the army of the cumberland-第12章

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


m　if　he　should　attempt　to　pass　toward　Somerset。　　Wood's　division　marched　at　midnight；　and　engaged　the　enemy　at　Stanford　at　daylight　the　next　morning。　　The　rest　of　Crittenden's　and　McCook's　corps　followed　on　the　same　road；　Gilbert　marching　on　the　Lancaster　road。　　The　enemy　was　steadily　pressed　on　the　road　to　Cumberland　Gap；　but　could　not　be　brought　to　an　engagement。　　McCook's　and　Gilbert's　corps　were　halted　at　Crab　Orchard；　while　Crittenden；　with　W。　S。　Smith's　division；　was　sent　in　pursuit　as　far　as　London　on　the　direct　road　to　the　Gap。　　It　now　appearing　that　Bragg　did　not　intend　to　fight　in　the　State；　and　the　country　beyond　Crab　Orchard　being　extremely　barren　and　roughno　supplies　existing　in　itthe　pursuit　was　discontinued；　and　the　Army　of　the　Ohio　was　turned　toward　Bowling　Green　and　Glasgow；　preparatory　to　the　advance　to　Nashville。　McCook's　and　Gilbert's　corps　were　concentrated　at　the　former　place；　and　Crittenden's　at　the　latter。　　This　movement　of　the　troops　was　made　by　Buell；　who　was　confident　that　Bragg　would　concentrate　in　the　vicinity　of　Nashville；　and　seek　to　recover　that　place；　and　to　fight　his　great　battle　for　the　possession　of　Kentucky。

The　military　affairs　of　the　nation　at　this　time　were　unfortunately　in　charge　of　General　Halleck；　who　had　been　called　to　Washington　as　Commander…in…Chief。　　On　the　retreat　of　Bragg　from　Kentucky；　Halleck　insisted　that　Buell　should　make　a　campaign　into　East　Tennessee；　a　distance　of　two　hundred　and　forty　miles；　over　mountain　and　river；　without　any　communication　to　the　rear；　except　by　wagon　train；　over　almost　impassable　roads；　the　advance　to　be　made　in　the　face　of　the　enemy；　who；　operating　on　his　line　of　communications　could　move　his　entire　command　to　defeat　our　advance　in　detail。　　Buell　reported　to　the　War　Department　that　it　was　impossible　to　make　the　campaign　as　ordered；　and　knowing　the　necessity　of　protecting　Nashville；　he　directed　the　concentration　of　his　troops　on　the　line　of　the　railroad　to　that　place。　　That　road　had　been　repaired　up　to　Bowling　Green；　after　the　destruction　of　two　months　before；　and　here　the　troops　received　their　needed　supplies。　　On　the　30th　of　October；　Buell　was　relieved　of　the　command　of　the　Department　of　the　Ohio；　and　Major…General　William　S。　Rosecrans　was；　by　the　direction　of　the　General…in…Chief；　assigned　to　the　command　of　the　troops。　　The　designation　of　the　command　being　changed　to　that　of　the　Department　of　the　Cumberland。

It　is　a　somewhat　singular　fact；　that　the　campaign　in　Kentucky　should　have　caused　the　most　intense　feeling　in　the　opposing　armies　against　their　respective　commanders。　　In　the　Federal　army；　after　Buell　allowed　Bragg　to　move　north　from　Munfordville　without　an　engagement；　the　expressions　of　the　troops　against　their　commanding　general　were　open；　bitter；　and　almost　universal；　from　the　lowest　to　the　highest。　　However；　there　was　one　who　never　for　a　moment　lost　faith；　soldierly　trust；　and　esteem　for　his　commander；　and　he　was　of　all　persons　in　the　command　most　competent　to　judge。　　This　was　General　Thomas。　　He　knew　the　great　difficulties　of　Buell's　position；　how　his　place　had　been　interfered　with　by　Halleck；　under　whose　command　it　was　his　misfortune　early　in　the　year　to　be；　and　later；　how　he　was　made　to　feel　the　power　of　this　same　man　as　a　personal　matter。　　Halleck；　invested　by　the　Administration　with　supreme　powers；　planned　a　campaign　into　East　Tennessee；　on　paper　in　Washington；　and　ordered　Buell　to　execute　it。　　This；　the　latter；　with　full　knowledge　of　the　situation；　refused　to　do；　and　quietly　ordering　his　troops　to　the　line　of　the　railroad　from　whence　they　could　be　moved　with　the　least　delay；　as　needed；　waited　for　the　order　he　knew　was　pending　for　his　removal。

General　Buell　was　right　in　refusing　to　attack　Bragg　at　Munfordville；　or　in　fact　at　any　time　until　he　had　placed　his　army　north　of　the　enemy；　and　received　his　own　reinforcements　from　Louisville。　　Then　this　point　was　safe；　and　Nashville　could　not　be　imperiled　by　the　defeat　of　our　army。　　Buell　made　three　dispositions　for　an　engagement　during　the　Kentucky　campaign；　but　each　time　Bragg　drew　off　except　at　Perryville；　and　here　there　was　no　design　of　the　latter　to　fight；　beyond　checking　Buell's　advance；　and　gaining　time　for　his　troops　to　make　their　retreat　from　the　State　with　all　stores　and　material。　Bragg；　from　his　closing　remarks　in　his　first　report　of　the　battle　of　Perryville；　certainly　did　not　considerso　far　as　the　Confederacy　was　concernedthat　the　State　was　worth　fighting　for。　　Had　he　received　the　20；000　new　troops　he　was　promised；　instead　of　General　Buell　having　his　army　increased　by　that　number；　then　he　would　have　struck　quick　and　sharp。　　He　left　the　State　deeply　disgusted　with　Kentucky；　and　took　every　occasion　after　that　to　show　it。　　The　account　was　even；　however；　as　Bragg　was　not　a　favorite　in　that　State。

At　Perryville　Buell　labored　under　the　same　disadvantage　in　the　organization　of　his　command　that　made　itself　felt　on　the　first　two　great　battlefields　of　the　Army　of　the　Cumberland。　　That　was　the　inefficiency　of　his　corps　commanders。　　Of　Gilbert　it　is　only　necessary　to　say；　that　a　worse　appointment　as　a　corps　commander　was　not　made　during　the　war。　　Fortunately；　the　battle　of　Perryville　was　his　first　and　only　appearance　in　that　position。　　Buell；　after　expressing　his　thanks　for　McCook's　services　on　that　field　and　in　the　campaign；　in　his　official　report　says：　　〃It　is　true　that　only　one　serious　battle　has　been　fought；　and　that　was　incomplete；　and　less　decisive　than　it　might　have　been。　　That　this　was　so　is　due　partly　to　unavoidable　difficulties　which　prevented　the　troops；　marching　on　different　roads；　from　getting　on　the　ground　simultaneously；　but　more　to　the　fact　that　I　was　not　apprised　early　enough　of　the　condition　of　affairs　on　my　left。　　I　can　find　no　fault　with　the　former；　nor　am　I　disposed　at　this　time　to　censure　the　latter；　though　it　must　be　admitted　to　have　been　a　grave　error。　　I　ascribe　it　to　the　too　great　confidence　of　the　general　commanding　the　left　corps　（Major…General　McCook）；　which　made　him　believe　that　he　could　manage　the　difficulty　without　the　aid　or　control　of　his　commander。〃　　Buell　was　not　notified　of　any　attack　by　the　enemy　on　his　left　until　over　two　hours　after　the　engagement　was　begun。　　He　then　hurried　to　the　field；　and　sent　the　necessary　supports　forward；　at　once　checking　the　enemy；　and　made　disposition　of　his　troops　for　battle。

With　a　willingness　to　lay　down　command　that　characterized　all　the　commanders　of　the　Army　of　the　Cumberland　when　the　authorities　in　Washington　regarded　the　good　of　the　service　as　requiring　it；　Buell　placed　the　new　commander　in　full　possession　of　all　plans　and　information　that　he　possessed；　and　without　a　word　left　the　troops　that　were　to　win　undying　fame　on　other　battle…fields；　largely　by　reason　of　the　training　he　had　given　them　during　the　period　of　his　command；　half　a　month　less　than　one　year。

The　Comte　de　Paris；　in　his　〃History　of　the　Civil　War　in　America；〃　in　writing　on　the　battle　of　Shiloh；　where　he　refers　to　the　massing　of　the　artillery　by　Grant's　Chief　of　Staff；　Colonel　Webster；　says：　〃The　fate　of　the　day　depends　upon　the　preservation　of　these　heights；　whence　the　enemy　could　have　commanded　Pittsburg　Landing；〃　and　on　the　following　page　adds；　〃Nevertheless；　at　the　sight　of　the　enemy's　battalions　advancing　in　good　order；　the　soldiers　that　have　been　grouped　together　in　haste；　to　give　an　air　of　support　to　Webster's　battery；　became　frightened　and　scattered。　　It　is　about　to　be　carried；　when　a　new　body　of　troops　deploying　in　the　rear　of　the　guns；　with　as　much　regularity　as　if　they　were　on　the　parade…ground；　receives　the　Confederates　with　a　fire　that　drives　them　back　in　disorder　into　the　ravine。　　This　was　the　brigade　of　Ammen；　belonging　to　Nelson's　division；　that　rushed　forward　so　opportunely。〃　　In　speaking　of　the　second　day's　fight　he　says：　　〃At　a　signal　given　by　Buell；　his　three　divisions；　under　Nelson；　Crittenden；　and　McCook；　put　themselves　in　motion　at　the　same　time。　　The　soldiers　of　the　Army　of　the　Ohio；　constantly　drilled　for　the　year　past　by　a　rigid　disciplinarian；　and　trained　by　their　long　marches　across　three　States；　are　distinguished　by　their　discipline　and　fine　bearing。　　The　readiness　with　which　they　march　against　the　enemy　wins　the　admiration　of　the　generals；　who；　like　Sherman；　have　had　to　fight　a　whole　day　at　the　head　of　raw　and　inexperienced　troops。〃

The　greatest　service　that　General　Buell　rendered　to　his　country　was　as　the　organizer　and　disciplinarian　of　the　mass　of　the　raw；　undrilled　troops　that　were　hurried　to　the　front　under　the　need　of　the　hour；　and　who；　unaccustomed　to　military　or　other　restraint；　had　all　the　freedom　that　characterizes　the　American　sovereign　both　in　speech　and　action。　　To　take　these　troops　by　the　thousands　and　make　an　army　of　fifty　to　seventy…five　thousand　trained　skilled　soldiers；　who；　in　later　days；　were　to　do　as　splendid　fighting　as　the　world　ever　saw；　was　a　stupendous　undertaking。　　General　Buell　not　only　did　this；　but　accomplished　the　task　in　time　to　bring　some　of　these　soldiers　that　he　was　justly　proud　of　to　the　field　of　Shiloh；　where；　under　his　eye；　they　met　the　enemy　like　veterans。　　Buell's　military　training　and　habits　of　life　led　him；　however；　to　one　error。　　He　was　so　good　a　soldier　himself；　that　he　failed　to　recognize　the　distinction　between　the　regular　soldier　in　garrison　during　times　of　peace　and　the　thinking　volunteer　during　the　active　campaigns　of　the　rebellion。　　The　latter　could　not　and　would　not　be　made　the　mere　machine　the　former　becomes；　and　Buell's　failure　to　appreciate　this　caused　great　ill…feeling　against　him　at　the　time　in　his　army。　Then；　again；　Buell's　earlier　military　training　in　the　bureau　office　he　held　so　many　years　unfitted　him　for　the　handling；　on　the　battle…field；　of　the　large　number　of　troops　which　composed　his　command。　　But　very　few　generals　during　the　rebellion　were　able　to　successfully　handle　on　the　battle…field　as　large　an　army　as　was　under　Buell。　　In　fact；　the　general　who　has　sufficient　talent　as　a　good　organizer　and　drill…master　to　enter　into　the　details　necessary　to　bring　an　army　out　of　raw　troops；　has　not　the　military　genius　required　to　handle　a　large　army　in　fighting　and　winning　great　battles。　　But　Buell　rendered　many　valuable　services；　in　the　camp　and　on　the　field；　to　his　country。　　It　was　Buell　who　planned　the　Fort　Henry；　Fort　Donelson；　and　Nashville　campaign；　which　Halleck　put　under　his　hat；　and　proceeded　to　carry　out　as　HIS　original　idea；　being　careful　to　say　nothing　in　regard　to　his　plans　until　they　were　so　far　executed　as　to　render　any　action　on　the　part　of　Buell　and　his　command　simply　that　of　a　supporting　column。　　Then　to　Buell　is　due　the　credit　of　the　second　day's　fight　at　Shiloh。　　That　day's　battle　was　the　fight　of　the　Army　of　the　Ohio　with　Lewis　Wallace's　division；　General　Grant　giving　Buell　largely　his　discretion　in　the　movements　of　the　troops。　　Whitelaw　Reid　says　of　him；　in　〃Ohio　in　the　War；〃　〃He　came　into　that　action　when；　without　him；　all　was　lost。　　He　redeemed　the　fortunes　of　the　field；　and　justly　won　the　title　of　the　'Hero　of　Pittsburg　Landing。'〃

The　order　placing　Rosecrans　in　commandGeneral　Order　No。　168；　War　Department；　of　date　October　24；　1862created　the　Department　of　the　Cumberland；　embracing　that　portion　of　the　State　of　Tennessee　lying　east　of　the　Tennessee　River；