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

[214] giving the rebels another chance to cut him off from his reinforcements. After consulting with his corps and division commanders, and receiving the approval of Thomas, he determined to retire at once to Nashville.¹ Accordingly, at midnight of the 30th of November, the army was withdrawn from the trenches, and crossed the river without loss. Hood brought his artillery forward in the night, so as to open on Schofield in the morning, but in the morning the national forces had disappeared. During the 1st of December they assumed position in front of Nashville.

At 11.30 P. M. on the 30th of November, Thomas announced the result of the battle to Grant, and the arrival of A. J. Smith's last division at Nashville. ‘I am in hopes now,’ he said, ‘to be able to manage Hood, notwithstanding the great superiority in numbers of his cavalry.’ Schofield had not yet withdrawn from Franklin, and Grant understood from this despatch that Thomas meant to move at once with his reinforcements upon the defeated enemy, and complete the success which had been already achieved. But the next day, at nine P. M., Thomas reported different plans: ‘After Schofield's fight yesterday, feeling convinced that the enemy far outnumbered him both in infantry ’