Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Poetry and Incidents., Volume 8.
Frank Moore, Ed.

The sagacity of General Thomas.--There can be no question that General Thomas saved the army of the Cumberland in the critical battle of Chickamauga. The Georgia papers say that the plan of the battle was determined upon by General Bragg after consultation with General Lee. The plan was literally to destroy our army. It was, to cross the Chickamauga Creek on our left flank, where Thomas's corps was placed, and then force him back upon Crittenden and McCook. After Thomas was thus driven, another rebel column was to cross the creek and strike Thomas again as he was forced back, thus completing his rout. Thomas, with the sagacity of a great soldier, perceived the object of the rebels. He did not wait to be assailed, but, with Napoleonic tactics, he concluded to be the assailing party, and hence issued the following important order:

headquarters Fourteenth army corps, near McDaniel's House, September 19--9 A. M.
Major-General Palmer:

The rebels are reported in quite a heavy force between you and Alexander's Hill. If you advance as soon as possible on them in front, while I attack them in flank, I think we can use them up.

Respectfully your obedient servant,

Geo. H. Thomas, Major-General Commanding.

This order, the Georgia papers say, saved General Rosecrans's army. The Southern journals came to a knowledge of this order from the fact that the adiutant of General Palmer's staff was taken prisoner, and this order was found in his pocket. There is no man in the nation who thinks that Rosecrans could have been superseded by a better man than General Thomas. There is an earnest heartiness in this note, in speaking of the enemy as “rebels.” “I think we can use them up” are words the patriot likes to hear. As an illustration of General Thomas's sagacity, a general officer now in this city says that if Thomas could have had ten thousand fresh men on Sunday afternoon, he would have utterly routed the rebel army. This officer says that General Thomas clearly saw the prize of victory within his grasp; but, after the brigades of the reserve corps had been hurled against the rebels, Thomas had not another thousand fresh soldiers whom he could use. He saved the army, but he would not have been content with that. He wanted and would have had such a victory as would have carried dismay throughout the South. This field-officer says that there were other generals besides Thomas who saw what a prize was lost for the want of ten thousand men.--Milwaukee Wisconsin.