personal memoirs-1-第21章

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Campbell　had　been　unaccustomed　to　riding　till　the　war　broke　out；　and；

I　think；　felt　some　disinclination　to　mount　the　fiery　colt。　　Campbell

had　an　affection　for　him；　however；　that　never　waned；　and　would　often

come　to　my　headquarters　to　see　his　favorite；　the　colt　being　cared　for

there　by　the　regimental　farrier；　an　old　man　named　John　Ashley；　who

had　taken　him　in　charge　when　leaving　Michigan；　and　had　been　his　groom

ever　since。　　Seeing　that　I　liked　the　horseI　had　ridden　him　on

several　occasionsCampbell　presented　him　to　me　on　one　of　these

visits；　and　from　that　time　till　the　close　of　the　war　I　rode　him

almost　continuously；　in　every　campaign　and　battle　in　which　I　took

part；　without　once　finding　him　overcome　by　fatigue；　though　on　many

occasions　his　strength　was　severely　tested　by　long　marches　and　short

rations。　　I　never　observed　in　him　any　vicious　habit；　a　nervousness

and　restlessness　and　switch　of　the　tail；　when　everything　about　him

was　in　repose；　being　the　only　indication　that　he　might　be

untrustworthy。　　No　one　but　a　novice　could　be　deceived　by　this；

however；　for　the　intelligence　evinced　in　every　feature；　and　his

thoroughbred　appearance；　were　so　striking　that　any　person　accustomed

to　horses　could　not　misunderstand　such　a　noble　animal。　　But　Campbell

thought　otherwise；　at　least　when　the　horse　was　to　a　certain　degree

yet　untrained；　and　could　not　be　pursuaded　to　ride　him；　indeed；　for

more　than　a　year　after　he　was　given　to　me；　Campbell　still　retained

suspicions　of　his　viciousness；　though；　along　with　this　mistrust；　an

undiminished　affection。　　Although　he　was　several　times　wounded；　this

horse　escaped　death　in　action；　and　living　to　a　ripe　old　age；　died　in

1878；　attended　to　the　last　with　all　the　care　and　surrounded　with

every　comfort　due　the　faithful　service　he　had　rendered。



In　moving　from　Corinth　east　toward　Chattanooga；　General　Buell's　army

was　much　delayed　by　the　requirement　that　he　should　repair　the　Memphis

and　Charleston　railroad　as　he　progressed。　　The　work　of　repair　obliged

him　to　march　very　slowly；　and　was　of　but　little　use　when　done；　for

guerrillas　and　other　bands　of　Confederates　destroyed　the　road　again

as　soon　as　he　had　passed　on。　　But　worst　of　all；　the　time　thus

consumed　gave　General　Bragg　the　opportunity　to　reorganize　and

increase　his　army　to　such　an　extent　that　he　was　able　to　contest　the

possession　of　Middle　Tennessee　and　Kentucky。　　Consequently；　the

movement　of　this　army　through　Tennessee　and　Kentucky　toward　the　Ohio

Riverits　objective　points　being　Louisville　and　Cincinnatiwas　now

well　defined；　and　had　already　rendered　abortive　General　Buell's

designs　on　Chattanooga　and　East　Tennessee。　　Therefore　extraordinary

efforts　on　the　part　of　the　Government　became　necessary；　and　the

concentration　of　National　troops　at　Louisville　and　Cincinnati　to　meet

the　contingency　of　Bragg's　reaching　those　points　was　an　obvious

requirement。　　These　troops　were　drawn　from　all　sections　in　the　West

where　it　was　thought　they　could　be　spared；　and　among　others　I　was

ordered　to　conduct　thitherto　Louisville　or　Cincinnati；　as

subsequent　developments　might　demandmy　regiment；　Hescock's　battery；

the　Second　and　Fifteenth　Missouri；　and　the　Thirty…sixth　and　Forty…

fourth　Illinois　regiments　of　infantry；　known　as　the　〃Pea　Ridge

Brigade。〃　With　this　column　I　marched　back　to　Corinth　on　the　6th　of

September；　1862；　for　the　purpose　of　getting　railroad　transportation

to　Columbus；　Kentucky。



At　Corinth　I　met　General　Grant；　who　by　this　time　had　been

reestablished　in　favor　and　command　somewhat；　General　Halleck　having

departed　for　Washington　to　assume　command　of　the　army　as　General…in…

Chief。　　Before　and　during　the　activity　which　followed　his

reinstatement；　General　Grant　had　become　familiar　with　my　services

through　the　transmission　to　Washington　of　information　I　had　furnished

concerning　the　enemy's　movements；　and　by　reading　reports　of　my　fights

and　skirmishes　in　front；　and　he　was　loth　to　let　me　go。　　Indeed；　he

expressed　surprise　at　seeing　me　in　Corinth；　and　said　he　had　not

expected　me　to　go；　he　also　plainly　showed　that　he　was　much　hurt　at

the　inconsiderate　way　in　which　his　command　was　being　depleted。　　Since

I　was　of　the　opinion　that　the　chief　field　of　usefulness　and

opportunity　was　opening　up　in　Kentucky；　I　did　not　wish　him　to　retain

me；　which　he　might　have　done；　and　I　impressed　him　with　my　conviction；

somewhat　emphatically；　I　fear。　　Our　conversation　ended　with　my　wish

gratified。　　I　afterward　learned　that　General　Granger；　whom　General

Grant　did　not　fancy；　had　suggested　that　I　should　take　to　Cincinnati

the　main　portion　of　Granger's　commandthe　Pea　Ridge　Brigadeas　well

as　the　Second　Michigan　Cavalry；　of　which　I　was　still　colonel。

We　started　that　night；　going　by　rail　over　the　Mobile　and　Ohio　road　to

Columbus；　Ky。；　where　we　embarked　on　steamboats　awaiting　us。　　These

boats　were　five　in　number；　and　making　one　of　them　my　flag…ship；

expecting　that　we　might　come　upon　certain　batteries　reported　to　be

located　upon　the　Kentucky　shore　of　the　Ohio；　I　directed　the　rest　to

follow　my　lead。　　Just　before　reaching　Caseyville；　the　captain　of　a

tin…clad　gunboat　that　was　patrolling　the　river　brought　me　the

information　that　the　enemy　was　in　strong　force　at　Caseyville；　and

expressed　a　fear　that　my　fleet　could　not　pass　his　batteries。

Accepting　the　information　as　correct；　I　concluded　to　capture　the

place　before　trying　to　pass　up　the　river。　　Pushing　in　to　the　bank　as

we　neared　the　town；　I　got　the　troops　ashore　and　moved　on　Caseyville；

in　the　expectation　of　a　bloody　fight；　but　was　agreeably　surprised

upon　reaching　the　outskirts　of　the　village　by　an　outpouring　of　its

inhabitantsmen；　women；　and　childrencarrying　the　Stars　and

Stripes；　and　making　the　most　loyal　professions。　　Similar

demonstrations　of　loyalty　had　been　made　to　the　panic…stricken　captain

of　the　gunboat　when　he　passed　down　the　river；　but　he　did　not　stay　to

ascertain　their　character；　neither　by　landing　nor　by　inquiry；　for　he

assumed　that　on　the　Kentucky　bank　of　the　river　there　could　be　no

loyalty。　　The　result　mortified　the　captain　intensely；　and　deeming　his

convoy　of　little　further　use；　he　steamed　toward　Cairo　in　quest　of

other　imaginary　batteries；　while　I　re…embarked　at　Caseyville；　and

continued　up　the　Ohio　undisturbed。　　About　three　miles　below

Cincinnati　I　received　instructions　to　halt；　and　next　day　I　was

ordered　by　Major…General　H。　G。　Wright　to　take　my　troops　back　to

Louisville；　and　there　assume　command　of　the　Pea　Ridge　Brigade；

composed　of　the　Second　and　Fifteenth　Missouri；　Thirty…sixth　and

Forty…fourth　Illinois　infantry；　and　of　such　other　regiments　as　might

be　sent　me　in　advance　of　the　arrival　of　General　Buell's　army。

When　I　reached　Louisville　I　reported　to　Major…General　William　Nelson；

who　was　sick；　and　who　received　me　as　he　lay　in　bed。　　He　asked　me　why

I　did　not　wear　the　shoulder…straps　of　my　rank。　　I　answered　that　I　was

the　colonel　of　the　Second　Michigan　cavalry；　and　had　on　my　appropriate

shoulder…straps。　　He　replied　that　I　was　a　brigadier…general　for　the

Booneville　fight；　July　1；　and　that　I　should　wear　the　shoulder…straps

of　that　grade。　　I　returned　to　my　command　and　put　it　in　camp；　and　as　I

had　no　reluctance　to　wearing　the　shoulder…straps　of　a　brigadier…

general；　I　was　not　long　in　procuring　a　pair；　particularly　as　I　was

fortified　next　day　by　receiving　from　Washington　official　information

of　my　appointment　as　a　brigadier…general；　to　date　from　July　1；　1862；

the　day　of　the　battle　of　Booneville









CHAPTER　XI。



GOOD　ADVICE　FROM　GENERAL　NELSONHIS　TRAGIC　DEATHPUTTING　LOUISVILLE

IN　A　STATE　OF　DEFENSEASSIGNED　TO　THE　COMMAND　OF　THE　ELEVENTH

DIVISIONCAPTURE　OF　CHAPLIN　HEIGHTSBATTLE　OF　PERRYVILLEREPORTED

AMONG　THE　KILLEDA　THRILLING　INCIDENTGENERAL　BUELL　RELIEVED　BY

GENERAL　ROSECRANS。



I　reported　to　Major…General　Nelson　at　the　Galt　House　in　Louisville；

September　14；　1862；　who　greeted　me　in　the　bluff　and　hearty　fashion　of

a　sailorfor　he　had　been　in　the　navy　till　the　breaking　out　of　the

war。　　The　new　responsibilities　that　were　now　to　fall　upon　me　by

virtue　of　increased　rank　caused　in　my　mind　an　uneasiness　which；　I

think；　Nelson　observed　at　the　interview；　and　he　allayed　it　by　giving

me　much　good　advice；　and　most　valuable　information　in　regard　to

affairs　in　Kentucky；　telling　me　also　that　he　intended　I　should　retain

in　my　command　the　Pea　Ridge　Brigade　and　Hescock's　battery。　　This

latter　assurance　relieved　me　greatly；　for　I　feared　the　loss　of　these

troops　in　the　general　redistribution　which　I　knew　must　soon　take

place；　and　being　familiar　with　their　valuable　service　in　Missouri；

and　having　brought　them　up　from　Mississippi；　I　hoped　they　would

continue　with　me。　　He　directed　me　to　take　position　just　below　the

city　with　the　Pea　Ridge　Brigade；　Hescock's　battery；　and　the　Second

Michigan　Cavalry；　informing　me；　at　the　same　time；　that　some　of　the

new　regiments；　then　arriving　under　a　recent　call　of　the　President　for

volunteers；　would　also　be　assigned　to　my　command。　　Shortly　after　the

interview　eight　new　regiments　and　an　additional　battery　joined　me；

thus　making　good　his　promise　of　more　troops。



A　few　days　later　came　Nelson's　tragic　end；　shocking　the　whole

country。　　Those　of　us　in　camp　outside　of　the　city　were　startled　on

the　morning　of　September　29　by　the　news　that　General　Jefferson　C。

Davis；　of　the　Union　Army；　had　shot　General　Nelson　at　the　Galt　House；

and　the　wildest　rumors　in　regard　to　the　occurrence　came　thick　and

fast；　one　to　the　effect　that　Nelson　was　dead；　another　having　it　that

he　was　living　and　had　killed　Davis；　and　still　others　reflecting　on

the　loyalty　of　both；　it　being　supposed　by　the　general　public　at　first

that　the　difficulty　between　the　two　men　had　grown　out　of　some

political　rather　than　official　or　personal　differences。　　When　the

news　came；　I　rode　into　the　city　to　the　Galt　House　to　learn　the

particulars；　reaching　there　about　10　o'clock　in　the　forenoon。　　Here　I

learned　that　Nelson　had　been　shot　by　Davis　about　two　hours　before；　at

the　foot　of　the　main　stairway　leading　from　the　corridor　just　beyond

the　office　to　the　second　floor；　and　that　Nelson　was　already　dead。　　It

was　almost　as　difficult　to　get　reliable　particulars　of　the　matter　at

the　hotel　as　it　had　been　in　my　camp；　but　I　gathered　that　the　two　men

had　met　first　at　an　early　hour　near　the　counter　of　the　hotel　office；

and　that　an　altercation　which　had　begun　several　days　before　in

relation　to　something　official　was　renewed　by　Davis；　who；　attempting

to　speak　to　Nelson　in　regard　to　the　subject…matter　of　their　previous

dispute；　was　met　by　an　insulting　refusal　to　listen。　　It　now　appears

that　when　Nelson　made　this　offensive　remark；　Davis　threw　a　small

paper　ball　that　he　was　nervously　rolling　between　his　fingers　into

Nelson's　face；　and　that　this　insult　was　returned　by　Nelson　slapping

Davis　（Killed　by　a　Brother　Soldier。Gen。　J。　B。　Fry。）　in　the　face。

But　at　the　time；　exactly　what　had　taken　place　just　before　the

shootin