Showing posts with label Furloughs and Incentives. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Furloughs and Incentives. Show all posts

Thursday, August 25, 2016

First Battle of Dalton: Official Records, Volume 32 (various parts)

First Battle of Dalton, Late February 1864

Various Bits of Correspondence from O.R., Series 1, Volume 32 (Parts 1-3)

Chapter 44, "Demonstration on Dalton, Ga." 

About February 20, the Federals started down toward Dalton, Georgia, in force. There were three columns of Federal troops, moving from Ringgold, Georgia; Red Clay, Georgia; and Charleston, Tennessee. This was after the Chattanooga Campaign, around the beginning of The Atlanta Campaign (with some correspondence, just before the "official" beginning of the Atlanta Campaign).

This is a quick post of my file, without page links. Find links to O.R. volume at bottom of this post!

Correspondence about two weeks before the movement shows that Grant hoped to take Dalton:

[General Ulysses S. Grant to General George H. Thomas]: 
Should you not be required to go into East Tennessee, could you not make a formidable reconnaissance toward Dalton, and, if successful in driving the enemy out, occupy that place and complete the railroad up to it this winter?
from:
O.R., Series 1,  Vol. 32, Pt. 2 (Corresp.), 373.
Washington: Government Printing Office, 1891.
Chapter 44, "Demonstration on Dalton, Ga."

[Next, on the same page, is this correspondence from Schofield, as to the possibility of pushing Longstreet out of East Tennessee. He advises waiting until spring.]

[QUOTE]:
Knoxville, Feb. 12, 1864--1:30 p.m.
Major-General Thomas, Chattanooga:
   It is not practicable to move this army with artillery and wagon transportation before spring, and then the railroad will have to be relied on chiefly. The infantry might be supplied by a train of pack-mules from this place if forage for the mules can be brought here by rail until the railroad can be opened to any new position we may obtain.
   With 10,000 additional infantry I believe I would be strong enough without artillery to drive Longstreet out of East Tennessee. I can have the pack train here by the 1st of March. If you can give me 10,000 infantry, and supply me here with provisions and forage, I am willing to undertake the rest.
   My opinion is, however, that it would be wiser to wait until spring, but am willing to leave by the 1st of March, if time is deemed of sufficient importance.
   I have telegraphed substantially the above to Major-General Grant.
J. M. Schofield,
   Major-General, Commanding.
[END QUOTE]
________


 [Thomas to Grant, Chattanooga, February 12, 1864]. 
"I think an advance on Dalton would be successful, if you will let me have the division of Logan during the movement." (pg. 373)
______
 [Grant to Thomas, Nashville, February 12, 1864--3.20 p.m.]:
 "Logan's troops started yesterday morning. If I decide not to make the move at present into East Tennessee, I will send them back, unless you require them to aid in advance on Dalton." (pg. 373)
Above is from: O.R., Series 1,  Vol. 32, Pt. 2 (Corresp.), 373.

NEXT PAGE...

On page 374, Schofield writes to Grant explaining what would be needed to move against Longstreet. Grant replies (Feb. 12):
"No movement will be made against Longstreet at present. Give your men and animals all the rest you can preparatory for early operations in the spring. Furlough all the veterans you deem it prudent to let go." (p.374)
  from: O.R., Series 1,  Vol. 32, Pt. 2 (Corresp.), 374.

After the fact, Sherman (and probably Grant, as well), hem-hawed around and rewrote the story to say, Well, shucks, it was just a little old demonstration, never meant to try to take Dalton; and besides (they say), it was Thomas's idea... ;-)
______________________________

RELATED, FROM OTHER VOLUMES:

O.R., Series 1, Vol. 32, Pt. 1 (Reports).
Washington: Government Printing Office, 1891.
Chapter 44, "Demonstration on Dalton, Ga."

(p.449, on 22 Feb. 1864):
Gen. Thos. says, "Cruft occupies Red Clay, and has pushed a reconn. twd. Varnell's Station.

(p.449, 23 Feb. 1864, Tunnel Hill, Ga.) Whipple reports to Thomas: "Reconn. to Tunnel Hill completed. Enemy retreating before our skirmishers. About 400 cavalry, no infantry; on battery of artillery. Main position of our force between Ringgold Gap and ridge 3 miles this side of Tunnel Hill.
   Loss 1 sgt, killed, & 4 or 5 wounded. "Rebel works and quarters at Tunnel Hill abandoned."

Chapter 44, "Demonstration on Dalton, Ga."

Col. Thomas E. Champion, 96th Illinois Infantry, cmdg. Second Brigade, writes from "In the Field, near Stone Church, February 27, 1864. Reports that on Mond. 22nd, he left camp @ Blue Springs, Tenn., & (w/3rd Brig.) went on reconn. to Red Clay. Stayed till 23rd. Marched to Tiger Creek, on the rd. to Catoosa Platform, arrived that night. On Wed. 24th: returned to Lee's house. Proceeded to Tunnel Hill on a reconn., returned to Lee's. ON THURS., LEFT CAMP, together w/Col. Dickerson's brigade, 15th Army Corps, 3 a.m., > Dalton. "Arriving within about 2 1/2 miles of Buzzard Roost Gap, we found the cavalry under Colonel Long skirmishing with the enemy in the direction of the gap." [I formed brigade into 2 lines, w/Grose's brig. on rt. & Dickerson's in rsv. Advanced, driving enemy 1 1/2 mi., dislodging him from a densely wooded ridge. (Problems/delays w/right forming--is 14th corps, so we halted on hill to avoid being flanked). Lay entire day, surrounded by heavy force. Lost 36. Took 10 pris. Enemy loss d.k. Thinks "greater than ours." Left 11 pm > Lee's, stayed till 26th. Proceeded to Tunnel Hill, remained till 9 pm, returned to Stone Church near Catoosa Platform.
Remained till 1 pm on 27th, then mched to Blue Springs @ 12m. [Thos. E. Champion, Col., cmdg Brigade] (pp. 430-431).
---------
(p.450, on 23 Feb. 1864, Tunnel Hill, Ga.) Whipple informs Thos. that "Colonel Long reports on Spring Place road, 3 1/2 miles from Dalton; drove one infantry regiment out of their quarters; captured 12 prisoners. He thinks the enemy is leaving Dalton."(p.450) (3-1/2 has "1/2" as superscript, no space or hyphen)

(p.450, 24 Feb. 1864, Thomas to Palmer: "If you succeed in driving the enemy from Dalton, send back all the wagons you can spare at once..."


(p.450)[24 Feb. Whipple to Thos.]: "Some fighting this evening on the Cleveland road, where Grose is."

24 Feb. 1864

Long's cavalry, as an advance force, met rebels 3 1/2 miles W of Dalton (infantry & cavalry).  Wm. Grose, 36th Indiana Infantry, w/small force, was in support.

Long drove enemy cavalry 2 miles, then met (what citizens called) "Stewart's division of infantry in sight of and at the railroad." Grose advanced his infantry, checked & held back enemy at 1 mile from RR till night, then drew back to Widow Burke's Farm, 3 miles from the HQ of the Third Brigade, First Div., 4th Army Corps (loc. unstated), leaving Col. Long & 1 regt. of infantry "2 miles to our front." Don't believe it's a lg. force of rebels, "but too much for our small force." Double our force could have gained the RR & held it. "The enemy used no artillery. We fired 5 rounds. ... (p.431-432, from Col. Wm. Grose, 36th Indiana Infantry, cmdg. Third Brigade, to ___)


[In another report, Grose thinks they could have taken Dalton w/another 10,000 men on our left.](p.434)

"Many of the men were almost without shoes, and yet without a murmur of complaint they marched four nights and every day of the seven while on this trip." (O.H.P. Carey, Lt. Col., Comdg., Thirty-sixth Indiana Volunteers)(p.441, "Report of Lieut. Col. Oliver H. P. Carey, Thirty-sixth Indiana Infantry."
   --Blue Springs, March 1, 1864. (p.440-441)

D.W. Norton, Major & Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, wrote from Chattanooga, by order of Maj. Gen. J. M. Palmer, on 1 March 1864. He congratulated them on their offensive reconn twd. Tunnel Hill & Dalton, but complained that some stragglers and skirkers had caused some "wanton destruction of property" among peaceable citizens near the action.

-------------------------

(p.470, 23 Feb. 1864, "At Cross-Roads of Benton and Dalton Road and Varnell's Station and King's Lower Bridge Road, 6 Miles Southeast of Varnell's Station and 9-1/2 Miles from Dalton, February 23, 1864--1.25 p.m."

Long, at 11.30 this a.m., "attacked and drove out of their camp at least a regiment of rebel infantry, 3-1/2 miles this side of Dalton. They had winter quarters (log-huts), and as they were completely surprised they had not time to move any plunder out of their huts, and from their appearance and the small amount of plunder in them I believe they were preparing to leave. The cars were whistling furiously while the skirmish was going on. I have not force enough to cope single-handed with all of their cavalry, but I think you may advance with safety if you can still keep your supports, Palmer's troops, &c., within supporting distance. I believe they are leaving the place, and they should not be allowed to do "[so]" undisturbed. I shall be compelled to go somewhere to get some forage. Please let me hear.... I shall either wait here or move up on the road to Varnell's Station until I hear from you."
... Eli Long, Colonel, Commanding. (p.470)

(p.470)
"Hdqrs. Second Brigade, Second Cavalry Division,
Varnell's Station, February 24, 1864--8 a. m.
"Sir: I have just arrived here. Will push down the dirt road that runs alongside of the railroad as far toward Dalton as practicable. I believe there are some rebel cavalry on the main Cleveland and Dalton road. I will be compelled to go back to the Connesauga or somewhere else to-morrow unless I have better luck in foraging to-day than I did yesterday. Please to forward a copy of this to General Palmer. A brigade of infantry was encamped where we had the skirmish yesterday. I have met nothing this morning. Let me know your location by the bearer.
"Very respectfully....
"Eli Long, Colonel, Commmanding Brigade." [to Maj. W. H. Sinclair, Assistant Adjutant-General."] [They all seem to be reporting to Sinclair]

NEXT, p.471, he writes "On Road from Dalton to Varnell's Station, Just East of Tunnel Mountain, Feb. 24, 1864--2 p.m.
He has driven in w/1 squadr. of infantry pickets on the dirt and rail roads 3 miles from Dalton, & am now in line w/pickets skirm.g. in front. [Rebs have infantry on all roads]. I am now 5 miles from Dalton & [won't] go further until I hear further from you & result of your reconn." (Eli Long) He sends a company to remain on picket at Varnell's Stat. to watch the Cleveland and Dalton road that goes down on the other side of the RR.

He runs into lg. infantry cantoment 3 miles +/- from Dalton; runs out again. (Left Dalton).

----
(p.471) 25 Feb. (Ammo nearly exhausted): I have my command near a gap road wh. runs thru the ridge on your left, w/pickets down the RR some qtr. of a mile. "Nothing can come through the gap without my knowing, and I think this is the only road between here and Dalton through which a force can get on your flank or rear, and as my ammunition is nearly exhausted I will reman here until further orders.
"Respectfully,
"Eli Long, Colonel, Commanding Cavalry.
[to Gen. Cruft]
---

(p.471) 25 Feb. 1864--4.15 o'clock.

"General: The fire has just driven me out of the woods on the ridge that I was occupying. I still have a picket on the road in the gap, however. A few minutes since about 40 infantry skirmishers moved up on our right, advancing toward your lines. The rebel lines, I think, extend farther east than yours. At any rate, they came to the foot of the ridge I have been occupying, and I think there may be some danger of their lapping you on your left unless your lines extend completely across the valley in which your left rested this morning. Please let me know for my guidance where your left now is. Cannot your quartermaster send me some forage? Your commissary would not deliver me any rations on Captain Kniffin's order, which please find inclosed with note of commissary.
"Respe... Eli Long, Colonel, Comdg. Second Brig., Second Cav. Div.
"Brigadier-General Cruft,
   Commanding Division.
  "P.S.--The rebel cavalry pickets are in sight in our front. Please indorse Captain Kniffin's order, so that I can get the rations." "E.L."
----------[next, on p.472, is the report about having left Calhoun w/600 men...camped at Mr. Waterhouse, on Connesauga River, about 30 miles south of Calhoun. (Feb. 27, 1864, reporting from near Lee's House, Ga.)
__________________________________

CONFEDERATE CORRESPONDENCE, ABOUT TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE BATTLE OF DALTON. JOHNSTON WAS WORRIED ABOUT A FEDERAL TROOP MOVEMENT TOWARD MOBILE, ALABAMA:

Official Records, Series 1, Volume 32, Part 2 (Corresp., etc.), 729.

-----------------------

Full citation by Google:

Title: The War of the Rebellion: v.1-53 [serial no. 1-111] Formal reports, both Union and Confederate, of the first seizures of United States property in the southern states, and of all military operations in the field, with the correspondence, orders and returns relating specially thereto. 1880-1898. 111v.
Contributors: United States. War Records Office, United States. Record and Pension Office

Publ.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1891
Digitized: 6 Jul. 2011.

[From Cover Page]: 
Series 1, Vol. 32, Pt. 1--Reports."
Washington: Government Printing Office, 1891.

Links to Official Records, Volume 32
I don't have specific page links at moment, but here are links to the volume:

Official Records, Series 1, Volume 32, Part 1 (Reports).
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152618/

Official Records, Series 1, Volume 32, Part 2 (Correspondence, etc.).
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152633/

Official Records, Series 1, Volume 32, Part 3 (Correspondence, etc.).
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152650/

Courtesy of Texas University

Monday, August 22, 2016

Veteran Furlough: Practices, Pay, Incentives (sources)

Two Quotes about the Practice of Furloughs as Incentive, from The Union Must Stand: The Civil War Diary of John Quincy Adams Campbell


The Practice of Veteran Furloughs
(from pg 142, Google Preview of: The Union Must Stand…)

Part of the incentive to reenlist was a badge of honor for the unit.
"...if three-quarters of the men in a given regiment reenlisted, the unit could both retain its identity and add 'Veteran' to its official title (as in the 'Fifth Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry').
"...soldiers who reenlisted could immediately go home on 'veteran furlough,' rather than await the expiration of their terms of service. Returning veterans would also receive a federal bounty of four hundred dollars as well as varying amounts from state and local governments, but the 'veteran regiment' and 'veteran furlough' gambits were by far the most effective. Ultimately 136,000 Union veterans--slightly over half--decided to reenlist."
Note: April 1, 1864: date that Campbell returned home.

CITATION:
John Quincy Adams Campbell, Mark Grimsley, and Todd D. Miller, (Google Preview of) The Union Must Stand: The Civil War Diary of John Quincy Adams Campbell, (Knoxville: Univ. of Tennessee Press, 2000), (search result: "furlough," pg. 142). http://bit.ly/Union-Must-Stand-preview142-furloughs.
____________________________

"Soldier's Pay," A CCWRT Presentation by Moffat, 1965
http://www.cincinnaticwrt.org/data/ccwrt_history/talks_text/moffat_soldiers_pay.html

William C. Moffat, Jr., "Soldiers Pay" (Jan. 1965), (CCWRT History: "Talks"), Cincinnati Civil War Round Table (The Cincinnati Civil War Round Table, 2000). http://www.cincinnaticwrt.org/data/ccwrt_history/talks_text/moffat_soldiers_pay.html.
_____________________________

More about pay and bonuses (link to article).

RELATED, THIS BLOG: FURLOUGHS AND INCENTIVES, VET RECALL


Veteran Furloughs: Understanding the Practice

Veteran Furloughs: Understanding the Practice

Trying to understand the effect of this recall. Logic says that if a soldier's term is up and he doesn't reenlist, he goes home. Therefore, if the furlough is cancelled or revoked, why not just say, "Then I won't reenlist"?

Well, the practice or tradition was that, if a soldier went ahead and reenlisted at the time of muster, then he could go home on leave before his term of service was up. It was still an incentive, because if he stayed to end of term, he might be badly wounded or killed before his term was up (or something else might come up), and he might never see home again.

Other incentives were used to tempt soldiers to reenlist. The army appealed to his regimental and personal pride and sense of honor (if 3/4 of the regiment reenlisted, the regiment could have "Veteran" added to its title, the regiment would be called the (xx) "Veteran Vols"; and the soldier could wear a specially made badge, a chevron, that designated him as a Veteran Volunteer.

There was also a $400 bonus, which was something like a year's pay.

It was a source of regimental pride and honor to keep one's regiment intact, to preserve the identity of the regiment; especially so to the commissioned officer who had formed and recruited the regiment. There was also a feeling of brotherhood and camaraderie among members of the regiment. When these officers went home on furlough, they actively recruited men for the depleted ranks of the regiment to maintain the regimental organization. (If they could not get enough men, the regiment's soldiers might be merged into another unit). At the time of the Spring 1864 furlough, James McPherson wrote to the governors of several states urging them to help fill the ranks of the states' regiments. I suppose the implication here is that he was asking for anything from state-given bonuses, calls for volunteers, encouragements to recruits, and even state drafts.

Related, in my own project: 

Second Michigan to be ReMounted, Refitted. 
When J.H. Wilson took over command of the cavalry in 1864, he noted that newly forming regiments were green and inexperienced. Some (such as the new Tennessee units) were disorganized and perhaps incompetent, made up of men who had avoided being conscripted into the enemy army, but had also avoided joining up with the Federals. He preferred, instead, to mount and refit his experienced veterans. He called for over twenty units to be refitted, including the Second Michigan Cavalry and the First Tennessee Vols (my particular subjects of interest).

Veteran Furloughs of the Second Michigan Cavalry
Marshall P. Thatcher, in A Hundred Battles in the West,  mentions veteran furloughs, new recruits, and "non-veterans," experienced soldiers who had not yet come to the end of their enlistments (182-183).

Note: Some of the furloughed vets must have already gone home. Maybe they got to finish their furloughs. However, non-veterans, and veterans whose furlough date or expectation of furlough was still upcoming at the time of the recall, probably did not get to go home early (364).

In April 1864, some of the Second Michigan vets were arrested in Chattanooga for disorderly conduct related to pillaging wood for quarters and assaulting an officer (not known to be an officer, says Thatcher). One of the threatened punishments was revocation of their furlough, but apparently, this was dropped. Instead, there was a brief stay in jail and a fine (390-391).

The veteran recall mentioned in O.R. came at about the same time that this incident happened. It could be that the pillaging incident mentioned by Thatcher, above, was used as an excuse; the Chief of Cavalry wanted the Second Michigan back, anyway (O.R., s.1, v.32, pt.3, 255-258). See my blog post.

Thatcher quotes camp records showing that the veterans left for home on April 14, 1864, and that they returned some time after the non-veterans moved on Resaca and Kennesaw, participating in actions in Georgia (184).

Also see: James H. Wilson, Chief of the Cavalry Bureau, Washington, to Edwin M. Stanton, 4 April 1864 (in O.R.).

_______________________________________

Citations:
Marshall P. Thatcher, A Hundred Battles in the West: St. Louis to Atlanta, 1861-1865: The Second Michigan Cavalry, (Detroit: Marshall P. Thatcher, 1884), 182-183, 364, 390-391.

Official Records, Series 1, Volume 32, Part 3 (Correspondence, etc.), 271.

Official Records, Series 1, Volume 32, Part 3 (Correspondence, etc.), 255-258.



RELATED, THIS BLOG: 

http://musescivilwar.blogspot.com/2016/08/sherman-gives-control-of-army-to-thomas.html

Correspondence (blog post, with O.R. reference): James H. Wilson, Chief of the Cavalry Bureau, Washington, to Edwin M. Stanton, 4 April 1864.
http://musescivilwar.blogspot.com/2016/07/correspondence-jh-wilson-chief-of.html

Posts about Furloughs and Incentives

Sunday, August 21, 2016

Sherman Gives Control of Army to Thomas. Wants Furloughed Vets to Return, April 1864

Sherman Gives Control of Army to Thomas. Wants Furloughed Vets to Return

Sherman Gives Control of Army to Thomas
Hdqrs. Military Division of the Mississippi, Nashville, April 6, 1864.

Sherman to Thomas (Comdg. Department of the Cumberland, Chattanooga):

 (Army will) "retain control over our furloughed veterans."
"I have ordered, through the State authorities, all absentees to come forward at once, or at furthest at the expiration of their furloughs. I have also sent forward to General Schofield a division of 5,000 infantry (Hovey's), which once at or near Hiwassee will enable you to draw below that river all of the Fourth Corps heretofore detached. These changes simply give you the absolute control of the Army of the Cumberland proper, in a shape that will enable you to handle and control it perfectly."

Official Records, Series 1, Volume 32, Part 3 (Correspondence, etc.), 271-272.
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152650/m1/280/

________________________________________

Men Protest Suspension of Furlough; Offer to Reenlist if Furloughed.

Men protest the army's plan to retain control over furloughed veterans (not allowing reenlisting veterans to furlough). Men say they will reenlist if they can get the furlough.

Official Records, Series 1, Volume 32, Part 3, 60.
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152650/m1/69/?q=furlough________________________________________

RELATED: FURLOUGH, STATE OF CAVALRY; OTHER CORRESPONDENCE

Condition of Cavalry, Furloughs, and Horse Problems
Grierson to Thomas, April 18, 1864.
Eight regiments under Grierson's command have furloughed. Suggestion for setting price for northern horses and impressing horses if citizens won't accept the price. Mount all men in unit or else dismount and train them as infantry.

Official Records, Series 1, Volume 32, Part 3, 406-407.
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152650/m1/415/


The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 32, In Three Parts. Part 3, Correspondence, etc.
____________________________________

Sunday, July 31, 2016

Correspondence: J.H. Wilson, Chief of Cavalry Bureau, USA, to E.M. Stanton, Secretary of War, 1864

Correspondence: James H. Wilson, Chief of the Cavalry Bureau, Washington, to Edwin M. Stanton, 4 April 1864.
http://bit.ly/OR_1-32-3-JH-Wilson-to-EM-Stanton-1864

On April 4, 1864, J.H. Wilson, Chief of the Cavalry Bureau [since Feb. 1864] writes to E.M. Stanton, Secretary of War, discussing details and assignments of the mounted cavalry of the Department of the Cumberland (28 regiments cavalry; 7 regiments mounted infantry). He directs that certain regiments of several brigades "be mounted and equipped and returned to duty before any more new regiments are supplied" (255).

Regiments to be equipped:

FIRST DIVISION

First Brigade:
(1) Second Michigan Cavalry
(2) Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry

Second Brigade:
(1) Second Indiana Cavalry
(2) Fourth Indiana Cavalry
(3) First Wisconsin Cavalry

Third Brigade:
(1) Seventh Kentucky Cavalry
(2) First Tennessee Cavalry

SECOND DIVISION

First Brigade:
(1) Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry
(2) Fourth Michigan Cavalry
(3) Fourth U.S. Cavalry
(4) Fifth Iowa Cavalry
(5) Third Indiana Cavalry

Second Brigade:
(1) First Ohio Cavalry
(2) Third Ohio Cavalry
(3) Fourth Ohio Cavalry
(4) Tenth Ohio Cavalry
(5) Second Kentucky Cavalry

Third Brigade:
(1) Seventeenth Indiana Mounted Infantry
(2) Seventy-Second Indiana Mounted Infantry
(3) Ninety-Second Illinois Mounted Infantry
(4) One Hundred and Twenty-Third Illinois Mounted Infantry
(5) Third Kentucky Cavalry
(6) Eighth Iowa Cavalry

"The Second Michigan, Ninth Pennsylvania, Second Indiana, and First Wisconsin have all signified their willingness to re-enlist if they can be furloughed, but at present they cannot be spared from duty" (256).

Knoxville and Strawberry Plains: "...the cavalry was almost entirely used up, the horses almost starved to death..." (256).
6,000 - 9,000 horses required.
Arms: Spencer or Sharps carbine.

Special note concerning poor organization of certain Tennessee regiments; new order will override plans of Governor [Andrew] Johnson [Military Gov. of Tenn., 1862-1865] who was in process of requesting that these inferior regiments be equipped. [Later in the doc., and explanation appears to be that new Tennessee units are forming, but will be untrained, inferior to veterans]. Regarding Tennessee cavalry:

"Regarding the efficiency of these Tennessee regiments there is but one opinion. With the exception of the First Tennessee, they are all worthless" (256).

(In March): Cavalry, Dept. of the Ohio, concentrated at Louisville, Kentucky.

Plans for direct communication between generals commanding the Cavalry Bureau is submitted (duties of officers, recuperation of horses, rations, surplus stores, arms, return of horses from citizens, discourage use of mounted infantry, etcetera). [See text].

Criticism of Colonel Wolford (under General Schofield).

Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 32, Pt. 3, Chp. 44 (Correspondence, Etc.--Union) [Washington: Government Printing Office, 1891], 255-258 [Wilson to Stanton: Washington, 4 April 1864].

Short URL: http://bit.ly/OR_1-32-3-JH-Wilson-to-EM-Stanton-1864

Full Citation (general info, for series).

Subjects: Cavalry, Condition of Cavalry, Starvation, Army of the Cumberland, Organization of Army

Sherman to Thomas (Correspondence, April 1864) Organization of Army. Furloughed Veterans Recalled.

Correspondence of William T. Sherman to George H. Thomas, April 1864: Organization of the Army of the Cumberland, with Discussions of Cavalry (Furloughed Veterans Recalled) and Corps (Plans for Placement of Three Wings, Cleveland, Chattanooga, and Stevenson):

On April 6, 1864, Major-General William T. Sherman writes from Headquarters, Military Division of the Mississippi, to Maj. Gen. Geo. H. Thomas, Comdg. Department of the Cumberland, Chattanooga, advising him of changes in Thomas's command. Furloughed veterans are retained. Hovey's Division of 5,000 infantry will move to the Hiwassee River, relieving the previously detached Fourth Corps. Thomas will have complete control of the army. His left will be Cleveland [Tennessee], his Center will be Chattanooga, and his right will be Stevenson [Alabama]. He discusses communication routes (Nashville to Columbia [Tenn.]). Reserve mounted-cavalry positions for the best men.

Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 32, Pt. 3 (Correspondence, Etc.--Union), Chp. 44, 271-272 (Sherman to Thomas, Nashville, 6 April 1864).
http://bit.ly/OR_1-32-3-Sherman-to-Thomas-1864-army-organization