The Army of the Cumberland [112]
west with his own corps to Northern Alabama and placed them in winter quarters.
Sherman with his two days' fighting reports the losses of his command, including Howard's command, but not that of Davis, whose loss he says was small, at 295 killed, 1,402 wounded, and 292 missing--making a total of 1,989. This, however, includes the losses in his first division--Osterhaus's, which fought under Hooker on the right--of 87 killed, 344 wounded, and 66 missing, making 497 to be deducted, which leaves Sherman's loss proper, 208 killed, 1,058 wounded, and 226 missing--a total of 1,492. Thomas's loss in the part taken by his troops, also including Howard's command and not including Davis's division, was 529 killed, 2,281 wounded, and 141 missing--an aggregate of 3,951. The large bulk of the losses under Thomas were in Sheridan's and Wood's divisions. That of the former was 135 killed, 1,151 wounded, missing, none--aggregate 1,256; that of the latter, 150 killed, 851 wounded, missing, none--aggregate 1,001. These two divisions in their one hour's work storming Missionary Ridge met with a loss of 2,287 men, showing hot work. There was captured by the Army of the Cumberland 40 pieces of artillery, 58 artillery carriages and caissons, 6,175 stand of small arms, principally English Enfield, and 5,471 prisoners.
During the winter there were nothing but minor movements of the troops. The railroads up to Chattanooga were repaired, and the first "cracker train" that entered the place was greeted with many hearty cheers by our troops in the town, as the shrill scream of its whistle woke the echoes among the surrounding mountains, so long silent to this music. The roads into and through East Tennessee were repaired to Knoxville and beyond.
In the early spring the organization of the Army of the Cumberland was changed by Granger being relieved of the command of the Fourth Corps, when Howard was assigned to that command. Palmer was retained in command of the Fourteenth Corps, and the Eleventh and Twelfth Corps were consolidated into the Twentieth Corps, with Hooker in command. The cavalry was organized in four divisions, under the command of W. L. Elliott. The army in the field consisted of 60,773 effective men.
General Thomas ordered the Fourth Corps to Cleveland. The Fourteenth Corps in front of Chattanooga was well thrown forward toward the enemy's front at Dalton, preparatory to the spring campaign in Atlanta, under General Sherman. The Twentieth Corps was stationed in Lookout Valley.
In the general engagement Grant's plan of battle had been for Sherman with five divisions to make the main attack, sweep everything before him down the ridge, and when he had the rebels in full retreat, the Army of the Cumberland was then to aid in the pursuit, after patiently waiting until the fighting was over. Hooker, under Grant's original plan, was to simply hold Lookout Valley secure, and when the enemy was driven by Sherman, he too was to join in the pursuit. All the fighting of the battle was to be done by Sherman and all the glory thereof was to be his. In Sherman's memoirs we are favored with Grant's views of the Army of the Cumberland when Sherman first reported in person to Grant at Chattanooga, to learn of his plan and the part he, Sherman, was to take. Sherman says that Grant told him "that the men of Thomas's army had been so demoralized by the battle of Chickamauga that he feared they could not be got out of their trenches to assume the offensive," and that "the Army of the Cumberland had so long been in the trenches that he wanted my troops to hurry up to take the offensive FIRST, after which he had no doubt the Cumberland Army would fight well." So, under Grant's plan, the Army of the Cumberland was to stand by and be taught a grand object lesson how to fight, as given by Sherman. During the course of the engagement the plan was modified twice. Under the original plan, Sherman was to make a demonstration up Lookout Valley, in the expectation that Bragg would strengthen his left at the expense of his right, thereby
Sherman with his two days' fighting reports the losses of his command, including Howard's command, but not that of Davis, whose loss he says was small, at 295 killed, 1,402 wounded, and 292 missing--making a total of 1,989. This, however, includes the losses in his first division--Osterhaus's, which fought under Hooker on the right--of 87 killed, 344 wounded, and 66 missing, making 497 to be deducted, which leaves Sherman's loss proper, 208 killed, 1,058 wounded, and 226 missing--a total of 1,492. Thomas's loss in the part taken by his troops, also including Howard's command and not including Davis's division, was 529 killed, 2,281 wounded, and 141 missing--an aggregate of 3,951. The large bulk of the losses under Thomas were in Sheridan's and Wood's divisions. That of the former was 135 killed, 1,151 wounded, missing, none--aggregate 1,256; that of the latter, 150 killed, 851 wounded, missing, none--aggregate 1,001. These two divisions in their one hour's work storming Missionary Ridge met with a loss of 2,287 men, showing hot work. There was captured by the Army of the Cumberland 40 pieces of artillery, 58 artillery carriages and caissons, 6,175 stand of small arms, principally English Enfield, and 5,471 prisoners.
During the winter there were nothing but minor movements of the troops. The railroads up to Chattanooga were repaired, and the first "cracker train" that entered the place was greeted with many hearty cheers by our troops in the town, as the shrill scream of its whistle woke the echoes among the surrounding mountains, so long silent to this music. The roads into and through East Tennessee were repaired to Knoxville and beyond.
In the early spring the organization of the Army of the Cumberland was changed by Granger being relieved of the command of the Fourth Corps, when Howard was assigned to that command. Palmer was retained in command of the Fourteenth Corps, and the Eleventh and Twelfth Corps were consolidated into the Twentieth Corps, with Hooker in command. The cavalry was organized in four divisions, under the command of W. L. Elliott. The army in the field consisted of 60,773 effective men.
General Thomas ordered the Fourth Corps to Cleveland. The Fourteenth Corps in front of Chattanooga was well thrown forward toward the enemy's front at Dalton, preparatory to the spring campaign in Atlanta, under General Sherman. The Twentieth Corps was stationed in Lookout Valley.
In the general engagement Grant's plan of battle had been for Sherman with five divisions to make the main attack, sweep everything before him down the ridge, and when he had the rebels in full retreat, the Army of the Cumberland was then to aid in the pursuit, after patiently waiting until the fighting was over. Hooker, under Grant's original plan, was to simply hold Lookout Valley secure, and when the enemy was driven by Sherman, he too was to join in the pursuit. All the fighting of the battle was to be done by Sherman and all the glory thereof was to be his. In Sherman's memoirs we are favored with Grant's views of the Army of the Cumberland when Sherman first reported in person to Grant at Chattanooga, to learn of his plan and the part he, Sherman, was to take. Sherman says that Grant told him "that the men of Thomas's army had been so demoralized by the battle of Chickamauga that he feared they could not be got out of their trenches to assume the offensive," and that "the Army of the Cumberland had so long been in the trenches that he wanted my troops to hurry up to take the offensive FIRST, after which he had no doubt the Cumberland Army would fight well." So, under Grant's plan, the Army of the Cumberland was to stand by and be taught a grand object lesson how to fight, as given by Sherman. During the course of the engagement the plan was modified twice. Under the original plan, Sherman was to make a demonstration up Lookout Valley, in the expectation that Bragg would strengthen his left at the expense of his right, thereby