memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第98部分

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ack。　　I　was　also　surprised　to　find　that　they　were　Steele's　men　instead　of　Morgan's。　　I　also　saw　several　regiments　across　the　bayou；　but　not　advancing；　they　were　near　the　levee。　　A　heavy　artillery　and　infantry　fire　was　going　on　all　this　time。　　While　making　my　way　along　the　column；　from　which　there　were　very　few　falling　back；　a　shell　burst　near　me；　and　the　concussion　confused　me　at　the　time　and　left　me　with　a　headache　for　several　months。　　When　I　got　my　wits　about　me　again　I　found　a　good　many　coming　back；　but　the　main　part　of　the　force　was　compact　and　keeping　up　the　fight。　　I　did　not　get　closer　to　the　woods　than　about　five　hundred　feet；　and　found　that　a　large　number　had　penetrated　into　the　enemy's　works。　　When　our　men　fell　back；　very　few　ran；　but　came　slowly　and　sullenly；　far　more　angry　than　frightened。　　I　found　General　Frank　Blair　on　foot；　and　with　him　Colonel　Sea；　of　Southwest　Missouri；　and　learned　that　Colonel　Thomas　Fletcher；　afterward　Governor　of　Missouri；　was　captured　with　many　of　his　men。　　They　both　insisted　there　on　the　spot；　with　those　around　us；　that　if　all　the　men　ordered　up　had　gone　up；　or　even　all　that　crossed　the　bayou　had　moved　forward；　we　could　have　readily　established　ourselves　in　the　enemy's　works。　　I　was　firmly　of　the　same　opinion　at　the　time　on　the　ground；　and；　an　entrance　effected；　we　could　have　brought　the　whole　force　on　dry　ground；　and　had　a　base　of　operations　against　Vicksburgthough　probably；　in　view　of　later　events；　we　would　have　had　to　stand　a　siege　from　Pemberton's　army。　　After　explanations　with　Blair；　I　rode　to　where　the　men　were；　who　had　crossed　the　bayou；　but　had　not　advanced　with　the　others。　　I　found　them　to　be　De　Courcey's　brigade；　of　Morgan's　division；　which　General　Sherman　supposed　to　be　in　advance。　　In　fact；　it　was　the　intended　support　that　made　the　attack。　　A　correspondence　and　controversy　followed　between　General　Blair　and　Colonel　De　Courcey；　most　of　which　I　have；　but　nothing　came　of　it。　　On　reaching　the　bayou；　I　found　that　Thayer's　brigade；　of　Steele's　division；　had　in　some　way　lost　its　direction　and　filed　off　to　the　right。　　Remembering　the　masked　battery；　I　suspected　that　had　something　to　do　with　the　matter；　and；　on　following　it　up；　I　learned　that　the　Kentucky　colonel　before　mentioned　had　appealed　for　aid　against　the　masked　battery　and　invisible　force　of　rebels；　and　that　a　regiment　had　been　ordered　to　him。　　This　regiment；　filing　off　into　the　timber；　had　been　followed　by　Thayer's　brigade；　supposing　it　to　be　advancing　to　the　front；　and　thus　left　a　single　brigade　to　attack　a　superior　force　of　the　enemy　in　an　intrenched　and　naturally　strong　position。　　By　the　time　the　mistake　could　be　rectified；　it　was　too　late。　　Our　loss　was　from　one　hundred　and　fifty　to　two　hundred　killed；　and　about　eleven　hundred　prisoners　and　wounded。　　During　the　afternoon　I　went　with　a　flag　of　truce；　with　reference　to　burying　the　dead。　　I　saw　between　eighty　and　one　hundred　of　our　men　dead；　all　stripped。　　There　were　others　closer　into　the　enemy's　works　than　I　was　allowed　to　go。　　On　going　later　to　where　the　Sixth　Missouri　crossed；　I　found　that　they　were　under　the　bank；　and　had　dug　in　with　their　hands　and　bayonets；　or　anything　in　reach；　to　protect　themselves　from　a　vertical　fire　from　the　enemy　overhead；　who　had　a　heavy　force　there。　　With　great　difficulty　they　were　withdrawn　at　night。　　Next　day　arrangements　were　made　to　attempt　a　lodgment　below　Haines's　Bluff：　This　was　to　be　done　by　Steele's　command；　while　the　rest　of　the　force　attacked　again　where　we　had　already　tried。　　During　the　day　locomotives　whistled；　and　a　great　noise　and　fuss　went　on　in　our　front；　and　we　supposed　that　Grant　was　driving　in　Pemberton；　and　expected　firing　any　moment　up　the　Yazoo　or　in　the　rear　of　Vicksburg。　　Not　hearing　this；　we　concluded　that　Pemberton　was　throwing　his　forces　into　Vicksburg。　　A　heavy　fog　prevented　Steele　from　making　his　movement。　Rain　began　to　fall；　and　our　location　was　not　good　to　be　in　after　a　heavy　rain；　or　with　the　river　rising。　　During　the　night　（I　think）　of　January；　1；　1863；　our　troops　were　embarked；　material　and　provisions　having　been　loaded　during　the　day。　　A　short　time　before　daylight　of　the　2d；　I　went　by　order　of　the　general　commanding；　to　our　picket　lines　and　carefully　examined　the　enemy's　lines；　wherever　a　camp…fire　indicated　their　presence。　　They　were　not　very　vigilant；　and　I　once　got　close　enough　to　hear　them　talk；　but　could　understand　nothing。　　Early　in　the　morning　I　came　in　with　the　rear…guard；　the　enemy　advancing　his　pickets　and　main　guards　only；　and　making　no　effort　at　all　to　press　us。　　Once　I　couldn't　resist　the　temptation　to　fire　into　a　squad　that　came　bolder　than　the　rest；　and　the　two　shots　were　good　ones。　　We　received　a　volley　in　return　that　did　come　very　close　among　us；　but　hurt　none　of　my　party。　　Very　soon　after　our　rear…guard　was　aboard；　General　Sherman　learned　from　Admiral　Porter　that　McClernand　had　arrived　at　the　month　of　the　Yazoo。　　He　went；　taking　me　and　one　other　staff…officer；　to　see　McClernand；　and　found　that；　under　an　order　from　the　President；　he　had　taken　command　of　the　Army　of　the　Mississippi。　　He　and　his　staff；　of　whom　I　only　remember　two…Colonels　Scates　and　Braham；　assistant　adjutant…general　and　aide…de…campseemed　to　think　they　had　a　big　thing；　and；　so　far　as　I　could　judge；　they　had　just　that。　　All　hands　thought　the　country　expected　them　to　cut　their　way　to　the　Gulf；　and　to　us；　who　had　just　come　out　of　the　swamp；　the　cutting　didn't　seem　such　an　easy　job　as　to　the　new…comers。　　Making　due　allowance　for　the　elevation　they　seemed　to　feel　in　view　of　their　job；　everything　passed　off　pleasantly；　and　we　learned　that　General　Grant's　communications　had　been　cut　at　Holly　Springs　by　the　capture　of　Murphy　and　his　force　（at　Holly　Springs）；　and　that　he　was　either　in　Memphis　by　that　time　or　would　soon　be。　　So　that；　everything　considered；　it　was　about　as　well　that　we　did　not　get　our　forces　on　the　bluff's　of　Walnut　Hill。〃

The　above　statement　was　sent　to　General　Sherman　in　a　letter　dated　〃Chicago；　February　5；1876；〃　and　signed　〃John　H。　Hammond。〃　　Hammond　was　General　Sherman's　assistant　adjutant…general　at　the　Chickasaw　Bayou。　J。　E。　TOURTELOTTE；　Colonel　and　Aide…de…Camp。




On　29th　December；　1862；　at　Chickasaw　Bayou；　I　was　in　command　of　the　Thirty…first　Missouri　Volunteer　Infantry；　First　Brigade；　First　Division；　Fifteenth　Army　Corps　（Blair's　brigade）。　　Colonel　Wyman；　of　the　Thirteenth　Illinois　Volunteer　Infantry；　having　been　killed；　I　was　the　senior　colonel　of　the　brigade。　　General　Blair　rode　up　to　where　my　regiment　lay；　and　said　to　me：

〃We　are　to　make　a　charge　here；　we　will　charge　in　two　lines；　your　regiment　will　be　in　the　first　line；　and　the　Twenty…ninth　（Cavender's）　will　support　you。　　Form　here　in　the　timber；　and　move　out　across　the　bayou　on　a　double…quick；　and　go　right　on　to　the　top　of　the　heights　in　your　front。〃　　He　then　told　me　to　await　a　signal。　I　then　attempted　to　make　a　reconnaissance　of　the　ground　over　which　we　would　have　to　charge；　and　rode　out　to　the　open　ground　in　my　front；　and　saw　that　there　was　water　and　soft　mud　in　the　bayou；　and　was　fired　upon　by　the　sharp…shooters　of　the　enemy；　and　turned　and　went　back　into　the　woods　where　my　command　lay。　　Soon　after　that　General　Blair　came　near　me；　and　I　told　him　there　was　water　and　mud　in　the　bayou；　and　I　doubted　if　we　could　get　across。　　He　answered　me　that　General　Morgan　told　him　there　was　no　water　nor　mud　to　hinder　us。　　I　remarked　that　I　had　seen　it　myself；　and　General　Morgan；　or　any　one　else；　could　see　it　if　he　world　risk　being　shot　at　pretty　lively。　　I　then　told　General　Blair　that　it　was　certain　destruction　to　us　if　we　passed　over　the　abatis　upon　the　open　ground　where　there　had　once　been　a　corn…field；　that　we　could　never　reach　the　base　of　the　hill。　　He　turned　to　me　and　said；　〃Can't　you　take　your　regiment　up　there？〃　　I　told　him；　〃Yes；　I　can　take　my　regiment　anywhere；　because　the　men　do　not　know　any　better　than　to　go；〃　but　remarked　that　old　soldiers　could　not　be　got　to　go　up　there。　　General　Blair　then　said；　　〃Tom；　if　we　succeed；　this　will　be　a　grand　thing；　you　will　have　the　glory　of　leading　the　assault。〃　　He　then　went　on　to　say　that　General　Morgan's　division　would　support　us；　and　they　were　heroes　of　many　battles；　and　pointed　to　the　Fifty…eighth　Ohio；　then　forming　in　the　rear　of　the　Thirteenth　Illinois　on　my　right；　and　said：　〃See　these　men？　They　are　a　part　of　Morgan's　division；　and　are　heroes　of　many　battles。〃　　I　laughingly　said　that　they　might　be　heroes；　but　the　regiment　did　not　number　as　many　as　one　of　my　companies。　　He　again　assured　me　we　would　be　supported　by　Morgan's　division；　and　all　I　had　to　do　was　to　keep　right　on　and　　〃keep　going　till　you　get　into　Vicksburg。〃　　I　took　my　position　in　advance　of　my　regiment　and　awaited　the　signal。　　When　we　heard　it；　we　raised　a　shout；　and　started　at　a　double…quick；　the　Thirteenth　Illinois　on　my　right。　　I　saw　no　troops　on　my　left。　　When　we　emerged　from　the　woods；　the　enemy　opened　upon　us；　crossing　the　bayou　under　fire；　and　many　of　the　men　sinking　in　the　mud　and　water；　our　line　was　very　much　disordered；　but　we　pretty　well　restored　it　before　reaching　the　abatis。　　Here　we　were　greatly　disordered；　but　somewhat　restored　the　line　on　reaching　the　plateau　or　corn…field。　　The　Twenty…ninth　Missouri　came　on；　gallantly　supporting　us。　　The　Thirteenth　Illinois　came　out　upon　the　corn…field；　and　the　Fifty…eighth　Ohio　followed　close　upon　it。　　There　was　firing　to　my　left；　and　as　I　afterward　learned　was　from　the　Fourth　Iowa　of　Thayer's　brigade　（and　I　believe　of　Steele's　division）。　　I　was　struck　and　fell；　and　my　regiment　went　back　in　great　disorder。　　The　fire　was　terrific。　　I　saw　beyond　the　Thirteenth　Illinois；　to　my　right；　a　disordered　line；　and　learned　afterward　it　was　the　Sixteenth　Ohio。　　When　I　was　taken　from　the　field　by　the　enemy　and　taken　into　Vicksburg；　I　found　among　the　wounded　and　prisoners　men　and　officers　of　the　Sixteenth　and　Fifty…eighth　Ohio；　and　of　the　Twenty…ninth　and　Thirty…first　Missouri；　and　Thirteenth　Illinois。　　After　I　was　exchanged　and　joined　my　command；　General　Blair　laughingly　remarked　to　me　that　I　had　literally　obeyed　his　order　and　gone　〃straight　on　to　Vicksburg。〃　He　lamented　the　cutting　to　pieces　of　our　force　on　that　day。　　We　talked　the　whole　matter　over　at　his　headquarters　during　the　siege　of　Vicksburg。　　He　said　that　if　the　char