memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第67部分

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acent　division　for　assistance。

I　reconnoitred　the　ground　carefully；　and　found　that　the　main　road　led　forward　along　the　fence　of　a　large　cotton…field　to　our　right　front；　and　ascended　a　wooded　hill；　occupied　in　some　force　by　the　enemy；　on　which　was　the　farm…house　referred　to　in　General　Halleck's　orders。　　At　the　farther　end　of　the　field　was　a　double　log…house；　whose　chinking　had　been　removed；　so　that　it　formed　a　good　block　house　from　which　the　enemy　could　fire　on　any　person　approaching　from　our　quarter。

General　Hurlbut's　division　was　on　my　immediate　left；　and　General　McClernand's　reserve　on　our　right　rear。　　I　asked　of　each　the　assistance　of　a　brigade。　　The　former　sent　General　Veatch's；　and　the　latter　General　John　A。　Logan's　brigade。　　I　asked　the　former　to　support　our　left　flank；　and　the　latter　our　right　flank。　　The　next　morning　early；　Morgan　L。　Smith's　brigade　was　deployed　under　cover　on　the　left；　and　Denver's　on　the　right；　ready　to　move　forward　rapidly　at　a　signal。　　I　had　a　battery　of　four　twenty…pound　Parrott　guns；　commanded　by　Captain　Silversparre。　　Colonel　Ezra　Taylor；　chief　of　artillery；　had　two　of　these　guns　moved　up　silently　by　hand　behind　a　small　knoll；　from　the　crest　of　which　the　enemy's　block…house　and　position　could　be　distinctly　seen；　when　all　were　ready；　these　guns　were　moved　to　the　crest；　and　several　quick　rounds　were　fired　at　the　house；　followed　after　an　interval　by　a　single　gum。　　This　was　the　signal　agreed　on；　and　the　troops　responded　beautifully；　crossed　the　field　in　line　of　battle；　preceded　by　their　skirmishers　who　carried　the　position　in　good　style；　and　pursued　the　enemy　for　half　a　mile　beyond。

The　main　line　halted　on　the　crest　of　the　ridge；　from　which　we　could　look　over　the　parapets　of　the　rebel　works　at　Corinth；　and　hear　their　drum　and　bugle　calls。　　The　rebel　brigade　had　evidently　been　taken　by　surprise　in　our　attack；　it　soon　rallied　and　came　back　on　us　with　the　usual　yell；　driving　in　our　skirmishers；　but　was　quickly　checked　when　it　came　within　range　of　our　guns　and　line　of　battle。　Generals　Grant　and　Thomas　happened　to　be　with　me　during　this　affair；　and　were　well　pleased　at　the　handsome　manner　in　which　the　troops　behaved。　　That　night　we　began　the　usual　entrenchments；　and　the　next　day　brought　forward　the　artillery　and　the　rest　of　the　division；　which　then　extended　from　the　Mobile　&　Ohio　Railroad；　at　Bowie　Hill　Out；　to　the　Corinth　&　Purdy　road；　there　connecting　with　Hurlbut's　division。　　That　night；　viz。；　May　29th；　we　heard　unusual　sounds　in　Corinth；　the　constant　whistling　of　locomotives；　and　soon　after　daylight　occurred　a　aeries　of　explosions　followed　by　a　dense　smoke　rising　high　over　the　town。　　There　was　a　telegraph　line　connecting　my　headquarters　with　those　of　General　Halleck；　about　four　miles　off；　on　the　Hamburg　road。　　I　inquired　if　he　knew　the　cause　of　the　explosions　and　of　the　smoke；　and　he　answered　to　〃advance　with　my　division　and　feel　the　enemy　if　still　in　my　front〃　I　immediately　dispatched　two　regiments　from　each　of　my　three　brigades　to　feel　the　immediate　front；　and　in　a　very　short　time　advanced　with　the　whole　division。　　Each　brigade　found　the　rebel　parapets　abandoned；　and　pushed　straight　for　the　town；　which　lies　in　the　northeast　angle　of　intersection　of　the　Mobile　&　Ohio　and　Memphis　&　Charleston　Railroads。　　Many　buildings　had　been　burned　by　the　enemy　on　evacuation；　which　had　begun　the　night　before　at　6　p。m。；　and　continued　through　the　night；　the　rear…guard　burning　their　magazine　at　the　time　of　withdrawing；　about　daybreak。　　Morgan　L。　Smith's　brigade　followed　the　retreating　rear…guard　some　four　miles　to　the　Tuacumbia　Bridge；　which　was　found　burned。　　I　halted　the　other　brigades　at　the　college；　about　a　mile　to　the　southwest　of　the　town；　where　I　was　overtaken　by　General　Thomas　in　person。

The　heads　of　all　the　columns　had　entered　the　rebel　lines　about　the　same　time；　and　there　was　some　rather　foolish　clamor　for　the　first　honors；　but　in　fact　there　was　no　honor　in　the　event。　　Beauregard　had　made　a　clean　retreat　to　the　south；　and　was　only　seriously　pursued　by　cavalry　from　General　Pope's　flank。　　But　he　reached　Tupelo；　where　he　halted　for　reorganization；　and　there　is　no　doubt　that　at　the　moment　there　was　much　disorganization　in　his　ranks；　for　the　woods　were　full　of　deserters　whom　we　did　not　even　take　prisoners；　but　advised　them　to　make　their　way　home　and　stay　there。　We　spent　the　day　at　and　near　the　college；　when　General　Thomas；　who　applied　for　orders　at　Halleck's　headquarters；　directed　me　to　conduct　my　division　back　to　the　camp　of　the　night　before；　where　we　had　left　our　trains　The　advance　on　Corinth　had　occupied　all　of　the　month　of　May；　the　most　beautiful　and　valuable　month　of　the　year　for　campaigning　in　this　latitude。　　There　had　been　little　fighting；　save　on　General　Pope's　left　flank　about　Farmington；　and　on　our　right。　　I　esteemed　it　a　magnificent　drill；　as　it　served　for　the　instruction　of　our　men　in　guard　and　picket　duty；　and　in　habituating　them　to　out…door　life；　and　by　the　time　we　had　reached　Corinth　I　believe　that　army　was　the　best　then　on　this　continent；　and　could　have　gone　where　it　pleased。　　The　four　subdivisions　were　well　commanded；　as　were　the　divisions　and　brigades　of　the　whole　army。　　General　Halleck　was　a　man　of　great　capacity；　of　large　acquirements；　and　at　the　time　possessed　the　confidence　of　the　country；　and　of　most　of　the　army。　I　held　him　in　high　estimation；　and　gave　him　credit　for　the　combinations　which　had　resulted　in　placing　this　magnificent　army　of　a　hundred　thousand　men；　well　equipped　and　provided；　with　a　good　base；　at　Corinth；　from　which　he　could　move　in　any　direction。

Had　he　held　his　force　as　a　unit；　he　could　have　gone　to　Mobile；　or　Vicksburg；　or　anywhere　in　that　region；　which　would　by　one　move　have　solved　the　whole　Mississippi　problem；　and；　from　what　he　then　told　me；　I　believe　he　intended　such　a　campaign；　but　was　overruled　from　Washington。　　Be　that　as　it　may；　the　army　had　no　sooner　settled　down　at　Corinth　before　it　was　scattered：　General　Pope　was　called　to　the　East；　and　his　army　distributed　among　the　others；　General　Thomas　was　relieved　from　the　command　of　the　right　wing；　and　reassigned　to　his　division　in　the　Army　of　the　Ohio；　and　that　whole　army　under　General　Buell　was　turned　east　along　the　Memphis　&　Charleston　road；　to　march　for　Chattanooga。　　McClernand's　〃reserve〃　was　turned　west　to　Bolivar　and　Memphis。　　General　Halleck　took　post　himself　at　Corinth；　assigned　Lieutenant…Colonel　McPherson　to　take　charge　of　the　railroads；　with　instructions　to　repair　them　as　far　as　Columbus；　Kentucky；　and　to　collect　ears　and　locomotives　to　operate　them　to　Corinth　and　Grand　Junction。　　I　was　soon　dispatched　with　my　own　and　Hurlbut's　divisions　northwest　fourteen　miles　to　Chewalla；　to　save　what　could　be　of　any　value　out　of　six　trains　of　cars　belonging　to　the　rebels　which　had　been　wrecked　and　partially　burned　at　the　time　of　the　evacuation　of　Corinth。

A　short　time　before　leaving　Corinth　I　rode　from　my　camp　to　General　Halleck's　headquarters；　then　in　tents　just　outside　of　the　town；　where　we　sat　and　gossiped　for　some　time；　when　he　mentioned　to　me　casually　that　General　Grant　was　going　away　the　next　morning。　　I　inquired　the　cause；　and　he　said　that　he　did　not　know；　but　that　Grant　had　applied　for　a　thirty　days'　leave；　which　had　been　given　him。　　Of　course　we　all　knew　that　he　was　chafing　under　the　slights　of　his　anomalous　position；　and　I　determined　to　see　him　on　my　way　back。　　His　camp　was　a　short　distance　off　the　Monterey　road；　in　the　woods；　and　consisted　of　four　or　five　tents；　with　a　sapling　railing　around　the　front。　　As　I　rode　up；　Majors　Rawlins；　Lagow；　and　Hilyer；　were　in　front　of　the　camp；　and　piled　up　near　them　were　the　usual　office　and　camp　chests；　all　ready　for　a　start　in　the　morning。　　I　inquired　for　the　general；　and　was　shown　to　his　tent；　where　I　found　him　seated　on　a　camp…stool；　with　papers　on　a　rude　camp…table；　he　seemed　to　be　employed　in　assorting　letters；　and　tying　them　up　with　red　tape　into　convenient　bundles。　　After　passing　the　usual　compliments；　I　inquired　if　it　were　true　that　he　was　going　away。　　He　said；　〃Yes。〃　　I　then　inquired　the　reason；　and　he　said　〃Sherman；　you　know。　　You　know　that　I　am　in　the　way　here。　　I　have　stood　it　as　long　as　I　can；　and　can　endure　it　no　longer。〃　　I　inquired　where　he　was　going　to；　and　he　said；　〃St。　Louis。〃　　I　then　asked　if　he　had　any　business　there；　and　he　said；　〃Not　a　bit。〃　　I　then　begged　him　to　stay；　illustrating　his　case　by　my　own。

Before　the　battle　of　Shiloh；　I　had　been　cast　down　by　a　mere　newspaper　assertion　of　〃crazy；〃　but　that　single　battle　had　given　me　new　life；　and　now　I　was　in　high　feather；　and　I　argued　with　him　that；　if　he　went　away；　events　would　go　right　along；　and　he　would　be　left　out；　whereas；　if　he　remained；　some　happy　accident　might　restore　him　to　favor　and　his　true　place。　　He　certainly　appreciated　my　friendly　advice；　and　promised　to　wait　awhile；　at　all　events；　not　to　go　without　seeing　me　again；　or　communicating　with　me。　　Very　soon　after　this；　I　was　ordered　to　Chewalla；　where；　on　the　6th　of　June；　I　received　a　note　from　him；　saying　that　he　had　reconsidered　his　intention；　and　would　remain。　　I　cannot　find　the　note；　but　my　answer　I　have　kept：

Chewalla；　Jane　6；　1862。

Major…General　GRANT。

My　DEAR　SIR：　I　have　just　received　your　note；　and　am　rejoiced　at　your　concl