The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1913-02-20
MISTAKE BY GEN. SToNEMAt'
Failed to Follow Instructions From
Gen. Sherman Regarding Release
Of AndersonVille Prisoners.

Some time since some one asked
the question why Gen. Sherman, aft
er he captured Atlanta, did not send a
force and release the prisoners at
Macon and Andersonville. Your an
swer was that Hoods army was be-
tween Atlanta and Macon. A very
potent reason. About the LIST Of Aug
ust, 1854. the prisoners at those two
places could have been released had
specific and mandatory orders been
obeyed, writes Alexander Esckel OF
Knoxville. Tenn, in the National
Tribune.
In July, 1864. Gen. Sherman plan
ned two expeditions. which. had they
been carried out according to the orig
inal plan. would have accomplished
that much desired object. He d.
rected Gen. Stoneman to take about
1000 cavalry and move from Deca-
tur on the left of Atlanta, his objec-
tive being LoveJoy Station. on the
Georgia Central railroad. At the
same time he directed Gen. McCook
to take his division of calavry and
Col. tHarrison's brigade and move
from Palmetto, station on the At
lanta C West Point railroad, his OBJ
1ectiVe also being Lovejoy, where he
was to meet Gen. Stoneman. HIS
force numbered about $500 cavalry.
COL Harrison's cavalry was to be
taken as a reserve, as he had Just re-
turned from a very successful raid
into Alabama under Gen. Rousseau,
where they had destroyed about S5
miles Of the Montgomery & West
Point railroad.
Gen. Sherman had called both
Gems. Stoneman and McCook to his
headquarters, and had given them
personal instructions what he expect
ed OF each Of them. Before leaving
the headquarters Gen. Stoneman re-
quested of Gen. Sherman the privi-
lege of going to Macon and Anderson
wills and releasing the prisoners. Re-
luctantly he had granted his request,
but 1t was with the express under
standing and instructions that he was
first to form a junction with Gen. Nc
Cook at Lovejoy; then. II the thought
1t advisable, he could make the at
tempt
Both moved simultaneously from
the points designated on July 27. On
the morning Of the 2sth Gen. McCook
reached Lovejoy, where he found a
considerable force of Wheeler's cav
airy interpOsed between him and the
direction in which he was to expect
Gen. Stoneman. He proceeded to de-
stroy the railroad and telegraph wires
as directed, alternately fighting
Wheeler and doing his work of de-
struction. Here he fought, worked
and waited until about three o'clock.
Gen. Stoneman, instead OF going to
Lovejoy, marched straight for Macon,
and did not go within 20 miles of
Lovejoy, and left Gen. McCook to
take care of himself. He succeeded
in getting within a few miles of Ma
con, where he met a superior force
and was fc%ced to surrender. Part Of
his force seeing the futility of his
movement refused to go further, and
turned back and fought their way
through, but with considerable loss.
Gen. McCook, deeming it unwise to
wait any longer for Gen. Stoneman,
started to return to his position in
the line of investment of Atlanta, as
directed. He succeeded in reaching
his lines after loss of about 500 of
his men.
Had Stoneman Joined McCook as
ordered, their combined forces would
have amounted to about 10000 vet
eran cavalry, and Gen. Stoneman,
ranking officer, would have been in
command. With this force he could
have overwhelmed Wheeler and swept
down both railroads and taken both
Macon and Andersonville and re-
leased the prisoners. Had he done
this, he would have saved thousands
Of brave men from untimely graves.