the army of the cumberland-第5章

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d　some　barges　at　the　landing；　which　he　burned；　leaving　behind　him　his　badly　wounded；　all　of　his　cannontwelve　pieceswith　their　caissons　packed　with　ammunition；　a　large　amount　of　small　arms；　with　ammunition　for　the　same；　over　one　hundred　and　fifty　wagons；　and　more　than　one　thousand　horses　and　mules；　with　a　large　amount　of　tools；　stores；　camp　and　garrison　equipage。

As　all　the　boats　were　destroyed；　it　was　impossible　for　Thomas　to　cross　his　command　in　pursuit。　　General　Thomas　in　his　official　report　of　the　engagement　says：　　〃Their　command　was　completely　demoralized　and　retreated　with　great　haste　and　in　all　directions；　making　their　capture　in　any　number　quite　doubtful　if　pursued。　　There　is　no　doubt　but　that　the　moral　effect　produced　by　their　complete　dispersion　will　have　a　more　decided　effect　in　re…establishing　Union　sentiments　than　though　they　had　been　captured。〃

The　rebels　suffered　terribly　by　heavy　marching　through　the　rain；　mud；　and　cold；　with　insufficient　food；　frequently　with　nothing　but　parched　corn　to　sustain　life。　　Crittenden　finally　took　position　at　Chestnut　Mound；　within　reach　of　relief　from　Nashville。

In　the　Life　of　Albert　Sidney　Johnston；　speaking　of　Crittenden's　retreat；　the　author　says：　　〃During　his　retreat　his　army　became　much　demoralized；　and　two　regiments；　whose　homes　were　in　that　neighborhood；　almost　entirely　abandoned　their　organization　and　went　every　man　to　his　own　house。　　A　multitude　deserted；　and　the　tide　of　fugitives　filled　the　country　with　dismay。〃

The　battle　fought　at　Logan's　Cross　Roads；　called　by　the　rebels　the　Battle　of　Fishing　Creek；　and　by　the　Federals　the　Battle　of　Mill　Springs；　was　most　disastrous　to　the　enemy；　and　inflicted　the　most　severe　blow　they　had　up　to　that　time　experienced。　　The　victory　for　the　Federal　forces　was　the　first　complete　success　of　the　war；　and　was　hailed　everywhere　with　joy　and　hope。　　An　order　was　issued　by　the　President　congratulating　the　troops　on　their　success；　and　the　general　in　command　conveyed　his　thanks　to　General　Thomas　and　troops　for　their　brilliant　victory。

Thomas's　command　lost　in　the　engagement　39　killed；　and　207　wounded。　He　reported　the　rebel　loss　at　122　killed；　and　the　total　loss　at　349。　　The　large　proportion　of　killed　to　the　wounded　indicates　heavy　fighting　at　close　quarters；　and　also　a　superiority　of　either　the　arms　of　the　Federal　troops　or　their　firing。

The　body　of　General　Zollicoffer　was　treated　with　great　respect。　General　Thomas　had　it　embalmed　and　carried　around　by　Lebanon。　　It　was　then　sent　to　General　Buell　through　his　lines　under　a　flag　of　truce。　　Zollicoffer's　death　was　a　very　depressing　event　to　the　Tennesseeans。　　He　was　their　most　popular　leader；　and　his　death　was　felt　by　the　people　of　Tennessee　as　a　personal　bereavement。

Crittenden's　attack　and　defeat　were　a　great　surprise　to　Johnston。　This　force　had　been　ordered　to　Mill　Springs　to　maintain　that　point　of　the　general　military　line　as　a　corps　of　observation　merely。　　With　the　attack　and　defeat　Johnston　found　his　line　broken；　his　position　at　Bowling　Green　liable　to　be　turned　on　that　flank；　and　an　army　on　which　he　counted　demolished。　　This　with　his　losses　on　his　left　in　Western　Kentucky　and　at　Fort　Henry　compelled　his　main　command　at　Bowling　Green　to　abandon　that　place；　and　retire　into　Tennessee。　Thomas；　after　the　battle　of　Mill　Springs；　concentrated　his　command　at　Somerset；　awaiting　orders。　　He　was　ordered　to　Mumfordsville；　February　15th；　to　take　part　in　the　general　advance　against　Bowling　Green。　　These　orders　were　countermanded　by　reason　of　the　evacuation　of　that　place；　on　the　14th；　and　on　the　22d；　Thomas　was　ordered　with　his　division　to　proceed　by　forced　marches　to　Louisville；　and　there　embark　for　Nashville。　　The　command　arrived　at　Nashville　on　the　2d；　3d；　and　4th　days　of　March。





Chapter　III。




Concentration　at　Nashville


Don　Carlos　Buell；　who　was　placed　in　command　of　the　Department　of　the　Ohio　on　Sherman's　request　to　be　relieved；　had　been　serving　from　the　early　summer　of　1861　as　Assistant　Adjutant…General　on　the　staff　of　Brigadier…General　E。　V。　Sumner；　U。S。A。；　in　command　of　the　Department　of　the　Pacific。　　He　had　been　promoted　to　the　rank　of　lieutenant…Colonel　in　the　adjutant…general's　department；　May　11；　1861。　　His　appointment　as　brigadier…general　in　the　volunteer　force　was　made　May　17；　1861。　　General　Buell　was　a　graduate　of　West　Point；　and　had　been　in　the　army　all　his　life。　　He　was　a　thoroughly　trained　soldier；　with　great　pride　in　his　profession；　a　man　of　great　integrity；　with　abilities　of　the　first　order；　animated　by　high　principle。　　His　long　training　in　the　adjutant…general's　department；　added　to　his　natural　faculty；　made　him　a　first…class　organizer　of　an　army。　　Under　his　direction　the　soldiers　of　the　Army　of　the　Ohio　received　their　training　in　the　drill　of　the　camp；　the　discipline　of　the　march；　and　learned　endurance　under　fire　in　the　skirmishes　and　engagements　during　his　command。　　For　all　the　soldierly　qualities　that　the　troops　of　the　later　organizationthe　Army　of　the　Cumberlandpossessed；　they　were　indebted　in　large　measure　to　their　first　commander　in　the　field；　General　Buell。　　He　was　constant　in　his　endeavors　for　the　care　of　the　troops；　and　insisted　on　their　camps　being　carefully　selected　and　well　drained。　　His　highest　aim　was　to　make　good　soldiers　of　his　command；　and　everything　that　detracted　from　this；　as　straggling；　pillaging；　disobedience　of　orders；　he　regarded　as　unworthy　of　a　soldier；　and　meriting　prompt　and　stern　punishment　at　his　hands。　　In　the　earlier　days　of　the　war；　with　the　lack　of　the　knowledge　that　the　stricter　obedience　to　orders　the　better　for　the　soldier；　General　Buell　seemed　at　times　harsh　and　severe。　　But　as　time　brought　hard　campaigns　and　heavy　fighting　to　the　Army　of　the　Cumberland；　the　older　soldiers　who　were　under　Buell　saw　that　he　was　actuated　solely　for　their　good　and　the　good　of　the　service　in　all　he　did。

The　organization　of　the　troops　into　brigades　and　divisions　first　engaged　Buell's　attention　on　assuming　command。　　On　December　2d；　an　order　was　issued　creating　this　organization　and　designating　it　the　〃Army　of　the　Ohio；〃　consisting　of　six　divisions。　　The　brigades　were　numbered　consecutively　throughout　the　army；　and　not　as　they　were　formed　in　the　divisions。　　General　G。　H。　Thomas　was　assigned　to　the　command　of　the　First　Division；　consisting　of　four　brigades。　The　entire　force　of　the　First　Division　was　at　Nashville　on　March　4th。

The　Second　Division　was　organized　at　Camp　Nevin；　a　camp　established　by　General　Rousseau；　when　left　by　Sherman　in　command　after　the　latter　assumed　the　command　of　the　department。　　General　Alexander　McD。　McCook；　who　had　relieved　Rousseau　October　14；　by　order　of　Sherman；　was　assigned　to　the　command　of　this　division；　which　consisted　also　of　four　brigades。

The　Third　Division　was　placed　under　the　command　of　General　O。　M。　Mitchel；　who　had　been　in　Cincinnati　in　command　at　the　〃Military　Department　of　Ohio；〃　and　who　was　relieved　November　19th；　after　two　months'　service　there；　superintending　the　forwarding　of　troops　to　the　armies　in　the　field。　　This　division　consisted　of　three　brigades。

General　William　Nelson；　on　reporting　at　Louisville　after　his　Eastern　Kentucky　campaign；　was　placed　in　command　of　the　Fourth　Division；　consisting　of　three　brigades。

The　Fifth　Division；　consisting　of　three　brigades；　was　placed　under　the　command　of　General　Thomas　L。　Crittenden；　a　son　of　John　J。　Crittenden。

In　January；　1862；　General　Buell　organized　the　Sixth　Division；　and　relieving　General　T。　J。　Wood　from　the　command　of　the　Fifth　Brigade；　assigned　him　as　commander　of　this　division；　which　consisted　of　three　brigades。

To　each　brigade　was　attached　a　battery　of　artillery。

In　this　organization　of　the　〃Army　of　the　Ohio；〃　as　the　new　regiments　from　the　North　reported；　additional　brigades　and　divisions　were　formed　from　time　to　time。　　Thus　organized；　the　army　under　Buell；　in　the　early　spring　entered　upon　its　first　campaign。　　There　had　been　some　slight　skirmishing　during　the　winter　with　portions　of　the　command。　A　detachment　of　the　Thirty…ninth　Indiana；　under　Lieutenant…Colonel　Jones；　met　a　body　of　the　rebel　cavalry　a　few　miles　beyond　Camp　Nevin；　and　routed　it　with　slight　loss　to　the　enemy。

On　December　10th；　General　R。　W。　Johnson　moved　onwar