ADDRESS TO THE ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE
DELIVERED AT THE NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT, G. A. R.
WASHINGTON, D. C., OCTOBER, 1902
BY MAJOR-GENERAL GRENVILLE M. DODGE
_Comrades of the Army of the Tennessee_:
On the 28th of August, 1861, General U. S. Grant was assigned to duty in
command of the District of Southeast Missouri, with headquarters at Cairo,
Ill., and here commenced the organization and growth of the Army of the
Tennessee. It remained under his personal command, or as a unit of his
great Army, from the beginning until the end of the war, except for two
short intervals, one after the great Battle of Donelson, and the other
after the greater Battle of Shiloh, both of which he won, and gave the
first great light and hope to our country; and it is hard now, after
reading all the records, to understand the reasons for his being relieved.
It appears to have been done through a misunderstanding, and with no
intention of doing injustice to General Grant.
Following General Grant as commander came General Sherman, a member of the
Army almost as long as General Grant. General Sherman was in direct
command, or the Army served under him as a unit of his greater Army, from
the time he assumed command until the end of the war.
After General Sherman came General McPherson, that ideal soldier, who
commanded the Army until he fell in the great Battle of Atlanta, on the
22d of July. Upon his death, General Logan took command of the Army, as
the senior officer present, and at the end of the battle of July 22d he
could say that he had met and defeated Hood's whole Army in the greatest
battle of that campaign.
Following General Logan came General O. O. Howard, the only General taken
from another Army to command it in all the history of the Army of the
Tennessee, or even any of its Corps. The next day after assuming command
General Howard led the Army into the great battle of the 28th of July,
which the Confederates said was not a battle, but a simple killing and
slaughtering of their forces. He remained in command until the end of the
Rebellion, and at the end of the war generously gave way to General Logan,
so that one of its original members might command it at the great review
here in Washington--an act that could come only from such a just and
thoughtful soldier as Howard.
I speak of our Army's commanders first, as an Army takes its habits and
character from its head; and probably no other Army in the world was so
fortunate as to have always at its head great soldiers and great
commanders, recognized as such the world over--two of them the peers of
any commander that ever stood up in a great conflict.
The Army of the Tennessee covered more ground in its campaigns than all
the other Armies combined, and all its campaigns were marked by some great
struggle, battle, or movement that challenged the admiration of the world.
First came Fort Donelson, next Vicksburg, and following that Chattanooga,
where it fought on both flanks in that great battle, one Division taking
the point of Lookout Mountain above the clouds. Then came the Atlanta
campaign; following that the strategical march to the sea; and, finally,
that bold movement from Savannah to Goldsboro, which is considered by the
best critics as one of the boldest and best-planned campaigns of
history--one in which every chance was taken, and every opportunity given
the enemy to concentrate upon an inferior force.
The record of this Army is probably the most satisfactory of any that ever
existed, as it was harmonious in all its parts and had no jealousies, each
of its units to the best of its ability helping the others. Again, it was
modest; it struck blow after blow, and let the world sing its praises. All
its campaigns were great successes, and it never lost a battle. All its
Army, Corps, Division, and Brigade commanders were exceptionally able men,
and were seldom relieved except to assume more important commands. Its
experiences were more varied than any other Army, for in its campaigns,
battles, and marches, reaching from the Missouri River to the Atlantic, at
Washington, over a territory two thousand miles long and five hundred
miles wide, it opened the Mississippi, it forced its way to the sea, it
was reviewed by the Government of the nation here in this city, and it
disbanded and the men went to their homes without causing an unpleasant
comment or a painful thought in all this broad land.
The Society of the Army of the Tennessee is endeavoring to perpetuate its
history and memories by erecting here in this capital of our great nation
monuments to the memory of its dead commanders which will place before the
world not only their deeds, but the great events in which our Army took so
important a part. First came General McPherson, as he was the first to
fall, in the great Battle of Atlanta. He fell just after watching the
attack in the rear on the Sixteenth Army Corps, which held the key to the
situation. He was a dear friend of mine; and the last words he spoke were
in praise of the fighting of that Corps. General Sherman, in reporting his
death, spoke of him as follows:
General McPherson fell in battle, booted and spurred, as the gallant
and heroic gentleman should wish. Not his the loss, but the country's,
and the army will mourn his death and cherish his memory as that of
one who, though comparatively young, had risen by his merit and
ability to the command of one of the best armies which the nation had
called into existence to vindicate her honor and integrity. History
tells of but few who so blended the grace and the gentleness of the
friend with the dignity, courage, faith and manliness of the soldier.
His public enemies, even the men who directed the fatal shot, never
spoke or wrote of him without expressions of marked respect. Those
whom he commanded loved him even to idolatry, and I, his associate and
commander, fail in words adequate to express my opinion of his great
worth.
General McPherson was so dear to our old Army that the great victory at
the Battle of Atlanta was never spoken of by our Army except to express
our great grief at the loss of our commander. His faith in what he could
accomplish with our Army was unbounded. He spoke of us on July 4, 1863, as
follows:
With tireless energy, with sleepless vigilance, by night and by day,
with battery and with rifle-pits, with trench and mine, you made your
sure approaches, until, overcome by fatigue and driven to despair in
the attempt to oppose your irresistible progress, the whole garrison
of over 30,000 men, with all their arms and munitions of war, have, on
this, the anniversary of our National Independence, surrendered to the
invincible troops of the Army of the Tennessee. The achievements of
this hour will give a new meaning to this memorable day, and Vicksburg
will brighten the glow of the patriot's heart which kindles at the
mention of Bunker Hill and Yorktown. This is indeed an auspicious day
for you. The God of Battle is with you. The dawn of a conquered peace
is breaking upon you. The plaudits of an admiring world will hail you
wherever you go, and it will be an ennobling heritage, surpassing all
riches, to have been of the Army of the Tennessee on the Fourth of
July, 1863.
Next we erected the statue, facing Pennsylvania Avenue, of General John A.
Rawlins, who, above all, represented the organization and spirit of our
great Army, and who shared its fortunes from beginning to end as Chief of
Staff of its first and greatest commander. In 1873, upon the death of
General Rawlins, General John A. Logan spoke of him thus:
But there is one whose tongue is now still in death whose name I
cannot forbear to mention; one who, though gone from our midst, is
with us in memory: for who can forget John A. Rawlins? Faithful in
every duty, true in every trust, though dead he is not forgotten;
though gone forever, yet he will ever live in affectionate remembrance
in the hearts of all who knew him. His name is woven in indelible
colors in the history of our country, and is linked with a fame that
is undying.
General Rawlins, in giving a history of the Army of the Tennessee, paid
this tribute to it:
In no army did the soldier enjoy greater liberty, consistent with
military discipline, than in the Army of the Tennessee, and in none
were his rights and his life more carefully guarded.
The subordination of the Army of the Tennessee to the policies and
acts of the Government affecting the institution of slavery in the
prosecution of the war, is worthy of the highest commendation. It had
no policy of its own to propose, but went forth, as expressed by the
legislative branch of the Government, to do battle in no spirit of
oppression, or for any purpose of conquest or subjugation, or purpose
of overthrowing or interfering with the rights or established
institutions of the States in rebellion; but to defend and maintain
the supremacy of the constitution, and to preserve the Union with all
the dignity, equality and rights of the several States unimpaired.
The Army of the Tennessee did great deeds in all the departments of
the States' service, and individually and collectively illustrated in
a peculiar manner the qualities of noble American character which
gained success in the field, preserved its fruits by subsequent
statesmanship, and by exalted virtue crowned victory with the
attributes of peace and justice.
In April, 1900, we unveiled the beautiful and life-like monument to
General John A. Logan, that brilliant, magnetic soldier, our comrade from
Cairo to Louisville. Of him, at the unveiling, President McKinley spoke as
follows:
Logan's career was unique. His distinction does not rest upon his
military achievements alone. His services in the Legislature of his
own State, in the National House of Representatives, and in the Senate
of the United States, would have given him an equally conspicuous
place in the annals of the country. He was great in the forum and in
the field.
He came out of the war with the highest military honors of the
volunteer soldier. Brilliant in battle and strong in military council,
his was also the true American spirit, for when the war was ended he
was quick and eager to return to the peaceful pursuits of civil life.
General Logan's love and devotion to us only ended with his life, and at
one of our reunions he characterized our work thus:
The Army of the Tennessee was not limited in its scope; the theater of
its operations and the extent of its marches, comprehending within
their bounds an area greater than Greece and Macedonia in their
palmiest days, and greater than most of the leading kingdoms of Europe
at the present day, reached from the Missouri River on the north
nearly to the Gulf of Mexico on the south, and from the Red River of
Louisiana to the Atlantic Ocean.
The friendship and loyalty of Sherman to Grant was the first great cause
of the success of both, and for the harmony that existed in the Army of
the Tennessee. Sherman fell under the command of Grant at Paducah, in the
spring of 1862, holding a small command. He was the ideal soldier, as he
dropped from a Department and Army commander to that of a post, and later
a Division, without a murmur. Sherman's first words to Grant, on February
15, 1862, were these:
I should like to hear from you, and will do everything in my power to
hurry forward to you reinforcements and supplies, and if I could be of
service myself would gladly come without making any question of rank
with you or General Smith, whose commissions are of the same date.
On the same date he wrote again:
Command me in any way. I feel anxious about you, as I know the great
facilities they [the enemy] have of concentration, by means of the
river and railroads, but have faith in you.
The monument to our old commander, General Sherman, is nearly complete. It
is upon these grounds we expect to unveil it next October, and, as
President of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, and as President of
the Commission which has in charge the erection of the monument, I give
you a cordial invitation to be present. You will receive due notice, and
proper arrangements will be made for the occasion, and you will meet here
your comrades of the Armies of the Cumberland, the Potomac, and the Ohio,
who have already signified their intention of being present to honor the
memory of our old commander.
And now, my comrades, it is with the greatest satisfaction that I say to
you that after seven years' continued effort, this year we obtained an
appropriation from Congress of $250,000 to be used in the erection of a
monument upon these grounds to General U. S. Grant, (and the model for it
will soon be selected,) to this modest, charitable, and just soldier and
statesman. The whole world has given its tribute. From those whom we
fought and defeated have come the most gallant words of praise and
touching sympathy. President Lincoln, above all others, recognized his
power and ability when he handed him his commission and gave him command
of all the Armies, and assured him that he should not in any way interfere
with him,--armed him with all the powers of the President, with _carte
blanche_ to use them as he saw fit. Grant made his answer at Appomattox,
bringing peace to our nation and gratitude to the conquered. General Grant
was a man of few words, and when called upon to speak of the Army of the
Tennessee, paid it this tribute:
As an Army, the Army of the Tennessee never sustained a single defeat
during four years of war. Every fortification which it assailed
surrendered. Every force arrayed against it was either defeated,
captured, or destroyed. No officer was ever assigned to the command of
that Army who had afterwards to be relieved from it, or to be reduced
to another command. Such a history is not accident.
And now, my comrades, one of our number who has left us by an assassin's
hand, whose heart, words and acts were ever for us, who from a Major in
our Army became the best-loved President of our nation, Comrade William
McKinley, at one of our gatherings paid this tribute to you:
It is recorded that in eighteen months' service the Army of the
Tennessee captured 80,000 men, with flags and arms, including 600
guns--a greater force than was engaged on either side in the terrible
battle of Chickamauga. From the fields of triumph in the Mississippi
Valley it turned its footsteps towards the eastern seaboard, brought
relief to the forces at Chattanooga and Nashville, pursued that
peerless campaign from Atlanta to the seaboard under the leadership of
the glorious Sherman, and planted the banners of final victory on the
parapets of Fort McAllister.
It is said that the old Army of the Tennessee never lost a battle and
never surrendered a flag. Its Corps badges--"forty rounds" of the
Fifteenth Corps; the fleeting arrow of the Seventeenth Corps; the
disc, from which four bullets have been cut, of the Sixteenth
Corps--are all significant of the awful business of cruel war, all of
them suggestive of the missiles of death.
It gave the Federal Army Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan; McPherson,
Howard, Blair, Logan, Hazen, John E. Smith, C. F. Smith, Halleck,
Rawlins, Prentiss, Wallace, Porter, Force, Leggett, Noyes,
Hickenlooper, C. C. Walcutt, and your distinguished President, who
flamed out the very incarnation of soldierly valor before the eyes of
the American people; all have a secure place in history and a secure
one in the hearts of their countrymen.
On this anniversary, as my closing words to you, two verses of General
John Tilson's tribute are most appropriate:
Ho! comrades of the brave old band, we gather here once more,
With smiling eye and clasping hand, to fight our battles o'er.
To quaff from out the brimming cup of old-time memory,
And bright relight the pathway of our old Tennessee.
As myriad sparks of war's romance our meetings warm inspire;
The heady fight, the anxious march, the jolly bivouac fire;
The days of doubt, of hope, of care, of danger, and of glee;
Oh, what a world of racy thought illumines Tennessee!
Our roster thins; as years pass on we drop off one by one;
Ere long, too soon, to yearly call, there will be answer--none;
Then as along the record page these mourning columns creep,
The whisper comes to closer still our living friendships keep.
Another thought we forward cast to that not distant day,
When left of all our gallant band will be one veteran gray,
And here's to him who meets alone--wherever he may be,
The last, the lone survivor of the grand old Tennessee.
[Illustration: MAJOR-GENERAL G. M. DODGE AND STAFF
Commanding the Army and Department of the Missouri.
Front Row--Colonel T. J. Haines, U. S. A., C. S.; Major-General G. M.
Dodge; Colonel William Myers, U. S. A., Q. M.; Colonel James H. Baker,
Tenth Minnesota, P. M. G. Back Row--Colonel Benjamin L. W. Bonneville, U.
S. A. (retired), C. S. of Musters, age 72; Captain William Holcke, A. D.
C, Chief of Engineers; Major J. F. Randolph, U. S. A., Surgeon; Captain
Frank Enos A. A. G.; Colonel John V. Dubois, A. D. C, Inspector-General;
Lieutenant Edward Jonas, Fiftieth Illinois, A. D. C.; Major John W.
Barnes, A. A. G.; Major Lucien Eaton, Judge Advocate; Lieutenant George C.
Tichenor, A. D. C.]