personal memoirs-1-第35章

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of　the　3oth；　it　was　apparent　that　the　two　armies　were　in　close

proximity；　and　orders　received　during　the　night　revealed　the　fact

that　Rosecrans　intended　to　attack　by　throwing　his　left　on　the　enemy's

right；　with　the　expectation　of　driving　it　in　toward　Murfreesboro'；　so

that　the　right　of　Crittenden's　corps　could　attack　Bragg's　centre　in

reverse；　while　Thomas　supported　Crittenden　by　a　simultaneous　front

assault；　and　from　the　movements　of　the　enemy　at　daylight　next

morning；　it　was　plainly　indicated　that　Bragg　had　planned　to　swing　his

left　on　our　right　by　an　exactly　similar　manoeuvre；　get　possession　of

the　railroad　and　the　Nashville　pike；　and　if　possible　cut　us　off　from

our　base　at　Nashville。　　The　conceptions　in　the　minds　of　the　two

generals　were　almost　identical；　but　Bragg　took　the　initiative；

beginning　his　movement　about　an　hour　earlier　than　the　time　set　by

Rosecrans；　which　gained　him　an　immense　advantage　in　execution　in　the

earlier　stages　of　the　action。



During　the　evening　of　the　th；　feeling　keenly　all　the　solicitude　which

attends　one　in　anticipation　of　a　battle；　I　examined　my　position　with

great　care；　inspecting　its　whole　length　several　times　to　remedy　any

defects　that　might　exist；　and　to　let　the　men　see　that　I　was　alive　to

their　interests　and　advantages。　　After　dark；　I　went　back　to　the　rear

of　my　reserve　brigade；　and　establishing　my　headquarters　behind　the

trunk　of　a　large　fallen　tree；　which　would　shelter　me　somewhat　from

the　cold　December　wind；　lay　down　beside　a　small　camp…fire　to　get　some

rest。



At　2　o'clock　on　the　morning　of　the　31st　General　Sill　came　back　to　me

to　report　that　on　his　front　a　continuous　movement　of　infantry　and

artillery　had　been　going　on　all　night　within　the　Confederate　lines；

and　that　he　was　convinced　that　Bragg　was　massing　on　our　right　with

the　purpose　of　making　an　attack　from　that　direction　early　in　the

morning。　　After　discussing　for　a　few　minutes　the　probabilities　of

such　a　course　on　the　part　of　the　enemy；　I　thought　McCook　should　be

made　acquainted　with　what　was　going　on；　so　Sill　and　I　went　back　to

see　him　at　his　headquarters；　not　far　from　the　Griscom　House；　where　we

found　him　sleeping　on　some　straw　in　the　angle　of　a　worm…fence。　　I

waked　him　up　and　communicated　the　intelligence；　and　our　consequent

impressions。　　He　talked　the　matter　over　with　us　for　some　little　time；

but　in　view　of　the　offensive…defensive　part　he　was　to　play　in　the

coming　battle；　did　not　seem　to　think　that　there　was　a　necessity　for

any　further　dispositions　than　had　already　been　taken。　　He　said　that

he　thought　Johnson's　division　would　be　able　to　take　care　of　the

right；　and　seemed　confident　that　the　early　assault　which　was　to　be

made　from　Rosecrans's　left　would　anticipate　and　check　the　designs

which　we　presaged。　　We　two　then　returned　to　my　little　camp…fire

behind　the　log；　and　as　we　continued　talking　of　what　might　be　expected

from　the　indications　on　the　right；　and　Sill　becoming　more　anxious；　I

directed　two　regiments　from　the　reserve　to　report　to　him；　that　they

might　be　placed　within　very　short　supporting　distance　of　his　line。

He　then　rejoined　his　brigade；　better　satisfied；　but　still　adhering　to

the　belief　he　had　expressed　when　first　making　his　report。



Long　before　dawn　my　division　breakfasted；　and　was　assembled　under

arms；　the　infantry　in　line；　the　cannoneers　at　their　pieces；　but　while

we　were　thus　preparing；　all　the　recent　signs　of　activity　in　the

enemy's　camp　were　hushed；　a　death…like　stillness　prevailing　in　the

cedars　to　our　front。　　Shortly　after　daylight　General　Hardee　opened

the　engagement；　just　as　Sill　had　predicted；　by　a　fierce　attack　on

Johnson's　division；　the　extreme　right　of　the　Union　line。　　Immediate

success　attending　this　assault；　Hardee　extended　the　attack　gradually

along　in　front　of　Davis；　hip　movement　taking　the　form　of　a　wheel　to

the　right；　the　pivot　being　nearly　opposite　the　left　of　my　division。

Johnson's　division　soon　gave　way；　and　two　of　Davis's　brigades　were

forced　to　fall　back　with　it；　though　stubbornly　resisting　the

determined　and　sweeping　onset。



In　the　meantime　the　enemy　had　also　attacked　me；　advancing　across　an

old　cotton…field　in　Sill's　front　in　heavy　masses；　which　were

furiously　opened　upon　by　Bush's　battery　from　Sill's　line；　and　by

Hescock's　and　Houghtaling's　batteries；　which　had　an　oblique　fire　on

the　field　from　a　commanding　position　in　rear　of　my　centre。　　The

effect　of　this　fire　on　the　advancing　column　was　terrible；　but　it

continued　on　till　it　reached　the　edge　of　the　timber　where　Sill's

right　lay；　when　my　infantry　opened　at　a　range　of　not　over　fifty

yards。　　For　a　short　time　the　Confederates　withstood　the　fire；　but

then　wavered；　broke；　and　fell　back　toward　their　original　line。　　As

they　retired；　Sill's　brigade　followed　in　a　spirited　charge；　driving

them　back　across　the　open　ground　and　behind　their　intrenchments。　　In

this　charge　the　gallant　Sill　was　killed；　a　rifle　ball　passing　through

his　upper　lip　and　penetrating　the　brain。　　Although　this　was　a　heavy

loss；　yet　the　enemy's　discomfiture　was　such　as　to　give　us　an　hour's

time；　and　as　Colonel　Greusel；　Thirty…sixth　Illinois；　succeeded　to

Sill's　command；　I　directed　him；　as　he　took　charge；　to　recall　the

brigade　to　its　original　position；　for　the　turning…column　on　my

extreme　right　was　now　assuming　the　most　menacing　attitude；　and　it　was

urgently　necessary　to　prepare　for　it。



When　that　portion　of　the　enemy　driven　back　by　Sill　recovered　from　its

repulse　it　again　advanced　to　the　attack；　this　time　directing　its

efforts　chiefly　upon　my　extreme　right；　and　the　front　of　Woodruff's

brigade　of　Davis's　division；　which　brigade　still　held　on　in　its　first

position。　　In　front　of　my　centre　the　Confederates　were　again　driven

back；　but　as　the　assault　on　Woodruff　was　in　conjunction　with　an

advance　of　the　column　that　had　forced　Johnson　to　retire；　Woodruff　was

compelled　unfortunately　to　give　way；　and　two　regiments　on　the　right

of　my　line　went　with　him；　till　they　rallied　on　the　two　reserve

regiments　which；　in　anticipation　of　the　enemy's　initiatory　attack　I

had　sent　to　Sill's　rear　before　daylight。



Both　Johnson's　and　Davis's　divisions　were　now　practically　gone　from

our　line；　having　retired　with　a　loss　of　all　formation；　and　they　were

being　closely　pursued　by　the　enemy；　whose　columns　were　following　the

arc　of　a　circle　that　would　ultimately　carry　him　in　on　my　rear。　　In

consequence　of　the　fact　that　this　state　of　things　would　soon　subject

me　to　a　fire　in　reverse；　I　hastily　withdrew　Sill's　brigade　and　the

reserve　regiments　supporting　it；　and　ordered　Roberts's　brigade；　which

at　the　close　of　the　enemy's　second　repulse　had　changed　front　toward

the　south　and　formed　in　column　of　regiments；　to　cover　the　withdrawal

by　a　charge　on　the　Confederates　as　they　came　into　the　timber　where　my

right　had　originally　rested。　　Roberts　made　the　charge　at　the　proper

time；　and　was　successful　in　checking　the　enemy's　advance；　thus　giving

us　a　breathing…spell；　during　which　I　was　able　to　take　up　a　new

position　with　Schaefer's　and　Sill's　brigades　on　the　commanding　ground

to　the　rear；　where　Hescock's　and　Houghtaling's　batteries　had　been

posted　all　the　morning。



The　general　course　of　this　new　position　was　at　right　angles　with　my

original　line；　and　it　took　the　shape　of　an　obtuse　angle；　with　my

three　batteries　at　the　apex。　　Davis；　and　Carlin　of　his　division；

endeavored　to　rally　their　men　here　on　my　right；　but　their　efforts

were　practically　unavailing；though　the　calm　and　cool　appearance　of

Carlin；　who　at　the　time　was　smoking　a　stumpy　pipe；　had　some　effect；

and　was　in　strong　contrast　to　the　excited　manner　of　Davis；　who　seemed

overpowered　by　the　disaster　that　had　befallen　his　command。　　But　few

could　be　rallied；　however；　as　the　men　were　badly　demoralized；　and

most　of　them　fell　back　beyond　the　Wilkinson　pike；　where　they

reorganized　behind　the　troops　of　General　Thomas。



At　this　juncture　the　enemy's　turning…column　began　advancing　again　in

concert　with　Cheatham's　divi