The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-07-05

20 get "shet" Of him when he decided
to retire from a battlefield on which his
experiences had not been entirely to his
Hiking. Gems. Grant, Sheridan and
Thomas had that higher intensity Of
soldiership which taught them that the
true policy was to rake the field Of bat
tie clean. ard when the enemy had had
enough Of fighting and wanted to retire
was the moment when his destruction
could be made complete. Grants idea
was that In a sharply-contested battle
both sides fight themselves nearly to
exhaustion, and the side that makes the
next move sends the enemy of the field.
II then properly followed up a decisive
and fruitful victory II won. That Rose
Grams would not see this and do 1t was
the frst cause Of the lifelong bitterness
between him and Grant. At Iuka and
corinth Rosecrans had contented him
self with beating OF the attacks Of the
enemy. making no return thrusts When
the enemy retired from the field Rose
Grams called his officers together and
thanked God for a victory. where Grant,
stimulating anew every wornout man In
his ranks. would have sent him hurry
Ing on to completely wreck the flying
foe.
At St0ae River.
So II was that Rosecrans acted In his
customary way at Stone River. When
the full day Of Sunday morning. Jan 4.
1853, revealed the plain upon which
Murfreesboro stands abandoned by all
B'aggs men except those in the hospi-
tails, Rosecrans called his principal Off
GERS together to congratulate them upon
Q victory and to cheer up the troops
with the gracious intelligence that they
had gained all they had been fighting
for since leaving Nashville. The day
was spent in church services in buryine
the dead, taking care OF the wounded,
and repairing In some degree the wrack
Of the battle upon the commands
There was no thought or pretense OF
morning. when Gen. Thomas advanced
with deliberation into and beyond MUIR
freesboro. driving the cavalry which
had been left by Bragg to observe him
some six or seven miles beyond the
town on the Manchester pike McCook's
and Critrenden's Corps followed. and
took up position in and beyond MUIR
iTScsDOTO SUBSTANTIALLY Wnere tney were
to remain for the next six months. II
was learned that Bragg had fallen back
upon Shelbyville. 35 miles distant, the
center Of rich farming district, from
which he could draw supplies. Rose
Grams says in his report that he ther
decided that further pursuit was mad
visabie, owing to the fact that he had
lost 557 artillery horses and II was i'm.
practicable TO bring up supplies. OF
course. the golden opportunity for 8
successful pursuit had. on Monday even
been passed for two days. The time
for him to have pursued most success
fully and wrought Bragg's ruin was the
instant that he discovered the latter.
retreat on Saturday morning. Then IL
as Grant. Sheridan or Thomas wouiG
have done, he had rushed his troop.
upon Bragg's battered and dispirited
men, he would have achieved immense
results. 1t Is true that his men were
terribly fatigued with the strain the,
had been undergoing, but they were mo-
as badly worn out as Bragg's were, and
in the stimulus Of completing their vic.
t0ly they would have shown vigoi
ana intensity as surprising to them.