Thomas’s Attitude Toward the War
Had Thomas’s plan been carried out, he would have been ready, with a fine army splendidly equipped and supplied, to start from the Tennessee River to invade the Gulf States, as had been done the year before, just about the time the plans actually adopted resulted in the surrender of all the Confederate armies. In Thomas’s mind war seems to have become the normal condition of the country. He had apparently as yet no thought of its termination. The campaign from the Tennessee River as a base had then become, like the “autumn manoeuvers” of an European army, a regular operation to be commenced at the proper time every year. In his general order of December 29, he said the enemy, “unless he is mad, must forever relinquish all hope of bringing Tennessee again within the lines of the accursed rebellion”; but the possible termination of that rebellion appeared to be a contingency too remote to be taken into account in planning future military operations.
[( 1) War Records, Vol. XLV, part I, p. 39.]
[( 2) See Vol. XLV, part I, p. 37.]
[( 3) War Records, Vol. XLV, part I, p. 50.]
[( 4) I did not see General Thomas after this letter was written.]
CHAPTER XIV Hood’s Motive in Attempting the Impossible at Nashville—Diversity of Opinions Concerning that Battle—No Orders on Record for the Battle of December 16—That Battle due to the Spontaneous Action of Subordinate Commanders—Statements in the Reports of the Corps Commanders—Explanation of the Absence of Orders—The Phraseology of General Thomas’s Report.
The official records, Hood’s statement, and Sherman’s estimate, made at the time, agree pretty closely in placing Hood’s infantry force at about 30,000 men when he crossed the Tennessee and began his advance toward Nashville. He lost a considerable number at Spring Hill on November 29, and over 6000, besides thirteen general officers, at Franklin on November 30. Therefore 24,000 must be a liberal estimate of his infantry strength after the battle of Franklin. The infantry strength of the Fourth and Twenty-third corps did not exceed 22,000 present for duty equipped, of which one brigade (Cooper’s) of the Twenty-third was sent by General Thomas to guard the fords of Duck River below Columbia, and did not rejoin the corps until after the battle of Franklin. Hence Hood’s infantry force at Columbia and Franklin was nearly one half greater then mine. The disparity in cavalry was still greater at first, but was reduced very considerably by the arrival of cavalry sent from Nashville by General Thomas, especially Hammond’s brigade, which arrived in the field on the 29th, too late to assist in holding the line of Duck River.