Delaying the Retreat From Duck River
But very soon after these orders were issued—that is, soon after 8 A. M.—a courier from Franklin brought me the two following despatches from General Thomas:
“Franklin, November 28, 1864.
“(By telegraph from Nashville, 9 P. M.)
“To Major-General Schofield:
“If you are confident you can hold your present position, I wish you to do so until I can get General Smith here. After his arrival we can withdraw gradually and invite Hood across Duck River, and fall upon him with our whole force, or wait until Wilson can organize his entire cavalry force, and then withdraw from your present position. Should Hood then cross river, we can surely ruin him. You may have fords at Centreville, Bean’s [Beard’s] Ferry, Gordon’s Ferry, and Williamsport thoroughly obstructed by filling up all the roads leading from them with trees, and then replace your infantry by cavalry. Send an intelligent staff officer to see that the work is properly done. As soon as relieved, concentrate your infantry; the cavalry will be able to retard, if not prevent, Hood’s crossing, after the roads are thoroughly obstructed, if they do their duty. The road leading from Centreville to Nashville should be thoroughly obstructed. I am not sure but it would be a good plan to invite Hood across Duck River if we can get him to move toward Clarksville. Is there no convenience for unloading beyond Thompson’s Station?
“Geo. H. Thomas, Major-General, Commanding.”(14)
The published records give this despatch as having been sent at “8 P. M.” The Department of the Cumberland records say that it was telegraphed in cipher to Franklin at 9 P. M., and there deciphered and sent by courier to my position near Columbia. The records do not show the hour of receipt by me; but my reply to General Thomas of 8:30 A. M., November 29, and my orders to Ruger of 8 and 8:45 A. M., and to Stanley before and after 8 A. M., and my despatch to Wilson of 8:15 A. M., fix the time of the receipt by me of this despatch from General Thomas at a few minutes after 8 A. M., November 29.
The other despatch was as follows:
“(U. S. Military Telegraph.)
“Franklin, Tenn., November 28, 1864.
“(By telegraph from Nashville. 9:30 P. M.)
“To Major-General Schofield:
“Your despatch of 3:30 [2:30] P. M. just received. If Wilson cannot succeed in driving back the enemy, should it prove true that he has crossed the river, you will necessarily have to make preparation to take up a new position at Franklin, behind Harpeth, [while] immediately, if it become necessary, to fall back.
“(Signed) Geo. H. Thomas, Major-General, Commanding.”
The records of the Department of the Cumberland merely state that this despatch was sent in “cipher.” The appendix to my report gives the hour “9:30 P. M.” The appendix to General Thomas’s report fixes it at “10:30 P. M.” The despatch from General Thomas to General Halleck of 10 P. M., November 28, forwarding my despatch of “8:45 A. M.,” indicates that at 10 P. M. Thomas had not received my report of “2:30 P. M.” Hence “10:30 P. M.,” as given by General Thomas, must be the correct hour of the above despatch. It was answered by me, together with the preceding telegram, at 8:30 A.M., November 29; and was probably received by me at the same time as the previous despatch,—very soon after 8 A. M.,—as indicated by my despatch to Wilson of 8:15 A. M.
I thus learned, a short time after eight o’clock on the morning of the 29th, that A. J. Smith had not yet arrived at Nashville, and that the position behind the Harpeth River at Franklin was that to which I must retire when compelled to fall back.