personal memoirs-1-第52章
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rivers; where we soon had all the mills in operation; grinding out
plenty of flour and meal。 The whole region was rich in provender of
all kinds; and as the people with rare exceptions were
enthusiastically loyal; we in a little while got more than enough
food for ourselves; and by means of flatboats began sending the
surplus down the river to the troops at Knoxville。
The intense loyalty of this part of Tennessee exceeded that of any
other section I was in during the war。 The people could not do too
much to aid the Union cause; and brought us an abundance of
everything needful。 The women were especially loyal; and as many of
their sons and husbands; who had been compelled to 〃refugee〃 on
account of their loyal sentiments; returned with us; numbers of the
women went into ecstasies of joy when this part of the Union army
appeared among them。 So long as we remained in the French Broad
region; we lived on the fat of the land; but unluckily our stay was
to be of short duration; for Longstreet's activity kept the
department commander in a state of constant alarm。
Soon after getting the mills well running; and when the shipment of
their surplus product down the river by flatboats had begun; I was
ordered to move to Knoxville; on account of demonstrations by
Longstreet from the direction of Blain's crossroads。 On arriving at
Knoxville; an inspection of my command; showed that the shoes of many
of the men were entirely worn out; the poor fellows having been
obliged to protect their feet with a sort of moccasin; made from
their blankets or from such other material as they could procure。
About six hundred of the command were in this condition; plainly not
suitably shod to withstand the frequent storms of sleet and snow。
These men I left in Knoxville to await the arrival of my train; which
I now learned was en route from Chattanooga with shoes; overcoats;
and other clothing; and with the rest of the division proceeded to
Strawberry Plains; which we reached the latter part of December。
Mid…winter was now upon us; and the weather in this mountain region
of East Tennessee was very cold; snow often falling to the depth of
several inches。 The thin and scanty clothing of the men afforded
little protection; and while in bivouac their only shelter was the
ponchos with which they had been provided before leaving Chattanooga;
there was not a tent in the command。 Hence great suffering resulted;
which I anxiously hoped would be relieved shortly by the arrival of
my train with supplies。 In the course of time the wagons reached
Knoxville; but my troops derived little comfort from this fact; for
the train was stopped by General Foster; who had succeeded Burnside
in command of the department; its contents distributed pro rata to
the different organizations of the entire army; and I received but a
small share。 This was very disappointing; not to say exasperating;
but I could not complain of unfairness; for every command in the army
was suffering to the same extent as mine; and yet it did seem that a
little forethought and exertion on the part of some of the other
superior officers; whose transportation was in tolerable condition;
might have ameliorated the situation considerably。 I sent the train
back at once for more clothing; and on its return; just before
reaching Knoxville; the quartermaster in charge; Captain Philip
Smith; filled the open spaces in the wagons between the bows and load
with fodder and hay; and by this clever stratagem passed it through
the town safe and undisturbed as a forage train。 On Smith's arrival
we lost no time in issuing the clothing; and when it had passed into
the hands of the individual soldiers the danger of its appropriation
for general distribution; like the preceding invoice; was very
remote。
General Foster had decided by this time to move his troops to
Dandridge for the twofold purpose of threatening the enemy's left and
of getting into a locality where we could again gather subsistence
from the French Broad region。 Accordingly we began an advance on the
15th of January; the cavalry having preceded us some time before。
The Twenty…third Corps and Wood's division of the Fourth Corps
crossed the Holstein River by a bridge that had been constructed at
Strawberry Plains。 My division being higher up the stream; forded
it; the water very deep and bitter cold; being filled with slushy
ice。 Marching by way of New Market; I reached Dandridge on the 17th;
and here on my arrival met General Sturgis; then commanding our
cavalry。 He was on the eve of setting out to; 〃whip the enemy's
cavalry;〃 as he said; and wanted me to go along and see him do it。 I
declined; however; for being now the senior officer present; Foster;
Parke; and Granger having remained at Knoxville and Strawberry
Plains; their absence left me in command; and it was necessary that I
should make disposition of the infantry when it arrived。 As there
were indications of a considerable force of the enemy on the
Russellville road I decided to place the troops in line of battle; so
as to be prepared for any emergency that might arise in the absence
of the senior officers; and I deemed it prudent to supervise
personally the encamping of the men。 This disposition necessarily
required that some of the organizations should occupy very
disagreeable ground; but I soon got all satisfactorily posted with
the exception of General Willich; who expressed some discontent at
being placed beyond the shelter of the timber; but accepted the
situation cheerfully when its obvious necessity was pointed out to
him。
Feeling that all was secure; I returned to my headquarters in the
village with the idea that we were safely established in ease of
attack; and that the men would now have a good rest if left
undisturbed; and plenty to eat; but hardly had I reached my own camp
when a staff…officer came post…haste from Sturgis with the
information that he was being driven back to my lines; despite the
confident invitation to me (in the morning) to go out and witness the
whipping which was to be given to the enemy's cavalry。 Riding to the
front; I readily perceived that the information was correct; and I
had to send a brigade of infantry out to help Sturgis; thus relieving
him from a rather serious predicament。 Indeed; the enemy was present
in pretty strong force; both cavalry and infantry; and from his
vicious attack on Sturgis it looked very much as though he intended
to bring on a general engagement。
Under such circumstances I deemed it advisable that the responsible
commanders of the army should be present; and so informed them。 My
communication brought Parke and Granger to the front without delay;
but Foster could not come; since the hardships of the winter had
reopened an old wound received during the Mexican War; and brought on
much suffering。 By the time Parke and Granger arrived; however; the
enemy; who it turned out was only making a strong demonstration to
learn the object of our movement on Dandridge; seemed satisfied with
the results of his reconnoissance; and began falling back toward
Bull's Gap。 Meanwhile Parke and Granger concluded that Dandridge was
an untenable point; and hence decided to withdraw a part of the army
to Strawberry Plains; and the question of supplies again coming up;
it was determined to send the Fourth Corps to the south side of the
French Broad to obtain subsistence; provided we could bridge the
river so that men could get across the deep and icy stream without
suffering。
I agreed to undertake the construction of a bridge on condition that
each division should send to the ford twenty…five wagons with which
to make it。 This being acceded to; Harker's brigade began the work
next morning at a favorable point a few miles down the river。 As my
quota of wagons arrived; they were drawn into the stream one after
another by the wheel team; six men in each wagon; and as th