Chapter 14:
The causes which produced the dissatisfaction at City Point and Washington, over the apparent slowness of General Thomas at Nashville, can now be clearly traced. They sprung directly from the telegrams of General Sherman, overestimating the forces he had left to take care of Hood. General Grant and the authorities at the Capital looked upon Hood's northward advance with alarm. Sherman had been repeatedly notified that he must leave an ample force with Thomas to enable this officer to hold the line of the Tennessee. He as often replied that he had fully complied with these directions. General Grant naturally became solicitous lest Hood, if not attacked, should pass around Thomas, invade Kentucky, and possibly reach the North. As a result of this anxiety and-unjust dissatisfaction, an order was given for the removal of Thomas, which order, however, was not executed in consequence of his battle and victory. As has been seen, Sherman thus refers to this matter:
Yet Thomas remained inside of Nashville, seemingly passive, until General> Hood had closed upon him and had intrenched his position. * * * * ‘At that time the weather was cold and sleety, the ground was covered with ice and snow, and both parties for a time rested on the defensive. Thus matters stood at Nashville while we were closing down on Savannah in the early part of December, 1864; and the country, as well as General Grant, was alarmed at the seeming passive conduct of General Thomas; and General Grant at one time considered the situation so dangerous that he thought of going to Nashville in person, but General John A. Logan, happening to be at City Point, was sent out to supersede General Thomas; luckily for the ’
