The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-10-11
THE TRUTH OF HISTORY.
New Light Thrown on General
John A. Logan's Chara cten
q STORY NEVER PUBLISHED
Until now Presented by the Intclli.
gcnccr on tho BEST Authority.
Gen. Thomas's Escape from
Removal by Iosan's Act.

J olIhomas anu HOOD, known IN history
as the battle Of Nashville, was one oI
the most important OF the war. Had
, the rebels been victorious In that en-.
gagement, the outcome Of the rebellion
might have been wholly different. II
Hood had got North the result can
, scarcely be conjectured. Naturally,
that battls has been treated OF by all the
historians OF tho war, and Oh one point
they all seem to agree. 1t ia recorded
In history that In tho few weeks prior to
tho battle Of Nashville both President
Lincoln and General Grant were dissat.
islied with Thomas's failure to attack
the enemy. Grant, in his own story OF
tho engagement and the events which
preceded it, says:
"Hood was allowed to move upon
Nashville, and to invest that place
almost without interference. Thomas
was strongly fortified in his position, 80
that he would have been safe against
the attack OF Hood. He had troops
enough even TO annihilate him in tho
open field. To me hiH delay was uuac.
countable-sitting there and permitting
himself to be invested, so that in the
end, to raise the siege he would have to
fight the enemy strongly posted behind
Notifications. II is true the weather was
very bad. The rain was falling and
freezing rs it fell, 30 that the ground was
covered with sheet Of lice, that made it
very difficult to move. But was afraid
that the enemy would find means OF
moving, elude Thomas and manage to
get north OF the Cumberland river. II
he did this l apprehended most serious
results from the campaign in the North,
and was afraid that we might even have
TO send troops from the East to head him
off If he got there, General Thonas's
movements being always so deliberate
and 80 slow, though effective in defense.
n consequently urged Thomas in fre.
quent dispatches sent from City Point
10 attack at once. The country was
alarmed, the administration was alarm.
ed, and I was alarmed, lest the very
thing would take place which l have de-
scribed--that is, Hood would get north.
It was all without avail further than to
elicit diapatchss from Thomas saying
that he was getting ready to move as
soon as he could; that he was making
preparations, etc.
"Atlast l had to say to Genera! Thomas
that should be obliged to remove him
unless he acted promptly.
HE replied that he was very sorry,
but would move as soon as he could,
General Logan happening to visit
City Point about that time, aud know.
ing him as a prompt, gallant and efficient
officer, gave him an order 10 proceed
to Nashville to relieve Thomas. di.
rected him, however, not to deliver the
order or publish it until he reached
there, and If Thomas had moved, then
not to deliver it atall, but communicate
with me by telegraph.
AFTER Logan started, in thinking over
the situation, l became restless, and con.
oluded to 60 myself.
II went as far as Washington City,
when dispatch was received from Gem
eral Thomas announcing his readiness
at last to move, and designating the
time OF his movement. concluded to
wait until that time. He did move, and
was successful from the very start.
This WAS the 10Th Of December. General
Logan was at Louisville at the time this
movement was made, and telegraphed
the fact to Washington and proceeded
no farther himself"
This story, substantially, is told by all
the writers who have touched upon this
part Of the history OF the war; yet it is
now declared on good authority that, as
to the part General Logan took in that
history, all these writers, including GEN
eral Grant, were misinformed, and the
revised version OF the narrative casts a
new light on the character of GEN
eral Logan, light which shines the
brighter because, so far as is known,
General Logan never soughtto make the
real facts public.
The story comes to the INTRLLlGENCER
not exactly at first hands, but through
channel so straight as to be entirely
reliable. 1t rests primarily on the word
OF Gen. 3. F. Butler, and YVES told by
him to Judge X. II. Cochran, Of this city.
1t was shortly after Gen. Logan's
death, when his career was naturally
uppermost in the minds OF everybody,
and especially OF old soldiers. On the
Fall River line from New York 10 Bos.
ton Judge Cochran met Gen. Butler and
they got into casual conversation.
Naturally the conversation turned
upon the campaigns in which they had
served, and the possible result had
Logan relieved Thomas, and been in
command when the battle ot Nashville
was fought to successful issue, was the
theme OF much speculation. 1t was gem
orally agreed that man OF Logan's in
domitable ambition and activity, with
the prestige Of brilliant success after
Thomas's apparent failure, wonld have
risen rapidly, and perhaps when the
war closed, would have been second in
command, and scarcely second in fame,
to Grant.
In the course OF their talk Gen. Butler
told story which Judge Cochran re.
peatsd the othtr day to an In
rELLIaENcER reporter in conver-
sation about war matters in general.
He said it was within his personal
knowledge that the events attending
Logan's movements preceding the battle
of Nashville were not faithfully recorded
in history.
General Butler continued that early
in December, while Grant was vainly
urging Thomas to immediate action, a
consultation Of officers was held ut City
Point, at which General Grant expressed
bis determination to remove Thomas.
He was in doubt, however, as to whom
to send to relieve him. General Butler
suggested, "Send Logan" He referred
to his well known high qualities as a
fighter and commander, and said also
that his popularity with the rank and
file would euro any disatiection among
the troops that might have grown out OF
the continued innction.
Gen. Buffers suggestion was adopted.
Gen. Logan Was directed TO 20 to NaRh.
vile, and was armed with written au.
thority to assume command unless