The National tribune., 1897-03-25

mostly lost in the Seventeenth Corps,
on the 22d of July, and does not
embrace the losses in the Cavalry Divis-
ions of Garrard and McCook, which,
however, were small for July. In all
other respects the statement is absolutely
correct. I am satisfied, however, that
Surgeon Foard could not have been in
possession of data sufficiently accurate
to enable him to report the losses in
>actual battle of men who never saw the
bospital. During the whole campaign
had rendered to me tri-monthly state
ments of defective strength" from
which 1 carefully eliminated the figures
not essential for my conduct so that at
all times / knew the exact lighting
strength of each corps, division, and bri-
gade of the whole army, and also en-
dcavored to bear in mind our losses both
on the several fields of battle and by
sickness, and we'll remember that L
always estimated that during the month
of July we had inflicted heavier loss on
the enemy than we had sustained our
selves, and the above figures prove it
conclusively. Before closing this chap
ter | must record one or two minor
events that occurred about this time that
may prove of interest
On the 24th of July l received a dis
patch from Inspector-General James A.
Hardie, then on duty at the War De-
partment in Washington, to the effect
that Gems. Osterhaus and Aivan z.
Hovey
HAD BEEN APPOINTED MAJoR-GENERALs.
Both of these had begun the cam
pairn with us in command of divisions,
but had gone to the rear-the former
by reason of sickness, and the latter dis
satisfied with Gen. Schofield and myself
about the composition of his division of
the Twenty-third Corps. Both were es-
teemed as frst-class officers, who had
gained special distinction in the Nicks-
burg campaign. But up to that time,
when the newspapers announced daily
promotions elsewhere, no prominent otfi-
GERS serving with me had been advanced
peg, and | felt hurt. l answered Har-
die on the 25th in dispatch which has
been made public, closing with this Ian
guace: " If the rear be the post of honor,
then we had better all change front on
Washington" To my amazement, in a
few davs / received from President Lin
coin himself an answer, in which he
caught me fairly. / have not preserved
copy Of that dispatch, and suppose it
was burned up in the Chicago fire; but it
was Characteristic Of Mr.. Lincoln, and
was dated the 26th or 9th day of July,
contained unequivocal expressions of re-
spect for those w.lo were fighting hard
and unselfshly, offering us full share
of the honors and rewards of the war,
and saying that, in the cases Of Hovey
and Osterhaus, be was Influenced mainly
by the recommendations Of Gems. Grant
and Sherman.
E On the 9th 1 replied direct, apollo.
gizing somewhat for my message to Gen.
Hardie, saying that / did not suppose
such messages ever reached him person.
: ally, explaining that Gems Grants and
Sherman's recommendations for Hovey
and Osterhaus had been made when the
events of the Vicksburg campaign were
fresh with us, and that my dispatch OF
the 18th to Gen. Hardie had reflected
chiefly the feelings of the officers then
present with me before Atlanta
The result of all this, however, was
good, for another dispatch from Gen
lIardie, of the 2Sth, called on me te
nominate eight Coionels for promotion
as acknowledgements. at once sent 6
circular note to the army commander
to nominate two Colonels from the Army
of the Ohio and three from each of the
others. and the result was that on tht
29th of July telegraphed the names O
Col. Wm. Gross 36th Ind; Col. Chas
c. Walcutt, 10th Ohio; Col. James w
Riley. 104th Ohio; Col. L. p. Bradley
51st ILL.,; Col. J.W. Sprague, 63d Ohio
Col. Joseph A. Cooper, 9th East Tenn.
: Col. John I. Croxton, 4th KY; Col
Wm. w. Belknap. 10th Iowa Thes
were promptly appointed Brigadier
Generals, were already in command o
brieades or divisions, and / doubt i
eight promotions were ever made faire
or we're more honestly earned during tn
whole war.