The sun., 1909-02-14

troops under Gen. George ii, Thomai
put an end 10 all the dreams OF the Con
federacy between the Allegheny Noun
tains and the Mississippi River. By the
battles OF Franklin and Nashville. closely
related 10 one another. the only existing
army except that OF Gen. Lee In Nir.
ginia on which the Confederates could
base any hope OF success was blotted
out OF existence. Hoods army did moi
surrender; 1t simply never came together
afterward as an active force. II disap-
peared from the eyes Of men as completely
as II an earthquake had swallowed 1t up.
In order TO promote an appreciation
Of the work done by the armies of Hood
and Thomas Col. Stone goes somewhat
back Of the time when the battles we're
fought. He recalls what is often over
looked, that when early in September,
1884, Gen. Sherman announced to the War
Department. Atlanta is ours and fairly
won," he omitted TO mention the fact
that the rebel army, the destruction Of
which alone would make Atlanta tenable,
was as strong and defiant az ever. In a
few weeks it had possession of the Union
line Of communications. The latter part
Of September and the first half Of October.
1884. were spent by Sherman in vain
efforts to capture or destroy this army.
Finally on October FL, 1884, Sherman
made his headquarters at Gayles-
vile. on the boundary between Georgia
and Alabama. He had with him all his
army except the Twentieth corps, which
garrisoned Atlanta, and two divisions
which had been sent into Tennessee with
Gen. Thomas to aid in expelling Forrest
and which were now on their way TO re-
join him. After these two divisions were
recalled Gen. Thomas much against his
will was ordered to remain in Tennessee
to take general charge Of affairs there.
Gen. Sherman now unfolded TO him grad
uany his proposed plan Of operations.
which was that he, Sherman, should take
90. 900 to e5, 900 picked men and with them
out loose from his base and march through
the South, destroying Macon, Augusta
and Savannah or leaving
Gen. Thomas behind with the remnants
Of the army to do whatever remained
TO be done. Sherman's grand army at
the beginning Of the Atlanta campaign,
May 1, 1854, had consisted Of 9s, 797 men.
Various reenforoements had brought up
the numbers before the end Of the cam
paign 10 $4,000 soldiers. Their losses
amounted to 5000 for the four months.
Gen. Stone shows that Sherman's first
intention was TO leave with Gen. Thomas
about II 900 men to be added to the garri-
son troops then in Tennessee, with which
to accomplish the work of whipping or
neutralizing Hoods army task to which
he. Sherman. with 1900, had proved
inadequate. These garrisons numbered
all told about 27,OO0 men. Of whom 5000
were artillery, assigned to permanent
posts; 5000 cavalry. mostly dismounted
and scattered, and all but 2,5OO new. I'M
and in Thomass words
little better than militia; 1900 infantry.
Of whom 6.OO0 were perfectly fresh regi-
ments, just arriving and arming --as
as a herd OF cattle" said
Gen. Rousseau Il hope l shall not be
to take them; they will run
away--and 1000 colored troops, we'll
drilled and disciplined but as yet unaccus-
toned to campaigning and never under
fire. The remaining 5000 infantry were
trained to garrison or blockhouse duty
and were employed in guarding 45O miles
Of railroad and 100 miles Of river and in
protecting the immense property needed
for an army Of 2o0,oO men. rs we'll as its
lines of communication. The most inn
portant posts within this area were Nash |
vile. Johnsonville. Murfreesboro. Bridge |
port. Decatur and Chattanooga. At
Sashville. Johnsonvlle and Chattanooga
were enormous quantities of supplies OF
every kind; Murfreesboro was fortress:
Bridgeport the headquarters of the naval
brigade on the upper Tennessee River. |
and Decatur was the salient which COM /
handed many of the approaches on the ,
,outh side Of the Tennessee River The |
.roops at these six posts-just as they .
we're. trained and unframed aggregated !
lbout 10000 men. Col. Stone points out
hat whatever might happen two at least
IF these posts. Nashville and Chattanooga.
,ould never be abandoned. Chattanooga
vas the gateway Of the whole southeast
md the key TO east Tennessee and Nash
1ille. besides its strategic importance.
vas the storehouse for all the armies
operating in Georgia and elsewhere in
he South,