36 



ARMY OPERATIONS. 



The fate of Nashville was now settled. "With 

 a high state of the water of the Cumberland 

 river, there were no obstacles to the immediate 

 approach of the gunboats with a force on 

 transports. The centre of Gen. BuelTs army 

 had already arrived ai Bowling Green, within 



two days' march of Nashville. Its progress 

 had been attended with many difficulties, and 

 Brig. -Gen. Mitchell in command issued the fol- 

 lowing address to his soldiers : 



BOWLING GBEEN, February 19, 1862. 



Soldiers of the Third Division ! You have executed a 



march of forty miles iu twenty-eight hours and a half. 



The fallen timber and other obstructions opposed by 



the enemy to your movements, have been swept from 



your path. The fire of your artillery and the bursting 

 of your shells announced your arrival. Surprised and 

 ignorant of the force that had thus precipitated itself 

 upon them, they fled in consternation. 



In the night time, over a frozen, rocky, precipitous 

 pathway, down rude steps for fifty feet, you have pass- 

 ed the advance guard, cavalry, and infantry, and be- 

 fore the dawn of day, you have entered in triumph a 

 position of extraordinary natural strength, and by your 

 enemy proudly denominated the Gibraltar of Kentucky. 



With your own hands, through deep mud, in drench- 

 ing rains, and up rocky pathways next to impassable, 

 and across a footpath of your own construction, built 

 upon the ruins of the railway bridge, destroyed for 

 their protection, by a retreating and panic-stricken foe, 

 you have transported upon your own shoulders your 

 baggage and camp equipage. 



The General commanding the department, on re- 

 ceiving my report announcing these facts, requests me 

 to make to the officers and soldiers under my command 

 the following communication : 



" Soldiers who by resolution and energy overcome 

 great natural difficulties, have nothing to fear in bat- 

 tle, where their energy and prowess are taxed to a far 

 less extent. Your command have exhibited the high 

 qualities of resolution and energy, in a degree which 

 leaves no limit to my confidence in them in their future 

 movements. 



" By order of " Brig. Gen. BUELL, 



" Commanding Department of the Ohio." 



Soldiers! I feel a perfect confidence that the high 

 estimate placed upon your power, endurance, energy, 

 and heroism, is just. Your aim and mine has been to 

 deserve the approbation of our commanding officer, 

 and of our Government and our country. 



I trust you feel precisely as does your commanding 

 General, that nothing is done while anything remains 

 to be done. 



By order of Brig.-Gen. 0. M. MITCHELL, 



Commanding. 



The certainty of the capture of Nashville 

 showed to the Confederate generals the danger 

 in which Columbus, their strong position on the 

 Mississippi, was placed. Even the occupation 

 of Clarksville by the Union forces put into 

 their possession that part of the railroad run- 

 ning to Columbus, and opened the way to ap- 

 proach that position from the rear. At the 

 same time the river in front was under the 

 control of the Federal gunboats. Gen. Beaure- 

 gard, having previously retired from his com- 

 mand at Manassas, was now the commanding 

 officer in this Confederate department with 

 Gen. Johnston. Orders were accordingly is- 

 sued on the 18th of February to destroy a por- 

 tion of the track and bridges of the Memphis 

 and Ohio railroad preparatory to a removal of 

 the forces at Columbus to Island No. Ten, about 

 forty-five miles below on the Mississippi river. 



At the same time preparations were made to 

 remove the Confederate stores and other pub- 

 lic property from Nashville. The near approach 

 of the Federal forces filled the authorities of the 

 State with great alarm. The Legislature, which 

 had just been convened in extra session, retired 

 with Gov. Harris to Memphis, taking the ar- 

 chives and treasury of the State. Extreme 

 measures and the destruction of property were 

 proposed by the Governor to the citizens, but 

 without gaining their approval. The railroad 

 and the suspension bridges over the river were, 

 however, destroyed. 



