memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第29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！
ot cooperate with you as at first arranged。
GEORGE H。 THOMAS； Major…General。
So it is clear that at that date neither General Grant nor General Thomas heartily favored my proposed plan of campaign。 On the same day； I wrote to General Schofield at Chattanooga：
Hood is not at Dear Head Cove。 We occupy Ship's Gap and Lafayette。 Hood is moving south via Summerville； Alpine； and Gadsden。 If he enters Tennessee； it will be to the west of Huntsville； but I think he has given up all such idea。 I want the road repaired to Atlanta； the sick and wounded men sent north of the Tennessee； my army recomposed； and I will then make the interior of Georgia feel the weight of war。 It is folly for us to be moving our armies on the reports of scouts and citizens。 We must maintain the offensive。 Your first move on Trenton and Valley Head was right… …the move to defend Caperton's Ferry is wrong。 Notify General Thomas of these my views。 We must follow Hood till he is beyoud the reach of mischief； and then resume the offensive。
The correspondence between me and the authorities at Washington； as well as with the several army commanders； given at length in the report of the Committee on the Conduct of the War； is full on all these points。
After striking our road at Dalton； Hood was compelled to go on to Chattanooga and Bridgeport； or to pass around by Decatur and abandon altogether his attempt to make us let go our hold of Atlanta by attacking our communications。 It was clear to me that he had no intention to meet us in open battle； and the lightness and celerity of his army convinced me that I could not possibly catch him on a stern…chase。 We therefore quietly followed him down the Chattooga Valley to the neighborhood of Gadsden； but halted the main armies near the Coosa River； at the mouth of the Chattooga； drawing our supplies of corn and meat from the farms of that comparatively rich valley and of the neighborhood。
General Slocum； in Atlanta； had likewise sent out； under strong escort； large trains of wagons to the east； and brought back corn； bacon； and all kinds of provisions； so that Hood's efforts to cut off our supplies only reacted on his own people。 So long as the railroads were in good order； our supplies came full and regular from the North； but when the enemy broke our railroads we were perfectly justified in stripping the inhabitants of all they had。 I remember well the appeal of a very respectable farmer against our men driving away his fine flock of sheep。 I explained to him that General Hood had broken our railroad； that we were a strong； hungry crowd； and needed plenty of food； that Uncle Sam was deeply interested in our continued health and would soon repair these roads； but meantime we must eat； we preferred Illinois beef； but mutton would have to answer。 Poor fellow！ I don't believe he was convinced of the wisdom or wit of my explanation。 Very soon after reaching Lafayette we organized a line of supply from Chattanooga to Ringgold by rail； and thence by wagons to our camps about Gaylesville。 Meantime； also； Hood had reached the neighborhood of Gadsden； and drew his supplies from the railroad at Blue Mountain。
On the 19th of October I telegraphed to General Halleck； at Washington：
Hood has retreated rapidly by all the roads leading south。 Our advance columns are now at Alpine and Melville Post…Office。 I shall pursue him as far as Gaylesville。 The enemy will not venture toward Tennessee except around by Decatur。 I propose to send the Fourth Corps back to General Thomas； and leave him； with that corps； the garrisons； and new troops； to defend the line of the Tennessee River； and with the rest I will push into the heart of Georgia and come out at Savannah； destroying all the railroads of the State。 The break in our railroad at Big Shanty is almost repaired； and that about Dalton should be done in ten days。 We find abundance of forage in the country。
On the same day I telegraphed to General L。 C。 Easton； chief…quartermaster； who had been absent on a visit to Missouri； but had got back to Chattanooga：
Go in person to superintend the repairs of the railroad； and make all orders in my name that will expedite its completion。 I want it finished； to bring back from Atlanta to Chattanooga the sick and wounded men and surplus stores。 On the 1st of November I want nothing in front of Chattanooga except what we can use as food and clothing and haul in our wagons。 There is plenty of corn in the country； and we only want forage for the posts。 I allow ten days for all this to be done； by which time I expect to be at or near Atlanta。
I telegraphed also to General Amos Beckwith； chief…commissary in Atlanta； who was acting as chief…quartermaster during the absence of General Easton：
Hood will escape me。 I want to prepare for my big raid。 On the 1st of November I want nothing in Atlanta but what is necessary for war。 Send all trash to the rear at once； and have on hand thirty days' food and but little forage。 I propose to abandon Atlanta； and the railroad back to Chattanooga； to sally forth to ruin Georgia and bring up on the seashore。 Make all dispositions accordingly。 I will go down the Coosa until I am sure that Hood has gone to Blue Mountain。
On the 21st of October I reached Gaylesville； had my bivouac in an open field back of the village； and remained there till the 28th。 During that time General Schofield arrived； with the two divisions of Generals Wagner （formerly Newton's） and Morgan； which were returned to their respective corps （the Fourth and Fourteenth）； and General Schofield resumed his own command of the Army of the Ohio； then on the Coosa River； near Cedar Bluff。 General Joseph A。 Mower also arrived； and was assigned to command a division in the Seventeenth Corps； and General J。 H。 Wilson came； having been sent from Virginia by General Grant； for the purpose of commanding all my cavalry。 I first intended to organize this cavalry into a corps of three small divisions； to be commanded by General Wilson； but the horses were well run down； and； at Wilson's instance； I concluded to retain only one division of four thousand five hundred men； with selected horses； under General Kilpatrick； and to send General Wilson back with all the rest to Nashville； to be reorganized and to act under General Thomas in the defense of Tennessee。 Orders to this effect were made on the 24th of October。
General Grant； in designating General Wilson to command my cavalry； predicted that he would； by his personal activity； increase the effect of that arm 〃fifty per cent。；〃 and he advised that he should be sent south； to accomplish all that I had proposed to do with the main army； but I had not so much faith in cavalry as he had； and preferred to adhere to my original intention of going myself with a competent force。
About this time I learned that General Beauregard had reached Hood's army at Gadsden； that； without assuming direct command of that army； he had authority from the Confederate Government to direct all its movements； and to call to his assistance the whole strength of the South。 His orders； on assuming command； were full of alarm and desperation； dated：
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE WEST October 17； 1864
In assuming command； at this critical juncture； of the Military Division of the West； I appeal to my countrymen； of all classes and sections； for their generous support。 In assigning me to this responsible position； the President of the Confederate States has extended to me the assurance of his earnest support。 The Executives of your States meet me with similar expressions of their devotion to our cause。 The noble army in the field； composed of brave men and gallant officers； are strangers to me； but I know they will do all that patriots can achieve。。。。。
The army of Sherman still defiantly holds Atlanta。 He can and must be driven from it。 It is only for the good people of Georgia and surrounding states to speak the word； and the work is done； we have abundant provisions。 There are men enough in the country； liable to and able for service； to accomplish the result。。。。。
My countrymen； respond to this call as you have done in days that are past； and； with the blessing of a kind and overruling Providence； the enemy shall be driven from your soil。 The security of your wives and daughters from the insults and outrages of a brutal foe shall be established soon； and be followed by a； permanent and honorable peace。 The claims of home and country； wife and children； uniting with the demands of honor and patriotism； summon us to the field。 We cannot； dare not； will not fail to respond。 Full of hope and confidence； I come to join you in your struggles； sharing your privations； and； with your brave and true men； to strike the blow that shall bring success to our； arms； triumph to our cause； and peace to our country！。。。。。。
G。 T。 BEAUREGARD； General。
Notwithstanding this somewhat boastful order or appeal； General Beauregard did not actually accompany General Hood on his disastrous march to Nashville； but took post at Corinth； Mississippi； to control the movement of his supplies and to watch me。
At Gaylesville the pursuit of Hood by the army under my immediate command may be said to have ceased。 During this pursuit； the Fifteenth Corps was commanded by its senior major…general present； P。 J。 Osterhaus； in the absence of General John A。 Logan； and the Seventeenth Corps was commanded by Brigadier…General T。 E。 G。 Ransom； the senior officer present； in the absence of General Frank P。 Blair。
General Ransom was a young； most gallant； and promising officer； son of the Colonel Ransom who was killed at Chapultepec； in the Mexican War。 He had served with the Army of the Tennessee in 1862 and 1863； at Vicksburg； where he was severely wounded。 He was not well at the time we started from Atlanta； but he insisted on going along with his command。 His symptoms became more aggravated on the march； and when we were encamped near Gaylesville； I visited him in company with Surgeon John Moors； United States Army； who said that the case was one of typhoid fever； which would likely prove fatal。 A few days after； viz。； the 28th； he was being carried on a litter toward Rome； and as I rode from Gaylesville to Rome； I passed him by the way； stopped； and spoke with him； but did not then suppose he was so near his end。 The next day； however； his escort reached Rome； bearing his dead body。 The officer in charge reported that； shortly after I had passed； his symptoms became so much worse that they stopped at a farmhouse by the road…side； where he died that evening。 His body was at once sent to Chicago for burial； and a monument has been ordered by the Society of the Army of the Tennessee to be erected in his memory。
On the 26th of October I learned that Hood's whole army had made its appearance about Decatur； Alabama； and at once caused a strong reconnoissance to be made down the Coosa to near Gadsden； which revealed the truth that the enemy was gone except a small force of cavalry； commanded by General Wheeler； which had been left to watch us。 I then finally resolved on my future course； which was to leave Hood to be encountered by General Thomas； while I should carry into
