memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第85章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
This is an admirable pointcountry open； and the two railroads in good order back to Wilmington and Beaufort。 We have already brought up stores enough to fill our wagons； and only await some few articles； and the arrival of some men who are marching up from the coast； to be off。
General Grant explained to me his orders to you； which； of course； are all right。 You can make reports direct to Washington or to General Grant； but keep me advised occasionally of the general state of affairs； that I may know what is happening。 I must give my undivided attention to matters here。 You will hear from a thousand sources pretty fair accounts of our next march。 Yours truly；
W。 T。 SHERMAN； Major…General。
＇LETTER FROM ADMIRAL DAHLGREN＇
SOUTH ATLANTIC SQUADRON FLAG…SHIP PHILADELPHIA； CHARLESTON； April 20； 1865
Major…General W。 T。 SHERMAN； commanding Armies of the Tennessee； Georgia； and Mississippi。
Mr DEAR GENERAL： I was much gratified by a sight of your handwriting； which has just reached me from Goldsboro'； it was very suggestive of a past to me； when these regions were the scene of your operations。
As you progressed through South Carolina； there was no manifestation of weakness or of an intention to abandon Charleston； until within a few hours of the fact。 On the 11th of February I was at Stono； and a spirited demonstration was made by General Schimmel…pfennig and the vessels。 He drove the rebels from their rifle…pits in front of the lines； extending from Fort Pringle； and pushed them vigorously。 The next day I was at Bull's Bay； with a dozen steamers； among them the finest of the squadron。 General Potter had twelve to fifteen hundred men； the object being to carry out your views。 We made as much fuss as possible； and with better success than I anticipated； for it seems that the rebs conceived Stono to be a feint； and the real object at Bull's Bay； supposing； from the number of steamers and boats； that we had several thousand men。 Now came an aide from General Gillmore； at Port Royal； with your cipher…dispatch from Midway； so I steamed down to Port Royal to see him。 Next day was spent in vain efforts to decipher…finally it was accomplished。 You thought that the state of the roads might force you to turn upon Charleston； so I went there on the 15th； but there was no sign yet of flinching。 Then I went to Bull's Bay next day （16th）； and found that the troops were not yet ashore； owing to the difficulties of shoal water。 One of the gunboats had contrived to get up to within shelling range； and both soldiers and sailors were working hard。 On the evening of the 18th I steamed down to Stono to see how matters were going there。 Passing Charleston； I noticed two large fires； well insideprobably preparing to leave。 On the 17th； in Stono； rumors were flying about loose of evacuation。 In course of the morning； General Schimmelpfennig telegraphed me； from Morris Island； that there were symptoms of leaving； that he would again make a push at Stono； and asked for monitors。 General Schimmelpfennig came down in the afternoon； and we met in the Folly Branch； near Secessionville。 He was sore that the rebs would be off that night； so he was to assault them in front； while a monitor and gunboats stung their flanks both sides。 I also sent an aide to order my battery of five eleven…inch guns； at Cumming's Point； to fire steadily all night on Sullivan's Island； and two monitors to close up to the island for the same object。 Next morning （18th） the rascals were found to be off； and we broke in from all directions； by land and water。 The main bodies had left at eight or nine in the evening； leaving detachments to keep up a fire from the batteries。 I steamed round quickly； and soon got into the city； threading the streets with a large group of naval captains who had joined me。 All was silent as the grave。 No one to be seen but a few firemen。
No one can question the excellence of your judgment in taking the track you did； and I never had any misgivings； but it was natural to desire to go into the place with a strong hand； for； if any one spot in the land was foremost in the trouble； it was Charleston。
Your campaign was the final blow； grand in conception； complete in execution； and now it is yours to secure the last army which rebeldom possesses。 I hear of your being in motion by the 9th； and hope that the result may be all that you wish。
Tidings of the murder of the President have just come； and shocked every mind。 Can it be that such a resort finds root in any stratum of American opinion？ Evidently it has not been the act of one man； nor of a madman。 Who have prompted him？
I am grateful for your remembrance of my boy； the thought of him is ever nearest to my heart。 Generous； brave； and noble； as I ever knew him to be； that he should close his young life so early； even under the accepted conditions of a soldier's life； as a son of the Union； would have been grief sufficient for me to bear； but that his precious remains should have been so treated by the brutes into whose hands they fell； adds even to the bitterness of death。 I am now awaiting the hour when I can pay my last duties to his memory。
With my beat and sincere wishes； my dear general； for your success and happiness； I am； most truly； your friend；
J。 A。 DAHLGREN。
＇General Order No。 50。＇
WAR DEPARTMENT； ADJUTANT…GENERAL'S OFFICE WASHINGTON； March 27； 1865
Ordered1。 That at the hour of noon； on the 14th day of April； 1885； Brevet Major…General Anderson will raise and plant upon the ruins of Fort Sumter； in Charleston Harbor； the same United States flag which floated over the battlements of that fort during the rebel assault； and which was lowered and saluted by him and the small force of his command when the works were evacuated on the 14th day of April； 1861。
2。 That the flag； when raised； be saluted by one hundred guns from Fort Sumter； and by a national salute from every fort and rebel battery that fired upon Fort Sumter。
3。 That suitable ceremonies be had upon the occasion； under the direction of Major…General William T。 Sherman； whose military operations compelled the rebels to evacuate Charleston； or； in his absence； under the charge of Major…General Q。 A。 Gilmore； commanding the department。 Among the ceremonies will be the delivery of a public address by the Rev。 Henry Ward Beecher。
4。 That the naval forces at Charleston； and their commander on that station； be invited to participate in the ceremonies of the occasion。
By order of the President of the United States；
EDWIN M。 STANTON； Secretary of War。
＇General Order No。 41。＇
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH HILTON HEAD； SOUTH CAROLINA； April 10； 1865
Friday next； the 14th inst。； will be the fourth anniversary of the capture of Fort Sumter by the rebels。 A befitting celebration on that day； in honor of its reoccupation by the national forces； has been ordered by the President； in pursuance of which Brevet Major… General Robert Anderson； United States Army； will restore to its original place on the fort the identical flag which； after an honorable and gallant defense； he was compelled to lower to the insurgents in South Carolina； in April； 1861。
The ceremonies for the occasion will commence with prayer； at thirty minutes past eleven o'clock a。m。
At noon precisely； the flag will be raised and saluted with one hundred guns from Fort Sumter； and with a national salute from Fort Moultrie and Battery Bee on Sullivan's Island； Fort Putnam on Morris Island； and Fort Johnson on James's Island； it being eminently appropriate that the places which were so conspicuous in the inauguration of the rebellion should take a part not less prominent in this national rejoicing over the restoration of the national authority。
After the salutes； the Rev。 Henry Ward Beecher will deliver an address。
The ceremonies will close with prayer and a benediction。
Colonel Stewart L。 Woodford； chief of staff； under such verbal instructions as he may receive； is hereby charged with the details of the celebration； comprising all the arrangements that it may be necessary to make for the accommodation of the orator of the day； and the comfort and safe
