memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第121章

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vance　of　his　attack　it　must　be　successful；　and；　as　it　pushed　forward；　you　sent　me　to　urge　on　M。　L。　Smith；　as　Morgan　was　over；　and　he；　Smith；　must　aid　by　persistent　attack；　and　give　Morgan　as　good　a　chance　as　could　be　to　make　his　lodgment。。。。

I　am；　etc。；　　　　L。　M。　DAYTON　Late　Colonel　of　the　Staff；　now　of　Cincinnati；　Ohio　General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　St。　Louis；　Missouri




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〃　。　　。　　。　　。　　The　expedition　was　wonderfully　well　provided　with　provisions；　transportation；　and　monitions；　and　even　axes；　picks；　and　shovels；　so　much　in　use　later　in　the　war；　evidenced　the　forethought　that　governed　this　force。　　The　boats；　from　their　open　lower　deck　construction；　proved　admirable　for　transports；　but　their　tinder…box　construction　made　fire…traps　of　them；　requiring　unremitting　vigilance。　　These　points　were　well　understood；　and　the　readiness　with　which　the　troops　adapted　themselves　to　circumstances　was　a　constant　source　of　wonder　and　congratulations。

〃The　fleet　collected　at　Friar's　Point　for　final　orders；　and　there　the　order　of　sailing　was　laid　down　with　great　minuteness；　and　private　instructions　issued　to　commanders　of　divisions；　all　of　whom　had　personal　interviews　with　the　commanding　general；　and　received　personal　explanations　on　pretty　much　every　point　involved。　　Our　headquarters　boat；　the　Forest　Queen；　was　not　very　comfortable；　nor　well　provided；　but　General　Sherman　submitted　cheerfully；　on　the　grounds　of　duty；　and　thought　Conway　a　fine　fellow。　　I　was　only　able　to　concede　that　he　was　a　good　steamboat　captain。。。。

〃Our　camp　appointments　were　Spartan　in　the　extreme；　and　in　their　simplicity　would　have　met　the　demands　of　any　demagogue　in　the　land。　The　nights　were　cold　and　damp；　and　General　Sherman　uncomfortably　active　in　his　preparations；　so　that　the　assistant　adjutant…general　had　no　very　luxurious　　post　just　then。　　We　were　surrounded　with　sloughs。　　The　ground　was　wet；　and　the　water；　although　in　winter；　was　very　unwholesome。　　Many　of　our　men；　to　this　day；　have　reminders　of　the　Yazoo　in　ague；　fevers；　and　diseases　of　the　bowels。　　Cavalry　was　useless。　　One　battalion　of　Illinois　cavalry　was　strongly　suspected　of　camping　in　the　timber；　until　time　passed　enough　to　justify　the　suspicion　of　having　been　somewhere。　　Really　the　strength　of　Vicksburg　was　in　being　out　of　reach　of　attack。。。。

〃My　orders　were　to　learn　and　report　what　was　going　on　on　the　right；　particularly　to　try　and　form　an　idea　of　the　enemy's　force　in　front　of　M。　L。　Smith's　division；　and　at　the　sand…bar。　　Leaving　my　horse　close　in　the　rear　of　the　Sixth　Missouri；　when　the　fire　became　too　heavy　for　riding；　I　succeeded；　by　taking　frequent　cover；　in　reaching　unhurt　the　verge　of　the　bayou　among　the　drift…logs。　There；　by　concert　of　action　with　Lieutenant…Colonel　Blood；　of　the　Sixth　Missouri；　his　regiment；　and　the　Thirteenth　Regular　Infantry；　kept　up　a　heavy　fire　on　everything　that　showed　along　the　levee　and　earthworks　in　front。　　The　enemy　were　behind　the　embankment；　not　over　one　hundred　and　fifty　yards　across　the　bayou。　　Several　officers；　including　Colonel　Blood；　Colonel　Kilby　Smith；　and　myself；　managed；　by　getting　on　the　piles　of　drift；　to　see　over　the　levee　through　the　cleared　fields　beyond；　even　to　the　foot　of　the　bluff。　The　chips　and　twigs　flew　around　lively　enough；　but　we　staid　up　long　enough　to　make　sure　that　the　enemy　had　as　many　men　behind　the　levee　as　could　get　cover。　　We　saw；　also；　a　line　of　rifle…pits　in　the　rear；　commanding　the　rear　of　the　levee；　and　still　beyond；　winding　along　the　foot　of　the　bluff；　a　road　worn　by　long　use　deep　into　the　side…hill；　and　with　the　side　next　us　strengthened　with　a　good　earthwork；　affording　a　covered　line　of　communication　in　the　rear。　The　fire　of　our　men　was　so　well　maintained　that　we　were　able　to　see　all　these　things；　say　a　minute　or　more。　　Some　of　those　who　ventured　were　wounded；　but　those　mentioned　and　myself　escaped　unhurt。　　I　advised　that　men　enough　to　hold　the　position；　once　acrosssay　three　hundredshould　make　a　rush　（protected　as　our　lookout　had　been　by　a　heavy　fire）　across　the　sand…bar；　and　get　a　footing　under　the　other　bank　of　the　bayou；　as　the　nucleus　of　an　attacking　force；　if　General　Sherman　decided　to　attack　there；　or　to　make　a　strong　diversion　if　the　attack　was　made　at　the　head　of　Chickasaw　Bayou；　in　front　of　Morgan。　　General　A。　J。　Smith；　commanding　First　and　Second　Divisions；　approved　of　this。　　While　returning　to　General　Sherman；　I　passed　along　the　Second　and　part　of　the　Third　Division。　　On　the　left　of　the　Second　I　found　a　new　Illinois　regiment；　high　up　in　numbers；　working　its　way　into　position。　　The　colonel；　a　brave　but　inexperienced　officer；　was　trying　to　lead　his　men　according　to　the　popular　pictorial　idea；　viz。；　riding　in　advance　waving　his　sword。　I　was　leading　my　horse；　and　taking　advantage　of　such　cover　as　I　could　find　on　my　course；　but　this　man　acted　so　bravely　that　I　tried　to　save　him。　　He　did　not　accept　my　expostulations　with　very　good　grace；　but　was　not　rough　about　it。　　While　I　was　begging　him　to　dismount；　he　waved　his　sword　and　advanced。　　In　a　second　he　was　shot；　through　the　chest；　and　dropped　from　his　horse；　plucky　to　the　last。　He　died；　I　was　told；　within　the　hour。　　Many　of　the　regiments　were　new　and　inexperienced；　but　as　a　rule　behaved　well。　　The　fire　along　the　bayou　was　severe；　but　not　very　fatal；　on　account　of　the　cover。　　I　was　constantly　asked　what　news　from　Grant；　for　from　the　moment　of　our　arrival　in　the　Yazoo　we　were　in　expectation　of　either　hearing　his　guns　in　the　rear；　or　of　having　communication　with　him。　This　encouraged　the　men　greatly；　but　the　long　waiting　was　disappointing；　as　the　enemy　was　evidently　in　large　force　in　the　plenty　of　works；　and　a　very　strong　position。　　Careful　estimates　and　available　information　placed　their　force　at　fifteen　to　twenty　thousand　men。　　I　returned　to　headquarters　about　the　middle　of　the　afternoon；　and　made　my　report　to　the　general。　　We　were　busy　till　after　midnight；　and　again　early　in　the　morning　of　the　29th；　in　preparing　orders　for　the　attack。　　These　were　unusually　minute　in　detail。　　It　seemed　as　though　no　contingency　was　left　unprovided　for。　　Urgent　orders　and　cautions　as　to　rations　and　ammunition　were　given。　　Drawings　of　the　line　of　attack；　orders　for　supports；　all　and　everything　was　foreseen　and　given　in　writing；　with　personal　explanations　to　commanders　of　divisions；　brigades；　and　even　commanders　of　regiments。　　Indeed；　the　commanding　general；　always　careful　as　to　detail；　left　nothing　to　chance；　and　with　experienced　and　ordinate　officers　we　would　have　succeeded；　for　the　troops　were　good。　　The　general　plan　involved　a　feint　on　our　left　toward　Haines's　Bluff；　by　the　navy；　under　Admiral　Porter；　with　whom　we　were　in　constant　communication；　while　between　him　and　General　Sherman　perfect　harmony　existed。　　On　the　right　a　demonstration　by　A。　J。　Smith　was　to　be　made。　　The　Second　Division　（Stuart's）　was　to　cross　the　sand…bar；　and　the　Third　（General　Morgan's）　was　to　cross　on　a　small　bridge　over　the　dough　at　the　head　of　Chickasaw　Bayou；　and；　supported　by　Steele；　was　to　push　straight　for　the　Bluff　at　the　nearest　spur　where　there　was　a　battery　in　position；　and　to　effect　a　a　lodgment　there　and　in　the　earthworks。　　General　Sherman　gave　his　orders　in　person　to　Morgan　and　Steele。　　I　understood　Morgan　to　promise　that　he　would　lead　his　division　in　person；　and　be　seemed　to　expect　an　easy　victory；　and　expressed　himself　freely　to　that　effect。　　The　aides　were　sent　out；　until　I　was　left　alone　with　the　general　and　a　couple　of　orderlies。　　He　located　himself　in　a　position　easy　of　access；　and　the　most　convenient　afforded　to　the　point　of　attack。　　He　directed　me　to　see　what　I　could；　and　report　if　I　met　anything　that　he　should　know。　　I　galloped　as　fast　as　possible　to　the　right；　and　found　part　of　the　Sixth　Missouri　pushing　over　the　sand…bar　covered　by　the　Thirteenth　Regulars　with　a　heavy　fire。　　We　supposed；　if　once　across；　they　could　get　up　the　bank　and　turn　the　levee　against　the　enemy；　and　left　with　that　impression。　　Being　in　heavy　timber；　I　was　not　quite　sure　of　my　way　back　to　the　general；　his　location　being　new；　and　therefore　pushed　full　gallop　for　Morgan's　front；　catching　a　good　many　stray　shots　from　the　sharpshooters　behind　the　levee；　as　I　was　compelled　to　keep　in　sight　of　the　bayou　to　hold　direction。　　Somethin