HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Saint Louis, March 15, 1862.
Brig. Gen. LORENZO
THOMAS.
Adjutant-General of the Army, Washington:
In accordance with
your instructions of the 10th instant I report that General Grant and several
officers of high rank in his command, immediately after the battle of Fort
Donelson went to Nashville without my authority or knowledge. I am satisfied,
however, from investigation, that General Grant did this from good intentions
and from a desire to subserve the public interests.
Not being advised of
General Buell's movements, and learning that General Buell had ordered Smith's
division of his (Grant's) command to Nashville, he deemed it his duty to go
there in person. During the absence of General Grant and a part of his general
officers numerous irregularities are said to have occurred at Fort Donelson.
These were in violation of the orders issued by General Grant before his
departure, and probably, under the circumstances, were unavoidable.
General Grant has
made the proper explanations, and has been directed to resume his command in
the field. As he acted from a praiseworthy although mistaken zeal for the
public service in going to Nashville and leaving his command, I respectfully
recommend that no further notice be taken of it. There never has been any want
of military subordination on the part of General Grant, and his failure to make
returns of his forces has been explained as resulting partly from the failure of
colonels of regiments to report to him on their arrival and partly from an
interruption of telegraphic communication. All these irregularities have now
been remedied.
H. W. HALLECK,
Major-General.
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