personal memoirs-1-第39章

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

one　than　that　followed　by　the　main　body　of　our　troops；　reached　the

point　of　rendezvous　as　soon　as　the　most　of　the　army；　for　the　road　it

followed　was　not　only　longer；　but　badly　cut　up　by　trains　that　had

recently　passed　over　it。



Shortly　after　getting　into　camp；　the　beef　contractor　came　in　and

reported　that　a　detachment　of　the　enemy's　cavalry　had　captured　my

herd　of　beef　cattle。　　This　caused　me　much　chagrin　at　first；　but　the

commissary　of　my　division　soon　put　in　an　appearance；　and　assured　me

that　the　loss　would　not　be　very　disastrous　to　us　nor　of　much　benefit

to　the　enemy；　since　the　cattle　were　so　poor　and　weak　that　they　could

not　be　driven　off。　　A　reconnoissance　in　force　verified　the

Commissary's　statement。　　From　its　inability　to　travel；　the　herd；

after　all　efforts　to　carry　it　off　had　proved　ineffectual；　had　been

abandoned　by　its　captors。



After　the　troops　from　Chattanooga　arrived　in　the　vicinity　of

Knoxville　and　General　Sherman　had　returned　to　Chattanooga；　the

operations　in　East　Tennessee　constituted　a　series　of　blunders；

lasting　through　the　entire　winter；　a　state　of　affairs　doubtless　due；

in　the　main；　to　the　fact　that　the　command　of　the　troops　was　so

frequently　changed。　　Constant　shifting　of　responsibility　from　one　to

another　ensued　from　the　date　that　General　Sherman；　after　assuring

himself　that　Knoxville　was　safe；　devolved　the　command　on　Burnside。

It　had　already　been　intimated　to　Burnside　that　he　was　to　be　relieved；

and　in　consequence　he　was　inactive　and　apathetic；　confining　his

operations　to　an　aimless　expedition　whose　advance　extended　only　as

far　as　Blain's　crossroads；　whence　it　was　soon　withdrawn。　　Meanwhile

General　Foster　had　superseded　Burnside；　but　physical　disabilities

rendered　him　incapable　of　remaining　in　the　field；　and　then　the　chief

authority　devolved　on　Parke。　　By　this　time　the　transmission　of　power

seemed　almost　a　disease；　at　any　rate　it　was　catching；　so；　while　we

were　en　route　to　Dandridge；　Parke　transferred　the　command　to　Granger。

The　latter　next　unloaded　it　on　me；　and　there　is　no　telling　what　the

final　outcome　would　have　been　had　I　not　entered　a　protest　against　a

further　continuance　of　the　practice；　which　remonstrance　brought

Granger　to　the　front　at　Dandridge。



While　the　events　just　narrated　were　taking　place；　General　Grant　had

made　a　visit　to　Knoxvilleabout　the　last　of　Decemberand　arranged

to　open　the　railroad　between　there　and　Chattanooga；　with　a　view　to

supplying　the　troops　in　East　Tennessee　by　rail　in　the　future；　instead

of　through　Cumberland　Gap　by　a　tedious　line　of　wagon…trains。　　In

pursuance　of　his　plan　the　railroad　had　already　been　opened　to　Loudon；

but　here　much　delay　occurred　on　account　of　the　long　time　it　took　to

rebuild　the　bridge　over　the　Tennessee。　　Therefore　supplies　were　still

very　scarce；　and　as　our　animals　were　now　dying　in　numbers　from

starvation；　and　the　men　were　still　on　short　allowance；　it　became

necessary　that　some　of　the　troops　east　of　Knoxville　should　get　nearer

to　their　depot；　and　also　be　in　a　position　to　take　part　in　the　coming

Georgia　campaign；　or　render　assistance　to　General　Thomas；　should

General　Johnston　（who　had　succeeded　in　command　of　the　Confederate

army）　make　any　demonstration　against　Chattanooga。　　Hence　my　division

was　ordered　to　take　station　at　Loudon；　Tennessee；　and　I　must　confess

that　we　took　the　road　for　that　point　with　few　regrets；　for　a　general

disgust　prevailed　regarding　our　useless　marches　during　the　winter。



At　this　time　my　faithful　scout　Card　and　his　younger　brother　left　me；

with　the　determination；　as　I　have　heretofore　related；　to　avenge　their

brother's　death。　　No　persuasion　could　induce　Card　to　remain　longer；

for　knowing　that　my　division's　next　operation　would　be　toward

Atlanta；　and　being　ignorant　of　the　country　below　Dalton；。　　he

recognized　and　insisted　that　his　services　would　then　become

practically　valueless。



At　Loudon；　where　we　arrived　January　27；　supplies　were　more　plentiful；

and　as　our　tents　and　extra　clothing　reached　us　there　in　a　few　days；

every　one　grew　contented　and　happy。　　Here　a　number　of　my　regiments；

whose　terms　of　service　were　about　to　expire；　went　through　the　process

of　〃veteranizing；〃　and；　notwithstanding　the　trials　and　hardships　of

the　preceding　nine　months；　they　re…enlisted　almost　to　a　man。



When　everything　was　set　in　motion　toward　recuperating　and　refitting

my　troops；　I　availed　myself　of　the　opportunity　during　a　lull　that

then　existed　to　take　a　short　leave　of　absencea　privilege　I　had　not

indulged　in　since　entering　the　service　in　1853。　　This　leave　I　spent

in　the　North　with　much　benefit　to　my　physical　condition；　for　I　was

much　run　down　by　fatiguing　service；　and　not　a　little　troubled　by

intense　pain　which　I　at　times　still　suffered　from　my　experience　in

the　unfortunate　hand…car　incident　on　the　Cumberland　Mountains　the

previous　July。　　I　returned　from　leave　the　latter　part　of　March；

rejoining　my　division　with　the　expectation　that　the　campaign　in　that

section　would　begin　as　early　as　April。



On　the　12th　of　March；　1864；　General　Grant　was　assigned　to　the　command

of　the　armies　of　the　United　States；　as　general…in…chief。　　He　was

already　in　Washington；　whither　he　had　gone　to　receive　his　commission

as　lieutenant…general。　　Shortly　after　his　arrival　there；　he　commenced

to　rearrange　the　different　commands　in　the　army　to　suit　the　plans

which　he　intended　to　enter　upon　in　the　spring；　and　out　of　this　grew　a

change　in　my　career。　　Many　jealousies　and　much　ill…feeling；　the

outgrowth　of　former　campaigns；　existed　among　officers　of　high　grade

in　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　in　the　winter　of　1864；　and　several　general

officers　were　to　be　sent　elsewhere　in　consequence。　　Among　these；

General　Alfred　Pleasonton　was　to　be　relieved　from　the　command　of　the

cavalry；　General　Grant　having　expressed　to　the　President

dissatisfaction　that　so　little　had　hitherto　been　accomplished　by　that

arm　of　the　service；　and　I　was　selected　as　chief　of　the　cavalry　corps

of　the　Army　of　the　Potomac；　receiving　on　the　night　of　the　23d　of

March　from　General　Thomas　at　Chattanooga　the　following　telegram：



〃MARCH　23；　1864。

〃MAJOR…GENERAL　THOMAS；　Chattanooga



〃Lieutenant…General　Grant　directs　that　Major…General　Sheridan

immediately　repair　to　Washington　and　report　to　the　Adjutant…General

of　the　Army。



〃　H。　W。　HALLECK；

Major…General；　Chief…of…Staff。〃





I　was　not　informed　of　the　purpose　for　which　I　was　to　proceed　to

Washington；　but　I　conjectured　that　it　meant　a　severing　of　my

relations　with　the　Second　Division；　Fourth　Army　Corps。　　I　at　once　set

about　obeying　the　order；　and　as　but　little　preparation　was　necessary；

I　started　for　Chattanooga　the　next　day；　without　taking　any　formal

leave　of　the　troops　I　had　so　long　commanded。　　I　could　not　do　it；　the

bond　existing　between　them　and　me　had　grown　to　such　depth　of

attachment　that　I　feared　to　trust　my　emotions　in　any　formal　parting

from　a　body　of　soldiers　who；　from　our　mutual　devotion；　had　long

before　lost　their　official　designation；　and　by　general　consent　within

and　without　the　command　were　called　〃Sheridan's　Division。〃　　When　I

took　the　train　at　the　station　the　whole　command　was　collected　on　the

hill…sides　around　to　see　me　off。　　They　had　assembled　spontaneously；

officers　and　men；　and　as　the　cars　moved　out　for　Chattanooga　they

waved　me　farewell　with　demonstrations　of　affection。



A　parting　from　such　friends　was　indeed　to　be　regretted。　　They　had

never　given　me　any　trouble；　nor　done　anything　that　could　bring　aught

but　honor　to　themselves。　　I　had　confidence　in　them；　and　I　believe

they　had　in　me。　　They　were　ever　steady；　whether　in　victory　or　in

misfortune；　and　as　I　tried　always　to　be　with　them；　to　put　them　into

the　hottest　fire　if　good　could　be　gained；　or　save　them　from

unnecessary　loss；　as　occasion　required；　they　amply　repaid　all　my　care

and　anxiety；　courageously　and　readily　meeting　all　demands　in　every

emergency　that　arose。



In　Kentucky；　nearly　two　years　before；　my　lot　had　been　cast　with　about

half　of　the　twenty…five　regiments　of　infantry　that　I　was　just

leaving；　the　rest　joining　me　after　Chickamauga。　　It　was　practically　a

new　arm　of　the　service　to　me；　for　although　I　was　an　infantry　officer；

yet　the　only　large　command　which　up　to　that　time　I　had　controlled　was

composed　of　cavalry；　and　most　of　my　experience　had　been　gained　in

this　arm　of　the　service。　　I　had　to　study　hard　to　be　able　to　master

all　the　needs　of　such　a　force；　to　feed　and　clothe　it　and　guard　all

its　interests。　　When　undertaking　these　responsibilities　I　felt　that

if　I　met　them　faithfully；　recompense　would　surely　come　through　the

hearty　response　that　soldiers　always　make　to　conscientious　exertion

on　the　part　of　their　superiors；　and　not　only　that　more　could　be

gained　in　that　way　than　from　the　use　of　any　species　of　influence；　but

that　the　reward　would　be　quicker。　　Therefore　I　always　tried　to　look

after　their　comfort　personally；　selected　their　camps；　and　provided

abundantly　for　their　subsistence；　and　the　road　they　opened　for　me

shows　that　my　work　was　not　in　vain。　　I　regretted　deeply　to　have　to

leave　such　soldiers；　and　felt　that　they　were　sorry　I　was　going；　and

even　now　I　could　not；　if　I　would；　retain　other　than　the　warmest

sentiments　of　esteem　and　the　tenderest　affection　for　the　officers　and

men　of　〃Sheridan's　Division；〃　Army　of　the　Cumberland。



On　reaching　Chattanooga　I　learned　from　General　Thomas　the　purpose　for

which　I　had　been　ordered　to　Washington。　　I　was　to　be　assigned　to　the

command　of　the　Cavalry　Corps　of　the　Army　of　the　Potomac。　　The

information　staggered　me　at　first；　for　I　knew　well　the　great

responsibilities　of　such　a　position；　moreover；　I　was　but　slightly

acquainted　with　military　operations　in　Virginia；　and　then；　too；　the

higher　officers　of　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　were　little　known　to　me；

so　at　the　moment　I　felt　loth　to　undergo　the　trials　of　the　new

position。　　Indeed；　I　knew　not　a　soul　in　Washington　except　General

Grant　and　General　Halleck；　and　them　but　slightly；　and　no　one　in

General　Meade's　army；　from　the　commanding　general　down；　except　a　few

officers　in　the　lower　grades；　hardly　any　of　whom　I　had　seen　since

graduating　at　the　Military　Academy。



Thus　it　is　not　much　to　be　wondered　at　that　General　Thomas's

communication　momentarily　upset　me。　　But　there　was　no　help　for　it；　so

after　reflecting　on　the　matter　a　little　I　concluded　to　make　the　best

of　the　situation。　　As　in　Virginia　I　should　be　operating　in　a　field

with　which　I　was　wholly　unfamiliar；　and　among　so　many　who　were

strangers；　it　seemed　to　me　that　it　would　be　advisable　to　have；　as　a

chief　staff…officer；　one　who　had　had　service　in　the　East；　if　an

available　man　could　be　found。　　In　weighing　all　these　considerations

in　my　mind；　I　fixed　upon　Captain　James　W。　Forsyth；　of　the　Eighteenth

Infantry；　then　in　the　regular　brigade　at　Chattanoogaa　dear　friend

of　mine；　who　had　served