The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-05-30

since Personally brave, of which he had
given most conclusive evidence on many hotly-
contested fields he was of too impetuous temper
TO calmly brook control; full of fight, he could
lead a brigade or a division in desperate as
saalt; with a cooler head to plan, he could
execute but the Confederate cause had many
defenders in arms TO whom its interests could
have been better intrusted on such an occasion.
OF his subordinates none had had command of
separate armies. though some of them-as
Cleburne-lad well filed all places to which
they had been assigned.
With one or two exceptions, they were West
ern men, at home in the region where they
fought, and familiar with its inhabitants, its
resources and channels of communication.
Forrest, who was TO cooperate with the north
ward movement from Mississippi was doubt
less the best cavalry leader the rebels had west
of Virginia; a horn raider, tireless and inde-
fatigable, though cruel and remorseless, he
was regarded by Gen. Sherman as superior to
most officers OF that arm in either the Union or
Confederate army. Gen. Clebarne had risen
from the ranks of an Arkansas regiment, and
his death at Franklin was heavier loss to the
rebel commander than was that of half di-
vision.
There is no doubt that in the minds Of many
of the rank and file, as well as those of higher
grades and greater intelligence, their cause
was lost when Atlanta fell. They had been
whole Summer; had seen field after field and
town after town abandoned to the invader.
Those whom the fortunes of war had sent
North as prisoners and returned after exchange,
had noted that thousands of unenrolled men
still filled the towns of that prolific region,
and, if need be, could be called out to swell
the victorious ranks of their foes and when
Sherman recalled his main force from pursuit,
as if sure that there were still soldiers enough
left at the West TO take care of them without
his aid leaders and led might well pause and
sit down 20 calculate whether able, with TO-
600. TO meet him who came against them with
10000" For under the leader who was to
guide the Union host to victory, it was safe to
predict such an end TO the campaign.
GEN. GEORGE h. THOMAS.
Great glorious, unconquerable Thomas! !!
Born, like his opponent on Southern soil, he
might have pleaded q better excuse for going
over to the rebel side; for his State seeded.
But, like Millions Abdiel, faithful amid the
iaithless found, he never wavered in his alie-
glance; was never doubtful or doubted. Both
in person and in mind he was cast in a majes-
tic mold. Calm, deliberate and self poised, he
bore alike unmoved the honors Of victory or
the unjust criticisms of those who anxious for
results and uniformed of circumstances, &C
cused him of tardiness in action or unneces-
sary delay.
Graduating from West Point in 1910, he had
seen over 20 years service, and had been
through one war prior to that of the rebellion; ;
and that found him well matured, well in
formed, and fitted fully for the great part he
had to perform. Tennessee could not have
been intrusted to better hands, and he was
we'll supported Gen. Schofield, second in COM
mand, Stanley and T. J. Wood were all Regu-
lar officers Of experience ante-dating the war,
and all the other division and brigade COM
manders were men tested by the Summers cam
paign, and many of them had been in service
from the first year of the war. Gen. J. D. Cox,
commanding Third Division, Twenty-third
Corps, and to whom Gen. Schofeld intTusted
the location of the line of defense at franklin,
had already National reputation, both as an
officer and civilian, and his history of this
campaign will be always regarded as one Of the
best Gen. Hatch, at first the ranking cavalry
officer, and, as such, charged with watching
the rebel advance, was an officer of zeal and
ability, and later in the campaign was succeed
ed by another, fully as we'll qualified for the
position-Gen. James II. Wilson.
ITO be c0Mtinuedl