personal memoirs-1-第38章

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Marysville　December　5；　and　learned　the　same　day　that　Longstreet　had

shortly　before　attempted　to　take　Knoxville　by　a　desperate　assault；

but　signally　failing；　had　raised　the　siege　and　retired　toward　Bean's

Station　on　the　Rutledge；　Rogersville；　and　Bristol　road；　leading　to

Virginia。　　From　Marysville　General　Sherman's　troops　returned　to

Chattanooga；　while　Granger's　corps　continued　on　toward　Knoxville；　to

take　part　in　the　pursuit　of　Longstreet。



Burnside's　army　was　deficient　in　subsistence；　though　not　to　the

extent　that　we　had　supposed　before　leaving　Chattanooga。　　It　had　eaten

out　the　country　in　the　immediate　vicinity　of　Knoxville；　however；

therefore　my　division　did　not　cross　the　Holstein　River；　but　was

required；　in　order　to　maintain　itself；　to　proceed　to　the　region　of

the　French　Broad　River。　　To　this　end　I　moved　to　Sevierville；　and

making　this　village　my　headquarters；　the　division　was　spread　out　over

the　French　Broad　country；　between　Big　Pigeon　and　Little　Pigeon

rivers；　where　we　soon　had　all　the　mills　in　operation；　grinding　out

plenty　of　flour　and　meal。　　The　whole　region　was　rich　in　provender　of

all　kinds；　and　as　the　people　with　rare　exceptions　were

enthusiastically　loyal；　we　in　a　little　while　got　more　than　enough

food　for　ourselves；　and　by　means　of　flatboats　began　sending　the

surplus　down　the　river　to　the　troops　at　Knoxville。



The　intense　loyalty　of　this　part　of　Tennessee　exceeded　that　of　any

other　section　I　was　in　during　the　war。　　The　people　could　not　do　too

much　to　aid　the　Union　cause；　and　brought　us　an　abundance　of

everything　needful。　　The　women　were　especially　loyal；　and　as　many　of

their　sons　and　husbands；　who　had　been　compelled　to　〃refugee〃　on

account　of　their　loyal　sentiments；　returned　with　us；　numbers　of　the

women　went　into　ecstasies　of　joy　when　this　part　of　the　Union　army

appeared　among　them。　　So　long　as　we　remained　in　the　French　Broad

region；　we　lived　on　the　fat　of　the　land；　but　unluckily　our　stay　was

to　be　of　short　duration；　for　Longstreet's　activity　kept　the

department　commander　in　a　state　of　constant　alarm。



Soon　after　getting　the　mills　well　running；　and　when　the　shipment　of

their　surplus　product　down　the　river　by　flatboats　had　begun；　I　was

ordered　to　move　to　Knoxville；　on　account　of　demonstrations　by

Longstreet　from　the　direction　of　Blain's　crossroads。　　On　arriving　at

Knoxville；　an　inspection　of　my　command；　showed　that　the　shoes　of　many

of　the　men　were　entirely　worn　out；　the　poor　fellows　having　been

obliged　to　protect　their　feet　with　a　sort　of　moccasin；　made　from

their　blankets　or　from　such　other　material　as　they　could　procure。

About　six　hundred　of　the　command　were　in　this　condition；　plainly　not

suitably　shod　to　withstand　the　frequent　storms　of　sleet　and　snow。

These　men　I　left　in　Knoxville　to　await　the　arrival　of　my　train；　which

I　now　learned　was　en　route　from　Chattanooga　with　shoes；　overcoats；

and　other　clothing；　and　with　the　rest　of　the　division　proceeded　to

Strawberry　Plains；　which　we　reached　the　latter　part　of　December。



Mid…winter　was　now　upon　us；　and　the　weather　in　this　mountain　region

of　East　Tennessee　was　very　cold；　snow　often　falling　to　the　depth　of

several　inches。　　The　thin　and　scanty　clothing　of　the　men　afforded

little　protection；　and　while　in　bivouac　their　only　shelter　was　the

ponchos　with　which　they　had　been　provided　before　leaving　Chattanooga；

there　was　not　a　tent　in　the　command。　　Hence　great　suffering　resulted；

which　I　anxiously　hoped　would　be　relieved　shortly　by　the　arrival　of

my　train　with　supplies。　　In　the　course　of　time　the　wagons　reached

Knoxville；　but　my　troops　derived　little　comfort　from　this　fact；　for

the　train　was　stopped　by　General　Foster；　who　had　succeeded　Burnside

in　command　of　the　department；　its　contents　distributed　pro　rata　to

the　different　organizations　of　the　entire　army；　and　I　received　but　a

small　share。　　This　was　very　disappointing；　not　to　say　exasperating；

but　I　could　not　complain　of　unfairness；　for　every　command　in　the　army

was　suffering　to　the　same　extent　as　mine；　and　yet　it　did　seem　that　a

little　forethought　and　exertion　on　the　part　of　some　of　the　other

superior　officers；　whose　transportation　was　in　tolerable　condition；

might　have　ameliorated　the　situation　considerably。　　I　sent　the　train

back　at　once　for　more　clothing；　and　on　its　return；　just　before

reaching　Knoxville；　the　quartermaster　in　charge；　Captain　Philip

Smith；　filled　the　open　spaces　in　the　wagons　between　the　bows　and　load

with　fodder　and　hay；　and　by　this　clever　stratagem　passed　it　through

the　town　safe　and　undisturbed　as　a　forage　train。　　On　Smith's　arrival

we　lost　no　time　in　issuing　the　clothing；　and　when　it　had　passed　into

the　hands　of　the　individual　soldiers　the　danger　of　its　appropriation

for　general　distribution；　like　the　preceding　invoice；　was　very

remote。



General　Foster　had　decided　by　this　time　to　move　his　troops　to

Dandridge　for　the　twofold　purpose　of　threatening　the　enemy's　left　and

of　getting　into　a　locality　where　we　could　again　gather　subsistence

from　the　French　Broad　region。　　Accordingly　we　began　an　advance　on　the

15th　of　January；　the　cavalry　having　preceded　us　some　time　before。

The　Twenty…third　Corps　and　Wood's　division　of　the　Fourth　Corps

crossed　the　Holstein　River　by　a　bridge　that　had　been　constructed　at

Strawberry　Plains。　　My　division　being　higher　up　the　stream；　forded

it；　the　water　very　deep　and　bitter　cold；　being　filled　with　slushy

ice。　　Marching　by　way　of　New　Market；　I　reached　Dandridge　on　the　17th；

and　here　on　my　arrival　met　General　Sturgis；　then　commanding　our

cavalry。　　He　was　on　the　eve　of　setting　out　to；　〃whip　the　enemy's

cavalry；〃　as　he　said；　and　wanted　me　to　go　along　and　see　him　do　it。　　I

declined；　however；　for　being　now　the　senior　officer　present；　Foster；

Parke；　and　Granger　having　remained　at　Knoxville　and　Strawberry

Plains；　their　absence　left　me　in　command；　and　it　was　necessary　that　I

should　make　disposition　of　the　infantry　when　it　arrived。　　As　there

were　indications　of　a　considerable　force　of　the　enemy　on　the

Russellville　road　I　decided　to　place　the　troops　in　line　of　battle；　so

as　to　be　prepared　for　any　emergency　that　might　arise　in　the　absence

of　the　senior　officers；　and　I　deemed　it　prudent　to　supervise

personally　the　encamping　of　the　men。　　This　disposition　necessarily

required　that　some　of　the　organizations　should　occupy　very

disagreeable　ground；　but　I　soon　got　all　satisfactorily　posted　with

the　exception　of　General　Willich；　who　expressed　some　discontent　at

being　placed　beyond　the　shelter　of　the　timber；　but　accepted　the

situation　cheerfully　when　its　obvious　necessity　was　pointed　out　to

him。



Feeling　that　all　was　secure；　I　returned　to　my　headquarters　in　the

village　with　the　idea　that　we　were　safely　established　in　ease　of

attack；　and　that　the　men　would　now　have　a　good　rest　if　left

undisturbed；　and　plenty　to　eat；　but　hardly　had　I　reached　my　own　camp

when　a　staff…officer　came　post…haste　from　Sturgis　with　the

information　that　he　was　being　driven　back　to　my　lines；　despite　the

confident　invitation　to　me　（in　the　morning）　to　go　out　and　witness　the

whipping　which　was　to　be　given　to　the　enemy's　cavalry。　　Riding　to　the

front；　I　readily　perceived　that　the　information　was　correct；　and　I

had　to　send　a　brigade　of　infantry　out　to　help　Sturgis；　thus　relieving

him　from　a　rather　serious　predicament。　　Indeed；　the　enemy　was　present

in　pretty　strong　force；　both　cavalry　and　infantry；　and　from　his

vicious　attack　on　Sturgis　it　looked　very　much　as　though　he　intended

to　bring　on　a　general　engagement。



Under　such　circumstances　I　deemed　it　advisable　that　the　responsible

commanders　of　the　army　should　be　present；　and　so　informed　them。　　My

communication　brought　Parke　and　Granger　to　the　front　without　delay；

but　Foster　could　not　come；　since　the　hardships　of　the　winter　had

reopened　an　old　wound　received　during　the　Mexican　War；　and　brought　on

much　suffering。　　By　the　time　Parke　and　Granger　arrived；　however；　the

enemy；　who　it　turned　out　was　only　making　a　strong　demonstration　to

learn　the　object　of　our　movement　on　Dandridge；　seemed　satisfied　with

the　results　of　his　reconnoissance；　and　began　falling　back　toward

Bull's　Gap。　　Meanwhile　Parke　and　Granger　concluded　that　Dandridge　was

an　untenable　point；　and　hence　decided　to　withdraw　a　part　of　the　army

to　Strawberry　Plains；　and　the　question　of　supplies　again　coming　up；

it　was　determined　to　send　the　Fourth　Corps　to　the　south　side　of　the

French　Broad　to　obtain　subsistence；　provided　we　could　bridge　the

river　so　that　men　could　get　across　the　deep　and　icy　stream　without

suffering。



I　agreed　to　undertake　the　construction　of　a　bridge　on　condition　that

each　division　should　send　to　the　ford　twenty…five　wagons　with　which

to　make　it。　　This　being　acceded　to；　Harker's　brigade　began　the　work

next　morning　at　a　favorable　point　a　few　miles　down　the　river。　　As　my

quota　of　wagons　arrived；　they　were　drawn　into　the　stream　one　after

another　by　the　wheel　team；　six　men　in　each　wagon；　and　as　they

successively　reach°d　the　other　side　of　the　channel　the　mules　were

unhitched；　the　pole　of　each　wagon　run　under　thre　hind　axle　of　the　one

just　in　front；　and　the　tailboards　used　so　as　to　span　the　slight　space

between　them。　　The　plan　worked　well　as　long　as　the　material　lasted；

but　no　other　wagons　than　my　twenty…five　coming　on　the　ground；　the

work　stopped　when　the　bridge　was　only　half　constructed。　　Informed　of

the　delay　and　its　cause；　in　sheer　desperation　I　finished　the　bridge

by　taking　from　my　own　division　all　the　wagons　needed　to　make　up　the

deficiency。



It　was　late　in　the　afternoon　when　the　work　was　finished；　and　I　began

putting　over　one　of　my　brigades；　but　in　the　midst　of　its　crossing

word　came　that　Longstreet's　army　was　moving　to　attack　us；　which

caused　an　abandonment　of　the　foraging　project；　and　orders　quickly

followed　to　retire　to　Strawberry　Plains；　the　retrograde　movement　to

begin　forthwith。　　I　sent　to　headquarters　information　of　the　plight　I

was　inbaggage　and　supplies　on　the　bank　and　wagons　in　the　stream

begged　to　know　what　was　to　become　of　them　if　we　were　to　hurry　off　at

a　moment's　notice；　and　suggested　that　the　movement　be　delayed　until　I

could　recover　my　transportation。　　Receiving　in　reply　no　assurances

that　I　should　be　relieved　from　my　dilemmaand；　in　fact；　nothing

satisfactoryI　determined　to　take　upon　myself　the　responsibility　of

remaining　on　the　ground　long　enough　to　get　my　wagons　out　of　the

river；　so　I　sent　out　a　heavy　force　to　watch　for　the　enemy；　and　with

the　remainder　of　the　command　went　to　work　to　break　up　the　bridge。

Before　daylight　next　morning　I　had　recovered　everything　without

interference　by　Longstreet；　who；　it　was　afterward　ascertained；　was

preparing　to　move　east　toward　Lynchburg　instead　of　marching　to　attack

us；　the　small　demonstration　against　Dandridge；　being　made　simply　to

deceive　us　as　to　his　ultimate　object。　　I　marched　to　Strawberry　Plains

unmolested；　and　by　taking　the　route　over　Bay's　Mountain；