memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第92章

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　　Do　not　let　the　enemy　draw　you　into　minor　affairs；　but　look　solely　to　the　greater　object　to　destroy　his　communication　from　Okolona　to　Meridian；　and　thence　eastward　to　Selma。　　From　Okolona　south　you　will　find　abundance　of　forage　collected　along　the　railroad；　and　the　farmers　have　corn　standing　in　the　fields。　　Take　liberally　of　all　these；　as　well　as　horses；　mules；　cattle；　etc。　　As　a　rule；　respect　dwellings　and　families　as　something　too　sacred　to　be　disturbed　by　soldiers；　but　mills；　barns；　sheds；　stables；　and　such　like　things　use　for　the　benefit　or　convenience　of　your　command。　　If　convenient；　send　into　Columbus；　Mississippi；　and　destroy　all　machinery　there；　and　the　bridge　across　the　Tombigbee；　which　enables　the　enemy　to　draw　the　resources　of　the　east　side　of　the　valley；　but　this　is　not　of　sufficient　importance　to　delay　your　movement。　　Try　and　communicate　with　me　by　scouts　and　spies　from　the　time　you　reach　Pontotoc。　　Avoid　any　large　force　of　infantry；　leaving　them　to　me。　　We　have　talked　over　this　matter　so　much　that　the　above　covers　all　points　not　provided　for　in　my　published　orders　of　to…day。　　I　am；　etc。；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Mayor…General；　commanding。




MEMPHIS；　TENNESSEE；　January　27；　1864。

Brigadier…General　J。　P。　HATCH；　in　charge　of　Cavalry　Bureau；　St。　Louis；　Missouri。

SIR：　Your　favor　of　the　21st　inst。　is　just　received。　　Up　to　the　present　time　eight　hundred　and　eighteen　horses　have　arrived　here　since　Captain　Hudson's　visit　to　St。　Louis。　　I　wrote　you　upon　his　return　several　days　ago　that　it　would　not　be　necessary　to　divert　shipments　to　this　point　which　could　not　reach　us　before　February　1st。　We　shall　certainly　get　off　on　our　contemplated　expedition　before　that　time。　　The　number　of　horses　estimated　for　in　this　department　by　its　chief　quartermaster　was　two　thousand；　and　this　number；　including　those　already　sent；　will；　I　think；　completely　mount　all　the　dismounted　cavalry　of　this　department。　　Recruits　for　cavalry　regiments　are　arriving　freely；　and　this　will　swell　our　requisitions　for　a　couple　of　months　to　come。　　I　will　as　far　as　possible　procure　horses　from　the　regions　of　country　traversed　by　our　cavalry。

Yours　truly；　　　W。　SOOY　SMITH；　Brigadier…General；

Chief　of　Cavalry；　Military　Division　of　the　Mississippi。





MEMPHIS；　TENNESSEE；　January　28；　1864

Brigadier…General　GEORGE　CROOK；　commanding　Second　Cavalry　Division；　Huntsville；　Alabama。

I　start　in　about　three　days　with　seven；　thousand　men　to　Meridian　via　Pontotoc。　　Demonstrate　on　Decatur；　to　hold　Roddy。

W。　SOOY　SMITH；　Brigadier…General；　Chief　of　Cavalry；　Military　Division　of　the　Mississippi。




MAYWOOD；　ILLINOIS；　July　9；1875　General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Commander…in；…Chief；　United　；States　Army。

SIR：　Your　letter　of　July　7th　is　just　received。

Your　entire　statement　in　the　〃Memoirs〃　concerning　my　part　in　the　Meridian　campaign　is　incorrect。

You　overstate　my　strength；　placing　it　at　seven　thousand　effective；　when　it　was　but　six。　　The　nominal　strength　of　my　command　was　seven　thousand。

You　understate　the　strength　of　my　enemy；　putting　Forrest's　force　at　four　thousand。　　On　our　return　to　Nashville；　you　stated　it；　in　General　Grant's　presence；　to　have　been　but　twenty…five　hundred。　Before　and　during　my　movement　I　positively　knew　Forrest's　strength　to　be　full　six　thousand；　and　he　has　since　told　me　so　himself。

Instead　of　delaying　from　the　1st　to　the　11th　of　February　for　〃some　regiment　that　was　ice…bound　near　Columbus；　Kentucky；〃　it　was　an　entire　brigade；　Colonel　Waring's；　without　which　your　orders　to　me　were　peremptory　not　to　move。　　I　asked　you　if　I　should　wait　its　arrival；　and　you　answered：　〃Certainly；　if　you　go　without　it；　you　will　be；　too　weak；　and　I　want　you　strong　enough　to　go　where　you　please。〃

The　time　set　for　our　arrival　at　Meridian；　the　10th　of　February；　had　arrived　before　it　was　possible　for　me；　under　your　orders；　to　move　from　Memphis；　and　I　would　have　been　entirely　justifiable　if　I　had　not　started　at　all。　　But　I　was　at　that　time；　and　at　all　times　during　the　war；　as　earnest　and　anxious　to　carry　out　my　orders；　and　do　my　fall　duty　as　you　or　any　other　officer　could　be；　and　I　set　out　to　make　a　march　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　miles　into　the　Confederacy；　having　to　drive　back　a　rebel　force　equal　to　my　own。　After　the　time　had　arrived　for　the　fall　completion　of　my　movement；　I　drove　this　force　before　me；　and　penetrated　one　hundred　and　sixty　miles　into　the　Confederacydid　more　hard　fighting；　and　killed；　wounded；　and　captured　more　of　the　enemy　than　you　did　during　the　campaigndid　my　work　most　thoroughly；　as　far　as　I　could　go　without　encountering　the　rebel　cavalry　set　loose　by　your　return　from　Meridian；　and　brought　off　my　command；　with　all　the　captured　property　and　rescued　negroes；　with　very　small　loss；　considering　that　inflicted　on　the　enemy；　and　the　long…continued　and　very　severe　fighting。　　If　I　had　disobeyed　your　orders；　and　started　without　Waring's　brigade；　I　would　have　been　〃too　weak；〃　would　probably　have　been　defeated；　and　would　　have　been　subjected　to　just　censure。　Having　awaited　its　arrival；　as　I　was　positively　and　distinctly　ordered　to　do；　it　only　remained　for　me　to　start　upon　its　arrival；　and　accomplish　all　that　I　could　of　the　work　allotted　to　me。　　To　have　attempted　to　penetrate　farther　into　the　enemy's　country；　with　the　cavalry　of　Polk's　army　coming　up　to　rernforce　Forrest；　would　have　insured　the　destruction　of　my　entire　command；　situated　as　it　was。　　I　cannot　now　go　into　all　the　particulars；　though　I　assure　you　that　they　make　the　proof　of　the　correctness　of　my　conduct　as　conclusive　as　I　could　desire　it　to　be。　　I　was　not　headed　off　and　defeated　by　an　inferior　force　near　West　Point。　　We　had　the　fighting　all　our　own　way　near　West　Point；　and　at　all　other　points　except　at　Okalona；　on　our　return；　when　we　had　the　worst　of　it　for　a　little　while；　but　finally　checked　the　enemy　handsomely；　and　continued　our　return　march；　fighting　at　the　rear　and　on　both　flanks；　repulsing　all　attacks　and　moving　in　perfect　order。　　And　so　my　movement　was　not　a　failure；　except　that　I　did　not　reach　Meridian　as　intended；　for　the　reason　stated；　and　for　many　more　which　it　is　not　necessary　for　me　to　detail　here。　　On　the　other　hand；　it　was　a　very　decided　success；　inflicting　a　terrible　destruction　of　supplies　of　every　kind；　and　a　heavy　loss　of　men　upon　the　enemy。　　You　should　have　so　reported　it　in　the　beginning。　　You　should　so　amend　your　report；　and　〃Memoirs〃　now。　　This；　and　no　less　than　this；　is　due　from　one　soldier　to　another。　　It　is　due　to　the　exalted　position　which　you　occupy；　and；　above　all；　it　is　due　to　that　truthfulness　in　history　which　you　claim　to　revere。　　If　you　desire　it；　I　will　endeavor　to　visit　you；　and　in　a　friendly　manner　〃fight　our　battles　o'er　again；〃　and　endeavor　to　convince　you　that　you　have　always　been　mistaken　as　to　the　manner　in　which　my　part　in　the　〃Meridian　campaign〃　was　performed。　　But　I　will　never　rest　until　the　wrong　statements　regarding　it　are　fully　and　fairly　corrected。　　Yours　truly；

WILLIAM　SOOY　SMITH




HEADQUARTERS　ARMY　OF　THE　UNITED　STATES　St。　Louis；　Missouri；　July　11；　1875。

General　J。　D。　WEBSTER；　Chicago；　Illinois

DEAR　GENERAL：　General　W。　Sooy　Smith　feels　aggrieved　and　wronged　by　my　account　of　his　part　in　the　Meridian　campaign；　in　my　〃Memoirs；〃　pages　394；　395；　and　properly　appeals　to　me　for　correction。　　I　have　offered　to　modify　any　words　or　form　of　expression　that　he　may　point　out；　but　he　asks　me　to　completely　change　the　whole　that　concerns　him。　　This；　of　course；　I　will　not　do；　as　his　part　was　material　to　the　whole；　and　cannot　be　omitted　or　materially　altered　without　changing　the　remainder；　for　his　failure　to　reach　Meridian　by　February　10th　was　the　reason　for　other　movements　distant　from　him。　I　now　offer　him；　what　seems　to　me　fair　and　liberal；　that　we　submit　the　points　at　issue　to　you　as　arbitrator。　　You　are　familiar　with　the　ground；　the　coincident　history；　and　most；　if　not　all；　the　parties。

I　propose　to　supply　you　with

1。　　Copy　of　my　orders　placing　all　the　cavalry　under　General　Smith's　orders　（with　returns）。

2。　　My　letter　of　instructions　to　him　of　January　27th。

3。　　My　official　report　of　the　campaign；　dated　Vicksburg；　March　7；　1864。

4。　　General　W。　Sooy　Smith's　report　of　his　operations；　dated　Nashville；　Tennessee；　March　4；　1864。

After　reading　these；　I　further　propose　that　you　address　us　questions　which　we　will　answer　in　writing；　when　you　are　to　make　us　a　concise；　written　decision；　which　I　will　have　published　in　close　connection　with　the　subject　in　controversy。　　If　General　Smith　will　show　you　my　letter　to　him　of　this　date；　and　also　deliver　this　with　his　written　assent；　I　will　promptly　furnish　yon　the　above　documents；　and　also　procure　from　the　official　files　a　return　of　the　cavalry　force　available　at　and　near　Memphis　on　the　date　of　my　orders；　viz。；　January　27；　1864。

With　great　respect；　your　friend　and　servant；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　General。

NOTE：General　Smith　never　submitted　his　case　to　the　arbitration　offered。　　The　whole　will　be　made　clear　by　the　publication　of　the　official　records；　which　are　already　in　print；　though　not　yet　issued。　　His　orders　were　in　writing；　and　I　have　no　recollection　of　the　〃peremptory〃　verbal　orders　to　which　he　refers；　and　quotes　as　from　me。

ST。　Louis；　Missouri；　1895。　　　　W。　T。　S。




MAYWOOD；　ILLINOIS；　July　14；　1875。

General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Commander…in…Chief；　etc。

DEAR　GENERAL　：　Your　letter　of　the　11th　of　July　reaches　me　just　as　I　am　starting　to　spend　the　first　vacation　I　have　ever　allowed　myself…　…in　the　Territories；　with　my　wife　and　son。

It　indicates　a　spirit　of　fairness　from　which　we　have　better　things　than　an　arbitration　to　hope　for。　　Though；　if　we　should　reach　such　a　necessity；　there　is　no　one　living　to　whom　our　differences　might　more　properly　be　referred　than　to　General　Webster。　　I　make　no　objection　to　your　writing　your　〃Memoirs；〃　and；　as　long　as　they　refer　to　your　own　conduct；　you　are　at　liberty　to　write　them　as　you　like；　but；　when　they　refer　to　mine；　and　deal　unjustly　with　my　reputation；　I；　of　right；　object。

Neither　do　I　wish　to　write　my　〃Memoirs；〃　unless　compelled　to　do　so　to　vindicate　my　good　name。　　There　were　certain　commands　which　were　to　make　up　mine。　　These；　Waring's　brigade　included；　were　spoken　of　by　us　in　the　long　conversation　to　which　you　refer。　　This　brigade　we　knew　was　having　a　hard　time　of　it　in　its　movement　from　Columbus　to　Memphis。　　I　asked　you　if　I　should　move　without　it　if　it　did　not　arrive；　and　you　answered　me　as　stated　in　my　last　letter　to　you。　Those　who　immediately　surrounded　me　during　the　painful　delay　that　occurred　will　inform　you　how　sorely　I　chafed　under　the　restraint　of　that　peremptory　order。

In　the　conversation　that　occurred　between　us　at　Nashville；　while　all　the　orders；　written　and　verbal；　were　still　fresh　in　your　memory；　you　did　not　censure　me　for　waiting　for　Waring；　but　for　allowing　myself　to　be　encumbered　with　fugitive　negroes　to　such　an　extent　that　my　command　was　measurably　unfit　for　active　movement　or　easy　handling；　and　for　turning　bank　from　West　Point；　instead　of　pressing　on　toward　Meridian。　　Invitations　had　been　industriously　circulated；　by　printed　circulars　and　otherwise；　to　the　negroes　to　come　into　our　lines；　and　to　seek　our　protection　wherever　they　could　find　it；　and　I　considered　ourselves　pledged　to　receive　and　protect　them。　　Your　censure　for　so　doi