-
XV. Victory
- Louisiana State University Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
CHAPTER FIFTEEN VICTORY homas' victory brightened the situation for the Northern high command. Lee now commanded the only sizeable Confederate army in existence—the North had two forces, Thomas' and Sherman's, with which the generals could do literally what they wished. Sherman might march through South Carolina and North Carolina to join Grant, or take transports from Savannah directly to City Point. Thomas was resting in the West with a successful army and almost no opposition. He too could march where he pleased, or have all or part of his force join Grant. The possible alternatives were happy ones for Lincoln and Grant, but any decision reached would create more work for Halleck. If Sherman marched north he would have to be supplied, if Thomas shifted part of his troops east, transportation would have to be arranged, and Halleck would administer all the activities. But the duties would not be difficult; he had learned to handle them almost unconsciously . With Confederate resistance down to a minimum the command system was ideally suited for the situation. Grant would make the decisions, Halleck would handle administration, while Sherman and Thomas would carry them out. There would be little wasted effort or confusion. After Sherman took Savannah, Grant's inclination was to bring his army to City Point by sea. Halleck argued that Sherman should make his next move "another wide swath through the center of the Confederacy." Sherman agreed, contending that a march through T Victory 197 the Carolinas was "as much a direct attack upon Lee's army as though we [were] operating within the sound of his artillery." Grant finally concurred and early in 1865 Sherman left on another march of destruction. Halleck sent supplies to Savannah and after Sherman shoved off shifted his attention to aiding the general with other methods. He told Lieber not to worry about Sherman. "Lee and Johnston combined cannot hurt" such an army, he said: "I first organized that army & know it well. It was trained very differently from the Army of the Potomac. Its general never had 75 wagons to carry the luggage of his Head Qrs, nor were its officers ever permitted to take their wives with them in the field."1 During the fall of 1864 the Navy Department had proposed to Halleck a scheme for capturing Wilmington, North Carolina. The Chief of staff rejected the plan, but sent the Assistant Secretary of the Navy down to City Point to confer with Grant. "I think," Halleck told Grant before the official arrived, "we have more irons now than we can keep from burning."* Grant, however, approved a joint land and naval expedition against Fort Fisher, which guarded Wilmington harbor. The expedition would give employment to troops otherwise remaining idle, and would close the last open Confederate port. Then to everyone's consternation, Butler, who still commanded the department in which Wilmington was located, asserted his right to lead the land forces and give general direction to the whole expedition. He would take a "torpedo ship," a vessel filled with explosives, run it up to the side of Fort Fisher, detonate it, and dramatically lead his troops through the resulting holes. In December Butler made his try and failed miserably. Halleck and Sherman, who had been exchanging bitter telegrams prophesying failure for Butler, were amused. Halleck sarcastically exclaimed: "Thank God, I had nothing to do with it, except to express the opinion that Butler's torpedo ship would have about as much effect on the forts as if he should at them." * 1 Halleck to Lieber, March 5, 1865, Lieber Collection; O.R., Ser. I, XLVII, Part 2, p. 3; Lewis, Sherman, 471. 2 O.R., Set. I, XLII, Part 2, p. 624. 8 Ibid., XLVII, Part 2, p. 3. [3.235.243.45] Project MUSE (2024-03-28 09:47 GMT) 198 HenryWager Halleck Seven days later Halleck finally saw Butler removed from his command;4 and as soon as Butler left the department Halleck prepared to shift Schofield's corps from Thomas to the North Carolina coast. From there the corps would move inland and join with Sherman as he made his way north. In less than a month Halleck, using the North's material resources and sea power to full advantage, had moved the corps from Tennessee to New Bern, North Carolina. He directed the whole movement and pushed it through without a major hitch.5 The ease with which it was accomplished only highlighted what Thomas' victory had...