May 1, 1862 - Thursday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Wood's Division

Pittsburg Landing 

After much consideration, General Halleck had finally made his plan for the reorganization of the armies, and gave the final order on April 30th:

SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS, No. 35

HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI

Pittsburg Landing, Tenn. April 30, 1862

 

 I. Major-General Thomas' division is hereby transferred from the Army of the Ohio to the Army of the Tennessee, and General Thomas will take command of the right wing, which will consist of his own and the divisions of Brigadier Generals W. T. Sherman, T. W. Sherman, S.A. Hurlbut, and T.A. Davies.

II.  The divisions of Major-General McClernand, Major-General Wallace, and one division from General Buell's army corps, to be designated by him, together with the heavy artillery, will constitute the reserve, to be commanded by Major-General McClernand.

III.  Brigadier-General Hamilton's reserve division of Major-General Pope's army will remain under General Pope's direction until further orders.

IV.  Major-General Grant will retain the general command of the District of West Tennessee, including the Army Corps of the Tennessee, and reports will be made to him as heretofore, but in the present movements he will act as second in command under the major-general commanding the department.

General Grant, by this order, was kept as commander of the district, but effectively was sidelined into a position much like a Vice President, having no direct command and no real input into the army's movements.  There in fact had recently been a push in Washington for Grant's dismissal; Lincoln would not do it: "I can't spare this man, he fights", Lincoln said.  Grant was not cashiered, but was so distressed at the new organization, he considered leaving the army, if not permanently, then at least for a leave of absence.  After a conversation with Sherman, he decided to stay.

General Buell was also very unhappy with this arrangement, having lost Thomas' division due to its transfer and also another division to the reserve.  Buell to Halleck: "You must excuse me for saying that. as it seems to me, you have saved the feelings of others very much to my injury".

It is not clear if the division that Buell sent to the reserves was Wood's.  In the end all of this restructuring would turn out to be a short term arrangement.  Preparations continued for the move toward Corinth, MS.

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume X, Chapter XXII, Part II, Correspondence,  pp. 134-157.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. p. 68.
  
• Shelby Foote: The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1, Fort Sumter to Perryville, pp. 372-375.
  
• Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Struggle Intensifies,  pp. 701-703.
  

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