The National tribune., 1886-03-18
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service for the Union army as though he had
been in the thick of the fight Thomas. to the
left, presents a gallant front, turns back his
right 10 protect himself from the food of men
who broke through the gap and finally checks
the onslaught and turns defeat into at least a
drawn battle, with all the fruits to be gained
by the most decisive victory on the Federal
side.
Where, then, can any blame attach to Gen.
McCook? Indeed, he may be said to have had
no command on that day after the few morning
hours. Two of his divisions were peremptorily
ordered TO the left and away from his immed-
ate command The blunder Of this move makes
a gap which the enemy pours through and cuts
Gen. McCOok off from the remaining division
of his corps. Yet, during all that time of sturdy
struggle on the part of Thomas, he was actively
engaged in stopping straggers, organizing them,
and sending them to the front lines. He only
leaves the fieldswhen he learns that the Com
mander-in- Chief has retired from the front and
gone to the rear to select new line or prepare
means to save the army in case Thomas fails to
maintain his position
In every way he renders what aid he can,
and when the new line is formed he brings his
divisions together again in perfect order and
as ready for battle on the first day of the
fight. L understand very we'll the unproft-
ableness of speculating upon what might
have been," but cannot refrain from asserting
that had no orders been given for the move
ment of two divisions to the left, McCOok's old
Twentieth Corps would have been left intact,
in fine front upon the line broken over by the
enemy. With anything like
THE STUBBORN TENACITY
with which the old Twentieth Corps fought
the rebel army at Perryville it would here
have broken the assault, forced the enemy
back, and in the advance of our line, Sheridan
would have turned his flank. In such con-
test McCOok would have kept the rebels in his
front SO busy that instead of permitting them
to send aid to the wing fighting Thomas, they
would have needed reinforcements to save their
own left. Gordon Granger, when he arrived,
instead of being forlorn hope" would have
found our line well worn to be sure, but on
the winning side. aud his fresh force would
have been the weight to turn the scale of bat
tie, and the result would have been almost a
total annihilation of Bragg's and Longstreets
mics.
Alexander Mcdowell McCook was fighter;
his men realized this. and no troops ever fought
better than the Twentieth Corps, organized
and disciplined by him. He was one of the
most patriotic and loyal men i'll the army.
Like Gen. Grant he believed i'll crushing out
the rebellion by constant and persistent fight
ing. Had he been properly supported at Per-
ryvile. Ky, the war would have been mate
rally shortened. In no instance can any just
criticism he made upon his skill, his ability,
or his intense loyalty and not few general
officers incurred the suspicious of their SOL
dicrs and the public upon this last quality.
The McCook family deserve much at the
hands of the Nation, and to no one member is
more gratitude due than to the subject of this
sketch. No matter how severe the accidents
of authority were to him. he never lost the re-
spect and confidence of the officers and men
who really knew him.