fter General Stanley and I, who
were encamped near together, had gone to sleep, we received despatches
from General Sherman stating in effect that as we were too far from
the main body of the army to receive orders from him or General
Thomas, our two corps must act on the morrow under the orders of
the highest commander present, and that General Stanley, having
the older commission, was that highest commander. I was therefore
directed to report to General Stanley and act under his orders.
I replied to General Sherman that while I differed from him in
opinion upon the question of relative rank, I would for the present
cheerfully abide his decision and execute his orders. Early the
next morning, before I had time to report to General Stanley, he
appeared at my camp, evidently much disturbed by the orders he had
received. He said General Sherman was wrong; that he was not
entitled to the command and did not want it; and urged me to accept
the chief command, and let him act under my orders. I replied that
General Sherman's order was imperative, and I could not relieve
him (General Stanley) from the responsibility of executing it. It
was all wrong, but there was no present remedy, and he must do the
best he could. The position of his corps on the right made it
necessary that it should have the advance in the day's movement,
while I would follow close after and support him under all
circumstances.

THE FAILURE AT JONESBORO'

So we started early in the morning to execute Sherman's orders--
thoroughly to destroy the railroad, and close down on Thomas toward
Jonesboro'. That morning, as Sherman says (Vol. II, page 107),
"Howard found an intrenched foe (Hardee's corps) covering Jonesboro',"
and "orders were sent to Generals Thomas and Schofield to turn
straight for Jonesboro', tearing up the railroad track as they
advanced." But of course, as General Sherman had anticipated, such
orders could not reach me in time to do any good. They were not
received until after the affair at Jonesboro' was ended. But
hearing the sound of battle in our front, I rode rapidly forward
to the head of Stanley's column, which was then not advancing, made
inquiries for that officer, and was informed that he was trying to
find General Thomas to get orders. I immediately brought my infantry
of the Twenty-third Corps out of the road occupied by Stanley's
corps, moved it to the front through w