memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第43章

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fulfills　my　plans；　which　contemplated　his　being　able　to　dispose　of　Hood；　in　case　he　ventured　north　of　the　Tennessee　River。　　So；　I　think；　on　the　whole；　I　can　chuckle　over　Jeff。　Davis's　disappointment　in　not　turning　my　Atlanta　campaign　into　a　〃Moscow　disaster。〃

I　have　just　finished　a　long　letter　to　General　Grant；　and　have　explained　to　him　that　we　are　engaged　in　shifting　our　base　from　the　Ogeeohee　to　the　Savannah　River；　dismantling　all　the　forts　made　by　the　enemy　to　bear　upon　the　salt…water　channels；　transferring　the　heavy　ordnance；　etc。；　to　Fort　Pulaski　and　Hilton　Head；　and　in　remodeling　the　enemy's　interior　lines　to　suit　our　future　plans　and　purposes。　　I　have　also　laid　down　the　programme　for　a　campaign　which　I　can　make　this　winter；　and　which　will　put　me　in　the　spring　on　the　Roanoke；　in　direct　communication　with　General　Grant　on　James　River。　In　general　terms；　my　plan　is　to　turn　over　to　General　Foster　the　city　of　Savannah；　to　sally　forth　with　my　army　resupplied；　cross　the　Savannah；　feign　on　Charleston　and　Augusta；　but　strike　between；　breaking　en　route　the　Charleston　&　Augusta　Railroad；　also　a　large　part　of　that　from　Branchville　and　Camden　toward　North　Carolina；　and　then　rapidly　to　move　for　some　point　of　the　railroad　from　Charleston　to　Wilmington；　between　the　Santee　and　Cape　Fear　Rivers；　then；　communicating　with　the　fleet　in　the　neighborhood　of　Georgetown；　I　would　turn　upon　Wilmington　or　Charleston；　according　to　the　importance　of　either。　　I　rather　prefer　Wilmington；　as　a　live　place；　over　Charleston；　which　is　dead　and　unimportant　when　its　railroad　communications　are　broken。　　I　take　it　for　granted　that　the　present　movement　on　Wilmington　will　fail。　　If　I　should　determine　to　take　Charleston；　I　would　turn　across　the　country　（which　I　have　hunted　over　many　a　time）　from　Santee　to　Mount　Pleasant；　throwing　one　wing　on　the　peninsula　between　the　Ashley　and　Cooper。　　After　accomplishing　one　or　other　of　these　ends；　I　would　make　a　bee…line　for　Raleigh　or　Weldon；　when　Lee　world　be　forced　to　come　out　of　Richmond；　or　acknowledge　himself　beaten。　He　would；　I　think；　by　the　use　of　the　Danville　Railroad；　throw　himself　rapidly　between　me　and　Grant；　leaving　Richmond　in　the　hands　of　the　latter。　　This　would　not　alarm　me；　for　I　have　an　army　which　I　think　can　manaenvre；　and　I　world　force　him　to　attack　me　at　a　disadvantage；　always　under　the　supposition　that　Grant　would　be　on　his　heels；　and；　if　the　worst　come　to　the　worst；　I　can　fight　my　way　down　to　Albermarle　Sound；　or　Newbern。

I　think　the　time　has　come　now　when　we　should　attempt　the　boldest　moves；　and　my　experience　is；　that　they　are　easier　of　execution　than　more　timid　ones；　because　the　enemy　is　disconcerted　by　themas；　for　instance；　my　recent　campaign。

I　also　doubt　the　wisdom　of　concentration　beyond　a　certain　extent；　for　the　roads　of　this　country　limit　the　amount　of　men　that　can　be　brought　to　bear　in　any　one　battle；　and　I　do　not　believe　that　any　one　general　can　handle　more　than　sixty　thousand　men　in　battle。

I　think　our　campaign　of　the　last　month；　as　well　as　every　step　I　take　from　this　point　northward；　is　as　much　a　direct　attack　upon　Lee's　army　as　though　we　were　operating　within　the　sound　of　his　artillery。

I　am　very　anxious　that　Thomas　should　follow　up　his　success　to　the　very　utmost　point。　My　orders　to　him　before　I　left　Kingston　were；　after　beating　Hood；　to　follow　him　as　far　as　Columbus；　Mississippi；　or　Selma；　Alabama；　both　of　which　lie　in　districts　of　country　which　are　rich　in　corn　and　meat。

I　attach　more　importance　to　these　deep　incisions　into　the　enemy's　country；　because　this　war　differs　from　European　wars　in　this　particular：　we　are　not　only　fighting　hostile　armies；　but　a　hostile　people；　and　must　make　old　and　young；　rich　and　poor；　feel　the　hard　hand　of　war；　as　well　as　their　organized　armies。　　I　know　that　this　recent　movement　of　mine　through　Georgia　has　had　a　wonderful　effect　in　this　respect。　　Thousands　who　had　been　deceived　by　their　lying　newspapers　to　believe　that　we　were　being　whipped　all　the　time　now　realize　the　truth；　and　have　no　appetite　for　a　repetition　of　the　same　experience。　　To　be　sure；　Jeff。　Davis　has　his　people　under　pretty　good　discipline；　but　I　think　faith　in　him　is　much　shaken　in　Georgia；　and　before　we　have　done　with　her　South　Carolina　will　not　be　quite　so　tempestuous。

I　will　bear　in　mind　your　hint　as　to　Charleston；　and　do　not　think　〃salt〃　will　be　necessary。　　When　I　move；　the　Fifteenth　Corps　will　be　on　the　right　of　the　right　wing；　and　their　position　will　naturally　bring　them　into　Charleston　first；　and；　if　you　have　watched　the　history　of　that　corps；　you　will　have　remarked　that　they　generally　do　their　work　pretty　well。　　The　truth　is；　the　whole　army　is　burning　with　an　insatiable　desire　to　wreak　vengeance　upon　South　Carolina。　I　almost　tremble　at　her　fate；　but　feel　that　she　deserves　all　that　seems　in　store　for　her。

Many　and　many　a　person　in　Georgia　asked　me　why　we　did　not　go　to　South　Carolina；　and；　when　I　answered　that　we　were　enroute　for　that　State；　the　invariable　reply　was；　〃Well；　if　you　will　make　those　people　feel　the　utmost　severities　of　war；　we　will　pardon　you　for　your　desolation　of　Georgia。〃

I　look　upon　Colombia　as　quite　as　bad　as　Charleston；　and　I　doubt　if　we　shall　spare　the　public　buildings　there　as　we　did　at　Milledgeville。

I　have　been　so　busy　lately　that　I　have　not　yet　made　my　official　report；　and　I　think　I　had　better　wait　until　I　get　my　subordinate　reports　before　attempting　it；　as　I　am　anxious　to　explain　clearly　not　only　the　reasons　for　every　step；　but　the　amount　of　execution　done；　and　this　I　cannot　do　until　I　get　the　subordinate　reports；　for　we　marched　the　whole　distance　in　four　or　more　columns；　and；　of　course；　I　could　only　be　present　with　one；　and　generally　that　one　engaged　in　destroying　railroads。　　This　work　of　destruction　was　performed　better　than　usual；　because　I　had　an　engineer…regiment；　provided　with　claws　to　twist　the　bars　after　being　heated。　　Such　bars　can　never　be　used　again；　and　the　only　way　in　which　a　railroad　line　can　be　reconstructed　across　Georgia　is；　to　make　a　new　road　from　Fairbnrn　Station　（twenty…four　miles　southwest　of　Atlanta）　to　Madison；　a　distance　of　one　hundred　miles；　and；　before　that　can　be　done；　I　propose　to　be　on　the　road　from　Augusta　to　Charleston；　which　is　a　continuation　of　the　same。　　I　felt　somewhat　disappointed　at　Hardee's　escape；　but　really　am　not　to　blame。　　I　moved　as　quickly　as　possible　to　close　up　the　〃Union　Causeway；〃　but　intervening　obstacles　were　such　that；　before　I　could　get　troops　on　the　road；　Hardee　had　slipped　out。　　Still；　I　know　that　the　men　that　were　in　Savannah　will　be　lost　in　a　measure　to　Jeff。　Davis；　for　the　Georgia　troops；　under　G。　W。　Smith；　declared　they　would　not　fight　in　South　Carolina；　and　they　have　gone　north；　en　route　for　Augusta；　and　I　have　reason　to　believe　the　North　Carolina　troops　have　gone　to　Wilmington；　in　other　words；　they　are　scattered。　　I　have　reason　to　believe　that　Beauregard　was　present　in　Savannah　at　the　time　of　its　evacuation；　and　think　that　he　and　Hardee　are　now　in　Charleston；　making　preparations　for　what　they　suppose　will　be　my　next　step。

Please　say　to　the　President　that　I　have　received　his　kind　message　（through　Colonel　Markland）；　and　feel　thankful　for　his　high　favor。　If　I　disappoint　him　in　the　future；　it　shall　not　be　from　want　of　zeal　or　love　to　the　cause。

》From　you　I　expect　a　full　and　frank　criticism　of　my　plans　for　the　future；　which　may　enable　me　to　correct　errors　before　it　is　too　late。　　I　do　not　wish　to　be　rash；　but　want　to　give　my　rebel　friends　no　chance　to　accuse　us　of　want　of　enterprise　or　courage。

Assuring　you　of　my　high　personal　respect；　I　remain；　as　ever；　your　friend；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General。




＇General　Order　No。　3。＇

WAR　DEPARTMENT；　ADJUTANT　GENERAL'S　OFFICE　WASHINGTON；　January　14；　1865。

The　following　resolution　of　the　Senate　and　House　of　Representatives　is　published　to　the　army：

＇PUBLIC　RESOLUTIONNo。　4。＇

Joint　resolution　tendering　the　thanks　of　the　people　and　of　Congress　to　Major…General　William　T。　Sherman；　and　the　officers　and　soldiers　of　his　command；　for　their　gallant　conduct　in　their　late　brilliant　movement　through　Georgia。

Be　it　resolved　by　the　Senate　and　House　of　Representatives　of　the　United　States　of　America　in　Congress　assembled；　That　the　thanks　of　the　people　and　of　the　Congress　of　the　United　States　are　due　and　are　hereby　tendered　to　Major…General　William　T。　Sherman；　and　through　him　to　the　officers　and　men　under　his　command；　for　their　gallantry　and　good　conduct　in　their　late　campaign　from　Chattanooga　to　Atlanta；　and　the　triumphal　march　thence　through　Georgia　to　Savannah；　terminating　in　the　capture　and　occupation　of　that　city；　and　that　the　President　cause　a　copy　of　this　joint　resolution　to　be　engrossed　and　forwarded　to　Major…General　Sherman。

Approved；　January　10；　1865。

By　order　of　the　Secretary　of　War；　W。　A。　NICHOLS；　Assistant　Adjutant…General。




CHAPTER　XXII。

SAVANNAH　AND　POCOTALIGO。

DECEMBER；　1884；　AND　JANUARY；　1885。

The　city　of　Savannah　was　an　old　place；　and　usually　accounted　a　handsome　one。　　Its　houses　were　of　brick　or　frame；　with　large　yards；　ornamented　with　shrubbery　and　flowers；　its　streets　perfectly　regular；　crossing　each　other　at　right　angles；　and　at　many　of　the　intersections　were　small　inclosures　in　the　nature　of　parks。　　These　streets　and　parks　were　lined　with　the　handsomest　shade…trees　of　which　I　have　knowledge；　viz。；　the　Willow…leaf　live…oak；　evergreens　of　exquisite　beauty；　and　these　certainly　entitled　Savannah　to　its　reputation　as　a　handsome　town　more　than　the　houses；　which；　though　comfortable；　would　hardly　make　a　display　on　Fifth　Avenue　or　the　Boulevard　Haussmann　of　Paris。　　The　city　was　built　on　a　plateau　of　sand　about　forty　feet　above　the　level　of　the　sea；　abutting　against　the　river；　leaving　room　along　its　margin　for　a　street　of　stores　and　warehouses。　　The　customhouse；　court…house；　post…office；　etc。；　were　on　the　plateau　above。　　In　rear　of　Savannah　was　a　large　park；　with　a　fountain；　and　between　it　and　the　court…house　was　a　handsome　monument；　erected　to　the　memory　of　Count　Pulaski；　who　fell　in　1779　in　the　assault　made　on　the　city　at　the　time　it　was　held　by　the　English　during　the　Revolutionary　War。　　Outside　of　Savannah　there　was　very　little　to　interest　a　stranger；　except　the　cemetery　of　Bonaventura；　and　the　ride　along　the　Wilmington　Channel　by　way　of　Thunderbolt；　where　might　be　seen　some　groves　of　the　majestic　live…oak　trees；　covered　with　gray　and　funereal　moss；　which　were　truly　sublime　in　grandeur；　but　gloomy　after　a　few　days'　camping　under　them：

Within　an　hour　of　taking　up　my　quarters　in　Mr。　Green's　house；　Mr。　A。　G。　Browne；　of　Salem；　Massachusetts；　United　States　Treasury　agent　for　the　Department　of　the　South；　made　his　appearance　to　claim　possession；　in　the　name　of　the　Treasury　Department；　of　all　captured　cotton；　rice；　buildings；　etc。　　Having　use　for　these　articles　ourselves；　and　having　fairly　earned　them；　I　did　not　feel　inclined　to　surrender　possession；　and　explained　to　him　that　the　quartermaster　and　commissary　could　manage　them　more　to　my　liking　than　he；　but　I　agreed；　after　the　proper　inventories　had　been　prepared；　if　there　remained　any　thing　for　which　we　had　no　special　use；　I　would　turn　it　over　to　him。　　It　was　then　known　that　in　the　warehouses　were　stored　at　least　twentyfive　thousand　bales　of　cotton；　and　in　the　forts