Nashville

347

the vexations and misunderstandings which beseta commander would have kept him Grant’spatient for at least a week, especially lm i»t,ience.in dealing with a man of the known character andcalibre of Thomas. But Grant’s despatches fromCity Point to Nashville on December 2, 5, 6,and 8, show unusual anxiety and some irritation,along with an imperfect comprehension of the cir-cumstances, as in his second despatch of Decem-ber 2, in which he suggested that Thomas ought tohave advanced to Franklin instead of withdrawing:Schofield to Nashville . 1 On December 9 Grant’spatience gave way, and an order was written re-lieving Thomas and appointing Schofield in hisplace. The order was not sent, but a telegramfrom Halleck informed Thomas that Grant wasmuch dissatisfied with his delay. The grand oldsoldier calmly replied, “ I feel conscious that Ihave done everything in my power, and that thetroops could not have been got ready before this.If General Grant should order me to be relieved,I will submit without a murmur.” The same even-ing a telegram from Grant informed him that the

1 Nevertheless the despatch goes on to say,, with Grant’s cus-tomary candour, “ At this distance, however, I may err as to thebest method of dealing with the enemy.” Grant’s Memoirs, ii.382. If he had been on the spot, Grant would have seen that ourposition at Franklin could be much more easily turned by theenemy than our position at Nashville .