John Harrison Wilson, The life of Charles Henry Dana

[275] of shortening the line, and intimate that he may have had a vague purpose of that sort, they make it clear that he did not regard the emergency as nearly so great as it appeared to Dana, nor believe that the shorter line could be opened till Hooker's corps, detached from the Army of the Potomac on the 23d, should arrive at Bridgeport and occupy the country between there and Chattanooga. It is specially worthy of note that there is not a word in any of these despatches foreshadowing the plan which was actually devised by General William F. Smith, and successfully carried into effect under his supervision. While it is abundantly evident that Dana reported from time to time everything that came under his observation, it is also evident that he was really much more concerned with conditions as they actually existed than with the means of changing them, that he felt it to be a matter of much greater importance to get rid of the incapable Rosecrans and secure the appointment of a competent man to take his place than to report or pass upon such plans as might be passing through his hazy mind. And that this was the view that the secretary took of Dana's recommendations is abundantly shown by the sequel. As early as September 30th Stanton telegraphed him:

... If Hooker's command get safely through, all that the Army of the Cumberland can need will be a competent commander. The merit of General Thomas, and the debt of gratitude the nation owes to his valor and skill, are fully appreciated here, and I wish you to tell him so. It was not my fault that he was not in chief command months ago.

But this is not all. Immediately after receiving the analysis of Rosecrans's character contained in Dana's despatches of September 27th and September 30th, the Secretary of War ordered Grant to Cairo by telegraph for conference.