memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第103节

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tenant…General　（Bishop）　Polk　was　in　chief　command；　with　headquarters　at　Meridian；　and　had　two　divisions　of　infantry；　one　of　which　（General　Loring's）　was　posted　at　Canton；　Mississippi；　the　other　（General　French's）　at　Brandon。　　He　had　also　two　divisions　of　cavalryArmstrong's；　composed　of　the　three　brigades　of　Ross；　Stark；　and　Wirt　Adams；　which　were　scattered　from　the　neighborhood　of　Yazoo　City　to　Jackson　and　below；　and　Forrest's；　which　was　united；　toward　Memphis；　with　headquarters　at　Como。　General　Polk　seemed　to　have　no　suspicion　of　our　intentions　to　disturb　his　serenity。

Accordingly；　on　the　morning　of　February　3d；　we　started　in　two　columns；　each　of　two　divisions；　preceded　by　a　light　force　of　cavalry；　commanded　by　Colonel　E。　F。　Winslow。　　General　McPheraon　commanded　the　right　column；　and　General　Hurlbut　the　left。　　The　former　crossed　the　Big　Black　at　the　railroad…bridge；　and　the　latter　seven　miles　above；　at　Messinger's。　　We　were　lightly　equipped　as　to　wagons；　and　marched　without　deployment　straight　for　Meridian；　distant　one　hundred　and　fifty　miles。　　We　struck　the　rebel　cavalry　beyond　the　Big　Black；　and　pushed　them　pell…mell　into　and　beyond　Jackson　during　the　6th。　　The　next　day　we　reached　Brandon；　and　on　the　9th　Morton；　where　we　perceived　signs　of　an　infantry　concentration；　but　the　enemy　did　not　give　us　battle；　and　retreated　before　us。　　The　rebel　cavalry　were　all　around　us；　so　we　kept　our　columns　compact　and　offered　few　or　no　chances　for　their　dashes。　　As　far　as　Morton　we　had　occupied　two　roads；　but　there　we　were　forced　into　one。　　Toward　evening　of　the　12th；　Hurlbut's　column　passed　through　Decatur；　with　orders　to　go　into　camp　four　miles　beyond　at　a　creek。　　McPherson's　head　of　column　was　some　four　miles　behind；　and　I　personally　detached　one　of　Hurlbut's　regiments　to　guard　the　cross…roads　at　Decatur　till　the　head　of　McPherson's　column　should　come　in　sight。　　Intending　to　spend　the　night　in　Decatur；　I　went　to　a　double　log…house；　and　arranged　with　the　lady　for　some　supper。　　We　unsaddled　our　horses；　tied　them　to　the　fence　inside　the　yard；　and；　being　tired；　I　lay　down　on　a　bed　and　fell　asleep。　　Presently　I　heard　shouts　and　hallooing；　and　then　heard　pistol…shots　close　to　the　house。　　My　aide；　Major　Audenried；　called　me　and　said　we　were　attacked　by　rebel　cavalry；　who　were　all　around　us。　　I　jumped　up　and　inquired　where　was　the　regiment　of　infantry　I　had　myself　posted　at　the　cross…roads。　　He　said　a　few　moments　before　it　had　marched　past　the　house；　following　the　road　by　which　General　Hurlbut　had　gone；　and　I　told　him　to　run；　overtake　it；　and　bring　it　back。　　Meantime；　I　went　out　into　the　back…yard；　saw　wagons　passing　at　a　run　down　the　road；　and　horsemen　dashing　about　in　a　cloud　of　dust；　firing　their　pistols；　their　shots　reaching　the　house　in　which　we　were。　Gathering　the　few　orderlies　and　clerks　that　were　about；　I　was　preparing　to　get　into　a　corn…crib　at　the　back　side　of　the　lot；　wherein　to　defend　ourselves；　when　I　saw　Audenried　coming　back　with　the　regiment；　on　a　run；　deploying　forward　as　they　came。　　This　regiment　soon　cleared　the　place　and　drove　the　rebel　cavalry　back　toward　the　south；　whence　they　had　come。

It　transpired　that　the　colonel　of　this　infantry　regiment；　whose　name　I　do　not　recall；　had　seen　some　officers　of　McPherson's　staff　（among　them　Inspector…General　Strong）　coming　up　the　road　at　a　gallop；　raising　a　cloud　of　duet；　supposing　them　to　be　the　head　of　McPherson's　column；　and　being　anxious　to　get　into　camp　before　dark；　he　had　called　in　his　pickets　and　started　down　the　road；　leaving　me　perfectly　exposed。　　Some　straggling　wagons；　escorted　by　a　New　Jersey　regiment；　were　passing　at　the　time；　and　composed　the　rear　of　Hurlbut's　train。　　The　rebel　cavalry；　seeing　the　road　clear　of　troops；　and　these　wagons　passing；　struck　them　in　flank；　shot　down　the　mules　of　three　or　four　wagons；　broke　the　column；　and　began　a　general　skirmish。　　The　escort　defended　their　wagons　as　well　as　they　could；　and　thus　diverted　their　attention；　otherwise　I　would　surely　have　been　captured。　　In　a　short　time　the　head　of　McPherson's　column　came　up；　went　into　camp；　and　we　spent　the　night　in　Decatur。

The　next　day　we　pushed　on；　and　on　the　14th　entered　Meridian；　the　enemy　retreating　before　us　toward　Demopolis；　Alabama。　　We　at　once　set　to　work　to　destroy　an　arsenal；　immense　storehouses；　and　the　railroad　in　every　direction。　　We　staid　in　Meridian　five　days；　expecting　every　hour　to　hear　of　General　Sooy　Smith；　but　could　get　no　tidings　of　him　whatever。　　A　large　force　of　infantry　was　kept　at　work　all　the　time　in　breaking　up　the　Mobile　&　Ohio　Railroad　south　and　north；　also　the　Jackson　&　Selma　Railroad；　east　and　west。　　I　was　determined　to　damage　these　roads　so　that　they　could　not　be　used　again　for　hostile　purposes　during　the　rest　of　the　war。　　I　never　had　the　remotest　idea　of　going　to　Mobile；　but　had　purposely　given　out　that　idea　to　the　people　of　the　country；　so　as　to　deceive　the　enemy　and　to　divert　their　attention。　　Many　persons　still　insist　that；　because　we　did　not　go　to　Mobile　on　this　occasion；　I　had　failed；　but　in　the　following　letter　to　General　Banks；　of　January　31st；　written　from　Vicksburg　before　starting　for　Meridian；　it　will　be　seen　clearly　that　I　indicated　my　intention　to　keep　up　the　delusion　of　an　attack　on　Mobile　by　land；　whereas　I　promised　him　to　be　back　to　Vicksburg　by　the　1st　of　March；　so　as　to　cooperate　with　him　in　his　contemplated　attack　on　Shreveport：


HEADQUARTERS　DEPARTMENT　OF　THE　TENNESSEE　VICKSBURG；　January　31；　1864

Major…General　N。　P。　BANKS；　commanding　Department　of　the　Gulf；　New　Orleans。

GENERAL：　I　received　yesterday；　at　the　hands　of　Captain　Durham；　aide…de…camp；　your　letter　of　the　25th　inst。；　and　hasten　to　reply。　Captain　Durham　has　gone　to　the　mouth　of　White　River；　en　route　for　Little　Rock；　and　the　other　officers　who　accompanied　him　have　gone　up　to　Cairo；　as　I　understand；　to　charter　twenty…five　steamboats　for　the　Red　River　trip。　　The　Mississippi　River；　though　low　for　the　season；　is　free　of　ice　and　in　good　boating　order；　but　I　understand　that　Red　River　is　still　low。　　I　had　a　man　in　from　Alexandria　yesterday；　who　reported　the　falls　or　rapids　at　that　place　impassable　save　by　the　smallest　boats。　　My　inland　expedition　is　now　moving；　and　I　will　be　off　for　Jackson　and　Meridian　to…morrow。　　The　only　fear　I　have　is　in　the　weather。　　All　the　other　combinations　are　good。　　I　want　to　keep　up　the　delusion　of　an　attack　on　Mobile　and　the　Alabama　River；　and　therefore　would　be　obliged　if　you　would　keep　up　an　irritating　foraging　or　other　expedition　in　that　direction。

My　orders　from　General　Grant　will　not；　as　yet；　justify　me　in　embarking　for　Red　River；　though　I　am　very　anxious　to　move　in　that　direction。　　The　moment　I　learned　that　you　were　preparing　for　it；　I　sent　a　communication　to　Admiral　Porter；　and　dispatched　to　General　Grant　at　Chattanooga；　asking　if　he　wanted　me　and　Steele　to　cooperate　with　you　against　Shreveport；　and　I　will　have　his　answer　in　time；　for　you　cannot　do　any　thing　till　Red　River　has　twelve　feet　of　water　on　the　rapids　at　Alexandria。　　That　will　be　from　March　to　June。　　I　have　lived　on　Red　River；　and　know　somewhat　of　the　phases　of　that　stream。　　The　expedition　on　Shreveport　should　be　made　rapidly；　with　simultaneous　movements　from　Little　Rock　on　Shreveport；　from　Opelousas　on　Alexandria；　and　a　combined　force　of　gunboats　and　transports　directly　up　Red　River。　　Admiral　Porter　will　be　able　to　have　a　splendid　fleet　by　March　lst。　　I　think　Steele　could　move　with　ten　thousand　infantry　and　five　thousand　cavalry。　　I　could　take　about　ten　thousand；　and　you　could；　I　suppose；　have　the　same。　　Your　movement　from　Opelousas；　simultaneous　with　mine　up　the　river；　would　compel　Dick　Taylor　to　leave　Fort　De　Russy　（near　Marksville）；　and　the　whole　combined　force　could　appear　at　Shreveport　about　a　day　appointed　beforehand。

I　doubt　if　the　enemy　will　risk　a　siege　at　Shreveport；　although　I　am　informed　they　are　fortifying　the　place；　and　placing　many　heavy　guns　in　position。　　It　would　be　better　for　us　that　they　should　stand　there；　as　we　might　make　large　and　important　captures。　　But　I　do　not　believe　the　enemy　will　fight　a　force　of　thirty　thousand　men；　acting　in　concert　with　gunboats。

I　will　be　most　happy　to　take　part　in　the　proposed　expedition；　and　hope；　before　you　have　made　your　final　dispositions；　that　I　will　have　the　necessary　permission。　　Half　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee　is　near　the　Tennessee　River；　beyond　Huntsville；　Alabama；　awaiting　the　completion　of　the　railroad；　and；　by　present　orders；　I　will　be　compelled　to　hasten　there　to　command　it　in　person；　unless　meantime　General　Grant　modifies　the　plan。　　I　have　now　in　this　department　only　the　force　left　to　hold　the　river　and　the　posts；　and　I　am　seriously　embarrassed　by　the　promises　made　the　veteran　volunteers　for　furlough。　　I　think；　by　March　lst；　I　can　put　afloat　for　Shreveport　ten　thousand　men；　provided　I　succeed　in　my　present　movement　in　cleaning　out　the　State　of　Mississippi；　and　in　breaking　up　the　railroads　about　Meridian。

I　am；　with　great　respect；　your　obedient　servant；

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


The　object　of　the　Meridian　expedition　was　to　strike　the　roads　inland；　so　to　paralyze　the　rebel　forces　that　we　could　take　from　the　defense　of　the　Mississippi　River　the　equivalent　of　a　corps　of　twenty　thousand　men；　to　be　used　i