memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第86部分

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　marked　with　a　star）　asked　if　they　were　all　brigadier…generals。　　Of　course　they　were　not；　but　the　star　was　their　corps…badge；　and　every　wagon；　tent；　hat；　etc。；　had　its　star。　　Then　the　Twelfth…Corps　men　inquired　what　corps　he　belonged　to；　and　he　answered；　〃The　Fifteenth　Corps。〃　　〃What　is　your　badge？〃　　〃Why；〃　said　he　（and　he　was　an　Irishman）；　suiting　the　action　to　the　word；　〃forty　rounds　in　the　cartridge…box；　and　twenty　in　the　pocket。〃　　At　that　time　Blair　commanded　the　corps；　but　Logan　succeeded　soon　after；　and；　hearing　the　story；　adopted　the　cartridge…box　and　forty　rounds　as　the　corps…　badge。

The　condition　of　the　roads　was　such；　and　the　bridge　at　Brown's　so　frail；　that　it　was　not　until　the　23d　that　we　got　three　of　my　divisions　behind　the　hills　near　the　point　indicated　above　Chattanooga　for　crossing　the　river。　　It　was　determined　to　begin　the　battle　with　these　three　divisions；　aided　by　a　division　of　Thomas's　army；　commanded　by　General　Jeff。　　C。　Davis；　that　was　already　near　that　point。　　All　the　details　of　the　battle　of　Chattanooga；　so　far　as　I　was　a　witness；　are　so　fully　given　in　my　official　report　herewith；　that　I　need　add　nothing　to　it。　　It　was　a　magnificent　battle　in　its　conception；　in　its　execution；　and　in　its　glorious　results；　hastened　somewhat　by　the　supposed　danger　of　Burnside；　at　Knoxville；　yet　so　completely　successful；　that　nothing　is　left　for　cavil　or　fault…finding。　　The　first　day　was　lowering　and　overcast；　favoring　us　greatly；　because　we　wanted　to　be　concealed　from　Bragg；　whose　position　on　the　mountain…tops　completely　overlooked　us　and　our　movements。　　The　second　day　was　beautifully　clear；　and　many　a　time；　in　the　midst　of　its　carnage　and　noise；　I　could　not　help　stopping　to　look　across　that　vast　field　of　battle；　to　admire　its　sublimity。

The　object　of　General　Hooker's　and　my　attacks　on　the　extreme　flanks　of　Bragg's　position　was；　to　disturb　him　to　such　an　extent；　；　that　he　would　naturally　detach　from　his　centre　as　against　us；　so　that　Thomas's　army　could　break　through　his　centre。　　The　whole　plan　succeeded　admirably；　but　it　was　not　until　after　dark　that　I　learned　the　complete　success　at　the　centre；　and　received　General　Grant's　orders　to　pursue　on　the　north　side　of　Chickamauga　Creek：

HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OF　THE　MISSISSIPPI；　CHATTAGOOGA；　TENNESSEE；　Nov。　　25；　1863

Major…General　SHERMAN。

GENERAL　：　No　doubt　you　witnessed　the　handsome　manner　in　which　Thomas's　troops　carried　Missionary　Ridge　this　afternoon；　and　can　feel　a　just　pride；　too；　in　the　part　taken　by　the　forces　under　your　command　in　taking　first　so　much　of　the　same　range　of　hills；　and　then　in　attracting　the　attention　of　so　many　of　the　enemy　as　to　make　Thomas's　part　certain　of　success。　　The　neat　thing　now　will　be　to　relieve　Burnside。　　I　have　heard　from　him　to　the　evening　of　the　23d。　At　that　time　he　had　from　ten　to　twelve　days'　supplies；　and　spoke　hopefully　of　being　able　to　hold　out　that　length　of　time。

My　plan　is　to　move　your　forces　out　gradually　until　they　reach　the　railroad　between　Cleveland　and　Dalton。　　Granger　will　move　up　the　south　side　of　the　Tennessee　with　a　column　of　twenty　thousand　men；　taking　no　wagons；　or　but　few；　with　him。　　His　men　will　carry　four　days'　rations；　and　the　steamer　Chattanooga；　loaded　with　rations；　will　accompany　the　expedition。

I　take　it　for　granted　that　Bragg's　entire　force　has　left。　　If　not；　of　course；　the　first　thing　is　to　dispose　of　him。　　If　he　has　gone；　the　only　thing　necessary　to　do　to…morrow　will　be　to　send　out　a　reeonnoissanee　to　ascertain　the　whereabouts　of　the　enemy。　　Yours　truly；

U。　S。　　GRANT；　Major…General。

P。　S。…On　reflection；　I　think　we　will　push　Bragg　with　all　our　strength　to…morrow；　and　try　if　we　cannot　out　off　a　good　portion　of　his　rear　troops　and　trains。　　His　men　have　manifested　a　strong　disposition　to　desert　for　some　time　past；　and　we　will　now　give　them　a　chance。　　I　will　instruct　Thomas　accordingly。　　Move　the　advance　force　early；　on　the　most　easterly　road　taken　by　the　enemy。　U。　S。　G。


This　compelled　me　to　reverse　our　column；　so　as　to　use　the　bridge　across　the　Chickamauga　at　its　month。　　The　next　day　we　struck　the　rebel　rear　at　Chickamauga　Station；　and　again　near　Graysville。　There　we　came　in　contact　with　Hooker's　and　Palmer's　troops；　who　had　reached　Ringgold。　　There　I　detached　Howard　to　cross　Taylor's　Ridge；　and　strike　the　railroad　which　comes　from　the　north　by　Cleveland　to　Dalton。　　Hooker's　troops　were　roughly　handled　at　Ringgold；　and　the　pursuit　was　checked。　　Receiving　a　note　from　General　Hooker；　asking　help；　I　rode　forward　to　Ringgold　to　explain　the　movement　of　Howard；　where　I　met　General　Grant；　and　learned　that　the　rebels　had　again　retreated　toward　Dalton。　　He　gave　orders　to　discontinue　the　pursuit；　as　he　meant　to　turn　his　attention　to　General　Burnside；　supposed　to　be　in　great　danger　at　Knoxville；　about　one　hundred　and　thirty　miles　northeast。　　General　Grant　returned　and　spent　part　of　the　night　with　me；　at　Graysville。　　We　talked　over　matters　generally；　and　he　explained　that　he　had　ordered　General　Gordon　Granger；　with　the　Fourth　Corps；　to　move　forward　rapidly　to　Burnsides　help；　and　that　he　must　return　to　Chattanooga　to　push　him。　By　reason　of　the　scarcity　of　food；　especially　of　forage；　he　consented　that；　instead　of　going　back；　I　might　keep　out　in　the　country；　for　in　motion　I　could　pick　up　some　forage　and　food；　especially　on　the　Hiawassee　River；　whereas　none　remained　in　Chattanooga。

Accordingly；　on　the　29th　of　November；　my　several　columns　marched　to　Cleveland；　and　the　next　day　we　reached　the　Hiawassee　at　Charleston；　where　the　Chattanooga　&　Knoxville　Railroad　crosses　it。　　The　railroad…bridge　was　partially　damaged　by　the　enemy　in　retreating；　but　we　found　some　abandoned　stores。　　There　and　thereabouts　I　expected　some　rest　for　my　weary　troops　and　horses；　but；　as　I　rode　into　town；　I　met　Colonel　J。　H。　Wilson　and　C。　A。　Dana　（Assistant　Secretary　of　War）；　who　had　ridden　out　from　Chattanooga　to　find　me；　with　the　following　letter　from　General　Grant；　and　copies　of　several　dispatches　from　General　Burnside；　the　last　which　had　been　received　from　him　by　way　of　Cumberland　Gap：

HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OF　THE　MISSISSIPPI；　CHATTANOOGA；　TENNESSEE；　Nov。　　29；　1863

Major…General　W。　T。　SHERMAN

News　are　received　from　Knoxville　to　the　morning　of　the　27th。　　At　that　time　the　place　was　still　invested；　but　the　attack　on　it　was　not　vigorous。　　Longstreet　evidently　determined　to　starve　the　garrison　out。　　Granger　is　on　the　way　to　Burnside's　relief；　but　I　have　lost　all　faith　in　his　energy　or　capacity　to　manage　an　expedition　of　the　importance　of　this　one。　　I　am　inclined　to　think；　therefore；　I　shall　have　to　send　you。　　Push　as　rapidly　as　you　can　to　the　Hiawassee；　and　determine　for　yourself　what　force　to　take　with　you　from　that　point。　　Granger　has　his　corps　with　him；　from　which　you　will　select　in　conjunction　with　the　force　now　with　you。　　In　plain　words；　you　will　assume　command　of　all　the　forces　now　moving　up　the　Tennessee；　including　the　garrison　at　Kingston；　and　from　that　force；　organize　what　you　deem　proper　to　relieve　Burnside。　　The　balance　send　back　to　Chattanooga。　　Granger　has　a　boat　loaded　with　provisions；　which　you　can　issue；　and　return　the　boat。　　I　will　have　another　loaded；　to　follow　you。　　Use；　of　course；　as　sparingly　as　possible　from　the　rations　taken　with　you；　and　subsist　off　the　country　all　you　can。

It　is　expected　that　Foster　is　moving；　by　this　time；　from　Cumberland　Gap　on　Knoxville。　　I　do　not　know　what　force　he　will　have　with　him；　but　presume　it　will　range　from　three　thousand　five　hundred　to　five　thousand　I　leave　this　matter　to　you；　knowing　that　you　will　do　better　acting　upon　your　discretion　than　you　could　trammeled　with　instructions。　　I　will　only　add；　that　the　last　advices　from　Burnside　himself　indicated　his　ability　to　hold　out　with　rations　only　to　about　the　3d　of　December。　　Very　respectfully；

U。　S。　GRANT；　Major…General　commanding；


This　showed　that；　on　the　27th　of　November；　General　Burnside　was　in　Knoxville；　closely　besieged　by　the　rebel　General　Longstreet；　that　his　provisions　were　short；　and　that；　unless　relieved　by　December　3d；　he　might　have　to　surrender。　　General　Grant　further　wrote　that　General　Granger；　instead　of　moving　with　great　rapidity　as　ordered；　seemed　to　move　　〃slowly；　and　with　reluctance；〃　and；　although　he　（General　Grant）　hated　to　call　on　me　and　on　my　tired　troops；　there　was　no　alternative。　　He　wanted　me　to　take　command　of　every　thing　within　reach；　and　to　hurry　forward　to　Knoxville。

All　the　details　of　our　march　to　Knoxville　are　also　given　in　my　official　report。　　By　extraordinary　efforts　Long's　small　brigade　of　cavalry　reached　Knoxville　during　the　night　of　the　3d；　purposely　to　let　Burnside　know　that　I　was　rapidly　approaching　with　an　adequate　force　to　raise　the　siege。

With　the　head　of　my　infantry　column　I　reached　Marysville；　about　fifteen　miles　short　of　Knoxville；　on　the　5th　of　December；　when　I　received　official　notice　from　Burnside　that　Longstreet　had　raised　the　siege；　and　had　started　in　retreat　up　the　valley　toward　Virginia。　　Halting　all　the　army；　except　Granger's　two　divisions；　on　the　morning　of　the　6th；　with　General　Granger　and　some　of　my　staff　I　rode　into　Knoxville。　　Approaching　from　the　south　and　west；　we　crossed　the　Holston　on　a　pontoon　bridge；　and　in　a　large　pen　on　the　Knoxville　aide　I　saw　a　fine　lot　of　cattle；　which　did　not　look　much　like　starvation。　　I　found　General　Burnside　and　staff　domiciled　in　a　large；　fine　mansion；　looking　very　comfortable；　and　in；　a　few　words　he　described　to　me　the　leading　events；　of　the　previous　few　days；　and　said　he　had　already　given　orders　looking　to　the　pursuit　of　Longstreet。　　I　offered　to　join　in　the　pursuit；　though　in　fact　my　men　were　worn　out；　and　suffering　in　that　cold　season　and　climate。

Indeed；　on　our　way　up　I　personally　was　almost　frozen；　and　had　to　beg　leave　to　sleep　in　the　house　of　a　family　at　Athens。

Burnside　explained　to　me　that；　reenforced　by　Granger's　two　divisions　of　ten　thousand　men；　he　would　be　able　to　push　Longstreet　out　of　East　Tennessee；　and　he　hoped　to　capture　much　of　his　artillery　and　trains。　　Granger　was　present　at　our　conversation；　and　most　unreasonably；　I　thought；　remonstrated　against　being　left；　complaining　bitterly　of　what　he　thought　was　hard　treatment　to　his　men　and　himself。　　I　know　that　his　language　and　manner　at　that　tim