memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第79章
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nger； instead of moving with great rapidity as ordered； seemed to move 〃slowly； and with reluctance；〃 and； although he （General Grant） hated to call on me and on my tired troops； there was no alternative。 He wanted me to take command of every thing within reach； and to hurry forward to Knoxville。
All the details of our march to Knoxville are also given in my official report。 By extraordinary efforts Long's small brigade of cavalry reached Knoxville during the night of the 3d； purposely to let Burnside know that I was rapidly approaching with an adequate force to raise the siege。
With the head of my infantry column I reached Marysville； about fifteen miles short of Knoxville； on the 5th of December； when I received official notice from Burnside that Longstreet had raised the siege； and had started in retreat up the valley toward Virginia。 Halting all the army； except Granger's two divisions； on the morning of the 6th； with General Granger and some of my staff I rode into Knoxville。 Approaching from the south and west； we crossed the Holston on a pontoon bridge； and in a large pen on the Knoxville aide I saw a fine lot of cattle； which did not look much like starvation。 I found General Burnside and staff domiciled in a large； fine mansion； looking very comfortable； and in； a few words he described to me the leading events； of the previous few days； and said he had already given orders looking to the pursuit of Longstreet。 I offered to join in the pursuit； though in fact my men were worn out； and suffering in that cold season and climate。
Indeed； on our way up I personally was almost frozen； and had to beg leave to sleep in the house of a family at Athens。
Burnside explained to me that； reenforced by Granger's two divisions of ten thousand men； he would be able to push Longstreet out of East Tennessee； and he hoped to capture much of his artillery and trains。 Granger was present at our conversation； and most unreasonably； I thought； remonstrated against being left； complaining bitterly of what he thought was hard treatment to his men and himself。 I know that his language and manner at that time produced on my mind a bad impression； and it was one of the causes which led me to relieve him as a corps commander in the campaign of the next spring。 I asked General Burnside to reduce his wishes to writing； which he did in the letter of December 7th； embodied in my official report。 General Burnside and I then walked along his lines and examined the salient； known as Fort Sanders； where； some days before； Longstreet had made his assault； and had sustained ； a bloody repulse。
Returning to Burnside's quarters； we all sat down to a good dinner； embracing roast…turkey。 There was a regular dining table； with clean tablecloth； dishes； knives； forks； spoons； etc。； etc。 I had seen nothing of this kind in my field experience； and could not help exclaiming that I thought 〃they were starving；〃 etc。； but Burnside explained that Longstreet had at no time completely invested the place； and that he had kept open communication with the country on the south side of the river Holston； more especially with the French Broad settlements； from whose Union inhabitants he had received a good supply of beef； bacon； and corn meal。 Had I known of this； I should not have hurried my men so fast； but until I reached Knoxville I thought his troops there were actually in danger of starvation。 Having supplied General Burnside all the help he wanted； we began our leisurely return to Chattanooga； which we reached on the 16th； when General Grant in person ordered me to restore to General Thomas the divisions of Howard and Davis； which belonged to his army； and to conduct my own corps （the Fifteenth） to North Alabama for winter…quarters。
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE； BRIDGEPORT； ALABAMA December 19； 1863
Brigadier…General John A。 RAWLINS； Chief of Staff to General GRANT； Chattanooga。
GENERAL： For the first time； I am now at leisure to make an official record of events with which the troops under my command have been connected daring the eventful campaign which has just closed。 Dating the month of September last； the Fifteenth Army Corps； which I had the honor to command； lay in camps along the Big Black； about twenty miles east of Vicksburg； Mississippi。 It consisted of four divisions：
The First； commanded by Brigadier…General P。 J。 Osterhaus； was composed of two brigades； led by Brigadier…General C。 R。 Woods and Colonel J。 A。 Williamson （of the Fourth Iowa）。
The Second； commanded by Brigadier…General Morgan L。 Smith； was composed of two brigades； led by Brigadier…Generals Giles A。 Smith and J。 A。 J。 Lightburn。
The Third； commanded by Brigadier…General J。 M。 Tuttle； was composed of three brigades； led by Brigadier…Generals J。 A。 Mower and R。 P。 Buckland； and Colonel J。 J。 Wood （of the Twelfth Iowa）。
The Fourth； commanded by Brigadier…General Hugh Ewing； was composed of three brigades； led by Brigadier…General J。 M。 Corse； Colonel Loomis （Twenty…sixth Illinois）； and Colonel J。 R。 Cockerill （of the Seventieth Ohio）。
On the 22d day of September I received a telegraphic dispatch from General Grant； then at Vicksburg； commanding the Department of the Tennessee； requiring me to detach one of my divisions to march to Vicksburg； there to embark for Memphis； where it was to form a part of an army to be sent to Chattanooga； to resnforce General Rosecrans。 I designated the First Division； and at 4 r。 as。 the same day it marched for Vicksburg； and embarked the neat day。
On the 23d of September I was summoned to Vicksburg by the general commanding； who showed me several dispatches from the general…in… chief； which led him to suppose he would have to send me and my whole corps to Memphis and eastward； and I was instructed to prepare for such orders。 It was explained to me that； in consequence of the low stage of water in the Mississippi； boats had arrived irregularly； and had brought dispatches that seemed to conflict in their meaning； and that General John E。 Smith's division （of General McPherson's corps） had been ordered up to Memphis； and that I should take that division and leave one of my own in its stead； to hold the line of the Big Black。 I detailed my third division （General Tuttle） to remain and report to Major… General McPherson； commanding the Seventeenth Corps； at Vicksburg； and that of General John E。 Smith； already started for Memphis； was styled the Third Division； Fifteenth Corps； though it still belongs to the Seventeenth Army Corps。 This division is also composed of three brigades； commanded by General Matthias； Colonel J。 B。 Raum （of the Fifty…sixth Illinois）； and Colonel J。 I。 Alexander （of the Fifty…ninth Indiana）。
The Second and Fourth Divisions were started for Vicksburg the moment I was notified that boats were in readiness； and on the 27th of September I embarked in person in the steamer Atlantic； for Memphis； followed by a fleet of boats conveying these two divisions。 Our progress was slow； on account of the unprecedentedly low water in the Mississippi； and the scarcity of coal and wood。 We were compelled at places to gather fence…rails； and to land wagons and haul wood from the interior to the boats； but I reached Memphis during the night of the 2d of October； and the other boats came in on the 3d and 4th。
On arrival at Memphis I saw General Hurlbut； and read all the dispatches and letters of instruction of General Halleck； and therein derived my instructions； which I construed to be as follows：
To conduct the Fifteenth Army Corps； and all other troops which could be spared from the line of the Memphis & Charleston Railroad； to Athens； Alabama； and thence report by letter for orders to General Rosecrans； commanding the Army of the Cumberland； at Chattanooga； to follow substantially the railroad eastward； repairing it as I moved； to look to my own line for supplies； and in no event to depend on General Rosecrans for supplies； as the roads to his rear were already overtaxed to supply his present army。
I learned from General Hurlbut that General Osterhaus's division was already out in front of Corinth； and that General John E。 Smith was still at Memphis； moving his troops and material by railroad as fast as its limited stock would carry them。 General J。 D。 Webster was superintendent of the railroad； and was enjoined to work night and day； and to expedite the movement as rapidly as possible； but the capacity of the road was so small； that I soon saw that I could move horses； mules； and wagons faster by land； and therefore I dispatched the artillery and wagons by the road under escort； and finally moved the entire Fourth Division by land。
The enemy seems to have had early notice of this movement； and he endeavored to thwart us from the start。 A considerable force assembled in a threatening attitude at Salem； south of Salisbury Station； and General Carr； who commanded at Corinth； felt compelled to turn back and use a part of my troops； that had already reached Corinth； to resist the threatened attack。
On Sunday； October 11th； having put in motion my whole force； I started myself for Corinth； in a special train； with the battalion of the Thirteenth United States Regulars as escort。 We reached Collierville Station about noon； just in time to take part in the defense made of that station by Colonel D。 C。 Anthony； of the Sixty…sixth Indiana； against an attack made by General Chalmers with a force of about three thousand cavalry； with eight pieces of artillery。 He was beaten off； the damage to the road repaired； and we resumed our journey the next day； reaching Corinth at night。
I immediately ordered General Blair forward to Iuka； with the First Division； and； as fast as I got troops up； pushed them forward of Bear Creek； the bridge of which was completely destroyed； and an engineer regiment； under command of Colonel Flag； was engaged in its repairs。
Quite a considerable force of the enemy was assembled in our front； near Tuscumbia； to resist our advance。 It was commanded by General Stephen D。 Lee； and composed of Roddy's and Ferguson's brigades； with irregular cavalry； amounting in the aggregate to about five thousand。
In person I moved from Corinth to Burnsville on the 18th； and to Iuka on the 19th of October。
Osterhaus's division was in the advance； constantly skirmishing with the enemy； he was supported by General Morgan L。 Smith's； both divisions under the general command of Major…General Blair。 General John E。 Smith's division covered the working…party engaged in rebuilding the railroad。
Foreseeing difficulty in crossing the Tennessee River； I had written to Admiral Porter； at Cairo； asking him to watch the Tennessee and send up some gunboats the moment the stage of water admitted； and had also requested General Allen； quartermaster at St。 Louis； to dispatch to Eastport a steam ferry…boat。
The admiral； ever prompt and ready to assist us； had two fine gunboats at Eastport； under Captain Phelps； the very day after my arrival at Iuka； and Captain Phelps had a coal…barge decked over； with which to cross our horses and wagons before the arrival of the ferry…boat。
Still following literally the instructions of General Halleck； I pushed forward the repairs of t
