memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第26章

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On　the　26th　I　received　this　dispatch。


CITY　POINT；　VIRGINIA；September　26；1864…10　a。m。

Major…General　SHERMAN；　Atlanta　It　will　be　better　to　drive　Forrest　out　of　Middle　Tennessee　as　a　first　step；　and　do　any　thing　else　you　may　feel　your　force　sufficient　for。　　When　a　movement　is　made　on　any　part　of　the　sea…coast；　I　will　advise　you。　　If　Hood　goes　to　the　Alabama　line；　will　it　not　be　impossible　for　him　to　subsist　his　army？　U。　S。　GRANT；　Lieutenant…General。

Answer：

HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OF　THE　MISSISSIPPI　IN　THE　FIELD；　ATLANTA；　GEORGIA；　September　26；　1864。

GENERAL：　I　have　your　dispatch　of　to…day。　I　have　already　sent　one　division　（Newton's）　to　Chattanooga；　and　another　（Corse's）　to　Rome。

Our　armies　are　much　reduced；　and　if　I　send　back　any　more；　I　will　not　be　able　to　threaten　Georgia　much。　　There　are　men　enough　to　the　rear　to　whip　Forrest；　but　they　are　necessarily　scattered　to　defend　the　roads。

Can　you　expedite　the　sending　to　Nashville　of　the　recruits　that　are　in　Indiana　and　Ohio？　They　could　occupy　the　forts。

Hood　is　now　on　the　West　Point　road；　twenty…four　miles　south　of　this；　and　draws　his　supplies　by　that　road。　　Jefferson　Davis　is　there　to…day；　and　superhuman　efforts　will　be　made　to　break　my　road。

Forrest　is　now　lieutenant…general；　and　commands　all　the　enemy's　cavalry。

W。　T。　　SHERMAN；　Major…General。


General　Grant　first　thought　I　was　in　error　in　supposing　that　Jeff。　Davis　was　at　Macon　and　Palmetto；　but　on　the　27th　I　received　a　printed　copy　of　his　speech　made　at　Macon　on　the　22d；　which　was　so　significant　that　I　ordered　it　to　be　telegraphed　entire　as　far　as　Louisville；　to　be　sent　thence　by　mail　to　Washington；　and　on　the　same　day　received　this　dispatch：


WASHINGTON；　D。　C。；　September　27；　1864…9　a。m。　Major…General　SHERMAN；　Atlanta：　You　say　Jeff　Davis　is　on　a　visit　to　General　Hood。　　I　judge　that　Brown　and　Stephens　are　the　objects　of　his　visit。　A。　LINCOLN；　President　of　the　United　States。

To　which　I　replied：

HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OF　THE　MISSISSIPPI　IN　THE　FIELD；　ATLANTA；　GEORGIA；　September　28；　1864。

President　LINCOLN；　Washington；　D。　C。：

I　have　positive　knowledge　that　Mr。　Davis　made　a　speech　at　Macon；　on　the　22d；　which　I　mailed　to　General　Halleck　yesterday。　　It　was　bitter　against　General　Jos。　Johnston　and　Governor　Brown。　　The　militia　are　on　furlough。　　Brown　is　at　Milledgeville；　trying　to　get　a　Legislature　to　meet　next　month；　but　he　is　afraid　to　act　unless　in　concert　with　other　Governors；　Judge　Wright；　of　Rome；　has　been　here；　and　Messrs。　Hill　and　Nelson；　former　members　of　Congress；　are　here　now；　and　will　go　to　meet　Wright　at　Rome；　and　then　go　back　to　Madison　and　Milledgeville。

Great　efforts　are　being　made　to　reenforce　Hood's　army；　and　to　break　up　my　railroads；　and　I　should　have　at　once　a　good　reserve　force　at　Nashville。　　It　would　have　a　bad　effect；　if　I　were　forced　to　send　back　any　considerable　part　of　my　army　to　guard　roads；　so　as　to　weaken　me　to　an　extent　that　I　could　not　act　offensively　if　the　occasion　calls　for　it。

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General。


All　this　time　Hood　and　I　were　carrying　on　the　foregoing　correspondence　relating　to　the　exchange　of　prisoners；　the　removal　of　the　people　from　Atlanta；　and　the　relief　of　our　prisoners　of　war　at　Andersonville。　　Notwithstanding　the　severity　of　their　imprisonment；　some　of　these　men　escaped　from　Andersonville；　and　got　to　me　at　Atlanta。　　They　described　their　sad　condition：　more　than　twenty…five　thousand　prisoners　confined　in　a　stockade　designed　for　only　ten　thousand；　debarred　the　privilege　of　gathering　wood　out　of　which　to　make　huts；　deprived　of　sufficient　healthy　food；　and　the　little　stream　that　ran　through　their　prison　pen　poisoned　and　polluted　by　the　offal　from　their　cooking　and　butchering　houses　above。　　On　the　22d　of　September　I　wrote　to　General　Hood；　describing　the　condition　of　our　men　at　Andersonville；　purposely　refraining　from　casting　odium　on　him　or　his　associates　for　the　treatment　of　these　men；　but　asking　his　consent　for　me　to　procure　from　our　generous　friends　at　the　North　the　articles　of　clothing　and　comfort　which　they　wanted；　viz。；　under…clothing；　soap；　combs；　scissors；　etc。all　needed　to　keep　them　in　healthand　to　send　these　stores　with　a　train；　and　an　officer　to　issue　them。　　General　Hood；　on　the　24th；　promptly　consented；　and　I　telegraphed　to　my　friend　Mr。　James　E。　Yeatman；　Vice…President　of　the　Sanitary　Commission　at　St。　Louis；　to　send　us　all　the　under…clothing　and　soap　he　could　spare；　specifying　twelve　hundred　fine…tooth　combs；　and　four　hundred　pairs　of　shears　to　cut　hair。　　These　articles　indicate　the　plague　that　most　afflicted　our　prisoners　at　Andersonville。

Mr。　Yeatman　promptly　responded　to　my　request；　expressed　the　articles；　but　they　did　not　reach　Andersonville　in　time；　for　the　prisoners　were　soon　after　removed；　these　supplies　did；　however；　finally　overtake　them　at　Jacksonville；　Florida；　just　before　the　war　closed。

On　the　28th　I　received　from　General　Grant　two　dispatches


CITY　POINT；　VIRGINIA；　September　27；　1864…8。30　a。m。　Major…General　SHERMAN：　It　is　evident；　from　the　tone　of　the　Richmond　press　and　from　other　sources　of　information；　that　the　enemy　intend　making　a　desperate　effort　to　drive　you　from　where　you　are。　　I　have　directed　all　new　troops　from　the　West；　and　from　the　East　too；　if　necessary；　in　case　none　are　ready　in　the　West；　to　be　sent　to　you。　　If　General　Burbridge　is　not　too　far　on　his　way　to　Abingdon；　I　think　he　had　better　be　recalled　and　his　surplus　troops　sent　into　Tennessee。　U。　S。　GRANT；　Lieutenant…General。


CITY　POINT；　VIRGINIA；　September　27；　1864…10。30　a。m。　Major…General　SHERMAN：　I　have　directed　all　recruits　and　new　troops　from　all　the　Western　States　to　be　sent　to　Nashville；　to　receive　their　further　orders　from　you。　　I　was　mistaken　about　Jeff。　Davis　being　in　Richmond　on　Thursday　laSt。　He　was　then　on　his　way　to　Macon。　U。　S。　GRANT；　Lieutenant…General。


Forrest　having　already　made　his　appearance　in　Middle　Tennessee；　and　Hood　evidently　edging　off　in　that　direction；　satisfied　me　that　the　general　movement　against　our　roads　had　begun。　　I　therefore　determined　to　send　General　Thomas　back　to　Chattanooga；　with　another　division　（Morgan's；　of　the　Fourteenth　Corps）；　to　meet　the　danger　in　Tennessee。　　General　Thomas　went　up　on　the　29th；　and　Morgan's　division　followed　the　same　day；　also　by　rail。　　And　I　telegraphed　to　General　Halleck

I　take　it　for　granted　that　Forrest　will　cut　our　road；　but　think　we　can　prevent　him　from　making　a　serious　lodgment。　　His　cavalry　will　travel　a　hundred　miles　where　ours　will　ten。　　I　have　sent　two　divisions　up　to　Chattanooga　and　one　to　Rome；　and　General　Thomas　started　to…day　to　drive　Forrest　out　of　Tennessee。　　Our　roads　should　be　watched　from　the　rear；　and　I　am　glad　that　General　Grant　has　ordered　reserves　to　Nashville。　　I　prefer　for　the　future　to　make　the　movement　on　Milledgeville；　Millen；　and　Savannah。　　Hood　now　rests　twenty…four　miles　south；　on　the　Chattahoochee；　with　his　right　on　the　West　Point　road。　　He　is　removing　the　iron　of　the　Macon　road。　　I　can　whip　his　infantry；　but　his　cavalry　is　to　be　feared。

There　was　great　difficulty　in　obtaining　correct　information　about　Hood's　movements　from　Palmetto　Station。　　I　could　not　get　spies　to　penetrate　his　camps；　but　on　the　1st　of　October　I　was　satisfied　that　the　bulk　of　his　infantry　was　at　and　across　the　Chattahoochee　River；　near　Campbellton；　and　that　his　cavalry　was　on　the　west　side；　at　Powder　Springs。　　On　that　day　I　telegraphed　to　General　Grant：

Hood　is　evidently　across　the　Chattahoochee；　below　Sweetwater。　　If　he　tries　to　get　on　our　road；　this　side　of　the　Etowah；　I　shall　attack　him；　but　if　he　goes　to　the　Selma　&　Talladega　road；　why　will　it　not　do　to　leave　Tennessee　to　the　forces　which　Thomas　has；　and　the　reserves　soon　to　come　to　Nashville；　and　for　me　to　destroy　Atlanta　and　march　across　Georgia　to　Savannah　or　Charleston；　breaking　roads　and　doing　irreparable　damage？　We　cannot　remain　on　the　defensive。

The　Selma　&　Talladega　road　herein　referred　to　was　an　unfinished　railroad　from　Selma；　Alabama；　through　Talladega；　to　Blue　Mountain；　a　terminus　sixty…five　miles　southwest　of　Rome　and　about　fifteen　miles　southeast　of　Gadsden；　where　the　rebel　army　could　be　supplied　from　the　direction　of　Montgomery　and　Mobile；　and　from　which　point　Hood　could　easily　threaten　Middle　Tennessee。　　My　first　impression　was；　that　Hood　would　make　for　that　point；　but　by　the　3d　of　October　the　indications　were　that　he　would　strike　our　railroad　nearer　us；　viz。；　about　Kingston　or　Marietta。

Orders　were　at　once　made　for　the　Twentieth　Corps　（Slocum's）　to　hold　Atlanta　and　the　bridges　of　the　Chattahoochee；　and　the　other　corps　were　put　in　motion　for　Marietta。

The　army　had　undergone　many　changes　since　the　capture　of　Atlanta。　General　Schofield　had　gone　to　the　rear；　leaving　General　J。　D。　Cog　in　command　of　the　Army　of　the　Ohio　（Twenty…third　Corps）。　　General　Thomas；　also；　had　been　dispatched　to　Chattanooga；　with　Newton's　division　of　the　Fourth　Corps　and　Morgan's　of　the　Fourteenth　Corps；　leaving　General　D。　S。　Stanley；　the　senior　major…general　of　the　two　corps　of　his　Army　of　the　Cumberland；　remaining　and　available　for　this　movement；　viz。；　the　Fourth　and　Fourteenth；　commanded　by　himself　and　Major…General　Jeff。　C。　Davis；　and　after　General　Dodge　was　wounded；　his　corps　（the　Sixteenth）　had　been　broken　up；　and　its　two　divisions　were　added　to　the　Fifteenth　and　Seventeenth　Corps；　constituting　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee；　commanded　by　Major…General　O。　O。　Howard。　　Generals　Logan　and　Blair　had　gone　home　to　assist　in　the　political　canvass；　leaving　their　corps；　viz。；　the　Fifteenth　and　Seventeenth；　under　the　command　of　Major…Generals　Osterhaus　and　T。　E。　G。　Ransom。

These　five　corps　were　very　much　reduced　in　strength；　by　detachments　and　by　discharges；　so　that　for　the　purpose　of　fighting　Hood　I　had　only　about　sixty　thousand　infantry　and　artillery；　with　two　small　divisions　of　cavalry　（Kilpatrick's　and　Garrard's）。　　General　Elliott　was　the　chief　of　cavalry　to　the　Army　of　the　Cumberland；　and　was　the　senior　officer　of　that　arm　of　service　present　for　duty　with　me。

We　had　strong　railroad　guards　at　Marietta　and　Kenesaw；　Allatoona；　Etowah　Bridge；　Kingston；　Rome；　Resaca；　Dalton；　Ringgold；　and　Chattanooga。　　All　the　important　bridges　were　likewise　protected　by　good　block…houses；　admirably　constructed；　and　capable　of　a　strong　defense　against　cavalry　or　infantry；　and　at　nearly　all　the　regular　railroad…stations　we　had　smaller　detachments　intrenched。　　I　had　little　fear　of　the　enemy's　cavalry　damaging　our　roads　seriously；　for　they　rarely　made　a　break　which　could　not　be　repaired　in　a　few　days；　but　it　was　absolutely　necessary　to　keep　General　Hood's　infantry　off　our　main　route　of　communication　and　supply。　　Forrest　had　with　him　in　Middle　Tennessee　about　eight　thousand　cavalry；　and　Hood's　army　was　estimated　at　from　thirty…five　to　forty　thousand　men；　infantry　and　artillery；　including　Wheeler's　cavalry；　then　about　three　thousand　strong。

We　crossed　the　Chattahoochee　River　during　the　3d　and　4th　of　October；　rendezvoused　at　the　old　battle…field　of　Smyrna　Camp；　and　the　next　day　reached　Marietta　and　Kenesaw。　　The　telegraph…wires　had　been　cut　above　Marietta；　and　learning　that　heavy　masses　of　infantry；　artillery；　and　cavalry；　had　been　seen　from　Kenesaw　（marching　north）；　I　inferred　that　Allatoona　was　their　objective　point；　and　on