memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第35章
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and destroy all the roads in Sherman's front； flank； and rear； and his army will soon starve in your midSt。 Be confident。 Be resolute。 Trust in an overruling Providence； and success will soon crown your efforts。 I hasten to join you in the defense of your homes and firesides。
G。 T。 BEAUREGARD。
RICHMOND； November 18； 1884。
To the People of Georgia：
You have now the best opportunity ever yet presented to destroy the enemy。 Put every thing at the disposal of our generals； remove all provisions from the path of the； invader； and put all obstructions in his path。
Every citizen with his gun； and every negro with his spade and axe； can do the work of a soldier。 You can destroy the enemy by retarding his march。
Georgians； be firm！ Act promptly； and fear not！
B。 H。 Hill； Senator。
I most cordially approve the above。 James A。 SEDDON； Secretary of War。
Richmond； November 19；1864。
To the People of Georgia：
We have had a special conference with President Davis and the Secretary of War； and are able to assure you that they have done and are still doing all that can be done to meet the emergency that presses upon you。 Let every man fly to arms！ Remove your negroes； horses； cattle； and provisions from Sherman's army； and burn what you cannot carry。 Burn all bridges； and block up the roads in his route。 Assail the invader in front； flank； and rear； by night and by day。 Let him have no rest。
JULIAN HARTRIDGE MARK BLANDFORD； J。 H。 ECHOLS GEO。 N。 LESTER JOHN T。 SHUEMAKE JAS。 M。 SMITH；
Members of Congress。
Of course； we were rather amused than alarmed at these threats； and made light of the feeble opposition offered to our progress。 Some of the officers （in the spirit of mischief） gathered together in the vacant hall of Representatives； elected a Speaker； and constituted themselves the Legislature of the State of Georgia！ A proposition was made to repeal the ordinance of secession； which was well debated； and resulted in its repeal by a fair vote！ I was not present at these frolics； but heard of them at the time； and enjoyed the joke。
Meantime orders were made for the total destruction of the arsenal and its contents； and of such public buildings as could be easily converted to hostile uses。 But little or no damage was done to private property； and General Slocum； with my approval； spared several mills； and many thousands of bales of cotton； taking what he knew to be worthless bonds； that the cotton should not be used for the Confederacy。 Meantime the right wing continued its movement along the railroad toward Savannah； tearing up the track and destroying its iron。 At the Oconee was met a feeble resistance from Harry Wayne's troops； but soon the pontoon…bridge was laid； and that wing crossed over。 Gilpatrick's cavalry was brought into Milledgeville； and crossed the Oconee by the bridge near the town； and on the 23d I made the general orders for the next stage of the march as far as Millen。 These were； substantially； for the right wing to follow the Savannah Railroad； by roads on its south； the left wing was to move to Sandersville； by Davisboro' and Louisville； while the cavalry was ordered by a circuit to the north； and to march rapidly for Millen； to rescue our prisoners of war confined there。 The distance was about a hundred miles。
General Wheeler； with his division of rebel cavalry； had succeeded in getting ahead of us between Milledgeville and Augusta； and General P。 J。 Hardee had been dispatched by General Beauregard from Hood's army to oppose our progress directly in front。 He had； however； brought with him no troops； but relied on his influence with the Georgians （of whose State he was a native） to arouse the people； and with them to annihilate Sherman's army！
On the 24th we renewed the march； and I accompanied the Twentieth Corps； which took the direct road to Sandersville； which we reached simultaneously with the Fourteenth Corps； on the 26th。 A brigade of rebel cavalry was deployed before the town； and was driven in and through it by our skirmishline。 I myself saw the rebel cavalry apply fire to stacks of fodder standing in the fields at Sandersville； and gave orders to burn some unoccupied dwellings close by。 On entering the town； I told certain citizens （who would be sure to spread the report） that； if the enemy attempted to carry out their threat to burn their food； corn； and fodder； in our route； I would most undoubtedly execute to the letter the general orders of devastation made at the outset of the campaign。 With this exception； and one or two minor cases near Savannah； the people did not destroy food； for they saw clearly that it would be ruin to themselves。
At Sandersville I halted the left wing until I heard that the right wing was abreast of us on the railroad。 During the evening a negro was brought to me； who had that day been to the station （Tenille）； about six miles south of the town。 I inquired of him if there were any Yankees there； and he answered； 〃Yes。〃 He described in his own way what he had seen。
First； there come along some cavalry…men； and they burned the depot； then come along some infantry…men； and they tore up the track； and burned it；〃 and just before he left they had 〃sot fire to the well〃
The next morning； viz。； the 27th； I rode down to the station； and found General Corse's division （of the Fifteenth Corps） engaged in destroying the railroad； and saw the well which my negro informant had seen 〃burnt。〃 It was a square pit about twenty…five feet deep； boarded up； with wooden steps leading to the bottom； wherein was a fine copper pump； to lift the water to a tank above。 The soldiers had broken up the pump； heaved in the steps and lining； and set fire to the mass of lumber in the bottom of the well； which corroborated the negro's description。
》From this point Blair's corps； the Seventeenth； took up the work of destroying the railroad； the Fifteenth Corps following another road leading eastward； farther to the south of the railroad。 While the left wing was marching toward Louisville； north of the railroad； General Kilpatrick had； with his cavalry division； moved rapidly toward Waynesboro'； on the branch railroad leading from Millen to Augusta。 He found Wheeler's division of rebel cavalry there； and had considerable skirmishing with it； but； learning that our prisoners had been removed two days before from Millen； he returned to Louisville on the 29th； where he found the left wing。 Here he remained a couple of days to rest his horses； and； receiving orders from me to engage Wheeler and give him all the fighting he wanted； he procured from General Slocum the assistance of the infantry division of General Baird； and moved back for Waynesboro' on the 2d of December； the remainder of the left wing continuing its march on toward Millers。 Near Waynesboro' Wheeler was again encountered； and driven through the town and beyond Brier Creek； toward Augusta； thus keeping up the delusion that the main army was moving toward Augusta。 General Kilpatrick's fighting and movements about Waynesboro' and Brier Creek were spirited； and produced a good effect by relieving the infantry column and the wagon…trains of all molestation during their march on Millen。 Having thus covered that flank； he turned south and followed the movement of the Fourteenth Corps to Buckhead Church； north of Millen and near it。
On the 3d of December I entered Millen with the Seventeenth Corps （General Frank P。 Blair）； and there paused one day； to communicate with all parts of the army。 General Howard was south of the Ogeechee River； with the Fifteenth Corps； opposite Scarboro'。 General Slocum was at Buckhead Church； four miles north of Millen； with the Twentieth Corps。 The Fourteenth （General Davis） was at Lnmpkin's Station； on the Augusta road； about ten miles north of Millen； and the cavalry division was within easy support of this wing。 Thus the whole army was in good position and in good condition。 We had largely subsisted on the country； our wagons were full of forage and provisions； but； as we approached the sea…coast； the country became more sandy and barren； and food became more scarce； still； with little or no loss； we had traveled two…thirds of our distance； and I concluded to push on for Savannah。 At Millen I learned that General Bragg was in Augusta； and that General Wade Hampton had been ordered there from Richmond； to organize a large cavalry force with which to resist our progress。
General Hardee was ahead； between us and Savannah； with McLaw's division； and other irregular troops； that could not； I felt assured； exceed ten thousand men。 I caused the fine depot at Millen to be destroyed； and other damage done； and then resumed the march directly on Savannah； by the four main roads。 The Seven… teenth Corps （General Blair） followed substantially the railroad； and； along with it； on the 5th of December； I reached Ogeechee Church； about fifty miles from Savannah； and found there fresh earthworks； which had been thrown up by McLaw's division； but he must have seen that both his flanks were being turned； and prudently retreated to Savannah without a fight。 All the columns then pursued leisurely their march toward Savannah； corn and forage becoming more and more scarce； but rice…fields beginning to occur along the Savannah and Ogeechee Rivers； which proved a good substitute； both as food and forage。 The weather was fine； the roads good； and every thing seemed to favor us。 Never do I recall a more agreeable sensation than the sight of our camps by night； lit up by the fires of fragrant pine…knots。 The trains were all in good order； and the men seemed to march their fifteen miles a day as though it were nothing。 No enemy opposed us； and we could only occasionally hear the faint reverberation of a gun to our left rear； where we knew that General Kilpatrick was skirmishing with Wheeler's cavalry； which persistently followed him。 But the infantry columns had met with no opposition whatsoever。 McLaw's division was falling back before us； and we occasionally picked up a few of his men as prisoners； who insisted that we would meet with strong opposition at Savannah。
On the 8th； as I rode along； I found the column turned out of the main road； marching through the fields。 Close by； in the corner of a fence； was a group of men standing around a handsome young officer； whose foot had been blown to pieces by a torpedo planted in the road。 He was waiting for a surgeon to amputate his leg； and told me that he was riding along with the rest of his brigade…staff of the Seventeenth Corps； when a torpedo trodden on by his horse had exploded； killing the horse and literally blowing off all the flesh from one of his legs。 I saw the terrible wound； and made full inquiry into the facts。 There had been no resistance at that point； nothing to give warning of danger； and the rebels had planted eight…inch shells in the road； with friction…matches to explode them by being trodden on。 This was not war； but murder； and it made me very angry。 I immediately ordered a lot of rebel prisoners to be brought from the provost…guard； armed with picks and spades； and made them march in close order along the road； so as to explode their own torpedoes； or to discover and d
