November 29, 1862 - Saturday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Crittenden's Corps - Wood's Division - Wagner's Brigade 

While General Rosecrans was still working on the various issues he had found with his new army, he was regularly getting reminders that he is expected to move forward.  Here is a sample message from General Halleck:

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WAR DEPARTMENT,

  Washington, November 27, 1862

Major-General ROSECRANS, Nashville, TN:

 I have approved your requisition on the Engineer Department for more carts, drays, &c., but I must warn you against the piling up of impediments. Take a lesson from the enemy.  Move light, and supply yourself as much as possible with provisions, animals, forage,  transportation, &c., in the country you pass through.  If you remain long at Nashville, you will disappoint the wishes of the Government.

H. W. HALLECK, 

General-in-Chief.

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Army of the Cumberland

The previous Army of the Ohio had been renamed the Army of the Cumberland in the same order that elevated General Rosecrans to its command.  In late November, Rosecrans had put into place a reorganization of the army.  This is described by Peter Cozzens:

...Rosecrans concentrated on the reorganization of the army as a whole.  Its three wings were structured so as to approximate corps: the Left and Right Wing each contained three divisions of infantry and nine batteries of artillery; the Center contained four divisions and fourteen batteries,  three of which were unattached as a reserve.  Numbers varied.  The Right Wing mustered 15,832  present in early December, the Left Wing 14,308, and the Center 29,337.  A fifth division under Brigadier General Robert Mitchell, numbering 5,346, was detached for extended garrison duty in Nashville. 

It was no accident that the Center was the largest command in the army, or that it went to Thomas.  In fact, it was the price of his continued service in the department.  Thomas too had been offered command of the army now entrusted to Rosecrans.....

--Peter Cozzens, No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stones River, p. 21

 Thomas was ordered to assume command in the summer as doubts grew about Buell.  He had turned down the command at that time and Buell continued on.  Thomas had at times asked to be reassigned.   To remain, he needed to have more responsibility that the other corps commanders. 

Crittenden was in command of the Left Wing that included the 40th Indiana.

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XX, Chapter XXXII, Part II, Correspondence,  pp. 98-109.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. p. 89.
  
• Shelby Foote: The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1I, Fredericksburg to Meridian, pp. 1-81. 
• Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol 3. The Tide Shifts, pp, 600-603.
• Peter Cozzens, No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stones River, pp. 1-40.
  

 

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