the following dispatch
from acknowledgement Grant, viz:
please telegraph orders relieving him General
Thomas) at once. and placing chofeli in command.
Thomas should be directed to turn all dispatches
received since the battle of franklin to Schofeld.
~. S. GRANT, acknowledgement
1.-THE President orders:
"First-That Major-general J. M. Schofeld
assume command of all the troops in the Depart
ments of the Cumberland, the Ohio and the
Tennessee
''Seeond-That Major general Geo. H. Thomas
report to General Schofeld for duty, and turn
to him all orders and dispatches received by
him. as specified above. Signed by order OF the
Secretary of War.
'fOfficia j. c. KELTON. A. A. g."
This order General Haeck decided to retain,
and kept in his pocket and it was not entered
upon the records. A few hours later dispatch
from General Grant was received by General
Halleck, requesting that the order be suspended.
1t is stated that the issuing of this order was
first made public in 1869. after repeated denials
by friends of Generals Grant and Schofeld.
The telegram from Thomas to Grant, in which
the former nobly says, II can only say have
done all in my power to prepare, and if you
shonld deem it necessary to relieve me- shall
submit without murmur," was dated Dec. 10.
AS late as Dec IL, Grant said to Thomas. 'lf
you delay attacking longer the Notifying
spectacle will be presented of rebel army NOV
ing for the Ohio, and You will be forced to act,
accepting such weather you find"
How near official decapitation he was at that
time the brave Thomas never knew until years
after. hut he was unmoved. bided his time. and
Grants prediction regarding Hood not having
been fulfilled when he was prepared Thomas
drove him in fearful disorder to the Tennessee
river, closely pressed and harrassed by the I'M
firing Wilson. By this great victory Hoods
army rs an organized body was eliminated from
the rebel forces.
If this great victory in front of Nashville over
Hood was due to any other man than George FL.
Thomas, so far as the organization OF that army
or its movements on the field concerned.
the records fail to show it.