memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第45部分

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　had　been　going　on　by　the　operation　of　the　men　themselves。　　The　ranks　were　thin　and　irregular；　and　we　found　a　stream　of　people　strung　from　the　hospital　across　Bull　Run；　and　far　toward　Centreville。　　After　putting　in　motion　the　irregular　square　in　person；　I　pushed　forward　to　find　Captain　Ayres's　battery　at　the　crossing　of　Bull　Run。　　I　sought　it　at　its　last　position；　before　the　brigade　had　crossed　over；　but　it　was　not　there；　then　passing　through　the　woods；　where；　in　the　morning；　we　had　first　formed　line；　we　approached　the　blacksmith's　shop；　but　there　found　a　detachment　of　the　secession　cavalry　and　thence　made　a　circuit；　avoiding　Cub　Run　Bridge；　into　Centreville；　where　I　found　General　McDowell；　and　from　him　understood　that　it　was　his　purpose　to　rally　the　forces；　and　make　a　stand　at　Centreville。

But；　about　nine　o'clock　at　night；　I　received　from　General　Tyler；　in　person；　the　order　to　continue　the　retreat　to　the　Potomac。　　This　retreat　was　by　night；　and　disorderly　in　the　extreme。　　The　men　of　different　regiments　mingled　together；　and　some　reached　the　river　at　Arlington；　some　at　Long　Bridge；　and　the　greater　part　returned　to　their　former　camp；　at　or　near　Fort　Corcoran。　　I　reached　this　point　at　noon　the　next　day；　and　found　a　miscellaneous　crowd　crossing　over　the　aqueduct　and　ferries。。　　Conceiving　this　to　be　demoralizing；　I　at　once　commanded　the　guard　to　be　increased；　and　all　persons　attempting　to　pass　over　to　be　stopped。　　This　soon　produced　its　effect；　men　sought　their　proper　companies　and　regiments。　Comparative　order　was　restored；　and　all　were　posted　to　the　best　advantage。

I　herewith　inclose　the　official　report　of　Captain　Belly；　commanding　officer　of　the　New　York　Sixty…ninth；　also；　fall　lists　of　the　killed；　wounded；　and　missing。

Our　loss　was　heavy；　and　occurred　chiefly　at　the　point　near　where　Rickett's　battery　was　destroyed。　　Lieutenant…Colonel　Haggerty　was　killed　about　noon；　before　we　had　effected　a　junction　with　Colonel　Hunter's　division。　　Colonel　Cameron　was　mortally　wounded　leading　his　regiment　in　the　charge；　and　Colonel　Corcoran　has　been　missing　since　the　cavalry…charge　near　the　building　used　as　a　hospital。

For　names；　rank；　etc。；　of　the　above；　I　refer　to　the　lists　herewith。

Lieutenants　Piper　and　McQuesten；　of　my　personal　staff；　were　under　fire　all　day；　and　carried　orders　to　and　fro　with　as　much　coolness　as　on　parade。　　Lieutenant　Bagley；　of　the　New　York　Sixty…ninth；　a　volunteer　aide；　asked　leave　to　serve　with　his　company；　during　the　action；　and　is　among　those　reported　missing。　　I　have　intelligence　that　he　is　a　prisoner；　and　slightly　wounded。

Colonel　Coon；　of　Wisconsin；　a　volunteer　aide；　also　rendered　good　service　during　the　day。

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Colonel　commanding　Brigade。


This　report；　which　I　had　not　read　probably　since　its　date　till　now；　recalls　to　me　vividly　the　whole　scene　of　the　affair　at　Blackburn's　Ford；　when　for　the　first　time　in　my　life　I　saw　cannonballs　strike　men　and　crash　through　the　trees　and　saplings　above　and　around　us；　and　realized　the　always　sickening　confusion　as　one　approaches　a　fight　from　the　rear；　then　the　night…march　from　Centreville；　on　the　Warrenton　road；　standing　for　hours　wondering　what　was　meant；　the　deployment　along　the　edge　of　the　field　that　sloped　down　to　Bull…Run；　and　waiting　for　Hunter's　approach　on　the　other　aide　from　the　direction　of　Sudley　Springs；　away　off　to　our　right；　the　terrible　scare　of　a　poor　negro　who　was　caught　between　our　lines；　the　crossing　of　Bull　Run；　and　the　fear　lest　we　should　be　fired　on　by　our　own　men；　the　killing　of　Lieutenant…Colonel　Haggerty；　which　occurred　in　plain　sight；　and　the　first　scenes　of　a　field　strewed　with　dead　men　and　horses。　　Yet；　at　that　period　of　the　battle；　we　were　the　victors　and　felt　jubilant。　　At　that　moment；　also；　my　brigade　passed　Hunter's　division；　but　Heintzelman'a　was　still　ahead　of　us；　and　we　followed　its　lead　along　the　road　toward　Manassas　Junction；　crossing　a　small　stream　and　ascending　a　long　hill；　at　the　summit　of　which　the　battle　was　going　on。　　Here　my　regiments　came　into　action　well；　but　successively；　and　were　driven　back；　each　in　its　turn。　　For　two　hours　we　continued　to　dash　at　the　woods　on　our　left　front；　which　were　full　of　rebels；　but　I　was　convinced　their　organization　was　broken；　and　that　they　had　simply　halted　there　and　taken　advantage　of　these　woods　as　a　cover；　to　reach　which　we　had　to　pass　over　the　intervening　fields　about　the　Henry　House；　which　were　clear；　open；　and　gave　them　a　decided　advantage。　　After　I　had　put　in　each　of　my　regiments；　and　had　them　driven　back　to　the　cover　of　the　road；　I　had　no　idea　that　we　were　beaten；　but　reformed　the　regiments　in　line　in　their　proper　order；　and　only　wanted　a　little　rest；　when　I　found　that　my　brigade　was　almost　alone；　except　Syke's　regulars；　who　had　formed　square　against　cavalry　and　were　coming　back。　　I　then　realized　that　the　whole　army　was　〃in　retreat；〃　and　that　my　own　men　were　individually　making　back　for　the　stone　bridge。　　Corcoran　and　I　formed　the　brigade　into　an　irregular　square；　but　it　fell　to　pieces；　and；　along　with　a　crowd；　disorganized　but　not　much　scared；　the　brigade　got　back　to　Centreville　to　our　former　camps。　　Corcoran　was　captured；　and　held　a　prisoner　for　some　time；　but　I　got　safe　to　Centreville。　　I　saw　General　McDowell　in　Centreville；　and　understood　that　several　of　his　divisions　had　not　been　engaged　at　all；　that　he　would　reorganize　them　at　Centreville；　and　there　await　the　enemy。　　I　got　my　four　regiments　in　parallel　lines　in　a　field；　the　same　in　which　we　had　camped　before　the　battle；　and　had　lain　down　to　sleep　under　a　tree；　when　I　heard　some　one　asking　for　me。　　I　called　out　where　I　was；　when　General　Tyler　in　person　gave　me　orders　to　march　back　to　our　camps　at　Fort　Corcoran。　　I　aroused　my　aides；　gave　them　orders　to　call　up　the　sleeping　men；　have　each　regiment　to　leave　the　field　by　a　flank　and　to　take　the　same　road　back　by　which　we　had　come。　　It　was　near　midnight；　and　the　road　was　full　of　troops；　wagons；　and　batteries。　　We　tried　to　keep　our　regiments　separate；　but　all　became　inextricably　mixed。　　Toward　morning　we　reached　Vienna；　where　I　slept　some　hours；　and　the　next　day；　about　noon；　we　reached　Fort　Corcoran。

A　slow；　mizzling　rain　had　set　in；　and　probably　a　more　gloomy　day　never　presented　itself。　　All　organization　seemed　to　be　at　an　end；　but　I　and　my　staff　labored　hard　to　collect　our　men　into　their　proper　companies　and　into　their　former　camps；　and；　on　the　23d　of　July；　I　moved　the　Second　Wisconsin　and　Seventy…ninth　New　York　closer　in　to　Fort　Corcoran；　and　got　things　in　better　order　than　I　had　expected。　　Of　course；　we　took　it　for　granted　that　the　rebels　would　be　on　our　heels；　and　we　accordingly　prepared　to　defend　our　posts。　　By　the　25th　I　had　collected　all　the　materials；　made　my　report；　and　had　my　brigade　about　as　well　governed　as　any　in　that　army；　although　most　of　the　ninety…day　men；　especially　the　Sixty…ninth；　had　become　extremely　tired　of　the　war；　and　wanted　to　go　home。　　Some　of　them　were　so　mutinous；　at　one　time；　that　I　had　the　battery　to　unlimber；　threatening；　if　they　dared　to　leave　camp　without　orders；　I　would　open　fire　on　them。　　Drills　and　the　daily　exercises　were　resumed；　and　I　ordered　that　at　the　three　principal　roll…calls　the　men　should　form　ranks　with　belts　and　muskets；　and　that　they　should　keep　their　ranks　until　I　in　person　had　received　the　reports　and　had　dismissed　them。　　The　Sixty…ninth　still　occupied　Fort　Corcoran；　and　one　morning；　after　reveille；　when　I　had　just　received　the　report；　had　dismissed　the　regiment；　and　was　leaving；　I　found　myself　in　a　crowd　of　men　crossing　the　drawbridge　on　their　way　to　a　barn　close　by；　where　they　had　their　sinks；　among　them　was　an　officer；　who　said：　〃Colonel；　I　am　going　to　New　York　today。　　What　can　I　do　for　you？〃　I　answered：　〃How　can　you　go　to　New　York？　I　do　not　remember　to　have　signed　a　leave　for　you。〃　　He　said；　〃No；　he　did　not　want　a　leave。　　He　had　engaged　to　serve　three　months；　and　had　already　served　more　than　that　time。　　If　the　Government　did　not　intend　to　pay　him；　he　could　afford　to　lose　the　money；　that　he　was　a　lawyer；　and　had　neglected　his　business　long　enough；　and　was　then　going　home。〃　　I　noticed　that　a　good　many　of　the　soldiers　had　paused　about　us　to　listen；　and　knew　that；　if　this　officer　could　defy　me；　they　also　would。　　So　I　turned　on　him　sharp；　and　said：　〃Captain；　this　question　of　your　term　of　service　has　been　submitted　to　the　rightful　authority；　and　the　decision　has　been　published　in　orders。　You　are　a　soldier；　and　must　submit　to　orders　till　you　are　properly　discharged。　　If　you　attempt　to　leave　without　orders；　it　will　be　mutiny；　and　I　will　shoot　you　like　a　dog！　　Go　back　into　the　fort　now；　instantly；　and　don't　dare　to　leave　without　my　consent。〃　　I　had　on　an　overcoat；　and　may　have　had　my　hand　about　the　breast；　for　he　looked　at　me　hard；　paused　a　moment；　and　then　turned　back　into　the　fort。　　The　men　scattered；　and　I　returned　to　the　house　where　I　was　quartered；　close　by。

That　same　day；　which　must　have　been　about　July　26th；　I　was　near　the　river…bank；　looking　at　a　block…house　which　had　been　built　for　the　defense　of　the　aqueduct；　when　I　saw　a　carriage　coming　by　the　road　that　crossed　the　Potomac　River　at　Georgetown　by　a　ferry。　　I　thought　I　recognized　in　the　carriage　the　person　of　President　Lincoln。　　I　hurried　across　a　bend；　so　as　to　stand　by　the　road…side　as　the　carriage　passed。　　I　was　in　uniform；　with　a　sword　on；　and　was　recognized　by　Mr。　Lincoln　and　Mr。　Seward；　who　rode　side　by　side　in　an　open　hack。　　I　inquired　if　they　were　going　to　my　camps；　and　Mr。　Lincoln　said：　〃Yes；　we　heard　that　you　had　got　over　the　big　scare；　and　we　thought　we　would　come　over　and　see　the　'boys。'〃　　The　roads　had　been　much　changed　and　were　rough。　　I　asked　if　I　might　give　directions　to　his　coachman；　he　promptly　invited　me　to　jump　in　and　to　tell　the　coachman　which　way　to　drive。　　Intending　to　begin　on　the　right　and　follow　round　to　the　left；　I　turned　the　driver　into　a　side…road　which　led　up　a　very　steep　hill；　and；　seeing　a　soldier；　called　to　him　and　sent　him　up　hurriedly　to　announce　to　the　colonel　（Bennett；　I　think）　that　the　President　was　coming：　As　we　slowly　ascended　the　hill；　I　discovered　that　Mr。　Lincoln　was　full　of　feeling；　and　wanted　to　encourage　our　men。　　I　asked　if　he　intended　to　speak　to　them；　and　he　said　he　would　like　to。　　I　asked　him　then　to　please　discourag