memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第62节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ced　shelling　the　battery　above　the　mouth　of　Indian　Creek；　but　elicited　no　reply。　　She　proceeded　up　the　river　steadily　and　cautiously；　followed　close　by　the　Tyler　and　Lexington；　all　throwing　shells　at　the　points　where；　on　former　visits　of　the　gunboats；　enemy's　batteries　were　found。　　In　this　order　all　followed；　till　it　was　demonstrated　that　all　the　enemy's　batteries；　including　that　at　Chickasaw；　were　abandoned。

I　ordered　the　battalion　of　infantry　under　Colonel　Hildebrand　to　disembark　at　Eastport；　and　with　the　other　battalion　proceeded　to　Chickasaw　and　landed。　　The　battery　at　this　point　had　evidently　been　abandoned　some　time；　and　consisted　of　the　remains　of　an　old　Indian　mound；　partly　washed　away　by　the　river；　which　had　been　fashioned　into　a　two…gun　battery；　with　a　small　magazine。　　The　ground　to　its　rear　had　evidently　been　overflowed　during　the　late　freshet；　and　led　to　the　removal　of　the　guns　to　Eastport；　where　the　batteries　were　on　high；　elevated　ground；　accessible　at　all　seasons　from　the　country　to　the　rear。

Upon　personal　inspection；　I　attach　little　importance　to　Chickasaw　as　a　military　position。　　The　people；　who　had　fled　during　the　approach　of　the　gunboats；　returned　to　the　village；　and　said　the　place　had　been　occupied　by　one　Tennessee　regiment　and　a　battery　of　artillery　from　Pensacola。　　After　remaining。　　at　Chickasaw　some　hours；　all　the　boats　dropped　back　to　Eastport；　not　more　than　a　mile　below；　and　landed　there。　　Eastport　Landing　during　the　late　freshet　must　have　been　about　twelve　feet　under　water；　but　at　the　present　stage　the　landing　is　the　best　I　have　seen　on　the　Tennessee　River。

The　levee　is　clear　of　trees　or　snags；　and　a　hundred　boats　could　land　there　without　confusion。

The　soil　is　of　sand　and　gravel；　and　very　firm。　　The　road　back　is　hard；　and　at　a　distance　of　about　four　hundred　yards　from　the　water　begin　the　gravel　hills　of　the　country。　　The　infantry　scouts　sent　out　by　Colonel　Hildebrand　found　the　enemy's　cavalry　mounted；　and　watching　the　Inca　road；　about　two　miles　back　of　Eastport。　　The　distance　to　Inca　is　only　eight　miles；　and　Inca　is　the　nearest　point　and　has　the　best　road　by　which　the　Charleston　&　Memphis　Railroad　can　be　reached。　　I　could　obtain　no　certain　information　as　to　the　strength　of　the　enemy　there；　but　am　satisfied　that　it　would　have　been　folly　to　have　attempted　it　with　my　command。　　Our　object　being　to　dislodge　the　enemy　from　the　batteries　recently　erected　near　Eastport；　and　this　being　attained；　I　have　returned；　and　report　the　river　to　be　clear　to　and　beyond　Chickasaw。

I　have　the　honor　to　be；　your　obedient　servant；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Brigadier…General　commanding　Division。



HEADQUARTERS　FIFTH　DIVISION　CAMP　SHILOH；　April　5；　1862。

Captain　J。　A。　RAWLINS；　Assistant　Adjutant…General；　District　of　Western　Tennessee。

SIR：　I　have　the　honor　to　report　that　yesterday；　about　3　p。m。；　the　lieutenant　commanding　and　seven　men　of　the　advance　pickets　imprudently　advanced　from　their　posts　and　were　captured。　　I　ordered　Major　Ricker；　of　the　Fifth　Ohio　Cavalry；　to　proceed　rapidly　to　the　picket…station；　ascertain　the　truth；　and　act　according　to　circumstances。　　He　reached　the　station；　found　the　pickets　had　been　captured　as　reported；　and　that　a　company　of　infantry　sent　by　the　brigade　commander　had　gone　forward　in　pursuit　of　some　cavalry。　　He　rapidly　advanced　some　two　miles；　and　found　them　engaged；　charged　the　enemy；　and　drove　them　along　the　Ridge　road；　till　he　met　and　received　three　discharges　of　artillery；　when　he　very　properly　wheeled　under　cover；　and　returned　till　he　met　me。

As　soon　as　I　heard　artillery；　I　advanced　with　two　regiments　of　infantry；　and　took　position；　and　remained　until　the　scattered　companies　of　infantry　and　cavalry　had　returned。　　This　was　after　night。

I　infer　that　the　enemy　is　in　some　considerable　force　at　Pea　Ridge；　that　yesterday　morning　they　crossed　a　brigade　of　two　regiments　of　infantry；　one　regiment　of　cavalry；　and　one　battery　of　field…artillery；　to　the　ridge　on　which　the　Corinth　road　lies。　　They　halted　the　infantry　and　artillery　at　a　point　abort　five　miles　in　my　front；　sent　a　detachment　to　the　lane　of　General　Meeks；　on　the　north　of　Owl　Creek；　and　the　cavalry　down　toward　our　camp。　　This　cavalry　captured　a　part　of　our　advance　pickets；　and　afterward　engaged　the　two　companies　of　Colonel　Buckland's　regiment；　as　described　by　him　in　his　report　herewith　inclosed。　　Our　cavalry　drove　them　back　upon　their　artillery　and　Infantry；　killing　many；　and　bringing　off　ten　prisoners；　all　of　the　First　Alabama　Cavalry；　whom　I　send　to　you。

We　lost　of　the　pickets　one　first…lieutenant　and　seven　men　of　the　Ohio　Seventieth　Infantry　（list　inclosed）；　one　major；　one　lieutenant；　and　one　private　of　the　Seventy…second　Ohio；　taken　prisoners；　eight　privates　wounded　（names　in　full；　embraced　in　report　of　Colonel　Buckland；　inclosed　herewith）。

We　took　ten　prisoners；　and　left　two　rebels　wounded　and　many　killed　on　the　field。

I　have　the　honor　to　be；　your　obedient　servant；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Brigadier…General；　commanding　Division。



HEADQUARTERS　FIFTH　DIVISION　Camp　Shiloh；　April　10；　1862。

Captain　J。　A。　RAWLINS；　Assistant　Adjutant…General　to　General　GRANT。

SIR：　I　had　the　honor　to　report　that；　on　Friday　the　4th　inst。；　the　enemy's　cavalry　drove　in　our　pickets；　posted　about　a　mile　and　a　half　in　advance　of　my　centre；　on　the　main　Corinth　road；　capturing　one　first…lieutenant　and　seven　men；；　that　I　caused　a　pursuit　by　the　cavalry　of　my　division；　driving　them　back　about　five　miles；　and　killing　many。　　On　Saturday　the　enemy's　cavalry　was　again　very　bold；　coming　well　down　to　our　front；　yet　I　did　not　believe　they　designed　any　thing　but　a　strong　demonstration。　　On　Sunday　morning　early；　the　6th　inst。；　the　enemy　drove　our　advance…guard　back　on　the　main　body；　when　I　ordered　under　arms　all　my　division；　and　sent　word　to　General　McClernand；　asking　him　to　support　my　left；　to　General　Prentiss；　giving　him　notice　that　the　enemy　was　in　our　front　in　force；　and　to　General　Hurlbut；　asking　him　to　support　General　Prentiss。　　At　that　time7　a。m。my　division　was　arranged　as　follows：

First　Brigade；　composed　of　the　Sixth　Iowa；　Colonel　J。　A。　McDowell；

Fortieth　Illinois；　Colonel　Hicks；　Forty…sixth　Ohio；　Colonel　Worthington；　and　the　Morton　battery；　Captain　Behr；　on　the　extreme　right；　guarding　the　bridge　on　the　Purdy　road　over　Owl　Creek。

Second　Brigade；　composed　of　the　Fifty…fifth　Illinois；　Colonel　D。　Stuart；　the　Fifty…fourth　Ohio；　Colonel　T。　Kilby　Smith；　and　the　Seventy…first　Ohio；　Colonel　Mason；　on　the　extreme　left；　guarding　the　ford　over　Lick　Creek。

Third　Brigade；　composed　of　the　Seventy…seventh　Ohio；　Colonel　Hildebrand；　the　Fifty…third　Ohio；　Colonel　Appler；　and　the　Fifty…seventh　Ohio；　Colonel　Mungen；　on　the　left　of　the　Corinth　road；　its　right　resting　on　Shiloh　meeting…house。

Fourth　Brigade；　composed　of　the　Seventy…second　Ohio；　Colonel　Buckland；　the　Forty…eighth　Ohio；　Colonel　Sullivan；　and　the　Seventieth　Ohio；　Colonel　Cookerill；　on　the　right　of　the　Corinth　road；　its　left　resting　on　Shiloh　meeting…house。

Two　batteries　of　artilleryTaylor's　and　Waterhouse'swere　posted；　the　former　at　Shiloh；　and　the　latter　on　a　ridge　to　the　left；　with　a　front…fire　over　open　ground　between　Mungen's　and　Appler's　regiments。　　The　cavalry；　eight　companies　of　the　Fourth　Illinois；　under　Colonel　Dickey；　were　posted　in　a　large　open　field　to　the　left　and　rear　of　Shiloh　meeting…house；　which　I　regarded　as　the　centre　of　my　position。

Shortly　after　7　a。m。；　with　my　entire　staff；　I　rode　along　a　portion　of　our　front；　and　when　in　the　open　field　before　Appler's　regiment；　the　enemy's　pickets　opened　a　brisk　fire　upon　my　party；　killing　my　orderly；　Thomas　D。　Holliday；　of　Company　H；　Second　Illinois　Cavalry。　The　fire　came　from　the　bushes　which　line　a　small　stream　that　rises　in　the　field　in　front　of　Appler's　camp；　and　flows　to　the　north　along　my　whole　front。

This　valley　afforded　the　enemy　partial　cover；　but　our　men　were　so　posted　as　to　have　a　good　fire　at　them　as　they　crossed　the　valley　and　ascended　the　rising　ground　on　our　side。

About　8　a。m。　　I　saw　the　glistening　bayonets　of　heavy　masses　of　infantry　to　our　left　front　in　the　woods　beyond　the　small　stream　alluded　to；　and　became　satisfied　for　the　first　time　that　the　enemy　designed　a　determined　attack　on　our　whole　camp。

All　the　regiments　of　my　division　were　then　in　line　of　battle　at　their　proper　posts。　　I　rode　to　Colonel　Appler；　and　ordered　him　to　hold　his　ground　at　all　hazards；　as　he　held　the　left　flank　of　our　first　line　of　battle；　and　I　informed　him　that　he　had　a　good　battery　on　his　right；　and　strong　support　to　his　rear。　　General　McClernand　had　promptly　and　energetically　responded　to　my　request；　and　had　sent　me　three　regiments　which　were　posted　to　protect　Waterhouse's　battery　and　the　left　flank　of　my　line。

The　battle　opened　by　the　enemy's　battery；　in　the　woods　to　our　front；　throwing　shells　into　our　camp。　　Taylor's　and　Waterhouse's　batteries　promptly　responded；　and　I　then　observed　heavy　battalions　of　infantry　passing　obliquely　to　the　left；　across　the　open　field　in　Appler's　front；　also；　other　columns　advancing　directly　upon　my　division。　　Our　infantry　and　artillery　opened　along　the　whole　line；　and　the　battle　became　general。　　Other　heavy　masses　of　the　enemy's　forces　kept　passing　across　the　field　to　our　left；　and　directing