personal memoirs-1-第26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！



directed　two　regiments　from　the　reserve　to　report　to　him；　that　they

might　be　placed　within　very　short　supporting　distance　of　his　line。

He　then　rejoined　his　brigade；　better　satisfied；　but　still　adhering　to

the　belief　he　had　expressed　when　first　making　his　report。



Long　before　dawn　my　division　breakfasted；　and　was　assembled　under

arms；　the　infantry　in　line；　the　cannoneers　at　their　pieces；　but　while

we　were　thus　preparing；　all　the　recent　signs　of　activity　in　the

enemy's　camp　were　hushed；　a　death…like　stillness　prevailing　in　the

cedars　to　our　front。　　Shortly　after　daylight　General　Hardee　opened

the　engagement；　just　as　Sill　had　predicted；　by　a　fierce　attack　on

Johnson's　division；　the　extreme　right　of　the　Union　line。　　Immediate

success　attending　this　assault；　Hardee　extended　the　attack　gradually

along　in　front　of　Davis；　hip　movement　taking　the　form　of　a　wheel　to

the　right；　the　pivot　being　nearly　opposite　the　left　of　my　division。

Johnson's　division　soon　gave　way；　and　two　of　Davis's　brigades　were

forced　to　fall　back　with　it；　though　stubbornly　resisting　the

determined　and　sweeping　onset。



In　the　meantime　the　enemy　had　also　attacked　me；　advancing　across　an

old　cotton…field　in　Sill's　front　in　heavy　masses；　which　were

furiously　opened　upon　by　Bush's　battery　from　Sill's　line；　and　by

Hescock's　and　Houghtaling's　batteries；　which　had　an　oblique　fire　on

the　field　from　a　commanding　position　in　rear　of　my　centre。　　The

effect　of　this　fire　on　the　advancing　column　was　terrible；　but　it

continued　on　till　it　reached　the　edge　of　the　timber　where　Sill's

right　lay；　when　my　infantry　opened　at　a　range　of　not　over　fifty

yards。　　For　a　short　time　the　Confederates　withstood　the　fire；　but

then　wavered；　broke；　and　fell　back　toward　their　original　line。　　As

they　retired；　Sill's　brigade　followed　in　a　spirited　charge；　driving

them　back　across　the　open　ground　and　behind　their　intrenchments。　　In

this　charge　the　gallant　Sill　was　killed；　a　rifle　ball　passing　through

his　upper　lip　and　penetrating　the　brain。　　Although　this　was　a　heavy

loss；　yet　the　enemy's　discomfiture　was　such　as　to　give　us　an　hour's

time；　and　as　Colonel　Greusel；　Thirty…sixth　Illinois；　succeeded　to

Sill's　command；　I　directed　him；　as　he　took　charge；　to　recall　the

brigade　to　its　original　position；　for　the　turning…column　on　my

extreme　right　was　now　assuming　the　most　menacing　attitude；　and　it　was

urgently　necessary　to　prepare　for　it。



When　that　portion　of　the　enemy　driven　back　by　Sill　recovered　from　its

repulse　it　again　advanced　to　the　attack；　this　time　directing　its

efforts　chiefly　upon　my　extreme　right；　and　the　front　of　Woodruff's

brigade　of　Davis's　division；　which　brigade　still　held　on　in　its　first

position。　　In　front　of　my　centre　the　Confederates　were　again　driven

back；　but　as　the　assault　on　Woodruff　was　in　conjunction　with　an

advance　of　the　column　that　had　forced　Johnson　to　retire；　Woodruff　was

compelled　unfortunately　to　give　way；　and　two　regiments　on　the　right

of　my　line　went　with　him；　till　they　rallied　on　the　two　reserve

regiments　which；　in　anticipation　of　the　enemy's　initiatory　attack　I

had　sent　to　Sill's　rear　before　daylight。



Both　Johnson's　and　Davis's　divisions　were　now　practically　gone　from

our　line；　having　retired　with　a　loss　of　all　formation；　and　they　were

being　closely　pursued　by　the　enemy；　whose　columns　were　following　the

arc　of　a　circle　that　would　ultimately　carry　him　in　on　my　rear。　　In

consequence　of　the　fact　that　this　state　of　things　would　soon　subject

me　to　a　fire　in　reverse；　I　hastily　withdrew　Sill's　brigade　and　the

reserve　regiments　supporting　it；　and　ordered　Roberts's　brigade；　which

at　the　close　of　the　enemy's　second　repulse　had　changed　front　toward

the　south　and　formed　in　column　of　regiments；　to　cover　the　withdrawal

by　a　charge　on　the　Confederates　as　they　came　into　the　timber　where　my

right　had　originally　rested。　　Roberts　made　the　charge　at　the　proper

time；　and　was　successful　in　checking　the　enemy's　advance；　thus　giving

us　a　breathing…spell；　during　which　I　was　able　to　take　up　a　new

position　with　Schaefer's　and　Sill's　brigades　on　the　commanding　ground

to　the　rear；　where　Hescock's　and　Houghtaling's　batteries　had　been

posted　all　the　morning。



The　general　course　of　this　new　position　was　at　right　angles　with　my

original　line；　and　it　took　the　shape　of　an　obtuse　angle；　with　my

three　batteries　at　the　apex。　　Davis；　and　Carlin　of　his　division；

endeavored　to　rally　their　men　here　on　my　right；　but　their　efforts

were　practically　unavailing；though　the　calm　and　cool　appearance　of

Carlin；　who　at　the　time　was　smoking　a　stumpy　pipe；　had　some　effect；

and　was　in　strong　contrast　to　the　excited　manner　of　Davis；　who　seemed

overpowered　by　the　disaster　that　had　befallen　his　command。　　But　few

could　be　rallied；　however；　as　the　men　were　badly　demoralized；　and

most　of　them　fell　back　beyond　the　Wilkinson　pike；　where　they

reorganized　behind　the　troops　of　General　Thomas。



At　this　juncture　the　enemy's　turning…column　began　advancing　again　in

concert　with　Cheatham's　division；　and　as　the　extreme　left　of　the

Confederates　was　directed　on　Griscom's　house；　and　their　right　on　the

Blanton　house；　my　new　position　was　in　danger　of　envelopment。　　No　hope

of　stemming　the　tide　at　this　point　seemed　probable；　but　to　gain　time

I　retained　my　ground　as　long　as　possible；　and　until；　under　directions

from　General　McCook；　I　moved　to　the　front　from　my　left　flank　and

attached　myself　to　the　right　of　Negley's　division；　which　up　to　this

hour　had　been　left　almost　undisturbed　by　the　enemy　in　the　line　it　had

taken　up　the　night　before。　　Under　a　heavy　fire　we　succeeded　in　this

manoeuvre；　Schaefer's　brigade　marching　first；　then　the　batteries；　and

Roberts's　and　Sill's　brigades　following。　　When　my　division　arrived　on

this　new　ground；　I　posted　Roberts　on　Negley's　right；　with　Hescock's

and　Bush's　guns；　the　brigade　and　guns　occupying　a　low　rocky　ridge　of

limestone；　which　faced　them　toward　Murfreesboro'；　nearly　south。　　The

rest　of　my　division　was　aligned　facing　west；　along　the　edge　of　a

cedar　thicket；　the　rear　rank　backed　up　on　the　right　flank　of　Roberts；

with　Houghtaling's　battery　in　the　angle。　　This　presented　Sill's　and

Schaefer's　brigades　in　an　almost　opposite　direction　to　the　line　we

had　so　confidently　taken　up　the　night　before；　and　covered　Negley's

rear。　　The　enemy；　in　the　meantime；　had　continued　his　wheeling

movement　till　he　occupied　the　ground　that　my　batteries　and　reserve

brigade　had　held　in　the　morning；　and　I　had　now　so　changed　my　position

that　the　left　brigade　of　my　division　approached　his　intrenchments　in

front　of　Stone　River；　while　Sill's　and　Schaeffer's　brigades；　by

facing　nearly　west；　confronted　the　successful　troops　that　had　smashed

in　our　extreme　right。



I　had　hardly　got　straightened　out　in　this　last　place　when　I　was

attacked　by　Cheatham's'division；　which；　notwithstanding　the

staggering　blows　it　had　previously　received　from　Sill　and　Roberts；

now　again　moved　forward　in　conjunction　with　the　wheeling　movement

under　the　immediate　command　of　Hardee。　　One　of　the　most　sanguinary

contests　of　the　day　now　took　place。　　In　fulfillment　of　Bragg's

original　design　no　doubt；　Cheatham's　division　attacked　on　my　left；

while　heavy　masses　under　Hardee；　covered　by　batteries　posted　on　the

high　ground　formerly　occupied　by　my　guns；　assaulted　my　right；　the

whole　force　advancing　simultaneously。　　At　the　same　time　the　enemy

opened　an　artillery　fire　from　his　intrenchments　in　front　of

Murfreesboro'；　and　it　seemed　that　he　was　present　on　every　side。　　My

position　was　strong；　however；　located　in　the　edge　of　a　dense　cedar

thicket　and　commanding　a　slight　depression　of　open　ground　that　lay　in

my　front。　　My　men　were　in　good　spirits　too；　notwithstanding　they　had

been　a　good　deal　hustled　around　since　daylight；　with　losses　that　had

told　considerably　on　their　numbers。　　Only　a　short　distance　now

separated　the　contending　lines；　and　as　the　batteries　on　each　side

were　not　much　more　than　two　hundred　yards　apart　when　the　enemy　made

his　assault；　the　artillery　fire　was　fearful　in　its　effect　on　the

ranks　of　both　contestants；　the　enemy's　heavy　masses　staggering　under

the　torrent　of　shell　and　canister　from　our　batteries；　while　our　lines

were　thinned　by　his　ricochetting　projectiles；　that　rebounded　again

and　again　over　the　thinly　covered　limestone　formation　and　sped　on　to

the　rear　of　Negley。　　But　all　his　efforts　to　dislodge　or　destroy　us

were　futile；　and　for　the　first　time　since　daylight　General　Hardee　was

seriously　checked　in　the　turning　movement　he　had　begun　for　the

purpose　of　getting　possession　of　the　Nashville　pike；　and　though

reinforced　until　two…fifths　of　Bragg's　army　was　now　at　his　command；

yet　he　met　with　repulse　after　repulse；　which　created　great　gaps　in

his　lines　and　taught　him　that　to　overwhelm　us　was　hopeless。



As　the　enemy　was　recoiling　from　his　first　attack；　I　received　a

message　from　Rosecrans　telling　me　that　he　was　making　new

dispositions；　and　directing　me　to　hold　on　where　I　was　until　they　were

completed。　　From　this　I　judged　that　the　existing　conditions　of　the

battle　would　probably　require　a　sacrifice　of　my　command；　so　I

informed　Roberts　and　Schaefer　that　we　must　be　prepared　to　meet　the

demand　on　us　by　withstanding　the　assault　of　the　enemy；　no　matter　what

the　outcome。　　Every　energy　was　therefore　bent　to　the　simple　holding

of　our　ground；　and　as　ammunition　was　getting　scarce；　instructions

were　given　throughout　the　command　to　have　it　reserve　its　fire　till

the　most　effective　moment。　　In　a　little　while　came　a　second　and　a

third　assault；　and　although　they　were　as　daring　and　furious　as　the

first；　yet　in　each　case　the　Confederates　were　repulsed；　driven　back

in　confusion；　but　not　without　deadly　loss　to　us；　for　the　noble

Roberts　was　killed；　and　Colonel　Harrington；　of　the　Twenty…Seventh

Illinois；　who　succeeded　to　his　brigade；　was　mortally　wounded　a　few

minutes　later。　　I　had　now　on　the　death…roll　three　brigade　commanders；

and　the　loss　of　subordinate　officers　and　men　was　appalling；　but　their

sacrifice　had　accomplished　the　desired　result；　they　had　not　fallen　in

vain。　　Indeed；　the　bravery　and　tenacity　of　my　division　gave　to

Rosecrans　the　time　required　to　make　new　dispositions；　and　exacted

from　our　foes　the　highest　commendations。



A　lull　followed　the　third　fierce　assault；　and　an　investigation　showed

that；　with　the　exception　of　a　few　rounds　in　my　brigade；　our

ammunition　was　entirely　exhausted；　and　while　it　was　apparent　that　the

enemy　was　reluctant　to　renew　the　conflict　in　my　front；　yet　I　was

satisfied　I　could　not　hold　on　much　longer　without　the　danger　of

ultimate　capture；　so　I　prepared　to　withdraw　as　soon　as　the　troops　of

Rousseau's　division；　which　had　been　ordered　to　take　up　a　line　on　my

right；　came　into　position。　　Schaefer's　and　Sill's　brigades　being

without　a　cartridge；　I　directed　them　to　fix　bayonets　for　a　charge；

and　await　any　attempt　of　the　enemy　to　embarrass　my　retreat；　while

Roberts's　brigade；　offe