memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第57部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　firing　a　shot。　　The　enemy　pressed　on；　gaining　this　battery；　and　we　were　again　forced　to　choose　a　new　line　of　defense。　　Hildebrand's　brigade　had　substantially　disappeared　from　the　field；　though　he　himself　bravely　remained。　　McDowell's　and　Buckland's　brigades　maintained　their　organizations；　and　were　conducted　by　my　aides；　so　as　to　join　on　General　McClernand's　right；　thus　abandoning　my　original　camps　and　line。　　This　was　about　10　1/2　a。m。；　at　which　time　the　enemy　had　made　a　furious　attack　on　General　MoClernand's　whole　front。　　He　straggled　most　determinedly；　but；　finding　him　pressed；　I　moved　McDowell's　brigade　directly　against　the　left　flank　of　the　enemy；　forced　him　back　some　distance；　and　then　directed　the　men　to　avail　themselves　of　every　cover…trees；　fallen　timber；　and　a　wooded　valley　to　our　right。　　We　held　this　position　for　four　long　hours；　sometimes　gaining　and　at　others　losing　ground；　General　McClernand　and　myself　acting　in　perfect　concert；　and　struggling　to　maintain　this　line。　While　we　were　so　hard　pressed；　two　Iowa　regiments　approached　from　the　rear；　but　could　not　be　brought　up　to　the　severe　fire　that　was　raging　in　our　front；　and　General　Grant；　who　visited　us　on　that　ground；　will　remember　our　situation　about　3p。m。；　but　about　4p。m。　it　was　evident　that　Hurlbut's　line　had　been　driven　back　to　the　river；　and　knowing　that　General　Lew　Wallace　was　coming　with　reinforcements　from　Cramp's　Landing；　General　McClernand　and　I；　on　consultation；　selected　a　new　line　of　defense；　with　its　right　covering　a　bridge　by　which　General　Wallace　had　to　approach。　　We　fell　back　as　well　as　we　could；　gathering　in　addition　to　our　own　such　scattered　forces　as　we　could　find；　and　formed　the　new　line。

During　this　change　the　enemy's　cavalry　charged　us；　but　were　handsomely　repulsed　by　the　Twenty…ninth　Illinois　Regiment。　　The　Fifth　Ohio　Battery；　which　had　come　up；　rendered　good　service　in　holding　the　enemy　in　check　for　some　time；　and　Major　Taylor　also　came　up　with　another　battery　and　got　into　position；　just　in　time　to　get　a　good　flank…fire　upon　the　enemy's　column；　as　he　pressed　on　General　McClernand's　right；　checking　his　advance；　when　General　MeClernand's　division　made　a　fine　charge　on　the　enemy　and　drove　him　back　into　the　ravines　to　our　front　and　right。　　I　had　a　clear　field；　about　two　hundred　yards　wide；　in　my　immediate　front；　and　contented　myself　with　keeping　the　enemy's　infantry　at　that　distance　during　the　rest　of　the　day。　　In　this　position　we　rested　for　the　night。

My　command　had　become　decidedly　of　a　mixed　character。　　Buckland's　brigade　whs　the　only　one　that　retained　its　organization。　　Colonel　Hildebrand　was　personally　there；　but　his　brigade　was　not。　　Colonel　McDowell　had　been　severely　injured　by　a　fall　off　his　horse；　and　had　gone　to　the　river；　and　the　three　regiments　of　his　brigade　were　not　in　line。　　The　Thirteenth　Missouri；　Colonel　Crafts　J。　Wright；　had　reported　to　me　on　the　field；　and　fought　well；　retaining　its　regimental　organization；　and　it　formed　a　part　of　my　line　during　Sunday　night　and　all　Monday。　　Other　fragments　of　regiments　and　companies　had　also　fallen　into　my　division；　and　acted　with　it　during　the　remainder　of　the　battle。　　General　Grant　and　Buell　visited　me　in　our　bivouac　that　evening；　and　from　them　I　learned　the　situation　of　affairs　on　other　parts　of　the　field。　　General　Wallace　arrived　from　Crump's　Landing　shortly　after　dark；　and　formed　his　line　to　my　right　rear。　　It　rained　hard　during　the　night；　but　our　men　were　in　good　spirits；　lay　on　their　arms；　being　satisfied　with　such　bread　and　meat　as　could　be　gathered　at　the　neighboring　camps；　and　determined　to　redeem　on　Monday　the　losses　of　Sunday。

At　daylight　of　Monday　I　received　General　Grant's　orders　to　advance　and　recapture　our　original　camps。　　I　dispatched　several　members　of　my　staff　to　bring　up　all　the　men　they　could　find；　especially　the　brigade　of　Colonel　Stuart；　which　had　been　separated　from　the　division　all　the　day　before；　and　at　the　appointed　time　the　division；　or　rather　what　remained　of　it；　with　the　Thirteenth　Missouri　and　other　fragments；　moved　forward　and　reoccupied　the　ground　on　the　extreme　right　of　General　McClernand's　camp；　where　we　attracted　the　fire　of　a　battery　located　near　Colonel　McDowell's　former　headquarters。　　Here　I　remained；　patiently　waiting　for　the　sound　of　General　Buell's　advance　upon　the　main　Corinth　road。　　About　10　a。m。　　the　heavy　firing　in　that　direction；　and　its　steady　approach；　satisfied　me；　and　General　Wallace　being　on　our　right　flank　with　his　well…conducted　division；　I　led　the　head　of　my　column　to　General　McClernand's　right；　formed　line　of　battle；　facing　south；　with　Backland'a　brigade　directly　across　the　ridge；　and　Stuart's　brigade　on　its　right　in　the　woods；　and　thus　advanced；　steadily　and　slowly；　under　a　heavy　fire　of　musketry　and　artillery。　　Taylor　had　just　got　to　me　from　the　rear；　where　he　had　gone　for　ammunition；　and　brought　up　three　guns；　which　I　ordered　into　position；　to　advance　by　hand　firing。　　These　guns　belonged　to　Company　A；　Chicago　Light　Artillery；　commanded　by　Lieutenant　P。　P。　Wood；　and　did　most　excellent　service。　　Under　cover　of　their　fire；　we　advanced　till　we　reached　the　point　where　the　Corinth　road　crosses　the　line　of　McClernand's　camp；　and　here　I　saw　for　the　first　time　the　well…ordered　and　compact　columns　of　General　Buell's　Kentucky　forces；　whose　soldierly　movements　at　once　gave　confidence　to　our　newer　and　less　disciplined　men。　　Here　I　saw　Willich's　regiment　advance　upon　a　point　of　water…oaks　and　thicket；　behind　which　I　knew　the　enemy　was　in　great　strength；　and　enter　it　in　beautiful　style。　Then　arose　the　severest　musketry…fire　I　ever　heard；　and　lasted　some　twenty　minutes；　when　this　splendid　regiment　had　to　fall　back。　　This　green　point　of　timber　is　about　five　hundred　yards　east　of　Shiloh　meeting…home；　and　it　was　evident　here　was　to　be　the　struggle。　　The　enemy　could　also　be　seen　forming　his　lines　to　the　south。　　General　McClernand　sending　to　me　for　artillery；　I　detached　to　him　the　three　guns　of　Wood's　battery；　with　which　he　speedily　drove　them　back；　and；　seeing　some　others　to　the　rear；　I　sent　one　of　my　staff　to　bring　them　forward；　when；　by　almost　providential　decree；　they　proved　to　be　two　twenty…four　pound　howitzers　belonging　to　McAlister's　battery；　and　served　as　well　as　guns　ever　could　be。

This　was　about　2　p。m。　　The　enemy　had　one　battery　close　by　Shiloh；　and　another　near　the　Hamburg　road；　both　pouring　grape　and　canister　upon　any　column　of　troops　that　advanced　upon　the　green　point　of　water…oaks。　　Willich's　regiment　had　been　repulsed；　but　a　whole　brigade　of　McCook's　division　advanced　beautifully；　deployed；　and　entered　this　dreaded　wood。　　I　ordered　my　second　brigade　（then　commanded　by　Colonel　T。　Kilby　Smith；　Colonel　Smart　being　wounded）　to　form　on　its　right；　and　my　fourth　brigade；　Colonel　Bnekland；　on　its　right；　all　to　advance　abreast　with　this　Kentucky　brigade　before　mentioned；　which　I　afterward　found　to　be　Rousseau's　brigade　of　McCook's　division。　　I　gave　personal　direction　to　the　twenty…four　pounder　guns；　whose　well…directed　fire　first　silenced　the　enemy's　guns　to　the　left；　and　afterward　at　the　Shiloh　meeting…house。


Rousseau's　brigade　moved　in　splendid　order　steadily　to　the　front；　sweeping　every　thing　before　it；　and　at　4　p。m。　　we　stood　upon　the　ground　of　our　original　front　line；　and　the　enemy　was　in　full　retreat。　　I　directed　my　several　brigades　to　resume　at　once　their　original　camps。

Several　times　during　the　battle；　cartridges　gave　out；　but　General　Grant　had　thoughtfully　kept　a　supply　coming　from　the　rear。　　When　I　appealed　to　regiments　to　stand　fast；　although　out　of　cartridges；　I　did　so　because；　to　retire　a　regiment　for　any　cause；　has　a　bad　effect　on　others。　　I　commend　the　Fortieth　Illinois　and　Thirteenth　Missouri　for　thus　holding　their　ground　under　heavy　fire；　although　their　cartridge…boxes　were　empty。

I　am　ordered　by　General　Grant　to　give　personal　credit　where　I　think　it　is　due；　and　censure　where　I　think　it　merited。　　I　concede　that　General　McCook's　splendid　division　from　Kentucky　drove　back　the　enemy　along　the　Corinth　road；　which　was　the　great　centre　of　this　field　of　battle；　where　Beauregard　commanded　in　person；　supported　by　Bragg's；　Polk's；　and　Breckenridge's　divisions。　　I　think　Johnston　was　killed　by　exposing　himself　in　front　of　his　troops；　at　the　time　of　their　attack　on　Buckland's　brigade　on　Sunday　morning；　although　in　this　I　may　be　mistaken。

My　division　was　made　up　of　regiments　perfectly　new；　nearly　all　having　received　their　muskets　for　the　first　time　at　Paducah。　　None　of　them　had　ever　been　under　fire　or　beheld　heavy　columns　of　an　enemy　bearing　down　on　them　as　they　did　on　last　Sunday。

To　expect　of　them　the　coolness　and　steadiness　of　older　troops　would　be　wrong。　　They　knew　not　the　value　of　combination　and　organization。　When　individual　fears　seized　them；　the　first　impulse　was　to　get　away。　　My　third　brigade　did　break　much　too　soon；　and　I　am　not　yet　advised　where　they　were　during　Sunday　afternoon　and　Monday　morning。　Colonel　Hildebrand；　its　commander；　was　as　cool　as　any　man　I　ever　saw；　and　no　one　could　have　made　stronger　efforts　to　hold　his　men　to　their　places　than　he　did。　　He　kept　his　own　regiment　with　individual　exceptions　in　hand；　an　hour　after　Appler's　and　Mungen's　regiments　had　left　their　proper　field　of　action。　　Colonel　Buckland　managed　his　brigade　well。　　I　commend　him　to　your　notice　as　a　cool；　intelligent；　and　judicious　gentleman；　needing　only　confidence　and　experience；to　make　a　good　commander。　　His　subordinates；　Colonels　Sullivan　and　Cockerill；　behaved　with　great　gallantry；　the　former　receiving　a　severe　wound　on　Sunday；　and　yet　commanding　and　holding　his　regiment　well　in　hand　all　day；　and　on　Monday；　until　his　right　arm　was　broken　by　a　shot。　　Colonel　Cookerill　held　a　larger　proportion　of　his　men　than　any　colonel　in　my　division；　and　was　with　me　from　first　to　last。

Colonel　J。　A。　McDowell；　commanding　the　first　brigade；　held　his　ground　on　Sunday；　till　I　ordered　him　to　fall　back；　which　he　did　in　line　of　battle；　and　when　ordered；　he　conducted　the　attack　on　the　enemy's　left　in　good　style。　　In　falling　back　to　the　next　position；　he　was　thrown　from　his　horse　and　injured；　and　his　brigade　was　not　in　position　on　Monday　morning。　　His　subordinates；。　　Colonels　Hicks　and　Worthington；　displayed　great　personal　courage。　　Colonel　Hicks　led　his　regiment