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

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Urge　Sherman　to　act　with　all　possible　promptness。

If　you　have　boats；　send　them　down　to　bring　up　his　troops。

Information　just　received　indicates　that　a　part　of　Lee's　army　has　been　sent　to　reenforce　Bragg。

H。　W。　HALLECK；　General…in…Chief。


Washington；　September　19；　18684　p。m。

Major…General　S。　A。　HURLBUT；　Memphis；　Tennessee：

Give　me　definite　information　of　the　number　of　troops　sent　toward　Decatur；　and　where　they　are。　　Also；　what　other　troops　are　to　follow；　and　when。

Has　any　thing　been　heard　from　the　troops　ordered　from　Vicksburg？

No　efforts　must　be　spared　to　support　Resecrans's　right；　and　to　guard　the　crossings　of　the　Tennessee　River。

H。　W。　HALLECK；　General…in…Chief。


My　special　orders　were　to　repair　the　Memphis　&　Charleston　Railroad　eastward　as　I　progressed；　as　far　as　Athens；　Alabama；　to　draw　supplies　by　that　route；　so　that；　on　reaching　Athens；　we　should　not　be　dependent　on　the　roads　back　to　Nashville；　already　overtaxed　by　the　demand　of　Rosecrans's　army。

On　reaching　Memphis；　October　2d；　I　found　that　Osterhaus's　division　had　already　gone　by　rail　as　far　as　Corinth；　and　than　John　E。　Smith's　division　was　in　the　act　of　starting　by　cars。　　The　Second　Division；　then　commanded　by　Brigadier…General　Giles　A。　Smith；　reached　Memphis　at　the　same　time　with　me；　and　the　Fourth　Division；　commanded　by　Brigadier…General　John　M。　Corse；　arrived　a　day　or　two　after。　　The　railroad　was　in　fair　condition　as　far　as　Corinth；　ninety…six　miles；　but　the　road　was　badly　stocked　with　locomotives　and　cars；　so　that　it　took　until　the　9th　to　get　off　the　Second　Division；　when　I　gave　orders　for　the　Fourth　Division　and　wagon…trains　to　march　by　the　common　road。

On　Sunday　morning；　October　11th；　with　a　special　train　loaded　with　our　orderlies　and　clerks；　the　horses　of　our　staff；　the　battalion　of　the　Thirteenth　United　States　Regulars；　and　a　few　officers　going　forward　to　join　their　commands；　among　them　Brigadier…General　Hugh　Ewing；　I　started　for　Corinth。

At　Germantown；　eight　miles；　we　passed　Corse's　division　（Fourth）　on　the　march；　and　about　noon　the　train　ran　by　the　depot　at　Colliersville；　twenty…six　miles　out。　　I　was　in　the　rear　car　with　my　staff；　dozing；　but　observed　the　train　slacking　speed　and　stopping　about　half　a　mile　beyond　the　depot。　　I　noticed　some　soldiers　running　to　and　fro；　got　out　at　the　end　of　the　car；　and　soon　Colonel　Anthony　（Silty…sixth　Indiana）；　who　commanded　the　post；　rode　up　and　said　that　his　pickets　had　just　been　driven　in；　and　there　was　an　appearance　of　an　attack　by　a　large　force　of　cavalry　coming　from　the　southeast。　　I　ordered　the　men　to　get　off　the　train；　to　form　on　the　knoll　near　the　railroad…cut；　and　soon　observed　a　rebel　officer　riding　toward　us　with　a　white　flag。　　Colonel　Anthony　and　Colonel　Dayton　（one　of　my　aides）　were　sent　to　meet　him；　and　to　keep　him　in　conversation　as　long　as　possible。　　They　soon　returned；　saying　it　was　the　adjutant　of　the　rebel　general　Chalmers；　who　demanded　the　surrender　of　the　place。　　I　instructed　them　to　return　and　give　a　negative　answer；　but　to　delay　him　as　much　as　possible；　so　as　to　give　us　time　for　preparation。　　I　saw　Anthony；　Dayton；　and　the　rebel　bearer　of　the　flag；　in　conversation；　and　the　latter　turn　his　horse　to　ride　back；　when　I　ordered　Colonel　McCoy　to　run　to　the　station；　and　get　a　message　over　the　wires　as　quick　as　possible　to　Memphis　and　Germantown；　to　hurry　forward　Corse's　division。　　I　then　ordered　the　train　to　back　to　the　depot；　and　drew　back　the　battalion　of　regulars　to　the　small　earth　redoubt　near　it。　　The　depot…building　was　of　brick；　and　had　been　punctured　with　loop…holes。　　To　its　east；　about　two　hundred　yards；　was　a　small　square　earthwork　or　fort；　into　which　were　put　a　part　of　the　regulars　along　with　the　company　of　the　Sixty…sixth　Indiana　already　there。　　The　rest　of　the　men　were　distributed　into　the　railroad…cut；　and　in　some　shallow　rifle…　trenches　near　the　depot。　　We　had　hardly　made　these　preparations　when　the　enemy　was　seen　forming　in　a　long　line　on　the　ridge　to　the　south；　about　four　hundred　yards　off；　and　soon　after　two　parties　of　cavalry　passed　the　railroad　on　both　sides　of　us；　cutting　the　wires　and　tearing　up　some　rails。　　Soon　they　opened　on　us　with　artillery　（of　which　we　had　none）；　and　their　men　were　dismounting　and　preparing　to　assault。　　To　the　south　of　us　was　an　extensive　cornfield；　with　the　corn　still　standing；　and　on　the　other　side　was　the　town　of　Colliersville。　　All　the　houses　near；　that　could　give　shelter　to　the　enemy；　were　ordered　to　be　set　on　fire；　and　the　men　were　instructed　to　keep　well　under　cover　and　to　reserve　their　fire　for　the　assault；　which　seemed　inevitable。　　A　long　line　of　rebel　skirmishers　came　down　through　the　cornfield；　and　two　other　parties　approached　us　along　the　railroad　on　both　sides。　　In　the　fort　was　a　small　magazine　containing　some　cartridges。　　Lieutenant　James；　a　fine；　gallant　fellow；　who　was　ordnance…officer　on　my　staff；　asked　leave　to　arm　the　orderlies　and　clerks　with　some　muskets　which　he　had　found　in　the　depot；　to　which　I　consented；　he　marched　them　into　the　magazine；　issued　cartridges；　and　marched　back　to　the　depot　to　assist　in　its　defense。　　Afterward　he　came　to　me；　said　a　party　of　the　enemy　had　got　into　the　woods　near　the　depot；　and　was　annoying　him；　and　he　wanted　to　charge　and　drive　it　away。　　I　advised　him　to　be　extremely　cautious；　as　our　enemy　vastly　outnumbered　us；　and　had　every　advantage　in　position　and　artillery；　but　instructed　him；　if　they　got　too　near；　he　might　make　a　sally。　　Soon　after；　I　heard　a　rapid　fire　in　that　quarter；　and　Lieutenant。　　James　was　brought　in　on　a　stretcher；　with　a　ball　through　his　breast；　which　I　supposed　to　be　fatal。

＇After　the　fight　we　sent　him　back　to　Memphis；　where　his　mother　and　father　came　from　their　home　on　the　North　River　to　nurse　him。　　Young　James　was　recovering　from　his　wound；　but　was　afterward　killed　by　a　fall　from　his　borse；　near　his　home；　when　riding　with　the　daughters　of　Mr。　Hamilton　Fish；　now　Secretary　of　State。＇

The　enemy　closed　down　on　us　several　times；　and　got　possession　of　the　rear　of　our　train；　from　which　they　succeeded　in　getting　five　of　our　horses；　among　them　my　favorite　mare　Dolly；　but　our　men　were　cool　and　practised　shots　（with　great　experience　acquired　at　Vicksburg）；　and　drove　them　back。　　With　their　artillery　they　knocked　to　pieces　our　locomotive　and　several　of　the　cars；　and　set　fire　to　the　train；　but　we　managed　to　get　possession　again；　and　extinguished　the　fire。　　Colonel　Audenreid；　aide…de…camp；　was　provoked　to　find　that　his　valise　of　nice　shirts　had　been　used　to　kindle　the　fire。　　'　The　fighting　continued　all　round　us　for　three　or　four　hours；　when　we　observed　signs　of　drawing　off；　which　I　attributed　to　the　rightful　cause；　the　rapid　approach　of　Corse's　division；　which　arrived　about　dark；　having　marched　the　whole　distance　from　Memphis；　twenty…six　miles；　on　the　double…quick。　　The　next　day　we　repaired　damages　to　the　railroad　and　locomotive；　and　went　on　to　Corinth。

At　Corinth；　on　the　16th；　I　received　the　following　important　dispatches：

MEMPHIS；　October　14；　186311　a。m。

Arrived　this　morning。　　Will　be　off　in　a　few　hours。　　My　orders　are　only　to　go　to　Cairo；　and　report　from　there　by　telegraph。　　McPherson　will　be　in　Canton　to…day。　　He　will　remain　there　until　Sunday　or　Monday　next；　and　reconnoitre　as　far　eastward　as　possible　with　cavalry；　in　the　mean　time。

U。　S。　GRANT；　Major…General。


WASHINGTON；　October　14；　18631　p。m。

Major…General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Corinth

Yours　of　the　10th　is　received。　　The　important　matter　to　be　attended　to　is　that　of　supplies。　　When　Eastport　can　be　reached　by　boats；　the　use　of　the　railroad　can　be　dispensed　with；　but　until　that　time　it　must　be　guarded　as　far　as　need。　　The　Kentucky　Railroad　can　barely　supply　General　Rosecrans。　　All　these　matters　must　be　left　to　your　judgment　as　circumstances　may　arise。　　Should　the　enemy　be　so　strong　as　to　prevent　your　going　to　Athena；　or　connecting　with　General　Rosecrans；　you　will　nevertheless　have　assisted　him　greatly　by　drawing　away　a　part　of　the　enemy's　forces。

H。　W。　HALLECK；　Major…General。


On　the　18th；　with　my　staff　and　a　small　escort；　I　rode　forward　to　Burnsville；　and　on　the　19th　to　Iuka；　where；　on　the　next　day；　I　was　most　agreeably　surprised　to　hear　of　the　arrival　at　Eastport　（only　ten　miles　off）　of　two　gunboats；　under　the　command　of　Captain　Phelps；　which　had　been　sent　up　the　Tennessee　River　by　Admiral　Porter；　to　help　us。

Satisfied　that；　to　reach　Athens　and　to　communicate　with　General　Rosecrans；　we　should　have　to　take　the　route　north　of　the　Tennessee　River；　on　the　24th　I　ordered　the　Fourth　Division　to　cross　at　Eastport　with　the　aid　of　the　gunboats；　and　to　move　to　Florence。　About　the　same　time；　I　received　the　general　orders　assigning　General　Grant　to　command　the　Military　Division　of　the　Mississippi；　authorizing　him；　on　reaching　Chattanooga；　to　supersede　General　Rosecrans　by　General　George　H。　Thomas；　with　other　and　complete　authority；　as　set；　forth　in　the　following　letters　of　General　Halleck；　which　were　sent　to　me　by　General　Grant；　and　the　same　orders　devolved　on　me　the　command　of　the　Department　and　Army　of　the　Tennessee。


HEADQUARTERS　OF　THE　ARMY　WASHINGTON；　D。C。；　October　16；　1863

Major…General　U。　S。　GRANT；　Louisville。

GENERAL：　You　will　receive　herewith　the　orders　of　the　President　of　the　Unit