memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第33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！


n；　and　never　before　or　since　have　I　heard　the　chorus　of　〃Glory；　glory；　hallelujah！〃　done　with　more　spirit；　or　in　better　harmony　of　time　and　place。

Then　we　turned　our　horses'　heads　to　the　east；　Atlanta　was　soon　lost　behind　the　screen　of　trees；　and　became　a　thing　of　the　paSt。　Around　it　clings　many　a　thought　of　desperate　battle；　of　hope　and　fear；　that　now　seem　like　the　memory　of　a　dream；　and　I　have　never　seen　the　place　since。　　The　day　was　extremely　beautiful；　clear　sunlight；　with　bracing　air；　and　an　unusual　feeling　of　exhilaration　seemed　to　pervade　all　mindsa　feeling　of　something　to　come；　vague　and　undefined；　still　full　of　venture　and　intense　intereSt。　Even　the　common　soldiers　caught　the　inspiration；　and　many　a　group　called　out　to　me　as　I　worked　my　way　past　them；　〃Uncle　Billy；　I　guess　Grant　is　waiting　for　us　at　Richmond！〃　　Indeed；　the　general　sentiment　was　that　we　were　marching　for　Richmond；　and　that　there　we　should　end　the　war；　but　how　and　when　they　seemed　to　care　not；　nor　did　they　measure　the　distance；　or　count　the　cost　in　life；　or　bother　their　brains　about　the　great　rivers　to　be　crossed；　and　the　food　required　for　man　and　beast；　that　had　to　be　gathered　by　the　way。　　There　was　a　〃devil…may…care〃　feeling　pervading　officers　and　men；　that　made　me　feel　the　full　load　of　responsibility；　for　success　would　be　accepted　as　a　matter　of　course；　whereas；　should　we　fail；　this　〃march〃　would　be　adjudged　the　wild　adventure　of　a　crazy　fool。　　I　had　no　purpose　to　march　direct　for　Richmond　by　way　of　Augusta　and　Charlotte；　but　always　designed　to　reach　the　sea…coast　first　at　Savannah　or　Port　Royal；　South　Carolina；　and　even　kept　in　mind　the　alternative　of　Pensacola。

The　first　night　out　we　camped　by　the　road…side　near　Lithonia。　Stone　Mountain；　a　mass　of　granite；　was　in　plain　view；　cut　out　in　clear　outline　against　the　blue　sky；　the　whole　horizon　was　lurid　with　the　bonfires　of　rail…ties；　and　groups　of　men　all　night　were　carrying　the　heated　rails　to　the　nearest　trees；　and　bending　them　around　the　trunks。　　Colonel　Poe　had　provided　tools　for　ripping　up　the　rails　and　twisting　them　when　hot；　but　the　best　and　easiest　way　is　the　one　I　have　described；　of　heating　the　middle　of　the　iron…rails　on　bonfires　made　of　the　cross…ties；　and　then　winding　them　around　a　telegraph…pole　or　the　trunk　of　some　convenient　sapling。　　I　attached　much　importance　to　this　destruction　of　the　railroad；　gave　it　my　own　personal　attention；　and　made　reiterated　orders　to　others　on　the　subject。

The　next　day　we　passed　through　the　handsome　town　of　Covington；　the　soldiers　closing　up　their　ranks；　the　color…bearers　unfurling　their　flags；　and　the　bands　striking　up　patriotic　airs。　　The　white　people　came　out　of　their　houses　to　behold　the　sight；　spite　of　their　deep　hatred　of　the　invaders；　and　the　negroes　were　simply　frantic　with　joy。　　Whenever　they　heard　my　name；　they　clustered　about　my　horse；　shouted　and　prayed　in　their　peculiar　style；　which　had　a　natural　eloquence　that　would　have　moved　a　stone。　　I　have　witnessed　hundreds；　if　not　thousands；　of　such　scenes；　and　can　now　see　a　poor　girl；　in　the　very　ecstasy　of　the　Methodist　〃shout；〃　hugging　the　banner　of　one　of　the　regiments；　and　jumping　up　to　the　〃feet　of　Jesus。〃

I　remember；　when　riding　around　by　a　by…street　in　Covington；　to　avoid　the　crowd　that　followed　the　marching　column；　that　some　one　brought　me　an　invitation　to　dine　with　a　sister　of　Sam。　Anderson；　who　was　a　cadet　at　West　Point　with　me；　but　the　messenger　reached　me　after　we　had　passed　the　main　part　of　the　town。　　I　asked　to　be　excused；　and　rode　on　to　a　place　designated　for　camp；　at　the　crossing　of　the　Ulcofauhachee　River；　about　four　miles　to　the　east　of　the　town。　　Here　we　made　our　bivouac；　and　I　walked　up　to　a　plantation…house　close　by；　where　were　assembled　many　negroes；　among　them　an　old；　gray…haired　man；　of　as　fine　a　head　as　I　ever　saw。　　I　asked　him　if　he　understood　about　the　war　and　its　progress。　　He　said　he　did；　that　he　had　been　looking　for　the　〃angel　of　the　Lord〃　ever　since　he　was　knee…high；　and；　though　we　professed　to　be　fighting　for　the　Union；　he　supposed　that　slavery　was　the　cause；　and　that　our　success　was　to　be　his　freedom。　　I　asked　him　if　all　the　negro　slaves　comprehended　this　fact；　and　he　said　they　surely　did。　　I　then　explained　to　him　that　we　wanted　the　slaves　to　remain　where　they　were；　and　not　to　load　us　down　with　useless　months；　which　would　eat　up　the　food　needed　for　our　fighting　men；　that　our　success　was　their　assured　freedom；　that　we　could　receive　a　few　of　their　young；　hearty　men　as　pioneers；　but　that；　if　they　followed　us　in　swarms　of　old　and　young；　feeble　and　helpless；　it　would　simply　load　us　down　and　cripple　us　in　our　great　task。　　I　think　Major　Henry　Hitchcock　was　with　me　on　that　occasion；　and　made　a　note　of　the　conversation；　and　I　believe　that　old　man　spread　this　message　to　the　slaves；　which　was　carried　from　mouth　to　mouth；　to　the　very　end　of　our　journey；　and　that　it　in　part　saved　us　from　the　great　danger　we　incurred　of　swelling　our　numbers　so　that　famine　would　have　attended　our　progress。　　It　was　at　this　very　plantation　that　a　soldier　passed　me　with　a　ham　on　his　musket；　a　jug　of　sorghum…molasses　under　his　arm；　and　a　big　piece　of　honey　in　his　hand；　from　which　he　was　eating；　and；　catching　my　eye；　he　remarked　sotto　voce　and　carelessly　to　a　comrade；　〃Forage　liberally　on　the　country；〃　quoting　from　my　general　orders。　　On　this　occasion；　as　on　many　others　that　fell　under　my　personal　observation；　I　reproved　the　man；　explained　that　foraging　must　be　limited　to　the　regular　parties　properly　detailed；　and　that　all　provisions　thus　obtained　must　be　delivered　to　the　regular　commissaries；　to　be　fairly　distributed　to　the　men　who　kept　their　ranks。

》From　Covington　the　Fourteenth　Corps　（Davis's）；　with　which　I　was　traveling；　turned　to　the　right　for　Milledgeville；　via　Shady　Dale。　General　Slocum　was　ahead　at　Madison；　with　the　Twentieth　Corps；　having　torn　tip　the　railroad　as　far　as　that　place；　and　thence　had　sent　Geary's　division　on　to　the　Oconee；　to　burn　the　bridges　across　that　stream；　when　this　corps　turned　south　by　Eatonton；　for　Milledgeville；　the　common　〃objective〃　for　the　first　stage　of　the　〃march。〃　　We　found　abundance　of　corn；　molasses；　meal；　bacon；　and　sweet…potatoes。　　We　also　took　a　good　many　cows　and　oxen；　and　a　large　number　of；　mules。　　In　all　these　the　country　was　quite　rich；　never　before　having　been　visited　by　a　hostile　army；　the　recent　crop　had　been　excellent；　had　been　just　gathered　and　laid　by　for　the　winter。　　As　a　rule；　we　destroyed　none；　but　kept　our　wagons　full；　and　fed　our　teams　bountifully。

The　skill　and　success　of　the　men　in　collecting　forage　was　one　of　the　features　of　this　march。　　Each　brigade　commander　had　authority　to　detail　a　company　of　foragers；　usually　about　fifty　men；　with　one　or　two　commissioned　officers　selected　for　their　boldness　and　enterprise。　　This　party　would　be　dispatched　before　daylight　with　a　knowledge　of　the　intended　day's　march　and　camp；　would　proceed　on　foot　five　or　six　miles　from　the　route　traveled　by　their　brigade；　and　then　visit　every　plantation　and　farm　within　range。　　They　would　usually　procure　a　wagon　or　family　carriage；　load　it　with　bacon；　corn…meal；　turkeys；　chickens；　ducks；　and　every　thing　that　could　be　used　as　food　or　forage；　and　would　then　regain　the　main　road；　usually　in　advance　of　their　train。　　When　this　came　up；　they　would　deliver　to　the　brigade　commissary　the　supplies　thus　gathered　by　the　way。　　Often　would　I　pass　these　foraging…parties　at　the　roadside；　waiting　for　their　wagons　to　come　up；　and　was　amused　at　their　strange　collectionsmules；　horses；　even　cattle；　packed　with　old　saddles　and　loaded　with　hams；　bacon；　bags　of　cornmeal；　and　poultry　of　every　character　and　description。　　Although　this　foraging　was　attended　with　great　danger　and　hard　work；　there　seemed　to　be　a　charm　about　it　that　attracted　the　soldiers；　and　it　was　a　privilege　to　be　detailed　on　such　a　party。　　Daily　they　returned　mounted　on　all　sorts　of　beasts；　which　were　at　once　taken　from　them　and　appropriated　to　the　general　use；　but　the　next　day　they　would　start　out　again　on　foot；　only　to　repeat　the　experience　of　the　day　before。　No　doubt；　many　acts　of　pillage；　robbery；　and　violence；　were　committed　by　these　parties　of　foragers；　usually　called　〃bummers；〃　for　I　have　since　heard　of　jewelry　taken　from　women；　and　the　plunder　of　articles　that　never　reached　the　commissary；　but　these　acts　were　exceptional　and　incidental。　　I　never　heard　of　any　cases　of　murder　or　rape；　and　no　army　could　have　carried　along　sufficient　food　and　forage　for　a　march　of　three　hundred　miles；　so　that　foraging　in　some　shape　was　necessary。　　The　country　was　sparsely　settled；　with　no　magistrates　or　civil　authorities　who　could　respond　to　requisitions；　as　is　done　in　all　the　wars　of　Europe；　so　that　this　system　of　foraging　was　simply　indispensable　to　our　success。　　By　it　our　men　were　well　supplied　with　all　the　essentials　of　life　and　health；　while　the　wagons　retained　enough　in　case　of　unexpected　delay；　and　our　animals　were　well　fed。　　Indeed；　when　we　reached　Savannah；　the　trains　were　pronounced　by　experts　to　be　the　finest　in　flesh　and　appearance　ever　seen　with　any　army。

Habitually　each　corps　followed　some　main　road；　and　the　foragers；…　being　kept　out　on　the　exposed　flank；　served　all　the　military　uses　of　flankers。　　The　main　columns　gathered；　by　the　roads　traveled；　much　forage　and　food；　chiefly　meat；　corn；　and　sweet…potatoes；　and　it　was　the　duty　of　each　division　and　brigade　quartermaster　to　fill　his　wagons　as　fast　as　the　contents　were　issued　to　the　troops。　　The　wagon…trains　had　the　right　to　the　road　always；　but　each　wagon　was　required　to　keep　closed　up；　so　as　to　leave　no　gaps　in　the　column。　If　for　any　purpose　any　wagon　or　group　of　wagons　dropped　out　of　place；　they　had　to　wait　for　the　rear。　　And　this　was　always　dreaded；　for　each　brigade　commander　wanted　his　train　up　at　camp　as　soon　after　reaching　it　with　his　men　as　possible。

I　have　seen　much　skill　and　industry　displayed　by　these　quarter…　masters　on　the　march；　in　trying　to　load　their　wagons　with　corn　and　fodder　by　the　way　without　losing　their　place　in　column。　　They　would；　while　marching；　shift　the　loads　of　wagons；　so　as　to　have　six　or　ten　of　them　empty。　　Then；　riding　well　ahead；　they　would　secure　possession　of　certain　stacks　of　fodder　near　the　road；　or　cribs　of　corn；　leave　some　men　in　charge；　then　open　fences　and　a　road　back　for　a　couple　of　miles；　return　to　their　trains；　divert　the　empty　wagons　out　of　column；　and　conduct　them　rapidly　to　their　forage；　load　up　and　regain　their　place　in　column　without　losing　distance。　On　one　occasion　I　remember　to　have　seen　ten　or　a　dozen　wagons　thus　loaded　with　corn　from　two　or　three　full　cribs；　almost　without　halting。　　These　cribs　were　built　of　logs；　and　roofed。　　The　train…guard；　by　a　lever；　had　raised　the　whole　side　of　the　crib　a　foot　or　two；　the　wagons　drove　close　alongside；　and　the　men　in　the　cribs；　lying　on　their　backs；　kicked　out　a　wagon…load　of　corn　in　the　time　I　have　taken　to　describe　it。

In　a　well…ordered　and　well…disciplined　army；　these　things　might　be　deemed　irregular；　but　I　am　convinced　that　the　ingenuity　of　these　younger　officers　accomplished　many　things　far　better　than　I　could　have　ordered；　and　the　marches　were　thus　made；　and　the　distances　were　accomplished；　in　the　most　admirable　way。　　Habitually　we　started　from　camp　at　the　earliest　break　of　dawn；　and　usua