New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-05-10
GEN, GRANTS BOOK.
n, oS1xc VOLUME OF THE MEMOIRS.

begins with his transfer 10 the newly cfcateu MIL
tary Division of the Mississippi shortly after tn
CAPTURE of Vicksburg-a change which was no
only pei sonal promotion, since it gave him over
sight Of nearly ali the Western armies but was
significant indication of the tendency of tie Gov
ernment toward the policy of a single plan ana
concentrated responsibility, upon which alone
was possible TO finish the war. Grants first ac
was TO replare Rosecrans by Thomas in command
OF the Army of the Cumberland, and then, AI'er
personal conference with Secretary stanton D.
Louisville he hurried to Chattanooga, where hose
Grams bad taken position after the disastrous "eiea
of Chickamauga. The story OF the famous opera
tions around Chattanooga, beginning with the al
rangcments for supplying and Strengthening th'
Union army in a situation which il was perllous K
hold and woud be fatal to surrender. and cul
m;nating in the splendid victory which made thu
names of Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain
familiar to the world. was admirably told few
months ago in of General Grants papers con-
trlbutcd to The Century, and the text is snbstan
tally the same in the book. Here is anecdote
however, which did not appear in the magazine:
After we had secured the opening III "a line over
which 10 bring our supplies to tie army, made q
personal inspection to sec the situation OF the
pickcts OF the two armies As have stated' oha,-
tanooga Creek comes down the centre OF the valley
70 within a mile or snch matter OF the Town OF
Chattanooga, then bears of westerly. then NORTH
foot of Lookout Mountain. This creek. from It's
mouth up to where il bears OIL west lay between
the two lines of pickets and the guards OF both
armies drew their water from the same stream. AS
] wouit he under short-range fire and in an omen
country, took Lobody with me- except, believe,
q bug'cr. who STAYED some distance to the rear
rode from our right around TO our left When
came to the camp OF he picket guard OF our side,
manIing general" | replied. Meyer mind the
guard" and they were dismissed and went back to
hair d
distant from the creek the guards OF the Con,
out in like manner. " Turn ont the guard Tor the
commanding general" and. believe, added, len
eral Grant" Their line in moment front faced to
the north, facing me- and gave a salute when re-
turned.
The most friendly relations seemed to exist be
tween the pickets of the two armies. At one place
there was which had fallen across the stream,
and which was used by the soldiers of both armies
in drawing water for their camps. General Long,
streets corps stationed there ut the time, ana
wore blue of little different shade from our unl-
form. Seeing a soldier IN blue on this log rode up
to him. commenced convcrsing with him. and asked
whose corps he belonged to. He was very poiite,
and, touching his hat to me. said he belonged 10
General Longstreets corps. | asked MIN q lew
questions but not with a view of gaining any par,
ticular iniormation-all OF which ne answered, and
] rode of.
During the Chattanooga campaign, Burnside was
in a situation little less than desperate at Knox
Vile short of provisions and ammunition, EN-
barrassed his communications and menaced-
though not yet actually attacked-by formidable
Rebel army His danger and the condition of East
Tennessee. which depended entirely upon his fate,
created something like CONSERVATION at Washing
ton and probably the urgent dispatches in which
the President and the Secretary Of War were con-
tinually calling upon Grant to " do something for
Burnside" were not the least Of Grants troubles.
But Grant saw very clearly that there was only one
way to do anything for Burnside, and that was to
H. ol1 10
his plan, sending encouraging messages to Knox
vile. from time to time urging his subordinate to
hold ont. Probably the messages were cheering but
unnecessary. The gallant and intrepid Burnside
was not the man to lose heart; and one does not
know which of the two generals 10 admire the more
in this campaign of endurance and patience. The
victory of Chattanooga settled everything Knox
vile was relieved without delay. Grant had
matters we'll arranged beforehand; steamboat,
loaded with supplies and ammunition, was ready to
move mp the Tennessee River and General Gordon
Granger with a corps of 20, 900 men, was under
orders to start the moment Missionary Ridge should
be carried One of the many complaints of the
tardiness of General Thomas is made in connection
with this expedition. A day after it should have
moved Grant. returning from conference with
Sherman. found that Thomas had not sent it off,
and moreover that Granger did not like the plan
and was very reluctant to go. satisfied that
Burnside would net be rescued if his relief de-
pended upon General Changers movements" Grant
turned to Sherman. His troops had made hard
march from Memphis Immediately before going into
their hard fight ut Chattanooga they were without
overcoats and blankets the season the end Of
November they had been living for five days on
two days ratiOns and there was little to eat in the
country which they were now to march. But
neither Sherman nor his soldiers ever made excuses
for holding back.
1t may be as well here to give once for all the
substance of Grants criticisms upon General
Thomas His remarks in The Century have called
forth great many remonstrances, and his book
will provoke more. The two commanders differed
radically IN temperament and for the execution of
his largest plans Grant required officers of type
somewhat like his Every general must prefer
to work with the tools that fit his hand, and it is
easy to see what sort of soldiers Grants methods
demanded. We have only to run over the list of
the commanders of whom he always speaks with
enthusiasm. because with them lie always accom-
plshed the best results they the quick, restless
and audacious like Sherman, Sheridan, Logan and
Hancock His complaints of Thomas's excessive
often repeated but the close of
the narrative he makes this candid review:
As my official letters on file in the War Depart
ment, as well as my remarks In this book reflect
upon General Thomas by dwelling somewhat apon
ms hardness. il is due to myself well TO him.
that | give my estimate of him as soldier. The
same remark will apply also in the case of General
Candy. l had been at West Point with Thomas
one year. and had known him later i'll the old army
lie was a man vi commanding appearance slow |
and deliberate in speech and action sensible hon
est and brave. He possessed valuable soldIerly !
qualities in an eminent degree. lie gained the con-
iidcncc Of all who served under him. and almost |
their love. This implies very valuable quality. |
Ii is a quality which calls out the most efficient |
services OF the troops serving under the comm ander
possessing it,
Thomas's dispositions were deliberately made
and always good. lie could not be driven from a !
point he was given to hold. He was not as good |
however. in pursuit as he was in action do not |
believe that lie could ever have conducted Shcr-
The defence and the commander guarding that line
in 1864. On the other hand II 1t had been given
him to hold the line which Johnston tried to hold.
neither that general nor sherman, nor any other
offirer, codd have done ii better