What was Schofield doing those two hours? If
he saw anything of Hood's preparations he showed incompetence by his
failure to promptly withdraw the two brigades from the blundering position
to which he had assigned them. If he saw nothing of Hood's preparations,
it was only because of a criminal neglect of his duty at a time when the
perilous position of his army, with a greatly superior rebel army in its
front and a river at its back, demanded his utmost vigilance.

It was said that General Stanley was sick but he spent the day with
Schofield and he also, having had West Point experience of Hood's
character, concurred fully in Schofield's belief that Hood would not
assault. So great was their delusion in this respect that it could not be
shaken by the reports made by their subordinates, and nothing short of the
loud roar of the opening battle was able to arouse them into giving any
personal attention to the situation. Then at last, when it was too late to
do anything to remedy a blunder which already had gone so far that it must
go on to its full culmination, Schofield and Stanley left the house of
Doctor Cliffe. Stanley hurried to the front which he reached just as
Opdycke's brigade was starting forward. Spurring his horse to the front of
this brigade, he personally led it in its famous charge. A little later
his horse was shot under him and he got a bullet through the back of his
neck as he was rising to his feet. It was a flesh wound that bled freely,
but Stanley declined to leave the front until after the fighting was all
over. He then went to the rear to have his wound dressed and after his
departure Cox was the senior general on the battle-field.

When Stanley started for the front Schofield started for the rear, and the
most charitable construction that can be placed upon his action is that he
interpreted the sound of the firing to mean that the expected flank
movement had begun and that his duty called him across the river to
provide against that flank movement. His disturbed mental condition at
that time is disclosed by the fact that he abandoned in the room of
Cliffe's house, where he had slept, his overcoat, gloves, and a package
containing the official dispatches he had received from General Thomas.
These articles were not reclaimed until our army returned to Franklin
after the victory at Nashville and in the meantime Mrs. Cliffe saved the
coat from being taken by some needy rebel by wearing it herself and sh