memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第39章
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ried by assault； no prisoners will be taken。 Most respectfully； your obedient servant；
J。 B。 HOOD； General。
To this Colonel Weaver； then in command； replied：
HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE； THIRD DIVISION； FIFTEENTH CORPS RESACA； GEORGIA； October 12； 1884。
To General J。 B。 HOOD
Your communication of this date just received。 In reply； I have to state that I am somewhat surprised at the concluding paragraph； to the effect that； if the place is carried by assault； no prisoners will be taken。 In my opinion I can hold this poSt。 If you want it； come and take it。
I am； general； very respectfully； your most obedient servant；
CLARK R。 WEAVER； Commanding Officer。
This brigade was very small； and as Hood's investment extended only from the Oostenaula； below the town； to the Connesauga above； he left open the approach from the south； which enabled General Raum and the cavalry of Generals McCook and Watkins to reenforce from Kingston。 In fact； Hood； admonished by his losses at Allatoona； did not attempt an assault at all； but limited his attack to the above threat； and to solve skirmishing； giving his attention chiefly to the destruction of the railroad； which he accomplished all the way up to Tunnel Hill； nearly twenty miles； capturing en route the regiment of black troops at Dalton （Johnson's Forty…fourth United States colored）。 On the 14th； I turned General Howard through Snake…Creek Gap； and sent General Stanley around by Tilton； with orders to cross the mountain to the west； so as to capture； if possible； the force left by the enemy in Snake…Creek Gap。 We found this gap very badly obstructed by fallen timber； but got through that night； and the next day the main army was at Villanow。 On the morning of the 16th； the leading division of General Howard's column； commanded by General Charles R。 Woods； carried Ship's Gap； taking prisoners part of the Twenty…fourth South Carolina Regiment； which had been left there to hold us in check。
The best information there obtained located Hood's army at Lafayette； near which place I hoped to catch him and force him to battle； but； by the time we had got enough troops across the mountain at Ship's Gap； Hood had escaped down the valley of the Chattooga； and all we could do was to follow him as closely as possible。 From Ship's Gap I dispatched couriers to Chattanooga； and received word back that General Schofield was there； endeavoring to cooperate with me； but Hood had broken up the telegraph； and thus had prevented quick communication。 General Schofield did not reach me till the army had got down to Gaylesville； about the 21st of October。
It was at Ship's Gap that a courier brought me the cipher message from General Halleck which intimated that the authorities in Washington were willing I should undertake the march across Georgia to the sea。 The translated dispatch named 〃Horse…i…bar Sound〃 as the point where the fleet would await my arrival。 After much time I construed it to mean； 〃Ossabaw Sound；〃 below Savannah； which was correct。
On the 16th I telegraphed to General Thomas； at Nashville：
Send me Morgan's and Newton's old divisions。 Reestablish the road； and I will follow Hood wherever he may go。 I think he will move to Blue Mountain。 We can maintain our men and animals on the country。
General Thomas's reply was：
NASHVILLE； October 17； 186410。30 a。m。
Major…General SHERMAN：
Your dispatch from Ship's Gap； 5 p。m。 of the 16th； just received。 Schofield； whom I placed in command of the two divisions （Wagner's and Morgan's）； was to move up Lookout Valley this A。M。； to intercept Hood； should he be marching for Bridgeport。 I will order him to join you with the two divisions； and will reconstruct the road as soon as possible。 Will also reorganize the guards for posts and block…houses 。。。。 Mower and Wilson have arrived； and are on their way to join you。 I hope you will adopt Grant's idea of turning Wilson loose； rather than undertake the plan of a march with the whole force through Georgia to the sea； inasmuch as General Grant cannot cooperate with you as at first arranged。
GEORGE H。 THOMAS； Major…General。
So it is clear that at that date neither General Grant nor General Thomas heartily favored my proposed plan of campaign。 On the same day； I wrote to General Schofield at Chattanooga：
Hood is not at Dear Head Cove。 We occupy Ship's Gap and Lafayette。 Hood is moving south via Summerville； Alpine； and Gadsden。 If he enters Tennessee； it will be to the west of Huntsville； but I think he has given up all such idea。 I want the road repaired to Atlanta； the sick and wounded men sent north of the Tennessee； my army recomposed； and I will then make the interior of Georgia feel the weight of war。 It is folly for us to be moving our armies on the reports of scouts and citizens。 We must maintain the offensive。 Your first move on Trenton and Valley Head was right… …the move to defend Caperton's Ferry is wrong。 Notify General Thomas of these my views。 We must follow Hood till he is beyoud the reach of mischief； and then resume the offensive。
The correspondence between me and the authorities at Washington； as well as with the several army commanders； given at length in the report of the Committee on the Conduct of the War； is full on all these points。
After striking our road at Dalton； Hood was compelled to go on to Chattanooga and Bridgeport； or to pass around by Decatur and abandon altogether his attempt to make us let go our hold of Atlanta by attacking our communications。 It was clear to me that he had no intention to meet us in open battle； and the lightness and celerity of his army convinced me that I could not possibly catch him on a stern…chase。 We therefore quietly followed him down the Chattooga Valley to the neighborhood of Gadsden； but halted the main armies near the Coosa River； at the mouth of the Chattooga； drawing our supplies of corn and meat from the farms of that comparatively rich valley and of the neighborhood。
General Slocum； in Atlanta； had likewise sent out； under strong escort； large trains of wagons to the east； and brought back corn； bacon； and all kinds of provisions； so that Hood's efforts to cut off our supplies only reacted on his own people。 So long as the railroads were in good order； our supplies came full and regular from the North； but when the enemy broke our railroads we were perfectly justified in stripping the inhabitants of all they had。 I remember well the appeal of a very respectable farmer against our men driving away his fine flock of sheep。 I explained to him that General Hood had broken our railroad； that we were a strong； hungry crowd； and needed plenty of food； that Uncle Sam was deeply interested in our continued health and would soon repair these roads； but meantime we must eat； we preferred Illinois beef； but mutton would have to answer。 Poor fellow！ I don't believe he was convinced of the wisdom or wit of my explanation。 Very soon after reaching Lafayette we organized a line of supply from Chattanooga to Ringgold by rail； and thence by wagons to our camps about Gaylesville。 Meantime； also； Hood had reached the neighborhood of Gadsden； and drew his supplies from the railroad at Blue Mountain。
On the 19th of October I telegraphed to General Halleck； at Washington：
Hood has retreated rapidly by all the roads leading south。 Our advance columns are now at Alpine and Melville Post…Office。 I shall pursue him as far as Gaylesville。 The enemy will not venture toward Tennessee except around by Decatur。 I propose to send the Fourth Corps back to General Thomas； and leave him； with that corps； the garrisons； and new troops； to defend the line of the Tennessee River； and with the rest I will push into the heart of Georgia and come out at Savannah； destroying all the railroads of the State。 The break in our railroad at Big Shanty is almost repaired； and that about Dalton should be done in ten days。 We find abundance of forage in the country。
On the same day I telegraphed to General L。 C。 Easton； chief…quartermaster； who had been absent on a visit to Missouri； but had got back to Chattanooga：
Go in person to superintend the repairs of the railroad； and make all
