the army of the cumberland-第28部分

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On　January　26th；　Bragg　ordered　Wheeler　on　an　expedition　to　capture　Fort　Donelson。　　Wheeler　directed　Forrest　to　move　his　brigade　with　four　guns　on　the　river　road；　via　the　Cumberland　Iron　Works；　to　the　vicinity　of　Dover；　which　was　the　real　position　occupied　and　fortified　by　Federal　forces；　and　not　the　old　site　of　Fort　Donelson；　while　Wheeler　with　Wharton's　command　of　some　twenty…five　hundred　men　moved　on　a　road　to　the　left。　　Rosecrans；　hearing　from　his　scouts　that　this　movement　was　contemplated；　ordered　Davis　in　command　of　his　division　and　two　brigades　of　cavalry　under　Minty；　to　march　by　the　Versailles　road；　and　take　Wheeler　in　the　rear。　　Steedman　was　directed　to　watch　Wheeler's　movements　by　way　of　Triune。　　Davis　despatched　Minty　to　move　with　his　cavalry　around　by　way　of　Unionville　and　Rover；　while　he　moved　with　the　infantry　direct　to　Eaglesville。　At　Rover；　Minty　captured　a　regiment　of　some　three　hundred　and　fifty　men。　　Davis　and　Steedman's　forces　united　at　Franklin；　the　latter　marching　by　way　of　Nolinsville。　　Wheeler；　advancing　rapidly；　passed　between　the　troops　in　pursuit；　and；　on　February　3d；　his　entire　force　attacked　the　post　at　Dover；　occupied　by　Colonel　Harding　with　the　Eighty…third　Illinois；　some　six　hundred　men　in　the　command。　The　rebels　opened　fire　at　once；　and　made　vigorous　assault　in　force　upon　Harding's　position。　　His　little　command　repulsed　the　enemy　with　heavy　loss。　　Again　they　advanced；　making　a　more　determined　assault　than　before；　but　again　they　were　driven　back　with　still　greater　loss。　　In　this　last　repulse　Harding　ordered　his　men　to　charge　beyond　his　works；　which　they　did　with　great　gallantry；　capturing　forty…two　of　the　rebels。　　Wheeler　then　withdrew　with　a　total　loss　of　one　hundred　and　fifty　killed；　four　hundred　wounded；　and　one　hundred　and　fifty　captured。　　Colonel　Harding　lost　sixteen　killed；　sixty　wounded；　and　fifty　captured。　　Efforts　were　made　to　cut　off　the　retreat　of　Wheeler's　force　by　Davis's　command；　re…enforced　by　five　hundred　cavalry；　which　went　as　far　west　as　Kinderhook　and　Bon　Aqua　Springs；　but　Wheeler　took　the　road　through　Centreville；　where　he　crossed　Duck　River。

In　the　latter　part　of　the　engagement　at　Dover；　Harding　was　aided　by　the　fire　from　six　gunboats　which　were　acting　as　convoys　for　a　fleet　of　transports　conveying　reinforcements　to　Rosecrans's　command；　consisting　of　eighteen　regiments　of　infantry；　with　four　batteries　of　artillery　that　had　been　serving　in　Kentucky　under　the　command　of　General　Gordon　Granger。　　The　troops　forming　this　column　were　under　the　immediate　command　of　Crook；　Baird；　and　Gilbert。　　After　the　danger　at　Dover　had　passed；　the　fleet　steamed　up　to　Nashville；　and　there　the　troops　disembarked。　　During　February　Crook　was　sent　with　his　command　to　take　post　at　Carthage；　on　the　Cumberland　River；　and　watch　the　movements　of　the　enemy　from　there　to　Rome；　and　Gilbert　was　ordered　to　proceed　with　his　brigade　to　Franklin。

On　March　4th；　Gilbert　at　Franklin　ordered　Colonel　Coburn；　with　five　regiments　of　infantry；　four　detachments　of　cavalry　under　Colonel　Jordan；　and　Aleshire's　battery；　the　whole　command　nearly　three　thousand　strong；　to　proceed　south　from　Franklin　with　a　wagon…trail　of　one　hundred　wagons；　ostensibly　on　a　foraging　expedition；　but　also　to　reconnoitre　the　enemy's　front　toward　Columbia。　　Coburn's　command　some　twelve　miles　south　of　Franklin；　was　to　meet　a　force　moving　from　Murfreesboro　toward　Columbia；　and　these　commands　were　to　co…operate　and　determine　the　position　of　the　enemy。　　Unknown　to　Gilbert；　Van　Dorn；　on　assuming　command　in　Columbia；　in　February；　determined　to　establish　outposts　and　picket…lines　within　sight　of　Franklin　and　Triune；　and　to　move　his　headquarters　north　of　Duck　River　to　Spring　Hill。　　Jordan's　cavalry　struck　the　enemy　only　three　miles　from　town；　formed　in　line　of　battle。　　Opening　with　artillery；　Jordan　advanced；　and；　after　a　sharp　conflict；　the　enemy　retreated　to　Spring　Hill。　　That　night　Coburn　notified　Gilbert　that　he　was　confronted　by　a　largely　superior　force；　and　suggested　that　he　fall　back。　　Gilbert；　however；　ordered　him　to　advance。　　Proceeding　next　morning；　the　column　met　the　enemy　drawn　up　in　line　of　battle　a　short　distance　from　Thompson's　Station。　　Forrest's　command　occupied　the　extreme　right；　with　a　battery　of　artillery　on　the　left　of　this；　and　some　paces　retired　was　Armstrong's　brigade。　　On　the　left　of　his　command　and　in　line　with　it　was　the　Texan　brigade　under　Whitfield；　with　two　guns　on　each　side　of　the　Columbia　turnpike；　making　a　force　of　10；000　men　under　Van　Dorn。　　It　was　about　half…past　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning　when　Coburn　struck　these　troops　in　line。　　He　immediately　deployed　his　infantry　across　the　pike　and　to　the　right；　and　ordered　his　command　to　advance。　　The　enemy's　battery　posted　at　the　pike　opening　fire；　Coburn's　troops　charged　it　handsomely；　his　entire　command　moving　in　line　of　battle　down　the　pike。　　When　within　one　hundred　and　fifty　yards；　Armstrong's　and　Whitfield's　brigades　sprang　forward　and　opened　a　destructive　fire。　　Coburn's　troops　held　their　lines　for　over　half　an　hour　under　heavy　fire；　replying　with　the　same；　when　he　ordered　his　command　to　fall　back。　　Finding　this　large　force　in　his　front；　he　directed　Jordan　with　his　cavalry　to　cover　his　retreat。　　Van　Dorn　now　advanced　his　line；　pressed　forward　his　right　and　left　to　surround　Coburn　and　capture　the　entire　force。　Jordan　formed　two　detachments；　dismounted　behind　a　stone　fence　to　check　the　advance　of　Forrest　and　enable　the　artillery　to　escape。　Forrest　made　two　sustained　attempts　to　dislodge　these　detachments　from　their　position；　but　he　was　repulsed　each　time；　on　a　third　attempt　they　were　surrounded　and　captured。　　The　regiment　in　charge　of　the　train　with　the　artillery　and　cavalry　now　moved　off　rapidly　on　the　pike　to　Franklin；　and　Coburn；　being　surrounded　by　the　rebels　in　overwhelming　numbers；　and　finding　his　ammunition　exhausted；　surrendered。　　His　loss　was　40　killed；　and　150　wounded；　and　2；200　prisoners；　including　his　wounded。　　The　enemy's　loss　was　35　killed　and　140　wounded。　　The　rebels　lost　heavily　in　officers；　several　of　the　most　valued　of　Forrest's　falling　in　the　repulses　of　his　command。

The　surrender　of　Coburn　weakened　the　forces　at　Franklin；　and　revealed　the　enemy　in　such　strong　force　on　the　immediate　front；　that　Gordon　Granger　at　once　ordered　Baird　to　proceed　by　rail　to　Franklin；　and　moving　his　own　headquarters　there；　assumed　the　command　in　person。

On　the　7th；　Sheridan's　division　was　ordered　to　the　front　to　reconnoitre　the　enemy's　position。　　He　reached　Franklin；　and　the　force　at　that　place　was　further　increased　by　the　arrival　of　a　brigade　from　Nashville。　　On　the　9th；　Minty's　brigade　of　cavalry　also　reported；　and　on　the　day　following；　Granger　with　his　troops　advanced　from　there　upon　Van　Dorn's　encampment　at　Spring　Hill。　　In　support　of　Granger's　movement　on　Van　Dorn；　Rosecrans　ordered　Davis　to　move　with　his　division　from　Salem　to　Eaglesville；　with　R。　S。　Granger's　brigade　in　supporting　distance；　posted　at　Versailles。　　Gordon　Granger　drove　Van　Dorn　from　Spring　Hill；　and　the　next　day　compelled　his　entire　command　to　retire　south　of　Rutherford's　Creek。　　On　account　of　the　high　water　the　pursuit　was　not　continued　further。

During　March　the　rebel　cavalry　under　Morgan　met　with　one　of　the　most　decisive　repulses　yet　experienced　by　that　command。　　On　the　18th　of　March　Colonel　Hall　with　his　command；　the　second　brigade　of　Reynolds's　division；　was　sent　from　Murfreesboro　after　Morgan。　Starting　northeast　from　that　place　he　advanced　beyond　Statesville；　when　hearing　that　Morgan　was　advancing　on　him　he　retired　toward　Milton；　posted　his　command　on　some　high　ground　near　that　place　and　awaited　the　attack。　　Morgan　endeavored　first　to　turn　the　right　and　then　the　left　of　Hall's　command；　but　in　each　of　these　attempts　he　was　driven　off　with　heavy　loss。　　He　then　dismounted　the　main　portion　of　his　command　and　ordered　an　attack　to　be　made　on　the　front。　　A　vigorous　assault　was　at　once　made　with　a　heavy　force；　but　this　was　also　repulsed；　Morgan　losing　a　large　number　of　men。　　After　an　engagement　lasting　some　four　hours；　in　which　Hall's　brigade　fought　with　the　utmost　determination；　Morgan's　command；　being　repulsed　at　all　points　and　in　every　assault；　withdrew　from　the　field　with　a　loss　of　some　ninety…five　killed；　three　hundred　and　fifty　wounded；　and　twenty　prisoners。

Early　in　April；　Morgan's　troopers　were　defeated　with　great　loss。　On　the　2d　of　April　Stanley　advanced　with　his　cavalry　to　Liberty；　where　Morgan　met　them　with　his　entire　command。　　The　two　forces　encamped　within　two　miles　of　each　other。　　On　the　morning　of　the　3d；　Stanley　advanced；　intending　to　engage　Morgan's　command　at　once；　but　found　that　he　had　retreated　to　what　he　regarded　as　a　very　strong　position　at　Snow　Hill。　　Morgan；　however；　had　left　a　strong　force　at　Liberty　to　watch　Stanley's　movements。　　As　Stanley　advanced；　he　struck　this　force　and　quickly　drove　upon　it　with　part　of　his　command；　sending　a　portion　around　to　the　right；　which　turned　the　enemy's　left　flank。　　Pressing　Morgan's　command　from　both　positions；　it　soon　gave　way　at　all　points；　and　was　in　full　retreat。　　Morgan's　officers　tried　to　rally　their　men；　but　the　latter　were　thoroughly　demoralized　and　had　no　fight　in　them。　　The　teamsters　became　panic…stricken　and　added　to　the　general　rout。