The National tribune., 1906-08-02

handling of his troops. succeeded, In
concert with Clayton, in checking and
staying the first and most dangerous
shock which always follows immediate
ly after rout. The result was tha:
even after the army passed the Big
Harpeth. at Franklin. the brigades and
divisions were marching in regular or
der. Capt. Cooper, of my staff. had
been sent to Murfreesboro to inform
Gen. Forrest of our misfortune, and to
order him to make the necessary dis
positions of his cavalry to cover our
retreat.
Although the campaign proved disas-
trous by reason of the unfortunate af-
fair at Spring Hill. the short duration
of daylight at Franklin, and, finally,
because of the non-arrival of the ex-
pected reinforcements from the Trans
Mississippi Department, 1t will never
theless be of interest to note how deeply
concerned Gen. Grant became for fear
we should finally reach Kentucky. He
ordered Gen. Thomas to attack on the
9Th of December, and evidently became
much worried about our presence In
front Of Nashville, as he telegraphed to
the War Department at Washington. on
the 9Th, to relieve Thomas on account
of his delay in assaulting according to
| Instructions. This order was issued or
| that date, but was afterwards suspend
ed by Grant On the 18th, at p. m.
he again telegraphed Gen. Thomas:
Grants Anxiety.
"If you delay attacking longer. the
| mortifying spectacle will be witnessed
of a rebel army moving for the Ohio
and you will be forced to act, accepting
such weather as you find. >"
The following dispatch from Gen
| Grant to Thomas gives strong evidence
that in this campaign we had thrust a.
the yitais of the enemy:
washington, Dec. Is. 1854, 1880 p. m
81 was just on my way to Nashville
but receiving a dispatch from Van Du'
zen, detailing your splendid success ol
to-day, L shall go no further.
''U. s. Grant. Lieutenant-General."
He could not we'll afford to allow Us tt
reach Kentucky, and finally assail hin
in rear at Petersburg. Therefore, M
left his own army in front of the illus
trious Lee to proceed to Nashville anC
assume direction in person.
| AT this eventful period Gen. Thoma!
stood with $4,000 effectives to Oppose
our small army, which numbered les
than 10000, after deducting the forct
| under Forrest at Murfreesboro.
| ] had had reason to hope that W.
would have received large accessions /,
| our ranks in Tennessee. The following
letter from Gov. Isham G. Harris, writ
| ten during the retreat and at the time
the army was approaching the Tennes
see River will indicate to what exten
| our ranks would have been recruited
had the campaign proved successful:
"Tuscumbia, Ala, Dec. 25, 1864.
"His Excellency, Jefferson Davis.
| "Sir: 1 arrived here last night, leav
1 hn I
Tennessee River, on the Bainbridg'
route.
"Our stay in Tennessee was So shor
and engagements SO constant and press
ing that we did not recruit to any con
siderable extent. II we could have re
manned there a few weeks longer, WI
could and would have recruited to ;
great extent. The men are there, AM
| thousands were making their arrange
ments to join the army, but the unfor
tunate result Of the battle of Nashville
| and immediate retreat of the army wa.
very discouraging to our people. hope
| however, to be able to get great man!
of these men out, notwithstanding W.
have left the State.
| "I have been with Gen. Hood from
the beginning of this campaign, and bet
to say, disastrous as it has ended, l an
not able to see anything that Gen. HOOD
| mas OOHe tnSt ne VI HSStcSt
ed anything that he should have dom
which it was possible to DO. Indeed
the more that l have seen and knowE
of him and his policy. the more have
been pleased with him, and regret Il
say that IL all had performed their part!
as we'll as he the results would have
been very different.
| "But I will not detain Col. Johnson
except to say or rather to suggest tha
If Gen. Hood is to command this army
he should by all means be permitted
to organize the army according to hi!
own views of the necessities of the case
"Very respectfully,
'Isham G. Harris"
Covering the Retreat.
Lieut.-Gen. Lee displayed his usua
energy and skill in handling his troop!