The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-24
GENERALS OF
THE CIVIL WAR
Not Many Left of the Great
Heroes
BALDY SMITHS TROUBLES
How He COpperS AnotherS
Thunder
BALDY SMITHS TROUBLES


bic reminder of the fact that we are en-
tering upon a new era in our national
history than the bulletins which an
nource to us from day to day the death
of the men who figured prominently in
the command of our army during the
civil war. The three chief commanders
long ago passed away, and since their
deaths the ranks of the men who actively
upheld the Union have been thinning
with steadily increasing rapidity. The
deaths Of Gen. Benjamin F. Butler, Gen.
Franklin, and Gen. William FarTar Smith
removed among the last Of the men who
lnaugurated and conducted separate
Campaigns There are now living but
fourteen major-generals who held that
rank during the civil war. and OF these
only one OF two ever commanded indie
pendent divisions or corps. AS these
figures pass from the scene Of present
day affairs many contrasts between the
way in which they met and solved the
problems of their day. and the methods
followed at the present time are present
ed. Much of the pictuTesqueness Of civil
war times has disappeared I'm our ordin-
cry life, and this is even truer in the ease
Of our military and naval establishments.
For instance. in connection with the
death OF Gen. Smith. "Baldy' Smith he
was always called by his intimates, it
will DO pleasant TO recall as key TO the
mans character the courage and re-
sourcefulness with which he conducted
his campaign with the Army OF Potomac
in the action leading unto the attack
on Richmond. No more picturesque in
IL l. -,r H.,
civil war Smiths command was
movable column" consisting of 5000 in
fantry, Is pieces of artillery, and a
squadron of cavalry, and he was ordered
TO join the Army of the Potomac. On
June ] he took up a position near Cold
Spring Harbor, engaged the enemy for
nine days, and on the 14th retired to
Bermuda Hundred. The next day he was
ordered to attack Petersburg, and that
night moved forward, meeting the enemy
early next morning. Some rifle pits were
captured, and Smith formed lines in front
of the Notifications of Petersburg.
The enemy's artillery was strong and
well served, and Smith could not bring up
his own guns. He had no engineer officer
20 make a reconnaissance Of the enemy's
line to discover its weak points, and so
Badly" Smith became his own scout,
crawling on his hands and knees for two
hours He coaxed his men forward, in
small bodies. gradually getting his guns
into position, and this way they fought
until seven o'clock in the evening when
general assault was ordered. Two hours
later the principal Qualifications to the key
of the Confederacy were taken. Smith
lost $50 men in round numbers. 500 Of
whom were negroes. He took 10 guns,
6 being captured by the black troops,
who fought CALAMITY Hancock's troops
had been ordered to operate with Smith
a this battle, but the instructions were
defective and the corps was delayed.
Smith always believed that the defective
instructions were given to embarass him.
OF Gen Smith, Gen. Grant once said:
Smith. while a very able officer, is OBJ
stinate and is likely to condemn whatever
is not suggested by himself" He was not
averse to crditicising his superiors in
command, and this fact did not add to
his popularity in captain quarters. He
was a fighter, not a diplomat. and as
result his career during the war was a
stormy one.
II was in the Virginia peninsular cam
paign that his real active service be-
gan. and out of which there arose the
famous controversy which was ended
but three years ago. After the battle
of Chickamauga on September p, 1858,
Gen. Rosecrans drew up his army near
the southern side of Chattanooga, Tenn
The railroad connecting Chattanooga
with Bridgeport, which formed the then
only available base of supplies from the
North. left the city. crossed Chattanooga
Greek near its mouth. followed the river
closely to the north end OF Lookout
Mountain. passed through a tunnel. and
then debouched into the northern end OF
Lookout Valley. All passes in the noun
tain were abandoned. for the Union line
was behind Chattanooga Creek and Yool-
out Valley.
Gen. Rosecrans. in command at Chatta-
nooga. was in a dangerous position, and
the condition of his army, shut off as it
was from its base, was described by Cen
Grant in his Memoirs as follows:
This country afforded but little food
for his CRosecrans - animals. nearly 1e.0oo
OF which had already starved. and not
enoAgh were left to draw single piece
of artillery. or even ambulances to con-
vev the sick The men had been on hair
ration Of hard bread for R considerable
time. with but few other supplies except
beef from Nashville across the country
The region along the road became so eN-
hausted of food for cattle that by the
time they reached Chattanooga they were
much in the condition OF the few animals
left alive there Indeed. the beef was so
poor that the soldiers were in the habit
Of saving with a faint RIGHTEOUSNESS
that they were living on half rations OF
bard bread and beef dried on the hoot-
Grant arrived at Chattanooga on Octo
Der .. and the next day Gen Smith. VINO
was then chief engineer of the Army 81
the Cumberland. with the commandment
chisf reconnoitered the position which the
Former said he had discovered at the
mouth Of Lookout Valley Gen. Smith 5
plan was 10 surprise the enemy, seize the
hills south OF the Tennessee River ~
Browns Ferry. build a pontoon bridge
recover the lines Of communication, and
gain control Of theriver Gen. Grant
Eave his sanction and deputed "Baldy'
Emith 70 command the forces which were
DO capture the heights and Lookout Val
by.
The movement. carried cut on OCTOBER
n. was successful and the army relieved
ghich allowed Gen. sherman TO reach
Chattanooga. and made possible the vic
tory OF Missionary Ridge Thanks were
rendered 70 Gen. Smith and his officers
and in general orders No. 265. issued on
Novenber :. 1853. Gen. Thomas. who had
succeeded Rosecrans. said;
ITO Grig.-Gen. ". F. Smith. Chief En-
vtneer should be accorded great praise