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第33章

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doubt often performed the functions of family physician in the

mountain district。  Thus his opportunities were great; and the loyal

people in every section of the country being well known to him and

his brothers; the three began; at this time; a system of scouting and

investigation which bore its first…fruits in specifically locating

the different divisions of Bragg's army; with statements of their

strength and condition; and all with so much accuracy that I

thereafter felt reasonably sure that I could at all times procure

such knowledge of the enemy's operations as would well equip me for

any contingency that might arise。



By the middle of November the enemy; having assembled his forces in

Middle Tennessee; showed considerable boldness; and it became

necessary to rearrange the Union lines; so my troops were moved to

the south side of the river; out on the Murfreesboro' pike; to Mill

Creek; distant from Nashville about seven miles。  While we were in

camp on Mill Creek the army was reorganized; and General Joshua W。

Sill; at his own request; was assigned to my division; and took

command of Colonel Nicholas Greusel's brigade。  My division became at

the same time the Third Division; Right Wing; Fourteenth Army Corps;

its three brigades of four regiments each being respectively

commanded by General Sill; Colonel Frederick Schaefer and Colonel Dan

McCook; but a few days later Colonel George W。 Roberts's brigade;

from the garrison at Nashville; was substituted for McCook's。



General Sill was a classmate of mine at the Military Academy; having

graduated in 1853。  On graduating he was appointed to the Ordnance

Corps; and served in that department at various arsenals and ordnance

depots throughout the country till early in 1861; when he resigned to

accept a professorship of mathematics and civil engineering at the

Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute。  At the breaking out

of the war he immediately tendered his services to the Government;

and soon rose to the colonelcy of the Thirty…Third Ohio Volunteers;

and afterward to the rank of brigadier…general。  I knew him well; and

was glad that he came to my division; though I was very loth to

relieve Colonel Greusel; of the Thirty…Sixth Illinois; who had

already indicated much military skill and bravery; and at the battle

of Perryville had handled his men with the experience of a veteran。

Sill's modesty and courage were exceeded only by a capacity that had

already been demonstrated in many practical ways; and his untimely

death; almost within a month of his joining me; abruptly closed a

career which; had it been prolonged a little more; not only would

have shed additional lustre on his name; but would have been of

marked benefit to his country。



Colonel Schaefer; of the Second Missouri Infantry; had been absent on

sick…leave during the Kentucky campaign; but about this date he

returned to duty; and by seniority fell in command of the second

brigade。  He was of German birth; having come from Baden; where;

prior to 1848; he had been a non…commissioned officer in the service

of his State。  He took part as an insurgent in the so…called

revolution which occurred at Baden in that year; and; compelled to

emigrate on the suppression of the insurrection; made his way to this

country and settled in St。 Louis。  Here the breaking out of the war

found him; and through the personal interest which General Sigel took

in him he was commissioned a colonel of volunteers。  He had had a

pretty fair education; a taste for the military profession; and was

of tall and slender build; all of which gave him a student…like

appearance。  He was extremely excitable and nervous when anticipating

a crisis; but always calmed down to cool deliberation when the

critical moment came。  With such a man I could not be less than well

satisfied; although the officer whom he replacedColonel Laiboldt

had performed efficient service and shown much capacity in the recent

campaign。



Colonel G。 W。 Roberts; of the Forty…Second Illinois Infantry; also

came to me in the reorganization。  He was an ideal soldier both in

mind and body。  He was young; tall; handsome; brave; and dashing; and

possessed a balance…wheel of such good judgment that in his sphere of

action no occasion could arise from which he would not reap the best

results。  But he too was destined to lay; down his life within a few

days; and on the same fatal field。  His brigade had been performing

garrison duty in Nashville during the siege of that city while

Buell's army was in Kentucky; but disliking the prospect of

inactivity pending the operations opening before us; Roberts had

requested and obtained a transfer to the army in the field。  His

brigade relieved Colonel Dan McCook's; the latter reluctantly joining

the garrison at Nashville; every one in it disappointed and disgusted

that the circumstances existing at this time should necessitate their

relegation to the harassing and tantalizing duty of protecting our

depots and line of supply。



I was fortunate in having such brigade commanders; and no less

favored in the regimental and battery commanders。  They all were not

only patriots; but soldiers; and knowing that discipline must be one

of the most potent factors in bringing to a successful termination;

the mighty contest in which our nation was struggling for existence;

they studied and practiced its methods ceaselessly; inspiring with

the same spirit that pervaded themselves the loyal hearts of their

subordinate officers and men。  All worked unremittingly in the camp

at Mill Creek in preparing for the storm; which now plainly indicated

its speedy coming。  Drills; parades; scouts; foraging expeditions;

picket and guard duty; made up the course in this school of

instruction; supplemented by frequent changes in the locations of the

different brigades; so that the division could have opportunity to

learn to break camp quickly and to move out promptly on the march。

Foraging expeditions were particularly beneficial in this respect;

and when sent out; though absent sometimes for days; the men went

without tents or knapsacks; equipped with only one blanket and their

arms; ammunition; and rations; to teach them to shift for themselves

with slender means in the event of necessity。  The number of

regimental and headquarters wagons was cut down to the lowest

possible figure; and everything made compact by turning into the

supply and ammunition trains of the division all surplus

transportation; and restricting the personal baggage of officers to

the fewest effects possible。



My own staff also was somewhat reorganized and increased at Mill

Creek; and though it had been perfectly satisfactory before; yet; on

account of the changes of troops that had occurred in the command; I

found it necessary to replace valuable officers in some instances;

and secure additional ones in others。  The gathering of information

about the enemy was also industriously pursued; and Card and his

brothers were used constantly on expeditions within the Confederate

lines; frequently visiting Murfreesboro'; Sparta; Tullahoma;

Shelbyville; and other points。  What they learned was reported to

army headquarters; often orally through me or personally communicated

by Card himself; but much was forwarded in official letters;

beginning with November 24; when I transmitted accurate information

of the concentration of Bragg's main force at Tullahoma。  Indeed;

Card kept me so well posted as to every movement of the enemy; not

only with reference to the troops in my immediate front; but also

throughout his whole army; that General Rosecrans placed the most

unreserved reliance on all his statements; and many times used them

to check and correct the reports brought in by his own scouts。



Slight skirmishes took place frequently during this period; and now

and then heavy demonstrations were made in the neighborhood of

Nolensville by reconnoitring partie

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