andersonville-第39章

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troops　immediately　to　their　left　were　now　hotly　engaged。　　He　rode　right
along　in　rear　of　the　Sixteenth　Corps；　paying　no　attention　apparently　to
the　shot　and　shell　and　bullets　that　were　tearing　up　the　earth　and
exploding　and　striking　all　around　him。　　His　aids　and　orderlies　vainly
tried　to　keep　up　with　him。　　We　could　plainly　see　the　Rebel　lines　as　they
came　out　of　the　woods　into　the　open　grounds　to　attack　the　Sixteenth
Corps；　which　had　hastily　formed　in　the　open　field；　without　any　signs　of
works；　and　were　standing　up　like　men；　having　a　hand…to…hand　fight。
We　were　just　far　enough　in　the　rear　so　that　every　blasted　shot　or　shell
that　was　fired　too　high　to　hit　the　ranks　of　the　Sixteenth　Corps　came
rattling　over　amongst　us。　　All　this　time　we　were　marching　fast；　following
in　the　direction　General　Scott　had　taken；　who　evidently　had　ordered　the
Colonel　to　join　his　brigade　up　at　the　front。　　We　were　down　under　the
crest　of　a　little　hill；　following　along　the　bank　of　a　little　creek；
keeping　under　cover　of　the　bank　as　much　as　possible　to　protect　us　from
the　shots　of　the　enemy。　　We　suddenly　saw　General　Logan　and　one　or　two　of
his　staff　upon　the　right　bank　of　the　ravine　riding　rapidly　toward　us。
As　he　neared　the　head　of　the　regiment　he　shouted：

〃'Halt！　　What　regiment　is　that；　and　where　are　you　going？'　　〃The　Colonel；
in　a　loud　voice；　that　all　could　hear；　told　him：　〃The　Sixty…Eighth　Ohio；
going　to　join　our　brigade　of　the　Third　Divisionyour　old　Division；
General；　of　the　Seventeenth　Corps。〃

〃Logan　says；　'you　had　better　go　right　in　here　on　the　left　of　Dodge。
The　Third　Division　have　hardly　ground　enough　left　now　to　bury　their　dead。
God　knows　they　need　you。　　But　try　it　on；　if　you　think　you　can　get　to
them。'

〃Just　at　this　moment　a　staff　officer　came　riding　up　on　the　opposite　side
of　the　ravine　from　where　Logan　was　and　interrupted　Logan；　who　was　about
telling　the　Colonel　not　to　try　to　go　to　the　position　held　by　the　Third
Division　by　the　road　cut　through　the　woods　whence　we　had　come　out；　but　to
keep　off　to　the　right　towards　the　Fifteenth　Corps；　as　the　woods　referred
to　were　full　of　Rebels。　　The　officer　saluted　Logan；　and　shouted　across：

〃General　Sherman　directs　me　to　inform　you　of　the　death　of　General
McPherson；　and　orders　you　to　take　command　of　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee；
have　Dodge　close　well　up　to　the　Seventeenth　Corps；　and　Sherman　will
reinforce　you　to　the　extent　of　the　whole　army。'

〃Logan；　standing　in　his　stirrups；　on　his　beautiful　black　horse；　formed　a
picture　against　the　blue　sky　as　we　looked　up　the　ravine　at　him；　his　black
eyes　fairly　blazing　and　his　long　black　hair　waving　in　the　wind。
He　replied　in　a　ringing；　clear　tone　that　we　all　could　hear：

〃Say　to　General　Sherman　I　have　heard　of　McPherson's　death；　and　have
assumed　the　command　of　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee；　and　have　already
anticipated　his　orders　in　regard　to　closing　the　gap　between　Dodge　and　the
Seventeenth　Corps。'

〃This；　of　course；　all　happened　in　one　quarter　of　the　time　I　have　been
telling　you。　　Logan　put　spurs　to　his　horse　and　rode　in　one　direction；
the　staff　officer　of　General　Sherman　in　another；　and　we　started　on　a
rapid　step　toward　the　front。　　This　was　the　first　we　had　heard　of
McPherson's　death；　and　it　made　us　feel　very　bad。　　Some　of　the　officers
and　men　cried　as　though　they　had　lost　a　brother；　others　pressed　their
lips；　gritted　their　teeth；　and　swore　to　avenge　his　death。　　He　was　a　great
favorite　with　all　his　Army；　particularly　of　our　Corps；　which　he　commanded
for　a　long　while。　　Our　company；　especially；　knew　him　well；　and　loved　him
dearly；　for　we　had　been　his　Headquarters　Guard　for　over　a　year。　　As　we
marched　along；　toward　the　front；　we　could　see　brigades；　and　regiments；
and　batteries　of　artillery；　coming　over　from　the　right　of　the　Army；　and
taking　position　in　new　lines　in　rear　of　the　Sixteenth　and　Seventeenth
Corps。　　Major　Generals　and　their　staffs；　Brigadier　Generals　and　their
staffs；　were　mighty　thick　along　the　banks　of　the　little　ravine　we　were
following；　stragglers　and　wounded　men　by　the　hundred　were　pouring　in　to
the　safe　shelter　formed　by　the　broken　ground　along　which　we　were　rapidly
marching；　stories　were　heard　of　divisions；　brigades　and　regiments　that
these　wounded　or　stragglers　belonged；　having　been　all　cut　to　pieces；
officers　all　killed；　and　the　speaker；　the　only　one　of　his　command　not
killed；　wounded　or　captured。　　But　you　boys　have　heard　and　seen　the　same
cowardly　sneaks；　probably；　in　fights　that　you　were　in。　　The　battle　raged
furiously　all　this　time；　part　of　the　time　the　Sixteenth　Corps　seemed　to
be　in　the　worst；　then　it　would　let　up　on　them　and　the　Seventeenth　Corps
would　be　hotly　engaged　along　their　whole　front。

〃We　had　probably　marched　half　an　hour　since　leaving　Logan；　and　were
getting　pretty　near　back　to　our　main　line　of　works；　when　the　Colonel
ordered　a　halt　and　knapsacks　to　be　unslung　and　piled　up。　　I　tell　you　it
was　a　relief　to　get　them　off；　for　it　was　a　fearful　hot　day；　and　we　had
been　marching　almost　double　quick。　　We　knew　that　this　meant　business
though；　and　that　we　were　stripping　for　the　fight；　which　we　would　soon　be
in。　　Just　at　this　moment　we　saw　an　ambulance；　with　the　horses　on　a　dead
run；　followed　by　two　or　three　mounted　officers　and　men；　coming　right
towards　us　out　of　the　very　woods　Logan　had　cautioned　the　Colonel　to
avoid。　　When　the　ambulance　got　to　where　we　were　it　halted。　　It　was　pretty
well　out　of　danger　from　the　bullets　and　shell　of　the　enemy。　　They
stopped；　and　we　recognized　Major　Strong；　of　McPherson's　Staff；　whom　the
all　knew；　as　he　was　the　Chief　Inspector　of　our　Corps；　and　in　the
ambulance　he　had　the　body　of　General　McPherson。　　Major　Strong；
it　appears；　during　a　slight　lull　in　the　fighting　at　that　part　of　the
line；　having　taken　an　ambulance　and　driven　into　the　very　jaws　of　death　to
recover　the　remains　of　his　loved　commander。　　It　seems　he　found　the　body
right　by　the　side　of　the　little　road　that　we　had　gone　out　on　when　we　went
to　the　rear。　　He　was　dead　when　he　found　him；　having　been　shot　off　his
horse；　the　bullet　striking　him　in　the　back；　just　below　his　heart；
probably　killing　him　instantly。　　There　was　a　young　fellow　with　him　who
was　wounded　also；　when　Strong　found　them。　　He　belonged　to　our　First
Division；　and　recognized　General　McPherson；　and　stood　by　him　until　Major
Strong　came　up。　　He　was　in　the　ambulance　with　the　body　of　McPherson　when
they　stopped　by　us。

〃It　seems　that　when　the　fight　opened　away　back　in　the　rear　where　we　had
been；　and　at　the　left　of　the　Sixteenth　Corps　which　was　almost　directly　in
the　rear　of　the　Seventeenth　Corps；　McPherson　sent　his　staff　and　orderlies
with　various　orders　to　different　parts　of　the　line；　and　started　himself
to　ride　over　from　the　Seventeenth　Corps　to　the　Sixteenth　Corps；　taking
exactly　the　same　course　our　Regiment　had；　perhaps　an　hour　before；　but　the
Rebels　had　discovered　there　was　a　gap　between　the　Sixteenth　and
Seventeenth　Corps；　and　meeting　no　opposition　to　their　advances　in　this
strip　of　woods；　where　they　were　hidden　from　view；　they　had　marched　right
along　down　in　the　rear；　and　with　their　line　at　right　angles　with　the　line
of　works　occupied　by　the　left　of　the　Seventeenth　Corps；　they　were　thus
parallel　and　close　to　the　little　road　McPherson　had　taken；　and　probably
he　rode　right　into　them　and　was　killed　before　he　realized　the　true
situation。

〃Having　piled　our　knapsacks；　and　left　a　couple　of　our　older　men；　who　were
played　out　with　the　heat　and　most　ready　to　drop　with　sunstroke；　to　guard
them；　we　started　on　again。　　The　ambulance　with　the　corpse　of　Gen。
McPherson　moved　off　towards　the　right　of　the　Army；　which　was　the　last　we
ever　saw　of　that　brave　and　handsome　soldier。

〃We　bore　off　a　little　to　the　right　of　a　large　open　field　on　top　of　a　high
hill　where　one　of　our　batteries　was　pounding　away　at　a　tremendous　rate。
We　came　up　to　the　main　line　of　works　just　about　at　the　left　of　the
Fifteenth　Corps。　　They　seemed　to　be　having　an　easy　time　of　it　just　then
no　fighting　going　on　in　their　front；　except　occasional　shots　from　some
heavy　guns　on　the　main　line　of　Rebel　works　around　the　City。　　We　crossed
right　over　the　Fifteenth　Corps'　works　and　filed　to　the　left；　keeping
along　on　the　outside　of　our　works。　　We　had　not　gone　far　before　the　Rebel
gunners　in　the　main　works　around　the　City　discovered　us；　and　the　way　they
did　tear　loose　at　us　was　a　caution。　　Their　aim　was　rather　bad；　however；
and　most　of　their　shots　went　over　us。　　We　saw　one　of　themI　think　it　was
a　shellstrike　an　artillery　caisson　belonging　to　one　of　our…batteries。
It　exploded　as　it　struck；　and　then　the　caisson；　which　was　full　of
ammunition；　exploded　with　an　awful　noise；　throwing　pieces　of　wood　and
iron　and　its　own　load　of　shot　and　shell　high　into　the　air；　scattering
death　and　destruction　to　the　men　and　horses　attached　to　it。　　We　thought
we　saw　arms　and　legs　and　parts　of　bodies　of　men　flying　in　every
direction；　but　we　were　glad　to　learn　afterwards　that　it　was　the　contents
of　the　knapsacks　of　the　Battery　boys；　who　had　strapped　them　on　the
caissons　for　transportation。

〃Just　after　passing　the　hill　where　our　battery　was　making　things　so
lively；　they　stopped　firing　to　let　us　pass。　　We　saw　General　Leggett；　our
Division　Commander；　come　riding　toward　us。　　He　was　outside　of　our　line　of
works；　too。　　You　know　how　we　build　breastworkssort　of　zigzag　like；　you
know；　so　they　cannot　be　enfiladed。　　Well；　that's　just　the　way　the　works
were　along　there；　and　you　never　saw　such　a　curious　shape　as　we　formed　our
Division　in。　　Why；　part　of　them　were　on　one　side　of　the　works；　and　go
along　a　little　further　and　here　was　a　regiment；　or　part　of　a　regiment　on
the　other　side；　both　sets　firing　in　opposite　directions。

〃No　sir'ee；　they　were　not　demoralized　or　in　confusion；　they　were　cool　and
as　steady　as　on　parade。　　But　the　old　Division　had；　you　know；　never　been
driven　from　any　position　they　had　once　taken；　in　all　their　long　service；
and　they　did　not　propose　to　leave　that　ridge　until　they　got　orders　from
some　one　beside　the　Rebs。

〃There　were　times　when　a　fellow　did　not　know　which　side　of　the　works　was
the　safest；　for　the　Johnnies　were　in　front　of　us　and　in　rear　of　us。
You　see；　our　Fourth　Division；　which　had　been　to　the　left　of　us；　had　been
forced　to　quit　their　works；　when　the　Rebs　got　into　the　works　in　their
rear；　so　that　our　Division　was　now　at　the　point　where　our　line　turned
sharply　to　the　left；　and　rearin　the　direction　of　the　Sixteenth　Corps。

〃We　got　into　business　before　we　had　been　there　over　three　minutes。
A　line　of　the　Rebs　tried　to　charge　across　the　open　fields　in　front　of　us；
but　by　the　help　of　the　old　twenty…four　pounders　（which　proved　to　be　part
of　Cooper's　Illinois　Battery；　that　we　had　been　alongside　of　in　many　a
hard　fight　before）；　we　drove　them　back　a…flying；　only　to　have　to　jump
over　on　the　outside　of　our　works　the　next　minute　to　tackle　a　heavy　force
that　came　for　our　rear　through　that　blasted　strip　of　woods。　　We　soon
drove　them　off；　and　the　firing　on　both　sides　seemed　to　have　pretty　much
stopped。

〃'Our　Brigade；'　which　we　discovered；　was　now　commanded　by　'Old　Whiskers'
（Colonel　Piles；　of　the　Seventy…Eighth　Ohio。　　I'll　bet　he's　got　the
longest　whiskers　of　any　man　in　the　Army。）　　You　see　General　Scott　had　not
been　see