andersonville-第46节

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immediately　around　Atlanta　attacked　furiously　in　front。

It　was　an　ordeal　that　no　other　army　ever　passed　through　successfully。
The　steadiest　troops　in　Europe　would　think　it　foolhardiness　to　attempt　to
withstand　an　assault　in　force　in　front　and　rear　at　the　same　time。
The　finest　legions　that　follow　any　flag　to…day　must　almost　inevitably
succumb　to　such　a　mode　of　attack。　　But　the　seasoned　veterans　of　the　Army
of　the　Tennessee　encountered　the　shock　with　an　obstinacy　which　showed
that　the　finest　material　for　soldiery　this　planet　holds　was　that　in　which
undaunted　hearts　beat　beneath　blue　blouses。　　Springing　over　the　front　of
their　breastworks；　they　drove　back　with　a　withering　fire　the　force
assailing　them　in　the　rear。　　This　beaten　off；　they　jumped　back　to　their
proper　places；　and　repulsed　the　assault　in　front。　　This　was　the　way　the
battle　was　waged　until　night　compelled　a　cessation　of　operations。　　Our
boys　were　alternately　behind　the　breastworks　firing　at　Rebels　advancing
upon　the　front；　and　in　front　of　the　works　firing　upon　those　coming　up　in
the　rear。　　Sometimes　part　of　our　line　would　be　on　one　side　of　the　works；
and　part　on　the　other。

In　the　prison　we　were　greatly　excited　over　the　result　of　the　engagement；
of　which　we　were　uncertain　for　many　days。　　A　host　of　new　prisoners
perhaps　two　thousandwas　brought　in　from　there；　but　as　they　were
captured　during　the　progress　of　the　fight；　they　could　not　speak
definitely　as　to　its　issue。　　The　Rebel　papers　exulted　without　stint　over
what　they　termed　〃a　glorious　victory。〃　　They　were　particularly　jubilant
over　the　death　of　McPherson；　who；　they　claimed；　was　the　brain　and　guiding
hand　of　Sherman's　army。　　One　paper　likened　him　to　the　pilot…fish；　which
guides　the　shark　to　his　prey。　　Now　that　he　was　gone；　said　the　paper；
Sherman's　army　becomes　a　great　lumbering　hulk；　with　no　one　in　it　capable
of　directing　it；　and　it　must　soon　fall　to　utter　ruin　under　the　skilfully
delivered　strokes　of　the　gallant　Hood。

We　also　knew　that　great　numbers　of　wounded　had　been　brought　to　the　prison
hospital；　and　this　seemed　to　confirm　the　Rebel　claim　of　a　victory；　as　it
showed　they　retained　possession　of　the　battle　field。

About　the　1st　of　August　a　large　squad　of　Sherman's　men；　captured　in　one
of　the　engagements　subsequent　to　the　22d；　came　in。　　We　gathered　around
them　eagerly。　　Among　them　I　noticed　a　bright；　curly…haired；　blue…eyed
infantrymanor　boy；　rather；　as　he　was　yet　beardless。　　His　cap　was　marked
〃68th　O。　Y。　Y。　L；〃　his　sleeves　were　garnished　with　re…enlistment　stripes；
and　on　the　breast　of　his　blouse　was　a　silver　arrow。　　To　the　eye　of　the
soldier　this　said　that　he　was　a　veteran　member　of　the　Sixty…Eighth
Regiment　of　Ohio　Infantry　（that　is；　having　already　served　three　years；　he
had　re…enlisted　for　the　war）；　and　that　he　belonged　to　the　Third　Division
of　the　Seventeenth　Army　Corps。　　He　was　so　young　and　fresh　looking　that
one　could　hardly　believe　him　to　be　a　veteran；　but　if　his　stripes　had　not
said　this；　the　soldierly　arrangement　of　clothing　and　accouterments；　and
the　graceful；　self…possessed　pose　of　limbs　and　body　would　have　told　the
observer　that　he　was　one　of　those　〃Old　Reliables〃　with　whom　Sherman　and
Grant　had　already　subdued　a　third　of　the　Confederacy。　　His　blanket；
which；　for　a　wonder；　the　Rebels　had　neglected　to　take　from　him；　was
tightly　rolled；　its　ends　tied　together；　and　thrown　over　his　shoulder
scarf…fashion。　　His　pantaloons　were　tucked　inside　his　stocking　tops；
that　were　pulled　up　as　far　as　possible；　and　tied　tightly　around　his　ankle
with　a　string。　　A　none…too…clean　haversack；　containing　the　inevitable
sooty　quart　cup；　and　even　blacker　half…canteen；　waft　slung　easily　from
the　shoulder　opposite　to　that　on　which　the　blanket　rested。　　Hand　him　his
faithful　Springfield　rifle；　put　three　days'　rations　in　his　haversack；　and
forty　rounds　in　his　cartridge　bog；　and　he　would　be　ready；　without　an
instant's　demur　or　question；　to　march　to　the　ends　of　the　earth；　and　fight
anything　that　crossed　his　path。　　He　was　a　type　of　the　honest；　honorable；
self　respecting　American　boy；　who；　as　a　soldier；　the　world　has　not
equaled　in　the　sixty　centuries　that　war　has　been　a　profession。
I　suggested　to　him　that　he　was　rather　a　youngster　to　be　wearing　veteran
chevrons。　　〃Yes；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　not　so　old　as　some　of　the　rest　of　the
boys；　but　I　have　seen　about　as　much　service　and　been　in　the　business
about　as　long　as　any　of　them。　　They　call　me　'Old　Dad；'　I　suppose　because
I　was　the　youngest　boy　in　the　Regiment；　when　we　first　entered　the
service；　though　our　whole　Company；　officers　and　all；　were　only　a　lot　of
boys；　and　the　Regiment　to　day；　what's　left　of　'em；　are　about　as　young　a
lot　of　officers　and　men　as　there　are　in　the　service。　　Why；　our　old
Colonel　ain't　only　twenty…four　years　old　now；　and　he　has　been　in　command
ever　since　we　went　into　Vicksburg。　　I　have　heard　it　said　by　our　boys　that
since　we　veteranized　the　whole　Regiment；　officers；　and　men；　average　less
than　twenty…four　years　old。　　But　they　are　gray…hounds　to　march　and
stayers　in　a　fight；　you　bet。　　Why；　the　rest　of　the　troops　over　in　West
Tennessee　used　to　call　our　Brigade　'Leggett's　Cavalry；'　for　they　always
had　us　chasing　Old　Forrest；　and　we　kept　him　skedaddling；　too；　pretty
lively。　　But　I　tell　you　we　did　get　into　a　red　hot　scrimmage　on　the　22d。
It　just　laid　over　Champion　Hills；　or　any　of　the　big　fights　around
Vicksburg；　and　they　were　lively　enough　to　amuse　any　one。〃

〃So　you　were　in　the　affair　on　the　22d；　were　you！　　We　are　awful　anxious　to
hear　all　about　it。　　Come　over　here　to　my　quarters　and　tell　us　all　you
know。　　All　we　know　is　that　there　has　been　a　big　fight；　with　McPherson
killed；　and　a　heavy　loss　of　life　besides；　and　the　Rebels　claim　a　great
victory。〃

〃O；　they　be　…。　　It　was　the　sickest　victory　they　ever　got。　　About　one
more　victory　of　that　kind　would　make　their　infernal　old　Confederacy　ready
for　a　coroner's　inquest。　　Well；　I　can　tell　you　pretty　much　all　about　that
fight；　for　I　reckon　if　the　truth　was　known；　our　regiment　fired　about　the
first　and　last　shot　that　opened　and　closed　the　fighting　on　that　day。
Well；　you　see　the　whole　Army　got　across　the　river；　and　were　closing　in
around　the　City　of　Atlanta。　　Our　Corps；　the　Seventeenth；　was　the　extreme
left　of　the　army；　and　were　moving　up　toward　the　City　from　the　East。
The　Fifteenth　（Logan's）　Corps　joined　us　on　the　right；　then　the　Army　of
the　Cumberland　further　to　the　right。　　We　run　onto　the　Rebs　about　sundown
the　21st。　　They　had　some　breastworks　on　a　ridge　in　front　of　us；　and　we
had　a　pretty　sharp　fight　before　we　drove　them　off。　　We　went　right　to
work；　and　kept　at　it　all　night　in　changing　and　strengthening　the　old
Rebel　barricades；　fronting　them　towards　Atlanta；　and　by　morning　had　some
good　solid　works　along　our　whole　line。　　During　the　night　we　fancied　we
could　hear　wagons　or　artillery　moving　away　in　front　of　us；　apparently
going　South；　or　towards　our　left。　　About　three　or　four　o'clock　in　the
morning；　while　I　was　shoveling　dirt　like　a　beaver　out　on　the　works；　the
Lieutenant　came　to　me　and　said　the　Colonel　wanted　to　see　me；　pointing　to
a　large　tree　in　the　rear；　where　I　could　find　him。　　I　reported　and　found
him　with　General　Leggett；　who　commanded　our　Division；　talking　mighty
serious；　and　Bob　Wheeler；　of　F　Company；　standing　there　with　his
Springfield　at　a　parade　rest。　　As　soon　as　I　came　up；　the　Colonel　says：

〃Boys；　the　General　wants　two　level…headed　chaps　to　go　out　beyond　the
pickets　to　the　front　and　toward　the　left。　　I　have　selected　you　for　the
duty。　　Go　as　quietly　as　possible　and　as　fast　as　you　can；　keep　your　eyes
and　ears　open；　don't　fire　a　shot　if　you　can　help　it；　and　come　back　and
tell　us　exactly　what　you　have　seen　and　heard；　and　not　what　you　imagine　or
suspect。　　I　have　selected　you　for　the　duty。'

〃He　gave　us　the　countersign；　and　off　we　started　over　the　breastworks　and
through　the　thick　woods。　　We　soon　came　to　our　skirmish　or　pickets；　only　a
few　rods　in　front　of　our　works；　and　cautioned　them　not　to　fire　on　us　in
going　or　returning。　　We　went　out　as　much　as　half　a　mile　or　more；　until　we
could　plainly　hear　the　sound　of　wagons　and　artillery。　　We　then　cautiously
crept　forward　until　we　could　see　the　main　road　leading　south　from　the
City　filled　with　marching　men；　artillery　and　teams。　　We　could　hear　the
commands　of　the　officers　and　see　the　flags　and　banners　of　regiment　after
regiment　as　they　passed　us。　　We　got　back　quietly　and　quickly；　passed
through　our　picket　line　all　right；　and　found　the　General　and　our　Colonel
sitting　on　a　log　where　we　had　left　them；　waiting　for　us。　　We　reported
what　we　had　seen　and　heard；　and　gave　it　as　our　opinion　that　the　Johnnies
were　evacuating　Atlanta。　　The　General　shook　his　head；　and　the　Colonel
says：　'You　may　re　turn　to　your　company。'　Bob　says　to　me：

〃'The　old　General　shakes　his　head　as　though　he　thought　them　d…d　Rebs
ain't　evacuating　Atlanta　so　mighty　sudden；　but　are　up　to　some　devilment
again。　I　ain't　sure　but　he's　right。　　They　ain't　going　to　keep　falling
back　and　falling　back　to　all　eternity；　but　are　just　agoin'　to　give　us　a
rip…roaring　great　big　fight　one　o'　these　dayswhen　they　get　a　good
ready。　　You　hear　me！'

〃Saying　which　we　both　went　to　our　companies；　and　laid　down　to　get　a