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第36章

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

concert with Cheatham's division; and as the extreme left of the

Confederates was directed on Griscom's house; and their right on the

Blanton house; my new position was in danger of envelopment。  No hope

of stemming the tide at this point seemed probable; but to gain time

I retained my ground as long as possible; and until; under directions

from General McCook; I moved to the front from my left flank and

attached myself to the right of Negley's division; which up to this

hour had been left almost undisturbed by the enemy in the line it had

taken up the night before。  Under a heavy fire we succeeded in this

manoeuvre; Schaefer's brigade marching first; then the batteries; and

Roberts's and Sill's brigades following。  When my division arrived on

this new ground; I posted Roberts on Negley's right; with Hescock's

and Bush's guns; the brigade and guns occupying a low rocky ridge of

limestone; which faced them toward Murfreesboro'; nearly south。  The

rest of my division was aligned facing west; along the edge of a

cedar thicket; the rear rank backed up on the right flank of Roberts;

with Houghtaling's battery in the angle。  This presented Sill's and

Schaefer's brigades in an almost opposite direction to the line we

had so confidently taken up the night before; and covered Negley's

rear。  The enemy; in the meantime; had continued his wheeling

movement till he occupied the ground that my batteries and reserve

brigade had held in the morning; and I had now so changed my position

that the left brigade of my division approached his intrenchments in

front of Stone River; while Sill's and Schaeffer's brigades; by

facing nearly west; confronted the successful troops that had smashed

in our extreme right。



I had hardly got straightened out in this last place when I was

attacked by Cheatham's'division; which; notwithstanding the

staggering blows it had previously received from Sill and Roberts;

now again moved forward in conjunction with the wheeling movement

under the immediate command of Hardee。  One of the most sanguinary

contests of the day now took place。  In fulfillment of Bragg's

original design no doubt; Cheatham's division attacked on my left;

while heavy masses under Hardee; covered by batteries posted on the

high ground formerly occupied by my guns; assaulted my right; the

whole force advancing simultaneously。  At the same time the enemy

opened an artillery fire from his intrenchments in front of

Murfreesboro'; and it seemed that he was present on every side。  My

position was strong; however; located in the edge of a dense cedar

thicket and commanding a slight depression of open ground that lay in

my front。  My men were in good spirits too; notwithstanding they had

been a good deal hustled around since daylight; with losses that had

told considerably on their numbers。  Only a short distance now

separated the contending lines; and as the batteries on each side

were not much more than two hundred yards apart when the enemy made

his assault; the artillery fire was fearful in its effect on the

ranks of both contestants; the enemy's heavy masses staggering under

the torrent of shell and canister from our batteries; while our lines

were thinned by his ricochetting projectiles; that rebounded again

and again over the thinly covered limestone formation and sped on to

the rear of Negley。  But all his efforts to dislodge or destroy us

were futile; and for the first time since daylight General Hardee was

seriously checked in the turning movement he had begun for the

purpose of getting possession of the Nashville pike; and though

reinforced until two…fifths of Bragg's army was now at his command;

yet he met with repulse after repulse; which created great gaps in

his lines and taught him that to overwhelm us was hopeless。



As the enemy was recoiling from his first attack; I received a

message from Rosecrans telling me that he was making new

dispositions; and directing me to hold on where I was until they were

completed。  From this I judged that the existing conditions of the

battle would probably require a sacrifice of my command; so I

informed Roberts and Schaefer that we must be prepared to meet the

demand on us by withstanding the assault of the enemy; no matter what

the outcome。  Every energy was therefore bent to the simple holding

of our ground; and as ammunition was getting scarce; instructions

were given throughout the command to have it reserve its fire till

the most effective moment。  In a little while came a second and a

third assault; and although they were as daring and furious as the

first; yet in each case the Confederates were repulsed; driven back

in confusion; but not without deadly loss to us; for the noble

Roberts was killed; and Colonel Harrington; of the Twenty…Seventh

Illinois; who succeeded to his brigade; was mortally wounded a few

minutes later。  I had now on the death…roll three brigade commanders;

and the loss of subordinate officers and men was appalling; but their

sacrifice had accomplished the desired result; they had not fallen in

vain。  Indeed; the bravery and tenacity of my division gave to

Rosecrans the time required to make new dispositions; and exacted

from our foes the highest commendations。



A lull followed the third fierce assault; and an investigation showed

that; with the exception of a few rounds in my brigade; our

ammunition was entirely exhausted; and while it was apparent that the

enemy was reluctant to renew the conflict in my front; yet I was

satisfied I could not hold on much longer without the danger of

ultimate capture; so I prepared to withdraw as soon as the troops of

Rousseau's division; which had been ordered to take up a line on my

right; came into position。  Schaefer's and Sill's brigades being

without a cartridge; I directed them to fix bayonets for a charge;

and await any attempt of the enemy to embarrass my retreat; while

Roberts's brigade; offering such resistance as its small quantity of

ammunition would permit; was pulled slowly in toward the Nashville

pike。  Eighty of the horses of Houghtaling's battery having been

killed; an attempt was made to bring his guns back by hand over the

rocky ground; but it could not be done; and we had to abandon them。

Hescock also had lost most of his horses; but all his guns were

saved。  Bush's battery lost two pieces; the tangled underbrush in the

dense cedars proving an obstacle to getting them away which his

almost superhuman exertions could not surmount。  Thus far the bloody

duel had cost me heavily; one…third of my division being killed or

wounded。  I had already three brigade commanders killed; a little

later I lost my fourthColonel Schaefer。



The difficulties of withdrawing were very great; as the ground was

exceptionally rocky; and the growth of cedars almost impenetrable for

wheeled carriages。  Retiring sullenly under a heavy fire; while the

general line was reformed to my right and rear; my division was at

length drawn through the cedars and debouched into an open space near

the Murfreesboro' pike; behind the right of Palmer's division。  Two

regiments of Sill's brigade; however; on account of the conformation

of the ground; were obliged to fall back from the point where

Woodruff's brigade of Davis's division had rallied after the disaster

of the early morning。  The division came out of the cedars with

unbroken ranks; thinned by only its killed and woundedbut few

missing。  When we came into the open ground; McCook directed

Roberts's brigadenow commanded by Colonel Luther P。 Bradleyto

proceed a short distance to the rear on the Nashville pike; to repel

the enemy's threatening attempt at our communications。  Willingly and

cheerfully the brigade again entered the fight under these new

conditions; and although it was supplied with but three or four

cartridges to the man now; it charged gallantly and recaptured two


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