FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   >>  
othing risked, nothing gained," I did not interfere. Now, the undertaking being a success, the honor is all yours; for I believe none of us went further than to acquiesce; and, taking the work of General Thomas into account, as it should be taken, it is indeed a great success. Not only does it afford the obvious and immediate military advantages, but, in showing to the world that your army could be divided, putting the stronger part to an important new service, and yet leaving enough to vanquish the old opposing force of the whole, Hood's army, it brings those who sat in darkness to see a great light. But what next? I suppose it will be safer if I leave General Grant and yourself to decide. A. LINCOLN Of course, this judgment; made after the event, was extremely flattering and was all I ever expected, a recognition of the truth and of its importance. I have often been asked, by well-meaning friends, when the thought of that march first entered my mind. I knew that an army which had penetrated Georgia as far as Atlanta could not turn back. It must go ahead, but when, how, and where, depended on many considerations. As soon as Hood had shifted across from Lovejoy's to Palmetto, I saw the move in my "mind's eye;" and, after Jeff. Davis's speech at Palmetto, of September 26th, I was more positive in my conviction, but was in doubt as to the time and manner. When General Hood first struck our railroad above Marietta, we were not ready, and I was forced to watch his movements further, till he had "carromed" off to the west of Decatur. Then I was perfectly convinced, and had no longer a shadow of doubt. The only possible question was as to Thomas's strength and ability to meet Hood in the open field. I did not suppose that General Hood, though rash, would venture to attack fortified places like Allatoona, Resaca, Decatur, and Nashville; but he did so, and in so doing he played into our hands perfectly. On the 2d of November I was at Kingston, Georgia, and my four corps--the Fifteenth, Seventeenth, Fourteenth, and Twentieth--with one division of cavalry, were strung from Rome to Atlanta. Our railroads and telegraph had been repaired, and I deliberately prepared for the march to Savannah, distant three hundred miles from Atlanta. All the sick and wounded men had been sent back by rail to Chattanooga; all our wagon-trains had been carefully overhauled and loaded, so as to be ready to start on an hour's no
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   >>  



Top keywords:
General
 

Atlanta

 

Decatur

 

perfectly

 

suppose

 
Palmetto
 
success
 

Thomas

 
Georgia
 

shadow


carromed

 

Lovejoy

 
speech
 

convinced

 
longer
 

forced

 
railroad
 
positive
 

conviction

 

question


manner

 

struck

 

Marietta

 

movements

 

September

 

Resaca

 

prepared

 

deliberately

 

Savannah

 

distant


hundred

 
repaired
 

telegraph

 

strung

 

cavalry

 
railroads
 

carefully

 
trains
 

overhauled

 
loaded

Chattanooga
 

wounded

 
division
 
attack
 

venture

 

fortified

 
places
 

Allatoona

 
ability
 

Nashville