memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第52章

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I　have　the　honor　to　be；　general；　your　obedient　servant；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General。


This　letter　was　in　answer　to　specific　inquiries；　it　is　clear；　and　covers　all　the　points；　and；　should　I　leave　before　my　orders　are　executed；　I　will　endeavor　to　impress　upon　my　successor；　General　Foster；　their　wisdom　and　propriety。

I　hope　the　course　I　have　taken　in　these　matters　will　meet　your　approbation；　and　that　the　President　will　not　refund　to　parties　claiming　cotton　or　other　property；　without　the　strongest　evidence　of　loyalty　and　friendship　on　the　part　of　the　claimant；　or　unless　some　other　positive　end　is　to　be　gained。

I　am；　with　great　respect；　your　obedient　servant；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General　commanding。




CHAPTER　XXIII。

CAMPAIGN　OF　THE　CAROLINAS。

FEBRUARY　AND　MARCH；　1865。

On　the　1st　day　of　February；　as　before　explained；　the　army　designed　for　the　active　campaign　from　Savannah　northward　was　composed　of　two　wings；　commanded　respectively　by　Major…Generals　Howard　and　Slocum；　and　was　substantially　the　same　that　had　marched　from　Atlanta　to　Savannah。　　The　same　general　orders　were　in　force；　and　this　campaign　may　properly　be　classed　as　a　continuance　of　the　former。

The　right　wing；　less　Corse's　division；　Fifteenth　Corps；　was　grouped　at　or　near　Pocotaligo；　South　Carolina；　with　its　wagons　filled　with　food；　ammunition；　and　forage；　all　ready　to　start；　and　only　waiting　for　the　left　wing；　which　was　detained　by　the　flood　in　the　Savannah　River。　　It　was　composed　as　follows：

Fifteenth　Corps；　Major…General　JOHN　A。　LOGAN。

First　Division；　Brigadier…General　Charles　R。　Woods；　Second　Division；　Major…General　W。　B。　Hazen；　Third　Division；　Brigadier…General　John　E。　Smith；　Fourth　Division；　Brigadier…General　John　M。　Corse。　Artillery　brigade；　eighteen　guns；　Lieutenant…Colonel　W。　H。　Ross；　First　Michigan　Artillery。


Seventeenth。　　Corps；　Major…General　FRANK　P。　BLAIR；　JR。

First　Division；　Major…General　Joseph　A。　　Mower；　Second　Division；　Brigadier…General　M。　　F。　　Force；　Fourth　Division；　Brigadier…General　Giles　A。　　Smith。　Artillery　brigade；　fourteen　guns；　Major　A。　　C。　　Waterhouse；　First　Illinois　Artillery。


The　left　wing；　with　Corse's　division　and　Kilpatrick's　cavalry；　was　at　and　near　Sister's　Ferry；　forty　miles　above　the　city　of　Savannah；　engaged　in　crossing　the　river；　then　much　swollen。　　It

was　composed　as　follows：

Fourteenth　Corps；　Major…General　JEFF。　C。　DAVIS。

First　Division；　Brigadier…General　W。　　P。　　Carlin；　Second　Division；　Brigadier…General　John　D。　　Morgan；　Third　Division；　Brigadier…General　A。　　Baird。　Artillery　brigade；　sixteen　guns；　Major　Charles　Houghtaling；　First　Illinois　Artillery。


Twentieth　Corps；　Brigadier…General　A。　S。　WILLIAMS。

First　Division；　Brigadier…General　N。　I。　Jackson；　Second　Division；　Brigadier…General　J。　W。　Geary；　Third　Division；　Brigadier…General　W。　T。　Ward。　Artillery　brigade；　Sixteen　gnus；　Major　J。　A。　Reynolds；　First　New　York　Artillery。


Cavalry　Division；　Brigadier…General　JUDSON　KILPATRICK。

First　Brigade；　Colonel　T。　J。　Jordan；　Ninth　Pennsylvania　Cavalry；　Second　Brigade；　Colonel　S。　D。　Atkins；　Ninety…second　Illinois　Vol。；　Third　Brigade；　Colonel　George　E。　　Spencer；　First　Alabama　Cavalry。　One　battery　of　four　guns。


The　actual　strength　of　the　army；　as　given　in　the　following　official　tabular　statements；　was　at　the　time　sixty　thousand　and　seventy…nine　men；　and　sixty…eight　guns。　　The　trains　were　made　up　of　about　twenty…five　hundred　wagons；　with　six　mules　to　each　wagon；　and　about　six　hundred　ambulances；　with　two　horses　each。　　The　contents　of　the　wagons　embraced　an　ample　supply　of　ammunition　for　a　great　battle；　forage　for　about　seven　days；　and　provisions　for　twenty　days；　mostly　of　bread；　sugar；　coffee；　and　salt；　depending　largely　for　fresh　meat　on　beeves　driven　on　the　hoof　and　such　cattle；　hogs；　and　poultry；　as　we　expected　to　gather　along　our　line　of　march。

RECAPITULATION…CAMPAIGN　OF　THE　CAROLINAS。

　　　　　　February　1。　　　　March　1。　　　　April　1。　　　　April　10　Pers：　　60；079　　　　　　　　　57；676　　　　　　81；150　　　　　　88；948


The　enemy　occupied　the　cities　of　Charleston　and　Augusta；　with　garrisons　capable　of　making　a　respectable　if　not　successful　defense；　but　utterly　unable　to　meet　our　veteran　columns　in　the　open　field。　　To　resist　or　delay　our　progress　north；　General　Wheeler　had　his　division　of　cavalry　（reduced　to　the　size　of　a　brigade　by　his　hard　and　persistent　fighting　ever　since　the　beginning　of　the　Atlanta　campaign）；　and　General　Wade　Hampton　had　been　dispatched　from　the　Army　of　Virginia　to　his　native　State　of　South　Carolina；　with　a　great　flourish　of　trumpets；　and　extraordinary　powers　to　raise　men；　money；　and　horses；　with　which　〃to　stay　the　progress　of　the　invader；〃　and　〃to　punish　us　for　our　insolent　attempt　to　invade　the　glorious　State　of　South　Carolina！〃　　He　was　supposed　at　the　time　to　have；　at　and　near　Columbia；　two　small　divisions　of　cavalry　commanded　by　himself　and　General　Butler。

Of　course；　I　had　a　species　of　contempt　for　these　scattered　and　inconsiderable　forces；　knew　that　they　could　hardly　delay　us　an　hour；　and　the　only　serious　question　that　occurred　to　me　was；　would　General　Lee　sit　down　in　Richmond　（besieged　by　General　Grant）；　and　permit　us；　almost　unopposed；　to　pass　through　the　States　of　South　and　North　Carolina；　cutting　off　and　consuming　the　very　supplies　on　which　he　depended　to　feed　his　army　in　Virginia；　or　would　he　make　an　effort　to　escape　from　General　Grant；　and　endeavor　to　catch　us　inland　somewhere　between　Columbia　and　Raleigh？　　I　knew　full　well　at　the　time　that　the　broken　fragments　of　Hood's　army　（which　had　escaped　from　Tennessee）　were　being　hurried　rapidly　across　Georgia；　by　Augusta；　to　make　junction　in　my　front；　estimating　them　at　the　maximum　twenty…five　thousand　men；　and　Hardee's；　Wheeler's；　and　Hampton's　forces　at　fifteen　thousand；　made　forty　thousand；　which；　if　handled　with　spirit　and　energy；　would　constitute　a　formidable　force；　and　might　make　the　passage　of　such　rivers　as　the　Santee　and　Cape　Fear　a　difficult　undertaking。　　Therefore；　I　took　all　possible　precautions；　and　arranged　with　Admiral　Dahlgren　and　General　Foster　to　watch　our　progress　inland　by　all　the　means　possible；　and　to　provide　for　us　points　of　security　along　the　coast；　as；　at　Bull's　Bay；　Georgetown；　and　the　mouth　of　Cape　Fear　River。　　Still；　it　was　extremely　desirable　in　one　march　to　reach　Goldsboro'　in　the　State　of　North　Carolina　（distant　four　hundred　and　twenty…five　miles）；　a　point　of　great　convenience　for　ulterior　operations；　by　reason　of　the　two　railroads　which　meet　there；　coming　from　the　seacoast　at　Wilmington　and　Newbern。　　Before　leaving　Savannah　I　had　sent　to　Newbern　Colonel　W。　W。　Wright；　of　the　Engineers；　with　orders　to　look　to　these　railroads；　to　collect　rolling…stock；　and　to　have　the　roads　repaired　out　as　far　as　possible　in　six　weeksthe　time　estimated　as　necessary　for　us　to　march　that　distance。

The　question　of　supplies　remained　still　the　one　of　vital　importance；　and　I　reasoned　that　we　might　safely　rely　on　the　country　for　a　considerable　quantity　of　forage　and　provisions；　and　that；　if　the　worst　came　to　the　worst；　we　could　live　several　months　on　the　mules　and　horses　of　our　trains。　　Nevertheless；　time　was　equally　material；　and　the　moment　I　heard　that　General　Slocum　had　finished　his　pontoon…bridge　at　Sister's　Ferry；　and　that　Kilpatrick's　cavalry　was　over　the　river；　I　gave　the　general　orders　to　march；　and　instructed　all　the　columns　to　aim　for　the　South　Carolina　Railroad　to　the　west　of　Branchville；　about　Blackville　and　Midway。

The　right　wing　moved　up　the　Salkiehatchie；　the　Seventeenth　Corps　on　the　right；　with　orders　on　reaching　Rivers's　Bridge　to　cross　over；　and　the　Fifteenth　Corps　by　Hickory　Hill　to　Beaufort's　Bridge。　Kilpatrick　was　instructed　to　march　by　way　of　Barnwell；　Corse's　division　and　the　Twentieth　Corps　to　take　such　roads　as　would　bring　them　into　communication　with　the　Fifteenth　Corps　about　Beaufort's　Bridge。　　All　these　columns　started　promptly　on　the　1st　of　February。　We　encountered　Wheeler's　cavalry；　which　had　obstructed　the　road　by　felling　trees；　but　our　men　picked　these　up　and　threw　them　aside；　so　that　this　obstruction　hardly　delayed　us　an　hour。　　In　person　I　accompanied　the　Fifteenth　Corps　（General　Logan）　by　McPhersonville　and　Hickory　Hill；　and　kept　couriers　going　to　and　fro　to　General　Slocum　with　instructions　to　hurry　as　much　as　possible；　so　as　to　make　a　junction　of　the　whole　army　on　the　South　Carolina　Railroad　about　Blackville。

I　spent　the　night　of　February　1st　at　Hickory　Hill　Post…Office；　and　that　of　the　2d　at　Duck　Branch　Post…Office；　thirty…one　miles　out　from　Pocotaligo。　　On　the　3d　the　Seventeenth　Corps　was　opposite　Rivers's　Bridge；　and　the　Fifteenth　approached　Beaufort's　Bridge。　The　Salkiehatchie　was　still　over　its　banks；　and　presented　a　most　formidable　obstacle。　　The　enemy　appeared　in　some　force　on　the　opposite　bank；　had　cut　away　all　the　bridges　which　spanned　the　many　deep　channels　of　the　swollen　river；　and　the　only　available　passage　seemed　to　be　along　the　narrow　causeways　which　constituted　the　common　roads。　　At　Rivers's　Bridge　Generals　Mower　and　Giles　A。　Smith　led；　their　heads　of　column　through　this　swamp；　the　water　up　to　their　shoulders；　crossed　over　to　the　pine…land；　turned　upon　the　rebel　brigade　which　defended　the　passage；　and　routed　it　in　utter　disorder。　　It　was　in　this　attack　that　General　Wager　Swayne　lost　his　leg；　and　he　had　to　be　conveyed　back　to　Pocotaligo。　　Still；　the　loss　of　life　was　very　small；　in　proportion　to　the　advantages　gained；　for　the　enemy　at　once　abandoned　the　whole　line　of　the　Salkiehatchie；　and　the　Fifteenth　Corps　passed　over　at　Beaufort's　Bridge；　without　opposition。

On　the　5th　of　February　I　was　at　Beaufort's　Bridge；　by　which　time　General　A。　S。　Williams　had　got　up　with　five　brigades'　of　the　Twentieth　Corps；　I　also　heard　of　General　Kilpatrick's　being　abreast　of　us；　at　Barnwell；　and　then　gave　orders　for　the　march　straight　for　the　railroad　at　Midway。　　I　still　remained　with　the　Fifteenth　Corps；　which；　on　the　6th　of　February；　was　five　miles　from　Bamberg。　　As　a　matter　of　course；　I　expected　severe　resistance　at　this　railroad；　for　its　loss　would　sever　all　the　communications　of　the　enemy　in　Charleston　with　those　in　Augusta。

Early　on　the　7th；　in　the　midst　of　a　rain…storm；　we　reached　the　railroad；　almost　unopposed；　striking　it　at　several　points。　　General　Howard　told　me　a　good　story　concerning　this；　which　will　bear　repeating：　He　was　with　the　Seventeenth　Corps；　marching　straight　for　Midway；　and　when　about　five　miles　distant　he　began　to　deploy　the　leading　division；　so　as　to　be　ready　for　battle。　　Sitting　on　his　horse　by　the　road…side；　while　the　deployment　was　making；　he　saw　a　man　coming　down　the　road；　riding　as　hard　as　he　could；　and　as　he　approached　he　recognized　him　as　one　of　his　own　〃foragers；〃　mounted　on　a　white　horse；　with　a　rope　bridle　and　a　blanket　for　saddle。　　As　he　came　near　he　called　out；　〃Hurry　up；　general；　we　have　got　the　railroad！〃　　So；　while　we；　the　generals；　were　proceeding　deliberately　to　prepare　for　a　serious　battle；　a　parcel　of　our　foragers；　in　search　of　plunder；　had　got　ahead　and　actually　captured　the　South　Carolina　Railroad；　a　line　of　vital　importance　to　the　rebel　Government。

As　soon　as　we　struck　the　railroad；　details　of　men　were　set　to　work　to　tear　up　the　rails；　to　burn　the　ties　and　twist　the　bars。　　This　was　a　most　important　railroad；　and　I　proposed　to　dest