Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-11
BE Refrained From Doing So, Having
Satisfied Himself the Latter Was
Acting Wisely.
TIE WISDOM OF HIS COURSE PROVEN,
Though Isursls That Night Have Been Hs Were Givsr
to Another
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DISPATCH. l

that engagement, the outcome of the rebel
lion might have been wholly different. If
Hood had got Forth the result can scarcely
he conjectured. Naturally, that battle has
been treated of by all the historians of the
war, and on one point they all seem to
agree.
1t is recorded in history that in the few
weeks prior to the battle of Nashville,
both President Lincoln and General Grant
were dissatisfied with Thomas failure to
attack the enemy. Grant, in his own story
of the engagement and the events which
preceded it. saws: "Hood was allowed to
move upon Nashville, and to invest that
place almost without interference. Thomas
was strongly fortified in his position, so that
he would have been safe against the attack
of Hood. He had troops even enough to
annihilate him in the open field.
THOMAS DELIBERATE MOVEMENTS.
ITO me his delay was unaccountable, sit
Ting there and permitting himself to be in
vested, so that in the end, to raise the siege
he would have to fight the enemy strongly
posted behind Notifications. 1t is true the
weather was very bad. The rain was falling
and freezing as it fell, so that the ground
was covered with a sheet of ice that made it
very difficult to move. But 1 WAS afraid
that the enemy would find means of moving
Il he did | apprehended most serious re-
suits, General Thomas movement being so
deliberate and so slow, although effective in
defense. l consequently urged Thomas in
frequent dispatches sent from City Point to
make the attack at once The country was
alarmed, the administration was alarmed,
and was alarmed. At last 1 had
to say to General Thomas that 1 should be
obliged to remove him unless he acted
promptly. He replied that he was yery
sorry, but he would move as soon as he
could.
General Logan happening to visit CITY
Point about that time and knowing him as
gallant, prompt and efficient officer. 1
gave him an order to proceed to Nashville
10 relieve Thomas. 1 directed him, how
ever, not to deliver the order or publish it
until he arrived there, and If Thomas had
moved then not to deliver it at all, but
communicate with me by telegraph.
READY TO MOVE AT LAST.
After Logan started, in thinking over the
situation, became restless aud concluded
to go myself went as far as Washington
City, when dispatch was received from
General Thomas announcing his readiness
at last to move, aud designating the time of
Ms INV OhGuGHt. L GOuCluOGu 10 Walt until
that time. He did move, and was successful |
from the start. This was the 18th OF |
December General Logan was at Louis |
vile at the time this movement was made,
and telegraphed the facts 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; vet, it is now de- |
clared on high authority that, as to the part |
General Logan took in that history. all |
these writers, including General Grant, were |
mIsinformed, and the revised version of the |
narrative cast new light on the character |
OF General Logan-a light which shines the |
brighter because, so far as can be discovered. |
General Logan never made public the facts |
BUTLER SUPPLIES SOME DETAILS
Judge r. H. Cochran, President of the |
Wheeling Bridge and Terminal Railway
Company, a soldier in Thomas army In the
war, and now member of the Executive
Committee OF the National Council of Ad- |
miuistration Of the G. A. R., has Just re-
turned from trip to Boston. While there
he called on Benjamin T. Butler, an old ac-
quaintanee, and in their conversation Gen
eral Butler told him story which he said
had never been printed, but for the entire
truth Of which he vouched.
General Butler says that early in that
December General Grant summoned him to
City Point to hold a consultation. Hefound
there number Of prominent Generals. To !
them General Grant stated his uneasipess
lest through what he considered Thomas
needless delay, irreparable harm might be
done. His fear was that Hood would get
North, and as Thomas did not seem DISPOSED |
TO move in response 10 repeated urgings. he
had concluded to remove him. The oues-
ton was whom to send to Nashville to re-
leve him.
General Butler suggested: "Send Logan.
Heis competent, active, prompt. Moreover,
he Is popular with the soldiers, and his as
sumlng command will cure the growing dis
content in that army"
The suggestion was adopted. and The order
written relieving Thomas and placing Lo-
gan IN command, not to be published, how
ever, II Thomas had moved when Logan
reached Nashville.
LOGAN S MAGNANIMITY,
Logan left City Point in the first week in
December, and went to Louisville. as his
tory relates; but he did not stop there as
has been generally supposed.
General Butler says General Logan went
on TO Nashville, saw Thomas, saw his prin-
cipal officers and his army, saw the situa-
ton and the preDarations for operation.
Thomas had not moved and was not ready
TO move. Logan's orders were positive: he
was to relieve Thomas unless the latter had
moved. But from bis observation
and from what he was told.
Logan concluded that Thomas
was doing the best he could and as well as
anybody could do to prepare to attack
Hood. He believed that it would be un
just to remove Thomas just as he was pre-
pared to act Had he been removed then.
the new commander could have been ready
TO move in day or two, and the movement
would probably be victorious. To a man
ambitious as Logan is said to have been,
the temptation to act upon his orders must
have been great
General Logan quietly returned to Louis
vile with the paper giving him Thomas's
command in his pocket. He reached Louis
vile December 13, and remained there,
silent, until the 18th, when ne heard of
Thomas's victorious movements. Then he
telegraphed to General Grant that he would
go no further.
"Logan's magnanimous conduct on that
occasion" said General Butler. "and his
moral courage in accepting the risk of
putting his own judgment, after personal
inspection, against the authority of his
superior al distance, were traits of a char
acter understood only by those who knew
him best. Logan told me the story at the
time in confidence, in answer to an inouiry
as 10 why be was so long in reaching Louis
vile. have never given the story to the
public, but do not feel that it is wrong TO
tell it now that both Thomas and Logan are
gone.
1.-The battle of Nashville was the first in
the war in which the conquered army was
literally annihilated, and in history when il