Adam Badeau, Military history of Ulysses S. Grant from April 1861 to April 1865. Volume 3

‘ [392] the Lynchburg road as he can. Sheridan started this morning from Winchester, Virginia, to destroy the Virginia Central railroad and James river canal, and to get to Lynchburg if he can. Each starts with cavalry force alone.’

Meanwhile, the same peculiarities which had distinguished Thomas in November and December had become apparent in January and February and March. On the 25th of January, Grant said to Halleck: ‘When Canby is supplied, horses may be sent up the Tennessee, as General Thomas requests, and let him use all exertion to get off during the first favorable weather we may have. It is a great pity that our cavalry should not have taken advantage of Hood's and Forrest's forces being on furlough. They could have fed on the enemy, and where they could have collected their own horses.’ Yet it was to collect and equip this cavalry that Thomas had delayed so long at Nashville, and, after two weeks pursuit of the enemy, he was unwilling to send it out again without another season of equipping and delay. Thomas was in some things not unlike Warren in the Eastern army, who was earnest and capable and accomplished, but unequal to the task assigned him; both had difficulties for which they were not always to blame, which impeded and prevented the action that Grant expected of them; but greater soldiers overcame just such difficulties, and Grant Preferred those who did.

Thomas's delay now compelled Grant to change his plans. On the 27th of February, one month after he had first ordered Stoneman's advance, he said to Thomas: ‘Stoneman being so late in making his start from East Tennessee, and Sherman having ’