ight on the ground occupied at dark,
whilst preparations were made to renew the battle at an early hour
on the morrow"; but does not say what those preparations were.
Then, after describing what had been done in the forenoon of the
16th, he says: "As soon as the above dispositions were completed,
and having visited the different commands, I gave directions that
the movement against the enemy's left flank should be continued";
but no sub-report mentions the receipt of any such directions.
The report then proceeds to give a graphic and, I believe, nearly
accurate though brief description of what followed.

It may also be observed that in my official report of the battle
of Nashville, dated December 31, 1864, the following appears: "In
the night of the 15th I waited upon the major-general commanding
at his headquarters, and received his orders for the pursuit of
the enemy on the following day." This report was, of course, before
General Thomas when he wrote his own, and had necessarily been read
by him and doubtless by some of his staff officers; yet no reference
was made in his report to the subject referred to in the words
above quoted from mine. These facts from the records may perhaps
be accepted as sufficient indication of the general purport of
whatever orders were issued in the night of the 15th, after the
close of that day's operations, and sufficient evidence that no
orders of a general character were given by General Thomas, either
oral or written, on the 16th until after he had "visited the
different commands."

NO ORDERS FOR THE BATTLE OF DECEMBER 16

The report of General Steedman, dated January 27, 1865, says:
"December 16, at 6 A. M., in obedience to the orders of Major-
General Thomas, my command moved on the enemy's works." It is not
stated whether these orders were oral or written. No copy of them
appears in the records, nor any mention of a personal interview
with General Thomas or any of his staff. (Steedman was the man
who published a falsehood about an alleged telegram from me to
Grant about Thomas. See page 296.)

General T. J. Wood's report, dated January 5, 1865, after describing
the operations of the morning of December 16, says: "After the
dispositions above recounted had been made, the commanding general
joined me near our most advanced position on the Franklin pike,
examined the positions of the troops, approved the same, and ordered
that the e