2" of December 14, as recorded in General Thomas's order-book,
and the copy embodied in his official report, as explained in a
foot-note in the War Records, is not unimportant.( 2) In the order-
book he says: "Major-General Schofield _will mass_ the remainder
of his force in front of the works and co-operate with General
Wood, protecting the latter's left flank against an attack by the
enemy"; but in his report the words "_will move with_" are substituted
for "will mass." The latter, in military parlance, meant placing
my corps in reserve, with a view to "co-operate with General Wood,"
etc., whenever such co-operation might be necessary; while the
words used in Thomas's final report meant active co-operation with
General Wood from the beginning of the engagement. In the body of
his report General Thomas spoke of the position of the Twenty-third
Corps as "in reserve," from which position it was ordered to the
right to join A. J. Smith's troops in the attack. Hence it would
seem that a position "in reserve" was what General Thomas had in
mind both when he prepared his order of battle and when he wrote
his report, and that the change to the words "will move with" was
simply a clerical error.

EXPECTATION THAT HOOD WOULD RETREAT

After darkness had ended the first day's battle (December 15), I
received an order in writing from General Thomas, which was in
substance to _pursue the retreating enemy_ early the next morning,
my corps to take the advance on the Granny White pike, and was
informed that the cavalry had been or would be ordered to start at
the same time by a road on the right, and cross the Harpeth below
Franklin. These orders seemed to be so utterly inapplicable to
the actual situation that I rode to the rear to where General
Thomas's headquarters were supposed to be, and there found that he
had gone back to his house in Nashville, to which place I followed
him. He appeared surprised at my suggestion that we would find
Hood in line of battle ready to receive us in the morning, or even
ready to strike our exposed right flank before we could renew the
attack, instead of in full retreat, as he had assumed. I told him
I knew Hood much better than he did, and I was sure he would not
retreat. Finally, after considerable discussion I obtained a
modification of the order so far as to direct the cavalry to remain
where it was until Hood's action should be known, and an ord