personal memoirs-1-第56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！
cannot exceed forty thousand men； but this is too much for General
Sheridan to attack。 Send General Sheridan the remaining brigade of
the Nineteenth Corps。
〃I have ordered to Washington all the one…hundred…day men。 Their
time will soon be out； but for the present they will do to serve in
the defenses。
〃U。 S。 GRANT； Lieutenant…General。〃
The despatch explained the movement from Culpeper； and on the morning
of the 15th Merritt's two remaining brigades were sent to Front Royal
to oppose Anderson； and the Sixth Corps withdrawn to the north side
of Cedar Creek； where it would be in a position enabling me either to
confront Anderson or to act defensively； as desired by General Grant。
To meet the requirements of his instructions I examined the map of
the valley for a defensive linea position where a smaller number of
troops could hold a larger numberfor this information led me to
suppose that Early's force would greatly exceed mine when Anderson's
two divisions of infantry and Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry had joined him。
I could see but one such position； and that was at Halltown； in front
of Harper's Ferry。 Subsequent experience convinced me that there was
no other really defensive line in the Shenandoah Valley； for at
almost any other point the open country and its peculiar topography
invites rather than forbids flanking operations。
This retrograde movement would also enable me to strengthen my
command by Grower's division of the Nineteenth Corps and Wilson's
cavalry； both of which divisions were marching from Washington by way
of Snicker's Gap。
After fully considering the matter； I determined to move back to
Halltown； carrying out； as I retired； my instructions to destroy all
the forage and subsistence the country afforded。 So Emory was
ordered to retire to Winchester on the night of the 15th； and Wright
and Crook to follow through Winchester to Clifton the next night。
For the cavalry； in this move to the rear； I gave the following
instructions：
〃。。。。In pushing up the Shenandoah Valley； as it is expected you will
have to go first or last； it is desirable that nothing should be left
to invite the enemy to return。 Take all provisions； forage； and
stock wanted for the use of your command。 Such as cannot be
consumed； destroy。 It is not desirable that buildings should be
destroyedthey should； rather； be protected； but the people should
be informed that so long as an army can subsist among them；
recurrences of these raids must be expected； and we are determined to
stop them at all hazards。。。。〃 ＇Grant's letter of instructions。＇
〃HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION；
〃Cedar Creek； Va。； August 16； 1864。
〃GENERAL： In compliance with instructions of the Lieutenant…General
commanding； you will make the necessary arrangements and give the
necessary orders for the destruction of the wheat and hay south of a
line from Millwood to Winchester and Petticoat Gap。 You will seize
all mules； horses； and cattle that may be useful to our army。 Loyal
citizens can bring in their claims against the Government for this
necessary destruction。 No houses will be burned； and officers in
charge of this delicate but necessary duty must inform the people
that the object is to make this valley untenable for the raiding
parties of the rebel army。
〃Very respectfully；
〃P。 H。 SHERIDAN；
〃Major…General Commanding。
〃BRIGADIER…GENERAL A。 T。 A。 TORBERT；
〃Chief of Cavalry； Middle Military Division。〃
During his visit to General Hunter at the Monocacy； General Grant had
not only decided to retain in the Shenandoah Valley a large force
sufficient to defeat Early's army or drive it back to Lee； but he had
furthermore determined to make that sections by the destruction of
its supplies； untenable for continued occupancy by the Confederates。
This would cut off one of Lee's main…stays in the way of subsistence；
and at the same time diminish the number of recruits and conscripts
he received； the valley district while under his control not only
supplying Lee with an abundance of food； but also furnishing him many
men for his regular and irregular forces。 Grant's instructions to
destroy the valley began with the letter of August 5 to Hunter； which
was turned over to me； and this was followed at intervals by more
specific directions； all showing the earnestness of his purpose。
〃CITY POINT； Va。； Aug。 163：30 P。 M。； 1864。
〃MAJOR…GENERAL SHERIDAN； Winchester； Va。：
〃If you can possibly spare a division of cavalry； send them through
Loudoun County to destroy and carry off the crops； animals； negroes；
and all men under fifty years of age capable of bearing arms。 In
this way you will get many of Mosby's men。 All male citizens under
fifty can fairly be held as prisoners of war； not as citizen
prisoners。 If not already soldiers； they will be made so the moment
the rebel army gets hold of them。
〃U。 S。 GRANT； Lieutenant…General。〃
〃HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES；
〃CITY POINT； Aug。 21； 1864。
〃MAJOR…GENERAL SHERIDAN； Charlestown； Va。：
〃In stripping Loudoun County of supplies； etc。； impress from all
loyal persons so that they may receive pay for what is taken from
them。 I am informed by the Assistant Secretary of War that Loudoun
County has a large population of Quakers； who are all favorably
disposed to the Union。 These people may be exempted from arrest。
〃U。 S。 GRANT； Lieutenant…General。〃
〃HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES
〃CITY POINT； Va。； Aug。 26；2：30 P。 M。 1864。
〃MAJOR…GENERAL SHERIDAN； Halltown； Va。：
〃Telegraphed you that I had good reason for believing that Fitz Lee
had been ordered back here。 I now think it likely that all troops
will be ordered back from the valley except what they believe to be
the minimum number to detain you。 My reason for supposing this is
based upon the fact that yielding up the Weldon road seems to be a
blow to the enemy he cannot stand。 I think I do not overstate the
loss of the enemy in the last two weeks at 10；000 killed and wounded。
We have lost heavily； mostly in captured when the enemy gained
temporary advantages。 Watch closely； and if you find this theory
correct； push with all vigor。 Give the enemy no rest； and if it is
possible to follow to the Virginia Central road； follow that far。 Do
all the damage to railroads and crops you can。 Carry off stock of
all descriptions and negroes； so as to prevent further planting。 If
the war is to last another year we want the Shenandoah Valley to
remain a barren waste。
〃U。 S。 GRANT； Lieutenant…General。
〃HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES；
〃CITY POINT； Va。； Sept。 4；10 A。 M。1864。
〃MAJOR…GENERAL SHERIDAN； Charlestown； Va。：
〃In cleaning out the arms…bearing community of Loudoun County and the
subsistence for armies； exercise your own judgment as to who should
be exempt from arrest； and as to who should receive pay for their
stock； grain； etc。 It is our interest that that county should not be
capable of subsisting a hostile army； and at the same time we want to
inflict as little hardship upon Union men as possible。
〃U。 S。 GRANT； Lieutenant…General。〃
〃CITY POINT； Va。； Nov。 9； 1864。
〃MAJOR…GENERAL SHERIDAN； Cedar Creek； Va。：
〃Do you not think it advisable to notify all citizens living east of
the Blue Ridge to move out north of the Potomac all their stock；
grain； and provisions of every description？ There is no doubt about
the necessity of clearing out that country so that it will not
support Mosby's gang。 And the question is whether it is not better
that the people should save what they can。 So long as the war lasts
they must be prevented from raising another crop； both there and as
high up the valley as we can control。
〃U。 S。 GRANT； Lieutenant…General。〃
He had rightly concluded that it was time to bring the war home to a
people engaged in raising crops from a prolific soil to feed the
country's enemies； and devoting to the Confederacy its best youth。 I
endorsed the programme in all its parts； for the stores of meat and
grain that the valley provided； and the men it furnished for Lee's
depleted regiments； were the strongest auxiliaries he possessed in
the whole insurgent section。 In war a territory like this is a
factor of great importance； and whichever adversary controls it
permanently reaps all the advantages of its prosperity。 Hence； as I
have said； I endorsed Grant's programme； for I do not hold war to
mean simply that lines of men shall engage each other in battle； and
material interests be ignored。 This is but a duel； in which one
combatant seeks the other's life； war means much more； and is far
worse than this。 Those who rest at home in peace and plenty see but
little of the horrors attending such a duel； and even grow
indifferent to them as the struggle goes on； contenting themselves
with encouraging all who are able…bodied to enlist in the cause； to
fill up the shattered ranks as death thins them。 It is another
matter； however； when deprivation and suffering are brought to their
own doors。 Then the case appears much graver； for the loss of
property weighs heavy with the most of mankind； heavier often； than
the sacrifices made on the field of battle。 Death is popularly
considered the maximum of punishment in war； but it is not； reduction
to poverty brings prayers for peace more surely and more quickly than
does the destruction of human life； as the selfishness of man has
demonstrated in more than one great conflict。
In the afternoon of the 16th I started back to Winchester； whence I
could better supervise our regressive march。 As I was passing
through Newtown； I heard cannonading from the direction of Front
Royal； and on reaching Winchester； Merritt's couriers brought me word
that he had been attacked at the crossing of the Shenandoah by
Kershaw's division of Anderson's corps and two brigades of Fitzhugh
Lee's cavalry； but that the attack had been handsomely repulsed； with
a capture of two battle…flags and three hundred prisoners。 This was
an absolute confirmation of the despatch from Grant； and I was now
more than satisfied with the wisdom of my withdrawal。
At daylight of the 17th Emory moved from Winchester to Berryville；
and the same morning Crook and Wright reached Winchester； having
started from Cedar Creek the day before。 From Winchester； Crook and
Wright resumed their march toward Clifton； Wright； who had the rear
guard； getting that day as far as the Berryville crossing of the
Opequon； where he was ordered to remain； while Crook went ahead till
he reached the vicinity of Berryville。 On the afternoon of the 17th
Lowell with his two regiments of troopers came into Winchester； where
he was joined by Wilson's mounted division； which had come by a rapid
march from Snicker's
