按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
eneral Meade should have an Eastern station； which compelled him to remain at Nashville or go to the Pacific。 General Thomas claimed that all his life he had been stationed in the South or remote West； and had not had a fair share of Eastern posts； whereas that General Meade had always been there。 I tried to get him to go with me to see President Grant and talk the matter over frankly； but he would not； and I had to act as a friendly mediator。 General Grant assured me at the time that he not only admired and respected General Thomas； but actually loved him as a man； and he authorized me in making up commands for the general officers to do anything and everything to favor him； only he could not recede from his former action in respect to Generals Sheridan and Meade。
Prior to General Grant's inauguration the army register showed as major…generals Halleck； Meade； Sheridan； Thomas； and Hancock。 Therefore； the promotion of General Sheridan to be lieutenant… general did not 〃overslaugh〃 Thomas； but it did Meade and Halleck。 The latter did not expect promotion； General Meade did； but was partially； not wholly； reconciled by being stationed at Philadelphia； the home of his family； and President Grant assured me that he knew of his own knowledge that General Sheridan had been nominated major…general before General Meade； but had waived dates out of respect for his age and longer service； and that he had nominated him as lieutenant…general by reason of his special fitness to command the Military Division of the Missouri； embracing all the wild Indians； at that very moment in a state of hostility。 I gave General Thomas the choice of every other command in the army； and of his own choice he went to San Francisco； California； where he died； March 28； 1870。 The truth is； Congress should have provided by law for three lieutenant…generals for these three pre…eminent soldiers； and should have dated their commissions with 〃Gettysburg；〃 〃Winchester；〃 and 〃Nashville。〃 It would have been a graceful act； and might have prolonged the lives of two most popular officers； who died soon after； feeling that they had experienced ingratitude and neglect。
Soon after General Grant's inauguration as President； and； as I supposed； in fulfilment of his plan divulged in Chicago the previous December； were made the following：
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY； WASHINGTON； March 8； 1869。
General Orders No。 11：
The following orders of the President of the United States are published for the information and government of all concerned
WAR DEPARTMENT； WASHINGTON CITY； March 5； 1869。
By direction of the President； General William T。 Sherman will assume command of the Army of the United States。
The chiefs of staff corps； departments； and bureaus will report to and act under the immediate orders of the general commanding the army。
Any official business which by law or regulation requires the action of the President or Secretary of War will be submitted by the General of the Army to the Secretary of War； and in general all orders from the President or Secretary of War to any portion of the army； line or staff； will be transmitted through the General of the Army。
J。 M。 SCHOFIELD； Secretary of War。
By command of the General of the Army。
E。 D。 TOWNSEND； Assistant Adjutant…General。
On the same day I issued my General Orders No。 12； assuming command and naming all the heads of staff departments and bureaus as members of my staff； adding to my then three aides； Colonels McCoy； Dayton； and Audenried； the names of Colonels Comstock； Horace Porter； and Dent； agreeing with President Grant that the two latter could remain with him till I should need their personal services or ask their resignations。
I was soon made aware that the heads of several of the staff corps were restive under this new order of things； for by long usage they had grown to believe themselves not officers of the army in a technical sense； but a part of the War Department； the civil branch of the Government which connects the army with the President and Congress。
In a short time General John A。 Rawlins； General Grant's former chief of staff； was nominated and confirmed as Secretary of War； and soon appeared this order：
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY；
ADJUTANT…GENERAL'S OFFICE； WASHINGTON； March 27； 1869。
General Orders No。 28：
The following orders received for the War Department are published for the government of all concerned：
WAR DEPARTMENT；
WASHINGTON CITY； March 26； 1869。
By direction of the President； the order of the Secretary of War； dated War Department； March 5； 1869； and published in General Orders No。 11； headquarters of the army； Adjutant…General's Office； dated March 8； 1869； except so much as directs General W。 T。 Sherman to assume command of the Army of the United States； is hereby rescinded。
All official business which by law or regulations requires the action of the President or Secretary of War will be submitted by the chiefs of staff corps； departments； and bureaus to the Secretary of War。
All orders and instructions relating to military operations issued by the President or Secretary of War will be issued through the General of the Army。
JOHN A。 RAWLINS； Secretary of War。
By command of General SHERMAN：
E。 D。 TOWNSEND； Assistant Adjutant…General。
Thus we were thrown back on the old method in having a doubleif not a treble…headed machine。 Each head of a bureau in daily consultation with the Secretary of War； and the general to command without an adjutant； quartermaster； commissary； or any staff except his own aides； often reading in the newspapers of military events and orders before he could be consulted or informed。 This was the very reverse of what General Grant； after four years' experience in Washington as general…in…chief； seemed to want； different from what he had explained to me in Chicago； and totally different from the demand he had made on Secretary of War Stanton in his complete letter of January 29； 1866。 I went to him to know the cause： He said he had been informed by members of Congress that his action； as defined by his order of March 5th； was regarded as a violation of laws making provision for the bureaus of the War Department； that he had repealed his own orders； but not mine； and that he had no doubt that General Rawlins and I could draw the line of separation satisfactorily to us both。 General Rawlins was very conscientious； but a very sick man when appointed Secretary of War。 Several times he made orders through the adjutant…general to individuals of the army without notifying me； but always when his attention was called to it he apologized； and repeatedly said to me that he understood from his experience on General Grant's staff how almost insulting it was for orders to go to individuals of a regiment； brigade； division； or an army of any kind without the commanding officer being consulted or even advised。 This habit is more common at Washington than any place on earth； unless it be in London； where nearly the same condition of facts exists。 Members of Congress daily appeal to the Secretary of War for the discharge of some soldier on the application of a mother； or some young officer