personal memoirs-1-第24章

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

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

departure　was　an　immediate　necessity；　by　reason　of　our　critical

situationthe　process　of　paroling　them　was　not　completed；　and　they

doubtless　passed　back　to　active　service　in　the　Confederacy；　properly

enough　unrecognized　as　prisoners　of　war　by　their　superiors。



In　returning；　the　column　marched　back　by　another　indirect　route　to

its　old　camp　near　Farmington；　where　we　learned　that　the　whole　army

had　moved　into　and　beyond　Corinth；　in　pursuit　of　Beauregard；　on　the

13th　of　May；　the　very　day　we　had　captured　Booneville。　　Although　we

had　marched　about　one　hundred　and　eighty　miles　in　four　days；　we　were

required　to　take　part；　of　course；　in　the　pursuit　of　the　Confederate

army。　　So；　resting　but　one　night　in　our　old　camp；　we　were　early　in

the　saddle　again　on　the　morning　of　the　2d　of　June。　　Marching　south

through　Corinth；　we　passed　on　the　4th　of　June　the　scene　of　our　late

raid；　viewing　with　much　satisfaction；　as　we　took　the　road　toward

Blackland；　the　still　smoldering　embers　of　the　burned　trains。



On　the　4th　of　June　I　was　ordered　to　proceed　with　my　regiment　along

the　Blackland　road　to　determine　the　strength　of　the　enemy　in　that

direction；　as　it　was　thought　possible　we　might　capture；　by　a

concerted　movement　which　General　John　Pope　had　suggested　to　General

Halleck；　a　portion　of　Beauregard's　rear　guard。　　Pushing　the

Confederate　scouts　rapidly　in　with　a　running　fire　for　a　mile　or　more；

while　we　were　approaching　a　little　stream；　I　hoped　to　gobble　the　main

body　of　the　enemy's　pickets。　　I　therefore　directed　the　sabre

battalion　of　the　regiment；　followed　by　that　portion　of　it　armed　with

revolving　rifles；　to　dash　forward　in　column；　cut　off　these　videttes

before　they　could　cross　the　stream；　and　then　gather　them　in。　　The

pickets　fled　hastily；　however；　and　a　pell…mell　pursuit　carried　us

over　the　stream　at　their　heels　by　a　little　bridge；　with　no　thought　of

halting　till　we　gained　a　hill　on　the　other　side；　and　suddenly　found

ourselves　almost　in　the　camp　of　a　strong　body　of　artillery　and

infantry。　　Captain　Campbell　being　in　advance；　hurriedly　dismounted

his　battalion　for　a　further　forward　movement　on　foot；　but　it　was

readily　seen　that　the　enemy　was　present　in　such　heavy　force　as　almost

to　ensure　our　destruction；　and　I　gave　orders　for　a　hasty　withdrawal。

We　withdrew　without　loss　under　cover　of　thick　woods；　aided　much；

however；　by　the　consternation　of　the　Confederates；　who　had　hardly

recovered　from　their　surprise　at　our　sudden　appearance　in　their　camp

before　we　had　again　placed　the　stream　between　them　and　us　by

recrossing　the　bridge。　　The　reconnoissance　was　a　success　in　one　way

that　is；　in　finding　out　that　the　enemy　was　at　the　point　supposed　by；

General　Pope；　but　it　also　had　a　tendency　to　accelerate　Beauregard's

retreat；　for　in　a　day　or　two　his　whole　line　fell　back　as　far　south　as

Guntown；　thus　rendering　abortive　the　plans　for　bagging　a　large

portion　of　his　army。



General　Beauregard's　evacuation　of　Corinth　and　retreat　southward　were

accomplished　in　the　face　of　a　largely　superior　force　of　Union　troops；

and　he　reached　the　point　where　he　intended　to　halt　for　reorganization

without　other　loss　than　that　sustained　in　the　destruction　of　the　cars

and　supplies　at　Booneville；　and　the　capture　of　some　stragglers　and

deserters　that　fell　into　our　hands　while　we　were　pressing　his　rear

from　General　Pope's　flank。　　The　number　of　these　was　quite　large；　and

indicated　that　the　enemy　was　considerably　demoralized。　　Under　such

circumstances；　an　energetic　and　skillfully　directed　pursuit　might　not

have　made　certain　the　enemy's　destruction；　but　it　would　largely　have

aided　in　disintegrating　his　forces；　and　I　never　could　quite

understand　why　it　was　not　ordered。　　The　desultory　affairs　between

rear　and　advance　guards　seemed　as　a　general；　thing　to　have　no

particular　purpose　in　view　beyond　finding　out　where　the　enemy　was；

and　when　he　was　found；　since　no　supporting　colums　were　at　hand　and　no

one　in　supreme　control　was　present　to　give　directions；　our

skirmishing　was　of　little　avail　and　brought　but　small　reward。



A　short　time　subsequent　to　these　occurrences；　Colonel　Elliott　was

made　a　brigadier…general；　and　as　General　Pope　appointed　him　his

Chief…of…Staff；　I；　on　the　11th　of　June；　1862；　fell　in　command　of　the

brigade　by　seniority。　　For　the　rest　of　the　month　but　little　of　moment

occurred；　and　we　settled　down　into　camp　at　Booneville　on　the　26th　of

June；　in　a　position　which　my　brigade　had　been　ordered　to　take　up　some

twenty　miles；　in　advance　of　the　main　army　for　the　purpose　of　covering

its　front。　　Although　but　a　few　days　had　elapsed　from　the　date　of　my

appointment　as　colonel　of　the　Second　Michigan　to　that　of　my

succeeding　to　the　command　of　the　brigade；　I　believe　I　can　say　with

propriety　that　I　had　firmly　established　myself　in　the　confidence　of

the　officers　and　men　of　the　regiment；　and　won　their　regard　by

thoughtful　care。　　I　had　striven　unceasingly　to　have　them　well　fed　and

well　clothed；　had　personally　looked　after　the　selection　of　their

camps；　and　had　maintained　such　a　discipline　as　to　allay　former

irritation。



Men　who　march；　scout；　and　fight；　and　suffer　all　the　hardships　that

fall　to　the　lot　of　soldiers　in　the　field；　in　order　to　do　vigorous

work　must　have　the　best　bodily　sustenance；　and　every　comfort　that　can

be　provided。　　I　knew　from　practical　experience　on　the　frontier　that

my　efforts　in　this　direction　would　not　only　be　appreciated；　but

requited　by　personal　affection　and　gratitude；　and；　further；　that　such

exertions　would　bring　the　best　results　to　me。　　Whenever　my　authority

would　permit　I　saved　my　command　from　needless　sacrifices　and

unnecessary　toil；　therefore；　when　hard　or　daring　work　was　to　be　done

I　expected　the　heartiest　response；　and　always　got　it。　　Soldiers　are

averse　to　seeing　their　comrades　killed　without　compensating　results；

and　none　realize　more　quickly　than　they　the　blundering　that　often

takes　place　on　the　field　of　battle。　　They　want　some　tangible

indemnity　for　the　loss　of　life；　and　as　victory　is　an　offset　the　value

of　which　is　manifest；　it　not　only　makes　them　content　to　shed　their

blood；　but　also　furnishes　evidence　of　capacity　in　those　who　command

them。　　My　regiment　had　lost　very　few　men　since　coming　under　my

command；　but　it　seemed；　in　the　eyes　of　all　who　belonged　to　it；　that

casualties　to　the　enemy　and　some　slight　successes　for　us　had　repaid

every　sacrifice；　and　in　consequence　I　had　gained　not　only　their

confidence　as　soldiers；　but　also　their　esteem　and　love　as　men；　and　to

a　degree　far　beyond　what　I　then　realized。



As　soon　as　the　camp　of　my　brigade　was　pitched　at　Booneville；　I　began

to　scout　in　every　direction；　to　obtain　a　knowledge　of　the　enemy's

whereabouts　and　learn　the　ground　about　me。　　My　standing　in　drawing　at

the　Military　Academy　had　never　been　so　high　as　to　warrant　the　belief

that　I　could　ever　prove　myself　an　expert；　but　a　few　practical　lessons

in　that　line　were　impressed　on　me　there；　and　I　had　retained　enough　to

enable　me　to　make　rough　maps　that　could　be　readily　understood；　and

which　would　be　suitable　to　replace　the　erroneous　skeleton　outlines　of

northern　Mississippi；　with　which　at　this　time　we　were　scantily

furnished；　so　as　soon　as　possible　I　compiled　for　the　use　of　myself

and　my　regimental　commanders　an　information　map　of　the　surrounding

country。　　This　map　exhibited　such　details　as　country　roads；　streams；

farmhouses；　fields；　woods；　and　swamps；　and　such　other　topographical

features　as　would　be　useful。　　I　must　confess　that　my　crude　sketch　did

not　evidence　much　artistic　merit；　but　it　was　an　improvement　on　what

we　already　possessed　in　the　way　of　details　to　guide　the　command；　and

this　was　what　I　most　needed；　for　it　was　of　the　first　importance　that

in　our　exposed　condition　we　should　be　equipped　with　a　thorough

knowledge　of　the　section　in　which　we　were　operating；　so　as　to　be

prepared