memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第74章

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Colonel　Stone　go　on　into　the　city；　and　that　we　would　follow　as　soon　as　the　bridge　was　ready。　　By　this　same　messenger　I　received　a　note　in　pencil　from　the　Lady　Superioress　of　a　convent　or　school　in　Columbia；　in　which　she　claimed　to　have　been　a　teacher　in　a　convent　in　Brown　County；　Ohio；　at　the　time　my　daughter　Minnie　was　a　pupil　there；　and　therefore　asking　special　protection。　　My　recollection　is；　that　I　gave　the　note　to　my　brother…in…law；　Colonel　Ewing；　then　inspector…general　on　my　staff；　with　instructions　to　see　this　lady；　and　assure　her　that　we　contemplated　no　destruction　of　any　private　property　in　Columbia　at　all。

As　soon　as　the　bridge　was　done；　I　led　my　horse　over　it；　followed　by　my　whole　staff。　　General　Howard　accompanied　me　with　his；　and　General　Logan　was　next　in　order；　followed　by　General　C。　　R。　　Woods；　and　the　whole　of　the　Fifteenth　Corps。　　Ascending　the　hill；　we　soon　emerged　into　a　broad　road　leading　into　Columbia；　between　old　fields　of　corn　and　cotton；　and；　entering　the　city；　we　found　seemingly　all　its　population；　white　and　black；　in　the　streets。　　A　high　and　boisterous　wind　was　prevailing　from　the　north；　and　flakes　of　cotton　were　flying　about　in　the　air　and　lodging　in　the　limbs　of　the　trees；　reminding　us　of　a　Northern　snow…storm。　　Near　the　market…square　we　found　Stone's　brigade　halted；　with　arms　stacked；　and　a　large　detail　of　his　men；　along　with　some　citizens；　engaged　with　an　old　fire…　engine；　trying　to　put　out　the　fire　in　a　long　pile　of　burning　cotton…bales；　which　I　was　told　had　been　fired　by　the　rebel　cavalry　on　withdrawing　from　the　city　that　morning。　　I　know　that；　to　avoid　this　row　of　burning　cotton…bales；　I　had　to　ride　my　horse　on　the　sidewalk。　　In　the　market…square　had　collected　a　large　crowd　of　whites　and　blacks；　among　whom　was　the　mayor　of　the　city；　Dr。　Goodwin；　quite　a　respectable　old　gentleman；　who　was　extremely　anxious　to　protect　the　interests　of　the　citizens。　　He　was　on　foot；　and　I　on　horseback；　and　it　is　probable　I　told　him　then　not　to　be　uneasy；　that　we　did　not　intend　to　stay　long；　and　had　no　purpose　to　injure　the　private　citizens　or　private　property。　　About　this　time　I　noticed　several　men　trying　to　get　through　the　crowd　to　speak　with　me；　and　called　to　some　black　people　to　make　room　for　them；　when　they　reached　me；　they　explained　that　they　were　officers　of　our　army；　who　had　been　prisoners；　had　escaped　from　the　rebel　prison　and　guard；　and　were　of　course　overjoyed　to　find　themselves　safe　with　us。　　I　told　them　that；　as　soon　as　things　settled　down；　they　should　report　to　General　Howard；　who　would　provide　for　their　safety；　and　enable　them　to　travel　with　us。　　One　of　them　handed　me　a　paper；　asking　me　to　read　it　at　my　leisure；　I　put　it　in　my　breast…pocket　and　rode　on。　　General　Howard　was　still　with　me；　and；　riding　down　the　street　which　led　by　the　right　to　the　Charleston　depot；　we　found　it　and　a　large　storehouse　burned　to　the　ground；　but　there　were；　on　the　platform　and　ground　near　by；　piles　of　cotton　bags　filled　with　corn　and　corn…meal；　partially　burned。

A　detachment　of　Stone's　brigade　was　guarding　this；　and　separating　the　good　from　the　bad。　　We　rode　along　the　railroad…track；　some　three　or　four　hundred　yards；　to　a　large　foundery；　when　some　man　rode　up　and　said　the　rebel　cavalry　were　close　by；　and　he　warned　us　that　we　might　get　shot。　　We　accordingly　turned　back　to　the　market…　square；　and　en　route　noticed　that；　several　of　the　men　were　evidently　in　liquor；　when　I　called　General　Howard's　attention　to　it。　　He　left　me　and　rode　toward　General　Woods's　head　of　column；　which　was　defiling　through　the　town。　　On　reaching　the　market…square；　I　again　met　Dr。　Goodwin；　and　inquired　where　he　proposed　to　quarter　me；　and　he　said　that　he　had　selected　the　house　of　Blanton　Duncan；　Esq。；　a　citizen　of　Louisville；　Kentucky；　then　a　resident　there；　who　had　the　contract　for　manufacturing　the　Confederate　money；　and　had　fled　with　Hampton's　cavalry。　　We　all　rode　some　six　or　eight　squares　back　from　the　new　State…House；　and　found　a　very　good　modern　house；　completely　furnished；　with　stabling　and　a　large　yard；　took　it　as　our　headquarters；　and　occupied　it　during　our　stay。　　I　considered　General　Howard　as　in　command　of　the　place；　and　referred　the　many　applicants　for　guards　and　protection　to　him。　　Before　our　headquarters…wagons　had　got　up；　I　strolled　through　the　streets　of　Columbia；　found　sentinels　posted　at　the　principal　intersections；　and　generally　good　order　prevailing；　but　did　not　again　return　to　the　main　street；　because　it　was　filled　with　a　crowd　of　citizens　watching　the　soldiers　marching　by。

During　the　afternoon　of　that　day；　February　17th；　the　whole　of　the　Fifteenth　Corps　passed　through　the　town　and　out　on　the　Camden　and　Winnsboro'　roads。　　The　Seventeenth　Corps　did　not　enter　the　city　at　all；　but　crossed　directly　over　to　the　Winnsboro'　road　from　the　pontoon　bridge　at　Broad　River；　which　was　about　four　miles　above　the　city。

After　we　had　got；　as　it　were；　settled　in　Blanton　Duncan's　house；　say　about　2　p。m。；　I　overhauled　my　pocket　according　to　custom；　to　read　more　carefully　the　various　notes　and　memoranda　received　during　the　day；　and　found　the　paper　which　had　been　given　me；　as　described；　by　one　of　our　escaped　prisoners。　　It　proved　to　be　the　song　of　〃Sherman's　March　to　the　Sea；〃　which　had　been　composed　by　Adjutant　S。　H。　M。　Byers；　of　the　Fifth　Iowa　Infantry；　when　a　prisoner　in　the　asylum　at　Columbia；　which　had　been　beautifully　written　off　by　a　fellow…prisoner；　and　handed　to　me　in　person。　　This　appeared　to　me　so　good　that　I　at　once　sent　for　Byers；　attached　him　to　my　staff；　provided　him　with　horse　and　equipment；　and　took　him　as　far　as　Fayetteville；　North　Carolina；　whence　he　was　sent　to　Washington　as　bearer　of　dispatches。　　He　is　now　United　States　consul　at　Zurich；　Switzerland；　where　I　have　since　been　his　guest。　I　insert　the　song　here　for　convenient　reference　and　preservation。　　Byers　said　that　there　was　an　excellent　glee…club　among　the　prisoners　in　Columbia；　who　used　to　sing　it　well；　with　an　audience　often　of　rebel　ladies：


SHERMAN'S　MARCH　TO　THE　SEA。

Composed　by　Adjutant　Byers；　Fifth　Iowa　Infantry。　　Arranged　and　sung　by　the　Prisoners　in　Columbia　Prison。


I

Our　camp…fires　shone　bright　on　the　mountain　That　frowned　on　the　river　below；　As　we　stood　by　our　guns　in　the　morning；　And　eagerly　watched　for　the　foe；　When　a　rider　came　out　of　the　darkness　That　hung　over　mountain　and　tree；　And　shouted；　〃Boys；　up　and　be　ready！　For　Sherman　will　march　to　the　sea！〃


CHORUS：

Then　sang　we　a　song　of　our　chieftain；　That　echoed　over　river　and　lea；　And　the　stars　of　our　banner　shone　brighter　When　Sherman　marched　down　to　the　sea！


II

Then　cheer　upon　cheer　for　bold　Sherman　Went　up　from　each　valley　and　glen；　And　the　bugles　reechoed　the　music　That　came　from　the　lips　of　the　men；　For　we　knew　that　the　stars　in　our　banner　More　bright　in　their　splendor　would　be；　And　that　blessings　from　Northland　world　greet　us；　When　Sherman　marched　down　to　the　sea！　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Then　sang　we　a　song；　etc。

III

Then　forward；　boys！　forward　to　battle！　We　marched　on　our　wearisome　way；　We　stormed　the　wild　hills　of　Resacar　God　bless　those　who　fell　on　that　day！　Then　Kenesaw　frowned　in　its　glory；　Frowned　down　on　the　flag　of　the　free；　But　the　East　and　the　West　bore　our　standard；　And　Sherman　marched　on　to　the　sea！　　　　　　　　　Then　sang　we　a　song；　etc。


IV

Still　onward　we　pressed；　till　our　banners　Swept　out　from　Atlanta's　grim　walls；　And　the　blood　of　the　patriot　dampened　The　soil　where　the　traitor…flag　falls；　But　we　paused　not　to　weep　for　the　fallen；　Who　slept　by　each　river　and　tree；　Yet　we　twined　them　a　wreath　of　the　laurel；　As　Sherman　marched　down　to　the　sea！　　　　　　　　　Then　sang　we　a　song；　etc。

V

Oh；　proud　was　our　army　that　morning；　That　stood　where　the　pine　darkly　towers；　When　Sherman　said；　〃Boys；　you　are　weary；　But　to…day　fair　Savannah　is　ours！〃　Then　sang　we　the　song　of　our　chieftain；　That　echoed　over　river　and　lea；　And　the　stars　in　our　banner　shone　brighter　When　Sherman　camped　down　by　the　sea！


Toward　evening　of　February　17th；　the　mayor；　Dr。　Goodwin；　came　to　my　quarters　at　Duncan's　house；　and　remarked　that　there　was　a　lady　in　Columbia　who　professed　to　be　a　special　friend　of　mine。　　On　his　giving　her　name；　I　could　not　recall　it；　but　inquired　as　to　her　maiden　or　family　name。