GDG- Re: Gettysburg Digest, Vol 36, Issue 32

[DPowell334 at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/25/2007 6:15:44 PM Central Standard Time, 
gettysburg-request at arthes.com writes:

pulled out every book ever written on the Army of the Cumberland and none  
of them have anything about this.  So I went to the two George Thomas  
biographies.  Cleaves' had nothing by McKinney's "Education In Violence"  
makes 
mention of how Sherman relied on Thomas' staff for the day to day running  of 
his 
army group - engineers, railroad repairs and much more - which is most  
interesting considering the bias he felt towards McPherson and his old 
command,  the 
Army of the Tennessee.

Sadly, there is no mention of telegraph lines between units of the army  
along the Kennesaw Lines.

Hi guys, 
 
I still read the list from time to time...
 
Sherman relied on the AOC because it was the best organized, most efficient, 
and most modern of all the armies under his command. Rosecrans was a 
meticulous planner, and Thomas no less so. Ergo, the AOC had a remarkable pioneer 
corps, a first rate staff, an outstanding intel section, advanced medical command 
control and the like.
 
The AOC was using extensive field telegraphy from 1863 on. For example, all 
day long on September 19th, Charles A. Dana was able to send telegraph messages 
from Rosecrans' HQ at the Widow Glenn's house (some 1200 yards from the 
fighting) via Thomas' HQ, then Rossville, Chattanooga and all the way back to 
Washington DC in almost real time.
 
the Field telegraph detachments could lay wire very fast, and had special 
wagons fixed to do so. A number of Rebels cut lengths of wire on the battlefield 
as souviners when they overran the south end of the line on September 20th.
 
Thus, I would not be at all surprised to see the AOC using the same set up at 
Kennesaw. Why wouldn't they? They had all the equipment. Like Greg, I would 
like to see documentation on that, but I certainly find it plausible enough.
 
Dave Powell 



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