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Anderson,
Oct. 4, 1861.
W. R.
Vol. IV.,
p. 294.

Thomas to Mitchel,

Oct. 11, 1861. IV., p. 303. Sherman to

W. R. Vol.

Thomas, Oct. 13, 1861. W. R.

Vol. IV.,

p. 306.

anxious to lead an expedition through Cumberland CHAP. IV. Gap. He several times recommended the movement; asking General Anderson (October 4) for 1861. four good regiments, with transportation and ammunition, and adding: "I believe if I could get such a force here, and be ready to march in ten days from this time, that I could seize on the rail- Thomas to road at Knoxville and cut off all communication between Memphis and Virginia." The Washington authorities meanwhile, probably uninformed of General Thomas's spirit and confidence, designated General O. M. Mitchel for the duty. This apparent slight touched General Thomas's pride, and he asked to be relieved. Sherman, however, interfered, informing him that Mitchel was subject to his command, and intimating that he (Thomas) would not be robbed of his opportunity. While the Secretary of War was visiting Sherman, as already mentioned, he also urged upon the general his personal desire "that the Cumberland Ford and Gap should be seized, and the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad taken possession of, and the artery that supplied the rebellion cut." We have seen that Sherman was in no mood for the enterprise; that on the contrary he wanted large reënforcements for defense. And though Thomas once more (November 5) earnestly suggested that with four more good regiments "we could seize the railroad yet"; and again, "With my headquarters at Somerset I can easily seize the most favor- Thomas to able time for invading East Tennessee, which ought to be done this winter," Sherman expressed pp. 338, 339. his belief that they would have enough to do in Kentucky, and directed Thomas simply to hold

Thomas to Oct. 21, 1861. IV., p. 314.

Cameron,

W. R. Vol.

Sherman,

Nov. 5, 1861. W. R. Vol. IV.,

Sherman to
Thomas,
Nov. 5, 1861.
W. R.
Vol. IV.,

p. 336.

CHAP. IV. Zollicoffer in check and await events. Indeed, from this time forward, Sherman grew more and more apprehensive, till at length he could scarcely endure his great responsibility. Our forces too Sherman,, small to do good and too large to sacrifice," he reported on November 3. "The future looks dark as possible," he again wrote to Washington NovemSherman to ber 6th; "it would be better if some more sanguine

"Memoirs,"

Vol. I., p. 209.

Thomas,

Nov. 6, 1861.
W. R.
Vol. IV.,
p. 341.

"Memoirs," Vol. I.,

p. 204.

mind were here, for I am forced to order according to my convictions."

Sherman has himself recorded that a certain degree of public clamor had arisen about his military administration in Kentucky, and particularly that Sherman,, he was charged in unfriendly newspapers with being insane; when, therefore, he was soon after relieved from command, he attributed it to this cause. This belief was altogether incorrect. The fact that he had asked to be relieved, and had no faith in his own ability to perform the service required with the means furnished, sufficiently accounts for the change. But there exists in addition positive evidence that the President was in no wise influenced by the newspaper slander. Upon a letter from Mr. Guthrie,' indicating that the Union

1 "I find many of the Union men of the State are anxious that General Sherman should remain and lead our advance. They do not see the difficulty as it presents itself to me. I suppose that although General Sherman has been superseded at his own request that it was all the more readily done because the line of policy for the army assembled in Kentucky pressed from Washington was different from that his judgment dictated, and because

his policy of a line of assault and defense required more troops than could be spared without interfering with other plans adopted or cherished by the Commanderin-Chief and higher councils at Washington. In my judgment there is but one way for the Government to have the services of General Sherman in Kentucky, and that is to make General Buell a major-general and request General Sherman to report to him.

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men of Kentucky were unwilling to lose General CHAP. IV. Sherman's presence and services, but that a question of rank stood in the way, Mr. Lincoln made the endorsement: "If General McClellan thinks it proper to make Buell a major-general, enabling Sherman to return to Kentucky, it would rather 1861. Ms. please me."

The retirement of General Scott on the first of November, and the elevation of McClellan to the command of general-in-chief, brought with it, as usual, many changes in minor commands. Brigadier-General D. C. Buell, previously chosen by General Anderson for service in Kentucky, was McClellan's intimate friend; and the new Generalin-Chief probably needed no special inducement to give so important a duty to a favorite, who was in addition an accomplished soldier. His qualities as a commander were yet to be developed; like McClellan himself, up to the outbreak of the war, he had obtained but little rank. The Department of the Ohio was formed on November 9, and General Buell assigned to its command. One good quality confidence - he manifested at the outset. "Sherman," he wrote, "still insists that I require two hundred thousand men. I am quite content to try with a good many less." In an interview with McClellan, before Buell went to Kentucky, the two friends had fully discussed their respective duties

"The Administration is just as much bound to respect and guard the honor of the General and officers and soldiers, as they are to restore the Union and enforce the laws.

"I would not like to see General Sherman ordered to report to VOL. V.-5

General Buell while he ranks
General Buell, but would greatly
rejoice to know that he was di-
rected to report to Major-Gen-
eral Buell, and so would most if
not all the Union men of the
State and most of the officers in
the field, as I am told."

Lincoln, "Endorsement," Nov. 27,

1861.

McClellan, 1861, W. R.

Buell to

Nov. 22.

Vol. VII., p. 444.

Guthrie to
Speed,
Nov. 22,
1861. MS.

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