memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第6章
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which were in close pursuit。 Hastily mounting my horse； I struck across the pine…woods to head the deer off； and when at full career my horse leaped a fallen log and his fore…foot caught one of those hard； unyielding pineknots that brought him with violence to the ground。 I got up as quick as possible； and found my right arm out of place at the shoulder； caused by the weight of the double…barrelled gun。
Seeing Reynolds at some distance； I called out lustily and brought him to me。 He soon mended the bridle and saddle； which had been broken by the fall； helped me on my horse； and we followed the coarse of the hounds。 At first my arm did not pain me much； but it soon began to ache so that it was almost unendurable。 In about three miles we came to a negro hut； where I got off and rested till Reynolds could overtake Poyas and bring him back。 They came at last； but by that time the arm was so swollen and painful that I could not ride。 They rigged up an old gig belonging to the negro； in which I was carried six miles to the plantation of Mr。 Poyas； Sr。 A neighboring physician was sent for； who tried the usual methods of setting the arm； but without success； each time making the operation more painful。 At last he sent off； got a set of double pulleys and cords； with which he succeeded in extending the muscles and in getting the bone into place。 I then returned to Fort Moultrie； but being disabled； applied for a short leave and went North。
I started January 25；1845； went to Washington； Baltimore； and Lancaster； Ohio； whence I went to Mansfield； and thence back by Newark to Wheeling； Cumberland； Baltimore； Philadelphia； and New York； whence I sailed back for Charleston on the ship Sullivan； reaching Fort Moultrie March 9； 1845。
About that time （March 1； 1845） Congress had； by a joint resolution； provided for the annexation of Texas； then an independent Republic； subject to certain conditions requiring the acceptance of the Republic of Texas to be final and conclusive。 We all expected war as a matter of course。 At that time General Zachary Taylor had assembled a couple of regiments of infantry and one of dragoons at Fort Jessup； Louisiana； and had orders to extend military protection to Texas against the Indians； or a 〃foreign enemy；〃 the moment the terms of annexation were accepted。 He received notice of such acceptance July 7th； and forthwith proceeded to remove his troops to Corpus Christi； Texas； where； during the summer and fall of 1845； was assembled that force with which； in the spring of 1846； was begun the Mexican War。
Some time during that summer came to Fort Moultrie orders for sending Company E； Third Artillery； Lieutenant Bragg； to New Orleans； there to receive a battery of field…guns； and thence to the camp of General Taylor at Corpus Christi。 This was the first company of our regiment sent to the seat of war； and it embarked on the brig Hayne。 This was the only company that left Fort Moultrie till after I was detached for recruiting service on the 1st of May； 1846。
Inasmuch as Charleston afterward became famous； as the spot where began our civil war； a general description of it； as it was in 1846； will not be out of place。
The city lies on a long peninsula between the Ashley and Cooper Riversa low； level peninsula； of sand。 Meeting Street is its Broadway； with King Street； next west and parallel； the street of shops and small stores。 These streets are crossed at right angles by many others； of which Broad Street was the principal； and the insersection of Meeting and Broad was the heart of the city； marked by the Guard…House and St。 Michael's Episcopal Church。 The Custom…House； Post…Office； etc。； were at the foot of Broad Street； near the wharves of the Cooper River front。 At the extremity of the peninsula was a drive； open to the bay； and faced by some of the handsomest houses of the city； called the 〃Battery。〃 Looking down the bay on the right； was James Island； an irregular triangle of about seven miles； the whole island in cultivation with sea…island cotton。 At the lower end was Fort Johnson； then simply the station of Captain Bowman； United States Engineers； engaged in building Fort Sumter。 This fort （Sumter） was erected on an artificial island nearly in mid…channel； made by dumping rocks； mostly brought as ballast in cotton…ships from the North。 As the rock reached the surface it was levelled； and made the foundation of Fort Sumter。 In 1846 this fort was barely above the water。 Still farther out beyond James Island； and separated from it by a wide space of salt marsh with crooked channels； was Morris Island； composed of the sand…dunes thrown up by the wind and the sea； backed with the salt marsh。 On this was the lighthouse； but no people。
On the left； looking down the bay from the Battery of Charleston； was； first； Castle Pinckney； a round brick fort； of two tiers of guns； one in embrasure； the other in barbette； built on a marsh island； which was not garrisoned。 Farther down the bay a point of the mainland reached the bay； where there was a group of houses； called Mount Pleasant； and at the extremity of the bay； distant six miles； was Sullivan's Island； presenting a smooth sand…beach to the sea； with the line of sand…hills or dunes thrown up by the waves and winds； and the usual backing of marsh and crooked salt…water channels。
At the shoulder of this island was Fort Moultrie； an irregular fort； without ditch or counterscarp； with a brick scarp wall about twelve feet high； which could be scaled anywhere； and this was surmounted by an earth parapet capable of mounting about forty twenty…four and thirty…two pounder smooth…bore iron guns。 Inside the fort were three two…story brick barracks； sufficient to quarter the officers and men of two companies of artillery。
At sea was the usual 〃bar；〃 changing slightly from year to year； but generally the main ship…channel came from the south； parallel to Morris Island； till it was well up to Fort Moultrie； where it curved； passing close to Fort Sumter and up to the wharves of the city； which were built mostly along the Cooper River front。
Charleston was then a proud； aristocratic city； and assumed a leadership in the public opinion of the South far out of proportion to her population； wealth； or commerce。 On more than one occasion previously； the inhabitants had almost inaugurated civil war； by their assertion and professed belief that each State had； in the original compact of government； reserved to itself the right to withdraw from the Union at its own option； whenever the people supposed they had sufficient cause。 We used to discuss these things at our own mess…tables； vehemently and sometimes quite angrily； but I am sure that I never feared it would go further than it had already gone in the winter of 1832…'33； when the attempt at 〃nullification〃 was promptly suppressed by President Jackson's famous declaration； 〃The Union must and shall be preserved！〃 and by the judicious management of General Scott。
Still； civil war was to be； and； now that it has come and gone； we can rest secure in the knowledge that as the chief cause； slavery； has been eradicated forever； it is not likely to come again。
CHAPTER II。
EARLY RECOLLECTIONS of CALIFORNIA。
1846…1848。
In the spring of 1846 I was a first lieutenant of Company C；1； Third Artillery； stationed at Fort Moultrie； South Carolina。 The company was commanded by Captain Robert Anderson； Henry B。 Judd was the senior first…lieutenant； and I was the junior first…lieutenant； and George B。 Ayres the second…lieutenant。 Colonel William Gates commanded the post and regiment； with First…Lieutenant William Austine as his adjutant。 Two other companies were at the post； viz。； Martin Burke's and E。 D。 Keyes's； and among the officers were T。 W。 Sherman； Morris Miller； H。 B。 Field； William Churchill； Joseph Stewart； and Surgeon McLaren。
The country now known as Texas had been recently acquired； and war with Mexico was threatening。 One of our companies （Bragg's）； with George H。 Thomas； John F。 Reynolds； and Frank Thomas； had gone the year previous and was at that time with General Taylor's army at Corpus Christi； Texas。
In that year （1846） I received the regular detail for recruiting service； with orders to report to the general superintendent at Governor's Island； New York； and accordingly left Fort Moultrie in the latter part of April； and reported to the superintendent； Colonel R。 B。 Mason； First Dragoons； at New York； on the 1st day of May。 I was assigned to the Pittsburg rendezvous； whither I proceeded and relieved Lieutenant Scott。 Early in May I took up my quarters at the St。 Charles Hotel； and entered upon the discharge of my duties。 There was a regular recruiting…station already established； with a sergeant； corporal； and two or three men； with a citizen physician； Dr。 McDowell； to examine the recruits。 The threatening war with Mexico made a demand for recruits； and I received authority to open another sub…rendezvous at Zanesville； Ohio； whither I took the sergeant and established him。 This was very handy to me； as my home was at Lancaster； Ohio； only thirty…six miles off； so that I was thus enabled to visit my friends there quite often。
In the latter part of May； when at Wheeling； Virginia； on my way back from Zanesville to Pittsburg； I heard the first news of the battle of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma； which occurred on the 8th and 9th of May； and； in common with everybody else； felt intensely excited。 That I should be on recruiting service； when my comrades were actually fighting； was intolerable； and I hurried on to my post； Pittsburg。 At that time the railroad did not extend west of the Alleghanies； and all journeys were made by stage…coaches。 In this instance I traveled from Zanesville to Wheeling； thence to Washington （Pennsylvania）； and thence to Pittsburg by stage…coach。 On reaching Pittsburg I found many private letters； one from Ord； then a first…lieutenant in Company F； Third Artillery； at Fort McHenry； Baltimore； saying that his company had just received orders for California； and asking me to apply for it。 Without committing myself to that project； I wrote to the Adjutant…General； R。 Jones； at Washington； D。 C。； asking him to consider me as an applicant for any active service； and saying that I would willingly forego the recruiting detail； which I well knew plenty of others would jump at。 Impatient to approach the scene of active operations； without authority （and I suppose wrongfully）； I left my corporal in charge of the rendezvous； and took all the recruits I had made； about twenty…five； in a steamboat to Cincinnati； and turned them over to Major N。 C。 McCrea； commanding at Newport Barracks。 I then reported in Cincinnati； to the superintendent of the Western recruiting service； Colonel Fanning； an old officer with one arm； who inquired by what authority I had come away from my post。 I argued that I took it for granted he wanted all the recruits he could get to forward to the army at Brownsville； Texas； and did not know but that he might want me to go along。 Instead of appreciating my volunteer zeal； he cursed and swore at me for leaving my post without orders； and told me to go back to Pittsburg。 I then asked for an order that would ent
