memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第16章
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Army of the Tennessee； thus：
HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS BEFORE ATLANTA； GEORGIA； July 29； 1864
Lieutenant…Colonel WILLIAM T。 CLARK； Assistant Adjutant…General； Army of the Tennessee； present。
COLONEL： I have the honor to report that； in pursuance of orders； I moved my command into position on the right of the Seventeenth Corps； which was the extreme right of the army in the field； during the night of the 27th and morning of the 28th； and； while advancing in line of battle to a more favorable position； we were met by the rebel infantry of Hardee's and Lee's corps； who made a determined and desperate attack on us at 11 A。M。 of the 28th （yesterday）。
My lines were only protected by logs and rails； hastily thrown up in front of them。
The first onset was received and checked； and the battle commenced and lasted until about three o'clock in the evening。 During that time six successive charges were made； which were six times gallantly repulsed； each time with fearful loss to the enemy。
Later in the evening my lines were several times assaulted vigorously； but each time with like result。 The worst of the fighting occurred on General Harrow's and Morgan L。 Smith's fronts； which formed the centre and right of the corps。 The troops could not have displayed greater courage； nor greater determination not to give ground； had they shown less； they would have been driven from their position。
Brigadier…Generals C。 R。 Woods； Harrow； and Morgan L。 Smith； division commanders； are entitled to equal credit for gallant conduct and skill in repelling the assault。 My thanks are due to Major…Generals Blair and Dodge for sending me reenforeements at a time when they were much needed。 My losses were fifty killed； four hundred and forty…nine wounded； and seventy…three missing： aggregate； five hundred and seventy…two。
The division of General Harrow captured five battle…flags。 There were about fifteen hundred or two thousand muskets left on the ground。 One hundred and six prisoners were captured； exclusive of seventy…three wounded； who were sent to our hospital； and are being cared for by our surgeons。 Five hundred and sixty…five rebels have up to this time been buried； and about two hundred are supposed to be yet unburied。 A large number of their wounded were undoubtedly carried away in the night； as the enemy did not withdraw till near daylight。 The enemy's loss could not have been less than six or seven thousand men。 A more detailed report will hereafter be made。
I am； very respectfully； Your obedient servant；
JOHN A。 LOGAN； Major…General； commanding Fifteenth Army Corps。
General Howard； in transmitting this report； added：
I wish to express my high gratification with the conduct of the troops engaged。 I never saw better conduct in battle。 General Logan； though ill and much worn out； was indefatigable； and the success of the day is as much attributable to him as to any one man。
This was； of coarse； the first fight in which General Howard had commanded the Army of the Tennessee； and he evidently aimed to reconcile General Logan in his disappointment； and to gain the heart of his army； to which he was a stranger。 He very properly left General Logan to fight his own corps； but exposed himself freely； and； after the firing had ceased； in the afternoon he walked the lines； the men； as reported to me； gathered about him in the most affectionate way； and he at once gained their respect and confidence。 To this fact I at the time attached much importance； for it put me at ease as to the future conduct of that most important army。
At no instant of time did I feel the least uneasiness about the result on the 28th； but wanted to reap fuller results； hoping that Davis's division would come up at the instant of defeat； and catch the enemy in flank； but the woods were dense； the roads obscure； and as usual this division got on the wrong road； and did not come into position until about dark。 In like manner； I thought that Hood had greatly weakened his main lines inside of Atlanta； and accordingly sent repeated orders to Schofield and Thomas to make an attempt to break in； but both reported that they found the parapets very strong and full manned。
Our men were unusually encouraged by this day's work； for they realized that we could compel Hood to come out from behind his fortified lines to attack us at a disadvantage。 In conversation with me； the soldiers of the Fifteenth Corps； with whom I was on the most familiar terms； spoke of the affair of the 28th as the easiest thing in the world； that； in fact； it was a common slaughter of the enemy； they pointed out where the rebel lines had been； and how they themselves had fired deliberately； had shot down their antagonists； whose bodies still lay unburied； and marked plainly their lines of battle； which must have halted within easy musket…range of our men； who were partially protected by their improvised line of logs and fence…rails。 All bore willing testimony to the courage and spirit of the foe； who； though repeatedly repulsed； came back with increased determination some six or more times。
The next morning the Fifteenth Corps wheeled forward to the left over the battle…field of the day before； and Davis's division still farther prolonged the line； which reached nearly to the ever…to…be… remembered 〃Sandtown road。〃
Then； by further thinning out Thomas's line； which was well entrenched； I drew another division of Palmer's corps （Baird's） around to the right； to further strengthen that flank。 I was impatient to hear from the cavalry raid； then four days out； and was watching for its effect； ready to make a bold push for the possession of East Point。 General Garrard's division returned to Decatur on the 31st； and reported that General Stoneman had posted him at Flat Rock； while he （Stoneman） went on。 The month of July therefore closed with our infantry line strongly entrenched； but drawn out from the Augusta road on the left to the Sandtown road on the right； a distance of full ten measured miles。
The enemy； though evidently somewhat intimidated by the results of their defeats on the 22d and 28th； still presented a bold front at all points； with fortified lines that defied a direct assault。 Our railroad was done to the rear of our camps； Colonel W。 P。 Wright having reconstructed the bridge across the Chattahoochee in six days； and our garrisons and detachments to the rear had so effectually guarded the railroad that the trains from Nashville arrived daily； and our substantial wants were well supplied。
The month； though hot in the extreme； had been one of constant conflict； without intermission； and on four several occasions… …viz。； July 4th； 20th； 22d； and 28ththese affairs had amounted to real battles； with casualty lists by the thousands。 Assuming the correctness of the rebel surgeon Foard'a report； on page 577 of Johnston's 〃Narrative；〃 commencing with July 4th and terminating with July 31st； we have：
Aggregate loss of the enemy。。。。。。。。。 10；841
Our losses； as compiled from the official returns for July； 1864； are： Killed and Missing。 Wounded。 Total。
Aggregate loss of July。。。。。。。 3；804 5；915 9；719
In this table the column of 〃killed and missing〃 embraces the prisoners that fell into the hands of the enemy； mostly lost in the Seventeenth Corps； on the 22d of July； and does not embrace the losses in the cavalry divisions of Garrard and McCook； which； however； were small for July。 In all other respects the statement is absolutely correct。 I am satisfied； however； that Surgeon Foard could not have been in possession of data sufficiently accurate to enable him to report the losses in actual battle of men who never saw the hospital。 During the whole campaign I had rendered to me tri…monthly statements of 〃effective strength；〃 from which I carefully eliminated the figures not essential for my conduct； so that at all times I knew the exact fighting…strength of each corps； division； and brigade； of the whole army； and also endeavored to bear in mind our losses both on the several fields of battle and by sickness； and well remember that I always estimated that during the month of July we had inflicted heavier loss on the enemy than we had sustained ourselves； and the above figures pxove it conclusively。 Before closing this chapter； I must record one or two minor events that occurred about this time； that may prove of interest。
On the 24th of July I received a dispatch from Inspector…General James A。 Hardie； then on duty at the War Department in Washington； to the effect that Generals Osterhaus and Alvan P。 Hovey had been appointed major…generals。 Both of these had begun the campaign with us in command of divisions； but had gone to the rearthe former by reason of sickness； and the latter dissatisfied with General Schofield and myself about the composition of his division of the Twenty…third Corps。 Both were esteemed as first…class officers； who had gained special distinction in the Vicksburg campaign。 But up to that time； when the newspapers announced daily promotions elsewhere； no prominent officers serving with me had been advanced a peg； and I felt hurt。 I answered Hardie on the 25th； in a dispatch which has been made public； closing with this language： 〃If the rear be the post of honor； then we had better all change front on Washington。〃 To my amazement； in a few days I received from President Lincoln himself an answer； in which he caught me fairly。 I have not preserved a copy of that dispatch； and suppose it was burned up in the Chicago fire； but it was characteristic of Mr。 Lincoln； and was dated the 26th or 27th day of July； contained unequivocal expressions of respect for those who were fighting hard and unselfishly； offering us a full share of the honors and rewards of the war； and saying that； in the cases of Hovey and Osterhaus； he was influenced mainly by the recommendations of Generals Grant and Sherman。 On the 27th I replied direct； apologizing somewhat for my message to General Hardie； saying that I did not suppose such messages ever reached him personally； explaining that General Grant's and Sherman's recommendations for Hovey and Osterhaus had been made when the events of the Vicksburg campaign were fresh with us； and that my dispatch of the 25th to General Hardie had reflected chiefly the feelings of the officers then present with me before Atlanta。 The result of all this； however； was good； for another dispatch from General Hardie； of the 28th； called on me to nominate eight colonels for promotion as brigadier…generals。 I at once sent a circular note to the army…commanders to nominate two colonels from the Army of the Ohio and three from each of the others； and the result was； that on the 29th of July I telegraphed the names of Colonel William Gross； Thirty…sixth Indiana； Colonel Charles C。 Walcutt； Forty…sixth Ohio； Colonel James W。 Riley； One Hundred and Fourth Ohio； Colonel L。 P。 Bradley； Fifty…first Illinois； Colonel J。 W。 Sprague； Sixty…third Ohio； Colonel Joseph A。 Cooper； Sixth East Tennessee； Colonel John T。 Croxton； Fourth Kentucky； Colonel William W。 Belknap； Fifteenth Iowa。 These were promptly appointed brigadier…generals； were already in command of brigades
