memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第8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！
t a sort of diary； about which we used to joke him a good deal； its thickness and size saved his life； breaking the force of the ball； so that after traversing the book it only penetrated the breast to the ribs； but it knocked him down and disabled him for the rest of the campaign。 He was a most competent and worthy officer； and now lives in poverty in Chicago； sustained in part by his own labor； and in part by a pitiful pension recently granted。
On the 1st of June General McPherson closed in upon the right； and； without attempting further to carry the enemy's strong position at New Hope Church； I held our general right in close contact with it； gradually； carefully； and steadily working by the left； until our strong infantry…lines had reached and secured possession of all the wagon…roads between New Hope； Allatoona； and Acworth； when I dispatched Generals Garrard's and Stoneman's divisions of cavalry into Allatoona； the first around by the west end of the pass； and the latter by the direct road。 Both reached their destination without opposition； and orders were at once given to repair the railroad forward from Kingston to Allatoona； embracing the bridge across the Etowah River。 Thus the real object of my move on Dallas was accomplished； and on the 4th of June I was preparing to draw off from New Hope Church； and to take position on the railroad in front of Allatoona； when； General Johnston himself having evacuated his position； we effected the change without further battle； and moved to the railroad； occupying it from Allatoona and Acworth forward to Big Shanty； in sight of the famous Kenesaw Mountain。
Thus； substantially in the month of May； we had steadily driven our antagonist from the strong positions of Dalton； Resaea； Cassville； Allatoona； and Dallas； had advanced our lines in strong； compact order from Chattanooga to Big Shanty； nearly a hundred miles of as difficult country as was ever fought over by civilized armies； and thus stood prepared to go on； anxious to fight； and confident of success as soon as the railroad communications were complete to bring forward the necessary supplies。 It is now impossible to state accurately our loss of life and men in any one separate battle； for the fighting was continuous； almost daily； among trees and bushes； on ground where one could rarely see a hundred yards ahead。
The aggregate loss in the several corps for the month of May is reported…as follows in the usual monthly returns sent to the Adjutant…General's office； which are； therefore； official：
Casualties during the Month of May； 1864 （Major…General SHERMAN commanding）。
Killed and Missing。 Wounded。 Total。 1；863 7；436 9；299
General Joseph E。 Johnston； in his 〃Narrative of his Military Operations；〃 just published （March 27； 1874）； gives the effective strength of his army at and about Dalton on the 1st of May； 1864 （page 302）； as follows：
Infantry。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 37；652 Artillery。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 2；812 Cavalry。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 2；392
Total 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 42；856
During May； and prior to reaching Cassville； he was further reenforced （page 352）
Polk's corps of three divisions。。。。。。。 12；000 Martin's division of cavalry。。。。。。。。。。 3；500 Jackson's division of cavalry。。。。。。。。。 3；900
And at New Hope Church； May 26th
Brigade of Quarles。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 2；200
Grand…total。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 64；456
His losses during the month of May are stated by him； as taken from the report of Surgeon Foard （page 325）
Killed Wounded Total 721 4；672 5；393
These figures include only the killed and wounded； whereas my statement of losses embraces the 〃missing；〃 which are usually 〃prisoners；〃 and of these we captured； daring the whole campaign of four and a half months； exactly 12；983； whose names； rank； and regiments； were officially reported to the Commissary…General of Prisoners； and assuming a due proportion for the month of May； viz。； one…fourth； makes 3；245 to be added to the killed and wounded given above； making an aggregate loss in Johnston's army； from Dalton to New Hope； inclusive； of 8；638； against ours of 9；299。
Therefore General Johnston is greatly in error； in his estimates on page 357； in stating our loss； as compared with his； at six or ten to one。
I always estimated my force at about double his； and could afford to lose two to one without disturbing our relative proportion； but I also reckoned that； in the natural strength of the country； in the abundance of mountains； streams； and forests； he had a fair offset to our numerical superiority； and therefore endeavored to act with reasonable caution while moving on the vigorous 〃offensive。〃
With the drawn battle of New Hope Church； and our occupation of the natural fortress of Allatoona； terminated the month of May； and the first stage of the campaign。
CHAPTER XVII。
ATLANTA CAMPAIGNBATTLES ABOUT KENESAW MOUNTAIN。
JUNE； 1864。
On the lst of June our three armies were well in hand； in the broken and densely…wooded country fronting the enemy intrenched at New Hope Church； about five miles north of Dallas。 General Stoneman's division of cavalry had occupied Allatoona； on the railroad； and General Garrard's division was at the western end of the pass； about Stilesboro。 Colonel W。 W。 Wright； of the Engineers； was busily employed in repairing the railroad and rebuilding the bridge across the Etowah （or High tower） River； which had been destroyed by the enemy on his retreat； and the armies were engaged in a general and constant skirmish along a front of about six milesMcPherson the right； Thomas the centre； and Schofield on the left。 By gradually covering our front with parapet； and extending to the left； we approached the railroad toward Acworth and overlapped the enemy's right。 By the 4th of June we had made such progress that Johnston evacuated his lines in the night； leaving us masters of the situation； when I deliberately shifted McPherson's army to the extreme left； at and in front of Acworth； with Thomas's about two miles on his right； and Schofield's on his right all facing eaSt。 Heavy rains set in about the lst of June； making the roads infamous； but our marches were short； as we needed time for the repair of the railroad； so as to bring supplies forward to Allatoona Station。 On the 6th I rode back to Allatoona； seven miles； found it all that was expected； and gave orders for its fortification and preparation as a 〃secondary base。〃
General Blair arrived at Acworth on the 8th with his two divisions of the Seventeenth Corpsthe same which had been on veteran furloughhad come up from Cairo by way of Clifton； on the Tennessee River； and had followed our general route to Allatoona； where he had left a garrison of about fifteen hundred men。 His effective strength； as reported； was nine thousand。 These； with new regiments and furloughed men who had joined early in the month of May； equaled our losses from battle； sickness； and by detachments； so that the three armies still aggregated about one hundred thousand effective men。
On the 10th of June the whole combined army moved forward six miles； to 〃Big Shanty；〃 a station on the railroad； whence we had a good view of the enemy's position； which embraced three prominent hills known as Kenesaw； Pine Mountain； and Lost Mountain。 On each of these hills the enemy had signal…stations and fresh lines of parapets。 Heavy masses of infantry could be distinctly seen with the naked eye； and it was manifest that Johnston had chosen his ground well； and with deliberation had prepared for battle； but his line was at least ten miles in extenttoo long； in my judgment； to be held successfully by his force； then estimated at sixty thousand。 As his position； however； gave him a perfect view over our field； we had to proceed with due caution。 McPherson had the left； following the railroad； which curved around the north base of Kenesaw； Thomas the centre； obliqued to the right； deploying below Kenesaw and facing Pine Hill； and Schofield； somewhat refused； was on the general right； looking south； toward Lost Mountain。
On the 11th the Etowah bridge was done； the railroad was repaired up to our very skirmish line； close to the base of Kenesaw； and a loaded train of cars came to Big Shanty。 The locomotive； detached； was run forward to a water…tank within the range of the enemy's gone on Kenesaw； whence the enemy opened fire on the locomotive； but the engineer was not afraid； went on to the tank； got water； and returned safely to his train； answering the guns with the screams of his engine； heightened by the cheers and shouts of our men。
The rains continued to poor； and made our developments slow and dilatory； for there were no roads； and these had to be improvised by each division for its own supply train from the depot in Big Shanty to the camps。 Meantime each army was deploying carefully before the enemy； intrenching every camp； ready as against a sally。 The enemy's cavalry was also busy in our rear； compelling us to detach cavalry all the way back as far as Resaca； and to strengthen all the infantry posts as far as Nashville。 Besides； there was great danger； always in my mind； that Forrest would collect a heavy cavalry command in Mississippi； cross the Tennessee River； and break up our railroad below Nashville。 In anticipation of this very danger； I had sent General Sturgis to Memphis to take command of all the cavalry in that quarter； to go out toward Pontotoc； engage Forrest and defeat him； but on the 14th of June I learned that General Sturgis had himself been defeated on the 10th of June； and had been driven by Forrest back into Memphis in considerable confusion。 I expected that this would soon be followed by a general raid on all our roads in Tennessee。 General G。 J。 Smith； with the two divisions of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Corps which had been with General Banks up Red River； had returned from that ill…fated expedition； and had been ordered to General Canby at New Orleans； who was making a diversion about Mobile； but； on hearing of General Sturgis's defeat； I ordered General Smith to go out from Memphis and renew the offensive； so as to keep Forrest off our roads。 This he did finally； defeating Forrest at Tupelo； on the 13th； 14th； and 15th days of July； and he so stirred up matters in North Mississippi that Forrest could not leave for Tennessee。 This； for a time； left me only the task of covering the roads against such minor detachments of cavalry as Johnston could spare from his immediate army； and I proposed to keep these too busy in their own defense to spare detachments。 By the 14th the rain slackened； and we occupied a continuous line of ten miles； intrenched； conforming to the irregular position of the enemy； when I reconnoitred； with a view to make a break in their line between Kenesaw and Pine Mountain。 When abreast of Pine Mountain I noticed a rebel battery on its crest； with a continuous line of fresh rifle…trench about half…way down the hill。 Our skirmishers were at the time engaged in the woods about the base of this hill between the lines； and I estimated the distance to the battery on the cres
