A few days after the surrender of Fort Donelson General Grant was relieved of his command, and was even threatened with arrest. General Halleck, in his headquarters at St. Louis, had worked himself into a fit of what he considered most righteous anger. General Buell had ordered one of Grant's divisions to Nashville, and Grant had taken a trip to that city to find out the reason for the order. During his absence some irregularities had occurred at Donelson, and Grant was most viciously attacked by some anonymous scribbler, and then by the press. He was accused of being absent from his command without leave, of drunkenness, of maintaining no discipline, and of refusing to forward reports.
There was some ground for the last complaint. The telegraph operator at Fort Henry was a Confederate in disguise. He coolly pocketed Halleck's dispatches to Grant. He held his position for some days, and then fled south with his pocket full of dispatches. General Grant was relieved of his command, and General C. F. Smith, a gray-haired veteran, who smoked a cigar as he led his men in the charge at Donelson, was appointed in his place. The feeling against Grant was so bitter at headquarters, that General McClellan telegraphed to General Halleck to arrest him if he thought best.
The hero of Donelson deeply felt his disgrace, yet wrote to General Smith:
"Allow me to congratulate you on your richly deserved promotion, and to assure you that no one can feel more pleasure than myself."
Even General Halleck was at length convinced of the injustice he had done Grant, and restored him to his command on March 13th.
In the mean time Grant's army, under Smith, had been gathering at Pittsburg Landing, and Buell's army had been concentrated at Nashville. The two armies were to concentrate at Pittsburg Landing, and then move on Corinth, where the Confederates were gathering in force.
Not a thought seemed to have entered the minds of the Union generals that the army at Pittsburg Landing might be attacked before Buell could come up. Halleck, Grant, Buell, Smith, Sherman—all seemed to rest in fancied security. If the possibility of an attack was ever spoken of, it was passed by as idle talk.
General Buell commenced his forward movement from Nashville on March 15th. General A. D. McCook's division had the advance, General Nelson's division came next. The bridge over Duck river near Columbia was found burned. Buell set to work leisurely to rebuild it. It took days.
But to return to Fred. Just before the army left Nashville, General Nelson placed in his hands a parchment.