Chickamauga

255

high-spirited gentleman, but it was impolitic thusto show his contempt for his superior officer; itset not only Halleck, hut the despotic and passion-ate Stanton against him . 1 Perhaps Grant’s coldsilence was not less eloquent, but he presentlywon such a triumph at Vicksburg as made it oflittle account how Halleck felt.

In May, when Johnston was straining everynerve to raise a force to relieve Vicksburg , thequestion arose whether Rosecrans ought not atonce to move against Bragg, to keep him fromsparing any of his men for such a purpose. Hal-

1 If Stanton and Halleck had expected to find in Kosecrans amore docile and submissive general than Buell, they were greatlymistaken. Of course I am not here speaking of military subordi-nation, but of the abdication of individual judgment, which is avery different thing. Perhaps they may now have been able, bythe comparative method, to get some light on the subject ofBuell’s alleged “ slowness.” During the first eight months underRosecrans, from October, 1862, to June, 1863, the Army of theCumberland marched about 32 miles and fought the battle ofStone river. In the preceding eight months under Buell the samearmy had marched

from Louisville to Nashville

185 miles

from Nashville to Corinth

217

U

from Corinth to Battle Creek

217

it

thence via Nashville to Louisville

336

U

thence circuitously in pursuit ofBragg, and back to Nashville 485

it

In all, 1440 miles, besides fighting the battles of Shiloh and Perry-ville. See Fry, The Army under Buell , p. 76.