memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第56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！
across Lynch's Creek； the roads so bad that we had to corduroy nearly every foot of the way； but I was in communication with all parts of the army； which had met no serious opposition from the enemy。 On the 2d of March we entered the village of Chesterfield； skirmishing with Butler's cavalry； which gave ground rapidly。 There I received a message from General Howard； who； reported that he was already in Cheraw with the Seventeenth Corps； and that the Fifteenth was near at hand。
General Hardee had retreated eastward across the Pedee； burning the bridge。 I therefore directed the left wing to march for Sneedsboro'； about ten miles above Cheraw； to cross the Pedee there； while I in person proposed to cross over and join the right wing in Cheraw。 Early in the morning of the 3d of March I rode out of Chesterfield along with the Twentieth Corps； which filled the road； forded Thompson's Creek； and； at the top of the hill beyond； found a road branching off to the right； which corresponded with the one； on my map leading to Cheraw。 Seeing a negro standing by the roadside； looking at the troops passing； I inquired of him what road that was。 〃Him lead to Cheraw； master！〃 〃Is it a good road； and how far？〃 〃A very good road； and eight or ten miles。〃 〃Any guerrillas？〃
〃Oh！ no； master； dey is gone two days ago； you could have played cards on der coat…tails； dey was in sich a hurry！〃 I was on my Lexington horse； who was very handsome and restive； so I made signal to my staff to follow； as I proposed to go without escort。 I turned my horse down the road； and the rest of the staff followed。 General Barry took up the questions about the road； and asked the same negro what he was doing there。 He answered； 〃Dey say Massa Sherman will be along soon！〃 〃Why；〃 said General Barry； 〃that was General Sherman you were talking to。〃 The poor negro； almost in the attitude of prayer； exclaimed： 〃De great God！ just look at his horse！〃 He ran up and trotted by my side for a mile or so； and gave me all the information he possessed； but he seemed tc admire the horse more than the rider。
We reached Cheraw in a couple of hours in a drizzling rain； and； while waiting for our wagons to come up； I staid with General Blair in a large house； the property of a blockade…runner； whose family remained。 General Howard occupied another house farther down…town。 He had already ordered his pontoon…bridge to be laid across the Pedee； there a large； deep； navigable stream； and Mower's division was already across； skirmishing with the enemy about two miles out。 Cheraw was found to be fall of stores which had been sent up from Charleston prior to its evacuation； and which could not be removed。 I was satisfied； from inquiries； that General Hardee had with him only the Charleston garrison； that the enemy had not divined our movements； and that consequently they were still scattered from Charlotte around to Florence； then behind us。 Having thus secured the passage of the Pedee； I felt no uneasiness about the future； because there remained no further great impediment between us and Cape Fear River； which I felt assured was by that time in possession of our friends。 The day was so wet that we all kept in…doors； and about noon General Blair invited us to take lunch with him。 We passed down into the basement dining…room； where the regular family table was spread with an excellent meal； and during its progress I was asked to take some wine； which stood upon the table in venerable bottles。 It was so very good that I inquired where it came from。 General Blair simply asked； 〃Do you like it？〃 but I insisted upon knowing where he had got it； he only replied by asking if I liked it； and wanted some。 He afterward sent to my bivouac a case containing a dozen bottles of the finest madeira I ever tasted； and I learned that he had captured； in Cheraw； the wine of some of the old aristocratic families of Charleston； who had sent it up to Cheraw for safety； and heard afterward that Blair had found about eight wagon…loads of this wine； which he distributed to the army generally； in very fair proportions。
After finishing our lunch； as we passed out of the dining room； General Blair asked me； if I did not want some saddle…blankets； or a rug for my tent； and； leading me into the hall to a space under the stairway； he pointed out a pile of carpets which had also been sent up from Charleston for safety。 After our headquarter…wagons got up； and our bivouac was established in a field near by； I sent my orderly （Walter） over to General Blair； and he came back staggering under a load of carpets； out of which the officers and escort made excellent tent…rugs； saddle…cloths； and blankets。 There was an immense amount of stores in Cheraw； which were used or destroyed； among them twenty…four guns； two thousand muskets； and thirty…six hundred barrels of gunpowder。 By the carelessness of a soldier； an immense pile of this powder was exploded； which shook the town badly； and killed and maimed several of our men。
We remained in or near Cheraw till the 6th of March； by which time the army was mostly across the Pedee River； and was prepared to resume the march on Fayetteville。 In a house where General Hardee had been； I found a late New York Tribune； of fully a month later date than any I had seen。 It contained a mass of news of great interest to us； and one short paragraph which I thought extremely mischievous。 I think it was an editorial； to the effect that at last the editor had the satisfaction to inform his readers that General Sherman would next be heard from about Goldsboro'； because his supply…vessels from Savannah were known to be rendezvousing at Morehead City：Now； I knew that General Hardee had read that same paper； and that he would be perfectly able to draw his own inferences。 Up to； that moment I had endeavored so to feign to our left that we had completely； misled our antagonists； but this was no longer possible； and I concluded that we must be ready； for the concentration in our front of all the force subject to General Jos。 Johnston's orders； for I was there also informed that he had been restored to the full command of the Confederate forces in South and North Carolina。
On the 6th of March I crossed the Pedee； and all the army marched for Fayetteville： the Seventeenth Corps kept well to the right； to make room； the Fifteenth Corps marched by a direct road； the Fourteenth Corps also followed a direct road from Sneedsboro'； where it had crossed the Pedee； and the Twentieth Corps； which had come into。 Cheraw for the convenience of the pontoon…bridge； diverged to the left； so as to enter Fayetteville next after the Fourteenth Corps； which was appointed to lead into Fayetteville。 Kilpatrick held his cavalry still farther to the left rear on the roads from Lancaster； by way of Wadesboro' and New Gilead； so as to cover our trains from Hampton's and Wheeler's cavalry； who had first retreated toward the north。 I traveled with the Fifteenth Corps； and on the 8th of March reached Laurel Hill； North Carolina。 Satisfied that our troops mast be at Wilmington； I determined to send a message there； I called for my man； Corporal Pike； whom I had rescued as before described； at Columbia； who was then traveling with our escort； and instructed him in disguise to work his way to the Cape Fear River； secure a boat； and float down to Wilmington to convey a letter； and to report our approach。 I also called on General Howard for another volunteer； and he brought me a very clever young sergeant； who is now a commissioned officer in the regular army。 Each of these got off during the night by separate routes； bearing the following message； reduced to the same cipher we used in telegraphic messages：
HEADQURTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI IN THE FIELD； LAUREL HILL； Wednesday； March 8； 1865。
Commanding Officer； Wilmington； North Carolina：
We are marching for Fayetteville； will be there Saturday； Sunday； and Monday； and will then march for Goldsboro'。
If possible； send a boat up Cape Fear River； and have word conveyed to General Schofield that I expect to meet him about Goldsboro'。 We are all well and have done finely。 The rains make our roads difficult； and may delay us about Fayetteville； in which case I would like to have some bread； sugar； and coffee。 We have abundance of all else。 I expect to reach Goldsboro' by the 20th instant。
W。 T。 SHERMAN； Major…General。
On the 9th I was with the Fifteenth Corps； and toward evening reached a little church called Bethel； in the woods； in which we took refuge in a terrible storm of rain； which poured all night； making the roads awful。 All the men were at work corduroying the roads； using fence…rails and split saplings； and every foot of the way had thus to be corduroyed to enable the artillery and wagons to pass。 On the 10th we made some little progress； on the 11th I reached Fayetteville； and found that General Hardee； followed by Wade Hampton's cavalry； had barely escaped across Cape Fear River； burning the bridge which I had hoped to save。 On reaching Fayetteville I found General Slocum already in possession with the Fourteenth Corps； and all the rest of the army was near at hand。 A day or two before； General Kilpatrick； to our left rear； had divided his force into two parts； occupying roads behind the Twentieth Corps； interposing between our infantry columns and Wade Hampton's cavalry。 The latter； doubtless to make junction with General Hardee； in Fayetteville； broke across this line； captured the house in which General Kilpatrick and the brigade…commander； General Spencer； were； and for a time held possession of the camp and artillery of the brigade。 However； General Kilpatrick and most of his men escaped into a swamp with their arms； reorganized and returned； catching Hampton's menin turn； scattered and drove them away； recovering most of his camp and artillery； but Hampton got off with Kilpatrick's private horses and a couple hundred prisoners； of which he boasted much in passing through Fayetteville。
It was also reported that； in the morning after Hardee's army was all across the bridge at Cape Fear River； Hampton； with a small bodyguard； had remained in town； ready to retreat and burn the bridge as soon as our forces made their appearance。 He was getting breakfast at the hotel when the alarm was given； when he and his escort took saddle； but soon realized that the alarm came from a set of our foragers； who； as usual； were extremely bold and rash。 On these he turned； scattered them； killing some and making others prisoners； among them General Howard's favorite scout； Captain Duncan。 Hampton then crossed the bridge and burned it。
I took up my quarters at the old United States Arsenal； which was in fine order； and had been much enlarged by the Confederate authorities； who never dreamed that an invading army would reach it from the west； and I also found in Fayetteville the widow and daughter of my first captain （General Childs）； of the Third Artillery； learned that her son Fred had been the ordnance…officer in charge of the arsenal； and had of course fled with Hardee's army。
During the 11th。 the whole army closed down upon Fayetteville； and immediate preparations were made to lay two pontoon bridges； one near the
