General G. M. Dodge, an exceedingly efficient officer, having been badly wounded, had to leave the army about the first of October.  He was in command of two divisions of the 16th corps, consolidated into one.  Sherman then divided his army into the right and left wings the right commanded by General O. O. Howard and the left by General Slocum.  General Dodge’s two divisions were assigned, one to each of these wings.  Howard’s command embraced the 15th and 17th corps, and Slocum’s the 14th and 20th corps, commanded by Generals Jeff.  C. Davis and A. S. Williams.  Generals Logan and Blair commanded the two corps composing the right wing.  About this time they left to take part in the presidential election, which took place that year, leaving their corps to Osterhaus and Ransom.  I have no doubt that their leaving was at the earnest solicitation of the War Department.  General Blair got back in time to resume his command and to proceed with it throughout the march to the sea and back to the grand review at Washington.  General Logan did not return to his command until after it reached Savannah.

Logan felt very much aggrieved at the transfer of General Howard from that portion of the Army of the Potomac which was then with the Western Army, to the command of the Army of the Tennessee, with which army General Logan had served from the battle of Belmont to the fall of Atlanta—­having passed successively through all grades from colonel commanding a regiment to general commanding a brigade, division and army corps, until upon the death of McPherson the command of the entire Army of the Tennessee devolved upon him in the midst of a hotly contested battle.  He conceived that he had done his full duty as commander in that engagement; and I can bear testimony, from personal observation, that he had proved himself fully equal to all the lower positions which he had occupied as a soldier.  I will not pretend to question the motive which actuated Sherman in taking an officer from another army to supersede General Logan.  I have no doubt, whatever, that he did this for what he considered would be to the good of the service, which was more important than that the personal feelings of any individual should not be aggrieved; though I doubt whether he had an officer with him who could have filled the place as Logan would have done.  Differences of opinion must exist between the best of friends as to policies in war, and of judgment as to men’s fitness.  The officer who has the command, however, should be allowed to judge of the fitness of the officers under him, unless he is very manifestly wrong.