The Washington herald., 1914-07-19
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
- Fifty Years Ago.
July 49, iss4csn william By) Smith Was Relieved q Command
BY Grant Following Quarrel Between Gen Snith and Gen. B. p
Buer-Dnons Among 0as Of High Rank in the Federal Army
Befoe Petersburg

fought. but . dissatisfied element to con-
troll, suggesting territory that would
embrace kentucky.
Butler Order AnnaIied.
Gen. Henry W. Haileck. Chief Of st.fr.
replied thar TO send Butler to Kentucky
would be equivalent to starting an in
surrection there. and that II sans 70
sherman's command he might By ..po-
litical intrigue" and newspaper abuse
attempt TO supersede sherman Gen.
Halleck suggested that Gen. Butler be
left IN local command OF his military de-
partment. with headquarters at Fortress
Monroe and that Smith be given an
augmented command In the field.
Gen. Grant, on July 6. asked that an
order be issued making the suggested
change. On July Z President Lincoln
issued the order.
As soon as Gen Butler learned (on
July 1O that he had been superseded
by Gen. Smith, he proceeded to City
Point and had an interview with Gen.
Grant At. the end Of that interview
he returned TO his headquarters and an
nounced that the order would be re-
yoked. He was right On July 10.
Gen. Grant suspended the order Of reliev-
ing Gen. Butler Of his command In the
field.
Meanwhile Gen. Smith had gone North
on sick leave. On his return. July Is.
he learned that he had no command.
He was ordered to report at New York
and await orders. He never again served
in the field. The incident embittered
the rest OF his life. and led him TO write
various letters that had better not have
been written.
Gen. Grants reasons for changing his
mind regarding Gen. Smith and Gen.
Butler have never been made clear In
the records. Grant. in his Memoirs, Is
silent on the subject The details OF
the interview in which Gen. Butler Sc
cured a reversal Of Grants order have
never been revealed. although Gen But
lsr. In his book, gives a version Of what
Unworthy Methods Charged.
Gen. Smith attributed unworthy meth
DDS TO Gen. Butler In dealing with Gen.
the army that Grant since arriving at
City Point had fallen under the sway OF
his old habit OF drink There is no ccn-
vincinG evidence that this was the case.
Gen. Smith claimed that Gen. Butler.
knowing Grants weakness. threatened to
expose him IL he was relieved. There is
no evidence that such was the case. Gen.
Smith also charged that Gen. Butler
threatened to use his political influence
to defeat Lincoln's reelection. There is
no evidence to support this statement
On the other hand. Gen. Butler claimed
that determining factor in Gen. Smiths
relief from command was evidence that
he had supplied a newspaper correspond
ent with erroneous Information as 10 the
hour of Hancock's arrival at the front,
to support Smith. on the night of July IL
This allegation was not susceptible OF
proof, although the statements concern
ing Hancock were damaging. and could
have come only from an officer
Whatever the facts of the case. there
Is ground for supposing that Grant be-
lieyed his course the wisest for settling
so serious a breech between the violent
ly earnest characters. That Gen. Buffers
political prominence and President Lin
coins well-known solicitude' that he be
not offended. had some bearing. n high
ly probable; while Gen. Smiths indis-
Greet criticism Of Gen. Meade and Gen |
Hancock might have been held as sufi-
cient ground on which TO relieve him of
With this quarrel settled. even at the
expense OF so able an officer as Gen. |
Smith. Grant was not freed of anxiety
regarding Cen Butler. The fact that
the latter was the senior major general |
Of volunteers, and would command at
the front in the event OF Grants abb |
sence or illness, worried Grant and led !
him to believe that he might be obliged |
TO relieve Butler from command This |
ultimately he did. but not until the fol- !
lowing January.
Tomorrow: First Battle Before At,
lanta.
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