memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第42章

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s；　he　must　be　able　to　take　care　of　Hood　and　destroy　him。

I　do　not　see　that　you　can　withdraw　from　where　you　are　to　follow　Hood；　without　giving　up　all　we　have　gained　in　territory。　　I　say；　then；　go　on　as　you　propose。

U。　S。　GRANT；　Lieutenant…General；


This　was　the　first　time　that　General　Grant　ordered　the　〃march　to　the　sea；〃　and；　although　many　of　his　warm　friends　and　admirers　insist　that　he　was　the　author　and　projector　of　that　march；　and　that　I　simply　executed　his　plans；　General　Grant　has　never；　in　my　opinion；　thought　so　or　said　so。　　The　truth　is　fully　given　in　an　original　letter　of　President　Lincoln；　which　I　received　at　Savannah；　Georgia；　and　have　at　this　instant　before　me；　every　word　of　which　is　in　his　own　familiar　handwriting。　　It　is　dated…


WASHINGTON；　December　26；　1864。

When　you　were　about　leaving　Atlanta　for　the　Atlantic　coast；　I　was　anxious；　if　not　fearful；　but；　feeling　that　you　were　the　better　judge；　and　remembering　〃nothing　risked；　nothing　gained；〃　I　did　not　interfere。　　Now；　the　undertaking　being　a　success；　the　honor　is　all　yours；　for　I　believe　none　of　us　went　further　than　to　acquiesce；　and；　taking　the　work　of　General　Thomas　into　account；　as　it　should　be　taken；　it　is　indeed　a　great　success。　　Not　only　does　it　afford　the　obvious　and　immediate　military　advantages；　but；　in　showing　to　the　world　that　your　army　could　be　divided；　putting　the　stronger　part　to　an　important　new　service；　and　yet　leaving　enough　to　vanquish　the　old　opposing　force　of　the　whole；　Hood's　army；　it　brings　those　who　sat　in　darkness　to　see　a　great　light。　　But　what　next？　　I　suppose　it　will　be　safer　if　I　leave　General　Grant　and　yourself　to　decide。

A。　LINCOLN


Of　course；　this　judgment；　made　after　the　event；　was　extremely　flattering　and　was　all　I　ever　expected；　a　recognition　of　the　truth　and　of　its　importance。　　I　have　often　been　asked；　by　well…meaning　friends；　when　the　thought　of　that　march　first　entered　my　mind。　　I　knew　that　an　army　which　had　penetrated　Georgia　as　far　as　Atlanta　could　not　turn　back。　　It　must　go　ahead；　but　when；　how；　and　where；　depended　on　many　considerations。　　As　soon　as　Hood　had　shifted　across　from　Lovejoy's　to　Palmetto；　I　saw　the　move　in　my　〃mind's　eye；〃　and；　after　Jeff。　Davis's　speech　at　Palmetto；　of　September　26th；　I　was　more　positive　in　my　conviction；　but　was　in　doubt　as　to　the　time　and　manner。　　When　General　Hood　first　struck　our　railroad　above　Marietta；　we　were　not　ready；　and　I　was　forced　to　watch　his　movements　further；　till　he　had　〃carromed〃　off　to　the　west　of　Decatur。　　Then　I　was　perfectly　convinced；　and　had　no　longer　a　shadow　of　doubt。　　The　only　possible　question　was　as　to　Thomas's　strength　and　ability　to　meet　Hood　in　the　open　field。　　I　did　not　suppose　that　General　Hood；　though　rash；　would　venture　to　attack　fortified　places　like　Allatoona；　Resaca；　Decatur；　and　Nashville；　but　he　did　so；　and　in　so　doing　he　played　into　our　hands　perfectly。

On　the　2d　of　November　I　was　at　Kingston；　Georgia；　and　my　four　corpsthe　Fifteenth；　Seventeenth；　Fourteenth；　and　Twentiethwith　one　division　of　cavalry；　were　strung　from　Rome　to　Atlanta。　　Our　railroads　and　telegraph　had　been　repaired；　and　I　deliberately　prepared　for　the　march　to　Savannah；　distant　three　hundred　miles　from　Atlanta。　　All　the　sick　and　wounded　men　had　been　sent　back　by　rail　to　Chattanooga；　all　our　wagon…trains　had　been　carefully　overhauled　and　loaded；　so　as　to　be　ready　to　start　on　an　hour's　notice；　and　there　was　no　serious　enemy　in　our　front。

General　Hood　remained　still　at　Florence；　Alabama；　occupying　both　banks　of　the　Tennessee　River；　busy　in　collecting　shoes　and　clothing　for　his　men；　and　the　necessary　ammunition　and　stores　with　which　to　invade　Tennessee；　most　of　which　had　to　come　from　Mobile；　Selma；　and　Montgomery；　Alabama；　over　railroads　that　were　still　broken。　Beauregard　was　at　Corinth；　hastening　forward　these　necessary　preparations。

General　Thomas　was　at　Nashville；　with　Wilson's　dismounted　cavalry　and　a　mass　of　new　troops　and　quartermaster's　employs　amply　sufficient　to　defend　the　place。　　The　Fourth　and　Twenty…third　Corps；　under　Generals　Stanley　and　Schofield　were　posted　at　Pulaski；　Tennessee；　and　the　cavalry　of　Hatch；　Croxton；　and　Capron；　were　about　Florence；　watching　Hood。　　Smith's　（A。　J。）　two　divisions　of　the　Sixteenth　Corps　were　still　in　Missouri；　but　were　reported　as　ready　to　embark　at　Lexington　for　the　Cumberland　River　and　Nashville。　　Of　course；　General　Thomas　saw　that　on　him　would　likely　fall　the　real　blow；　and　was　naturally　anxious。　　He　still　kept　Granger's　division　at　Decatur；　Rousseau's　at　Murfreesboro'；　and　Steedman's　at　Chattanooga；　with　strong　railroad　guards　at　all　the　essential　points　intermediate；　confident　that　by　means　of　this　very　railroad　he　could　make　his　concentration　sooner　than　Hood　could　possibly　march　up　from　Florence。

Meantime；　General　F。　P。　Blair　had　rejoined　his　corps　（Seventeenth）；　and　we　were　receiving　at　Kingston　recruits　and　returned　furlough…　men；　distributing　them　to　their　proper　companies。　　Paymasters　had　come　down　to　pay　off　our　men　before　their　departure　to　a　new　sphere　of　action；　and　commissioners　were　also　on　hand　from　the　several　States　to　take　the　vote　of　our　men　in　the　presidential　election　then　agitating　the　country。

On　the　6th　of　November；　at　Kingston；　I　wrote　and　telegraphed　to　General　Grant；　reviewing　the　whole　situation；　gave　him　my　full　plan　of　action；　stated　that　I　was　ready　to　march　as　soon　as　the　election　was　over；　and　appointed　November　10th　as　the　day　for　starting。　　On　the　8th　I　received　this　dispatch：


CITY　POINT；　VIRGINIA；　November　7；　1864…10。30　P。M。

Major…General　SHERMAN：

Your　dispatch　of　this　evening　received。　　I　see　no　present　reason　for　changing　your　plan。　　Should　any　arise；　you　will　see　it；　or　if　I　do　I　will　inform　you。　　I　think　everything　here　is　favorable　now。　Great　good　fortune　attend　you！　I　believe　you　will　be　eminently　successful；　and；　at　worst；　can　only　make　a　march　less　fruitful　of　results　than　hoped　for。

U。　S。　GRANT；　Lieutenant…General。


Meantime　trains　of　cars　were　whirling　by；　carrying　to　the　rear　an　immense　amount　of　stores　which　had　accumulated　at　Atlanta；　and　at　the　other　stations　along　the　railroad；　and　General　Steedman　had　come　down　to　Kingston；　to　take　charge　of　the　final　evacuation　and　withdrawal　of　the　several　garrisons　below　Chattanooga。

On　the　loth　of　November　the　movement　may　be　said　to　have　fairly　begun。　　All　the　troops　designed　for　the　campaign　were　ordered　to　march　for　Atlanta；　and　General　Corse；　before　evacuating　his　post　at　Rome；　was　ordered　to　burn　all　the　mills；　factories；　etc。；　etc。；　that　could　be　useful　to　the　enemy；　should　he　undertake　to　pursue　us；　or　resume　military　possession　of　the　country。　　This　was　done　on　the　night　of　the　10th；　and　next　day　Corse　reached　Kingston。　　On　the　11th　General　Thomas　and　I　interchanged　full　dispatches。　　He　had　heard　of　the　arrival　of　General　A。　J。　Smith's　two　divisions　at　Paducah；　which　would　surely　reach　Nashville　much　sooner　than　General　Hood　could　possibly　do　from　Florence；　so　that　he　was　perfectly　satisfied　with　his　share　of　the　army。

On　the　12th；　with　a　full　staff；　I　started　from　Kingston　for　Atlanta；　and　about　noon　of　that　day　we　reached　Cartersville；　and　sat　on　the　edge　of　a　porch　to　rest；　when　the　telegraph　operator；　Mr。　Van　Valkenburg；　or　Eddy；　got　the　wire　down　from　the　poles　to　his　lap；　in　which　he　held　a　small　pocket　instrument。　　Calling　〃Chattanooga；〃　he　received　this　message　from　General　Thomas；　dated…


NASHVILLE；　November　12；　18848。80　A。M。

Major…General　SHERMAN：

Your　dispatch　of　twelve　o'clock　last　night　is　received。　　I　have　no　fears　that　Beauregard　can　do　us　any　harm　now；　and；　if　he　attempts　to　follow　you；　I　will　follow　him　as　far　as　possible。　　If　he　does　not　follow　you；　I　will　then　thoroughly　organize　my　troops；　and　believe　I　shall　have　men　enough　to　ruin　him　unless　he　gets　out　of　the　way　very　rapidly。

The　country　of　Middle　Alabama；　I　learn；　is　teeming　with　supplies　this　year；　which　will　be　greatly　to　our　advantage。　　I　have　no　additional　news　to　report　from　the　direction　of　Florence。　I　am　now　convinced　that　the　greater　part　of　Beauregard's　army　is　near　Florence　and　Tuscumbia；　and　that　you　will　have　at　least　a　clear　road　before　you　for　several　days；　and　that　your　success　will　fully　equal　y