memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第123章
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！
you。 J。 E。 TOURTELOTTE； Colonel and Aide…de…Camp。
On 29th December； 1862； at Chickasaw Bayou； I was in command of the Thirty…first Missouri Volunteer Infantry； First Brigade； First Division； Fifteenth Army Corps （Blair's brigade）。 Colonel Wyman； of the Thirteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry； having been killed； I was the senior colonel of the brigade。 General Blair rode up to where my regiment lay； and said to me：
〃We are to make a charge here； we will charge in two lines； your regiment will be in the first line； and the Twenty…ninth （Cavender's） will support you。 Form here in the timber； and move out across the bayou on a double…quick； and go right on to the top of the heights in your front。〃 He then told me to await a signal。 I then attempted to make a reconnaissance of the ground over which we would have to charge； and rode out to the open ground in my front； and saw that there was water and soft mud in the bayou； and was fired upon by the sharp…shooters of the enemy； and turned and went back into the woods where my command lay。 Soon after that General Blair came near me； and I told him there was water and mud in the bayou； and I doubted if we could get across。 He answered me that General Morgan told him there was no water nor mud to hinder us。 I remarked that I had seen it myself； and General Morgan； or any one else； could see it if he world risk being shot at pretty lively。 I then told General Blair that it was certain destruction to us if we passed over the abatis upon the open ground where there had once been a corn…field； that we could never reach the base of the hill。 He turned to me and said； 〃Can't you take your regiment up there？〃 I told him； 〃Yes； I can take my regiment anywhere； because the men do not know any better than to go；〃 but remarked that old soldiers could not be got to go up there。 General Blair then said； 〃Tom； if we succeed； this will be a grand thing； you will have the glory of leading the assault。〃 He then went on to say that General Morgan's division would support us； and they were heroes of many battles； and pointed to the Fifty…eighth Ohio； then forming in the rear of the Thirteenth Illinois on my right； and said： 〃See these men？ They are a part of Morgan's division； and are heroes of many battles。〃 I laughingly said that they might be heroes； but the regiment did not number as many as one of my companies。 He again assured me we would be supported by Morgan's division； and all I had to do was to keep right on and 〃keep going till you get into Vicksburg。〃 I took my position in advance of my regiment and awaited the signal。 When we heard it； we raised a shout； and started at a double…quick； the Thirteenth Illinois on my right。 I saw no troops on my left。 When we emerged from the woods； the enemy opened upon us； crossing the bayou under fire； and many of the men sinking in the mud and water； our line was very much disordered； but we pretty well restored it before reaching the abatis。 Here we were greatly disordered； but somewhat restored the line on reaching the plateau or corn…field。 The Twenty…ninth Missouri came on； gallantly supporting us。 The Thirteenth Illinois came out upon the corn…field； and the Fifty…eighth Ohio followed close upon it。 There was firing to my left； and as I afterward learned was from the Fourth Iowa of Thayer's brigade （and I believe of Steele's division）。 I was struck and fell； and my regiment went back in great disorder。 The fire was terrific。 I saw beyond the Thirteenth Illinois； to my right； a disordered line； and learned afterward it was the Sixteenth Ohio。 When I was taken from the field by the enemy and taken into Vicksburg； I found among the wounded and prisoners men and officers of the Sixteenth and Fifty…eighth Ohio； and of the Twenty…ninth and Thirty…first Missouri； and Thirteenth Illinois。 After I was exchanged and joined my command； General Blair laughingly remarked to me that I had literally obeyed his order and gone 〃straight on to Vicksburg。〃 He lamented the cutting to pieces of our force on that day。 We talked the whole matter over at his headquarters during the siege of Vicksburg。 He said that if the charge had been made along our whole line with the same vigor of attack made by his brigade； and if we had been supported as Morgan promised to do； we might have succeeded。 I dissented from the opinion that we could even then have succeeded。 I asked him what excuse Morgan gave for failing to support us； and he said that Colonel or General De Courcey was in some manner to blame for that； but he said Morgan was mistaken as to the nature of the ground and generally as to the feasibility of the whole thing； and was responsible for the failure to afford us the support he had promised； that he and General Sherman and all of them were misled by the statements and opinions of Morgan as to the situation in our front； and Morgan was； on his part； deceived by the reports of his scouts about other matters as well as the matter of the water in the bayou。
THOMAS C。 FLETCHER
ARKANSAS POST。
Extracts from Admiral Porter's Journal。
Sherman and I had made arrangements to capture Arkansas Post。
On the 31st of December； while preparing to go out of the Yazoo； an army officer called to see me； and said that he belonged to General MeClernand's staff； and that the general was at the mouth of the Yazoo River； and desired to see me at once。 I sent word to the general that if he wished to see me he could have an opportunity by calling on board my flag…ship。
A few moments after I had heard the news of McClernand'a arrival； I saw Sherman pulling about in a boat； and hailed him； informing him that McClernand was at the mouth of the Yazoo。 Sherman then came on board； and； in consequence of this unexpected news； determined to postpone the movement out of the Yazoo River； and let McClernand take that upon himself。
General McClernand took my hint and came on board the flag…ship； but I soon discovered that any admiral； Grant； Sherman； or all the generals in the army； were nobody in his estimation。 Sherman had been at McClernand's headquarters to see him and state the condition of affairs； and he then suggested to the latter the plan of going to Arkansaw Post。
I had a number of fine maps hanging up in my cabin； and when McClernand came on board he examined them all with the eye of a connoisseur。 He then stated to me as a new thing the plan he proposed！！！ of going to Arkansas Post and stirring up our troops； which had been 〃demoralized by the late defeat〃 （Sherman was present； looking daggers at him）。 I answered； 〃Yes； General Sherman and myself have already arranged for going to Arkansas Post。〃 Sherman then made some remark about the disposition of the troops in the coming expedition； when McClernand gave him rather a curt answer。 McClernand then remarked； 〃If you will let me have three gunboats； I will go and take the place。〃 Now General McClernand had about as much idea of what a gunboat was； or could do； as the man in the moon。 He did not know； the difference between an ironclad and a 〃tin…clad。〃 He had heard that gunboats had taken Fort Henry； and that was all be knew about them。 I said to him： 〃I'll tell you what I will do； General MoClernand。 If General Sherman goes in command of the troops； I will go myself in command of a proper force； and will insure the capture of the post。〃 McClernand winced under this； and Sherman quietly walked off into the after…cabin。 He beckoned me to come there； while McClernand was apparently deeply engaged in studying out a chart； making believe he was interested； in order to conceal his temper。 Sherman said to me： 〃Admiral； how could you make such a remark to McClernand？ He hates me already； and you have made him an enemy for life。〃
〃I don't care；〃 said I； 〃he shall not treat you rudely in my cabin； and I was glad of the opportunity of letting him know my sentiments。〃 By this time； General McClernand having bottled up his wrath； or cooled down； I went in to him and we discussed the matter。 He consented that Sherman should go in command of the troops； and the interview ended pleasantly enough。
The above extracts from Admiral Porter's journal were sent by the admiral to G
