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n this he received at first faint encouragement； which soon ceased altogether。
On March 1st Halleck； as Commander…in…Chief of the Armies of the United States； wrote a letter； sending a copy to Rosecrans and Grant； offering the position of the then vacant major…generalship in the regular army； to the general in the field who should first achieve an important and decisive victory。 Grant very quietly folded up the letter； put it by for future reference； and proceeded with the plans of his campaign； saying nothing。 To Rosecrans's open； impulsive； and honorable nature； engaged with all his powers in furthering the interests of the Government and the general welfare of his command； this letter was an insult； and he treated it accordingly。 On March 6th he prepared his reply； and forwarded it to Washington。 In this letter he informs the General…in…Chief that； 〃as an officer and as a citizen；〃 he felt 〃degraded at such an auctioneering of honors；〃 and then adds： 〃Have we a general who would fight for his own personal benefit when he would not for honor and for his country？ He would come by his commission basely in that case； and deserve to be despised by men of honor。 But are all the brave and honorable generals on an equality as to chances？ If not； it is unjust to those who probably deserve most。〃
The effect of this letter was to widen the breach between the authorities at Washington and Rosecrans。 Halleck's letter and Rosecrans's reply were both characteristic of the men。 Halleck； fresh from the results of a large law practice in Californiaprincipally devoted to the establishment of the validity of land grants in favor of his clients； in the success of which large contingent fees were gainedsaw nothing improper in such an offer to an officer of sufficient ability and standing to be in command of one of the armies of the United States。 With Rosecrans； all the honest； generous impulses of a high…principled； honorable gentleman； who had imperiled his life on many a battlefield； fighting solely from a sense of duty to his country； led to the expression of his contempt for the author of such an offer。 The mistake that Halleck made was in thinking that what would prove a tempting offer to a man like himself； would be so to Rosecrans。 No one will attempt to maintain the wisdom of Rosecrans's course as a matter of policy； however much they may sympathize with and admire the spirit of his letter。 It was an impolitic letter； and one that aided in drawing the ill…will and resentment of Halleck and Stanton upon him in full force later。
From this time forward； all the requests of Rosecrans for the improvement of the efficiency of his army were treated with great coolness； and in many instances it was only after the greatest importunity that he was able to secure the least attention to his recommendations for the increased usefulness of his command。 His repeated applications for more cavalry； and that they be armed with revolving rifles； were treated with little attention。 In the meantime nearly every communication from Washington intimated that he was unnecessarily delaying his advance upon Bragg in his works at Shelbyville and Tullahoma。 Grant； on his Vicksburg campaign； became very anxious for the advance of the Army of the Cumberland； to engage Bragg and prevent reinforcements being sent from him to Pemberton or Johnston； operating on his front and rear； and urged Rosecrans to move； and wrote to Halleck； requesting him to direct an advance of the Army of the Cumberland on Bragg's position。 Rosecrans regarded it for the best interest of the country for his army to remain constantly threatening Bragg； in order to hold the entire army of the latter in his immediate front； and also in the event of the defeat of Grant； and a concentration of the enemy on Rosecrans's position； that he should be close to his base； his army being then the reserve。 If an advance succeeded in driving Bragg from Tullahoma； a greater danger than his remaining inactive on our front might ensue。 To Bragg； the occupancy of Middle Tennessee was of sufficient importance to justify him in remaining inactive with his entire command； waiting for the advance of Rosecrans some six months。 If driven from Tennessee； his troops were ready to unite with the command in Mississippi and defeat Grant's movements。 If Bragg could be held in Tennessee after until after Grant's success was assured； then； by waiting at Murfreesboro with his army quiet； Rosecrans could render better service than by moving on the enemy。 This was a matter of military judgment； on one side espoused by Rosecrans and all his corps and division commanders； who were on the ground； and on the other by Halleck； Stanton； and Grant； and this question served to increase the feeling against Rosecrans in those quarters。 Bragg also considered that his presence on the front of the Federal army would prevent any troops from it being sent to aid Grant。 And thus the year wore away until early summer。 Still another consideration with Rosecrans； was the character of the soil in Tennessee from a short distance south of Murfreesboro to the foot of the Cumberland Mountains。 This was a light sandy loam； that in winter and spring； during the rains of those seasons； became like quicksand； allowing the artillery and wagon to sink almost to the hub； and rendering the rapid movement of a large army absolutely impossible。
During the early part of June； Rosecrans commenced placing his troops in position； preparatory to a general advance。 He ordered the brigade that had been encamped at Gallatin； under General Ward； to Lavergne； and despatched Gordon Granger to take post at Triune； moving his command from Franklin up to that place。 Crook was ordered from Carthage to report to Murfreesboro； and on his arrival； was placed in Reynolds's division。 Rosecrans organized a reserve corps； consisting of three divisions designated as First； Second； and Third； under Baird； J。 D。 Morgan； and R。 S。 Granger； respectively； and he assigned Gordon Granger to the command of this corps。
Early in June； Garfield； then Chief…of…Staff of the General commanding； urged Rosecrans to make an advance movement； both as a military and political measure with reference to the sentiment of the North。 General Rosecrans had matured his plans for an advance； but decided to refer the question to his general officers in command of corps and divisions。 The matter being submitted to them； the universal sentiment of these officers was that the movement should be further delayed。 However； on the 23rd of June； Rosecrans having made all necessary arrangements for his command； according to his plans； and learning of the favorable prospects at Vicksburg； and of the movement of the force under Burnside into East Tennessee to take and hold Knoxville； issued the necessary orders for the advance of his army on that of the enemy。
Chapter X。
The Advance on Tullahoma。
At the time of the advance of the Army of the Cumberland； Polk's corps of Bragg's army occupied the main position at Shelbyville； strongly intrenched behind heavy works thrown up during the six months of waiting。 These added to the natural strength of the position； and extended from Horse Mountain on the east； to Duck River on the west； and were covered by a line of abattis。 The town was noted for the strong Union sentiment of its inhabitants； of which fact the rebels took full advantage to the loss and distress of the people。 It is situated about twenty…five miles south of Murfreesboro； and some twenty miles North of Tullahoma； on a branch railroad from the main Nashville line； starting west from Wartrace。 Bragg's right was posted at Wartrace； with Hardee's corps occupying the passes at Liberty； Hoover； and Bellbuckle Gaps。 These gaps were all held by strong forces of the enemy； supported by the main command。 Polk had an advance in Guy's Gap with his entire command in supporting distance。 Bragg's extreme right was protected by cavalry with headquarters at McMinnville； while his cavalry on the left； under Forrest； had headquarters at Columbia； threatening Franklin。
At this time the main base of supplies of the enemy was at Chattanooga； to which the entire country south of Duck River had been made tributary。 From Duck River； south； the country is rough； with rocky ranges of hills； which divide the 〃barrens〃 from the fertile parts of Middle Tennessee。 These 〃barrens〃 constitute a high rolling plateau of ground between the ranges of hills at Duck River and the Cumberland Mountains。 It is here that the soil during a rainy season offers the greatest obstacle to active campaigning。 Situated on the 〃barrens；〃 at the junction of the McMinnville branch with the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad； was Tullahoma； a small straggling village； where Bragg had established his main depot and made a large intrenched camp。 The defiles of Duck River； a deep； narrow stream with but few fords or bridges； covered its front； with a rough rocky range of hills immediately south of the river。 The principal roads as they passed through these hills bore southwardly toward the line of the enemy's communications and Tullahoma。 The Manchester pike passed through Hoover's Gap and reached the 〃barre