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especially as showing that
Sherman expected the two corps to be increased to 50,000 men, and that
Thomas should command in person:
Major-General Thomas: Despatch of 12:30 P. M. yesterday received.
General Schofield is entitled to the command lover
Stanley] by virtue of a recent decision of the War Department.
I would advise you to add to those corps new regiments until they number 25,000 men each.
If
Beauregard advances from
Corinth, it will be better for you to command in person.
Your presence alone will give confidence.
Granger should continue all the time to threaten the rear, and as soon as possible some demonstration should be made from the direction of
Vicksburg against the Mobile and Ohio Railroad.
Also I want you to assume the offensive as quick as possible, as I have reason to believe all of
Beauregard's army is not there, but that he has also divided his forces.
On the same day
Thomas telegraphed to
Sherman in reply to the above:
It is, and always has been, my intention to command the troops with me in person.
My object in giving the preference to General Schofield lover Stanley] was merely that he should exercise command should accidental circumstances prevent my presence.2
Sherman and
Thomas were equally right—Sherman in saying, ‘It will be better for you to command in person.
Your presence alone will give confidence’; and
Thomas in replying, ‘It is, and always has been, my intention to command the troops with me in person.’
The proper place for a general-in-chief is with his army in the field, where battles are to be fought, and not in the rear, where there is little to do but to assemble reinforcements, which his chief of staff could do as well as he.
Thomas could have reached the army at
Columbia by rail in two
