memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第15章
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Very respectfully； your obedient servant； Joan A。 Logan； Major…General。
On the 22d of July General Rousseau reached Marietta； having returned from his raid on the Alabama road at Opelika； and on the next day General Garrard also returned from Covington； both having been measurably successful。 The former was about twenty…five hundred strong； the latter about four thousand； and both reported that their horses were jaded and tired； needing shoes and reSt。 But； about this time； I was advised by General Grant （then investing Richmond） that the rebel Government had become aroused to the critical condition of things about Atlanta； and that I must look out for Hood being greatly reenforced。 I therefore was resolved to push matters； and at once set about the original purpose of transferring the whole of the Army of the Tennessee to our right flank； leaving Schofield to stretch out so as to rest his left on the Augusta road； then torn up for thirty miles eastward； and； as auxiliary thereto； I ordered all the cavalry to be ready to pass around Atlanta on both flanks； to break up the Macon road at some point below； so as to cut off all supplies to the rebel army inside； and thus to force it to evacuate； or come out and fight us on equal terms。
But it first became necessary to settle the important question of who should succeed General McPherson？ General Logan had taken command of the Army of the Tennessee by virtue of his seniority； and had done well； but I did not consider him equal to the command of three corps。 Between him and General Blair there existed a natural rivalry。 Both were men of great courage and talent； but were politicians by nature and experience； and it may be that for this reason they were mistrusted by regular officers like Generals Schofield； Thomas； and myself。 It was all…important that there should exist a perfect understanding among the army commanders； and at a conference with General George H。 Thomas at the headquarters of General Thomas J。 Woods； commanding a division in the Fourth Corps； he （Thomas） remonstrated warmly against my recommending that General Logan should be regularly assigned to the command of the Army of the Tennessee by reason of his accidental seniority。 We discussed fully the merits and qualities of every officer of high rank in the army； and finally settled on Major…General O。 O。 Howard as the best officer who was present and available for the purpose； on the 24th of July I telegraphed to General Halleck this preference； and it was promptly ratified by the President。 General Howard's place in command of the Fourth Corps was filled by General Stanley； one of his division commanders； on the recommendation of General Thomas。 All these promotions happened to fall upon West…Pointers； and doubtless Logan and Blair had some reason to believe that we intended to monopolize the higher honors of the war for the regular officers。 I remember well my own thoughts and feelings at the time； and feel sure that I was not intentionally partial to any class； I wanted to succeed in taking Atlanta； and needed commanders who were purely and technically soldiers； men who would obey orders and execute them promptly and on time； for I knew that we would have to execute some most delicate manoeuvres； requiring the utmost skill； nicety； and precision。 I believed that General Howard would do all these faithfully and well； and I think the result has justified my choice。 I regarded both Generals Logan and Blair as 〃volunteers；〃 that looked to personal fame and glory as auxiliary and secondary to their political ambition； and not as professional soldiers。
As soon as it was known that General Howard had been chosen to command the Army of the Tennessee； General Hooker applied to General Thomas to be relieved of the command of the Twentieth Corps； and General Thomas forwarded his application to me approved and heartily recommended。 I at once telegraphed to General Halleck； recommending General Slocum （then at Vicksburg） to be his successor； because Slocum had been displaced from the command of his corps at the time when the Eleventh and Twelfth were united and made the Twentieth。
General Hooker was offended because he was not chosen to succeed McPherson； but his chances were not even considered； indeed； I had never been satisfied with him since his affair at the Gulp House； and had been more than once disposed to relieve him of his corps； because of his repeated attempts to interfere with Generals McPherson and Schofield。 I had known Hooker since 1836； and was intimately associated with him in California； where we served together on the staff of General Persifer F。 Smith。 He had come to us from the East with a high reputation as a 〃fighter；〃 which he had fully justified at Chattanooga and Peach…Tree Creek； at which latter battle I complimented him on the field for special gallantry； and afterward in official reports。 Still； I did feel a sense of relief when he left us。 We were then two hundred and fifty miles in advance of our base； dependent on a single line of railroad for our daily food。 We had a bold； determined foe in our immediate front； strongly intrenched； with communication open to his rear for supplies and reenforcements； and every soldier realized that we had plenty of hard fighting ahead； and that all honors had to be fairly earned。
Until General Slocum joined （in the latter part of August）； the Twentieth Corps was commanded by General A。 S。 Williams； the senior division commander present。 On the 25th of July the army； therefore； stood thus： the Army of the Tennessee （General O。 O。 Howard commanding） was on the left； pretty much on the same ground it had occupied during the battle of the 22d； all ready to move rapidly by the rear to the extreme right beyond Proctor's Creek； the Army of the Ohio （General Schofield） was next in order； with its left flank reaching the Augusta Railroad； next in order； conforming closely with the rebel intrenchmenta of Atlanta； was General Thomas's Army of the Cumberland； in the order ofthe Fourth Corps （Stanley's）； the Twentieth Corps （Williams's）； and the Fourteenth Corps （Palmer's）。 Palmer's right division （Jefferson C。 Davis's） was strongly refused along Proctor's Creek。 This line was about five miles long； and was intrenched as against a sally about as strong as was our enemy。 The cavalry was assembled in two strong divisions； that of McCook （including the brigade of Harrison which had been brought in from Opelika by General Rousseau） numbered about thirty…five hundred effective cavalry； and was posted to our right rear； at Turner's Ferry； where we had a good pontoon…bridge； and to our left rear； at and about Decatur； were the two cavalry divisions of Stoneman； twenty…five hundred； and Garrard； four thousand； united for the time and occasion under the command of Major…General George Stoneman； a cavalry…officer of high repute。 My plan of action was to move the Army of the Tennessee to the right rapidly and boldly against the railroad below Atlanta； and at the same time to send all the cavalry around by the right and left to make a lodgment on the Macon road about Jonesboro。
All the orders were given； and the morning of the 27th was fixed for commencing the movement。 On the 26th I received from General Stoneman a note asking permission （after having accomplished his orders to break up the railroad at Jonesboro） to go on to Macon to rescue our prisoners of war known to be held there； and then to push on to Andersonville； where was the great depot of Union prisoners； in which were penned at one time as many as twenty…three thousand of our men； badly fed and harshly treated。 I wrote him an answer consenting substantially to his proposition； only modifying it by requiring him to send back General Garrard's division to its position on our left flank after he had broken up the railroad at Jonesboro。 Promptly； and on time； all got off； and General Dodge's corps （the Sixteenth； of the Army of the Tennessee） reached its position across Proctor's Creek the same evening； and early the next morning （the 28th） Blair's corps （the Seventeenth） deployed on his right； both corps covering their front with the usual parapet； the Fifteenth Corps （General Logan's） came up that morning on the right of Blair； strongly refused； and began to prepare the usual cover。 As General Jeff。 C。 Davis's division was； as it were； left out of line； I ordered it on the evening before to march down toward Turner's Ferry； and then to take a road laid down on our maps which led from there toward East Point； ready to engage any enemy that might attack our general right flank； after the same manner as had been done to the left flank on the 22d。
Personally on the morning of the 28th I followed the movement； and rode to the extreme right； where we could hear some skirmishing and an occasional cannon…shot。 As we approached the ground held by the Fifteenth Corps； a cannon…ball passed over my shoulder and killed the horse of an orderly behind； and seeing that this gun enfiladed the road by which we were riding； we turned out of it and rode down into a valley； where we left our horses and walked up to the hill held by Morgan L。 Smith's division of the Fifteenth Corps。 Near a house I met Generals Howard and Logan； who explained that there was an intrenched battery to their front； with the appearance of a strong infantry support。 I then walked up to the ridge； where I found General Morgan L。 Smith。 His men were deployed and engaged in rolling logs and fence…rails； preparing a hasty cover。 From this ridge we could overlook the open fields near a meeting…house known as 〃Ezra Church；〃 close by the Poor…House。 We could see the fresh earth of a parapet covering some guns （that fired an occasional shot）； and there was also an appearance of activity beyond。 General Smith was in the act of sending forward a regiment from； his right flank to feel the position of the enemy； when I explained to him and to Generals Logan and Howard that they must look out for General Jeff。 C。 Davis's division； which was comming up from the direction of Turner's Ferry。
As the skirmish…fire warmed up along the front of Blair's corps； as well as along the Fifteenth Corps （Logan's）； I became convinced that Hood designed to attack this right flank； to prevent； if possible； the extension of our line in that direction。 I regained my horse； and rode rapidly back to see that Davis's division had been dispatched as ordered。 I found General Davis in person； who was unwell； and had sent his division that morning early； under the command of his senior brigadier； Morgan； but； as I attached great importance to the movement； he mounted his horse； and rode away to overtake and to hurry forward the movement； so as to come up on the left rear of the enemy； during the expected battle。
By this time the sound of cannon and musketry denoted a severe battle as in progress； which began seriously at 11。30 a。m。； and ended substantially by 4 p。m。 It was a fierce attack by the enemy on our extreme right flank； well posted and partially covered。 The most authentic account of the battle is given by General Logan； who commanded the Fifteenth Corps； in his official report to the Adjutant…General of the Army of the Tennessee； thus：
HEADQUAR
