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



LAGRANGE；　November　16；　1862。

Meet　me　at　Columbus；　Kentucky；　on　Thursday　next。　　If　you　have　a　good　map　of　the　country　south　of　you；　take　it　up　with　you。

U。　S。　GRANT；　Major…General。


I　started　forthwith　by　boat；　and　met　General　Grant；　who　had　reached　Columbus　by　the　railroad　from　Jackson；　Tennessee。　　He　explained　to　me　that　he　proposed　to　move　against　Pemberton；　then　intrenched　on　a　line　behind　the　Tallahatchie　River　below　Holly　Springs；　that　he　would　move　on　Holly　Springs　and　Abberville；　from　Grand　Junction；　that　McPherson；　with　the　troops　at　Corinth；　would　aim　to　make　junction　with　him　at　Holly　Springs；　and　that　he　wanted　me　to　leave　in　Memphis　a　proper　garrison；　and　to　aim　for　the　Tallahatchie；　so　as　to　come　up　on　his　right　by　a　certain　date。　　He　further　said　that　his　ultimate　object　was　to　capture　Vicksburg；　to　open　the　navigation　of　the　Mississippi　River；　and　that　General　Halleck　had　authorized　him　to　call　on　the　troops　in　the　Department　of　Arkansas；　then　commanded　by　General　S。　R。　Curtis；　for　cooperation。　　I　suggested　to　him　that　if　he　would　request　General　Curtis　to　send　an　expedition　from　some　point　on　the　Mississippi；　near　Helena；　then　held　in　force；　toward　Grenada；　to　the　rear　of　Pemberton；　it　would　alarm　him　for　the　safety　of　his　communications；　and　would　assist　us　materially　in　the　proposed　attack　on　his　front。　　He　authorized　me　to　send　to　the　commanding　officer　at　Helena　a　request　to　that　effect；　and；　as　soon　as　I　reached　Memphis；　I　dispatched　my　aide；　Major　McCoy；　to　Helena；　who　returned；　bringing　me　a　letter　from　General　Frederick　Steele；　who　had　just　reached　Helena　with　Osterhaus's　division；　and　who　was　temporarily　in　command；　General　Curtis　having　gone　to　St。　Louis。　　This　letter　contained　the　assurance　that　he　〃would　send　from　Friar's　Point　a　large　force　under　Brigadier…General　A。　P。　Hovey　in　the　direction　of　Grenada；　aiming　to　reach　the　Tallahatchie　at　Charleston；　on　the　next　Monday；　Tuesday；　or　Wednesday　（December　1st）　at　furthest。〃　　My　command　was　appointed　to　start　on　Wednesday；　November　24th；　and　meantime　MajorGeneral　S。　A。　Hurlbut；　having　reported　for　duty；　was　assigned　to　the　command　of　Memphis；　with　four　regiments　of　infantry　one　battery　of　artillery；　two　companies　of　Thielman's　cavalry　and　the　certain　prospect　of　soon　receiving　a　number　of　new　regiments；　known　to　be　en　route。

I　marched　out　of　Memphis　punctually　with　three　small　divisions；　taking　different　roads　till　we　approached　the　Tallahatchie；　when　we　converged　on　Wyatt　to　cross　the　river；　there　a　bold；　deep　stream；　with　a　newly…constructed　fort　behind。　　I　had　Grierson's　Sixth　Illinois　Cavalry　with　me；　and　with　it　opened　communication　with　General　Grant　when　we　were　abreast　of　Holly　Springs。　　We　reached　Wyatt　on　the　2d　day　of　December　without　the　least　opposition；　and　there　learned　that　Pemberton's　whole　army　had　fallen　back　to　the　Yalabusha　near　Grenada；　in　a　great　measure　by　reason　of　the　exaggerated　reports　concerning　the　Helena　force；　which　had　reached　Charleston；　and　some　of　General　Hovey's　cavalry；　under　General　Washburn；　having　struck　the　railroad　in　the　neighborhood　of　Coffeeville；　naturally　alarmed　General　Pemberton　for　the　safety　of　his　communications；　and　made　him　let　go　his　Tallahatchie　line　with　all　the　forts　which　he　had　built　at　great　cost　in　labor。　　We　had　to　build　a　bridge　at　Wyatt；　which　consumed　a　couple　of　days；　and　on　the　5th　of　December　my　whole　command　was　at　College　Hill；　ten　miles　from　Oxford；　whence　I　reported　to　General　Grant　in　Oxford。

On　the　8th　I　received　the　following　letter：

OXFORD　MISSISSIPPI；　December　8；　1862Morning

General　SHERMAN；　College　Hill。

DEAR　GENERAL：　The　following　is　a　copy　of　dispatch　just　received　from　Washington：


WASHINGTON；　December　7；　186212M

General　GRANT：

The　capture　of　Grenada　may　change　our　plans　in　regard　to　Vicksburg。　You　will　move　your　troops　as　you　may　deem　best　to　accomplish　the　great　object　in　view。　　You　will　retain；　till　further　orders；　all　troops　of　General　Curtis　now　in　your　department。　　Telegraph　to　General　Allen　in　St。　Louis　for　all　steamboats　you　may　require。　　Ask　Porter　to　cooperate。　　Telegraph　what　are　your　present　plans。

H。　W。　HALLECK；　General…in。…Chief。


I　wish　you　world　come　over　this　evening　and　stay　to…night；　or　come　in　the　morning。　　I　would　like　to　talk　with　you　about　this　matter。　My　notion　is　to　send　two　divisions　back　to　Memphis；　and　fix　upon　a　day　when　they　should　effect　a　landing；　and　press　from　here　with　this　command　at　the　proper　time　to　cooperate。　　If　I　do　not　do　this　I　will　move　our　present　force　to　Grenada；　including　Steele's；　repairing　road　as　we　proceed；　and　establish　a　depot　of　provisions　there。　　When　a　good　ready　is　had；　to　move　immediately　on　Jackson；　Mississippi；　cutting　loose　from　the　road。　　Of　the　two　plans　I　look　most　favorably　on　the　former。

Come　over　and　we　will　talk　this　matter　over。　Yours　truly；

U。　S。　GRANT；　Major…General。


I　repaired　at　once　to　Oxford；　and　found　General　Grant　in　a　large　house　with　all　his　staff；　and　we　discussed　every　possible　chance。　He　explained　to　me　that　large　reenforcements　had　been　promised；　which　would　reach　Memphis　very　soon；　if　not　already　there；　that　the　entire　gunboat　fleet；　then　under　the　command　of　Admiral　D。　D。　Porter；　would　cooperate；　that　we　could　count　on　a　full　division　from　the　troops　at　Helena；　and　he　believed　that；　by　a　prompt　movement；　I　could　make　a　lodgment　up　the　Yazoo　and　capture　Vicksburg　from　the　rear；　that　its　garrison　was　small；　and　he；　at　Oxford；　would　so　handle　his　troops　as　to　hold　Pemberton　away　from　Vicksburg。　　I　also　understood　that；　if　Pemberton　should　retreat　south；　he　would　follow　him　up；　and　would　expect　to　find　me　at　the　Yazoo　River；　if　not　inside　of　Vicksburg。　　I　confess；　at　that　moment　I　did　not　dream　that　General　McClernand；　or　anybody　else；　was　scheming　for　the　mere　honor　of　capturing　Vicksburg。　　We　knew　at　the　time　that　General　Butler　had　been　reenforced　by　General　Banks　at　New　Orleans；　and　the　latter　was　supposed　to　be　working　his　way　up…stream　from　New　Orleans；　while　we　were　working　down。　　That　day　General　Grant　dispatched　to　General　Halleck；　in　Washington；　as　follows：

OXFORD；　December　8；　1862。

Major…General　H。　W。　HALLECK；　Washington；　D。　C。：

General　Sherman　will　command　the　expedition　down　the　Mississippi。　He　will　have　a　force　of　about　forty　thousand　men；　will　land　above　Vicksbnrg　（up　the　Yazoo；　if　practicable）；　and　out　the　Mississippi　Central　road　and　the　road　running　east　from　Vicksburg；　where　they　cross　Black　River。　　I　will　cooperate　from　here；　my　movements　depending　on　those　of　the　enemy。　　With　the　large　cavalry　force　now　at　my　command；　I　will　be　able　to　have　them　show　themselves　at　different　points　on　the　Tallahatchie　and　Yalabusha；　and；　when　an　opportunity　occurs；　make　a　real　attack。　　After　cutting　the　two　roads；　General　Sherman's　movements　to　secure　the　end　desired　will　necessarily　be　left　to　his　judgment。

I　will　occupy　this　road　to　Coffeeville。

U。　S。　GRANT；　Major…General。


I　was　shown　this　dispatch　before　it　was　sent；　and　afterward　the　general　drew　up　for　me　the　following　letter　of　instructions　in　his　own　handwriting；　which　I　now　possess：

HEADQUARTERS　THIRTEENTH　ARMY　CORPS　DEPARTMENT　OF　THE　TENNESSEE；　OXFORD；　Mississippi；　December　8；　1862。

Major…General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　commanding　Right　Wing　Army　In　the　Field；　present。

GENERAL：　You　will　proceed　with　as　little　delay　as　practicable　to　Memphis；　Tennessee；　taking　with　you　one　division　of　your　present　command。　　On　your　arrival　at　Memphis　you　will　assume　command　of　all　the　troops　there；　and　that　portion　of　General　Curtis's　forces　at　present　east　of　the　Mississippi　River；　and　organize　them　into　brigades　and　divisions　in　your　own　way。

As　soon　as　possible　move　with　them　down　the　river　to　the　vicinity　of　Vicksburg；　and；　with　the　cooperation　of　the　gunboat　fleet　under　command　of　Flag…Officer　Porter；　proceed　to　the　reduction　of　that　place　in　such　manner　as　circumstances　and　your　own　judgment　may　dictate。

The　amount　of　rations；　forage；　land　transportation；　etc。；　necessary　to　take；　will　be　left　entirely　to　yourself。

The　quartermaster　in　St。　Louis　will　be　instructed　to　send　you　transportation　for　thirty　thousand　men。　　Should　you　still　find　yourself　deficient；　your　quartermaster　will　be　authorized　to　make　up　the　deficiency　from　such　transports　as　may　come　into　the　port　of　Memphis。

On　arriving　in　Memphis　put　yourself　in　communication　with　Admiral　Porter；　and　arrange　with　him　for　his　cooperation。

Inform　me　at　the　earliest　practicable　day　of　the　time　when　you　will　embark；　and　such　plans　as　may　then　be　matured。　　I　will　hold　the　forces　here　in　readiness　to　cobperate　with　you　in　such　manner　as　the　movements　of　the　enemy　may　make　necessary。

Leave　the　District　of　Memphis　in　the　command　of　an　efficient　officer　and　with　a　garrison　of　four　regiments　of　infantry；　the　siege…guns；　and　what　　ever　cavalry　force　may　be　there。

One　regiment　of　infantry　and　at　least　a　section　of　artillery　will　also　be　left　at　Friar's　Point　or　Delta；　to　protect　the　stores　of　the　cavalry　post　that　will　be　left　there。　　Yours　truly；

U。　S。　GRANT；　Major…General。


I　also　insert　here　another　letter；　dated　the　14th　instant；　sent　afterward　to　me　at　Memphis；　which　completes　all　instructions　received　by　me　governing　the　first　movement　against　Vicksburg　：

HEADQUARTERS　DEPARTMENT　OF　THE　TENNESSEE　OXFORD；　MISSISSIPPI；　December　14；　1862

Major…General　SHERMAN；　commanding；　etc。；　Memphis；　Tennessee

I　have　not　had　one　word　from　Grierson　since　he　left；　and　am　getting　uneasy　about　him。　　I　hope　General　Gorman　will　give　you　no　difficulty　about　retaining　the　troops　on　this　side　the　river；　and　Steele　to　command　them。　　The　twenty…one　thousand　men　you　have；　with　the　twelve　thousand　from　Helena；　will　make　a　good　force。　　The　enemy　are　as　yet　on　the　Yalabusha。　　I　am　pushing　down　on　them　slowly；　but　so　as　to　keep　up　the　impression　of　a　continuous　move。　　I　feel　particularly　anxious　to　have　the　Helena　cavalry　on　this　side　of　the　river；　if　not　now；　at　least　after　you　start。　　If　Gorman　will　send　them；　instruct　them　where　to　go　and　how　to　communicate　with　me。　　My　headquarters　will　probably　be　in　Coffeeville　one　week　hence。。。。　　In　the　mean　time　I　will　order　transportation；　etc。。。。　It　would　be　well　if　you　could　have　two　or