personal memoirs-1-第19章

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desperate　work　that　is　usually　imposed　on　a　forlorn　hope。



To　carry　out　the　purpose　now　in　view；　I　instructed　Captain　Alger　to

follow　the　wood　road　as　it　led　around　the　left　of　the　enemy's

advancing　forces；　to　a　point　where　'it　joined　the　Blackland　road；

about　three　miles　from　Booneville；　and　directed　him；　upon　reaching

the　Blackland　road；　to　turn　up　it　immediately；　and　charge　the　rear　of

the　enemy's　line。　　Under　no　circumstances　was　he　to　deploy　the

battalion；　but　charge　in　column　right　through　whatever　he　came　upon；

and　report　to　me　in　front　of　Booneville；　if　at　all　possible　for　him

to　get　there。　　If　he　failed　to　break　through　the　enemy's　line；　he　was

to　go　ahead　as　far　as　he　could；　and　then　if　any　of　his　men　were　left；

and　he　was　able　to　retreat；　he　was　to　do　so　by　the　same　route　he　had

taken　on　his　way　out。　　To　conduct　him　on　this　perilous　service　I　sent

along　a　thin；　sallow；　tawny…haired　Mississippian　named　Beene；　whom　I

had　employed　as　a　guide　and　scout　a　few　days　before；　on　account　of

his　intimate　knowledge　of　the　roads；　from　the　public　thoroughfares

down　to　the　insignificant　by…paths　of　the　neighboring　swamps。　　With

such　guidance　I　felt　sure　that　the　column　would　get　to　the　desired

point　without　delay；　for　there　was　no　danger　of　its　being　lost　or

misled　by　taking　any　of　the　many　by…roads　which　traversed　the　dense

forests　through　which　it　would　be　obliged　to　pass。　　I　also　informed

Alger　that　I　should　take　the　reserve　and　join　the　main　line　in　front

of　Booneville　for　the　purpose　of　making　an　advance　of　my　whole　force；

and　that　as　a　signal　he　must　have　his　men　cheer　loudly　when　he　struck

the　enemy's　rear；　in　order　that　my　attack　might　be　simultaneous　with

his。



I　gave　him　one　hour　to　go　around　and　come　back　through　the　enemy；　and

when　he　started　I　moved　to　the　front　with　the　balance　of　the　reserve；

to　put　everything　I　had　into　the　fight。　　This　meant　an　inestimable

advantage　to　the　enemy　in　case　of　our　defeat；　but　our　own　safety

demanded　the　hazard。　　All　along　our　attenuated　line　the　fighting　was

now　sharp；　and　the　enemy's　firing　indicated　such　numerical　strength

that　fear　of　disaster　to　Alger　increased　my　anxiety　terribly　as　the

time　set　for　his　cheering　arrived　and　no　sound　of　it　was　heard。



Relying；　however；　on　the　fact　that　Beene's　knowledge　of　the　roads

would　prevent　his　being　led　astray；　and　confident　of　Alger's

determination　to　accomplish　the　purpose　for　which　he　set　out；　as　soon

as　the　hour　was　up　I　ordered　my　whole　line　forward。　　Fortunately；

just　as　this　moment　a　locomotive　and　two　cars　loaded　with　grain　for

my　horses　ran　into　Booneville　from　Corinth。　　I　say　fortunately；

because　it　was　well　known　throughout　the　command　that　in　the　morning；

when　I　first　discovered　the　large　numbers　of　the　enemy；　I　had　called

for　assistance；　and　my　troops；　now　thinking　that　reinforcements　had

arrived　by　rail　from　Rienzi；　where　a　division　of　infantry　was

encamped；　and　inspirated　by　this　belief；　advanced　with　renewed

confidence　and　wild　cheering。　　Meantime　I　had　the　engineer　of　the

locomotive　blow　his　whistle　loudly；　so　that　the　enemy　might　also

learn　that　a　train　had　come；　and　from　the　fact　that　in　a　few　moments

he　began　to　give　way　before　our　small　force；　I　thought　that　this

strategem　had　some　effect。　　Soon　his　men　broke；　and　ran　in　the　utmost

disorder　over　the　country　in　every　direction。　　I　found　later；

however；　that　his　precipitous　retreat　was　due　to　the　pressure　on　his

left　from　the　Second　Iowa；　in　concert　with　the　front　attack　of　the

Second　Michigan；　and　the　demoralization　wrought　in　his　rear　by　Alger；

who　had　almost　entirely　accomplished　the　purpose　of　his　expedition；

though　he　had　failed　to　come　through；　or　so　near　that　I　could　hear

the　signal　agreed　upon　before　leaving　Booneville。



After　Alger　had　reached　and　turned　up　the　Blackland　road；　the　first

thing　he　came　across　was　the　Confederate　headquarters；　the　officers

and　orderlies　about　which　he　captured　and　sent　back　some　distance　to

a　farm…house。　　Continuing　on　a　gallop；　he　soon　struck　the　rear　of　the

enemy's　line；　but　was　unable　to　get　through；　nor　did　he　get　near

enough　for　me　to　hear　his　cheering；　but　as　he　had　made　the　distance

he　was　to　travel　in　the　time　allotted；　his　attack　and　mine　were

almost　coincident；　and　the　enemy；　stampeded　by　the　charges　in　front

and　rear；　fled　toward　Blackland；　with　little　or　no　attempt　to　capture

Alger's　command；　which　might　readily　have　been　done。　　Alger's

troopers　soon　rejoined　me　at　Booneville；　minus　many　hats；　having

returned　by　their　original　route。　　They　had　sustained　little　loss

except　a　few　men　wounded　and　a　few　temporarily　missing。　　Among　these

was　Alger　himself；　who　was　dragged　from　his　saddle　by　the　limb　of　a

tree　that；　in　the　excitement　of　the　charge；　he　was　unable　to　flank。

The　missing　had　been　dismounted　in　one　way　or　another；　and　run　over

by　the　enemy　in　his　flight；　but　they　all　turned　up　later；　none　the

worse　except　for　a　few　scratches　and　bruises。



My　effective　strength　in　this　fight　was　827　all　told；　and　Alger's

command　comprised　ninety　officers　and　men。　　Chalmers's　force　was

composed　of　six　regiments　and　two　battalions；　and　though　I　have　been

unable　to　find　any　returns　from　which　to　verify　his　actual　numbers；

yet；　from　the　statements　of　prisoners　and　from　information　obtained

from　citizens　along　his　line　of　march；　it　is　safe　to　say　that　he　had

in　the　action　not　less　than　five…thousand　men。　　Our　casualties　were

not　manyforty…one　in　all。　　His　loss　in　killed　and　wounded　was

considerable；　his　most　severely　woundedforty　menfalling　into　our

hands；　having　been　left　at　farm…houses　in　the　vicinity　of　the

battlefield。



The　victory　in　the　face　of　such　odds　was　most　gratifying；　and　as　it

justified　my　disinclinationin　fact；　refusalto　retire　from

Booneville　without　fighting　（for　the　purpose　of　saving　my

transportation；　as　directed　by　superior　authority　when　I　applied　in

the　morning　for　reinforcements）；　it　was　to　me　particularly　grateful。

It　was　also　very　valuable　in；　view　of　the　fact　that　it　increased　the

confidence　between　the　officers　and　men　of　my　brigade　and　me；　and

gave　us　for　the　balance　of　the　month　not　only　comparative　rest；　but

entire　immunity　from　the　dangers　of　a　renewed　effort　to　gobble　my

isolated　outpost。　　In　addition　to　all　this；　commendation　from　my

immediate　superiors　was　promptly　tendered　through　oral　and　written

congratulations；　and　their　satisfaction　at　the　result　of　the　battle

took　definite　form　a　few　days　later；　in　the　following　application　for

my　promotion；　when；　by　an　expedition　to　Ripley；　Miss。；　most　valuable

information　as　to　the　enemy's　location　and　plans　was　captured：







〃HEADQUARTERS　ARMY　OF　THE　MISSISSIPPI；

〃JULY　30；　1862。3。05　P。　M。



〃MAJOR…GENERAL　HALLECK；

〃Washington；　D。　C。



〃Brigadiers　scarce；　good　ones　scarce。　　Asboth　goes　on　the　month's

leave　you　gave　him　ten　months　since；　Granger　has　temporary　command。

The　undersigned　respectfully　beg　that　you　will　obtain　the　promotion

of　Sheridan。　　He　is　worth　his　weight　in　gold。　　His　Ripley　expedition

has　brought　us　captured　letters　of　immense　value；　as　well　as

prisoners；　showing　the　rebel　plans　and　dispositions；　as　you　will

learn　from　District　Commander。



〃W。　S。　ROSECRANS；　Brigadier…General。

〃C。　C。　SULLIVAN；　　　　　　〃　　　　　　　〃

〃G。　GRANGER；　　　　　　　　　　〃　　　　　　　〃

〃W。　L。　ELLIOTT；　　　　　　　〃　　　　　　　〃

〃A。　ASBOTH；　　　　　　　　　　　〃　　　　　　　〃









CHAPTER　X。



IN　CAMP　NEAR　RIENZIGENERAL　GRANGERA　VALUABLE　CAPTURE　AT　RIPLEY

RAIDING　A　CORNFIELDREPULSING　AN　ATTACKPRESENTED　WITH　THE　BLACK

HORSE　〃RIENZI〃MEETING　GENERAL　GRANTAPPOINTED　A　BRIGADIER…GENERAL。



After　the　battle　of　Booneville；　it　was　decided　by　General　Rosecrans；

on　the　advice　of　General　Granger；　that　my　position　at　Booneville　was

too　much　exposed；　despite　the　fact　that　late　on　the　evening　of　the

fight　my　force　had　been　increased　by　the　addition　of；　a　battery　of

four　guns　and　two　companies　of　infantry；　and　by　the　Third　Michigan

Cavalry；　commanded　by　Colonel　John　K。　Mizner；　so　I　was　directed　to

withdraw　from　my　post　and　go　into　camp　near　Rienzi；　Mississippi；

where　I　could　equally　well　cover　the　roads　in　front　of　the　army；　and

also　be　near　General　Asboth's　division　of　infantry；　which　occupied　a

line　in　rear　of　the　town。　　This　section　of　country；　being　higher　and

more　rolling　than　that　in　the　neighborhood　of　Booneville；　had　many

advantages　in　the　way　of　better　camping…grounds；　better　grazing　and

the　like；　but　I　moved　with　reluctance；　because　I　feared　that　my

proximity　to　Asboth　would　diminish　to　a　certain　extent　my

independence　of　command。



General　Asboth　was　a　tall；　spare；　handsome　man；　with　gray　mustache

and　a　fierce　look。　　He　was　an　educated　soldier；　of　unquestioned

courage；　but　the　responsibilities　of　outpost　duty　bore　rather　heavily

on　him；　and　he　kept　all　hands　in　a　state　of　constant　worry　in

anticipation　of　imaginary　attacks。　　His　ideas　of　discipline　were　not

very　rigid　either；　and　as　by　this　time　there　had　been　introduced　into

my　brigade　some　better　methods　than　those　obtaining　when　it　first

fell　to　my　command；　I　feared　the　effect　should　he；　have　any　control

over　it；　or　meddle　with　its　internal　affairs。　　However；　there　was

nothing　to　do　but　to　move　to　the　place　designated；　but　General

Granger；　who　still　commanded　the　cavalry　division　to　which　the

brigade　belonged；　so　arranged　matters　with　General　Rosecrans；　who　had

succeeded　to　the　command　of　the　Army　of　the　Mississippi；　that　my

independence　was　to　be　undisturbed；　except　in　case　of　a　general

attack　by　the　enemy。



We　went　into　camp　near　Rienzi；　July　22；　sending　back　to　the　general

field…hospital　at　Tuscumbia　Springs　all　our　sicka　considerable

numberstricken　down　by　the　malarial　influences　around　Booneville。

In　a　few　days　the　fine　grazing　arid　abundance　of　grain　for　our

exhausted　horses　brought　about　their　recuperation；　and　the　many　large

open　fields　in　the　vicinity　gave　opportunity　for　drills　and　parades；

which　were　much　needed。　　I　turned　my　attention　to　those　disciplinary

measures　which；　on　account　of　active　work　in　the　field；　had　been

necessarily　neglected　since　the　brigade　had　arrived　at　Pittsburg

Landing；　in　April；　and　besides；　we　had　been　busy　in　collecting

information　by　scouting　parties　and　otherwise；　in　prosecution　of　the

purpose　for　which　we　were　covering　the　main　army。



I　kept　up　an　almost　daily　correspondence　with　General　Granger；

concerning　the；　information　obtained　by　scouts　and　reconnoitring

parties；　and　he　came　often　to　Rienzi　to　see　me　in　relation　to　this

and　other　matters。　　Previously　I　had　not　had　much　personal

association　with　Granger。　　While　I　was　at　Halleck's　headquarters　we

met　on　one　or　two　occasions；　and　the　day　I　joined　the　Second　Michigan

at　Farmington　I　saw　him　for　a　few　moments；　but；　with　such　slight

exception；　our　intercourse　had　been　almost　exclusively　official。　　He

had　suggested　my　name；　I　was　told；　to　Govern