captains of the civil war-第54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！
hen that Halleck warned Grant to be ready to send some of his best men north if there should be serious resistance to the draft。 Nor was this all。 Thurlow Weed； the great election agent； told Lincoln that the Government would be defeated； which meant； of course； that the compromised and compromising Peace Party would probably be at the helm in time to wreck the Union。 With so many of the best men dead or at the front the whole tone of political society had been considerably loweredto the corresponding advantage of all those meaner elements that fish in troubled waters when the dregs are well stirred up。 There were sinister signs in the big cities； in the press； and in financial circles。 The Union dollar once sank to thirty…nine cents。 To make matters worse； there was a good deal of well…founded discontent among the selfsacrificing loyalists； both at the home and fighting fronts； because the Government apparently allowed disloyal and evasive citizens to live as parasites on the Union's body politic。 The blood tax and money tax alike fell far too heavily on the patriots； while many a parasite grew rich in unshamed safety。
Mobile was won in August。 But the people's eyes were mostly fixed upon the land。 So a much greater effect was produced by Sherman's laconic dispatch of the second of September announcing the fall of Atlanta。 The Confederates； despairing of holding it to any good purpose； had blown up everything they could not move and then retreated。 This thrilling news heartened the whole loyal North； and； as Lincoln at once sent word to Sherman； 〃entitled those who had participated to the applause and thanks of the nation。〃 Grant fired a salute of shotted guns from every battery bearing on the enemy； who were correspondingly depressed。 For every one could now see that if the Union put forth its full strength the shrunken forces of the South could not prevent the Northern vice from crushing them to death。
September also saw the turning of the tide on the still more conspicuous scene of action in Virginia。 Grant had sent Sheridan to the Valley； and had just completed a tour of personal inspection there； when Sheridan； finding Early's Confederates divided； swooped down on the exposed main body at Opequan Creek and won a brilliant victory which raised the hopes of the loyal North a good deal higher still。
Exactly a month later； on the nineteenth of October； Early made a desperate attempt to turn the tables on the Federals in the Valley by attacking them suddenly； on their exposed left flank； while Sheridan was absent at Washington。 （We must remember that Grant had to concert action personally with his sub…commanders； as his orders were so often 〃queered〃 when seen at Washington by autocratic Stanton and bureaucratic Halleck。） The troops attacked broke up and were driven in on their supports in wild confusion。 Then the supports gave way； and a Confederate victory seemed to be assured。
But Sheridan was on his way。 He had left the scene of his previous victory at Opequan Creek； near Winchester； and was now riding to the rescue of his army at Cedar Creek； twenty miles south。 〃Sheridan's Ride；〃 so widely known in song and story； was enough to shake the nerves of any but a very fit commander。 The flotsam and jetsam of defeat swirled round him as he rode。 Yet； with unerring eye； he picked out the few that could influence the rest and set them at work to rally； reform； and return。 Inspired by his example many a straggler who had run for miles presently 〃found himself〃 again and got back in time to redeem his reputation。
Arriving on the field Sheridan discovered those two splendid leaders； Custer and Getty； holding off the victorious Confederates from what otherwise seemed an easy prey。 His presence encouraged the formed defense； restored confidence among the rest near by； and stiffened resistance so much that hasty entrenchments were successfully made and still more successfully held。 The first rush having been stopped； Sheridan turned the lull that ensued into a triumphal progress by riding bareheaded along his whole line； so that all his men might feel themselves once more under his personal command。 Cheer upon cheer greeted him as his gallant charger carried him past； and when the astonished enemy were themselves attacked they broke in irretrievable defeat。
This crowning victory of the long…drawn Valley campaigns； coming with cumulative force after those of Mobile； Atlanta； and Opequan Creek； did more to turn the critical election than all the speeches in the North。 The fittest at the home front judged by deeds； not words； agreeing therein with Rutherford B。 Hayes （a future President； now one of Sheridan's generals） who said： 〃Any officer fit for duty who at this crisis would abandon his post to electioneer for a seat in Congress； ought to be scalped。〃
The devastation of everything in the Valley that might be useful to Lee's army completed the Union victory in arms； while Lincoln's own triumph in November completed it in politics and raised his party to the highest plane of statesmanship in war。
From this time till the early spring the battle of the giants in Virginia calmed down to the minor moves and clashes that mark a period of winter quarters； while the scene of more stirring action shifts once more to Georgia and Tennessee。
CHAPTER XI。 SHERMAN DESTROYS THE BASE： 1864
Sherman made Atlanta his field headquarters for September and October； changing it entirely from a Southern city to a Northern camp。 The whole population was removed； every one being given the choice of going north or south。 In his own words； Sherman 〃had seen Memphis； Vicksburg； Natchez； and New Orleans； all captured from the enemy； and each at once garrisoned by a full division； if not more； so that success was actually crippling our armies in the field by detachments to guard and protect the interests of a hostile population。〃 In reporting to Washington he said： 〃If the people raise a howl against my barbarity and cruelty； I will answer that war is war； and not popularity seeking。 If they want peace； they and their relatives must stop the war。〃 He also excluded the swarms of demoralizing camp…followers that had clogged him elsewhere。 One licensed sutler was allowed for each of his three armies； and no more。 Atlanta thus became a perfect Union stronghold fixed in the flank of the South。
The balance of losses in action； from May to September； was heavily against the South： nearly nine to four。 The actual numbers did not greatly differ： thirty…two thousand Federals to thirty…five thousand Confederates。 （And in killed and wounded the Federals lost many more than the Confederates。 It was the thirteen thousand captured Confederates that redressed the balance。） But； since Sherman had twice as many in his total as the Confederates had in theirs； the odds in relative loss were nine to four in his favor。 The balance of loss from disease was also heavily against the Confedates； who as usual suffered from dearth of medical stores。 The losses in present and prospective food supplies were even more in Sherman's favor； for his devastations had begun。 Yet Jefferson Davis was bound that Hood should 〃fight〃； and Hood was nothing loth。
Davis went about denouncing Johnston for his magnificent Fabian defense； and added insult to injury by coupling the name of this very able soldier and quite incorruptible man with that of Joseph E。 Brown； Governor of Georgia； who； though a violent Secessionist； opposed all proper unification of effort； and exempted eight thousand State employees from conscription as civilian 〃indispensables。〃 Then； when Sherman approached； Brown ran away with all the food and furniture he could stuff into his own special train； though he left behind him all arms； ammunition； and other warlike stores； besides the confidential documents belonging to the State。
Brown had also weakened Hood's army by withdrawing the State troops to gather in the harvest and store it where Sherman afterwards used what he wanted and destroyed the rest。 Yet Hood kept operating in Sherman's rear； admirably seconded by Forrest's and Wheeler's raiding cavalry。 Late in October Forrest performed the remarkable feat of taking a flotilla with cavalry。 He suddenl
