The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-12-06
TEE TRUTH QF HISTORY.
Gen, Logan's Orders Prior to
the Battle of Nashville
A WIDELY DISCUSSED POINT.
interesting Dispute Of National In.
tcrcst Growing out OF n late
Article In tho Intclliscn.
cer.-.Some Opinions.

|
Some time ago the ISrELlieEScR
printed an interesting article concerning
the battle OF Nashville, aud the cours
oil Gen. Logan in regard to it, the articl
. being based on an interview with judy
r. II. Cochran. 1t caused wido dis
cusslon. The leading newspapers o
the country, prominent officers Of tht
army, and Mrs. Logan have contributed
to tho information concerning the mat
ter, and it is probable TINT an importan,
magaztne article may grow out Of It.
Meeting Judge Cochran las. evening
the reporter renewed the subject, and
asked him TO state what he thought Of
the Story alter all .ile light has been
thrown on 1t,
u thank you for this opportunity to
set myself right" said Judge Cochran.
Your publication OF a former interview
respecting the statement by General b.
+. Buller, tina.
GENERAL LOGAN WENT TO NASHVILLE
N coynitO, and there made inquiries
which sa.isfea him that General Thomas
had cisde all tho preparations necessary
to deliver n successful battle, and that
logan eeeing this, with splendid cbiv.
airy and magnani,nity, returned to
Louisville and permitted Thomas to de.
stfoy Hoods army, December Is an lG,
ls64, has created sich widespread dis
eussion that it is perhaps my duty to do
what | may to correct any peryersion OF
history which might result from any.
thing gave out.
General Butler is always interesting.
anu When he told me the story : was
deeply impressed aud did not stop 10 ex.
anime history. from letters received
from distinguished officers Of Tharaas:s
army, %ho were upon the ground and
have made 3 SPECIAL study. OF thin mat.
ter and who correspondel with Gran,
and Logan about it, 0uG from couyersa.
tons have had with distinguished per
sona who sustained intimate personal
re..aslons With General Logan, am now
fully satisfied that
GENERAL. LOGAN DiD NOT GO TO NASH.
WILLIE,
and that IN that respect General Butler
IS mistaken. 1t is, however, due 10 him
and tho subject matter TO say that sent
hin copy OF the other interview, and
a. the same time u letter, in which I
said:
I send you copy of this mornings
lSTELLIoENcEE containing part OF an
interview l had with one of its report
ers some time since, and he attempts to
repeat what gave him OF conversation
betweeu you and myself shortly after
General Logan's death. l wish you
would take the tine to read it, and
write mo respecting the incident of
Logan going to Nashville as you remem.
Der it, tor | do not pretend to accurately
repeat what you said to me, nor does
the reporter quite correctly quote me.
Whatever touches Thomas and tho
Army OF the Cumberland is
DEEPLY INTERESTING
to the soldiers OF that army, and l think
it 80 important an historical item, that
you should atate it in your own way
while you may
"1n answer to this, General Butler
wrote ME, among other things, as follows:
" I think l gave correctly the in cldent
about Logan aud his treatment Of
Thomas. 1t made q great Impression
upon ny mind, and can't be mistaken
about it,
"But General Butler is evidently mis-.
taken.
'rhis is the order to General Logan:
"HEADQUAETERs or THE ARMIES !
OF TIE us,
Cry PoINT, VIRGINIA, Dec. IS, 1864 J
Special Orders no. 40,
I. Major General John \. Logan,
United States Volunteers, will proceed
Immediately TO Nashville, Tennessee :;
report by telegraph to the Lieutenant
General his arrival at Louisville, Zen.
lucky, and allso his arrival at Nashville,
! Tennessee.
Gy command oi Lieutenant General
Grant. T. S: Bowers,
Asst. Adj's Gen'l.'
General Logan was probably at City
Point at the date OF this order. Mrs. Lo-
gan, in her recent interview, confirms
this view, when she says in sub.
stance that General Logan vent to City
Point on
GENERAL CHANTS onDEE
to report there for special duty, and that
uroa his arrival General Grant explain.
ed his impatience over Thomas's delay,
and ordered General Logan to report at
Nashville to relieve Thomas. This was
December 18Th, at City Point, near Rich,
mond, Va. WHO viii nov say that il
general Logan had started on the 18th
he could have reached Nashville beto re
the battle began on the 10th? The claim
Seems wholly improbable, II not impos.
sible. Railway transit was not 30 rapid
then as now.
Logan in the order quoted wag not
ordered to relieve Tho,1as; lie vas or.
Gered to Telegraph his arrival at Louis.
vile and Nashville, and he only tele.
graphed his arrival at Louisville at 10 a
m, on the l7th when, he had Just ar.
riyel--late--delaye by the bad weather.
The two days battle were then over and
Hoods army destroyed.
"Who has ever heard OF any one who
saw Logan at Nashville, or of line OF
his claiming he went there then?
Logan was too conspicuous man
and soldier, was too vel! known, to run
the gaunllelot Newspaper, ,corresp podenis,
officers end soldiers from I.ouisville' ia
Nashville and return, with no living
witness to attest the iuct. TO have done
so implies more travel, more disobedi
enCe OF orders, more secrecy OF move.
mentB and less alertness upon the par,
oi huadrcls OF officers and men who
knew and would have recognized Logan,
than is credible. On the contrary. dis.
tinguished oflicers who were at Nash
Vile at the time and in pos;,;cu to
know, say he did not come ID Nashville
ind This is -
TIE ONLY FACT .a
Of which l care 10 speak-Did Logan e
further than Louisville2
"As distinguished officer puts 1t in
letter 10 me, tits incredible that Loga1
i SnuId yaach I.nuiavIlla bptvca,, Dacam