Headquarters
Army Of The
Cumberland,
Murfreesboro, May 4, 1863.
My Dear Corydon: — Yours of April 1 was received by the hand of
Lieut. Beeber, and I assure you it was read with great pleasure. When I was in
Washington last winter, I saw Mr. Colfax, who spoke very kindly and highly of
you. I have now fully recovered my health, and for the last three months have
been hardy and robust. My duties are very full of work here, and I have never
been more pressingly crowded with labors than now. I have not retired, on an
average, before two o'clock for the last two months and a half. Gen. Rosecrans
shares all his counsels with me, and places a large share of the responsibility
of the management of this army upon me, even more than I sometimes wish he did.
This army is now in admirable condition. The poor and weak material has
been worked out, and what we now have is hard brawn and solid muscle. It is in
an admirable state of discipline, and when its engineries are fully set in
motion it will make itself felt.
From all the present indications, it can not be long before we meet the
rebel army now in our front, and try its strength again. When the day comes, it
bids fair to be the bloodiest fighting of the war.
One thing is settled in my mind: direct blows at the rebel army — bloody
fighting — is all that can end the rebellion. In European wars, if you capture
the chief city of a nation, you have substantially captured the nation. The
army that holds London, Paris, Vienna, or Berlin, holds England, France,
Austria, or Prussia. Not so in this war. The rebels have no city, the capture
of which will overthrow their power. If we take Richmond, the rebel government
can be put on wheels and trundled away into the interior, with all its
archives, in two days. Hence our real objective point is not any place or
district, but the rebel army wherever we find it. We must crush and pulverize
them, and then all places and territories fall into our hands as a consequence.
These views lead me to hope and believe that before many days we shall
join in a death-grapple with Bragg and Johnston. God grant that we may be
successful. The armies are nearly equal in numbers, and both are full of
valiant soldiers, well drilled and disciplined.
I am glad to hear of your success in the Chronicle, and especially
in the triumph in your region over the copperheads.
The little circumstance you related to me of the soldier in the 51st
Indiana, touches my heart. I wish you would write a letter for me to Joseph
Lay, and express my sympathy with him for the loss of his brave son, who was
many times with me under the fire of the enemy. I want to know of the health of
his family, and especially of that little one to whom the affection of the
father gave my name.
John E. McGowan is here, visiting me. He is a Captain in the 111th Ohio.
He wishes to be kindly remembered. Give my love to Mary, and let me hear from
you both. With the love of other days, I am, as ever,
Your brother,
James.
SOURCE: Corydon Eustathius Fuller, Reminiscences of
James A. Garfield: With Notes Preliminary and Collateral, p. 336-7
