personal memoirs-1-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