personal memoirs-1-第30章

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which　was　most　fortunate　for　us；　otherwise　the　consequences　might

have　been　disastrous。　　Minty　captured　in　the　charge　about　fifty

prisoners　and　a　few　wagons　and　mules；　and　thus　enabled　me　to　load　my

train　with　corn；　and　send　it　back　to　Murfreesboro'　unmolested。　　In

this　little　fight　the　sabre　was　freely　used　by　both　sides；　and　I　do

not　believe　that　during　the　whole　war　I　again　knew　of　so　large　a

percentage　of　wounds　by　that　arm　in　proportion　to　the　numbers

engaged。



That　night　I　encamped　at　Eagleville；　and　next　day　reported　to　Granger

at　Franklin；　arriving　in　the　midst　of　much　excitement　prevailing　on

account　of　the　loss　of　Coburn's　brigade；　which　had　been　captured　the

day　before　a　little　distance　south　of　that　point；　while　marching　to

form　a　junction　with　a　column　that　had　been　directed　on　Columbia　from

Murfreesboro'。　　Shortly　after　Coburn's　capture　General　Granger　had

come　upon　the　scene；　and　the　next　day　he　advanced　my　division　and

Minty's　troops　directly　on　Spring　Hill；　with　a　view　to　making　some

reprisal；　but　Van　Dorn　had　no　intention　of　accommodating　us；　and

retired　from　Spring　Hill；　offering　but　little　resistance。　　He

continued　to　fall　back；　till　finally　he　got　behind　Duck　River；　where

operations　against　him　ceased；　for；　in　consequence　of　the　incessant

rains　of　the　season；　the　streams　had　become　almost　impassable。

Later；　I　returned　by　way　of　Franklin　to　my　old　camp　at　Murfreesboro'；

passing　over　on　this　march　the　ground　on　which　the　Confederate

General　Hood　met　with　such　disaster　the　following　year　in　his　attack

on　Stanley's　corps。



My　command　had　all　returned　from　the　Franklin　expedition　to

Murfreesboro'　and　gone　into　camp　on　the　Salem　pike　by　the　latter　part

of　March；　from　which　time　till　June　it　took　part　in　only　the　little

affairs　of　outposts　occurring　every　now　and　then　on　my　own　front。　　In

the　meanwhile　General　Rosecrans　had　been　materially　reinforced　by　the

return　of　sick　and　wounded　men；　his　army　had　become　well　disciplined；

and　was　tolerably　supplied；　and　he　was　repeatedly　pressed　by　the

authorities　at　Washington　to　undertake　offensive　operations。



During　the　spring　and　early　summer　Rosecrans　resisted；　with　a　great

deal　of　spirit　and　on　various　grounds；　these　frequent　urgings；　and

out　of　this　grew　up　an　acrimonious　correspondence　and　strained

feeling　between　him　and　General　Halleck。　　Early　in　June；　however；

stores　had　been　accumulated　and　other　preparations　made　for　a　move

forward；　Resecrans　seeming　to　have　decided　that　he　could　safely　risk

an　advance；　with　the　prospect　of　good　results。　　Before　finally

deciding；　he　called　upon　most　of　his　corps　and　division　commanders

for　their　opinions　on　certain　propositions　which　he　presented；　and

most　of　them　still　opposed　the　projected　movement；　I　among　the

number；　reasoning　that　while　General　Grant　was　operating　against

Vicksburg；　it　was　better　to　hold　Bragg　in　Middle　Tennessee　than　to

push　him　so　far　back　into　Georgia　that　interior　means　of

communication　would　give　the　Confederate　Government　the　opportunity

of　quickly　joining　a　part　of　his　force　to　that　of　General　Johnson　in

Mississippi。



At　this　stage；　and　in　fact　prior　to　it；　Rosecrans　seemed　to　manifest

special　confidence　in　me；　often　discussing　his　plans　with　me

independent　of　the　occasions　on　which　he　formally　referred　them　for

my　views。　　I　recollect　that　on　two　different　occasions　about　this

time　he　unfolded　his　designs　to　me　in　this　informal　way；　outlining

generally　how　he　expected　ultimately　to　force　Bragg　south　of　the

Tennessee　River；　and　going　into　the　details　of　the　contemplated　move

on　Tullahoma。　　His　schemes；　to　my　mind；　were　not　only　comprehensive；

but　exact；　and　showed　conclusively；　what　no　one　doubted　then；　that

they　were　original　with　him。　　I　found　in　them　very　little　to

criticise　unfavorably；　if　we　were　to　move　at　all；　and　Rosecrans

certainly　impressed　me　that　he　favored　an　advance　at　an　early　day；

though　many　of　his　generals　were　against　it　until　the　operations　on

the　Mississippi　River　should　culminate　in　something　definite。　　There

was　much；　fully　apparent　in　the　circumstances　about　his　headquarters；

leading　to　the　conviction　that　Rosecrans　originated　the　Tullahoma

campaign；　and　the　record　of　his　prior　performances　collaterally

sustains　the　visible　evidence　then　existing。　　In　my　opinion；　then；

based　on　a　clear　recollection　of　various　occurrences　growing　out　of

our　intimacy；　he　conceived　the　plan　of　the　Tullahoma　campaign　and　the

one　succeeding　it；　and　is　therefore　entitled　to　every　credit　that

attended　their　execution；　no　matter　what　may　be　claimed　for　others。



On　the　23d　of　June　Bragg　was　covering　his　position　north　of　Duck

River　with　a　front　extending　from　McMinnville；　where　his　cavalry

rested；　through　Wartrace　and　Shelbyville　to　Columbia；　his　depot　being

at　Tullahoma。　　Rosecrans；　thinking　that　Bragg　would　offer　strong

resistance　at　Shelbyvillewhich　was　somewhat　protected　by　a　spur　of

low　mountains　or　hills；　offshoots　of　the　Cumberland　Mountains

decided　to　turn　that　place；　consequently；　he　directed　the　mass　of　the

Union　army　on　the　enemy's　right　flank；　about　Manchester。



On　the　26th　of　June　McCook's　corps　advanced　toward　Liberty　Gap；　my

divisions　marching　on　the　Shelbyville　pike。　　I　had　proceeded　but　a

few　miles　when　I　encountered　the　enemy's　pickets；　who　fell　back　to

Christiana；　about　nine　miles　from　Murfreesboro'。　　Here　I　was　assailed

pretty　wickedly　by　the　enemy's　sharpshooters　and　a　section　of

artillery；　but　as　I　was　instructed　to　do　nothing　more　than　cover　the

road　from　Eagleville；　over　which　Brannan's　division　was　to　approach

Christiana；　I　made　little　reply　to　this　severe　annoyance；　wishing　to

conceal　the　strength　of　my　force。　　As　soon　as　the　head　of　Brannan's

column　arrived　I　marched　across…country　to　the　left；　and　encamped

that　night　at　the　little　town　of　Millersburg；　in　the　vicinity　of

Liberty　Gap。　　I　was　directed　to　move　from　Millersburg；　on　Hoover's

Gapa　pass　in　the　range　of　hills　already　referred　to；　through　which

ran　the　turnpike　from　Murfreesboro'　to　Manchesterbut　heavy　rains

had　made　the　country　roads　almost　impassable；　and　the　last　of　my

division　did　not　reach　Hoover's　Gap　till　the　morning　of　June　27；

after　its　abandonment　by　the　enemy。　　Continuing　on　to　Fairfield；　the

head　of　my　column　met；　south　of　that　place；　a　small　force　of

Confederate　infantry　and　cavalry；　which　after　a　slight　skirmish

Laiboldt's　brigade　drove　back　toward　Wartrace。　　The　next　morning　I

arrived　at　Manchester；　where　I　remained　quiet　for　the　day。　　Early　on

the　29th　I　marched　by　the　Lynchburg　road　for　Tullahoma；　where　the

enemy　was　believed　to　be　in　force；　and　came　into　position　about　six

miles　from　the　town。



By　the　31st　the　whole　army　had　been　concentrated；　in　spite　of　many

difficulties；　and　though；　on　account　of　the　heavy　rains　that　had

fallen　almost　incessantly　since　we　left　Murfreesboro'；　its　movements

had　been　slow　and　somewhat　inaccurate；　yet　the　precision　with　which

it　took　up　a　line　of　battle　for　an　attack　on　Tullahoma　showed　that

forethought　and　study　had　been　given　to　every　detail。　　The　enemy　had

determined　to　fall　back　from　Tullahoma　at　the　beginning　of　the

campaign；　however；　and　as　we　advanced；　his　evacuation　had　so　far

progressed　that　when；　on　July　1。　　We　reached　the　earthworks　thrown。

up　early　in　the　year　for　the　defense　of　the　place；　he　had　almost

wholly　disappeared；　carrying　off　all　his　stores　and　munitions　of　war

except　some　little　subsistence　and　eleven　pieces　of　artillery。　　A

strong　rearguard　remained　to　cover　the　retreat；　and　on　my　front　the

usual　encounters　between　advancing　and　retreating　forces　took　place。

Just　before　reaching　the　intrenchments　on　the　Lynchburg　road；　I　came

upon　an　open　space　that　was　covered　by　a　network　of　fallen　trees　and

underbrush；　which　had　been　slashed　all　along　in　front　of　the　enemy's

earthworks。　　This　made　our　progress　very　difficult；　but　I　shortly

became　satisfied　that　there　were　only　a　few　of　the　enemy　within　the

works；　so　moving　a　battalion　of　cavalry　that　had　joined　me　the　day

before　down　the　road　as　rapidly　as　the　obstructions　would　permit；　the

Confederate　pickets　quickly　departed；　and　we　gained　possession　of　the

town。　　Three　siege　guns；　four　caissons；　a　few　stores；　and　a　small

number　of　prisoners　fell　into　my　hands。



That　same　evening　orders　were　issued　to　the　army　to　push　on　from

Tullahoma　in　pursuit；　for；　as　it　was　thought　that　we　might　not　be

able　to　cross　Elk　River　on　account　of　its　swollen　condition；　we　could

do　the　enemy　some　damage　by　keeping　close　as　possible　at　his　heels。

I　marched　on　the　Winchester　road　at　3　o'clock　on　the　2d　of　July　and

about　8　o'clock　reached　Elk　River　ford。　　The　stream　was　for　the　time

truly　an　impassable　torrent；　and　all　hope　of　crossing　by　the

Winchester　ford　had　to　be　abandoned。　　Deeming　that　further　effort

should　be　made；　however；　under　guidance　of　Card；　I　turned　the　head　of

my　column　in　the　direction　of　Alisona；　marching　up　the　river　and

nearly　parallel　with　it　till　I　came　to　Rock　Creek。　　With　a　little

delay　we　got　across　Rock　Creek；　which　was　also　much　swollen；　and

finding　a　short　distance　above　its　mouth　a　ford　on　Elk　River　that

Card　said　was　practicable；　I　determined　to　attempt　it：　Some　of　the

enemy's　cavalry　were　guarding　this　ford；　but　after　a　sharp　little

skirmish　my　battalion　of　cavalry　crossed　and　took　up　a　strong

position　on　the　other　bank。　　The　stream　was　very　high　and　the　current

very　swift；　the　water　；　tumbling　along　over　its　rocky　bed　in　an

immense　volume；　but　still　it　was　fordable　for　infantry　if　means　could

be　devised　by　which　the　men　could　keep　their　feet。　　A　cable　was

stretched　across　just　below　the　ford　as　a　lifeline　for　the　weaker

ones；　and　then　the　men　of　the　entire　division　having　secured　their

ammunition　by　placing　the　cartridge…boxes　on　their　shoulders；　the

column　pushed　cheerfully　into　the　rushing　current。　　The　men　as　they

entered　the　water　joined　each　other　in　sets　of　four　in　a　close

embrace；　which　enabled　them　to　retain　a　foothold　and　successfully

resist　the　force　of　the　flood。　　When　they　were　across　I　turned　the

column　down　the　left　bank　of　Elk　River；　and　driving　the　enemy　from

some　slight　works　near　Estelle　Springs；　regained　the　Winchester　road。



By　this　time　it　was　clear　that　Bragg　intended　to　fall　back　behind　the

Tennessee　River；　and　our　only　chance　of　accomplishing　anything　of

importance　was　to　smash　up　his　rear…guard　before　it　crossed　the

Cumberland　Mountains；　and　in　pursuance　of　this　idea　I　was　directed　to

attack　such　of　his　force　as　was　holding　on　to　Winchester。　　At　4

o'clock　on　the　morning　of　July　2　I　moved　on　that　town；　and　when　we

got　close　to　it　directed　my　mounted　troops　to　charge　a　small　force　of

Confederate　cavalry　that　was　picketing　their　front。　　The　Confederates

resisted　but　little；　and　our　men　went　with　them　in　a　disorderly　chase

through　the　village　to　Boiling　Fork；　a　small　stream　about　hal