The fighting 2 45exasperated Lincoln had had enough. When
Buell announced that he preferred to restore
his supply base in Nashville instead of
chasing Rebels, the President replaced him
with Major-General William Rosecrans.
Lincoln wanted generals who would seize
the initiative and, for a while, it appeared as if
he had chosen the wrong man. Rosecrans
planned painstakingly, and when Lincoln
urged him to advance on the enemy, he
refused to budge until everything was in order.
Finally, Rosecrans moved out of Nashville with
42,000 men the day after Christmas. Despite
skillful harassment by Rebel cavalry, Rosecrans
pressed on toward Chattanooga and Bragg's
army. On 30 December 1862, the armies
confronted each other around Stones River,
just north of Murfreesboro.
Strangely enough, Rosecrans and Bragg
formed the same plan: to turn their
opponents' right flank and get in their rear.
Bragg got a jump on the Federals the next day,
attacking first. His people roared down on the
Yankee flank and pushed it back, but the
Confederates could not get around Rosecrans's
rear. On New Year's Day, the two sides
skirmished. On the following day, though,
Bragg attacked on the other side of the field.
Although his men gained some high ground,
they suffered heavy losses from Yankeeartillery. As Union reinforcements arrived the
next day, Bragg knew he must fall back.
At the Battle of Stones River, Rosecrans
suffered 31 percent casualties, while Bragg
lost a third of his men. Together, these were
the highest proportionate losses in a single,
major battle throughout the war. In victory,
it took months for Rosecrans's Army of the
Cumberland to recover. In defeat, dissension
over Bragg worsened, but Johnston refused
to take over, fearing the perception of him
replacing Bragg with himself.
Farther to the west. Grant's reputation
plummeted after the debacle at Shiloh.
When Halleck stepped in to oversee the
Corinth campaign, Grant had nothing to do.
After pondering for some time, he decided
to ask Halleck to relieve him. Fortunately,
Sherman talked Grant out of leaving, and
six weeks later, authorities ordered Halleck to
Henry W. Halleck who was Grant's commander during the
Forts Henry and Donelson campaign, supplanted him after
Shiloh. A critic of Grant his appointment as commanding
general restored Grant to command. He later served
under Grant as chief of staff. (Library of Congress)Washington and appointed him general-
in-chief. Grant resumed charge of his
old army. Patience had won Grant an
opportunity to restore his name.
Back east, too. Grant won a reprieve.
llalleck's ascension to the office of
general-in-chief in the summer of 1862
improved his standing with the authorities
in Washington. The new commanding
general arrived in the nation's capital as a
moderately strong Grant proponent. Halleck
publicly exonerated him for his actions at
Shiloh. After his own experiences in
command at Corinth, Halleck had softened
his initial criticism of Grant, Although he
'is careless of his command,' Halleck
commented to Secretary of the Treasury
Salmon P. Chase, he evaluated Grant 'as a
good general and brave in battle.'