Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-10-04

reaching Grant. but on Sept. 20 Gen.
eral w 7. Sherman set out with his
corps. moving by the Mississippi river
boats TO Memphis.
At Memphis the troops were loaded
on cars and transported BIZ rail TO
Corinth. Miss. From Corinth they
started on Il tedious march overland.
The difficulties of Shermans march
were enhanced by the activities Of Il
Confederate column OF cavalry led by
General j. W. Chalmers. As soon as
Sherman's presence in Mississippi was
known Chalmers began to harass the
march.
Fighting Joe" Hooker to the Front.
On Sept. "a General Joseph Hooker.
the Fighting Joe" of the Army of the
Potomac. set out from the camps on
the Rappahannock river. in Virginia to
succor Rosecrans. His force numbered
about 1900 men and comprised the
Eleventh aud Twelfth army corps. CON-
manded respectively by General o. o.
Howard and General n S Slocum.
Starting later than Sherman's troops.
with more than treble the distance TO
travel. Hookers men were TO be FIRST
TO cut figure in the events at Chat
tanooga as re-enforcements to the army
of the Cumberland. They moved I'M
der hurry orders by rail from their
camps to Washington. Louisville.
Nashville and Stevenson. Ala. the lat
ter the main supply depot of RoseeFans'
army.
To Hooker was assigned the i'm
portant and difficult task o. guarding
the railroad from Nashville to Steven
son. Upon this route solely RosecraEs
depended for the life OF his campaign
of defense. At the close Of Septem-
Der Hooker was on the scene: Burn
side. who received hurry orders to go
forward, did not start at all. but. rath-
er. retreated. and sherman, as noted
above. moved promptly, but under cir
cumStances making for delay.
Southern Chiefs at Odds.
There was lack of harmony at the
headquarters of both contending
armies after the Chickamauga cam
paiSn closed. The Federal general
had saved his army through the fidelity
of one wing and its commander. But
escape from disaster had been narrow;
results were in doubt. A scapegoat
must be found. but It would require
weeks to fasten the onus in any one
direction. In the Confederate camp
the dissatisfaction among leaders was
more definite.
Immediately after the battle of
Chickamauga several corps and divi.
sion leaders requested General Long
street TO write to President Davis ask.
ing for relief from the further rule Of
Bragg. This Longstreet declined to
do out OF personal delicacy, although
he sympathized with the idea and did
write to the secretary Of war and to
General r. K. Lee. urging the latter to
take the western command. Mean
while the disaffected generals forward
ed q petition TO Davis and he soon ap-
peared at Bragg's camp.
When the several corps commanders
were assembled Davis bluntly asked
each in turn his opinion Of the head
of the army. Longstreet responded
first and was forced after close Ques-
tioning to say that Bragg could be of
greater service elsewhere. General S.
b. Buckner General D. II. Hill and
General B. +. Cheatham an gave the
same opinion in substance
Longstreet Declines High Tonors.
In private interview Davis offered
the command to Longstreet but he de-
clined to handle the disaffected army
as an independent body. Brsggs army
was within the military department
commanded by General Joseph E
Johnston. and Longstreet suggested
that the force could only be used In