Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 4.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

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[212] have asked for an opportunity to justify themselves before a court of inquiry. Van Cleve has received the command of Murfreesborough. Johnson, Steedman, and Morgan have been called to other commands or are obliged to go in search of health in the Northern States. Reynolds and Brannan have left their divisions, one for the post of chief of staff to Thomas, and the other to assume the command of the artillery. One of the two corps is commanded by Granger, who has deserved this honor on account of his gallant conduct. Thomas leaves the Fourteenth corps to Rousseau, his oldest division commander. There are more than twelve thousand men in the cavalry, but it cannot concentrate near Chattanooga, where forage is scarce. Therefore it will take only a secondary part in coming events.

Bragg's army is still composed of three corps, but Polk and Hill have been replaced by Cheatham and Breckinridge. The reinforcements received for the last month have swollen the army to about fifty-seven thousand infantry and artillery, without counting its ten or twelve thousand cavalry. Hence it is considerably superior to Thomas' command. But it would be inferior in number to the Federals if Hooker with his eighteen or nineteen thousand men could join them.

It is this powerful reinforcement, detached over a month previous from the Army of the Potomac, which must be employed without delay to raise the blockade of the famishing troops, for they cannot wait for Sherman's arrival. Grant as soon as he comes sets about preparing an operation which the division of his forces in the presence of a concentrated enemy renders very difficult. Thomas has already had a hand in like preparations during the four days that he has been in command: he has instructed Hooker to collect all his forces at Bridgeport, and has matured with General Smith the plan the first thought of which occurred to his predecessor. At daybreak on the 24th, Grant repairs, with Thomas and Smith, to the banks of the Tennessee, and at a single glance he appreciates this plan, which is as simple as it is practical. Before the first day has elapsed everybody feels the hand of the new commander, who knows, without hesitation, how to come to a decision and promptly set in operation all the resources at his disposal.