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16 An Aura of Vanity The Road to Chattanooga FOR six WEEKS the Army of the Cumberland remained in and around Tullahoma as the Federalsrepaired bridges, stockpiled supplies, and established forward depots. Rosecrans maintained frequent personal inspections, one of the hallmarks of his popularity with the troops. "He had a kind word with the boys in every regiment and shook hands with every commander. He is a very pleasant man," observed D. B. Griffin of the 2d Minnesota. Rosecrans's attempt to accumulate twenty days' rations proved unsuccessful. The rolling stock of the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad was limited, and its track width did not permit the use of Northern engines. Authorities went in search of five locomotives of five-foot gauge and contracted for a hundred cars to be built, but this would take time. On August 14, the day before the army moved forward, the XX and XXI Corps had accumulated about eighteen days' rations and five or six of forage, but the XIV had only eight days' rations and five of forage. It had to do.1 The medical department organized a unique hospital train, with four passenger cars (two fitted with bunks) and a boxcar for cooking. In mid-September two specially built hospital cars also arrived, giving the train a total capacity of 120patients. The hospital at Murfreesboro was broken up and all eighteen hundred beds sent to Stevenson, with a smaller hospital for the short-term ill at Bridgeport.2 While at Winchester, the Federals captured a young Confederate lieutenant in civilian clothes. Rosecrans became personally involved and offered the man a deal to escape certain hanging. He was to return to Bragg and tell him that the Army of the Cumberland would enter East Tennessee above Chattanooga. Rosecrans even went about giving phony orders so that the lieutenant could overhear and be convinced . The army commander placed great store in the scheme, but there is no indication that it in any way influenced Bragg, if indeed the officer ever got back to him.3 1. OR, 30(1)150, 30(3)128-29, 84,171; Griffin to wife, Aug.13,1863, in Albertson, Letters Home to Minnesota , letter 98; Rosecrans, "Campaign for Chattanooga,"130; Rosecrans, "Mistakes of Grant," 583. 2. "Extracts from a Memorandum of Events in the Campaigns of the Army of the Cumberland about Chattanooga,"Surgeon General'sOffice, Medical and Surgical History, 1(2)1287,289. 3. Rosecrans, "Rosecranson Chattanooga,"National Tribune, Mar. 25,1882. 286 DAYS OF GLORY Several leadership changes occurred in the army. Rousseau, on a mission in Washington to mount his division, turned over command to newly promoted Brigadier General Starkweather, recently returned from furlough in Wisconsin. "This gentleman has been mourning over the ingratitude of Republics ever since the battle of Perryville; but, henceforth, he will, doubtless, feel better," noted John Beatty. Starkweather nonetheless remained physically broken, having been stricken with rheumatism, neuralgia, and diarrhea, from which he nearly died. Privately, he wished to run as a War Democrat in the Wisconsin's governor's race, but noted a member of the ist Wisconsin, his past would be brought up, "and we all know what that is [drinking?]."4 Starkweather soon returned to his brigade, with the division going to Brigadier General Baird, formerly of Granger's corps. Brigadier General Steedman succeeded Baird, thus leaving a vacancy at Second Brigade in Brannan's division. The senior colonel, twenty-six-year-old Yale-educated John Croxton, described by George Thomas as "the best soldier Kentucky has furnished to the war," received the command . Turchin, removed from command of his cavalry division and "considerably cast down in spirit," accepted a brigade in Reynolds's division, swapping commands with Brigadier General Crook. James G. Spears, the brutal, hotheaded brigadier commanding the Third (East Tennessee) Brigade, Third Division, Granger's corps, returned to his command following his leave of absence, despite the petition of his officers to the contrary. To Beatty's dismay the inept McCook retained command of XX Corps—"he looks, if possible, more like a blockhead than ever, and it is astonishing to me that he should be permitted to retain command of a corps for a single hour."5 All was not business that August. One pleasant day McCook and his division commanders, along with their staffs, "sat out on the lawn on camp stools smoking and having a good time." Although initially subdued, the generals "soon broke out into jokes and funny stories." According to...

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