memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第104章
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party of the enemy had got into the woods near the depot; and was annoying him; and he wanted to charge and drive it away。 I advised him to be extremely cautious; as our enemy vastly outnumbered us; and had every advantage in position and artillery; but instructed him; if they got too near; he might make a sally。 Soon after; I heard a rapid fire in that quarter; and Lieutenant。 James was brought in on a stretcher; with a ball through his breast; which I supposed to be fatal。
'After the fight we sent him back to Memphis; where his mother and father came from their home on the North River to nurse him。 Young James was recovering from his wound; but was afterward killed by a fall from his borse; near his home; when riding with the daughters of Mr。 Hamilton Fish; now Secretary of State。'
The enemy closed down on us several times; and got possession of the rear of our train; from which they succeeded in getting five of our horses; among them my favorite mare Dolly; but our men were cool and practised shots (with great experience acquired at Vicksburg); and drove them back。 With their artillery they knocked to pieces our locomotive and several of the cars; and set fire to the train; but we managed to get possession again; and extinguished the fire。 Colonel Audenreid; aide…de…camp; was provoked to find that his valise of nice shirts had been used to kindle the fire。 ' The fighting continued all round us for three or four hours; when we observed signs of drawing off; which I attributed to the rightful cause; the rapid approach of Corse's division; which arrived about dark; having marched the whole distance from Memphis; twenty…six miles; on the double…quick。 The next day we repaired damages to the railroad and locomotive; and went on to Corinth。
At Corinth; on the 16th; I received the following important dispatches:
MEMPHIS; October 14; 186311 a。m。
Arrived this morning。 Will be off in a few hours。 My orders are only to go to Cairo; and report from there by telegraph。 McPherson will be in Canton to…day。 He will remain there until Sunday or Monday next; and reconnoitre as far eastward as possible with cavalry; in the mean time。
U。 S。 GRANT; Major…General。
WASHINGTON; October 14; 18631 p。m。
Major…General W。 T。 SHERMAN; Corinth
Yours of the 10th is received。 The important matter to be attended to is that of supplies。 When Eastport can be reached by boats; the use of the railroad can be dispensed with; but until that time it must be guarded as far as need。 The Kentucky Railroad can barely supply General Rosecrans。 All these matters must be left to your judgment as circumstances may arise。 Should the enemy be so strong as to prevent your going to Athena; or connecting with General Rosecrans; you will nevertheless have assisted him greatly by drawing away a part of the enemy's forces。
H。 W。 HALLECK; Major…General。
On the 18th; with my staff and a small escort; I rode forward to Burnsville; and on the 19th to Iuka; where; on the next day; I was most agreeably surprised to hear of the arrival at Eastport (only ten miles off) of two gunboats; under the command of Captain Phelps; which had been sent up the Tennessee River by Admiral Porter; to help us。
Satisfied that; to reach Athens and to communicate with General Rosecrans; we should have to take the route north of the Tennessee River; on the 24th I ordered the Fourth Division to cross at Eastport with the aid of the gunboats; and to move to Florence。 About the same time; I received the general orders assigning General Grant to command the Military Division of the Mississippi; authorizing him; on reaching Chattanooga; to supersede General Rosecrans by General George H。 Thomas; with other and complete authority; as set; forth in the following letters of General Halleck; which were sent to me by General Grant; and the same orders devolved on me the command of the Department and Army of the Tennessee。
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY WASHINGTON; D。C。; October 16; 1863
Major…General U。 S。 GRANT; Louisville。
GENERAL: You will receive herewith the orders of the President of the United States; placing you in command of the Departments of the Ohio; Cumberland; and Tennessee。 The organization of these departments will be changed as you may deem most practicable。 You will immediately proceed to Chattanooga; and relieve General Rosecrans。 You can communicate with Generals Burnside and Sherman by telegraph。 A summary of the orders sent to these officers will be sent to you immediately。 It is left optional with you to supersede General Rosecrans by General G。 H。 Thomas or not。 Any other changes will be made on your request by telegram。
One of the first objects requiring your attention is the supply of your armies。 Another is the security of the passes in the Georgia mountains; to shut out the enemy from Tennessee and Kentucky。 You will consult with General Meigs and Colonel Scott in regard to transportation and supplies。
Should circumstances permit; I will visit you personally in a few days for consultation。
H。 W。 HALLECK; General…in…Chief。
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY WASHINGTON; D。 C。; October 20; 1868。
Major…General GRANT; Louisville。
GENERAL : In compliance with my promise; I now proceed to give you a brief statement of the objects aimed at by General Rosecrans and General Burnside's movement into East Tennessee; and of the measures directed to be taken to attain these objects。
It has been the constant desire of the government; from the beginning of the war; to rescue the loyal inhabitants of East Tennessee from the hands of the rebels; who fully appreciated the importance of continuing their hold upon that country。 In addition to the large amount of agricultural products drawn from the upper valley of the Tennessee; they also obtained iron and other materials from the vicinity of Chattanooga。 The possession of East Tennessee would cut off one of their most important railroad communications; and threaten their manufactories at Rome; Atlanta; etc。
When General Buell was ordered into East Tennessee in the summer of 1882; Chattanooga was comparatively unprotected; but Bragg reached there before Buell; and; by threatening his communications; forced him to retreat on Nashville and Louisville。 Again; after the battle of Perryville; General Buell was urged to pursue Bragg's defeated army; and drive it from East Tennessee。 The same was urged upon his successor; but the lateness of the season or other causes prevented further operations after the battle of Stone River。
Last spring; when your movements on the Mississippi River had drawn out of Tennessee a large force of the enemy; I again urged General Rosecrans to take advantage of that opportunity to carry out his projected plan of campaign; General Burnside being ready to cooperate; with a diminished but still efficient force。 But he could not be persuaded to act in time; preferring to lie still till your campaign should be terminated。 I represented to him; but without avail; that by this delay Johnston might be able to reenforce Bragg with the troops then operating against you。
When General Rosecrans finally determined to advance; he was allowed to select his own lines and plans for carrying out the objects of the expedition。 He was directed; however; to report his movements daily; till he crossed the Tennessee; and to connect his left; so far as possible; with General Burnside's right。 General Burnside was directed to move simultaneously; connecting his right; as far as possible; with General Roaecrans's left so that; if the enemy concentrated upon either army; the other could move to its assistance。 When General Burnside reached Kingston and Knoxville; and found no considerable number of the enemy in East Tennessee; he was instructed to move down the river and cooperate with General Rosecrans。
These instructions were repeated some fifteen times; but were not carried out; General Burnside alleging as an excuse that he believed that Bragg was in retreat; and that General Rosecrans needed no reenforcements。 When the latter had gained possession of Chattanooga he was directed not to move on Rome as he proposed; but simply to hold the mountain…passes; so as to