the army of the cumberland-第7章

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i；　Louisville；　Lexington；　and　Frankfort。　　The　command　left　Midway　late　in　the　afternoon　and　started　for　Georgetown；　which　place　they　reached　at　sundown；　where　they　met　a　small　force　of　Home　Guards；　who　were　driven　out　of　town。　　From　here　Morgan　sent　a　force　to　burn　the　bridges　on　the　Kentucky　Railroad　between　Lexington　and　Paris。　　Then　learning　how　strongly　Lexington　was　garrisoned；　he　gave　up　all　thought　of　attacking　it；　and　finding　that　the　Federal　forces　were　closing　in　on　him　commenced　his　return　south。　　On　the　18th；　Morgan　attacked　Cynthiana；　which　was　garrisoned　by　some　five　hundred　men；　under　the　command　of　Lieutenant…Colonel　John　J。　Landrum；　of　the　Eighteenth　Kentucky。　　The　fighting　continued　for　two　hours；　when　the　Federal　force　was　driven　from　the　town　and　nearly　all　captured。　Landrum　and　a　few　of　his　command　escaped。　　The　Federals　lost　16　killed　and　40　wounded；　and　14　of　the　enemy　were　killed　and　42　wounded。　　The　rebels　claimed　to　have　captured　420　prisoners；　who　were　at　once　paroled。　　The　depot；　with　a　large　amount　of　Government　stores；　was　burned。　　Morgan　then　left　for　Paris；　where　he　arrived　late　in　the　evening　and　rested　there　that　night。　　About　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning　his　command　was　driven　out　of　this　place　by　the　troops　under　General　Green　Clay　Smith；　numbering　some　twelve　hundred　men；　who　killed　2；　wounded　six；　and　captured　several　prisoners。　　Morgan　pushed　through　Winchester；　reaching　that　point　about　twelve　o'clock；　crossed　the　Kentucky　River　just　at　dark；　and　arrived　at　Richmond　at　four　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　Here　he　rested　his　command　twelve　hours；　then　marched　toward　Crab　Orchard；　arriving　about　daybreak　the　next　morning。　　It　had　been　his　intention　to　make　a　stand　at　Richmond；　but　there　were　too　many　troops　marching　to　attack　him。　　Besides　General　Smith's　command；　which　was　following　him　closely；　Colonel　Wolford　was　collecting　forces　in　the　southern　part　of　Kentucky　to　intercept　him；　and　troops　were　EN　ROUTE　from　Louisville　to　aid　in　the　pursuit。　　Morgan　left　Crab　Orchard　at　eleven　o'clock　the　same　morning；　and　reached　Somerset　about　sunset。　At　these　two　places　he　captured　130　wagons；　with　large　quantities　of　Government　stores；　of　which　he　loaded　as　much　into　wagons　for　the　use　of　his　command　as　he　wanted；　and　burned　the　rest。　　From　Somerset　he　marched　to　Stagall's　Ferry　on　the　Cumberland　River；　and　there　crossed；　reaching　Monticello；　twenty…one　miles　from　the　river；　that　night；　when　all　pursuit　ended。

Morgan's　object　in　making　this　raid　was　to　obtain　recruits　and　horses；　to　equip　and　arm　his　men；　and　to　prepare　for　his　fall　raiding　trip。　　In　his　official　report　he　says：　　〃I　left　Knoxville　on　the　4th　day　of　this　month　with　about　nine　hundred　men；　and　returned　to　Livingston　on　the　28th　inst。　with　nearly　twelve　hundred；　having　been　absent　just　twenty…four　days；　during　which　time　I　have　traveled　over　a　thousand　miles；　captured　seventeen　towns；　destroyed　all　the　Government　supplies　and　arms　in　them；　dispersed　about　fifteen　hundred　Home　Guards；　and　paroled　nearly　twelve　hundred　regular　troops。　　I　lost　in　killed；　wounded；　and　missing　of　the　number　that　I　carried　into　Kentucky；　about　ninety。〃

When　Buell　received　his　orders　to　open　the　campaign　in　East　Tennessee；　the　key　to　that　part　of　the　State　was　Chattanooga；　and　this　was　the　objective　point　of　his　campaign。　　With　the　concentration　of　the　Southern　forces　in　Mississippi；　both　Halleck　and　Buell　thought　that　a　favorable　time　had　arrived　for　this　movement；　anticipating　that　no　advance　of　the　enemy's　forces　would　be　made　to　dispute　the　occupancy　of　those　portions　of　Kentucky　and　Tennessee　already　held　by　the　Federal　forces。　　The　great　problem　with　Buell　was　to　furnish　supplies　to　his　army；　now　some　three　hundred　miles　away　from　its　base　at　Louisville；　dependent　during　the　greater　part　of　the　year　on　one　line　of　road；　which　was　subject　to　being　raided　at　any　time；　bridges　burned；　the　roadbed　destroyed；　and　the　entire　road　rendered　useless　for　months。　　To　continue　this　line　the　many　miles　through　the　enemy's　country；　subject　to　increased　risks　before　Chattanooga　could　be　reached；　was　a　matter　that　required　a　great　amount　of　careful　thought　and　deliberation。　　Buell　had　tried　infantry　in　stockades　at　bridges；　and　was　satisfied　that　this　was　not　the　proper　solution　to　the　problem。　　He　then　made　earnest　and　repeated　application　for　more　cavalry；　to　protect　his　communications　and　to　meet　and　repulse　the　enemy's　raiding　parties　before　they　could　reach　his　line　of　communication。　　If　he　was　to　move　with　his　command　into　East　Tennessee；　he　regarded　the　line　from　Nashville　to　Chattanooga　as　the　proper　road　on　which　he　should　depend　for　his　supplies；　and　to　which　he　should　give　his　care　and　attention　for　this　purpose。

Halleck　considered　the　line　from　Memphis　to　Chattanooga　the　one　over　which　the　supplies　for　Buell's　army　should　pass。　　The　latter　objected　to　this；　by　reason　of　that　road　crossing　the　Tennessee　River　twice；　thus　giving　two　long　bridges　to　rebuild　and　protect；　instead　of　one；　and　for　the　additional　reason　that　this　road　ran　for　a　considerable　distance　parallel　with　the　front　of　the　enemy；　and　thus　invited　raiding　parties。　　While　the　risks　attending　the　other　road　were　great　enough；　Buell　regarded　the　Memphis　and　Charleston　road　far　the　more　objectionable。　　Besides；　he　wished　to　move　through　Middle　Tennessee　to　McMinnville；　and　thence　to　Chattanooga；　with　Nashville　as　his　depot　of　supplies。　　In　this　Halleck　overruled　him　and　directed　that　he　march　his　command　on　the　line　of　the　Memphis　road；　repairing　the　track　as　he　advanced。

While　this　matter　was　under　consideration　by　the　Federal　commanders；　Bragg；　who　had　been　appointed　to　the　position　of　General　made　vacant　by　the　death　of　General　Johnston；　and　who　had　succeeded　Beauregard　in　the　command　in　the　West；　put　his　columns　in　motion　eastward　to　occupy　Chattanooga。　　Johnston；　on　the　retreat　from　Nashville；　sent　all　surplus　army　stores　to　Chattanooga；　and　Bragg　now　regarded　that　point　as　the　proper　place　to　refit　his　command；　and　from　which　to　assume　the　offensive；　and　open　the　campaign　he　had　planned　to　free；　for　a　time　at　least；　Tennessee　from　the　control　of　the　Federal　forces。

With　the　start　thus　made　by　both　commands　for　Chattanooga；　everything　was　in　favor　of　Bragg；　whose　movements　were　unimpeded；　as　his　route　was　south　of　the　Tennessee；　through　his　own　territory；　with　his　lines　of　communication　open　when　he　arrived　at　that　place。　With　Buell；　the　repairs　of　the　railroad　retarded　his　progress；　and　the　advance　weakened　his　command　by　the　increased　number　of　detachments　required　to　guard　his　line　as　it　lengthened。

McCook's　and　Crittenden's　commands　were　started　eastward；　the　first　from　Corinth；　and　the　latter　from　Booneville。　　McCook　reached　Florence　on　the　15th　of　June；　where　ferryboats　had　been　provided　by　Mitchel　for　the　crossing　of　his　division。　　A　delay　was　occasioned　here　by　the　report　that　Nelson　had　been　attacked；　but　this　was　found　to　be　false；　and；　on　the　26th；　the　divisions　of　McCook；　Crittenden；　and　Nelson　crossed；　and　started　at　once　for　Athens；　which　place　they　reached　on　the　29th。　　On　the　same　day　Buell　established　his　headquarters　at　Huntsville；　Ala。；　and　gave　personal　supervision　to　the　repair　of　the　railroads；　now　extremely　urgent。　　He　placed　his　troops　by　division　upon　the　different　sections　of　the　line；　under　orders　to　push　repairs　with　all　possible　expedition。　　These　troops；　as　repairs　were　made；　advanced　from　time　to　time；　concentrating　on　the　line　of　the　Nashville　and　Chattanooga　road。　　The　repairs　to　this　railroad　were　completed　on　July　28th；　and　on　the　Nashville　and　Decatur　road　on　August　3d。　　During　the　latter　part　of　July　the　last　division　of　Buell's　army；　under　Thomas；　crossed　the　Tennessee　River；　being　relievedon　the　line　of　the　Memphis　and　Charleston　Railroadby　troops　from　Grant's　army。　　Thomas　established　his　headquarters　at　Dechard。　　It　was　on　this　march　with　his　brigade　that　General　Robert　L。　McCook　was　murdered　by　guerillas。　　He　was　riding　in　an　ambulance；　ill　at　the　time；　and　unarmed。

Nelson's　division　had　been　sent　to　Murfreesboro　about　the　middle　of　July；　to　drive　Forrest；　who；　with　his　cavalry；　on　the　13th；　attacked　the　Federal　garrison　in　the　town。　　The　post　was　under　the　command　of　General　T。　L。　Crittenden；　and　the　troops　composting　the　Twenty…third　Brigade　were　under　the　command　of　Colonel　Duffield。　There　was；　unfortunately；　a　disagreement　between　the　ranking　officers　at　the　post　that　led　to　the　most　unfortunate　results。　　Colonel　Lester；　of　the　Third　Minnesota；　during　the　absence　of　Duffield；　commanding　the　brigade；　had；　by　reason　of　the　unpleasant　relations　existing　between　portions　of　the　command；　widely　distributed　them　in　different　parts　of　the　town。　　On　the　return　of　Crittenden　and　Duffield　on　July　11th；　neither　of　them　assumed　command；　and　their　dignity；　thinking　more　of　their　own　personal　importance　than　the　good　of　the　service。　　With　no　one　in　command；　there　was　no　unity　or　proper　〃esprit　de　corps〃　among　the　troops；　and　no　disposition　for　defence　when　Forrest　made　his　attack。　　the　latter　had　advanced　through　McMinnville　from　Chattanooga；　with　about　two　thousand　men；　and　arrived　at　Murfreesboro　about　five　o'clock　on　the　morning　of　the　13th；　captured　the　pickets；　and　made　disposition　of　his　forces　for　immediate　attack。　　Forming　his　entire　command　into　columns　of　fours；　with　the　Eighth　Texas　in　front；　Forrest　moved　forward　on　a　trot　until　he　reached　the　Federal　encampments；　which　Colonel　Wharton；　with　two　regiments；　charged。　　The　Second　Georgia　dashed　into　the　town；　captured　the　provost　guard　and　all　Federal　officers　and　men　on　the　streets；　seized　and　secured　the　supplies。

Major　Smith　with　the　Kentucky　troops　was　sent　to　the　rear　of　the　Federal　command　to　cut　off　the　retreat。　　The　Texans　charged　into　the　camp　of　the　Ninth　Michigan；　and　reaching　the　tents；　roused　some　of　the　men　from　sleep。　　A　portion　of　that　regiment；　however；　rallied　by　the　officers；　made　a　handsome　stand　and　drove　the　Texans　off。　　Duffield　was　wounded　while　rallying　his　men。　　The　Second　Georgia　charged　into　the　public　square　and　surrounded　the　Court　House；　occupied　by　a　company　of　the　Ninth　Michigan；　who　twice　repulsed　the　attacking　force。　　Reinforcements　being　brought　forward；　the　doors　of　the　building　were　battered　down　and　the　company　was　forced　to　surrender。　　Forrest　now　attacked　the　Third　Minnesota　on　the　east　bank　of　Stone's　River；　about　a　mile　and　a　half　from　town；　which　had　just　left　their　camp　to　join　the　force　in　the　town；　when　Forrest　with　three　regiments　moved　to　the　attack。

Colonel　Lester　formed　his　command　in　line　of　battle；　with　nine　companies　of　infantry　and　four　pieces　of　artillery；　and　opened　fire　on　the　rebels　as　they　advanced。　　Forrest　attempting　to　get　to　the　rear　of　his　force；　encountered　the　camp　guard　of　some　hundred　men　left　by　Lester　to　protect　his　camp；　posted　behind　a　strong　barricade　of　wagons　and　some　large　ledges　of　rocks；　difficult　to　carry。　Forrest　at　once　ordered　a　charge　which　was　twice　made　and　repulsed。　Leading　his　men　the　third　time；　he　succeeded　in　driving　the　guard　from　their　position　to　the　main　command；　posted　some　six　hundred　yards　away。　　It　was　now　one　o'clock；　and　beyond　the　skirmishes　between　the　commands　but　little　had　been　accomplished。