personal memoirs-1-第60章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Butler's　army　had　reached　a　small　stream　on　the　south　side　of　the

James；　about　four　miles　south　of　Richmond。　　If　I　could　succeed　in

getting　through　by　this　road；　not　only　would　I　have　a　shorter　line　of

march　to　Haxall's　landing；　but　there　was　also　a　possibility　that　I

could　help　Butler　somewhat　by　joining　him　so　near　Richmond。

Therefore；　after　making　the　wounded　as　comfortable　as　possible；　we

commenced　the　march　about　11　o'clock　on　the　night　of　the　1lth；　and

massed　the　command　on　the　plateau　south　of　the　Meadow　bridge　near

daylight　on　the　12th。



The　enemy；　anticipating　that　I　would　march　by　this　route；　had　planted

torpedoes　along　it；　and　many　of　these　exploded　as　the　column　passed

over　them；　killing　several　horses　and　wounding　a　few　men；　but　beyond

this　we　met　with　no　molestation。　　The　torpedoes　were　loaded　shells

planted　on　each　side　of　the　road；　and　so　connected　by　wires　attached

to　friction…tubes　in　the　shells；　that　when　a　horse's　hoof　struck　a

wire　the　shell　was　exploded　by　the　jerk　on　the　improvised　lanyard。

After　the　loss　of　several　horses　and　the　wounding　of　some　of　the　men

by　these　torpedoes；　I　gave　directions　to　have　them　removed；　if

practicable；　so　about　twenty…five　of　the　prisoners　were　brought　up

and　made　to　get　down　on　their　knees；　feel　for　the　wires　in　the

darkness；　follow　them　up　and　unearth　the　shells。　　The　prisoners

reported　the　owner　of　one　of　the　neighboring　houses　to　be　the

principal　person　who　had　engaged　in　planting　these　shells；　and　I

therefore　directed　that　some　of　them　be　carried　and　placed　in　the

cellar　of　his　house；　arranged　to　explode　if　the　enemy's　column　came

that　way；　while　he　and　his　family　were　brought　off　as　prisoners　and

held　till　after　daylight。



Meanwhile　the　most　intense　excitement　prevailed　in　Richmond。　　The

Confederates；　supposing　that　their　capital　was　my　objective　point；

were　straining　every　effort　to　put　it　in　a　state　of　defense；　and　had

collected　between　four　and　five　thousand　irregular　troops；　under

General　Bragg；　besides　bringing　up　three　brigades　of　infantry　from

the　force　confronting　General　Butler　south　of　the　James　River；　the

alarm　being　intensified　by　the　retreat；　after　the　defeat　at　Yellow

Tavern；　of　Stuart's　cavalry；　now　under　General　Fitzhugh　Lee；　by　way

of　Ashland　to　Mechanicsville；　on　the　north　side　of　the　Chickahominy；

for　falling　back　in　that　direction；　left　me　between　them　and

Richmond。



Our　march　during　the　night　of　the　11th　was　very　tedious；　on　account

of　the　extreme　darkness　and　frequent　showers　of　rain；　but　at　daylight

on　the　12th　the　head　of　my　column；　under　Wilson；　reached　the

Mechanicsville　pike。　　Here　Wilson；　encountering　the　enemy's　works　and

batteries　manned　by　General　Bragg's　troops；　endeavored　to　pass。　　In

this　he　failed；　and　as　soon　as　I　was　notified　that　it　was

impracticable　to　reach　Fair　Oaks　by　passing　between　the　works　and　the

Chickahominy；　Custer's　brigade　was　directed　to　make　the　crossing　to

the　north　side　of　the　Chickahominy；　at　the　Meadow　bridge。　　Custer

moved　rapidly　for　the　bridge；　but　found　it　destroyed；　and　that　the

enemy's　cavalry　was　posted　on　the　north　side；　in　front　of

Mechanicsville。　　When　this　information　came　back；　I　ordered　Merritt

to　take　his　whole　division　and　repair　the　bridge；　instructing　him

that　the　crossing　must　be　made　at　all　hazards；　for；　in　view　of　an

impending　attack　by　the　enemy's　infantry　in　Richmond；　it　was

necessary　that　I　should　have　the　bridge　as　a　means　of　egress　in　case

of　serious　disaster。



All　the　time　that　Merritt　was　occupied　in　this　important　duty；　the

enemy　gave　great　annoyance　to　the　working　party　by　sweeping　the

bridge　with　a　section　of　artillery　and　a　fire　from　the　supporting

troops；　so　a　small　force　was　thrown　across　to　drive　them　away。　　When

Merritt　had　passed　two　regiments　over；　they　attacked；　but　were

repulsed。　　The　work　on　the；　bridge　continued；　however；　not…

withstanding　this　discomfiture；　and　when　it　was　finished；　Merritt

crossed　nearly　all　his　division；　dismounted；　and　again　attacked　the

enemy；　this　time　carrying　the　line；　of　temporary　breastworks；　built

with　logs　and　rails；　and　pursuing　his　broken　troops　toward　Gaines's

Mills。



While　Merritt　was　engaged　in　this　affair；　the　Confederates　advanced

from　behind　their　works　at　Richmond；　and　attacked　Wilson　and　Gregg。

Wilson's　troops　were　driven　back　in　some　confusion　at　first；　but

Gregg；　in　anticipation　of　attack；　had　hidden　a　heavy　line　of

dismounted　men　in　a　bushy　ravine　on　his　front；　and　when　the　enemy

marched　upon　it；　with　much　display　and　under　the　eye　of　the　President

of　the　Confederacy；　this　concealed　line　opened　a　destructive　fire

with　repeating　carbines；　and　at　the　same　time　the　batteries　of　horse…

artillery；　under　Captain　Robinson；　joining　in　the　contest；　belched

forth　shot　and　shell　with　fatal　effect。　　The　galling　fire　caused　the

enemy　to　falter；　and　while　still　wavering　Wilson　rallied　his　men；　and

turning　some　of　them　against　the　right　flank　of　the　Confederates；

broke　their　line；　and　compelled　them　to　withdraw　for　security　behind

the　heavy　works　thrown　up　for　the　defense　of　the　city　in　1862。



By　destroying　the　Meadow　bridge　and　impeding　my　column　on　the

Mechanicsville；　pike；　the　enemy　thought　to　corner　us　completely；　for

he　still　maintained　the　force　in　Gregg's　rear　that　had　pressed　it　the

day　before；　but　the　repulse　of　his　infantry　ended　all　his　hopes　of

doing　us　any　serious　damage　on　the　limited　ground　between　the

defenses　of　Richmond　and　the　Chickahominy。　　He　felt　certain　that　on

account　of　the　recent　heavy　rains　we　could　not　cross　the　Chickahominy

except　by　the　Meadow　bridge；　and　it　also　seemed　clear　to　him　that　we

could　not　pass　between　the　river　and　his　intrenchments；　therefore　he

hoped　to　ruin　us；　or　at　least　compel　us　to　return　by　the　same　route

we　had　taken　in　coming；　in　which　case　we　would　run　into　Gordon's

brigade；　but　the　signal　repulse　of　Bragg's　infantry　dispelled　these

illusions。



Even　had　it　not　been　our　good　fortune　to　defeat　him；　we　could　have

crossed　the　Chickahominy　if　necessary　at　several　points　that　were

discovered　by　scouting　parties　which；　while　the　engagement　was　going

on；　I　had　sent　out　to　look　up　fords。　　This　means　of　getting　out　from

the　circumscribed　plateau　I　did　not　wish　to　use；　however；　unless

there　was　no　alternative；　for　I　wished　to　demonstrate　to　the　Cavalry

Corps　the　impossibility　of　the　enemy's　destroying　or　capturing　so

large　a　body　of　mounted　troops。



The　chances　of　seriously　injuring；　us　were　more　favorable　to　the

enemy　this　time　than　ever　they　were　afterward；　for　with　the　troops

from　Richmond；　comprising　three　brigades　of　veterans　and　about　five

thousand　irregulars　on　my　front　and　right　flank；　with　Gordon's

cavalry　in　the　rear；　and　Fitzhugh　Lee's　cavalry　on　my　left　flank；

holding　the　Chickahominy　and　Meadow　bridge；　I　was　apparently　hemmed

in　on　every　side；　but　relying　on　the　celerity　with　which　mounted

troops　could　be　moved；　I　felt　perfectly　confident　that　the　seemingly

perilous　situation　could　be　relieved　under　circumstances　even　worse

than　those　then　surrounding　us。　　Therefore；　instead　of　endeavoring　to

get　away　without　a　fight；　I　concluded　that　there　would　be　little

difficulty　in　withdrawing；　even　should　I　be　beaten；　and　none　whatever

if　I　defeated　the　enemy。



In　accordance　with　this　view　I　accepted　battle；　and　the　complete

repulse　of　the　enemy's　infantry；　which　assailed　us　from　his

intrenchments；　and　of　Gordon's　cavalry；　which　pressed　Gregg　on　the

Brook　road；　ended　the　contest　in　our　favor。　　The　rest　of　the　day　we

remained　on　the　battle…field　undisturbed；　and　our　time　was　spent　in

collecting　the　wounded；　burying　the　dead；　grazing　the　horses；　and

reading　the　Richmond　journals；　two　small　newsboys　with　commendable

enterprise　having　come　within　our　lines　from　the　Confederate　capital

to　sell　their　papers。　　They　were　sharp　youngsters；　and　having　come

well　supplied；　they　did　a　thrifty　business。　　When　their　stock　in

trade