memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第103章

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wages；〃　but　whoever　has　commanded　an　army　in　the　field　knows　the　difference　between　a　willing；　contented　mass　of　men；　and　one　that　feels　a　cause　of　grievance。　　There　is　a　soul　to　an　army　as　well　as　to　the　individual　man；　and　no　general　can　accomplish　the　full　work　of　his　army　unless　he　commands　the　soul　of　his　men；　as　well　as　their　bodies　and　legs。

The　greatest　mistake　made　in　our　civil　war　was　in　the　mode　of　recruitment　and　promotion。　　When　a　regiment　became　reduced　by　the　necessary　wear　and　tear　of　service；　instead　of　being　filled　up　at　the　bottom；　and　the　vacancies　among　the　officers　filled　from　the　best　noncommissioned　officers　and　men；　the　habit　was　to　raise　new　regiments；　with　new　colonels；　captains；　and　men；　leaving　the　old　and　experienced　battalions　to　dwindle　away　into　mere　skeleton　organizations。　　I　believe　with　the　volunteers　this　matter　was　left　to　the　States　exclusively；　and　I　remember　that　Wisconsin　kept　her　regiments　filled　with　recruits；　whereas　other　States　generally　filled　their　quotas　by　new　regiments；　and　the　result　was　that　we　estimated　a　Wisconsin　regiment　equal　to　an　ordinary　brigade。　　I　believe　that　five　hundred　new　men　added　to　an　old　and　experienced　regiment　were　more　valuable　than　a　thousand　men　in　the　form　of　a　new　regiment；　for　the　former　by　association　with　good；　experienced　captains；　lieutenants；　and　non…commissioned　officers；　soon　became　veterans；　whereas　the　latter　were　generally　unavailable　for　a　year。　The　German　method　of　recruitment　is　simply　perfect；　and　there　is　no　good　reason　why　we　should　not　follow　it　substantially。

On　a　road；　marching　by　the　flank；　it　would　be　considered　〃good　order〃　to　have　five　thousand　men　to　a　mile；　so　that　a　full　corps　of　thirty　thousand　men　would　extend　six　miles；　but　with　the　average　trains　and　batteries　of　artillery　the　probabilities　are　that　it　would　draw　out　to　ten　miles。　　On　a　long　and　regular　march　the　divisions　and　brigades　should　alternate　in　the　lead；　the　leading　division　should　be　on　the　road　by　the　earliest　dawn；　and　march　at　the　rate　of　about　two　miles；　or；　at　most；　two　and　a　half　miles　an　hour；　so　as　to　reach　camp　by　noon。　　Even　then　the　rear　divisions　and　trains　will　hardly　reach　camp　much　before　night。　Theoretically；　a　marching　column　should　preserve　such　order　that　by　simply　halting　and　facing　to　the　right　or　left；　it　would　be　in　line　of　battle；　but　this　is　rarely　the　case；　and　generally　deployments　are　made　〃forward；〃　by　conducting　each　brigade　by　the　flank　obliquely　to　the　right　or　left　to　its　approximate　position　in　line　of　battle；　and　there　deployed。　　In　such　a　line　of　battle；　a　brigade　of　three　thousand　infantry　would　oconpy　a　mile　of　〃front；〃　but　for　a　strong　line　of　battle　five…thousand　men　with　two　batteries　should　be　allowed　to　each　mile；　or　a　division　would　habitually　constitute　a　double　line　with　skirmishers　and　a　reserve　on　a　mile　of　〃front。〃

The　〃feeding〃　of　an　army　is　a　matter　of　the　most　vital　importance；　and　demands　the　earliest　attention　of　the　general　intrusted　with　a　campaign。　　To　be　strong；　healthy；　and　capable　of　the　largest　measure　of　physical　effort；　the　soldier　needs　about　three　pounds　gross　of　food　per　day；　and　the　horse　or　mule　about　twenty　pounds。　When　a　general　first　estimates　the　quantity　of　food　and　forage　needed　for　an　army　of　fifty　or　one　hundred　thousand　men；　he　is　apt　to　be　dismayed；　and　here　a　good　staff　is　indispensable；　though　the　general　cannot　throw　off　on　them　the　responsibility。　　He　must　give　the　subject　his　personal　attention；　for　the　army　reposes　in　him　alone；　and　should　never　doubt　the　fact　that　their　existence　overrides　in　importance　all　other　considerations。　　Once　satisfied　of　this；　and　that　all　has　been　done　that　can　be；　the　soldiers　are　always　willing　to　bear　the　largest　measure　of　privation。　　Probably　no　army　ever　had　a　more　varied　experience　in　this　regard　than　the　one　I　commanded　in　1864'65。

Our　base　of　supply　was　at　Nashville；　supplied　by　railways　and　the　Cumberland　River；　thence　by　rail　to　Chattanooga；　a　〃secondary　base；〃　and　thence　forward　a　single…track　railroad。　　The　stores　came　forward　daily；　but　I　endeavored　to　have　on　hand　a　full　supply　for　twenty　days　in　advance。　　These　stores　were　habitually　in　the　wagon…trains；　distributed　to　corps；　divisions；　and　regiments；　in　charge　of　experienced　quartermasters　and　commissaries；　and　became　subject　to　the　orders　of　the　generals　commanding　these　bodies。　They　were　generally　issued　on　provision　returns；　but　these　had　to　be　closely　scrutinized；　for　too　often　the　colonels　would　make　requisitions　for　provisions　for　more　men　than　they　reported　for　battle。　　Of　course；　there　are　always　a　good　many　non…combatants　with　an　army；　but；　after　careful　study；　I　limited　their　amount　to　twenty…five　per　cent。　of　the　〃effective　strength；〃　and　that　was　found　to　be　liberal。　　An　ordinary　army…wagon　drawn　by　six　mules　may　be　counted　on　to　carry　three　thousand　pounds　net；　equal　to　the　food　of　a　full　regiment　for　one　day；　but；　by　driving　along　beef…cattle；　a　commissary　may　safely　count　the　contents　of　one　wagon　as　sufficient　for　two　days'　food　for　a　regiment　of　a　thousand　men；　and　as　a　corps　should　have　food　on　hand　for　twenty　days　ready　for　detachment；　it　should　have　three　hundred　such　wagons；　as　a　provision…train；　and　for　forage；　ammunition；　clothing；　and　other　necessary　stores；　it　was　found　necessary　to　have　three　hundred　more　wagons；　or　six　hundred　wagons　in　all；　for　a　corps　d'armee。

These　should　be　absolutely　under　the　immediate　control　of　the　corps　commander；　who　will；　however；　find　it　economical　to　distribute　them　in　due　proportion　to　his　divisions；　brigades；　and　even　regiments。　Each　regiment　ought　usually　to　have　at　least　one　wagon　for　convenience　to　distribute　stores；　and　each　company　two　pack…mules；　so　that　the　regiment　may　always　be　certain　of　a　meal　on　reaching　camp　without　waiting　for　the　larger　trains。

On　long　marches　the　artillery　and　wagon…trains　should　always　have　the　right　of　way；　and　the　troops　should　improvise　roads　to　one　side；　unless　forced　to　use　a　bridge　in　common；　and　all　trains　should　have　escorts　to　protect　them；　and　to　assist　them　in　bad　places。　　To　this　end　there　is　nothing　like　actual　experience；　only；　unless　the　officers　in　command　give　the　subject　their　personal　attention；　they　will　find　their　wagon…trains　loaded　down　with　tents；　personal　baggage；　and　even　the　arms　and　knapsacks　of　the　escort。　　Each　soldier　should；　if　not　actually　〃sick　or　wounded；〃　carry　his　musket　and　equipments　containing　from　forty　to　sixty　rounds　of　ammunition；　his　shelter…tent；　a　blanket　or　overcoat；　and　an　extra　pair　of　pants；　socks；　and　drawers；　in　the　form　of　a　scarf；　worn　from　the　left　shoulder　to　the　right　side　in　lieu　of　knapsack；　and　in　his　haversack　he　should　carry　some　bread；　cooked　meat；　salt；　and　coffee。　　I　do　not　believe　a　soldier　should　be　loaded　down　too　much；　but；　including　his　clothing；　arms；　and　equipment；　he　can　carry　about　fifty　pounds　without　impairing　his　health　or　activity。　A　simple　calculation　will　show　that　by　such　a　distribution　a　corps　will…thus　carry　the　equivalent　of　five　hundred　wagon…loadsan　immense　relief　to　the　trains。

Where　an　army　is　near　one　of　our　many　large　navigable　rivers；　or　has　the　safe　use　of　a　railway；　it　can　usually　be　supplied　with　the　full　army　ration；　which　is　by　far　the　best　furnished　to　any　army　in　America　or　Europe；　but　when　it　is　compelled　to　operate　away　from　such　a　base；　and　is　dependent　on　its　own　train　of　wagons；　the　commanding　officer　must　exercise　a　wise　discretion　in　the　selection　of　his　stores。　　In　my　opinion；　there　is　no　better　food　for　man　than　beef…cattle　driven　on　the　hoof；　issued　liberally；　with　salt；　bacon；　and　bread。　　Coffee　has　also　become　almost　indispensable；　though　many　substitutes　were　found　for　it；　such　as　Indian…corn；　roasted；　ground；　and　boiled　as　coffee；　the　sweet…potato；　and　the　seed　of　the　okra　plant　prepared　in　the　same　way。　　All　these　were　used　by　the　people　of　the　South；　who　for　years　could　procure　no　coffee；　but　I　noticed　that　the　women　always　begged　of　us　some　real　coffee；　which　seems　to　satisfy　a　natural　yearning　or　craving　more　powerful　than　can　be　accounted　for　on　the　theory　of　habit。　　Therefore　I　would　always　advise　that　the　coffee　and　sugar　ration　be　carried　along；　even　at　th