Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1902-11-01
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It Anew Leader
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i And New Army

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lucky W. 'N'NN NHH W.
creation Of new army under a new
leader Officially the order placing
Rosecrans In the shoes Of Don Carlos
Buell. simply established the depart
mcnt OF the Cumberland, a military
district comprising east Tennessee and
the grount> within the Confederate
states OF Alabama and Georgia yet TO
bee captured
The official order from the war dc-
partment designated Rosccraus' force
the Fourteenth corps, but the COM
mand became quickly famous as the
Army OF the Cumberland. The new
leader at once set his columns In mo-
ton 10 Nashville. which was the base
OF Federal supplies when the troops
were operating in Tennessee. The
Confederates hac their eyes upon the
rccapturc Of Nashville
The Confcdcratcs Of the west had
never recovered from the chagrln they
felt over the abandonment Of Nashville
by the army after Grants victory at
Donelson In February, isd2 Nashville
was the key 20 Tennessee and southern
Kentucky. IL was In the hope Of re-
covering that point that General Al
bert sidney Johnston took desperate
chances In attacking Grant at shiloh,
almost nc the borders OF Mississippi.
lie expected to smash Grant and send
him flying back TO the Ohio river and
clear the road FOR bis men In gray 10
march back TO Nashville. That plan
failed. and the next move was begun
by Bragg In midsummer, lS62, when
he started from Chattanooga and
pushed his way rapidly TO the Ohio.
drawing Buell. and a large part Of
Grants COrinth army northward TO
head linn on from Louisville and CIn-
clnnau.
Failing In his object 20 get a foot
hold In Kentucky, Bragg retraccd his
steps To Tennessee In October, planted
his army at Murfrccshoro and dis
patched a force 10 capture Nashville,
then held by a small Federal garrison.
But Rosecrans came to the field full of
fight aud rushed his advance columns
across the kentucky border TO Nash
VILE. The fresh troops reached the
scene IN time 10 repulse a strong at
tack by Confederate infantry support
ed by Forests cavalry. This affair
was the chief incident Of the 80 called
Siege OF Nashville. IN 30 FAR as the
main line OF defense was concerned.
But the Confcdcrates didn't rest with
simply a show OF strength In front Of
the Nashville defenses. With Nash
willie as "a base the Fodcrals relied upon
railway communications with Louis
willie, and upon these the southern cav
airy made numerous raids. The noted
John IL. Morgan dashed upon the post
at Hartsvllle, Tenn, one night and
captured whole Federal brigade. Al
the same time joe Wheeler raided the
territory west OF the line. But in spite
OF raids and forays 10 the rear Rose
Grams opened the road 10 Louisville ana
kept IL open. meanwhile recognizing
his new army for an attack upon
Braggs principal camp.
The Army OF the Cumberland as Il
came into Rosecrans' hands was not
ley mass Of troops. In the scare OF
Brnres invasion new regiments in the
camps In Ohio aud Kentucky had been
rushed to the front 10 hll in veteran
brigndes. There was a nucleus of old
troops that had been with Buell. az
shiloh. but divisions and brigades had
been changed. old leaders had been
lost In battle. and the army which had
fallen back I'M haste across Tennessee
10 the center OF Kentucky in the face
OF advancing Coufedorates and fought
herolcally without scoring great vic
tory nc Porryville needed reorganiza'
ton before it could GO forward 10 at
tack Zoe In his chosen stronghold.
Rosecrnns came to his new army and
new enterprise fresh from a great tri'
umph nc COrinth oct. and 4. In re-
pulsing the Coufedcrates under Earl
Van Dorm and Sterling Price, Rose
Grams had probably saved the fruits OF
Donelson and shiloh in the west. When
Corlnth was fought, Grant was tied
up there with large army, while
Buell. was confronted IN Kentucky
with a large force Of Confederates un'
der Bragg. Bragg wanted help In his
campaign, and Van Dorm and Price
were the only hope. II they could
smash the army at Corlnth and break
up Grants reserve nc Memphis, there
would be no hope Of getting re-cnforce
ments 20 Buell.. The defeat Of Var
Dorm left Bragg alone on unfriondly
soil, for the Kentucklans didn't rise e
welcome his INVASION.
So Il was not one Of those accidents
OF choice which often work mischief
which placed Rosecrans In the saddle
M the head Of the biggest army In the
west. a leader was needed, and Grant
had done nothing Of account since Shi
loh. II was even talked OF In Washing
ton 20 place Rosccrans no the head OF
| the Army OF the Potomac In the shoes
Of Little Mae who had fallen int,
dIsfayor Tor not pushing the campaign
In Virginia after Anuetam. But the
experiment OF importing a western
general TO the east had failed In the
case ~ John Pope, whose disastroui
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