memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第47章

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e　of　the　staff　officers　gave　him　a　strong　drink　of　whiskey；　which　set　his　tongue　going。　　Lieutenant　Spelling；　who　commanded　my　escort；　was　a　Georgian；　and　recognized　in　this　old　negro　a　favorite　slave　of　his　uncle；　who　resided　about　six　miles　off；　but　the　old　slave　did　not　at　first　recognize　his　young　master　in　our　uniform。　　One　of　my　staff…officers　asked　him　what　had　become　of　his　young　master；　George。　　He　did　not　know；　only　that　he　had　gone　off　to　the　war；　and　he　supposed　him　killed；　as　a　matter　of　course。　　His　attention　was　then　drawn　to　Spelling's　face；　when　he　fell　on　his　knees　and　thanked　God　that　he　had　found　his　young　master　alive　and　along　with　the　Yankees。　　Spelling　inquired　all　about　his　uncle　and　the　family；　asked　my　permission　to　go　and　pay　his　uncle　a　visit；　which　I　granted；　of　course；　and　the　next　morning　he　described　to　me　his　visit。　　The　uncle　was　not　cordial；　by　any　means；　to　find　his　nephew　in　the　ranks　of　the　host　that　was　desolating　the　land；　and　Spelling　came　back；　having　exchanged　his　tired　horse　for　a　fresher　one　out　of　his　uncle's　stables；　explaining　that　surely　some　of　the　〃bummers〃　would　have　got　the　horse　had　he　not。

The　next　morning；　November　23d；　we　rode　into　Milledgeville；　the　capital　of　the　State；　whither　the　Twentieth　Corps　had　preceded　us；　and　during　that　day　the　left　wing　was　all　united；　in　and　around　Milledgeville。　　From　the　inhabitants　we　learned　that　some　of　Kilpatrick's　cavalry　had　preceded　us　by　a　couple　of　days；　and　that　all　of　the　right　wing　was　at　and　near　Gordon；　twelve　miles　off；　viz。；　the　place　where　the　branch　railroad　came　to　Milledgeville　from　the　Mason　&　Savannah　road。　　The　first　stage　of　the　journey　was；　therefore；　complete；　and　absolutely　successful。

General　Howard　soon　reported　by　letter　the　operations　of　his　right　wing；　which；　on　leaving　Atlanta；　had　substantially　followed　the　two　roads　toward　Mason；　by　Jonesboro'　and　McDonough；　and　reached　the　Ocmulgee　at　Planters'　Factory；　which　they　crossed；　by　the　aid　of　the　pontoon…train；　during　the　18th　and　19th　of　November。　　Thence；　with　the　Seventeenth　Corps　（General　Blair's）　he　（General　Howard）　had　marched　via　Monticello　toward　Gordon；　having　dispatched　Kilpatrick's　cavalry；　supported　by　the　Fifteenth　Corps　（Osterhaus's）；　to　feign　on　Mason。　　Kilpatrick　met　the　enemy's　cavalry　about　four　miles　out　of　Mason；　and　drove　them　rapidly　back　into　the　bridge…defenses　held　by　infantry。　　Kilpatrick　charged　these；　got　inside　the　parapet；　but　could　not　hold　it；　and　retired　to　his　infantry　supports；　near　Griswold　Station。　　The　Fifteenth　Corps　tore　up　the　railroad…track　eastward　from　Griswold）　leaving　Charles　R。　　Wood's　division　behind　as　a　rear…guard…one　brigade　of　which　was　intrenched　across　the　road；　with　some　of　Kilpatrick's　cavalry　on　the　flanks。　　On　the　22d　of　November　General　G。　W。　Smith；　with　a　division　of　troops；　came　out　of　Mason；　attacked　this　brigade　（Walcutt's）　in　position；　and　was　handsomely　repulsed　and　driven　back　into　Mason。　　This　brigade　was　in　part　armed　with　Spencer　repeating…rifles；　and　its　fire　was　so　rapid　that　General　Smith　insists　to　this　day　that　he　encountered　a　whole　division；　but　he　is　mistaken；　he　was　beaten　by　one　brigade　（Walcutt's）；　and　made　no　further　effort　to　molest　our　operations　from　that　direction。　General　Walcutt　was　wounded　in　the　leg；　and　had　to　ride　the　rest　of　the　distance　to　Savannah　in　a　carriage。

Therefore；　by　the　23d；　I　was　in　Milledgeville　with　the　left　wing；　and　was　in　full　communication　with　the　right　wing　at　Gordon。　　The　people　of　Milledgeville　remained　at　home；　except　the　Governor　（Brown）；　the　State　officers；　and　Legislature；　who　had　ignominiously　fled；　in　the　utmost　disorder　and　confusion；　standing　not　on　the　order　of　their　going；　but　going　at　oncesome　by　rail；　some　by　carriages；　and　many　on　foot。　　Some　of　the　citizens　who　remained　behind　described　this　flight　of　the　〃brave　and　patriotic〃　Governor　Brown。　　He　had　occupied　a　public　building　known　as　the　〃Governor's　Mansion；〃　and　had　hastily　stripped　it　of　carpets；　curtains；　and　furniture　of　all　sorts；　which　were　removed　to　a　train　of　freight…　cars；　which　carried　away　these　thingseven　the　cabbages　and　vegetables　from　his　kitchen　and　cellarleaving　behind　muskets；　ammunition；　and　the　public　archives。　　On　arrival　at　Milledgeville　I　occupied　the　same　public　mansion；　and　was　soon　overwhelmed　with　appeals　for　protection。　　General　Slocum　had　previously　arrived　with　the　Twentieth　Corps；　had　taken　up　his　quarters　at　the　Milledgeville　Hotel；　established　a　good　provost…guard；　and　excellent　order　was　maintained。　　The　most　frantic　appeals　had　been　made　by　the　Governor　and　Legislature　for　help　from　every　quarter；　and　the　people　of　the　State　had　been　called　out　en　masse　to　resist　and　destroy　the　invaders　of　their　homes　and　firesides。　　Even　the　prisoners　and　convicts　of　the　penitentiary　were　released　on　condition　of　serving　as　soldiers；　and　the　cadets　were　taken　from　their　military　college　for　the　same　purpose。　　These　constituted　a　small　battalion；　under　General　Harry　Wayne；　a　former　officer　of　the　United　States　Army；　and　son　of　the　then　Justice　Wayne　of　the　Supreme　Court。　　But　these　hastily　retreated　east　across　the　Oconee　River；　leaving　us　a　good　bridge；　which　we　promptly　secured。


At　Milledgeville　we　found　newspapers　from　all　the　South；　and　learned　the　consternation　which　had　filled　the　Southern　mind　at　our　temerity；　many　charging　that　we　were　actually　fleeing　for　our　lives　and　seeking　safety　at　the　hands　of　our　fleet　on　the　sea…coaSt。　All　demanded　that　we　should　be　assailed；　〃front；　flank；　and　rear；〃　that　provisions　should　be　destroyed　in　advance；　so　that　we　would　starve；　that　bridges　should　be　burned；　roads　obstructed；　and　no　mercy　shown　us。　　Judging　from　the　tone　of　the　Southern　press　of　that　day；　the　outside　world　must　have　supposed　us　ruined　and　loSt。　I　give　a　few　of　these　appeals　as　samples；　which　to…day　must　sound　strange　to　the　parties　who　made　them：


Corinth；　Mississippi；　November　18；　1884。

To　the　People　of　Georgia：


Arise　for　the　defense　of　your　native　soil！　　Rally　around　your　patriotic　Governor　and　gallant　soldiers！　　Obstruct　and　destroy　all　the　roads　in　Sherman's　front；　flank；　and　rear；　and　his　army　will　soon　starve　in　your　midSt。　Be　confident。　　Be　resolute。　　Trust　in　an　overruling　Providence；　and　success　will　soon　crown　your　efforts。　　I　hasten　to　join　you　in　the　defense　of　your　homes　and　firesides。

G。　　T。　　BEAUREGARD。



RICHMOND；　November　18；　1884。

To　the　People　of　Georgia：

You　have　now　the　best　opportunity　ever　yet　presented　to　destroy　the　enemy。　　Put　every　thing　at　the　disposal　of　our　generals；　remove　all　provisions　from　the　path　of　the；　invader；　and　put　all　obstructions　in　his　path。

Every　citizen　with　his　gun；　and　every　negro　with　his　spade　and　axe；　can　do　the　work　of　a　soldier。　　You　can　destroy　the　enemy　by　retarding　his　march。

Georgians；　be　firm！　　Act　promptly；　and　fear　not！

B。　H。　Hill；　Senator。

I　most　cordially　approve　the　above。　James　A。　SEDDON；　Secretary　of　War。



Richmond；　November　19；1864。

To　the　People　of　Georgia：


We　have　had　a　special　conference　with　President　Davis　and　the　Secretary　of　War；　and　are　able　to　assure　you　that　they　have　done　and　are　still　doing　all　that　can　be　done　to　meet　the　emergency　that　presses　upon　you。　　Let　every　man　fly　to　arms！　Remove　your　negroes；　horses；　cattle；　and　provisions　from　Sherman's　army；　and　burn　what　you　cannot　carry。　　Burn　all　bridges；　and　block　up　the　roads　in　his　route。　　Assail　the　invader　in　front；　flank；　and　rear；　by　night　and　by　day。　　Let　him　have　no　rest。

JULIAN　HARTRIDGE　MARK　BLANDFORD；　J。　H。　ECHOLS　GEO。　N。　LESTER　JOHN　T。　SHUEMAKE　JAS。　M。　SMITH；

Members　of　Congress。


Of　course；　we　were　rather　amused　than　alarmed　at　these　threats；　and　made　light　of　the　feeble　opposition　offered　to　our　progress。　　Some　of　the　officers　（in　the　spirit　of　mischief）　gathered　together　in　the　vacant　hall　of　Representatives；　elected　a　Speaker；　and　constituted　themselves　the　Legislature　of　the　State　of　Georgia！　　A　proposition　was　made　to　repeal　the　ordinance　of　secession；　which　was　well　debated；　and　resulted　in　its　repeal　by　a　fair　vote！　　I　was　not　present　at　these　frolics；　but　heard　of　them　at　the　time；　and　enjoyed　the　joke。

Meantime　orders　were　made　f