personal memoirs-1-第29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！



himself；　saying　that　with　one　of　his　brothers　and　three　other　loyal

East　Tennesseeans；　whose　services　he　knew　could　be　enlisted；　he　felt

sure　of　carrying　out　the　idea；　so　I　gave　him　authority　to　choose　his

own　assistants。　　In　a　few　days　his　men　appeared　at　my　headquarters；

and　when　supplied　with　money　in　notes　of　the　State　Bank　of　Tennessee；

current　everywhere　as　gold　in　those　days；　the　party；　composed　of

Card；　the　second　brother；　and　the　three　East　Tennesseeans；　started　on

their　precarious　enterprise；　their　course　being　directed　first　toward

the　Cumberland　Mountains；　intending　to　strike　the　Nashville　and

Chattanooga　railroad　somewhere　above　Anderson's　station。　　They

expected　to　get　back　in　about　fifteen　days；　but　I　looked　for　some

knowledge　of　the　progress　of　their　adventure　before　the　expiration　of

that　period；　hoping　to　hear　through　Confederate　sources　prisoners　and

the　like…of　the　destruction　of　the　bridges。　　I　waited　in　patience　for

such　news；　but　none　came；　and　as　the　time　Card　had　allotted　himself

passed　by；　I　watched　anxiously　for　his　return；　for；　as　there　was

scarcely　a　doubt　that　the　expedition　had　proved　a　failure；　the　fate

of　the　party　became　a　matter　of　deep　concern　to　Card's　remaining

brother　and　to　me。　　Finally　this　brother　volunteered　to　go　to　his

father's　house　in　East　Tennessee　to　get　tidings　of　the　party；　and　I

consented；　for　the　probabilities　were　that　some　of　them　had　made

their　way　to　that　point；　or　at　least　that　some　information　had

reached　there　about　them。　　As　day　after　day　went　by；　the　time　fixed

for　this　brother's　return　came　round；　yet　he　also　remained　out；　but

some　days　after　the　lad　was　due　Card　himself　turned　up　accompanied　by

the　brother　he　had　taken　with　him；　soon　explained　his　delay　in

getting　back；　and　gave　me　the　story　of　his　adventures　while　absent。



After　leaving　my　camp；　his　party　had　followed　various　byways　across

the　Cumberland　Mountains　to　Crow　Creek　Valley；　as　instructed；　but

when　nearing　the　railroad　above　Anderson's　Station；　they　were

captured　by　some　guerrillas　prowling　about　that　vicinity；　and　being

suspected　of　disloyalty　to　the　Confederacy；　were　carried　to

Chattanooga　and　imprisoned　as　Yankee　spies。　　Their　prospects　now　were

decidedly　discouraging；　for　death　stared　them　in　the　face。

Fortunately；　however；　some　delays　occurred　relative　to　the

disposition　that　should　be　made　of　them；　and　they；　meanwhile；

effected　their　escape　from　their　jailors　by　way　of　one　of　the　prison

windows；　from　which　they　managed　to　displace　a　bar；　and　by　a　skiff；

in　the　darkness　of　night；　crossed　the　Tennessee　River　a　little　below

Chattanooga。　　From　this　point　the　party　made　their　way　back　to　my

camp；　traveling　only　at　night；　hiding　in　the　woods　by　day；　and　for

food　depending　on　loyal　citizens　that　Card　had　become　acquainted　with

when　preaching　and　pedling。



Card's　first　inquiry　after　relating　his　story　was　for　the　youngest

brother；　whom　he　had　left　with　me。　　I　told　him　what　I　had　done；　in　my

anxiety　about　himself；　and　that　more　than　sufficient　time　had　elapsed

for　his　brother's　return。　　His　reply　was：　〃They　have　caught　him。　　The

poor　fellow　is　dead。〃　　His　surmise　proved　correct；　for　news　soon　came

that　the　poor　boy　had　been　captured　at　his　father's　house；　and

hanged。　　The　blow　to　Card　was　a　severe　one；　and　so　hardened　his　heart

against　the　guerrillas　in　the　neighborhood　of　his　father's　homefor

he　knew　they　were　guilty　of　his　brother's　murderthat　it　was　with

difficulty　I　could　persuade　him　to　continue　in　the　employment　of　the

Government；　so　determined　was　he　to　avenge　his　brother's　death　at　the

first　opportunity。　　Finally；　however；　I　succeeded　in　quieting　the

almost　uncontrollable　rage　that　seemed　to　possess　him；　and　he

remained　with　me　during　the　Tullahoma　and　Chickamauga　campaigns；　but

when　we　reached　Knoxville　the　next　winter；　he　took　his　departure；

informing　me　that　he　was　going　for　the　bushwhackers　who　had　killed

his　brother。　　A　short　time　after　he　left　me；　I　saw　him　at　the　head　of

about　thirty　well…armed　East　Tennesseeansrefugees。　　They　were

determined…looking　men；　seeking　revenge　for　the　wrongs　and　sufferings

that　had　been　put　upon　them　in　the　last　two　years；　and　no　doubt

wreaked　their　vengeance　right　and　left　on　all　who　had　been　in　any　way

instrumental　in　persecuting　them。



The　feeding　of　our　army　from　the　base　at　Louisville　was　attended　with

a　great　many　difficulties；　as　the　enemy's　cavalry　was　constantly

breaking　the　railroad　and　intercepting　our　communications　on　the

Cumberland　River　at　different　points　that　were　easily　accessible　to

his　then　superior　force　of　troopers。　　The　accumulation　of　reserve

stores　was　therefore　not　an　easy　task；　and　to　get　forage　ahead　a　few

days　was　well…nigh　impossible；　unless　that　brought　from　the　North　was

supplemented　by　what　we　could　gather　from　the　country。　　Corn　was

abundant　in　the　region　to　the　south　and　southwest　of　Murfreesboro'；

so　to　make　good　our　deficiences　in　this　respect；　I　employed　a　brigade

about　once　a　week　in　the　duty　of　collecting　and　bringing　in　forage；

sending　out　sometimes　as　many　as　a　hundred　and　fifty　wagons　to　haul

the　grain　which　my　scouts　had　previously　located。　　In　nearly　every

one　of　these　expeditions　the　enemy　was　encountered；　and　the　wagons

were　usually　loaded　while　the　skirmishers　kept　up　a　running　fire；

Often　there　would　occur　a　respectable　brush；　with　the　loss　on　each

side　of　a　number　of　killed　and　wounded。　　The　officer　in　direct

command　always　reported　to　me　personally　whatever　had　happened　during

the　time　he　was　outthe　result　of　his　reconnoissance；　so　to　speak；

for　that　war　the　real　nature　of　these　excursionsand　on　one　occasion

the　colonel　in　command；　Colonel　Conrad；　of　the　Fifteenth　Missouri；

informed　me　that　he　got　through　without　much　difficulty；　in　fact；

that　everything　had　gone　all　right　and　been　eminently　satisfactory；

except　that　in　returning　he　had　been　mortified　greatly　by　the　conduct

of　the　two　females　belonging　to　the　detachment　and　division　train　at

my　headquarters。　　These　women；　he　said；　had　given　much　annoyance　by

getting　drunk；　and　to　some　extent　demoralizing　his　men。　　To　say　that

I　was　astonished　at　his　statement　would　be　a　mild　way　of　putting　it；

and　had　I　not　known　him　to　be　a　most　upright　man　and　of　sound　sense；

I　should　have　doubted　not　only　his　veracity；　but　his　sanity。

Inquiring　who　they　were　and　for　further　details；　I　was　informed　that

there　certainly　were　in　the　command　two　females；　that　in　some

mysterious　manner　had　attached　themselves　to　the　service　as　soldiers；

that　one；　an　East　Tennessee　woman；　was　a　teamster　in　the　division

wagon…train　and　the　other　a　private　soldier　in　a　cavalry　company

temporarily　attached　to　my　headquarters　for　escort　duty。　　While　out

on　the　foraging　expedition　these　Amazons　had　secured　a　supply　of

〃apple…jack〃　by　some　means；　got　very　drunk；　and　on　the　return　had

fallen　into　Stone　River　and　been　nearly　drowned。　　After　they　had　been

fished　from；　the　water；　in　the　process　of　resuscitation　their　sex　was

disclosed；　though　up　to　this　time　it　appeared　to　be　known　only　to

each　other。　　The　story　was　straight　and　the　circumstance　clear；　so；

convinced　of　Conrad's　continued　sanity；　I　directed　the　provost…

marshal　to　bring　in　arrest　to　my　headquarters　the　two　disturbers　of

Conrad's　peace　of　mind；　After　some　little　search　the　East　Tennessee

woman　was　found　in　camp；　somewhat　the　worse　for　the　experiences　of

the　day　before；　but　awaiting　her　fate　content　idly　smoking　a　cob…

pipe。　　She　was　brought　to　me；　and　put　in　duress　under　charge　of　the

division　surgeon　until　her　companion　could　be　secured。　　To　the　doctor

she　related　that　the　year　before　she　had　〃refugeed〃　from　East

Tennessee；　and　on　arriving　in　Louisville　assumed　men's　apparel　and

sought　and　obtained　employment　as　a　teamster　in　the　quartermaster's

department。　　Her　features　were　very　large；　and　so　coarse　and

masculine　was　her　general　appearance　that　she　would　readily　have

passed　as　a　man；　and　in　her　case　the　deception　was　no　doubt　easily

practiced。　　Next　day　the　〃she　dragoon〃　was　caught；　and　proved　to　be　a

rather　prepossessing　young　woman；　and　though　necessarily　bronzed　and

hardened　by　exposure；　I　doubt　if；　even　with　these　marks　of

campaigning；　she　could　have　deceived　as　readily　as　did　her　companion。

How　the　two　got　acquainted；　I　never　learned；　and　though　they　had

joined　the　army　independently　of　each　other；　yet　an　intimacy　had

sprung　up　between　them　long　before　the　mishaps　of　the　foraging

expedition。　　They　both　were　forwarded　to　army　headquarters；　and；　when

provided　with　clothing　suited　to　their　sex；　sent　back　to　Nashville；

and　thence　beyond　our　lines　to　Louisville。



On　January　9；　by　an　order　from　the　War　Department；　the　Army　of　the

Cumberland　had　been　divided　into　three　corps；　designated　the

Fourteenth；　Twentieth；　and　Twenty…first。　　This　order　did　not　alter

the　composition　of　the　former　grand　divisions；　nor　change　the

commanders；　but　the　new　nomenclature　was　a　decided　improvement　over

the　clumsy　designations　Right　Wing；　Centre；　and　Left　Wing；　which　were

well　calculated　to　lead　to　confusion　sometimes。　　McCook's　wing　became

the　Twentieth　Corps；　and　my　division　continued　of　the　same

organization；　and　held　the　same　number　as　formerly…the　Third

Division；　Twentieth　Corps。　　My　first　brigade　was　now　commanded　by

Brigadier…General　William　H。　Lytle；　the　second　by　Colonel　Bernard

Laiboldt；　and　the　third　by　Colonel　Luther　P。　Bradley。



On　the　4th　of　March　I　was　directed　to　move　in　light　marching　order

toward　Franklin　and　join　General　Gordon　Granger；　to　take　part　in　some

operations　which　he　was　projecting　against　General　Earl　Van　Dorn；

then　at　Spring　Hill。　　Knowing　that　my　line　of　march　would　carry　me

through　a　region　where　forage　was　plentiful；　I　took　along　a　large

train　of　empty　wagons；　which　I　determined　to　fill　with　corn　and　send

back　to　Murfreesboro'；　believing　that　I　could　successfully　cover　the

train　by　Minty's　brigade　of　cavalry；　which　had　joined　me　for　the

purpose　of　aiding　in　a　reconnoissance　toward　Shelbyville。　　In

marching　the　column　I　placed　a　regiment　of　infantry　at　its　head；　then

the　wagon…train；　then　a　brigade　of　infantrymasking　the　cavalry

behind　this　brigade。　　The　enemy；　discovering　that　the　train　was　with

us；　and　thinking　he　could　capture　it；　came　boldly　out　with　his；

cavalry　to　attack。　　The　head　of　his　column　came　up　to　the　crossroads

at　Versailles；　but　holding　him　there；　I　passed　the　train　and　infantry

brigade　beyond　toward　Eagleville；　and　when　my　cavalry　had　been　thus

unmasked；　Minty；　followed　by　the　balance　of　my　division；　which　vas

still　behind；　charged　him　with　the　sabre。　　Success　was　immediate　and

complete；　and　pursuit　of　the　routed　forces　continued　through

Unionville；　until　we　fell　upon　and　drove　in　the　Confederate　outposts

at　Shelbyville。　　Here　the　enemy　was　taken　by　surprise　evidently；

which　was　most　fortunate　for　us；　otherwise　the　consequences　might