memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第60章

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structions　about　cotton；　so　as　to　conform　to　his　orders。　　Trade　in　cotton　is　now　free；　but　in　all　else　I　endeavor　so　to　control　it　that　the　enemy　shall　receive　no　contraband　goods；　or　any　aid　or　comfort；　still　I　feel　sure　that　the　officers　of　steamboats　are　sadly　tempted　by　high　prices　to　land　salt　and　other　prohibited　articles　at　waypoints　along　the　river。　　This；　too；　in　time　will　be　checked。　　All　seems　well　here　and　hereabout；　no　large　body　of　the　enemy　within　striking　distance。　　A　force　of　about　two　thousand；　cavalry　passed　through　Grand　Junction　north　last　Friday；　and　fell　on　a　detachment　of　the　Bolivar　army　at　Middleburg；　the　result　of　which　is　doubtless　reported　to　you。　　As　soon　as　I　heard　of　the　movement；　I　dispatched　a　force　to　the　southeast　by　way　of　diversion；　and　am　satisfied　that　the　enemy's　infantry　and　artillery　fell　back　in　consequence　behind　the　Tallahatchie。　　The　weather　is　very　hot；　country　very　dry；　and　dust　as　bad　as　possible。　　I　hold　my　two　divisions　ready；　with　their　original　complement　of　transportation；　for　field　service。　　Of　course　all　things　most　now　depend　on　events　in　front　of　Washington　and　in　Kentucky。　　The　gunboat　Eastport　and　four　transports　loaded　with　prisoners　of　war　destined　for　Vicksburg　have　been　lying　before　Memphis　for　two　days；　but　are　now　steaming　up　to　resume　their　voyage。　　Our　fort　progresses　well；　but　our　guns　are　not　yet　mounted。　　The　engineers　are　now　shaping　the　banquette　to　receive　platforms。　　I　expect　Captain　Prime　from　Corinth　in　two　or　three　days。

I　am；　with　great　respect；　yours；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General　commanding。



HEADQUARTERS　FIFTH　DIVISION　MEMPHIS；　TENNESSEE；　September　21；　1862

Editor　Bulletin。

SIR：　Your　comments　on　the　recent　orders　of　Generals　Halleck　and　McClellan　afford　the　occasion　appropriate　for　me　to　make　public　the　fact　that　there　is　a　law　of　Congress；　as　old　as　our　Government　itself；　but　reenacted　on　the　10th　of　April；　1806；　and　in　force　ever　since。　　That　law　reads：

〃All　officers　and　soldiers　are　to　behave　themselves　orderly　in　quarters　and　on　the　march；　and　whoever　shall　commit　any　waste　or　spoil；　either　in　walks　of　trees；　parks；　warrens；　fish…ponds；　houses　and　gardens；　cornfields；　inclosures　or　meadows；　or　shall　maliciously　destroy　any　property　whatever　belonging　to　the　inhabitants　of　the　United　States；　unless　by　order　of　the　commander…in…chief　of　the　armies　of　said　United　States；　shall　（besides　such　penalties　as　they　are　liable　to　by　law）　be　punished　according　to　the　nature　and　degree　of　the　offense；　by　the　judgment　of　a　general　or　regimental　court…martial。〃

Such　is　the　law　of　Congress；　and　the　orders　of　the　commander…in…　chief　are；　that　officers　or　soldiers　convicted　of　straggling　and　pillaging　shall　be　punished　with　death。　　These　orders　have　not　come　to　me　officially；　but　I　have　seen　them　in　newspapers；　and　am　satisfied　that　they　express　the　determination　of　the　commander…in…　chief。　　Straggling　and　pillaging　have　ever　been　great　military　crimes；　and　every　officer　and　soldier　in　my　command　knows　what　stress　I　have　laid　upon　them；　and　that；　so　far　as　in　my　power　lies；　I　will　punish　them　to　the　full　extent　of　the　law　and　orders。

The　law　is　one　thing；　the　execution　of　the　law　another。　　God　himself　has　commanded：　〃Thou　shalt　not　kill；〃　　〃thou　shalt　not　steal；〃　　〃thou　shalt　not　covet　thy　neighbor's　goods；〃　etc。　　Will　any　one　say　these　things　are　not　done　now　as　well　as　before　these　laws　were　announced　at　Sinai　I　admit　the　law　to　be　that　〃no　officer　or　soldier　of　the　United　States　shall　commit　waste　or　destruction　of　cornfields；　orchards；　potato…patches；　or　any　kind　of　pillage　on　the　property　of　friend　or　foe　near　Memphis；〃　and　that　I　stand　prepared　to　execute　the　law　as　far　as　possible。

No　officer　or　soldier　should　enter　the　house　or　premises　of　any　peaceable　citizen；　no　matter　what　his　politics；　unless　on　business；　and　no　such　officer　or　soldier　can　force　an　entrance　unless　he　have　a　written　order　from　a　commanding　officer　or　provost…marshal；　which　written　authority　must　be　exhibited　if　demanded。　　When　property　such　as　forage；　building　or　other　materials　are　needed　by　the　United　States；　a　receipt　will　be　given　by　the　officer　taking　them；　which　receipt　should　be　presented　to　the　quartermaster；　who　will　substitute　therefor　a　regular　voucher；　to　be　paid…according　to　the　circumstances　of　the　case。　　If　the　officer　refuse　to　give　such　receipt；　the　citizen　may　fairly　infer　that　the　property　is　wrongfully　taken；　and　he　should；　for　his　own　protection；　ascertain　the　name；　rank；　and　regiment　of　the　officer；　and　report　him　in　writing。　　If　any　soldier　commits　waste　or　destruction；　the　person　whose　property　is　thus　wasted　must　find　out　the　name；　company；　and　regiment　of　the　actual　transgressor。　　In　order　to　punish　there　must　be　a　trial；　and　there　must　be　testimony。　　It　is　not　sufficient　that　a　general　accusation　be　made；　that　soldiers　are　doing　this　or　that。　I　cannot　punish　my　whole　command；　or　a　whole　battalion；　because　one　or　two　bad　soldiers　do　wrong。　　The　punishment　must　reach　the　perpetrators；　and　no　one　can　identify　them　as　well　as　the　party　who　is　interested。　　The　State　of　Tennessee　does　not　hold　itself　responsible　for　acts　of　larceny　committed　by　her　citizens；　nor　does　the　United　Staten　or　any　other　nation。　　These　are　individual　acts　of　wrong；　and　punishment　can　only　be　inflicted　on　the　wrong…doer。　I　know　the　difficulty　of　identifying　particular　soldiers；　but　difficulties　do　not　alter　the　importance　of　principles　of　justice。　They　should　stimulate　the　parties　to　increase　their　efforts　to　find　out　the　actual　perpetrators　of　the　crime。

Colonels　of　regiments　and　commanders　of　corps　are　liable　to　severe　punishment　for　permitting　their　men　to　leave　their　camps　to　commit　waste　or　destruction；　but　I　know　full　well　that　many　of　the　acts　attributed　to　soldiers　are　committed　by　citizens　and　negroes；　and　are　charged　to　soldiers　because　of　a　desire　to　find　fault　with　them；　but　this　only　reacts　upon　the　community　and　increases　the　mischief。　　While　every　officer　would　willingly　follow　up　an　accusation　against　any　one　or　more　of　his　men　whose　names　or　description　were　given　immediately　after　the　discovery　of　the　act；　he　would　naturally　resent　any　general　charge　against　his　good　men；　for　the　criminal　conduct　of　a　few　bad　ones。

I　have　examined　into　many　of　the　cases　of　complaint　made　in　this　general　way；　and　have　felt　mortified　that　our　soldiers　should　do　acts　which　are　nothing　more　or　less　than　stealing；　but　I　was　powerless　without　some　clew　whereby　to　reach　the　rightful　party。　　I　know　that　the　great　mass　of　our　soldiers　world　scorn　to　steal　or　commit　crime；　and　I　will　not　therefore　entertain　vague　and　general　complaints；　but　stand；　prepared　always　to　follow　up　any　reasonable　complaint　when　the　charge　is　definite　and　the　names　of　witnesses　furnished。

I　know；　moreover；　in　some　instances　when　our　soldiers　are　complained　of；　that　they　have　been　insulted　by　sneering　remarks　about　〃Yankees；〃　　〃Northern　barbarians；〃　　〃Lincoln's　hirelings；〃　etc。　　People　who　use　such　language　must　seek　redress　through　some　one　else；　for　I　will　not　tolerate　insults　to　our　country　or　cause。　When　people　forget　their　obligations　to　a　Government　that　made　them　respected　among　the　nations　of　the　earth；　and　speak　contemptuously　of　the　flag　which　is　the　silent　emblem　of　that　country；　I　will　not　go　out　of　my　way　to　protect　them　or　their　property。　　I　will　punish　the　soldiers　for　trespass　or　waste　if　adjudged　by　a　court…martial；　because　they　disobey　orders；　but　soldiers　are　men　and　citizens　as　well　as　soldiers；　and　should　promptly　resent　any　insult　to　their　country；　come　from　what　quarter　it　may。　　I　mention　this　phase　because　it　is　too　common。　　Insult　to　a　soldier　does　not　justify　pillage；　but　it　takes　from　the　officer　the　disposition　he　would　otherwise　feel　to　follow　up　the　inquiry　and　punish　the　wrong…doers。

Again；　armies　in　motion　or　stationary　must　commit　some　waste。　Flankers　must　let　down　fences　and　cross　fields；　and；　when　an　attack　is　contemplated　or　apprehended；　a　command　will　naturally　clear　the　ground　of　houses；　fences；　and　trees。　　This　is　waste；　but　is　the　natural　consequence　of　war；　chargeable　on　those　who　caused　the　war。　So　in　fortifying　a　place；　dwelling…houses　must　be　taken；　materials　used；　even　wasted；　and　great　damage　done；　which　in　the　end　may　prove　useless。　　This；　too；　is　an　expense　not　chargeable　to　us；　but　to　those　who　made　the　war；　and　generally　war　is　destruction　and　nothing　else。

We　must　bear　this　in　mind；　that　however　peaceful　things　look；　we　are　really　at　war；　and　much　that　looks　like　waste　or　destruction　is　only　the　removal　of　objects　that　obstruct　our　fire；　or　would　afford　cover　to　an　enemy。

This　class　of　waste　must　be　distinguished　from　the　wanton　waste　committed　by　army…stragglers；　which　is　wrong；　and　can　be　punished　by　the　death…penalty　if　proper　testimony　can　be　produced。

Yours；　etc。；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General　commanding。


Satisfied　that；　in　the　progress　of　the　war；　Memphis　would　become　an　important　depot；　I　pushed　forward　the　construction　of　Fort　Pickering；　kept　most　of　the　troops　in　camps　back　of　the　city；　and　my　own　headquarters　remained　in　tents　on　the　edge　of　the　city；　near　Mr。　Moon's　house；　until；　on　the　approach　of　winter；　Mrs。　Sherman　came　down　with　the　children　to　visit　me；　when　I　took　a　house　nearer　the　fort。

All　this　time　battalion　and　brigade　drills　were　enforced；　so　that；　when　the　season　approached　for　active　operations　farther　south；　I　had　my　division　in　the　best　possible　order；　and　about　the　1st　of　November　it　was　composed　as　follows

First　Brigade；　Brigadier…General　M。　L。　SMITH　…　Eighth　Missouri；　Colonel　G。　A。　Smith；　Sixth　Missouri；　Colonel　Peter　E。　Bland；　One　Hundred　and　Thirteenth　Illinois；　Colonel　George　B。　Hoge；　Fifty…fourth　Ohio；　Colonel　T。　Kilby　Smith；　One　Hundred　and　Twentieth　Illinois；　Colonel　G。　W。　McKeaig。

Second　Brigade；　Colonel　JOHN　ADAIR　McDOWELL。…　Sixth　Iowa；　Lieutenant…Colonel　John　M。　Corse；　Fortieth　Illinois；　Colonel　J。　W。　Booth；　Forty…sixth　Ohio；　Colonel　O。　C。　Walcutt；　Thirteenth　United　States　Infantry；　First　Battalion；　Major　D。　Chase。

Third　Brigade；　Brigadier…General　J。　W。　DENVER。　…　Forty…eighth　Ohio；　Colonel　P。　J。　Sullivan；　Fifty…third　Ohio；　Colonel　W。　S。　Jones；　Seventieth　Ohio；　Colonel　J。　R。　Cockerill。

Fourth　Brigade；　Colonel　DAVID　STUART。…　Fifty…fifth　Illinois；　Colonel　O。　Malmburg；　Fifty…seventh　Ohio；　Colonel　W。　Mungen；　Eighty…third　Indiana；　Colonel　B。　Spooner；　One　Hundred　and　Sixteenth　Illinois；　Colonel　Tupper；　One　Hundred　and　Twenty…seventh　Illinois；　Lieutenant…Colonel　Eldridge。

Fifth　Brigade；　Colonel　R。　P。　BUCKLAND。…　Seventy…second　Ohio；　Lieutenant…Colonel　D。　W。　C。　Loudon；　Thirty…second　Wisconsin；　Colonel　J。　W。　Howe；　Ninety…third　Indiana；　Colonel　Thomas；　Ninety…third　Illinois；　Major　J。　M。　Fisher。


Subsequently；　Brigadier…General　J。　G。　Lauman　arrived　at　Memphis；　and　I　made　up　a　sixth　brigade；　and　organized　these　six　brigades　into　three　divisions；　under　Brigadier…Generals　M。　L。　Smith；　J。　W。　Denver；　and　J。　G。　Lauman。

About　the　17th　of　November　I　received　an　order　from　General　Grant；　dated：

LAGRANGE；　November　16；　1862。

Meet　me　at　Columbus；　Kentucky；　on　Thursday　next。　　If　you　have　a　good　map　of　the　country　south　of　you；　take　it　up　with　you。

U。　S。　GRANT；　Major…General。


I　st