memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第13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！


and　Thomas；　abandoned；　and　our　lines　were　advanced　rapidly　close　up　to　Atlanta。　　For　some　moments　I　supposed　the　enemy　intended　to　evacuate；　and　in　person　was　on　horseback　at　the　head　of　Schofield's　troops；　who　had　advanced　in　front　of　the　Howard　House　to　some　open　ground；　from　which　we　could　plainly　see　the　whole　rebel　line　of　parapets；　and　I　saw　their　men　dragging　up　from　the　intervening　valley；　by　the　distillery；　trees　and　saplings　for　abatis。　　Our　skirmishers　found　the　enemy　down　in　this　valley；　and　we　could　see　the　rebel　main　line　strongly　manned；　with　guns　in　position　at　intervals。　　Schofield　was　dressing　forward　his　lines；　and　I　could　hear　Thomas　farther　to　the　right　engaged；　when　General　McPherson　and　his　staff　rode　up。　　We　went　back　to　the　Howard　House；　a　double　frame…building　with　a　porch；　and　sat　on　the　steps；　discussing　the　chances　of　battle；　and　of　Hood's　general　character。　McPherson　had　also　been　of　the　same　class　at　West　Point　with　Hood；　Schofield；　and　Sheridan。　　We　agreed　that　we　ought　to　be　unusually　cautious　and　prepared　at　all　times　for　sallies　and　for　hard　fighting；　because　Hood；　though　not　deemed　much　of　a　scholar；　or　of　great　mental　capacity；　was　undoubtedly　a　brave；　determined；　and　rash　man；　and　the　change　of　commanders　at　that　particular　crisis　argued　the　displeasure　of　the　Confederate　Government　with　the　cautious　but　prudent　conduct　of　General　Jos。　Johnston。

McPherson　was　in　excellent　spirits；　well　pleased　at　the　progress　of　events　so　far；　and　had　come　over　purposely　to　see　me　about　the　order　I　had　given　him　to　use　Dodge's　corps　to　break　up　the　railroad；　saying　that　the　night　before　he　had　gained　a　position　on　Leggett's　Hill　from　which　he　could　look　over　the　rebel　parapet；　and　see　the　high　smoke…stack　of　a　large　foundery　in　Atlanta；　that　before　receiving　my　order　he　had　diverted　Dodge's　two　divisions　（then　in　motion）　from　the　main　road；　along　a　diagonal　one　that　led　to　his　extreme　left　flank；　then　held　by　Giles　A。　Smith's　division　（Seventeenth　Corps）；　for　the　purpose　of　strengthening　that　flank；　and　that　he　had　sent　some　intrenching…tools　there；　to　erect　some　batteries　from　which　he　intended　to　knock　down　that　foundery；　and　otherwise　to　damage　the　buildings　inside　of　Atlanta。　　He　said　he　could　put　all　his　pioneers　to　work；　and　do　with　them　in　the　time　indicated　all　I　had　proposed　to　do　with　General　Dodge's　two　divisions。　　Of　course　I　assented　at　once；　and　we　walked　down　the　road　a　short　distance；　sat　down　by　the　foot　of　a　tree　where　I　had　my　map；　and　on　it　pointed　out　to　him　Thomas's　position　and　his　own。　I　then　explained　minutely　that；　after　we　had　sufficiently　broken　up　the　Augusta　road；　I　wanted　to　shift　his　whole　army　around　by　the　rear　to　Thomas's　extreme　right；　and　hoped　thus　to　reach　the　other　railroad　at　East　Point。　　While　we　sat　there　we　could　hear　lively　skirmishing　going　on　near　us　（down　about　the　distillery）；　and　occasionally　round…shot　from　twelve　or　twenty…four　pound　guns　came　through　the　trees　in　reply　to　those　of　Schofield；　and　we　could　hear　similar　sounds　all　along　down　the　lines　of　Thomas　to　our　right；　and　his　own　to　the　left；　but　presently　the　firing　appeared　a　little　more　brisk　（especially　over　about　Giles　G。　Smith's　division）；　and　then　we　heard　an　occasional　gun　back　toward　Decatur。　　I　asked　him　what　it　meant。　　We　took　my　pocket…compass　（which　I　always　carried）；　and　by　noting　the　direction　of　the　sound；　we　became　satisfied　that　the　firing　was　too　far　to　our　left　rear　to　be　explained　by　known　facts；　and　he　hastily　called　for　his　horse；　his　staff；　and　his　orderlies。

McPherson　was　then　in　his　prime　（about　thirty…four　years　old）；　over　six　feet　high；　and　a　very　handsome　man　in　every　way；　was　universally　liked；　and　had　many　noble　qualities。　　He　had　on　his　boots　outside　his　pantaloons；　gauntlets　on　his　hands；　had　on　his　major…general's　uniform；　and　wore　a　sword…belt；　but　no　sword。　　He　hastily　gathered　his　papers　（save　one；　which　I　now　possess）　into　a　pocket…book；　put　it　in　his　breast…pocket；　and　jumped　on　his　horse；　saying　he　would　hurry　down　his　line　and　send　me　back　word　what　these　sounds　meant。　　His　adjutant…general；　Clark；　Inspector…General　Strong；　and　his　aides；　Captains　Steele　and　Gile；　were　with　him。　Although　the　sound　of　musketry　on　our　left　grew　in　volume；　I　was　not　so　much　disturbed　by　it　as　by　the　sound　of　artillery　back　toward　Decatur。　　I　ordered　Schofield　at　once　to　send　a　brigade　back　to　Decatur　（some　five　miles）　and　was　walking　up　and　down　the　porch　of　the　Howard　House；　listening；　when　one　of　McPherson's　staff；　with　his　horse　covered　with　sweat；　dashed　up　to　the　porch；　and　reported　that　General　McPherson　was　either　〃killed　or　a　prisoner。〃　　He　explained　that　when　they　had　left　me　a　few　minutes　before；　they　had　ridden　rapidly　across　to　the　railroad；　the　sounds　of　battle　increasing　as　they　neared　the　position　occupied　by　General　Giles　A。　Smith's　division；　and　that　McPherson　had　sent　first　one；　then　another　of　his　staff　to　bring　some　of　the　reserve　brigades　of　the　Fifteenth　Corps　over　to　the　exposed　left　flank；　that　he　had　reached　the　head　of　Dodge's　corps　（marching　by　the　flank　on　the　diagonal　road　as　described）；　and　had　ordered　it　to　hurry　forward　to　the　same　point；　that　then；　almost　if　not　entirely　alone；　he　had　followed　this　road　leading　across　the　wooded　valley　behind　the　Seventeenth　Corps；　and　had　disappeared　in　these　woods；　doubtless　with　a　sense　of　absolute　security。　　The　sound　of　musketry　was　there　heard；　and　McPherson's　horse　came　back；　bleeding；　wounded；　and　riderless。　　I　ordered　the　staff…officer　who　brought　this　message　to　return　at　once；　to　find　General　Logan　（the　senior　officer　present　with　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee）；　to　report　the　same　facts　to　him；　and　to　instruct　him　to　drive　back　this　supposed　small　force；　which　had　evidently　got　around　the　Seventeenth　Corps　through　the　blind　woods　in　rear　of　our　left　flank。　　I　soon　dispatched　one　of　my　own　staff　（McCoy；　I　think）　to　General　Logan　with　similar　orders；　telling　him　to　refuse　his　left　flank；　and　to　fight　the　battle　（holding　fast　to　Leggett's　Hill）　with　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee；　that　I　would　personally　look　to　Decatur　and　to　the　safety　of　his　rear；　and　would　reenforce　him　if　he　needed　it。　　I　dispatched　orders　to　General　Thomas　on　our　right；　telling　him　of　this　strong　sally；　and　my　inference　that　the　lines　in　his　front　had　evidently　been　weakened　by　reason　thereof；　and　that　he　ought　to　take　advantage　of　the　opportunity　to　make　a　lodgment　in　Atlanta；　if　possible。

Meantime　the　sounds　of　the　battle　rose　on　our　extreme　left　more　and　more　furious；　extending　to　the　place　where　I　stood；　at　the　Howard　House。　　Within　an　hour　an　ambulance　came　in　（attended　by　Colonels　Clark　and　Strong；　and　Captains　Steele　and　Gile）；　bearing　McPherson's　body。　　I　had　it　carried　inside　of　the　Howard　House；　and　laid　on　a　door　wrenched　from　its　hinges。　　Dr。　Hewitt；　of　the　army；　was　there；　and　I　asked　him　to　examine　the　wound。　　He　opened　the　coat　and　shirt；　saw　where　the　ball　had　entered　and　where　it　came　out；　or　rather　lodged　under　the　skin；　and　he　reported　that　McPherson　must　have　died　in　a　few　seconds　after　being　hit；　that　the　ball　had　ranged　upward　across　his　body；　and　passed　near　the　heart。　He　was　dressed　just　as　he　left　me；　with　gauntlets　and　boots　on；　but　his　pocket…book　was　gone。　　On　further　inquiry　I　learned　that　his　body　must　have　been　in　possession　of　the　enemy　some　minutes；　during　which　time　it　was　rifled　of　the　pocket…book；　and　I　was　much　concerned　lest　the　letter　I　had　written　him　that　morning　should　have　fallen　into　the　hands　of　some　one　who　could　read　and　understand　its　meaning。　　Fortunately　the　spot　in　the　woods　where　McPherson　was　shot　was　regained　by　our　troops　in　a　few　minutes；　and　the　pocket…book　found　in　the　haversack　of　a　prisoner　of　war　captured　at　the　time；　and　it　and　its　contents　were　secured　by　one　of　McPherson's　staff。

While　we　were　examining　the　body　inside　the　house；　the　battle　was　progressing　outside；　and　many　shots　struck　the　building；　which　I　feared　would　take　fire；　so　I　ordered　Captains　Steele　and　Gile　to　carry　the　body　to　Marietta。　　They　reached　that　place　the　same　night；　and；　on　application；　I　ordered　his　personal　staff　to　go　on　and　escort　the　body　to　his　home；　in　Clyde；　Ohio；　where　it　was　received　with　great　honor；　and　it　is　now　buried　in　a　small　cemetery；　close　by　his　mother's　house；　which　cemetery　is　composed　in　part　of　the　family　orchard；　in　which　he　used　to　play　when　a　boy。　The　foundation　is　ready　laid　for　the　equestrian　monument　now　in　progress；　under　the　auspices　of　the　Society　of　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee。

The　reports　that　came　to　me　from　all　parts　of　the　field　revealed　clearly　what　was　the　game　of　my　antagonist；　and　the　ground　somewhat　favored　him。　　The　railroad　and　wagon…road　from　Decatur　to　Atlanta　lie　along　the　summit；　from　which　the　waters　flow；　by　short；　steep　valleys；　into　the　〃Peach…Tree〃　and　Chattahoochee；　to　the　west；　and　by　other　valleys；　of　gentler　declivity；　toward　the　east　（Ocmulgee）。　The　ridges　and　level　ground　were　mostly　cleared；　and　had　been　cultivated　as　corn　or　cotton　fields；　but　where　the　valleys　were　broken；　they　were　left　in　a　state　of　naturewooded；　and　fall　of　undergrowth。　　McPherson's　line　of　battle　was　across　this　railroad；　along　a　general　ridge；　with　a　gentle　but　cleared　valley　to　his　front；　between　him　and　the　defenses　of　Atlanta；　and　another　valley；　behind　him；　was　clear　of　timber　in　part；　but　to　his　left　rear　the　country　was　heavily　wooded。　　Hood；　during　the　night　of　July　21st；　had　withdrawn　from　his　Peach…Tree　line；　had　occupied　the　fortified　line　of　Atlanta；　facing　north　and　east；　with　Stewart'sformerly　Polk'scorps　and　part　of　Hardee's；　and　with　G。　W。　Smith's　division　of　militia。　　His　own　corps；　and　part　of　Hardee's；　had　marched　out　to　the　road　leading　from　McDonough　to　Decatur；　and　had　turned　so　as　to　strike　the　left　and；　rear　of　McPherson's　line　〃in　air。〃　　At　the　same　time　he　had　sent　Wheeler's　division　of　cavalry　against　the　trains　parked　in　Decatur。　　Unluckily　for　us；　I　had　sent　away　the　whole　of　Garrard's　division　of　cavalry　during　the　night　of　the　20th；　with　orders　to　proceed　to　Covington；　thirty　miles　east；　to　burn　two　important　bridges　across　the　Ulcofauhatchee　and　Yellow　Rivers；　to　tear　up　the　railroad；　to　damage　it　as　much　as　possible　from　Stone　Mountain　eastward；　and　to　be　gone　four　days；　so　that　McPherson　had　no　cavalry　in　hand　to　guard　that　flank。

The　enemy　was　therefore　enabled；　under　cover　or　the　forest；　to　approach　quite　near　before　he　was　discovered；　indeed；　his　skirmish…　line　had　worked　through　the　timber　and　got　into　the　field　to　the　rear　of　Giles　A。　Smith's　division　of　the　Seventeenth　Corps　unseen；　had　captured　Murray's　battery　of　regular　artillery；　moving　through　these　woods　entirely　unguarded；　and　had　got　possession　of　several　of　the　hospital　camps。　　The　right　of　this　rebel　line　struck　Dodge's　troops　in　motion；　but；　fortunately；　this　corps　（Sixteenth）　had　only　to　halt；　face　to　the　left；　and　was　in　line　of　battle；　and　this　corps　not　only　held　in　check　the　enemy；　but　drove　him　back　through　the　woods。　　About　the　same　time　this　same　force　had　struck　General　Giles　A。　Smith's　left　flank；　doubled　it　back；　captured　four　guns　in　position　and　the　party　engaged　in　building　the　very　battery　which　was　the　special　object　of　McPherson's　visit　to　me；　and　almost　envelo