October 16, 1862 (Thursday): Buell Offers to Resign

Black Mountain, Near Crab Orchard, TN

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE OHIO,
October 16, 1862. (Received October 17.)
Major-General HALLECK, General-in-Chief:
   You are aware that between Crab Orchard and Cumberland Gap the country is almost a desert. The limited supply of forage which the country affords is consumed by the enemy as he passes. In the day and a half that we have been in this sterile region our animals have suffered exceedingly. The enemy has been driven into the heart of this desert and must go on, for he cannot exist in it. For the same reason we cannot pursue in it with any hope of overtaking him, for while he is moving back on his supplies and as he goes consuming what the country affords we must bring ours forward. There is but one road and that a bad one. The route abounds in difficult defiles, in which a small force can retard the progress of a large one for a considerable time, and in that time the enemy could gain material advantage in a move upon other points. For these reasons, which I do not think it necessary to elaborate, I deem it useless and inexpedient to continue the pursuit, but propose to direct the main force under my command rapidly upon Nashville, which General Negley reported to me as already being invested by a considerable force and toward which I have no doubt Bragg will move the main part of his army. The railroads are being rapidly repaired and will soon be available for our supplies. In the mean time I shall throw myself on my wagon transportation, which, fortunately, is ample. While I shall proceed with these dispositions, deeming them to be proper for the public interest, it is but meet that I should say that the present time is perhaps as convenient as any for making any changes that may be thought proper in the command of this army. It has not accomplished all that I had hoped or all that faction might demand; yet, composed as it is, one-half of perfectly new troops, it has defeated a powerful and thoroughly disciplined army in one battle and has driven it away baffled and dispirited at least, and as much demoralized as an army can be under such discipline as Bragg maintains over all troops that he commands. I will telegraph you more in detail in regard to the disposition of troops in Kentucky and other matters to-morrow.


D. C. BUELL,
Major-General.

Series I., Vol. 16, Part 2, Page 619.

Buell was a professional and well regarded.  But he had been forced by Bragg's invasion to evactuate central Tennessee to protect the Louisville and Cincinnati.  He had been ordered on the 30th of September to turn over his command to Thomas, but was reinstated the next day due to the pressing nature of the situation.  Buell pursued Bragg and fought a drawn battle at Perryville.  The public was not satisfied with his lack of an aggressive pursuit, and he would be replaced by Rosecrans.  Here is sees the writing on the wall and suggests the lull in action an opportune time to replace him.  Bragg, at the time of this letter, was in the process of falling back to eastern Tennessee.  The logistical problems presented by following him are well stated here.