personal memoirs-1-第23章

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utter　lack　of　such　opportunity　where　I　was；　I　pleaded　my　cause　until

General　Halleck　finally　resolved　to　take　the　responsibility　of

letting　me　go　without　consulting　the　War　Department。　　When　I　had

thanked　him　for　the　kindness；　he　said　that　inasmuch　as　I　was　to　leave

him；　he　would　inform　me　that　the　regiment　to　which　I　had　just　been

appointed　was　ordered　out　as　part　of　a　column　directed　to　make　a　raid

to　the　south　of　the　enemy；　then　occupying　Corinth；　and　that　if　I

could　turn　over　my　property；　it　would　probably　be　well　for　me　to　join

my　command　immediately；　so　that　I　could　go　with　the　expedition。　　I

returned　to　my　tent；　where　Alger　and　Walbridge　were　still　waiting；

and　told　them　of　the　success　of　my　interview；　at　the　same　time

notifying　them　that　I　would　join　the　regiment　in　season　to　accompany

the　expedition　of　which　Halleck　had　spoken。



In　the　course　of　the　afternoon　I　turned　over　all　my　property　to　my

successor；　and　about　8　o'clock　that　evening　made　my　appearance　at　the

camp　of　the　Second　Michigan　Cavalry；　near　Farmington；　Mississippi。

The　regiment　was　in　a　hubbub　of　excitement　making　preparations　for

the　raid；　and　I　had　barely　time　to　meet　the　officers　of　my　command；

and　no　opportunity　at　all　to　see　the　men；　when　the　trumpet　sounded　to

horse。　　Dressed　in　a　coat　and　trousers　of　a　captain　of　infantry；　but

recast　as　a　colonel　of　cavalry　by　a　pair　of　well…worn　eagles　that

General　Granger　had　kindly　given　me；　I　hurriedly　placed　on　my　saddle

a　haversack；　containing　some　coffee；　sugar；　bacon；　and　hard　bread；

which　had　been　prepared；　and　mounting　my　horse；　I　reported　my

regiment　to　the　brigade　commander　as　ready　for　duty。









CHAPTER　IX。



EXPEDITION　TO　BOONEVILLEDESTROYING　SUPPLIESCONFEDERATE

STRAGGLERSSUCCESS　OF　THE　EXPEDITIONA　RECONNOISSANCETHE

IMPORTANCE　OF　BODILY　SUSTENANCETHE　BATTLE　OF　BOONEVILLE

RECOMMENDED　FOR　APPOINTMENT　AS　A　BRIGADIER…GENERAL。



The　expedition　referred　to　by　General　Halleck　in　his　parting

conversation　was　composed　of　the　Second　Michigan　and　Second　Iowa

regiments　of　cavalry；　formed　into　a　brigade　under　command　of　Colonel

Washington　L。　Elliott；　of　the　Second　Iowa。　　It　was　to　start　on　the

night　of　the　27th　of　May　at　12　o'clock；　and　proceed　by　a　circuitous

route　through　Iuka；　Miss。；　to　Booneville；　a　station　on　the　Mobile　and

Ohio　Railroad；　about　twenty…two　miles　below　Corinth；　and　accomplish

all　it　could　in　the　way　of　destroying　the　enemy's　supplies　and

cutting　his　railroad　communications。



The　weather　in　that　climate　was　already　warm；　guides　unobtainable；

and　both　men　and　horses　suffered　much　discomfort　from　the　heat；　and

fatigue　from　the　many　delays　growing　out　of　the　fact　that　we　were　in

almost　total　ignorance　of　the　roads　leading　to　the　point　that　we

desired　to　reach。　　In　order　that　we　might　go　light　we　carried　only

sugar；　coffee；　and　salt；　depending　on　the　country　for　meat　and　bread。

Both　these　articles　were　scarce；　but　I　think　we　got　all　there　was；

for　our　advent　was　so　unexpected　by　the　people　of　the　region　through

which　we　passed　that；　supposing　us　to　be　Confederate　cavalry；　they

often　gave　us　all　they　had；　the　women　and　servants　contributing　most

freely　from　their；　reserve　stores。



Before　reaching　Booneville　I　had　the　advance；　but　just　as　we　arrived

on　the　outskirts　of　the　town　the　brigade　was　formed　with　the　Second

Iowa　on　my　right；　and　the　whole　force　moved　forward；　right　in　front；

preceded　by　skirmishers。　　Here　we　encountered　the　enemy；　but　forced

him　back　with　little　resistance。　　When　we　had　gained　possession　of

the　station；　Colonel　Elliott　directed　me　to　take　the　left　wing　of　my

regiment；　pass　to　the　south；　and　destroy　a　bridge　or　culvert　supposed

to　be　at　a　little　distance　below　the　town　on　the　Mobile　and　Ohio

Railroad。　　The　right　wing；　or　other　half　of　the　regiment；　was　to　be

held　in　reserve　for　my　support　if　necessary。　　I　moved　rapidly　in　the

designated　direction　till　I　reached　the　railroad；　and　then　rode　down

it　for　a　mile　and　a　half；　but　found　neither　bridge　nor　culvert。　　I

then　learned　that　there　was　no　bridge　of　any　importance　except　the

one　at　Baldwin；　nine　miles　farther　down；　but　as　I　was　aware；　from

information　recently　received；　that　it　was　defended　by　three

regiments　and　a　battery；　I　concluded　that　I　could　best　accomplish　the

purpose　for　which　I　had　been　detachedcrippling　the　roadby　tearing

up　the　track；　bending　the　rails；　and　burning　the　cross…ties。　　This

was　begun　with　alacrity　at　four　different　points；　officers　and　men

vieing　with　one　another　in　the　laborious　work　of　destruction。　　We　had

but　few　tools；　and　as　the　difficulties　to　overcome　were　serious；　our

progress　was　slow；　until　some　genius　conceived　the　idea　that　the

track；　rails　and　ties；　might　be　lifted　from　its　bed　bodily；　turned

over；　and　subjected　to　a　high　heat；　a　convenient　supply　of　dry　fence…

rails　would　furnish　ample　fuel　to　render　the　rails　useless。　　In　this

way　a　good　deal　of　the　track　was　effectively　broken　up；　and

communication　by　rail　from　Corinth　to　the　south　entirely　cut　off。

While　we　were　still　busy　in　wrecking　the　road；　a　dash　was　made　at　my

right　and　rear　by　a　squadron　of　Confederate　cavalry。　　This　was

handsomely　met　by　the　reserve　under　Captain　Archibald　P。　Campbell；　of

the　Second　Michigan；　who；　dismounting　a　portion　of　his　command；

received　the　enemy　with　such　a　volley　from　his　Colt's　repeating

rifles　that　the　squadron　broke　and　fled　in　all　directions。　　We　were

not　molested　further；　and　resumed　our　work；　intending　to　extend　the

break　toward　Baldwin；　but　receiving　orders　from　Elliott　to　return　to

Booneville　immediately；　the　men　were　recalled；　and　we　started　to

rejoin　the　main　command。



In　returning　to　Booneville；　I　found　the　railroad　track　above　where　I

had　struck　it　blocked　by　trains　that　we　had　thus　cut　off；　and　the

woods　and　fields　around　the　town　covered　with　several　thousand

Confederate　soldiers。　　These　were　mostly　convalescents　and

disheartened　stragglers　belonging　to　General　Beauregard's　army；　and

from　them　we　learned　that　Corinth　was　being　evacuated。　　I　spent　some

little　time　in　an　endeavor　to　get　these　demoralized　men　into　an　open

field；　with　a　view　to　some　future　disposition　of　them；　but　in　the

midst　of　the　undertaking　I　received　another　order　from　Colonel

Elliott　to　join　him　at　once。　　The　news　of　the　evacuation　had　also

reached　Elliott；　and　had　disclosed　a　phase　of　the　situation　so

different　from　that　under　which　he　had　viewed　it　when　we　arrived　at

Booneville；　that　he　had　grown　anxious　to　withdraw；　lest　we　should　be

suddenly　pounced　upon　by　an　overwhelming　force　from　some　one　of　the

columns　in　retreat。　　Under　such　circumstances　my　prisoners　would

prove　a　decided　embarrassment；　so　I　abandoned　further　attempts　to　get

them　togethernot　even　paroling　them；　which　I　thought　might　have

been　done　with　but　little　risk。



In　the　meantime　the　captured　cars　had　been　fired；　and　as　their

complete　destruction　was　assured　by　explosions　from　those　containing

ammunition；　they　needed　no　further　attention；　so　I　withdrew　my　men

and　hastened　to　join　Elliott；　taking　along　some　Confederate　officers

whom　I　had　retained　from　among　four　or　five　hundred　prisoners

captured　when　making　the　original　dash　below　the　town。



The　losses　in　my　regiment；　and；　in　fact；　those　of　the　entire　command；

were　insignificant。　　The　results　of　the　expedition　were　important；

the　railroad　being　broken　so　thoroughly　as　to　cut　off　all　rolling

stock　north　of　Booneville；　and　to　place　at　the　service　of　General

Halleck's　army　the　cars　and　locomotives　of　which　the　retreating

Confederates　were　now　so　much　in　need。　　In　addition；　we　burned

twenty…six　cars　containing　ten　thousand　stand　of　small　arms；　three

pieces　of　artillery；　a　great　quantity　of　clothing；　a　heavy　supply　of

ammunition；　and　the　personal　baggage　of　General　Leonidas　Polk。　　A

large　number　of　prisoners；　mostly　sick　and　convalescent；　also　fell

into　our　hands；　but　as　we　could　not　carry　them　with　ussuch　a　hurried

de