memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第71部分

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on　renewing　the　request　for　Shirk　to　command　the　detachment；　Porter　said；　〃Suppose　I　go　along　myself？〃　　I　answered；　if　he　would　do　so；　it　would　insure　the　success　of　the　enterprise。　At　that　time　I　supposed　General　MeClernand　would　send　me　on　this　business；　but　he　concluded　to　go　himself；　and　to　take　his　whole　force。　　Orders　were　at　once　issued　for　the　troops　not　to　disembark　at　Milliken's　Bend；　but　to　remain　as　they　were　on　board　the　transports。　　My　two　divisions　were　commandedthe　First；　by　Brigadier…General　Frederick　Steele；　with　three　brigades；　commanded　by　BrigadierGenerala　F。　P。　Blair；　C。　E。　Hooey；　and　J。　M。　Thayer；　the　Second；　by　Brigadier…General　D。　Stuart；　with　two　brigades；　commanded　by　Colonels　G。　A。　Smith　and　T。　Kilby　Smith。

The　whole　army；　embarked　on　steamboats　convoyed　by　the　gunboats；　of　which　three　were　iron…clads；　proceeded　up　the　Mississippi　River　to　the　mouth　of　White　River；　which　we　reached　January　8th。　　On　the　next　day　we　continued　up　White　River　to　the　〃Cut…off；〃　through　this　to　the　Arkansas；　and　up　the　Arkansas　to　Notrib's　farm；　just　below　Fort　Hindman。　　Early　the　next　morning　we　disembarked。　　Stuart's　division；　moving　up　the　river　along　the　bank；　soon　encountered　a　force　of　the　enemy　intrenched　behind　a　line　of　earthworks；　extending　from　the　river　across　to　the　swamp。　　I　took　Steele's　division；　marching　by　the　flank　by　a　road　through　the　swamp　to　the　firm　ground　behind；　and　was　moving　up　to　get　to　the　rear　of　Fort　Hindman；　when　General　MeClernand　overtook　me；　with　the　report　that　the　rebels　had　abandoned　their　first　position；　and　had　fallen　back　into　the　fort。　　By　his　orders；　we　counter…marched；　recrossed　the　swamp；　and　hurried　forward　to　overtake　Stuart；　marching　for　Fort　Hindman。　　The　first　line　of　the　rebels　was　about　four　miles　below　Fort　Hindman；　and　the　intervening　space　was　densely；　wooded　and　obscure；　with　the　exception　of　some　old　fields　back　of　and　close　to　the　fort。　　During　the　night；　which　was　a　bright　moonlight　one；　we　reconnoitred　close　up；　and　found　a　large　number　of　huts　which　had　been　abandoned；　and　the　whole　rebel　force　had　fallen　back　into　and　about　the　fort。　　Personally　I　crept　up　to　a　stump　so　close　that　I　could　hear　the　enemy　hard　at　work；　pulling　down　houses；　cutting　with　axes；　and　building　intrenchments。　　I　could　almost　hear　their　words；　and　I　was　thus　listening　when；　about　4　A。　M。　the　bugler　in　the　rebel　camp　sounded　as　pretty　a　reveille　as　I　ever　listened　to。

When　daylight　broke　it　revealed　to　us　a　new　line　of　parapet　straight　across　the　peninsula；　connecting　Fort　Hindman；　on　the　Arkansas　River　bank；　with　the　impassable　swamp　about　a　mile　to　its　left　or　rear。　　This　peninsula　was　divided　into　two　nearly　equal　parts　by　a　road。　　My　command　had　the　ground　to　the　right　of　the　road；　and　Morgan's　corps　that　to　the　left。　　McClernand　had　his　quarters　still　on　the　Tigress；　back　at　Notrib's　farm；　but　moved　forward　that　morning　（January　11th）　to　a　place　in　the　woods　to　our　rear；　where　he　had　a　man　up　a　tree；　to　observe　and　report　the　movements。

There　was　a　general　understanding　with　Admiral　Porter　that　he　was　to　attack　the　fort　with　his　three　ironclad　gunboats　directly　by　its　water…front；　while　we　assaulted　by　land　in　the　rear。　　About　10　a。m。　I　got　a　message　from　General　McClernand；　telling　me　where　he　could　be　found；　and　asking　me　what　we　were　waiting　for。　　I　answered　that　we　were　then　in　close　contact　with　the　enemy；　viz。；　about　five　or　six　hundred　yards　off；　that　the　next　movement　must　be　a　direct　assault；　that　this　should　be　simultaneous　along　the　whole　line；　and　that　I　was　waiting　to　hear　from　the　gunboats；　asking　him　to　notify　Admiral　Porter　that　we　were　all　ready。　　In　about　half　an　hour　I　heard　the　clear　ring　of　the　navy…guns；　the　fire　gradually　increasing　in　rapidity　and　advancing　toward　the　fort。　　I　had　distributed　our　field…guns；　and；　when　I　judged　the　time　had　come；　I　gave　the　orders　to　begin。　　The　intervening　ground　between　us　and　the　enemy　was　a　dead　level；　with　the　exception　of　one　or　two　small　gullies；　and　our　men　had　no　cover　but　the　few　standing　trees　and　some　logs　on　the　ground。　　The　troops　advanced　well　under　a　heavy　fire；　once　or　twice　falling　to　the　ground　for　a　sort　of　rest　or　pause。　　Every　tree　had　its　group　of　men；　and　behind　each　log　was　a　crowd　of　sharp…shooters；　who　kept　up　so　hot　a　fire　that　the　rebel　troops　fired　wild。　　The　fire　of　the　fort　proper　was　kept　busy　by　the　gunboats　and　Morgan's　corps；　so　that　all　my　corps　had　to　encounter　was　the　direct　fire　from　the　newly…built　parapet　across　the　peninsula。　　This　line　had　three　sections　of　field…guns；　that　kept　things　pretty　lively；　and　several　round…shot　came　so　near　me　that　I　realized　that　they　were　aimed　at　my　staff；　so　I　dismounted；　and　made　them　scatter。

As　the　gunboats　got　closer　up　I　saw　their　flags　actually　over　the　parapet　of　Fort　Hindman；　and　the　rebel　gunners　scamper　out　of　the　embrasures　and　run　down　into　the　ditch　behind。　　About　the　same　time　a　man　jumped　up　on　the　rebel　parapet　just　where　the　road　entered；　waving　a　large　white　flag；　and　numerous　smaller　white　rags　appeared　above　the　parapet　along　the　whole　line。　　I　immediately　ordered；　〃Cease　firing！〃　and　sent　the　same　word　down　the　line　to　General　Steele；　who　had　made　similar　progress　on　the　right；　following　the　border　of　he　swamp。　　I　ordered　my　aide；　Colonel　Dayton；　to　jump　on　his　horse　and　ride　straight　up　to　the　large　white　flag；　and　when　his　horse　was　on　the　parapet　I　followed　with　the　rest　of　my　staff。　All　firing　had　ceased；　except　an　occasional　shot　away　to　the　right；　and　one　of　the　captains　（Smith）　of　the　Thirteenth　Regulars　was　wounded　after　the　display　of　the　white　flag。　　On　entering　the　line；　I　saw　that　our　muskets　and　guns　had　done　good　execution；　for　there　was　a　horse…battery；　and　every　horse　lay　dead　in　the　traces。　　The　fresh…made　parapet　had　been　knocked　down　in　many　places；　and　dead　men　lay　around　very　thick。　　I　inquired　who　commanded　at　that　point；　and　a　Colonel　Garland　stepped　up　and　said　that　he　commanded　that　brigade。　　I　ordered　him　to　form　his　brigade；　stack　arms；　hang　the　belts　on　the　muskets；　and　stand　waiting　for　orders。　　Stuart's　division　had　been　halted　outside　the　parapet。　　I　then　sent　Major　Hammond　down　the　rebel　line　to　the　right；　with　orders　to　stop　Steele's　division　outside；　and　to　have　the　other　rebel　brigade　stack　its　arms　in　like　manner；　and　to　await　further　orders。　　I　inquired　of　Colonel　Garland　who　commanded　in　chief；　and　he　said　that　General　Churchill　did；　and　that　he　was　inside　the　fort。　　I　then　rode　into　the　fort；　which　was　well　built；　with　good　parapets；　drawbridge；　and　ditch；　and　was　an　inclosed　work　of　four　bastions。　I　found　it　full　of　soldiers　and　sailors；　its　parapets　toward　the　river　well　battered　in；　and　Porter's　gunboats　in　the　river；　close　against　the　fort；　with　their　bows　on　shore。　　I　soon　found　General　Churchill；　in　conversation　with　Admiral　Porter　and　General　A。　J。　Smith；　and　about　this　time　my　adjutant…general；　Major　J。　H。　Hammond；　came　and　reported　that　General　Deshler；　who　commanded　the　rebel　brigade　facing　and　opposed　to　Steele；　had　refused　to　stack　arms　and　surrender；　on　the　ground　that　he　had　received　no　orders　from　his　commanding　general；　that　nothing　separated　this　brigade　from　Steele's　men　except　the　light　parapet；　and　that　there　might　be　trouble　there　at　any　moment。　　I　advised　General　Churchill　to　send　orders　at　once；　because　a　single　shot　might　bring　the　whole　of　Steele's　division　on　Deshler's　brigade；　and　I　would　not　be　responsible　for　the　consequences；　soon　afterward；　we　both　concluded　to　go　in　person。　　General　Churchill　had　the　horses　of　himself　and　staff　in　the　ditch；　they　were　brought　in；　and　we　rode　together　to　where　Garland　was　standing；　and　Churchill　spoke　to　him　in　an　angry　tone；　〃Why　did　you　display　the　white　flag！〃　　Garland　replied；　〃I　received　orders　to　do　so　from　one　of　your　staff。〃　　Churchill　denied　giving　such　an　order；　and　angry　words　passed　between　them。　　I　stopped　them；　saying　that　it　made　little　difference　then；　as　they　were　in　our　power。　　We　continued　to　ride　down　the　line　to　its　extreme　point；　where　we　found　Deshler　in　person；　and　his　troops　were　still　standing　to　the　parapet　with　their　muskets　in　hand。　Steele'e　men　were　on　the　outside。　　I　asked　Deshler：　〃What　does　this　mean　？　You　are　a　regular　officer；　and　ought　to　know　better。〃　　He　answered；　snappishly；　that　〃he　had　received　no　orders　to　surrender；〃　when　General　Churchill　said：　〃You　see；　sir；　that　we　are　in　their　power；　and　you　may　surrender。〃　　Deshler　turned　to　his　staff…officers　and　ordered　them　to　repeat　the　command　to　〃stack　arms；〃　etc。；　to　the　colonels　of　his　brigade。　　I　was　on　my　horse；　and　he　was　on　foot。　　Wishing　to　soften　the　blow　of　defeat；　I　spoke　to　him　kindly；　saying　that　I　knew　a　family　of　Deshlers　in　Columbus；　Ohio；　and　inquired　if　they　were　relations　of　his。　　He　disclaimed　any　relation　with　people　living　north　of　the　Ohio；　in　an　offensive　tone；　and　I　think　I　gave　him　a　piece　of　my　mind　that　he　did　not　relish。　　He　was　a　West　Point　graduate；　small　but　very　handsome；　and　was　afterward　killed　in　battle。　　I　never　met　him　again。

Returning　to　the　position　where　I　had　first　entered　the　rebel　line；　I　received　orders　from　General　McClernand；　by　one　of　his　staff；　to　leave　General　A。　J。　Smith　in　charge　of　the　fort　and　prisoners；　and　with　my　troops　to　remain　outside。　　The　officer　explained　that　the　general　was　then　on　the　Tigress；　which　had　moved　up　from　below；　to　a　point　in　the　river　just　above　the　fort；　and　not　understanding　his　orders；　I　concluded　to　go　and　see　him　in　person。　　My　troops　were　then　in　possession　of　two　of　the　three　brigades　which　composed　the　army　opposed　to　us；　and　my　troops　were　also　in　possession　of　all　the　ground　of　the　peninsula　outside　the　〃fort…proper〃　（Hindman）。　　I　found　General　MeClernand　on　the　Tigress；　in　high　spirits。　　He　said　repeatedly：　〃Glorious！　glorious！　my　star　is　ever　in　the　ascendant！〃　He　spoke　complimentarily　of　the　troops；　but　was　extremely　jealous　of　the　navy。　　He　said：　〃I'll　make　a　splendid　report；〃　　〃I　had　a　man　up　a　tree；〃　etc。　　I　was　very　hungry　and　tired；　and　fear　I　did　not　appreciate　the　honors　in　reserve　for　us；　and　asked　for　something　to　eat　and　drink。　　He　very　kindly　ordered　something　to　be　brought；　and　explained　to　me　that　by　his　〃orders〃　he　did　not　wish　to　interfere