personal memoirs-1-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