“In Indiana McDowell reports that Jacob Loomis’ Ohio Division is surrounded at Terre Haute. He says he’s pulling back the rest of his divisions, except for Sheridan’s, to defend Indianapolis. He thinks Sheridan has enough men to contain the Confederates on the leftmost part of his line running down to Madison, Indiana on the Ohio River. His main concern is holding Indianapolis.”
“I don’t like the sound of any of that,” said Thad Stevens. “What was Pope’s division doing ‘marching without orders?’ And why is McDowell retreating into Indianapolis instead of fighting the Confederates where they attacked him?”
“What I want to know is how the Confederates got their men across the Wabash,” said Senator Ben Wade. “Whose responsibility was it to guard the river?”
“It’s McDowell’s front,” answered Secretary of War Simon Cameron.
“McDowell is asking for the release of the partially trained reserve army we have at Camp Dennison,” said Lincoln. “He wants us to send the men to Indianapolis without delay.”
“I don’t know about that,” objected Senator Ben Wade. “If McDowell can’t fight with the men he already has, I don’t see the sense in sending him any more. If he is defeated I’d rather have a new army intact at Columbus.”
“Has Grant asked for the release of our reserve army at Chicago?” asked Congressman William Vandever of Iowa.
“No,” answered Lincoln.
“Then I place more confidence in Grant than I do in McDowell,” said Thad Stevens. “Maybe we should relieve McDowell and promote somebody into command of his army who knows how to fight the way Grant does.”
“What do you think, Cump?” John asked his brother who had been studying the wall map.
Cump, recognizing that most of those present had not yet become acquainted with him, chose his words carefully.
“At this time we don’t have enough information to make any very definite decisions. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take precautions. No harm will be done in getting the reserve armies at Chicago and Columbus ready to move if we should decide to deploy them. I’d suggest placing a couple of trains on standby. Issue ammunition and five days’ cooked rations. If we decide to release the men to McDowell or Grant we want them ready to go into go into action as soon as they arrive.”
“Any objections to Sherman’s idea?” asked Lincoln.
“I have none,” said Stevens. “But you will please consult with us before making a decision on whether to release the men at Chicago and Columbus. We should only send them to reinforce a successful battle, not a losing one.”
“I take it that we’ve decided not to send McDowell reinforcements until we get more clarity on his situation,” said Ohio Senator Ben Wade. “That worries me. It sounds from his telegrams that he has more trouble than he can handle. Why don’t we send him the reinforcements now when he needs them rather than wait to send them after he is defeated when it will be too late.”
“It was his negligence in failing to guard the Wabash that made all this trouble,” insisted Thad Stevens. “I say that if we need to send reinforcements to the scene then we must first relieve the general whose mistakes made those reinforcements necessary.”
“Relieving an army general in the heat of battle is difficult,” advised Cump Sherman. “Let McDowell finish the battle first. Then we can decide whether to relieve him after the results are known.”
John Sherman had been pacing restlessly. “Here’s my suggestion: Let’s send Cump to Columbus to get the reserve army is ready to move. Let’s give Sherman the order to move that army into Indianapolis, but to maintain it as a separate command independent of McDowell. Who is in command of that army now?”
“General Ormsby Mitchel,” answered Secretary of War Cameron.
“I know him well,” said Sherman. “He’s a most competent military professional.”
“I second that,” said Ben Wade. “I can’t vouch for his military acumen, but he is well known and well respected in Ohio for his leadership in expanding scientific research. I’m assuming a man of his intelligence, who is also a West Point graduate, will fight his men well.”
“Then let’s send Sherman to Columbus with an order for the Ohio army to march to Indianapolis as an independent command,” said Thad Stevens. “Sherman and Mitchel can consult with McDowell and decide afterward how to fight the army. But it must be made clear that the reserve army is an independent command not subject to McDowell’s orders. Let’s use that army to help McDowell fight the Confederates and drive them back. After we fight the battle we can decide what to do about McDowell.”
“Does that sound like a reasoned plan?” Lincoln asked Cump.
“It does.”
“Then let us write the orders as Senators Sherman and Congressman Stevens advise: Cump Sherman will go to Columbus and help Ormsby Mitchel prepare his army for movement to Indianapolis. The army is to move as soon as possible. It will remain under Mitchel’s command. Mitchel will fight the army in coordination with McDowell but independently of his command.”
“One other thing,” suggested Stevens. “Have Sherman leave with a contingency order in hand for the relief of McDowell if he judges the situation to be irretrievably lost. Let Mitchel assume command of the entire Indiana force if nothing can be salvaged there.”
“Are there any objections to this plan?” asked Lincoln.
The Cabinet members, Senators, and Congressmen murmured what Lincoln took to be their assent.
“Mr. Hay, please write the orders as we have discussed them.” Lincoln repeated the orders while Hay jotted them down. When Hay finished Lincoln passed the written copy of the orders around to Secretary of War Cameron, Senators Sherman and Wade, Congressman Stevens, and Cump. After securing their approval he and Secretary of War Cameron signed the orders.
The President turned to Cump. “The Secretary of War will write you a pass on the next train to Columbus. I’d like you to leave right away. If no train is scheduled to leave tonight then the Secretary of War will charter one for you.”
16
Mattoon, Illinois, October 4, 1861
“Sorry, sir, we can’t go any further,” shouted the stationmaster above the roar of the rain pounding on the station roof. “We’ve got trains backed up all the way from the Wabash to the Mississippi. Can’t clear ‘em south until Terre Haute falls. Can’t move ‘em North until Urbana folds.”
If we don’t get those trains moving this will become another ‘Gettysburg,’ Lee thought, with uncharacteristic pessimism. He looked outside the station window at the howling gale and pouring rain. The wagon road running beside the railroad had been churned into sucking mud by the passing of his Confederate armies since the deluge had begun yesterday afternoon. Nobody would be going anywhere by road until the rain stopped and the sun came out to dry the earth.
I command the most powerful military force ever assembled on this continent. I achieved complete surprise with it by attacking the enemy where he did not expect. But all of that effort is made impotent by our failure to seize the railroad junctions necessary for its forward movement and resupply in inclement weather. My men are hungry and wet. They will take sick if they don’t receive shelter and victuals. So much can go wrong in war!
“Have any messages arrived from the front?” Lee asked the stationmaster.
“Not yet, sir” answered the stationmaster, for the third time that day. “Until the weather clears, messengers can’t return from the front any easier than they can go forward.”
Lee nodded. “Yes, I should have learned that by now.”
The stationmaster walked Lee to the door and saluted. He was a sergeant, one of the men that Braxton Bragg had appointed to expedite the movement of men and supplies to the front.
“How long have you been in the army?” Lee asked.
“Two months,” replied the stationmaster. “I managed the passenger loadings for the railroad in New Orleans. General Bragg thought I could be of use in the war up here and brought me along with him. I wish I could be of some use now, but I don’t know what else I can do until we get into Terre Haute and open the return loop into Vincennes, or until we can push some trains north past Urbana.”