memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第74章
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HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS CAMP ON BIG BLACK； September 17； 1863
Brigadier…General J。 A。 RAWLINS； Acting Assistant Adjutant…General； Vicksburg。
DEAR GENERAL： I inclose for your perusal； and for you to read to General Grant such parts as you deem interesting； letters received by me from Prof。 Mahan and General Halleck； with my answers。 After you have read my answer to General Halleck； I beg you to inclose it to its address； and return me the others。
I think Prof。 Mahan's very marked encomium upon the campaign of Vicksburg is so flattering to General Grant； that you may offer to let him keep the letter； if he values such a testimonial。 I have never written a word to General Halleck since my report of last December； after the affair at Chickasaw； except a short letter a few days ago； thanking him for the kind manner of his transmitting to me the appointment of brigadier…general。 I know that in Washington I am incomprehensible； because at the outset of the war I would not go it blind and rush headlong into a war unprepared and with an utter ignorance of its extent and purpose。 I was then construed unsound； and now that I insist on war pure and simple； with no admixture of civil compromises； I am supposed vindictive。 You remember what Polonius said to his son Laertes： 〃Beware of entrance to a quarrel； but； being in； bear it； that the opposed may beware of thee。〃 What is true of the single man； is equally true of a nation。 Our leaders seemed at first to thirst for the quarrel； willing； even anxious； to array against us all possible elements of opposition； and now； being in； they would hasten to quit long before the 〃opposed〃 has received that lesson which he needs。 I would make this war as severe as possible； and show no symptoms of tiring till the South begs for mercy； indeed； I know； and you know； that the end would be reached quicker by such a course than by any seeming yielding on our part。 I don't want our Government to be bothered by patching up local governments； or by trying to reconcile any class of men。 The South has done her worst； and now is the time for us to pile on our blows thick and fast。
Instead of postponing the draft till after the elections； we ought now to have our ranks full of drafted men； and； at best； if they come at all； they will reach us when we should be in motion。
I think General Halleck would like to have the honest； candid opinions of all of us； viz。； Grant； McPherson； and Sherman。 I have given mine； and would prefer； of course； that it should coincide with the others。 Still； no matter what my opinion may be； I can easily adapt my conduct to the plane of others； and am only too happy when I find theirs better； than mine。
If no trouble； please show Halleck's letter to McPherson； and ask him to write also。 I know his regiments are like mine （mere squads）； and need filling up。 Yours truly；
W。 T。 SHERMAN； Major…General。
CHAPTER XIV。
CHATTANOOGA AND KNOXVILLE。
JULY TO DECEMBER； 1863。
After the fall of Vicksburg； and its corollary； Port Hudson； the Mississippi River was wholly in the possession of the Union forces； and formed a perfect line of separation in the territories of our opponents。 Thenceforth； they could not cross it save by stealth； and the military affairs on its west bank became unimportant。 Grant's army had seemingly completed its share of the work of war； and lay； as it were； idle for a time。 In person General Grant went to New Orleans to confer with General Banks； and his victorious army was somewhat dispersed。 Parke's corps （Ninth） returned to Kentucky； and afterward formed part of the Army of the Ohio； under General Burnside； Ord's corps （Thirteenth） was sent down to Natchez； and gradually drifted to New Orleans and Texas； McPhersons （Seventeenth） remained in and near Vicksburg； Hurlbut's （Sixteenth） was at Memphis； and mine （Fifteenth） was encamped along the Big Black； about twenty miles east of Vicksburg。 This corps was composed of four divisions： Steele's （the First） was posted at and near the railroad…bridge； Blair's （the Second）； next in order； near Parson Fox's； the Third Division （Tuttle's） was on the ridge about the head of Bear Creek； and the Fourth （Ewing's） was at Messinger's Ford。 My own headquarters were in tents in a fine grove of old oaks near Parson Fox's house； and the battalion of the Thirteenth Regulars was the headquarters guard。
All the camps were arranged for health； comfort； rest； and drill。 It being midsummer； we did not expect any change till the autumn months； and accordingly made ourselves as comfortable as possible。 There was a short railroad in operation from Vicksburg to the bridge across the Big Black； whence supplies in abundance were hauled to our respective camps。 With a knowledge of this fact Mrs。 Sherman came down from Ohio with Minnie； Lizzie； Willie； and Tom； to pay us a visit in our camp at Parson Fog's。 Willie was then nine years old； was well advanced for his years； and took the most intense interest in the affairs of the army。 He was a great favorite with the soldiers； and used to ride with me on horseback in the numerous drills and reviews of the time。 He then had the promise of as long a life as any of my children； and displayed more interest in the war than any of them。 He was called a 〃sergeant〃 in the regular battalion； learned the manual of arms； and regularly attended the parade and guard…mounting of the Thirteenth； back of my camp。 We made frequent visits to Vicksburg； and always stopped with General McPherson； who had a large house； and boarded with a family （Mrs。 Edwards'a） in which were several interesting young ladies。 General Grant occupied another house （Mrs。 Lum's） in Vicksburg during that summer； and also had his family with him。 The time passed very agreeably； diversified only by little events of not much significance； among which I will recount only one。
While； we occupied the west bank of the Big Black； the east bank was watched by a rebel cavalry…division； commanded by General Armstrong。 He had four brigades； commanded by Generals Whitfield； Stark； Cosby； and Wirt Adams。 Quite frequently they communicated with us by flags of truce on trivial matters； and we reciprocated； merely to observe them。 One day a flag of truce； borne by a Captain B。。。。； of Louisville； Kentucky； escorted by about twenty…five men； was reported at Messinger's Ferry； and I sent orders to let them come right into my tent。 This brought them through the camps of the Fourth Division； and part of the Second； and as they drew up in front of my tent； I invited Captain B。。。。 and another officer with him （a major from Mobile） to dismount； to enter my tent； and to make themselves at home。 Their escort was sent to join mine； with orders to furnish them forage and every thing they wanted。 B。。。。 had brought a sealed letter for General Grant at Vicksburg； which was dispatched to him。 In the evening we had a good supper； with wine and cigars； and； as we sat talking； B。。。。 spoke of his father and mother； in Louisville； got leave to write them a long letter without its being read by any one； and then we talked about the war。 He said： 〃What is the use of your persevering？ It is simply impossible to subdue eight millions of people；〃 asserting that 〃the feeling in the South had become so embittered that a reconciliation was impossible。〃 I answered that； 〃sitting as we then were； we appeared very comfortable； and surely there was no trouble in our becoming friends。〃 〃Yes；〃 said he； 〃that is very true of us； but we are gentlemen of education； and can easily adapt ourselves to any condition of things； but this would not apply equally well to the common people； or to the common soldiers。〃 I took him out to the camp…fires behind the tent； and there were the men of his escort and mine mingled together； drinking their coffee； and happy as soldiers always seem。 I asked B。。。。 what he thought of that； and he admitted that I had the best of the argument。 Before I dismissed this flag of truce； his companion consulted me confidentially as to what disposition he ought to make of his family； then in Mobile； and I frankly gave him the best advice I could。
While we were thus lying idle in camp on the big Black； the Army of the Cumberland； under General Rosecrans； was moving against Bragg at Chattanooga； and the Army of the Ohio； General Burnside； was marching toward East Tennessee。 General Rosecrans was so confident of success that he somewhat scattered his command； seemingly to surround and capture Bragg in Chattanooga； but the latter； reenforced from Virginia； drew out of Chattanooga； concentrated his army at Lafayette； and at Chickamauga fell on Rosecrans； defeated him； and drove him into Chattanooga。 The whole country seemed paralyzed by this unhappy event； and the authorities in Washington were thoroughly stampeded。 From the East the Eleventh Corps （Slocum）； and the Twelfth Corps （Howard）； were sent by rail to Nashville； and forward under command of General Hooker； orders were also sent to General Grant； by Halleck； to send what reenforcements he could spare immediately toward Chattanooga。
Bragg had completely driven Rosecrans's army into Chattanooga； the latter was in actual danger of starvation； and the railroad to his rear seemed inadequate to his supply。 The first intimation which I got of this disaster was on the 22d of September； by an order from General Grant to dispatch one of my divisions immediately into Vicksburg； to go toward Chattanooga； and I designated the First； General OsterhausSteele meantime having been appointed to the command of the Department of Arkansas； and had gone to Little Rock。 General Osterhaus marched the same day； and on the 23d I was summoned to Vicksburg in person； where General Grant showed me the alarming dispatches from General Halleck； which had been sent from Memphis by General Hurlbut； and said； on further thought； that he would send me and my whole corps。 But； inasmuch as one division of McPherson's corps （John E。 Smith's） had already started； he instructed me to leave one of my divisions on the Big Black； and to get the other two ready to follow at once。 I designated the Second； then commanded by Brigadier…General Giles A。 Smith； and the Fourth； commanded by Brigadier…General Corse。
On the 25th I returned to my camp on Big Black； gave all the necessary orders for these divisions to move； and for the Third （Tittle's） to remain； and went into Vicksburg with my family。 The last of my corps designed for this expedition started from camp on the 27th； reached Vicksburg the 28th； and were embarked on boats provided for them。 General Halleck's dispatches dwelt upon the fact that General Rosecrans's routes of supply were overtaxed； and that we should move from Memphis eastward； repairing railroads as we progressed； as far as Athens； Alabama； whence I was to report to General Rosecrans； at Chattanooga； by letter。
I took passage for myself and family in the steamer Atlantic； Captain Henry McDougall。 When the boat was ready to start； Willie was missing。 Mrs。 Sherman supposed him to have been with me； whereas I supposed he was with her。 An officer of the Thirteenth went up to General McPherson's house for him； and soon returned； with Captain Clift leading h
