The National tribune., 1906-04-12


Magnlfcently-Buell's GeneraIship.
When Albert Sidney Johnston found
his first line shattered by the victory
at Fort Donelson and was compelled to
retire through Nashville, he at first
contemplated taking up his next line
at MurfreesbOrO, where some months
later Braxton Bragg went into position
to receive the attack of Gen. Rose
Grams. He soon changed this plan, it is
said, upon Gen. Beauregard's urging,
and established his headquarters at the
important railroad junction at Corinth,
Miss. Railroads were for the first time
to play an important part in war. Their
logistic value was soon comprehended
by the commanders on both sides. At
Corinth Gen. Johnston would have the
great Mobile & Ohio Railroad to bring
up supplies from the rich grain fields
of Mississippi and Alabama. The Men,
phis & Chattanooga Railroad, passing
along his front, would furnish him
ready communication with the great
depots and factories, which were essen
tial to the equipment of the soldiers.
The Memphis & Chattanooga Road
would be out of reach of the dreaded
gunboats along it's whole length, and
Corinth itself was a naturally strong
position between the deep creeks run
ming into the Tishomingo. Gen. John
StOn issued most urgent calls to the
forward to him. He called Gen. Brax-
ton Bragg, who had been doing nothing
for months at Pensacola but drilling
and disciplining his men, to join him,
and soon he had a force of at least
$4,000 men under his banner.
Halleck Gets q Wide Field.
Gen. Halleck was to some extent
aware Of this concentration, and he
made preparation against it. His COM
hi t,oI fo lx<or
cessful of any General in the field, and
he had shown more real capacity for
doing things. The armies he had or
ganized, Curtss's, Pope's and Grants,
had all moved forward and accomplish
ed great results, while Buell. had Moth
ing to show for the 100, 600 men fur
mshed him except Thomas'S victory at
Mill Springs and minor operations in
eastern Kentucky. Naturally, Halleck
had little difficulty in making 1t appear
to the authorities at Washington that
X Buell. were put under his command
II would lead to commensurate results
by having all the armies west OF the
Alleghenies moved by one common SUI
perior. 1t is to BuelPs credit that
though he did not fall in readily with
Halleck's plans while he, Buell., was an
Independent commander yet as soon as
he was placed under Halleck he began
to obey him with entire readiness.
U.
3, creating the Military Division Of the
Mississippi. with Gen. Halleck in COM
mand. At this time Gen. Buell., in his
Army OF the Ohio, had under him go
regiments of infantry, IL regiments, one
battalion, seven companies Of cavalry
and 28 field and two siege batteries. The
grand total was 94,7S3 men, Of which
1S,472 were effective and ready for the
field. 1t is amazing that with this enor-
nous force Buell. accomplished as little
as he did. He had directly under him
the First. Second, Fourth. Fifth and
Sixth Divisions, commanded by Gems
Thomas, McCook. Nelson. Crittenden
and Wood. numbering in all $1,000 ef-
fectives. The remainder of his effec-
tives were disposed TO defend his COM
municatiOns, and to form two columns
Of attack. One, under Gen. G.. W. Nor
gan. was to follow out Gen. George H.
Thomass original idea to advance from
Lexington to Cumberland Gap. The
other was placed under Gen. Mitchell
and his adventurous spirit was to be
gratified and his disturbing influence
eliminated by sending him to the left
tc strike the Memphis & Chattanooga
Railroad somewhere south OF Nashville
Concestratisg Against Johnston.
Gen. Halleck proposed TO move
against Johnston in his new position,
and ordered Gen. Grant 10 ascend The
for such a movement. There is at once
much acrimony in the discussion as to
now Gen. Grant executed this order
and whether he violated II by placing
himself on the side Of the river next to
Johnston at Pittsburg Landing. Hal
teck's partisans claim that he. Hal,eck,
expected Grant TO take up a position
on the further side of the river and
there await junction with Buell.. Com
mahdlng Generals are no more reliable
than other persons when, after an un-
foreseen accident. they attempt to ex-
plain how Ii came TO happen. Buell.
expresses amaZement, which is also
"after-the-battle variety, that Grant
should have SO violated all military
laws in taking up the position he did.
The discussion of this, however. is not
essential. as both Gems. Grant and
Sherman have quite enough blunders
TO answer for in that campaign. At all
events, Gen. Grant found some troops
occupying an eligible camp ground al
P!ttsburg Landing, and sent the other
troops that We're ordered to him TO the
same place as fast as they arrived.
Gen. Halleck ordered Gen. Buell. t.
march his five divisions OF the afore-
said $4,000 men across the country "a
Savannah and join Gen. Grant. Gen
Halleck would, when the junction was
erected, come up and take comman:! !!
OF the whole for the move against Co.
rinth and Gen. Johnston.
No haste was enjoined upon Gen
Buell., and he saw no reason for dis
turbing the usual deliberate method OF
his movements. On March Is he s..n;
out cavalry from Nashville to secure
the bridges. and So. McCook's Division
IN motion % follow them. with Nelson's
Crfttenden's and Woods Divisions fol-
lowing McCook in the order named.
The March to Shiloh.
Everything that Gen. Buell. did was
veil considered to the last dean and
ssrefully prescribed in r,ritten orders.
which the-.~was to be no devia-
am principles Of the military science
as laid down In the books. of which
Baell had been q diligent student.
Assuming. as he had perfect right