The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-04-28
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
April g. William Sherman Was Preparing His Armies for the
Gigantic Conflict Soon Open Georgia with Atlanta Its Chief Prize
Relative Strength of the Rival Armies.
Written Expressly for The Herald.

Fifty years ago today Gen. William T.
Sherman. commanding the Federal divi-
sion of the Mississippi. with headquarters
at Chattanooga, Tenn. was preparing his
armies for the gigantic conflict soon to
open in Georgia. with Atlanta its chief
prize.
| The first movement Of the Atlanta cam
lpaign was to be made in a week-a cam
paign that was to conclude only with the
fall OF the metropolis Of Northwest
Georgia and be continued in the famed
march to the sea"
This also was to be the first of re-
markable series OF operations which were
to gain for Gen. Sherman the title The
Great Flanker," and establish for him an
undisputed place among the military
geniuses of the world His rival. Gen.
Joseph f. Johnston. practically was 10
conclude his military career in this
mighty succession Of movements Though
destined to fail. he was here To find last
ing fame. His brilliant leadership o..
Georgia fields later was to bring him the
recognition he did not then receive. As
result of his operations against Sher-
man, backed by his record elsewhere,
military authorities. North end South, to-
day declare Johnston among the Con-
federates second only to Lee. IL not his
equal
Commands Three Armies.
den. Sherman. who on March Is had
succeeded Grant in command of the mill
tarv division Of the Mississippi. found
himself confronted with the problem OF
handling three armies in the field. There
was his old command. the Army of the
Tennessee under Gen. James b. McPher-
son; the Army of the Cumberland, under
George r. Thomas. and the Army Of the
Ohio, under Gen. John NJ. Schoheid. The
first of these had been brought east from
ViCksburg, and was resting near Hunts
vile, in Northern Alabama; the second
was concentrated near Chattanooga. ana
the last was at Knoxville. in East Ten
nessee.
Through the tireless and unceasing Ia
bors OF Gen Sherman and his generals,
the preparation for active service had
gone on rapidly The Army Of the Ohio
was brought nearer to Chattanooga, with
Headquarters at Cleveland, thirty miles
northwest. and the Army Of the Ten
nessee closed UP somewhat IN the rear
near Stevenson. Ala.
The organization and strength Of Fed
oraI commands available for field duty
was now as follows:
ARMY of the Cumbcrland-FOurthC Corps
/ uhree divisions. Gen. o. o. HcN ard, ~
5Ss men: Fourteenth Corps three divi-
siUnsp. Gen. John VI. Palmer. 2.ssS;
4 Twentieth Corps itnrSe ulNlSlONSl. 'En-
Joe Hooker. 2O,72l: Cavalry Corps three
! divisions. Gen. W. l. Elliott. $3.50; total,
| .!2s men.
Army Of the Tennessee-Fifteentn
! Corps flour divisions). Gen. John A.
! Logan. I25I7: Sixteenth Corps 0eft wing.
/ two divisions. Gen. Chenille NJ. Dodge.
| II. sS; total. 1850.
! Army Of the OhiO-Twenty-third Army
Corps three divisions. Gen. Schoficld.
G.S7I: cavalry detachment. Gen George
St"neman. @9I: total. 1852 men
| The total strength of Shermsn's armies
! al the opening Of the campaign was ap-
proximatcly llO.ls0 men and "a guns.
Joke at Thomas Expense.
! Cen. Sherman prepared this great host
: for the contest by stripping il Of all I'M
necessary equipme Mt. Each division and
brigade was provided with a fair pro-
portion Of wagons for a supply train.
ard these were limited in their loads
He ordered all tents TO be left behind
save for the sick and wounded. and a
single tent for each headquarters. In
\ order To set an example for his men t.
4 follow, Gen. Sherman took with him
merely an ordinary tent fly. which was
usually spread over saplings or on fence
| rails Or on imprOvisCd posts.
: Gen. Thomas. however. had his usual