personal memoirs-1-第31章

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

through　the　village　to　Boiling　Fork；　a　small　stream　about　half　a　mile

beyond。　　Here　the　fleeing　pickets；　rallying　behind　a　stronger　force；

made　a　stand；　and　I　was　directed　by　McCook　to　delay　till　I

ascertained　if　Davis's　division；　which　was　to　support　me；　had　made

the　crossing　of　Elk　River；　and　until　I　could　open　up　communication

with　Brannan's　division；　which　was　to　come　in　on　my　left　at　Decherd。

As　soon　as　I　learned　that　Davis　was　across　I　pushed　on；　but　the　delay

had　permitted　the　enemy　to　pull　his　rear…guard　up　on　the　mountain；

and　rendered　nugatory　all　further　efforts　to　hurt　him　materially；　our

only　returns　consisting　in　forcing　him　to　relinquish　a　small　amount

of　transportation　and　forage　at　the　mouth　of　the　pass　just　beyond

Cowan；　a　station　on　the　line　of　the　Nashville　and　Chattanooga

railroad。



At　Cowan；　Colonel　Watkins；　of　the　Sixth　Kentucky　Cavalry；　reported　to

me　with　twelve　hundred　mounted　men。　　Having　heard　during　the　night

that　the　enemy　had　halted　on　the　mountain　near　the　Universityan

educational　establishment　on　the　summitI　directed　Watkins　to　make　a

reconnoissance　and　find　out　the　value　of　the　information。　　He　learned

that　Wharton's　brigade　of　cavalry　was　halted　at　the　University　to

cover　a　moderately　large　force　of　the　enemy's　infantry　which　had　not

yet　got　down　the　mountain　on　the　other　side；　so　I　pushed　Watkins　out

again　on　the　5th；　supporting　him　by　a　brigade　of　infantry；　which　I

accompanied　myself。　　We　were　too　late；　however；　for　when　we　arrived

at　the　top　of　the　mountain　Wharton　had　disappeared；　and　though

Watkins　pursued　to　Bridgeport；　he　was　able　to　do　nothing　more；　and　on

his　return　reported　that　the　last　of　the　enemy　had　crossed　the

Tennessee　River　and　burned　the　railroad　bridge。



Nothing　further　could　now　be　done；　so　I　instructed　Watkins　to　rejoin

the　division　at　Cowan；　and　being　greatly　fatigued　by　the　hard

campaigning　of　the　previous　ten　days；　I　concluded　to　go　back　to　my

camp　in　a　more　comfortable　way　than　on　the　back　of　my　tired　horse。

In　his　retreat　the　enemy　had　not　disturbed　the　railway　track　at　all；

and　as　we　had　captured　a　hand…car　at　Cowan；　I　thought　I　would　have　it

brought　up　to　the　station　near　the　University　to　carry　me　down　the

mountain　to　my　camp；　and；　desiring　company；　I　persuasively　invited

Colonel　Frank　T。　Sherman　to　ride　with　me。　　I　sent　for　the　car　by　a

courier；　and　for　a　long　time　patiently　awaited　its　arrival；　in　fact；

until　all　the　returning　troops　had　passed　us；　but　still　it　did　not

come。　　Thinking　it　somewhat　risky　to　remain　at　the　station　without

protection；　Sherman　and　myself　started　our　horses　to　Cowan　by　our

orderlies；　and　set　out　on　foot　to　meet　the　car；　trudging　along　down

the　track　in　momentary　expectation　of　falling　in　with　our　private

conveyance。　　We　had　not　gone　very　far　before　night　overtook　us；　and

we　then　began　to　realize　the　dangers　surrounding　us；　for　there　we

were　alone　and　helpless；　tramping　on　in　the　darkness　over　an　unknown

railroad　track　in　the　enemy's　country；　liable　on　the　one　hand　to　go

tumbling　through　some　bridge　or　trestle；　and　on　the　other；　to

possible　capture　or　death　at　the　hands　of　the　guerrillas　then

infesting　these　mountains。　　Just　after　dark　we　came　to　a　little　cabin

near　the　track；　where　we　made　bold　to　ask　for　water；　notwithstanding

the　fact　that　to　disclose　ourselves　to　the　inmates　might　lead　to

fatal　consequences。　　The　water　was　kindly　given；　but　the　owner　and

his　family　were　very　much　exercised　lest　some　misfortune　might　befall

us　near　their　house；　and　be　charged　to　them；　so　they　encouraged　us　to

move　on　with　a　frankness　inspired　by　fear　of　future　trouble　to

themselves。



At　every　turn　we　eagerly　hoped　to　meet　the　hand…car；　but　it　never

came；　and　we　jolted　on　from　tie　to　tie　for　eleven　weary　miles；

reaching　Cowan　after　midnight；　exhausted　and　sore　in　every　muscle

from　frequent　falls　on　the　rough；　unballasted　road…bed。　　Inquiry。

developed　that　the　car　had　been　well　manned；　and　started　to　us　as

ordered；　and　nobody　could　account　for　its　non…arrival。　　Further

investigation　next　day　showed；　however；　that　when　it　reached　the　foot

of　the　mountain；　where　the　railroad　formed　a　junction；　the　improvised

crew；　in　the　belief　no　doubt　that　the　University　was　on　the　main　line

instead　of　near　the　branch　to　Tracy　City；　followed　the　main　stem

until　it　carried　them　clear　across　the　range　down　the　Crow　Creek

Valley；　where　the　party　was　captured。



I　had　reason　to　remember　for　many　a　day　this　foolish　adventure；　for

my　sore　bones　and　bruised　muscles；　caused　me　physical　suffering　until

I　left　the　Army　of　the　Cumberland　the　next　spring；　but　I　had　still

more　reason　to　feel　for　my　captured　men；　and　on　this　account　I　have

never　ceased　to　regret　that　I　so　thoughtlessly　undertook　to　rejoin　my

troops　by　rail；　instead　of　sticking　to　my　faithful　horse。









CHAPTER　XV。



ORDERED　TO　OCCUPY　BRIDGEPORTA　SPYTHE　BATTLE　OF　CHICKAMAUGA

GENERAL　THOMASTREATED　TO　COFFEERESULTS　OF　THE　BATTLE。



The　Tullahoma　campaign　was　practically　closed　by　the　disappearance　of

the　enemy　from　the　country　north　of　the　Tennessee　River。　　Middle

Tennessee　was　once　more　in　the　possession　of　the　National　troops；　and

Rosecrans　though　strongly　urged　from　Washington　to　continue　on；

resisted　the　pressure　until　he　could　repair　the　Nashville　and

Chattanooga　railroad；　which　was　of　vital　importance　in　supplying　his

army　from　its　secondary　base　at　Nashville。　　As　he　desired　to　hold

this　road　to　where　it　crossed　the　Tennessee；　it　was　necessary　to　push

a　force　beyond　the　mountains；　and　after　a　few　days　of　rest　at　Cowan

my　division　was　ordered　to　take　station　at　Stevenson；　Alabama；　the

junction　of　the　Memphis　and　Charleston　road　with　the　Nashville　and

Chattanooga；　with　instructions　to　occupy　Bridgeport　also。



The　enemy　had　meanwhile　concentrated　most　of　his　forces　at

Chattanooga　for　the　twofold　purpose　of　holding　this　gateway　of　the

Cumberland　Mountains；　and　to　assume　a　defensive　attitude　which　would

enable　him　to　take　advantage　of　such　circumstances　as　might　arise　in

the　development　of　the　offensive　campaign　he　knew　we　must　make。　　The

peculiar　topography　of　the　country　was　much　to　his　advantage；　and

while　we　had　a　broad　river　and　numerous　spurs　and　ridges　of　the

Cumberland　Mountains　to　cross　at　a　long　distance　from　our　base；　he

was　backed　up　on　his　depots　of　supply；　and　connected　by　interior

lines　of　railway　with　the　different　armies　of　the　Confederacy；　so

that　he　could　be　speedily　reinforced。



Bridgeport　was　to　be　ultimately　a　sub…depot　for　storing　subsistence

supplies；　and　one　of　the　points　at　which　our　army　would　cross　the

Tennessee；　so　I　occupied　it　on　July　29　with　two　brigades；　retaining

one　at　Stevenson；　however；　to　protect　that　railway　junction　from

raids　by　way　of　Caperton's　ferry。　　By　the　29th　of　August　a

considerable　quantity　of　supplies　had　been　accumulated；　and　then

began　a　general　movement　of　our　troops　for　crossing　the　river。　　As

there　were　not　with　the　army　enough　pontoons　to　complete　the　two

bridges　required；　I　was　expected　to　build　one　of　them　of　trestles；

and　a　battalion　of　the　First　Michigan　Engineers　under　Colonel　Innis

was　sent　me　to　help　construct　the　bridge。　　Early　on　the　3ist　I　sent

into　the　neighboring　woods　about　fifteen　hundred　men　with　axes　and

teams；　and　by　nightfall　they　had　delivered　on　the　riverbank　fifteen

hundred　logs　suitable　for　a　trestle　bridge。　　Flooring　had　been

shipped　to　me　in　advance　by　rail；　but　the　quantity　was　insufficient；

and　the　lack　had　to　be　supplied　by　utilizing　planking　and　weather…

boarding　taken　from　barns　and　houses　in　the　surrounding　country。　　The

next　day　Innis's　engineers；　with　the　assistance　of　the　detail　that

had　felled　the　timber；　cut　and　half…notched　the　logs；　and　put　the

bridge　across；　spanning　the　main　channel；　which　was　swimming　deep；

with　four　or　five　pontoons　that　had　been　sent　me　for　this　purpose。

On　the　2d　and　3d　of　September　my　division　crossed　on　the　bridge　in

safety；　though　we　were　delayed　somewhat　because　of　its　giving　way

once　where　the　pontoons　joined　the　trestles。　　We　were　followed　by　a

few　detachments　from　other　commands；　and　by　nearly　all　the

transportation　of　McCook's　corps。



After　getting　to　the　south　side　of　the　Tennessee　River　I　was　ordered

to　Valley　Head；　where　McCook's　corps　was　to　concentrate。　　On　the　4th

of　September　I　ascended　Sand　Mountain；　but　had　got　only　half　way

across　the　plateau；　on　top；　when　night　came；　the　march　having　been　a

most　toilsome　one。　　The　next　day　we　descended　to　the　base；　and

encamped　near　Trenton。　　On　the　l0th　I　arrived　at　Valley　Head；　and

climbing　Lookout　Mountain；　encamped　on　the　plateau　at　Indian　Falls。

The　following　day　I　went　down　into　Broomtown　Valley　to　Alpine。

The　march　of　McCook's　corps　from　Valley　Head　to　Alpine　was　in

pursuance　of　orders　directing　it　to　advance　on　Summerville；　the

possession　of　which　place　would　further　threaten　the　enemy's

communications；　it　being　assumed　that　Bragg　was　in　full　retreat

south；　as　he　had　abandoned　Chattanooga　on　the　8th。　　This　assumption

soon　proved　erroneous；　however；　and　as　we；　while　in　Broomtown　Valley；

could　not　communicate　directly　with　Thomas's　corps；　the　scattered

condition　of　the　army　began　to　alarm　us　all；　and　McCook　abandoned　the

advance　to　Summerville；　ordering　back　to　the　summit　of　Lookout

Mountain　such　of　the　corps　trains　as　had　got　down　into　Broomtown

Valley。



But　before　this　I　had　grown　uneasy　in　regard　to　the　disjointed

situation　of　our　army；　and；　to　inform　myself　of　what　was　going　on；

determined　to　send　a　spy　into　the　enemy's　lines。　　In　passing　Valley

Head　on　the　l0th　my　scout　Card；　who　had　been　on　the　lookout　for　some

one　capable　to　undertake　the　task；　brought　me　a　Union　man　with　whom

he　was　acquainted；　who　lived　on　Sand　Mountain；　and　had　been　much

persecuted　by　guerrillas　on　account　of　his　loyal　sentiments。　　He　knew

the　country　well；　and　as　his　loyalty　was　vouched　for　I　asked　him　to

go　into　the　enemy's　camp；　which　I　believed　to　be　near　Lafayette；　and；

bring　me　such　information　as　he　could　gather。　　He　said　such　a　journey

would　be　at　the　risk　of　his　life；　and　that　at　best　he　could　not

expect　to　remain　in　that　section　of　country　if　he　undertook　it；　but

that　he　would　run　all　the　chances　if　I　would　enable　him　to　emigrate

to　the　West　at　the　end　c　f　the　〃job；〃　which　I　could　do　by　purchasing

the　small　〃bunch〃　of　stock　he　owned　on　the　mountain。　　To　this　I

readily　assented；　and　he　started　on　the　delicate　undertaking。　　He

penetrated　the　enemy's　lines　with　little　difficulty；　but　while

prosecuting　his　search　for　information　was　suspected；　and　at　once

arrested　and　placed　under　guard。　　From　this　critical　situation　he

escaped；　however；　making　his　way　through　the　enemy's　picket…line　in

the　darkness　by　crawling　on　his　belly　and　deceiving　the　sentinels　by

imitating　the　grunts　of　the