memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第75部分

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he　popular　standard；　claim　that　their　advice　was　unheeded；　and　that　fatal　consequence　resulted　therefrom。　　My　own　opinions　are：

First。　That　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee　is　now　far　in　advance　of　the　other　grand　armies　of　the　United　States。

Second。　　That　a　corps　from　Missouri　should　forthwith　be　moved　from　St。　Louis　to　the　vicinity　of　Little　Rock；　Arkansas；　supplies　collected　there　while　the　river　is　full；　and　land　communication　with　Memphis　opened　via　Des　Arc　on　the　White；　and　Madison　on　the　St。　Francis　River。

Third。　　That　as　much　of　the　Yazoo　Pass；　Coldwater；　and　Tallahatchie　Rivers；　as　can　be　gained　and　fortified；　be　held；　and　the　main　army　be　transported　thither　by　land　and　water；　that　the　road　back　to　Memphis　be　secured　and　reopened；　and；　as　soon　as　the　waters　subside；　Grenada　be　attacked；　and　the　swamp…road　across　to　Helena　be　patrolled　by　cavalry。

Fourth。　　That　the　line　of　the　Yalabusha　be　the　base　from　which　to　operate　against　the　points　where　the　Mississippi　Central　crosses　Big　Black；　above　Canton；　and；　lastly；　where　the　Vicksburg　&　Jackson　Railroad　crosses　the　same　river　（Big　Black）。　　The　capture　of　Vicksburg　would　result。

Fifth。　　That　a　minor　force　be　left　in　this　vicinity；　not　to　exceed　ten　thousand　men；　with　only　enough　steamboats　to　float　and　transport　them　to　any　desired　point；　this　force　to　be　held　always　near　enough　to　act　with　the　gunboats　when　the　main　army　is　known　to　be　near　VicksburgHaines's　Bluff　or　Yazoo　City。

Sixth。　　I　do　doubt　the　capacity　of　Willow　Bayou　（which　I　estimate　to　be　fifty　miles　long　and　very　tortuous）　as　a　military　channel；　to　supply　an　army　large　enough　to　operate　against　Jackson；　Mississippi；　or　the　Black　River　Bridge；　and　such　a　channel　will　be　very　vulnerable　to　a　force　coming　from　the　west；　which　we　must　expect。　　Yet　this　canal　will　be　most　useful　as　the　way　to　convey　coals　and　supplies　to　a　fleet　that　should　navigate　the　lower　reach　of　the　Mississippi　between　Vicksburg　and　the　Red　River。

Seventh。　　The　chief　reason　for　operating　solely　by　water　was　the　season　of　the　year　and　high　water　in　the　Tallahatchie　and　Yalabusha　Rivers。　　The　spring　is　now　here；　and　soon　these　streams　will　be　no　serious　obstacle；　save　in　the　ambuscades　of　the　forest；　and　whatever　works　the　enemy　may　have　erected　at　or　near　Grenada。　North　Mississippi　is　too　valuable　for　us　to　allow　the　enemy　to　hold　it　and　make　crops　this　year。

I　make　these　suggestions；　with　the　request　that　General　Grant　will　read　them　and　give　them；　as　I　know　he　will；　a　share　of　his　thoughts。　　I　would　prefer　that　he　should　not　answer　this　letter；　but　merely　give　it　as　much　or　as　little　weight　as　it　deserves。　Whatever　plan　of　action　he　may　adopt　will　receive　from　me　the　same　zealous　cooperation　and　energetic　support　as　though　conceived　by　myself。　　I　do　not　believe　General　Banks　will　make　any　serious　attack　on　Port　Hudson　this　spring。　　I　am；　etc。；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General。


This　is　the　letter　which　some　critics　have　styled　a　〃protest。〃　　We　never　had　a　council　of　war　at　any　time　during　the　Vicksburg　campaign。　　We　often　met　casually；　regardless　of　rank　or　power；　and　talked　and　gossiped　of　things　in　general；　as　officers　do　and　should。　　But　my　letter　speaks　for　itselfit　shows　my　opinions　clearly　at　that　stage　of　the　game；　and　was　meant　partially　to　induce　General　Grant　to　call　on　General　McClernand　for　a　similar　expression　of　opinion；　but；　so　far　as　I　know；　he　did　not。　　He　went　on　quietly　to　work　out　his　own　designs；　and　he　has　told　me；　since　the　war；　that　had　we　possessed　in　December；　1862；　the　experience　of　marching　and　maintaining　armies　without　a　regular　base；　which　we　afterward　acquired；　he　would　have　gone　on　from　Oxford　as　first　contemplated；　and　would　not　have　turned　back　because　of　the　destruction　of　his　depot　at　Holly　Springs　by　Van　Dorn。　　The　distance　from　Oxford　to　the　rear　of　Vicksburg　is　little　greater　than　by　the　circuitous　route　we　afterward　followed；　from　Bruinsburg　to　Jackson　and　Vicksburg；　during　which　we　had　neither　depot　nor　train　of　supplies。　　I　have　never　criticised　General　Grant's　strategy　on　this　or　any　other　occasion；　but　I　thought　then　that　he　had　lost　an　opportunity；　which　cost　him　and　us　six　months'　extra…　hard　work；　for　we　might　have　captured　Vicksburg　from　the　direction　of　Oxford　in　January；　quite　as　easily　as　was　afterward　done　in　July；　1863。

General　Grant's　orders　for　the　general　movement　past　Vicksburg；　by　Richmond　and　Carthage；　were　dated　April　20；　1863。　　McClernand　was　to　lead　off　with　his　corps；　McPherson　next；　and　my　corps　（the　Fifteenth）　to　bring　up　the　rear。　　Preliminary　thereto；　on　the　night　of　April　16th；　seven　iron…clads　led　by　Admiral　Porter　in　person；　in　the　Benton；　with　three　transports；　and　ten　barges　in　tow；　ran　the　Vicksburg　batteries　by　night。　　Anticipating　a　scene；　I　had　four　yawl…boats　hauled　across　the　swamp；　to　the　reach　of　the　river　below　Vicksburg；　and　manned　them　with　soldiers；　ready　to　pick　up　any　of　the　disabled　wrecks　as　they　floated　by。　　I　was　out　in　the　stream　when　the　fleet　passed　Vicksburg；　and　the　scene　was　truly　sublime。　As　soon　as　the　rebel　gunners　detected　the　Benton；　which　was　in　the　lead；　they　opened　on　her；　and　on　the　others　in　succession；　with　shot　and　shell；　houses　on　the　Vicksburg　side　and　on　the　opposite　shore　were　set　on　fire；　which　lighted　up　the　whole　river；　and　the　roar　of　cannon；　the　bursting　of　shells；　and　finally　the　burning　of　the　Henry　Clay；　drifting　with　the　current；　made　up　a　picture　of　the　terrible　not　often　seen。　　Each　gunboat　returned　the　fire　as　she　passed　the　town；　while　the　transports　hugged　the　opposite　shore。　When　the　Benton　had　got　abreast　of　us；　I　pulled　off　to　her；　boarded；　had　a　few　words　with　Admiral　Porter；　and　as　she　was　drifting　rapidly　toward　the　lower　batteries　at　Warrenton；　I　left；　and　pulled　back　toward　the　shore；　meeting　the　gunboat　Tuscumbia　towing　the　transport　Forest　Queen　into　the　bank　out　of　the　range　of　fire。　　The　Forest　Queen；　Captain　Conway；　had　been　my　flag…boat　up　the　Arkansas；　and　for　some　time　after；　and　I　was　very　friendly　with　her　officers。　　This　was　the　only　transport　whose　captain　would　not　receive　volunteers　as　a　crew；　but　her　own　officers　and　crew　stuck　to　their　boat；　and　carried　her　safely　below　the　Vicksburg　batteries；　and　afterward　rendered　splendid　service　in　ferrying　troops　across　the　river　at　Grand　Gulf　and　Bruinsburg。　　In　passing　Vicksburg；　she　was　damaged　in　the　hull　and　had　a　steam…pipe　cut　away；　but　this　was　soon　repaired。　　The　Henry　Clay　was　set　on　fire　by　bursting　shells；　and　burned　up；　one　of　my　yawls　picked　up　her　pilot　floating　on　a　piece　of　wreck；　and　the　bulk　of　her　crew　escaped　in　their　own　yawl…boat　to　the　shore　above。　　The　Silver　Wave；　Captain　McMillan；　the　same　that　was　with　us　up　Steele's　Bayou；　passed　safely；　and　she　also　rendered　good　service　afterward。

Subsequently；　on　the　night　of　April　26th；　six　other　transports　with　numerous　barges　loaded　with　hay；　corn；　freight；　and　provisions；　were　drifted　past　Vicksburg；　of　these　the　Tigress　was　hit；　and　sunk　just　as　she　reached　the　river…bank　below；　on　our　side：　I　was　there　with　my　yawls；　and　saw　Colonel　Lagow；　of　General　Grant's　staff；　who　had　passed　the　batteries　in　the　Tigress；　and　I　think　he　was　satisfied　never　to　attempt　such　a　thing　again。　　Thus　General　Grant's　army　had　below　Vicksburg　an　abundance　of　stores；　and　boats　with　which　to　cross　the　river。　　The　road　by　which　the　troops　marched　was　very　bad；　and　it　was　not　until　the　1st　of　May　that　it　was　clear　for　my　corps。　　While　waiting　my　turn　to　march；　I　received　a　letter　from　General　Grant；　written　at　Carthage；　saying　that　he　proposed　to　cross　over　and　attack　Grand　Gulf；　about　the　end　of　April；　and　he　thought　I　could　put　in　my　time　usefully　by　making　a　〃feint〃　on　Haines's　Bluff；　but　he　did　not　like　to　order　me　to　do　it；　because　it　might　be　reported　at　the　North　that　I　had　again　been　〃repulsed；　etc。〃　　Thus　we　had　to　fight　a　senseless　clamor　at　the　North；　as　well　as　a　determined　foe　and　the　obstacles　of　Nature。　　Of　course；　I　answered　him　that　I　would　make　the　〃feint；〃　regardless　of　public　clamor　at　a　distance；　and　I　did　make　it　most　effectually；　using　all　the　old　boats　I　could　get　about　Milliken's　Bend　and　the　mouth　of　the　Yazoo；　but　taking　only　ten　small　regiments；　selected　out　of　Blair's　division；　to　make　a　show　of　force。　　We　afterward　learned　that　General　Pemberton　in　Vicksburg　had　previously　dispatched　a　large　force　to　the　assistance　of　General　Bowers；　at　Grand　Gulf　and　Port　Gibson；　which　force　had　proceeded　as　far　as　Hankinson's　Ferry；　when　he　discovered　our　ostentatious　movement　up　the　Yazoo；　recalled　his　men；　and　sent　them　up　to　Haines's　Bluff　to　meet　us。　　This　detachment　of　rebel　troops　must　have　marched　nearly　sixty　miles　without　rest；　for　afterward；　on　reaching　Vicksburg；　I　heard　that　the　men　were　perfectly　exhausted；　and　lay　along　the　road　in　groups；　completely　fagged　out。　　This　diversion；　made　with　so　much　pomp　and　display；　therefore　completely　fulfilled　its　purpose；　by　leaving　General　Grant　to　contend　with　a　minor　force；　on　landing　at　Bruinsburg；　and　afterward　at　Port　Gibson　and　Grand　Gulf。

In　May　the　waters　of　the　Mississippi　had　so　far　subsided　that　all　our　canals　were　useless；　and　the　roads　had　become　practicable。　After　McPherson's　corps　had　passed　Richmond；　I　took　up　the　route　of　march；　with　Steele's　and　Tuttle's　divisions。　　Blair's　division　remained　at　Milliken's　Bend　to　protect　our　depots　there；　till　relieved　by　troops　from　Memphis；　and　then　he　was　ordered　to　follow　us。　　Our　route　lay　by　Richmond　and　Roundabout　Bayou；　then；　following　Bayou　Vidal　we　struck　the　Mississippi　at　Perkins's　plantation。　　Thence　the　route　followed　Lake　St。　Joseph　to　a　plantation　called　Hard　Times；　about　five　miles　above　Grand　Gulf。　The　road　was　more　or　less　occupied　by　wagons　and　detachments　belonging　to　McPherson's　corps；　still　we　marched　rapidly　and　reached　Hard　Times　on　the　6th　of　May。　　Along　the　Bayou　or　Lake　St。　Joseph　were　many　very　fine　cotton　plantations；　and　I　recall　that　of　a　Mr。　Bowie；　brother…in…law　of　the　Hon。　Reverdy　Johnson；　of　Baltimore。　　The　house　was　very　handsome；　with　a　fine；　extensive　grass…plot　in　front。　　We　entered　the　yard；　and；　leaving　our　horses　with　the　headquarters　escort；　walked　to　the　house。　　On　the　front…porch　I　found　a　magnificent　grand…piano；　with　several　satin…c