memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第77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！


e　behind　their　parapets；　one　of　my　staff；　Captain　Pitzman；　receiving　a　dangerous　wound　in　the　hip；　which　apparently　disabled　him　for　life。　　By　night　Blair's　whole　division　had　closed　up　against　the　defenses　of　Vicksburg；　which　were　found　to　be　strong　and　well　manned；　and；　on　General　Steele's　head　of　column　arriving；　I　turned　it　still　more　to　the　right；　with　orders　to　work　its　way　down　the　bluff；　so　as　to　make　connection　with　our　fleet　in　the　Mississippi　River。　　There　was　a　good　deal　of　desultory　fighting　that　evening；　and　a　man　was　killed　by　the　aide　of　General　Grant　and　myself；　as　we　sat　by　the　road…side　looking　at　Steele's　division　passing　to　the　right。　　General　Steele's　men　reached　the　road　which　led　from　Vicksburg　up　to　Haines's　Bluff；　which　road　lay　at　the　foot　of　the　hills；　and　intercepted　some　prisoners　and　wagons　which　were　coming　down　from　Haines's　Bluff。

All　that　night　McPherson's　troops　were　arriving　by　the　main　Jackson　road；　and　McClernand'a　by　another　near　the　railroad；　deploying　forward　as　fast　as　they　struck　the　rebel　works。　　My　corps　（the　Fifteenth）　had　the　right　of　the　line　of　investment；　McPherson's　（the　Seventeenth）　the　centre；　and　McClernand's　（the　Thirteenth）　the　left；　reaching　from　the　river　above　to　the　railroad　below。　　Our　lines　connected；　and　invested　about　three…quarters　of　the　land…front　of　the　fortifications　of　Vicksburg。　　On　the　supposition　that　the　garrison　of　Vicksburg　was　demoralized　by　the　defeats　at　Champion　Hills　and　at　the　railroad　crossing　of　the　Big　Black；　General　Grant　ordered　an　assault　at　our　respective　fronts　on　the　19th。　　My　troops　reached　the　top　of　the　parapet；　but　could　not　cross　over。　　The　rebel　parapets　were　strongly　manned；　and　the　enemy　fought　hard　and　well。　　My　loss　was　pretty　heavy；　falling　chiefly　on　the　Thirteenth　Regulars；　whose　commanding　officer；　Captain　Washington；　was　killed；　and　several　other　regiments　were　pretty　badly　cut　up。　　We；　however；　held　the　ground　up　to　the　ditch　till　night；　and　then　drew　back　only　a　short　distance；　and　began　to　counter…trench。　　On　the　graveyard　road；　our　parapet　was　within　less　than　fifty　yards　of　the　rebel　ditch。

On　the　20th　of　May；　General　Grant　called　the　three　corps　commanders　together；　viz。；　McClernand；　McPherson；　and　Sherman。　　We　compared　notes；　and　agreed　that　the　assault　of　the　day　before　had　failed；　by　reason　of　the　natural　strength　of　the　position；　and　because　we　were　forced　by　the　nature　of　the　ground　to　limit　our　attacks　to　the　strongest　parts　of　the　enemy's　line；　viz。；　where　the　three　principal　roads　entered　the　city。

It　was　not　a　council　of　war；　but　a　mere　consultation；　resulting　in　orders　from　General　Grant　for　us　to　make　all　possible　preparations　for　a　renewed　assault　on　the　22d；　simultaneously；　at　10　a。m。　　I　reconnoitred　my　front　thoroughly　in　person；　from　right　to　left；　and　concluded　to　make　my　real　attack　at　the　right　flank　of　the　bastion；　where　the　graveyard　road　entered　the　enemy's　intrenchments；　and　at　another　point　in　the　curtain　about　a　hundred　yards　to　its　right　（our　left）；　also　to　make　a　strong　demonstration　by　Steele's　division；　about　a　mile　to　our　right；　toward　the　river。　　All　our　field　batteries　were　put　in　position；　and　were　covered　by　good　epaulements；　the　troops　were　brought　forward；　in　easy　support；　concealed　by　the　shape　of　the　ground；　and　to　the：　minute；　　viz。；　10　a。m。　of　May　22d；　the　troops　sprang　to　the　assault。　　A　small　party；　that　might　be　called　a　forlorn　hope；　provided　with　plank　to　cross　the　ditch；　advanced　at　a　run；　up　to　the　very　ditch；　the　lines　of　infantry　sprang　from　cover；　and　advanced　rapidly　in　line　of　battle。　　I　took　a　position　within　two　hundred　yards　of　the　rebel　parapet；　on　the　off　slope　of　a　spur　of　ground；　where　by　advancing　two　or　three　steps　I　could　see　every　thing。　　The　rebel　line；　concealed　by　the　parapet；　showed　no　sign　of　unusual　activity；　but　as　our　troops　came　in　fair　view；　the　enemy　rose　behind　their　parapet　and　poured　a　furious　fire　upon　our　lines；　and；　for　about　two　hours；　we　had　a　severe　and　bloody　battle；　but　at　every　point　we　were　repulsed。　　In　the　very　midst　of　this；　when　shell　and　shot　fell　furious　and　fast；　occurred　that　little　episode　which　has　been　celebrated　in　song　and　story；　of　the　boy　Orion　P。　Howe；　badly　wounded；　bearing　me　a　message　for　cartridges；　calibre　54；　described　in　my　letter　to　the　Hon。　E。　M。　Stanton；　Secretary　of　War。　This　boy　was　afterward　appointed　a　cadet　to　the　United　States　Naval　Academy；　at　Annapolis；　but　he　could　not　graduate；　and　I　do　not　now　know　what　has　become　of　him。

After　our　men　had　been　fairly　beaten　back　from　off　the　parapet；　and　had　got　cover　behind　the　spurs　of　ground　close　up　to　the　rebel　works；　General　Grant　came　to　where　I　was；　on　foot；　having　left　his　horse　some　distance　to　the　rear。　　I　pointed　out　to　him　the　rebel　works；　admitted　that　my　assault　had　failed；　and　he　said　the　result　with　McPherson　and　McClernand　was　about　the　name。　　While　he　was　with　me；　an　orderly　or　staff…officer　came　and　handed　him　a　piece　of　paper；　which　he　read　and　handed　to　me。　　I　think　the　writing　was　in　pencil；　on　a　loose　piece　of　paper；　and　was　in　General　McClernand's　handwriting；　to　the　effect　that　〃his　troops　had　captured　the　rebel　parapet　in　his　front；〃　that；　〃the　flag　of　the　Union　waved　over　the　stronghold　of　Vicksburg；〃　and　asking　him　（General　Grant）　to　give　renewed　orders　to　McPherson　and　Sherman　to　press　their　attacks　on　their　respective　fronts；　lest　the　enemy　should　concentrate　on　him　（McClernand）。　　General　Grant　said；　〃I　don't　believe　a　word　of　it；〃　but　I　reasoned　with　him；　that　this　note　was　official；　and　must　be　credited；　and　I　offered　to　renew　the　assault　at　once　with　new　troops。　　He　said　he　would　instantly　ride　down　the　line　to　McClernand's　front；　and　if　I　did　not　receive　orders　to　the　contrary；　by　3　o'clock　p。m。；　I　might　try　it　again。　　Mower's　fresh　brigade　was　brought　up　under　cover；　and　some　changes　were　made　in　Giles　Smith's　brigade；　and；　punctually　at　3　p。m。；　hearing　heavy　firing　down　along　the　line　to　my　left；　I　ordered　the　second　assault。　　It　was　a　repetition　of　the　first；　equally　unsuccessful　and　bloody。　　It　also　transpired　that　the　same　thing　had　occurred　with　General　McPherson；　who　lost　in　this　second　assault　some　most　valuable　officers　and　men；　without　adequate　result；　and　that　General　McClernand；　instead　of　having　taken　any　single　point　of　the　rebel　main　parapet；　had　only　taken　one　or　two　small　outlying　lunettes　open　to　the　rear；　where　his　men　were　at　the　mercy　of　the　rebels　behind　their　main　parapet；　and　most　of　them　were　actually　thus　captured。　　This　affair　caused　great　feeling　with　us；　and　severe　criticisms　on　General　McClernand；　which　led　finally　to　his　removal　from　the　command　of　the　Thirteenth　Corps；　to　which　General　Ord　succeeded。　　The　immediate　cause；　however；　of　General　McClernand's　removal　was　the　publication　of　a　sort　of　congratulatory　order　addressed　to　his　troops；　first　published　in　St。　Louis；　in　which　he　claimed　that　he　had　actually　succeeded　in　making　a　lodgment　in　Vicksburg；　but　had　lost　it；　owing　to　the　fact　that　McPherson　and　Sherman　did　not　fulfill　their　parts　of　the　general　plan　of　attack。　　This　was　simply　untrue。　　The　two　several　assaults　made　May　22d；　on　the　lines　of　Vicksburg；　had　failed；　by　reason　of　the　great　strength　of　the　position　and　the　determined　fighting　of　its　garrison。　　I　have　since　seen　the　position　at　Sevastopol；　and　without　hesitation　I　declare　that　at　Vicksburg　to　have　been　the　more　difficult　of　the　two。

Thereafter　our　proceedings　were　all　in　the　nature　of　a　siege。　General　Grant　drew　more　troops　from　Memphis；　to　prolong　our　general　line　to　the　left；　so　as　completely　to　invest　the　place　on　its　land…side；　while　the　navy　held　the　river　both　above　and　below。　General　Mower's　brigade　of　Tuttle's　division　was　also　sent　across　the　river　to　the　peninsula；　so　that　by　May　31st　Vicksburg　was　completely　beleaguered。　　Good　roads　were　constructed　from　our　camps　to　the　several　landing…places　on　the　Yazoo　River；　to　which　points　our　boats　brought　us　ample　supplies；　so　that　we　were　in　a　splendid　condition　for　a　siege；　while　our　enemy　was　shut　up　in　a　close　fort；　with　a　large　civil　population　of　men；　women；　and　children　to　feed；　in　addition　to　his　combatant　force。　　If　we　could　prevent　sallies；　or　relief　from　the　outside；　the　fate　of　the　garrison　of　Vicksburg　was　merely　a　question　of　time。

I　had　my　headquarters　camp　close　up　to　the　works；　near　the　centre　of　my　corps；　and　General　Grant　had　his　bivouac　behind　a　ravine　to　my　rear。　　We　estimated　Pemberton's　whole　force　in　Vicksburg　at　thirty　thousand　men；　and　it　was　well　known　that　the　rebel　General　Joseph　E。　Johnston　was　engaged　in　collecting　another　strong　force　near　the　Big　Black；　with　the　intention　to　attack　our　rear；　and　thus　to　afford　Pemberton　an　opportunity　to　escape　with　his　men。　　Even　then　the　ability　of　General　Johnston　was　recognized；　and　General　Grant　told　me　that　he　was　about　the　only　general　on　that　side　whom　he　feared。　　Each　corps　kept　strong　pickets　well　to　the　rear；　but；　as　the　rumors　of　Johnston's　accumulating　force　reached　us；　General　Grant　concluded　to　take　stronger　measures。　　He　had　received　from　the　North　General　J。　G。　Parker's　corps　（Ninth）；　which　had　been　posted　at　Haines's　Bluff；　then；　detailing　one　division　from　each　of　the　three　corps　d'armee　investing　Vicksburg；　he　ordered　me　to　go　out；　take　a　general　command　of　all；　and　to　counteract　any　movement　on　the　part　of　General　Johnston　to　relieve　Vicksburg。　　I　reconnoitred　the　whole　country；　from　Haines's　Bluff　to　the　railroad　bridge；　and　posted　the　troops　thus：

Parke's　two　divisions　from　Haines's　Bluff　out　to　the　Benton　or　ridge　road；　Tuttle's　division；　of　my　corps；　joining　on　and　extending　to　a　plantation　called　Young's；　overlooking　Bear　Creek　valley；　which　empties　into　the　Big　Black　above　Messinger's　Ferry；　then　McArthurs　division；　of　McPherson's　corps；　took　up　the　line；　and　reached　to　Osterhaus's　division　of　McClernand's　corps；　which　held　a　strong　fortified　position　at　the　railroad…crossing　of　the　Big　Black　River。　　I　was　of　opinion　that；　if　Johnston　should　cross　the　Big　Black；　he　could　by　the　favorable　nature　of　the　country　be　held　in　check　till　a　concentration　could　be　effected　by　us　at　the　point　threatened。　　From　the　best　information　we　could　gather；　General　Johnston　had　about　thirty　or