personal memoirs-1-第39章

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our　right　wingand　there　seems　no　reason　why　he　should　not　have　done

sothe　army　of　Rosecrans　still　might　have　got　back　to　Nashville；　but

it　would　have　been　depleted　and　demoralized　to　such　a　degree　as　to

unfit　it　for　offensive　operations　for　a　long　time　afterward。　　Bragg's

intrenchments　in　front　of　Stone　River　were　very　strong；　and　there

seems　no　reason　why　he　should　not　have　used　his　plain　advantage　as

explained；　but　instead　he　allowed　us　to　gain　time；　intrench；　and

recover　a　confidence　that　at　first　was　badly　shaken。　　Finally；　to　cap

the　climax　of　his　errors；　he　directed　Breckenridge　to　make　the

assault　from　his　right　flank　on　January　2；　with　small　chance　for

anything　but　disaster；　when　the　real　purpose　in　view　could　have　been

accomplished　without　the　necessity　of　any　offensive　manoeuvre

whatever。









CHAPTER　XIV。



APPOINTED　A　MAJOR…GENERALTHE　SECRET　EXPEDITION　UNDER　CARD　THE

SCOUTHIS　CAPTURE　BY　GUERRILLASESCAPEA　REVENGE　PARTYWOMEN

SOLDIERSA　FIGHT　WITH　SABRESTULLAHOMA　CAMPAIGNA　FOOLISH

ADVENTURE。



On　the　6th　of　January；　1863；　my　division　settled　quietly　down　in　its

camp　south　of　Murfreesboro'。　　Its　exhausted　condition　after　the

terrible　experiences　of　the　preceding　week　required　attention。　　It

needed　recuperation；　reinforcement；　and　reorganization；　and　I　set

about　these　matters　without　delay；　in　anticipation　of　active

operations　early　in　the　spring。　　No　forward　movement　was　made　for

nearly　six　months；　however；　and　throughout　this　period　drills；

parades；　reconnoissances；　and　foraging　expeditions　filled　in　the　time

profitably。　　In　addition　to　these　exercises　the　construction　of

permanent　fortifications　for　the　security　of　Murfreesboro'　was

undertaken　by　General　Rosecrans；　and　large　details　from　my　troops

were　furnished　daily　for　the　work。　　Much　attention　was　also　given　to

creating　a　more　perfect　system　of　guard　and　picket　duty…a　matter　that

had　hitherto　been　somewhat　neglected　in　the　army；　as　its　constant

activity　had　permitted　scant　opportunity　for　the　development　of　such

a　system。　　It　was　at　this　time　that　I　received　my　appointment　as　a

major…general　of　Volunteers。　　My　promotion　had　been　recommended　by

General　Rosecrans　immediately　after　the　battle　of　Stone　River；　but

for　some　reason　it　was　delayed　until　April；　and　though　a　long　time

elapsed　between　the　promise　and　the　performance；　my　gratification　was

extreme。



My　scout；　Card；　was　exceedingly　useful　while　encamped　near

Murfreesboro；　making　several　trips　to　East　Tennessee　within　the

enemy's　lines　to　collect　information　as　to　the　condition　of　the　loyal

people　there；　and　to　encourage　them　with　the　hope　of　early

liberation。　　He　also　brought　back　from　each　trip　very　accurate

statements　as　to　the　strength　and　doings　of　the　Confederate　army；

fixing　almost　with　certainty　its　numbers　and　the　locations　of　its

different　divisions；　and　enabling　my　engineer…officerMajor

Morhardtto　construct　good　maps　of　the　country　in　our　front。　　On

these　dangerous　excursions　Card　was　always　accompanied　by　one　of　his

brothers；　the　other　remaining　with　me　to　be　ready　for　duty　if　any

accident　occurred　to　those　who　had　gone　out；　or　in　case　I　wanted　to

communicate　with　them。　　In　this　way　we　kept　well　posted；　although　the

intelligence　these　men　brought　was　almost　always　secured　at　the　risk

of　their　lives。



Early　in　the　spring；　before　the　Tullahoma　campaign　began；　I　thought

it　would　be　practicable；　by　sending　out　a　small　secret　expedition　of

but　three　or　four　men；　to　break　the　Nashville　and　Chattanooga

railroad　between　Chattanooga　and　the　enemy's　position　at　Tullahoma　by

burning　the　bridges　in　Crow　Creek　valley　from　its　head　to　Stevenson；

Alabama；　and　then　the　great　bridge　across　the　Tennessee　River　at

Bridgeport。　　Feeling　confident　that　I　could　persuade　Card　to

undertake　the　perilous　duty；　I　broached　the　contemplated　project　to

him；　and　he　at　once　jumped　at　the　opportunity　of　thus　distinguishing

himself；　saying　that　with　one　of　his　brothers　and　three　other　loyal

East　Tennesseeans；　whose　services　he　knew　could　be　enlisted；　he　felt

sure　of　carrying　out　the　idea；　so　I　gave　him　authority　to　choose　his

own　assistants。　　In　a　few　days　his　men　appeared　at　my　headquarters；

and　when　supplied　with　money　in　notes　of　the　State　Bank　of　Tennessee；

current　everywhere　as　gold　in　those　days；　the　party；　composed　of

Card；　the　second　brother；　and　the　three　East　Tennesseeans；　started　on

their　precarious　enterprise；　their　course　being　directed　first　toward

the　Cumberland　Mountains；　intending　to　strike　the　Nashville　and

Chattanooga　railroad　somewhere　above　Anderson's　station。　　They

expected　to　get　back　in　about　fifteen　days；　but　I　looked　for　some

knowledge　of　the　progress　of　their　adventure　before　the　expiration　of

that　period；　hoping　to　hear　through　Confederate　sources　prisoners　and

the　like…of　the　destruction　of　the　bridges。　　I　waited　in　patience　for

such　news；　but　none　came；　and　as　the　time　Card　had　allotted　himself

passed　by；　I　watched　anxiously　for　his　return；　for；　as　there　was

scarcely　a　doubt　that　the　expedition　had　proved　a　failure；　the　fate

of　the　party　became　a　matter　of　deep　concern　to　Card's　remaining

brother　and　to　me。　　Finally　this　brother　volunteered　to　go　to　his

father's　house　in　East　Tennessee　to　get　tidings　of　the　party；　and　I

consented；　for　the　probabilities　were　that　some　of　them　had　made

their　way　to　that　point；　or　at　least　that　some　information　had

reached　there　about　them。　　As　day　after　day　went　by；　the　time　fixed

for　this　brother's　return　came　round；　yet　he　also　remained　out；　but

some　days　after　the　lad　was　due　Card　himself　turned　up　accompanied　by

the　brother　he　had　taken　with　him；　soon　explained　his　delay　in

getting　back；　and　gave　me　the　story　of　his　adventures　while　absent。



After　leaving　my　camp；　his　party　had　followed　various　byways　across

the　Cumberland　Mountains　to　Crow　Creek　Valley；　as　instructed；　but

when　nearing　the　railroad　above　Anderson's　Station；　they　were

captured　by　some　guerrillas　prowling　about　that　vicinity；　and　being

suspected　of　disloyalty　to　the　Confederacy；　were　carried　to

Chattanooga　and　imprisoned　as　Yankee　spies。　　Their　prospects　now　were

decidedly　discouraging；　for　death　stared　them　in　the　face。

Fortunately；　however；　some　delays　occurred　relative　to　the

disposition　that　should　be　made　of　them；　and　they；　meanwhile；

effected　their　escape　from　their　jailors　by　way　of　one　of　the　prison

windows；　from　which　they　managed　to　displace　a　bar；　and　by　a　skiff；

in　the　darkness　of　night；　crossed　the　Tennessee　River　a　little　below

Chattanooga。　　From　this　point　the　party　made　their　way　back　to　my

camp；　traveling　only　at　night；　hiding　in　the　woods　by　day；　and　for

food　depending　on　loyal　citizens　that　Card　had　become　acquainted　with

when　preaching　and　pedling。



Card's　first　inquiry　after　relating　his　story　was　for　the　youngest

brother；　whom　he　had　left　with　me。　　I　told　him　what　I　had　done；　in　my

anxiety　about　himself；　and　that　more　than　sufficient　time　had　elapsed

for　his　brother's　return。　　His　reply　was：　〃They　have　caught　him。　　The

poor　fellow　is　dead。〃　　His　surmise　proved　correct；　for　news　soon　came

that　the　poor　boy　had　been　captured　at　his　father's　house；　and

hanged。　　The　blow　to　Card　was　a　severe　one；　and　so　hardened　his　heart

against　the　guerrillas　in　the　neighborhood　of　his　father's　homefor

he　knew　they　were　guilty　of　his　brother's　murderthat　it　was　with

difficulty　I　could　persuade　him　to　continue　in　the　employment　of　the

Government；　so　determined　was　he　to　avenge　his　brother's　death　at　the

first　opportunity。　　Finally；　however；　I　succeeded　in　quieting　the

almost　uncontrollable　rage　that　seemed　to　possess　him；　and　he

remained　with　me　during　the　Tullahoma　and　Chickamauga　campaigns；　but

when　we　reached　Knoxville　the　next　winter；　he　took　his　departure；

informing　me　that　he　was　going　for　the　bushwhackers　who　had　killed

his　brother。　　A　short　time　after　he　left　me；　I　saw　him　at　the　head　of

about　thirty　well…armed　E