第27章

Then, again, Buell's earlier military training in the bureau office he held so many years unfitted him for the handling, on the battle-field, of the large number of troops which composed his command.But very few generals during the rebellion were able to successfully handle on the battle-field as large an army as was under Buell.In fact, the general who has sufficient talent as a good organizer and drill-master to enter into the details necessary to bring an army out of raw troops, has not the military genius required to handle a large army in fighting and winning great battles.But Buell rendered many valuable services, in the camp and on the field, to his country.It was Buell who planned the Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, and Nashville campaign, which Halleck put under his hat, and proceeded to carry out as HIS original idea, being careful to say nothing in regard to his plans until they were so far executed as to render any action on the part of Buell and his command simply that of a supporting column.Then to Buell is due the credit of the second day's fight at Shiloh.That day's battle was the fight of the Army of the Ohio with Lewis Wallace's division, General Grant giving Buell largely his discretion in the movements of the troops.Whitelaw Reid says of him, in "Ohio in the War," "He came into that action when, without him, all was lost.He redeemed the fortunes of the field, and justly won the title of the 'Hero of Pittsburg Landing.'"The order placing Rosecrans in command--General Order No.168, War Department, of date October 24, 1862--created the Department of the Cumberland, embracing that portion of the State of Tennessee lying east of the Tennessee River, and such portion of Georgia and Alabama as should be occupied by the Federal troops.The troops in the field were designated in the same order as the "Fourteenth Army Corps."General Rosecrans assumed command on October 30th at Louisville.

On November 2d he arrived at Bowling Green, and on the 7th he announced, in General Orders, the division of his army organization into "the Right Wing," "the Centre," and "the Left Wing," under the command respectively of McCook, Thomas, and Crittenden, with five divisions in the centre and three in each wing.He instructed Thomas to advance Fry and Dumont's divisions to Gallatin, and to push rapidly forward the repairs of the railroad to Nashville.

Up to this time the movements of Bragg's army remained undeveloped, and no disposition of the Federal forces could be safely made without the knowledge of what Bragg's plan of operation would be.

That he would ultimately attempt the capture of Nashville or force a battle for it there could be but little doubt.Not to fight for Nashville was the abandonment of Tennessee.Kentucky surrendered without a blow produced such demoralization in Bragg's command that to have given up Tennessee without a struggle would have either compelled a change in the commanding officer of that army or a disbandment of it, so far as the Kentucky and Tennessee troops were concerned.

General Halleck's brilliant paper campaign into East Tennessee again was produced and aired with a show of the most profound wisdom, based on the extreme ignorance of the situation and surroundings.