personal memoirs-2-第8章

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pressing　to　the　rear　in　hopeless　confusion；　telling　only　too　plainly

that　a　disaster　had　occurred　at　the　front。　　On　accosting　some　of　the

fugitives；　they　assured　me　that　the　army　was　broken　up；　in　full

retreat；　and　that　all　was　lost；　all　this　with　a　manner　true　to　that

peculiar　indifference　that　takes　possession　of　panic…stricken　men。　　I

was　greatly　disturbed　by　the；　sight；　but　at　once　sent　word　to　Colonel

Edwards　commanding　the　brigade　in　Winchester；　to　stretch　his　troops

across　the　valley；　near　Mill　Creek；　and　stop　all　fugitives；　directing

also　that　the　transportation　be；　passed　through　and　parked　on　the

north　side　of　the　town。



As　I　continued　at　a　walk　a　few　hundred　yards　farther；　thinking　all

the　time　of　Longstreet's　telegram　to　Early；　〃Be　ready　when　I　join

you；　and　we　will　crush　Sheridan；〃　I　was　fixing　in　my　mind　what　I

should　do。　　My　first　thought　was　too　stop　the　army　in　the　suburbs　of

Winchester　as　it　came　back；　form　a　new　line；　and　fight　there；　but　as

the　situation　was　more　maturely　considered　a　better　conception

prevailed。　　I　was　sure　the　troops　had　confidence　in　me；　for

heretofore　we　had　been　successful；　and　as　at　other　times　they　had

seen　me　present　at　the　slightest　sign　of　trouble　or　distress；　I　felt

that　I　ought　to　try　now　to　restore　their　broken　ranks；　or；　failing　in

that；　to　share　their　fate　because　of　what　they　had　done　hitherto。



About　this　time　Colonel　Wood；　my　chief　commissary；　arrived　from　the

front　and　gave　me　fuller　intelligence；　reporting　that　everything　was

gone；　my　headquarters　captured；　and　the　troops　dispersed。　　When　I

heard　this　I　took　two　of　my　aides…de…camp；　Major。　George　A。　Forsyth

and　Captain　Joseph　O'Keefe；　and　with　twenty　men　from　the　escort

started　for　the　front；　at　the　same　time　directing　Colonel　James　W。

Forsyth　and　Colonels　Alexander　and　Thom　to　remain　behind　and　do　what

they　could　to　stop　the　runaways。



For　a　short　distance　I　traveled　on　the　road；　but　soon　found　it　so

blocked　with　wagons　and　wounded　men　that　my　progress　was　impeded；　and

I　was　forced　to　take　to　the　adjoining　fields　to　make　haste。　　When

most　of　the　wagons　and　wounded　were　past　I　returned　to　the　road；

which　was　thickly　lined　with　unhurt　　men；　who；　having　got　far　enough

to　the　rear　to　be　out　of　danger；　had　halted；　without　any

organization；　and　begun　cooking　coffee；　but　when　they　saw　me　they

abandoned　their　coffee；　threw　up　their　hats；　shouldered　their

muskets；　and　as　I　passed　along　turned　to　follow　with　enthusiasm　and

cheers。　　To　acknowledge　this　exhibition　of　feeling　I　took　off　my　hat；

and　with　Forsyth　and　O'Keefe　rode　some　distance　in　advance　of　my

escort；　while　every　mounted　officer　who　saw　me　galloped　out　on　either

side　of　the　pike　to　tell　the　men　at　a　distance　that　I　had　come　back。

In　this　way　the　news　was　spread　to　the　stragglers　off　the　road；　when

they；　too；　turned　their　faces　to　the　front　and　marched　toward　the

enemy；　changing　in　a　moment　from　the　depths　of　depression　；　to　the

extreme　of　enthusiasm。　　I　already　knew　that　even　in　the　ordinary

condition　of　mind　enthusiasm　is　a　potent　element　with　soldiers；　but

what　I　saw　that　day　convinced　me　that　if　it　can　be　excited　from　a

state　of　despondency　its　power　is　almost　irresistible。　　I　said

nothing　except　to　remark　as　I　rode　among　those　on　the　road：　〃If　I　had

been；　with　you　this　morning　this　disaster　would　not　have　happened。

We　must　face　the　other　way；　we　will　go　back　and　recover　our　camp。〃



My　first　halt　was　made　just　north　of　Newtown；　where　I　met　a　chaplain

digging　his　heels　into　the　sides　of　his　jaded　horse；　and　making　for

the　rear　with　all　possible　speed。　　I　drew　up　for　an　instant；　and

inquired　of　him　how　matters　were　going　at　the　front。　　He　replied；

〃Everything　is　lost；　but　all　will　be　right　when　you　get　there〃；　yet

notwithstanding　this　expression　of　confidence　in　me；　the　parson　at

once　resumed　his　breathless　pace　to　the　rear。　　At　Newtown　I　was

obliged　to　make　a　circuit　to　the　left；　to　get　round　the　village。　　I

could　not　pass　through　it；　the　streets　were　so　crowded；　but　meeting

on　this　detour　Major　McKinley；　of　Crook's　staff；　he　spread　the　news

of　my　return　through　the　motley　throng　there。



When　nearing　the　Valley　pike；　just　south　of　Newtown　I　saw　about

three…fourths　of　a　mile　west　of　the　pike　a　body　of　troops；　which

proved　to　be　Ricketts's　and　Wheaton's　divisions　of　the　Sixth　Corps；

and　then　learned　that　the　Nineteenth　Corps　had　halted　a　little　to　the

right　and　rear　of　these；　but　I　did　not　stop；　desiring　to　get　to　the

extreme　front。　　Continuing　on　parallel　with　the　pike；　about　midway

between　Newtown　and　Middletown　I　crossed　to　the　west　of　it；　and　a

little　later　came　up　in　rear　of　Getty's　division　of　the　Sixth　Corps。

When　I　arrived；　this　division　and　the　cavalry　were　the　only　troops　in

the　presence　of　and　resisting　the　enemy；　they　were　apparently　acting

as　a　rear…guard　at　a　point　about　three　miles　north　of　the　line　we

held　at　Cedar　Creek　when　the　battle　began。　　General　Torbert　was　the

first　officer　to　meet　me；　saying　as　he　rode　up；　〃My　God！　I　am　glad

you've　come。〃　Getty's　division；　when　I　found　it；　was　about　a　mile

north　of　Middletown；　posted　on　the　reverse　slope　of　some　slightly

rising　ground；　holding　a　barricade　made　with　fence…rails；　and

skirmishing　slightly　with　the　enemy's　pickets。　　Jumping　my　horse　over

the　line　of　rails；　I　rode　to　the　crest　of　the　elevation；　and　there

taking　off　my　hat；　the　men　rose　up　from　behind　their　barricade　with

cheers　of　recognition。　　An　officer　of　the　Vermont　brigade；　Colonel　A。

S。　Tracy；　rode　out　to　the　front；　and　joining　me；　informed　me　that

General　Louis　A。　Grant　was　in　command　there；　the　regular　division

commander；　General　Getty；　having　taken　charge　of　the　Sixth　Corps　in

place　of　　Ricketts；　wounded　early　in　the　action；　while　temporarily

commanding　the　corps。　　I　then　turned　back　to　the　rear　of　Getty's

division；　and　as　I　came　behind　it；　a　line　of　regimental　flags　rose　up

out　of　the　ground；　as　it　seemed；　to　welcome　me。　　They　were　mostly　the

colors　of　Crook's　troops；　who　had　been　stampeded　and　scattered　in　the

surprise　of　the　morning。　　The　color…bearers；　having　withstood　the

panic；　had　formed　behind　the　troops　of　Getty。　　The　line　with　the

colors　was　largely　composed　of　officers；　among　whom　I　recognized

Colonel　R。　B。　Hayes；　since　president　of　the　United　States；　one　of　the

brigade　commanders。　　At　the　close　of　this　incident　I　crossed　the

little　narrow　valley；　or　depression；　in　rear　of　Getty's　line；　and

dismounting　on　the　opposite　crest；　established　that　point　as　my

headquarters。　　In　a　few　minutes　some　of　my　staff　joined　me；　and　the

first　directions　I　gave　were　to　have　the　Nineteenth　Corps　and　the　two

divisions　of　Wright's　corps　brought　to　the　front；　so　they　could　be

formed　on　Getty's　division；　prolonged　to　the　right；　for　I　had　already

decided　to　attack　the　enemy　from　that　line　as　soon　as　I　could　get

matters　in　shape　to　take　the　offensive。　　Crook　met　me　at　this　time；

and　strongly　favored　my　idea　of　attacking；　but　said；　however；　that

most　of　his　troops　were　gone。　　General　Wright　came　up　a　little　later；

when　I　saw　that　he　was　wounded；　a　ball　having　grazed　the　point　of　his

chin　so　as　to　draw　the　blood　plentifully。



Wright　gave　me　a　hurried　account　of　the　day's　events；　and　when　told

that　we　would　fight　the　enemy　on　the　line　which　Getty　and　the　cavalry

were　holding；　and　that　he　must　go　himself　and　send　all　his　staff　to

bring　up　the　troops；　he　zealously　fell　in　with　the　scheme；　and　it　was

then　that　the　Nineteenth　Corps　and　two　divisions　of　the　Sixth　were

ordered　to　the　front　from　where　they　had　been　halted　to　the　right　and

rear　of　Getty。



After　this　conversation　I　rode　to　the　east　of　the　Valley　pike　and　to

the　left　of　Getty's　division；　to　a　point　from　which　I　could　obtain　a

good　view　of　the　front；　in　the　mean　time　sending　Major　Forsyth　to

communicate　with　Colonel　Lowell　（who　occupied　a　position　close　in

toward　the　suburbs　of　Middletown　and　directly　in　front　of　Getty's

left）　to　learn　whether　he　could　hold　on　there。　　Lowell　replied　that

he　could。　　I　then　ordered　Custer's　division　back　to　the　right　flank；

and　returning　to　the　place　where　my　headquarters　had　been　established

I　met　near　them　Ricketts's　division　under　General　Keifer　and　General

Frank　Wheaton's　division；　both　marching　to　the　front。　　When　the　men

of　these　divisions　saw　me　they　began　cheering　and　took　up　the　double

quick　to　the　front；　while　I　turned　back　toward　Getty's　line　to　point

out　where　these　returning　troops　should　be　placed。　　Having　done　this；

I　ordered　General　Wright　to　resume　command　of　the　Sixth　Corps；　and

Getty；　who　was　temporarily　in　charge　of　it；　to　take　command　of　his

own　division。　　A　little　later　the　Nineteenth　Corps　came　up　and　was

posted　between　the　right　of　the　Sixth　Corps　and　Middle　Marsh　Brook。



All　this　had　consumed　a　great　deal　of　time；　and　I　concluded　to　visit

again　the　point　to　the　east　of　the　Valley　pike；　from　where　I　had

first　observed　the　enemy；　to　see　what　he　was　doing。　　Arrived　there；　I

could　plainly　see　him　getting　ready　for　attack；　and　Major　Forsyth　now

suggested　that　it　would　be　well　to　ride　along　the　line　of　battle

before　the　enemy　assailed　us；　for　although　the　troops　had　learned　of

my　return；　but　few　of　them　had　seen　me。　　Following　his　suggestion　I

started　in　behind　the　men；　but　when　a　few　paces　had　been　taken　I

crossed　to　the　front　and；　hat　in　hand；　passed　along　the　entire　length

of　the　infantry　line；　and　it　is　from　this　circumstance　that　many　of

the　officers　and　men　who　then　received　me　with　such　heartiness　have

since　supposed　that　that　was　my　first　appearance　on　the　field。　　But

at　least　two　hours　had　elapsed　since　I　reached　the　ground；　for　it　was

after　mid…day；　when　this　incident　of　riding　down　the　front　took

place；　and　I　arrived　not　later；　certainly；　than　half…past　10　o'clock。



After　re…arranging　the　line　and　preparing　to　attack　I　returned　again

to　observe　the　Confederates；　who　shortly　began　to　advance　on　us。　　The

attacking　columns　did　not　cover　my　entire　front；　and　it　appeared　that

their　onset　would　be　mainly　directed　against　the　Nineteenth　Corps；

so；　fearing　that　they　might　be　too　strong　for　Emory　on　account　of　his

depleted　condition　（many　of　his　men　not　having　had　time　to　get　up

from　the　rear）；　and　Getty's　division　being　free　from　assault　I

transferred　a　part　of　it　from　the　extreme　left　to　the　support　of　the

Nineteenth　Corps。　　The　assault　was　quickly　repulsed　by　Emory；

however；　and　as　the　enemy　fell　back　Getty's　troops　were　returned　to

their　original　place。　　This　repulse　of　the　Confederates　made　me　feel

pretty　safe　from　further　offensive　operations　on　their　part；　and　I

now　decided　to　suspend　the　fighting　till　my　thin　ranks　were　further

strengthened　by　the　men　who　were　continually　coming　up　from　the　rear；

and　particularly　till　Crook's　troops　could　be　assembled　on　the

extreme　left。



In　consequence　of　the　despatch　already　mentioned；　〃Be　ready　when　I

join　yo