memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第98节

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ith　a　full　supply　of　balks　and　chesses；　had　been　prepared　for　the　bridge　over　the　Tennessee；　and　all　things　had　been　prearranged　with　a　foresight　that　elicited　my　admiration。　　From　the　hills　we　looked　down　on　the　amphitheatre　of　Chattanooga　as　on　a　map；　and　nothing　remained　but　for　me　to　put　my　troops　in　the　desired　position。　　The　plan　contemplated　that；　in　addition　to　crossing　the　Tennessee　River　and　making　a　lodgment　on　the　terminus　of　Missionary　Ridge；　I　should　demonstrate　against　Lookout　Mountain；　near　Trenton；　with　a　part　of　my　command。

All　in　Chattanooga　were　impatient　for　action；　rendered　almost　acute　by　the　natural　apprehensions　felt　for　the　safety　of　General　Burnside　in　East　Tennessee。

My　command　had　marched　from　Memphis；　three　hundred　and　thirty　miles；　and　I　had　pushed　them　as　fast　as　the　roads　and　distance　would　admit；　but　I　saw　enough　of　the　condition　of　men　and　animals　in　Chattanooga　to　inspire　me　with　renewed　energy。　　I　immediately　ordered　my　leading　division　（General　Ewing's）　to　march　via　Shellmound　to　Trenton；　demonstrating　against　Lookout　Ridge；　but　to　be　prepared　to　turn　quickly　and　follow　me　to　Chattanooga　and　in　person　I　returned　to　Bridgeport；　rowing　a　boat　down　the　Tennessee　from　Belly's　Ferry；　and　immediately　on　arrival　put　in　motion　my　divisions　in　the　order　in　which　they　had　arrived。　　The　bridge　of　boats　at　Bridgeport　was　frail；　and；　though　used　day　and　night；　our　passage　was　slow；　and　the　road　thence　to　Chattanooga　was　dreadfully　cut　up　and　encumbered　with　the　wagons　of　the　other　troops　stationed　along　the　road。　　I　reached　General　Hooker's　headquarters　during　a　rain；　in　the　afternoon　of　the　20th；　and　met　General　Grant's　orders　for　the　general　attack　on　the　next　day。　　It　was　simply　impossible　for　me　to　fulfill　my　part　in　time；　only　one　division　（General　John　E。　Smith's）　was　in　position。　　General　Ewing　was　still　at　Trenton；　and　the　other　two　were　toiling　along　the　terrible　road　from　Shellmound　to　Chattanooga。　　No　troops　ever　were　or　could　be　in　better　condition　than　mine；　or　who　labored　harder　to　fulfill　their　part。　　On　a　proper　representation；　General　Grant　postponed　the　attack。　　On　the　21st　I　got　the　Second　Division　over　Brown's…Ferry　Bridge；　and　General　Ewing　got　up；　but　the　bridge　broke　repeatedly；　and　delays　occurred　which　no　human　sagacity　could　prevent。　　All　labored　night　and　day；　and　General　Ewing　got　over　on　the　23d；　but　my　rear　division　was　cut　off　by　the　broken　bridge　at　Brown's　Ferry；　and　could　not　join　me。　　I　offered　to　go　into　action　with　my　three　divisions；　supported　by　General　Jeff。　　C。　Davis；　leaving　one　of　my　best　divisions　（Osterhaus's）　to　act　with　General　Hooker　against　Lookout　Mountain。　　That　division　has　not　joined　me　yet；　but　I　know　and　feel　that　it　has　served　the　country　well；　and　that　it　has　reflected　honor　on　the　Fifteenth　Army　Corps　and　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee。　　I　leave　the　record　of　its　history　to　General　Hooker；　or　whomsoever　has　had　its　services　during　the　late　memorable　events；　confident　that　all　will　do　it　merited　honor。

At　last；　on　the　28d　of　November；　my　three　divisions　lay　behind　the　hills　opposite　the　mouth　of　the　Chickamauga。　　I　dispatched　the　brigade　of　the　Second　Division；　commanded　by　General　Giles　A。　Smith；　under　cover　of　the　hills；　to　North　Chickamauga　Creek；　to　man　the　boats　designed　for　the　pontoon…bridge；　with　orders　（at　midnight）　to　drop　down　silently　to　a　point　above　the　mouth　of　the　South　Chickamauga；　there　land　two　regiments；　who　were　to　move　along　the　river…bank　quietly；　and　capture　the　enemy's　river…pickets。

General　Giles　A。　Smith　then　was　to　drop　rapidly　below　the　month　of　the　Chickamauga；　disembark　the　rest　of　his　brigade；　and　dispatch　the　boats　across　for　fresh　loads。　　These　orders　were　skillfully　executed；　and　every　rebel　picket　but　one　was　captured。　　The　balance　of　General　Morgan　L。　Smith's　division　was　then　rapidly　ferried　across；　that　of　General　John　E。　Smith　followed；　and　by　daylight　of　November　24th　two　divisions　of　about　eight　thousand　men　were　on　the　east　bank　of　the　Tennessee；　and　had　thrown　up　a　very　respectable　rifle…trench　as　a　tete　du　pont。　　As　soon　as　the　day　dawned；　some　of　the　boats　were　taken　from　the　use　of　ferrying；　and　a　pontoon…bridge　was　begun；　under　the　immediate　direction　of　Captain　Dresser；　the　whole　planned　and　supervised　by　General　William　F。　Smith　in　person。　A　pontoon…bridge　was　also　built　at　the　same　time　over　Chickamanga　Creek；　near　its　month；　giving　communication　with　the　two　regiments　which　had　been　left　on　the　north　side；　and　fulfilling　a　most　important　purpose　at　a　later　stage　of　the　drama。　　I　will　here　bear　my　willing　testimony　to　the　completeness　of　this　whole　business。　All　the　officers　charged　with　the　work　were　present；　and　manifested　a　skill　which　I　cannot　praise　too　highly。　　I　have　never　beheld　any　work　done　so　quietly；　so　well；　and　I　doubt　if　the　history　of　war　can　show　a　bridge　of　that　extent　（viz。；　thirteen　hundred　and　fifty　feet）　laid　so　noiselessly　and　well；　in　so　short　a　time。　　I　attribute　it　to　the　genius　and　intelligence　of　General　William　F。　Smith。　　The　steamer　Dunbar　arrived　up　in　the　course　of　the　morning；　and　relieved　Ewing's　division　of　the　labor　of　rowing　across；　but　by　noon　the　pontoon…bridge　was　done；　and　my　three　divisions　were　across；　with　men；　horses；　artillery；　and　every　thing。

General　Jeff。　C。　Davis's　division　was　ready　to　take　the　bridge；　and　I　ordered　the　columns　to　form　in　order　to　carry　the　Missionary　Hills。　　The　movement　had　been　carefully　explained　to　all　division　commanders；　and　at　1　p。m。　　we　marched　from　the　river　in　three　columns　in　echelon：　the　left；　General　Morgan　L。　Smith；　the　column　of　direction；　following　substantially　Chickamauga　Creek；　the　centre；　General；　John　E。　Smith；　in　columns；　doubled　on　the　centre；　at　one　brigade　interval　to　the　right　and　rear；　the　right；　General　Ewing；　in　column　at　the　same　distance　to　the　right　rear；　prepared　to　deploy　to　the　right；　on　the　supposition　that　we　would　meet　an　enemy　in　that　direction。　　Each　head　of　column　was　covered　by　a　good　line　of　skirmishers；　with　supports。　　A　light　drizzling　rain　prevailed；　and　the　clouds　hung　low；　cloaking　our　movement　from　the　enemy's　tower　of　observation　on　Lookout　Mountain。　　We　soon　gained　the　foothills；　our　skirmishers　crept　up　the　face　of　the　hills；　followed　by　their　supports；　and　at　3。30　p。m。　we　had　gained；　with　no　loss；　the　desired　point。　　A　brigade　of　each　division　was　pushed　rapidly　to　the　top　of　the　hill；　and　the　enemy　for　the　first　time　seemed　to　realize　the　movement；　but　too　late；　for　we　were　in　possession。　　He　opened　with　artillery；　but　General　Ewing　soon　got　some　of　Captain　Richardson's　guns　up　that　steep　hill　and　gave　back　artillery；　and　the　enemy's　skirmishers　made　one　or　two　ineffectual　dashes　at　Genaral　Lightburn；　who　had　swept　round　and　got　a　farther　hill；　which　was　the　real　continuation　of　the　ridge。　　From　studying　all　the　maps；　I　had　inferred　that　Missionary　Ridge　was　a　continuous　hill；　but　we　found　ourselves　on　two　high　points；　with　a　deep　depression　between　us　and　the　one　immediately　over　the　tunnel；　which　was　my　chief　objective　point。　　The　ground　we　had　gained；　however；　was　so　important；　that　I　could　leave　nothing　to　chance；　and　ordered　it　to　be　fortified　during　the　night。　　One　brigade　of　each　division　was　left　on　the　hill；　one　of　General　Morgan　L。　Smith's　closed　the　gap　to　Chickamauga　Creek；　two　of　General　John　E。　Smith's　were　drawn　back　to　the　base　in　reserve；　and　General　Ewing's　right　was　extended　down　into　the　plain；　thus　crossing　the　ridge　in　a　general　line；　facing　southeast。

The　enemy　felt　our　left　flank　about　4　p。m。；　and　a　pretty　smart　engagement　with　artillery　and　muskets　ensued；　when　he　drew　off；　but　it　cost　us　dear；　for　General　Giles　A。　Smith　was　severely　wounded；　and　had　to　go　to　the　rear；　and　the　command　of　the　brigade　devolved　on　Colonel　Topper　（One　Hundred　and　Sixteenth　Illinois）；　who　managed　it　with　skill　during　the　rest　of　the　operations。　　At　the　moment　of　my　crossing　the　bridge；　General　Howard　appeared；　having　come　with　three　regiments　from　Chattanooga；　along　the　east　bank　of　the　Tennessee；　connecting　my　new　position　with　that　of　the　main　army　in　Chattanooga。　　He　left　the　three　regiments　attached　temporarily　to　Gen。　Ewing's　right；　and　returned　to　his　own　corps　at　Chattanooga。　As　night　closed　in；　I　ordered　General　Jeff。　C。　Davis　to　keep　one　of　his　brigades　at　the　bridge；　one　close　up　to　my　position；　and　one　intermediate。　　Thus　we　passed　the　night；　heavy　details　being　kept　busy　at　work　on　the　intrenchments　on　the　hill。　　During　the　night　the　sky　cleared　away　bright；　a　cold　frost　filled　the　air；　and　our　camp…fires　revealed　to　the　enemy　and　to　our　friends　in　Chattanooga　our　position　on　Missionary　Ridge。　　About　midnight　I　received；　at　the　hands　of　Major　Rowley　（of　General　Grant's　staff）；　orders　to　attack　the　enemy　at　〃dawn　of　day；〃　with　notice　that　General　Thomas　would　attack　in　force　early　in　the　day。　　Accordingly；　before　day　I　was　in　the　saddle；　attended　by　all　my　staff；　rode　to　the　extreme　left　of　our　position　near　Chickamauga　Creek；　thence　up　the　hill；　held　by　General　Lightburn；　and　round　to　the　extreme　right　of　General　Ewing。

Catching　as　accurate　an　idea　of　the　ground　as　possible　by　the　dim　light　of　morning；　I　saw　that　our　line　of　attack　was　in　the　direction　of　M