The National tribune., 1909-01-21

avail myself of the opportunity to dis
cuss privately many little details Incl
dent to the contemplated change and
of preparation for the great events
then impending. Among these was the
intended assignment to duty Of many
officers of note and influence, who had,
by the force of events, drifted into in
activity and discomfort Among these
stood prominent Gems Mcclellan.
Burnside and Fremont in the East and
Gems. Buell.. McCook, Negley and Crit
tenden at the West. My understanding
~as that Gen. Grant thought 1t wise
and prudent to give all these officers
appropriate commands, that would en-
able them to regain the influence they
had lost; and, as q general reorganiza-
ton of all the armies was then neces-
sary, he directed me to keep in mind
especially the claims Of Gems. Buell.,
McCook and Crittenden, and endeavor
to give them commands that would be
as near their rank and dates of COM
mission as possible: but / was to do
nothing until heard further from him
on the subject, as he explained that he
would have to consult the Secretary OF
War before making final orders. Gen.
Buell. and his officers had been sub
jected to long ordeal by court of
inquiry, touching their conduct OF the
campaign in Tennessee and Kentucky,
that resulted in the battle Of Perry
vile, or Chaplin Hills. Oct. 8, 1862,
and they had been substantially acquit-
ted, and, as 1t was manifest that we
were to have some hard fighting, we
were anxious to bring into harmony
every man and every officer Of skill in
the profession of arms. OF these Gems.
Buell. and Mcclellan were prominent In
rank. and also by reason Of their fame
acquired in Mexico as well as in the
earlier part of the civil war.
organizing and Preparing.
"After my return to Nashville I ad-
dressed myself to the task of organiza-
ton and preparation, which involved
the general security of the vast region
of the South which had been already
conquered, more especially the several
routes of supply and communication
with the active armies at the front, and
to organize large army to move into
Georgia, coincident with the advance
of the Eastern armies against Rich
mond. I soon received from Col. J. B.
Fry-now of the Adjutant-GeneraPs
Department, but then at Washington
in charge Of the Provost-Marshal-Gen
erals Office-a letter, asking me to do
something for Gen. Buell.. answered
him frankly, telling him of my under
standing with Gen. Grant, and that I
was still awaiting the expected order
of the War Department, assigning Gen.
Buell. to my command. Col. Fry, as
Gen. Buell's special friend, replied that
he was very anxious that should make
specific application for the services of
Gen. Buell. by name, and inquired what
proposed to offer him. To this I an
swered that after the agreement with
Gen. Grant that he would notify ME
from Washington, I could not with
propriety press the matter, but If Gen.
Buell. should be assigned to me spe-
officially l was prepared to assign him
to command all the troops On the Mis-
slssippi River from Cairo to Natchez,
comprising about three divisions, or
the equivalent of a corps d'armee. Gen.
Grant never afterward communicated
to me on the subject at all, and I in
ferred that Mr.. Stanton, who was no
toriously vindictive in his prejudices,
would not consent to the employment
of these high officers. Gen. Buell. to-
ward the close of the war published a
Grant. rejecting on his general man.
TRIBUNE-23
agement of the war, and stated that
both Gems. Candy and Sherman had
offered him a subordinate command,
which he had declined because he had
once outranked US. This was not true
as to me or Candy, either, think, for
both Gen. Candy and I ranked him at
West Point and in the Old Army, and
he (Gen. Buellt was only superior to
us in the date of his commission as
Major General, for a short period in
1862. This newspaper communication,
tho aimed at Gen. Grant, reacted on
himself. for it closed his military career.
Gen. Crittenden afterward obtained
authority for service. and offered him
a division, but he declined 1t for the
reason, as I understood it, that he had !
at one time commanded q corps. He |
is now in the United States service, |
the 17th Ine Gen. Nc |
Cook obtained command under Gen. |
Candy, in the Department of the Gulf, !
where he rendered good service, and |
he is also in the Regular service, Lieu
tenant-Colonel, 10th U. s."
Sherman's Preparations.
Gen. Sherman comprehended the I'M
of the undertaking which Gen.
Grant had confided to him, and set /
about preparing for it with that intense I
energy characteristic OF him. Whatever
criticisms may have been leveled against I
1t must be admitted that |
rarely in the history of war has there
appeared man of such wide scope of I
view. such careful provision for every
and such intense energy
Of execution. The problem before him