memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第49部分

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ameron　and　party　going　on　to　Cincinnati　and　Washington；　and　I　to　Camp　Dick　Robinson　to　see　General　Thomas　and　the　troops　there。

I　found　General　Thomas　in　a　tavern；　with　most　of　his　regiments　camped　about　him。　　He　had　sent　a　small　force　some　miles　in　advance　toward　Cumberland　Gap；　under　Brigadier…General　Schoepf。　　Remaining　there　a　couple　of　days；　I　returned　to　Louisville；　on　the　22d　of　October；　General　Negley's　brigade　arrived　in　boats　from　Pittsburg；　was　sent　out　to　Camp　Nolin；　and　the　Thirty…seventh　Indiana。；　Colonel　Hazzard；　and　Second　Minnesota；　Colonel　Van　Cleve；　also　reached　Louisville　by　rail；　and　were　posted　at　Elizabethtown　and　Lebanon　Junction。　　These　were　the　same　troops　which　had　been　ordered　by　Mr。　Cameron　when　at　Louisville；　and　they　were　all　that　I　received　thereafter；　prior　to　my　leaving　Kentucky。　　On　reaching　Washington；　Mr。　Cameron　called　on　General　Thomas；　as　he　himself　afterward　told　me；　to　submit　his　memorandum　of　events　during　his　absence；　and　in　that　memorandum　was　mentioned　my　insane　request　for　two　hundred　thousand　men。　　By　some　newspaper　man　this　was　seen　and　published；　and；　before　I　had　the　least　conception　of　it；　I　was　universally　published　throughout　the　country　as　〃insane；　crazy；〃　etc。　　Without　any　knowledge；　however；　of　this　fact；　I　had　previously　addressed　to　the　Adjutant…General　of　the　army　at　Washington　this　letter：


HEADQUARTERS　DEPARTMENT　OP　THE　CUMBERLAND；　LOUISVILLE；　KENTUKY；　October　22；　1881。

To　General　L。　THOMAS；　Adjutant…General；　Washington；　D。　C。

Sir：　On　my　arrival　at　Camp　Dick　Robinson；　I　found　General　Thomas　had　stationed　a　Kentucky　regiment　at　Rock　Castle　Hill；　beyond　a　river　of　the　same　name；　and　had　sent　an　Ohio　and　an　Indiana　regiment　forward　in　support。　　He　was　embarrassed　for　transportation；　and　I　authorized　him　to　hire　teams；　and　to　move　his　whole　force　nearer　to　his　advance…guard；　so　as　to　support　it；　as　he　had　information　of　the　approach　of　Zollicoffer　toward　London。　　I　have　just　heard　from　him；　that　he　had　sent　forward　General　Schoepf　with　Colonel　Wolford's　cavalry；　Colonel　Steadman's　Ohio　regiment；　and　a　battery　of　artillery；　followed　on　a　succeeding　day　by　a　Tennessee　brigade。　　He　had　still　two　Kentucky　regiments；　the　Thirty…eighth　Ohio　and　another　battery　of　artillery；　with　which　he　was　to　follow　yesterday。　　This　force；　if　concentrated；　should　be　strong　enough　for　the　purpose；　at　all　events；　it　is　all　he　had　or　I　could　give　him。

I　explained　to　you　fully；　when　here；　the　supposed　position　of　our　adversaries；　among　which　was　a　force　in　the　valley　of　Big　Sandy；　supposed　to　be　advancing　on　Paris；　Kentucky。　　General　Nelson　at　Maysville　was　instructed　to　collect　all　the　men　he　could；　and　Colonel　Gill's　regiment　of　Ohio　Volnnteers。　　Colonel　Harris　was　already　in　position　at　Olympian　Springs；　and　a　regiment　lay　at　Lexington；　which　I　ordered　to　his　support。　　This　leaves　the　line　of　Thomas's　operations　exposed；　but　I　cannot　help　it。　　I　explained　so　fully　to　yourself　and　the　Secretary　of　War　the　condition　of　things；　that　I　can　add　nothing　new　until　further　developements；　You　know　my　views　that　this　great　centre　of　our　field　is　too　weak；　far　too　weak；　and　I　have　begged　and　implored　till　I　dare　not　say　more。

Buckner　still　is　beyond　Green　River。　　He　sent　a　detachment　of　his　men；　variously　estimated　at　from　two　to　four　thousand　toward　Greensburg。　　General　Ward；　with　about　one　thousand　men；　retreated　to　Campbellsburg；　where　he　called　to　his　assistance　some　partially…formed　regiments　to　the　number　of　about　two　thousand。　The　enemy　did　not　advance；　and　General　Ward　was　at　last　dates　at　Campbellsburg。　　The　officers　charged　with　raising　regiments　must　of　necessity　be　near　their　homes　to　collect　men；　and　for　this　reason　are　out　of　position；　but　at　or　near　Greensburg　and　Lebanon；　I　desire　to　assemble　as　large　a　force　of　the　Kentucky　Volunteers　as　possible。　　This　organization　is　necessarily　irregular；　but　the　necessity　is　so　great　that　I　must　have　them；　and　therefore　have　issued　to　them　arms　and　clothing　during　the　process　of　formation。　This　has　facilitated　their　enlistment；　but　inasmuch　as　the　Legislature　has　provided　money　for　organizing　the　Kentucky　Volunteers；　and　intrusted　its　disbursement　to　a　board　of　loyal　gentlemen；　I　have　endeavored　to　cooperate　with　them　to　hasten　the　formation　of　these　corps。

The　great　difficulty　is；　and　has　been；　that　as　volunteers　offer；　we　have　not　arms　and　clothing　to　give　them。　　The　arms　sent　us　are；　as　you　already　know；　European　muskets　of　uncouth　pattern；　which　the　volunteers　will　not　touch。

General　McCook　has　now　three　brigadesJohnson's；　Wood's；　and　Rousseau's。　　Negley's　brigade　arrived　to…day；　and　will　be　sent　out　at　once。　　The　Minnesota　regiment　has　also　arrived；　and　will　be　sent　forward。　　Hazzard's　regiment　of　Indiana　troops　I　have　ordered　to　the　month　of　Salt　Creek；　an　important　point　on　the　turnpike…road　leading　to　Elizabethtown。

I　again　repeat　that　our　force　here　is　out　of　all　proportion　to　the　importance　of　the　position。　　Our　defeat　world　be　disastrous　to　the　nation；　and　to　expect　of　new　men；　who　never　bore　arms；　to　do　miracles；　is　not　right。

I　am；　with　much　respect；　yours　truly；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Brigadier…General　commanding。


About　this　time　my　attention　was　drawn　to　the　publication　in　all　the　Eastern　papers；　which　of　course　was　copied　at　the　West；　of　the　report　that　I　was　〃crazy；　insane；　and　mad；〃　that　〃I　had　demanded　two　hundred　thousand　men　for　the　defense　of　Kentucky；〃　and　the　authority　given　for　this　report　was　stated　to　be　the　Secretary　of　War　himself；　Mr。　Cameron；　who　never；　to　my　knowledge；　took　pains　to　affirm　or　deny　it。　　My　position　was　therefore　simply　unbearable；　and　it　is　probable　I　resented　the　cruel　insult　with　language　of　intense　feeling。　　Still　I　received　no　orders；　no　reenforcements；　not　a　word　of　encouragement　or　relief。　　About　November　1st；　General　McClellan　was　appointed　commander…in…chief　of　all　the　armies　in　the　field；　and　by　telegraph　called　for　a　report　from　me。　　It　is　herewith　given：


HEADQUARTERS　THE　DEPARTMENT　OF　THE　CUMBERLAND；　Louisville；　Kentucky；　November　4；　1861

General　L。　THOMAS；　Adjutant…General；　Washington；　D。　C。

Sir：　In　compliance　with　the　telegraphic　orders　of　General　McClellan；　received　late　last　night；　I　submit　this　report　of　the　forces　in　Kentucky；　and　of　their　condition。

The　tabular　statement　shows　the　position　of　the　several　regiments。　The　camp　at　Nolin　is　at　the　present　extremity　of　the　Nashville　Railroad。　　This　force　was　thrown　forward　to　meet　the　advance　of　Buckner's　army；　which　then　fell　back　to　Green　River；　twenty…three　miles　beyond。　　These　regiments　were　substantially　without　means　of　transportation；　other　than　the　railroad；　which　is　guarded　at　all　dangerous　points；　yet　is　liable　to　interruption　at　any　moment；　by　the　tearing　up　of　a　rail　by　the　disaffected　inhabitants　or　a　hired　enemy。　　These　regiments　are　composed　of　good　materials；　but　devoid　of　company　officers　of　experience；　and　have　been　put　under　thorough　drill　since　being　in　camp。　　They　are　generally　well　clad；　and　provided　for。　　Beyond　Green　River；　the　enemy　has　masked　his　forces；　and　it　is　very　difficult　to　ascertain　even　the　approximate　numbers。　No　pains　have　been　spared　to　ascertain　them；　but　without　success；　and　it　is　well　known　that　they　far　outnumber　us。　　Depending；　however；　on　the　railroads　to　their　rear　for　transportation；　they　have　not　thus　far　advanced　this　side　of　Green　River；　except　in　marauding　parties。　　This　is　the　proper　line　of　advance；　but　will　require　a　very　large　force；　certainly　fifty　thousand　men；　as　their　railroad　facilities　south　enable　them　to　concentrate　at　Munfordsville　the　entire　strength　of　the　South。　　General　McCook's　command　is　divided　into　four　brigades；　under　Generals　Wood；　R。　W。　Johnson；　Rousseau；　and　Negley。

General　Thomas's　line　of　operations　is　from　Lexington；　toward　Cumberland　Gap　and　Ford；　which　are　occupied　by　a　force　of　rebel　Tennesseeans；　under　the　command　of　Zollicoffer。　　Thomas　occupies　the　position　at　London；　in　front　of　two　roads　which　lead　to　the　fertile　part　of　Kentucky；　the　one　by　Richmond；　and　the　other　by　Crab　Orchard；　with　his　reserve　at　Camp　Dick　Robinson；　eight　miles　south　of　the　Kentucky　River。　　His　provisions　and　stores　go　by　railroad　from　Cincinnati　to　Nicholasville；　and　thence　in　wagons　to　his　several　regiments。　　He　is　forced　to　hire　transportation。

Brigadier…General　Nelson　is　operating　by　the　line　from　Olympian　Springs；　east　of　Paris；　on　the　Covington　&　Lexington　Railroad；　toward　Prestonburg；　in　the　valley　of　the　Big　Sandy　where　is　assembled　a　force　of　from　twenty…five　to　thirty…five　hundred　rebel　Kentuckians　waiting　reenforcements　from　Virginia。　　My　last　report　from　him　was　to　October　28th；　at　which　time　he　had　Colonel　Harris's　Ohio　Second；　nine　hundred　strong；　Colonel　Norton's　Twenty…first　Ohio；　one　thousand；　and　Colonel　Sill's　Thirty…third　Ohio；　seven　hundred　and　fifty　strong；　with　two　irregular　Kentucky　regiments；　Colonels　Marshall　and　Metcalf。　　These　troops　were　on　the　road　near　Hazel　Green　and　West　Liberty；　advancing　toward　Prestonburg。

Upon　an　inspection　of　the　map；　you　will　observe　these　are　all　divergent　lines；　but　rendered　necessary；　from　the　fact　that　our　enemies　choose　them　as　places　of　refuge　from　pursuit；　where　they　can　receive　assistance　from　neighboring　States。　　Our　lines　are　all　too　weak；　probably　with　the　exception　of　that　to　Prestonburg。　　To　strengthen　these；　I　am　thrown　on　the　raw　levies　of　Ohio　and　Indiana；　who　arrive　in　detachments；　perfectly　fresh　from　the　country；　and　loaded　down　with　baggage；　also　upon　the　Kentuckians；　who　are　slowly　forming　regiments　all　over　the　State；　at　points　remote　from　danger；　and　whom　it　will　be　almost　impossible　to　assemble　together。　　The　organization　of　this　latter　force　is；　by　the　laws　of　Kentucky；　under　the　control　of　a　military　board　of　citizens；　at　the　capital；　Frankfort；　and　they　think　they　will　be　enabled　to　have　fifteen　regiments　toward　the　middle　of　this　month；　but　I　doubt　it；　and　deem　it　unsafe　to　rely　on　them：　There　are　four　regiments　forming　in　the　neighborhood　of　Owensboro；　near　the　mouth　of　Green　River；　who　are　doing　good　service；　also　in　the　neighborhood　of　Campbellsville；　but　it　is　unsafe　to　rely　on　troops　so　suddenly　armed　and　equipped。　　They　are　not　yet　clothed　or　uniformed。　　I