memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第119章

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him　the　resolutions　of　the　City　Council　engrossed　on　parchment；　with　a　broad　ribbon　and　large　seal　attached。　　After　the　mayor　had　fulfilled　his　office　so　well；　General　Grant　said：　〃Mr。　Mayor；　as　I　knew　that　this　ceremony　was　to　occur；　and　as　I　am　not　used　to　speaking；　I　have　written　something　in　reply。〃　　He　then　began　to　fumble　in　his　pockets；　first　his　breast…coat　pocket；　then　his　pants；　vest；　etc。；　and　after　considerable　delay　he　pulled　out　a　crumpled　piece　of　common　yellow　cartridge…paper；　which　he　handed　to　the　mayor。　　His　whole　manner　was　awkward　in　the　extreme；　yet　perfectly　characteristic；　and　in　strong　contrast　with　the　elegant　parchment　and　speech　of　the　mayor。　　When　read；　however；　the　substance　of　his　answer　was　most　excellent；　short；　concise；　and；　if　it　had　been　delivered　by　word　of　mouth；　would　have　been　all　that　the　occasion　required。

I　could　not　help　laughing　at　a　scene　so　characteristic　of　the　man　who　then　stood　prominent　before　the　country；　and　to　whom　all　had　turned　as　the　only　one　qualified　to　guide　the　nation　in　a　war　that　had　become　painfully　critical。　　With　copies　of　the　few　letters　referred　to；　and　which　seem　necessary　to　illustrate　the　subject…matter；　I　close　this　chapter：

HEADQUARTERS　DEPARTMENT　OF　THE　TENNESSEE　STEAMER　DIANA　（UNDER　WEIGH）；　March　4；　1864

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

GENERAL：　I　had　the　honor　to　receive　your　letter　of　the　2d　instant　yesterday　at　New　Orleans；　but　was　enable　to　answer；　except　verbally；　and　I　now　reduce　it　to　writing。

I　will　arrive　at　Vicksburg　the　6th　instant；　and　I　expect　to　meet　there　my　command　from　Canton；　out　of　which　I　will　select　two　divisions　of　about　ten　thousand　men；　embark　them　under　a　good　commander；　and　order　him：

1st。　To　rendezvous　at　the　month　of　Red　River；　and；　in　concert　with　Admiral　Porter　（if　he　agree）；　to　strike　Harrisonburg　a　hard　blow。

2d。　　To　return　to　Red　River　and　ascend　it；　aiming　to　reach　Alexandria　on　the　17th　of　March；　to　report　to　you。

3d。　　That；　as　this　command　is　designed　to　operate　by　water；　it　will　not　be　encumbered　with　much　land　transportation；　say　two　wagons　to　a　regiment；　but　with　an　ample　supply　of　stores；　including　mortars　and　heavy　rifled　guns；　to　be　used　against　fortified　places。

4th。　　That　I　have　calculated；　and　so　reported　to　General　Grant；　that　this　detachment　of　his　forces　in　no　event　is　to　go　beyond　Shreveport；　and　that　you　will　spare　them　the　moment　you　can；　trying　to　get　them　back　to　the　Mississippi　River　in　thirty　days　from　the　time　they　actually　enter　Red　River。

The　year　is　wearing　away　fast；　and　I　would　like　to　carry　to　General　Grant　at　Huntsville；　Alabama；　every　man　of　his　military　division；　as　early　in　April　as　possible；　for　I　am　sure　we　ought　to　move　from　the　base　of　the　Tennessee　River　to　the　south　before　the　season　is　too　far　advanced；　say　as　early　as　April　15th　next。

I　feel　certain　of　your　complete　success；　provided　you　make　the　concentration　in　time；　to　assure　which　I　will　see　in　person　to　the　embarkation　and　dispatch　of　my　quota；　and　I　will　write　to　General　Steele；　conveying　to　him　my　personal　and　professional　opinion　that　the　present　opportunity　is　the　most　perfect　one　that　will　ever　offer　itself　to　him　to　clean　out　his　enemies　in　Arkansas。

Wishing　you　all　honor　and　success；　I　am；　with　respect；　your　friend　and　servant；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General。



HEADQUARTERS　DEPARTMENT　OF　THE　TENNESSEE　VICKSBURG；　March　6；　1864

Brigadier…General　A。　J。　SMITH；　commanding　Expedition　up　Red　River；　Vicksburg；　Mississippi。

GENERAL：　By　an　order　this　day　issued；　you　are　to　command　a　strong；　well…appointed　detachment　of　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee；　sent　to　reinforce　a　movement　up　Red　River；　but　more　especially　against　the　fortified　position　at　Shreveport。

You　will　embark　your　command　as　soon　as　possible；　little　encumbered　with　wagons　or　wheeled　vehicles；　but　well　supplied　with　fuel；　provisions；　and　ammunition。　　Take　with　you　the　twelve　mortars；　with　their　ammunition；　and　all　the　thirty…pound　Parrotts　the　ordnance…　officer　will　supply。　　Proceed　to　the　month　of　Red　River　and　confer　with　Admiral　Porter。　　Consult　with　him；　and　in　all　the　expedition　rely　on　him　implicitly；　as　he　is　the　approved　friend　of　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee；　and　has　been　associated　with　us　from　the　beginning。　I　have　undertaken　with　General　Banks　that　you　will　be　at　Alexandria；　Louisiana；　on　or　before　the　17th　day　of　March；　and　you　will；　if　time　allows；　cooperate　with　the　navy　in　destroying　Harrisonburg；　up　Black　River；　but　as　I　passed　Red　River　yesterday　I　saw　Admiral　Porter；　and　he　told　me　he　had　already　sent　an　expedition　to　Harrisonburg；　so　that　I　suppose　that　part　of　the　plan　will　be　accomplished　before　you　reach　Red　River；　but；　in　any　event；　be　careful　to　reach　Alexandria　about　the　17th　of　March。

General　Banks　will　start　by　land　from　Franklin；　in　the　Teche　country；　either　the　6th　or　7th；　and　will　march　via　Opelousas　to　Alexandria。　　You　will　meet　him　there；　report　to　him；　and　act　under　his　orders。　　My　understanding　with　him　is　that　his　forces　will　move　by　land；　via　Natchitoches；　to　Shreveport；　while　the　gunboat…fleet　is　to　ascend　the　river　with　your　transports　in　company。　　Red　River　is　very　low　for　the　season；　and　I　doubt　if　any　of　the　boats　can　pass　the　falls　or　rapids　at　Alexandria。　　What　General　Banks　proposes　to　do　in　that　event　I　do　not　know；　but　my　own　judgment　is　that　Shreveport　ought　not　to　be　attacked　until　the　gunboats　can　reach　it。　　Not　that　a　force　marching　by　land　cannot　do　it　alone；　but　it　would　be　bad　economy　in　war　to　invest　the　place　with　an　army　so　far　from　heavy　guns；　mortars；　ammunition；　and　provisions；　which　can　alone　reach　Shreveport　by　water。　　Still；　I　do　not　know　about　General　Banks's　plans　in　that　event；　and　whatever　they　may　be；　your　duty　will　be　to　conform；　in　the　most　hearty　manner。

My　understanding　with　General　Banks　is　that　he　will　not　need　the　cooperation　of　your　force　beyoud　thirty　days　from　the　date　you　reach　Red　River。　　As　soon　as　he　has　taken　Shreveport；　or　as　soon　as　be　can　spare　you；　return　to　Vicksburg　with　all　dispatch；　gather　up　your　detachments；　wagons；　tents；　transportation；　and　all　property　pertaining　to　so　much　of　the　command　as　belongs　to　the　Sixteenth　Army　Corps；　and　conduct　it　to　Memphis；　where　orders　will　await　you。　My　present　belief　is　your　division；　entire；　will　be　needed　with　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee；　about　Huntsville　or　Bridgeport。　　Still；　I　will　leave　orders　with　General；　Hurlbut；　at　Memphis；　for　you　on　your　return。

I　believe　if　water　will　enable　the　gunboats　to　cross　the　rapids　at　Alexandria；　you　will　be　able　to　make　a　quick；　strong；　and　effective　blow　at　our　enemy　in　the　West；　thus　widening　the　belt　of　our　territory；　and　making　the　breach　between　the　Confederate　Government　and　its　outlying　trans…Mississippi　Department　more　perfect。

It　is　understood　that　General　Steels　makes　a　simultaneous　move　from　Little　Rock；　on　Shreveport　or　Natchitoches；　with　a　force　of　about　ten　thousand　men。　　Banks　will　have　seventeen　thousand；　and　you　ten　thousand。　　If　these　can　act　concentrically　and　simultaneously；　you　will　make　short　work　of　it；　and　then　General　Banks　will　have　enough　force　to　hold　as　much　of　the　Red　River　country　as　he　deems　wise；　leaving　you　to　bring　to　General　Grant's　main　army　the　seven　thousand　five　hundred　men　of　the　Sixteenth　Corps　now　with　you。　Having　faith　in　your　sound　judgment　and　experience；　I　confide　this　important　and　delicate　command　to　you；　with　certainty　that　you　will　harmonize　perfectly　with　Admiral　Porter　and　General　Banks；　with　whom　you　are　to　act；　and　thereby　insure　success。

I　am；　with　respect；　your　obedient　servant；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General　commanding。



HEADQUARTERS　DEPARTMENT　OF　THE　TENNESSEE　MEMPHIS；　March　14；　1864

Major　General　McPHERSON；　commanding；　etc；　Vicksburg；　Mississippi

DEAR　GENERAL：　I　wrote　you　at　length　on　the　11th；　by　a　special　bearer　of　dispatches；　and　now　make　special　orders　to　cover　the　movements　therein　indicated。　　It　was　my　purpose　to　await　your　answer；　but　I　am　summoned　by　General　Grant　to　be　in　Nashville　on　the　17th；　and　it　will　keep　me　moving　night　and　day　to　get　there　by　that　date。　　I　must　rely　on　you；　for　you　understand　that　we　must　reenforce　the　gre