memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第4章

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f　St。　Augustine　with　his　own　company；　E；　and　G　（Garner's）；　then　commanded　by　Lieutenant　Judd。　In；　a　few　days　I　embarked　in　the　little　steamer　William　Gaston　down　the　coast；　stopping　one　day　at　New　Smyrna；　held　by　John　R。　Vinton's　company　（B）；　with　which　was　serving　Lieutenant　William　H。　Shover。

In　due　season　we　arrived　off　the　bar　of　Indian　River　and　anchored。　A　whale…boat　came　off　with　a　crew　of　four　men；　steered　by　a　character　of　some　note；　known　as　the　Pilot　Ashlock。　　I　transferred　self　and　baggage　to　this　boat；　and；　with　the　mails；　was　carried　through　the　surf　over　the　bar；　into　the　mouth　of　Indian　River　Inlet。　　It　was　then　dark；　we　transferred　to　a　smaller　boat；　and　the　same　crew　pulled　us　up　through　a　channel　in　the　middle　of　Mangrove　Islands；　the　roosting…place　of　thousands　of　pelicans　and　birds　that　rose　in　clouds　and　circled　above　our　heads。　　The　water　below　was　alive　with　fish；　whose　course　through　it　could　be　seen　by　the　phosphoric　wake；　and　Ashlock　told　me　many　a　tale　of　the　Indian　war　then　in　progress；　and　of　his　adventures　in　hunting　and　fishing；　which　he　described　as　the　best　in　the　world。　　About　two　miles　from　the　bar；　we　emerged　into　the　lagoon；　a　broad　expanse　of　shallow　water　that　lies　parallel　with　the　coast；　separated　from　it　by　a　narrow　strip　of　sand；　backed　by　a　continuous　series　of　islands　and　promontories；　covered　with　a　dense　growth　of　mangrove　and　saw…palmetto。　　Pulling　across　this　lagoon；　in　about　three　more　miles　we　approached　the　lights　of　Fort　Pierce。　　Reaching　a　small　wharf；　we　landed；　and　were　met　by　the　officers　of　the　post；　Lieutenants　George　Taylor　and　Edward　J。　Steptoe；　and　Assistant…Surgeon　James　Simons。　　Taking　the　mail…bag；　we　walked　up　a　steep　sand…bluff　on　which　the　fort　was　situated；　and　across　the　parade…ground　to　the　officers'　quarters。　　These　were　six　or　seven　log…houses；　thatched　with　palmetto…leaves；　built　on　high　posts；　with　a　porch　in　front；　facing　the　water。　　The　men's　quarters　were　also　of　logs　forming　the　two　sides　of　a　rectangle；　open　toward　the　water；　the　intervals　and　flanks　were　closed　with　log　stockades。　　I　was　assigned　to　one　of　these　rooms；　and　at　once　began　service　with　my　company；　A；　then　commanded　by　Lieutenant　Taylor。

The　season　was　hardly　yet　come　for　active　operations　against　the　Indians；　so　that　the　officers　were　naturally　attracted　to　Ashlock；　who　was　the　best　fisherman　I　ever　saw。　　He　soon　initiated　us　into　the　mysteries　of　shark…spearing；　trolling　for　red…fish；　and　taking　the　sheep's…head　and　mullet。　　These　abounded　so　that　we　could　at　any　time　catch　an　unlimited　quantity　at　pleasure。　　The　companies　also　owned　nets　for　catching　green　turtles。　　These　nets　had　meshes　about　a　foot　square；　were　set　across　channels　in　the　lagoon；　the　ends　secured　to　stakes　driven　into　the　mad；　the　lower　line　sunk　with　lead　or　stone　weights　and　the　upper　line　floated　with　cork。　We　usually　visited　these　nets　twice　a　day；　and　found　from　one　to　six　green　turtles　entangled　in　the　meshes。　　Disengaging　them；　they　were　carried　to　pens；　made　with　stakes　stuck　in　the　mud；　where　they　were　fed　with　mangrove…leaves；　and　our　cooks　had　at　all　times　an　ample　supply　of　the　best　of　green　turtles。　　They　were　so　cheap　and　common　that　the　soldiers　regarded　it　as　an　imposition　when　compelled　to　eat　green　turtle　steaks；　instead　of　poor　Florida　beef；　or　the　usual　barrelled　mess…pork。　　I　do　not　recall　in　my　whole　experience　a　spot　on　earth　where　fish；　oysters；　and　green　turtles　so　abound　as　at　Fort　Pierce；　Florida。

In　November；　Major　Childs　arrived　with　Lieutenant　Van　Vliet　and　a　detachment　of　recruits　to　fill　our　two　companies；　and　preparations　were　at　once　begun　for　active　operations　in　the　field。　　At　that　time　the　Indians　in　the　Peninsula　of　Florida　were　scattered；　and　the　war　consisted　in　hunting　up　and　securing　the　small　fragments；　to　be　sent　to　join　the　others　of　their　tribe　of　Seminoles　already　established　in　the　Indian　Territory　west　of　Arkansas。　　Our　expeditions　were　mostly　made　in　boats　in　the　lagoons　extending　from　the　〃Haul…over；〃　near　two　hundred　miles　above　the　fort；　down　to　Jupiter　Inlet；　about　fifty　miles　below；　and　in　the　many　streams　which　emptied　therein。　　Many　such　expeditions　were　made　during　that　winter；　with　more　or　less　success；　in　which　we　succeeded　in　picking　up　small　parties　of　men；　women；　and　children。　　On　one　occasion；　near　the　〃Haul…over；〃　when　I　was　not　present；　the　expedition　was　more　successful。　　It　struck　a　party　of　nearly　fifty　Indians；　killed　several　warriors；　and　captured　others。　　In　this　expedition　my　classmate；　lieutenant　Van　Vliet；　who　was　an　excellent　shot；　killed　a　warrior　who　was　running　at　full　speed　among　trees；　and　one　of　the　sergeants　of　our　company　（Broderick）　was　said　to　have　dispatched　three　warriors；　and　it　was　reported　that　he　took　the　scalp　of　one　and　brought　it　in　to　the　fort　as　a　trophy。　　Broderick　was　so　elated　that；　on　reaching　the　post；　he　had　to　celebrate　his　victory　by　a　big　drunk。

There　was　at　the　time　a　poor；　weakly　soldier　of　our　company　whose　wife　cooked　for　our　mess。　　She　was　somewhat　of　a　flirt；　and　rather　fond　of　admiration。　　Sergeant　Broderick　was　attracted　to　her；　and　hung　around　the　mess…house　more　than　the　husband　fancied；　so　he　reported　the　matter　to　Lieutenant　Taylor；　who　reproved　Broderick　for　his　behavior。　　A　few　days　afterward　the　husband　again　appealed　to　his　commanding　officer　（Taylor）；　who　exclaimed：　〃Haven't　you　got　a　musket？　　Can't　you　defend　your　own　family？〃　　Very　soon　after　a　shot　was　heard　down　by　the　mess…house；　and　it　transpired　that　the　husband　had　actually　shot　Broderick；　inflicting　a　wound　which　proved　mortal。　　The　law　and　army　regulations　required　that　the　man　should　be　sent　to　the　nearest　civil　court；　which　was　at　St。　Augustine；　accordingly；　the　prisoner　and　necessary　witnesses　were　sent　up　by　the　next　monthly　steamer。　　Among　the　latter　were　lieutenant　Taylor　and　the　pilot　Ashlock。

After　they　had　been　gone　about　a　month；　the　sentinel　on　the　roof…　top　of　our　quarters　reported　the　smoke　of　a　steamer　approaching　the　bar；　and；　as　I　was　acting　quartermaster；　I　took　a　boat　and　pulled　down　to　get　the　mail。　　I　reached　the　log…but　in　which　the　pilots　lived；　and　saw　them　start　with　their　boat　across　the　bar；　board　the　steamer；　and　then　return。　　Aahlock　was　at　his　old　post　at　the　steering…oar；　with　two　ladies；　who　soon　came　to　the　landing；　having　passed　through　a　very　heavy　surf；　and　I　was　presented　to　one　as　Mrs。　Ashlock；　and　the　other　as　her　sister；　a　very　pretty　little　Minorcan　girl　of　about　fourteen　years　of　age。　　Mrs。　Ashlock　herself　was　probably　eighteen　or　twenty　years　old；　and　a　very　handsome　woman。　　I　was　hurriedly　informed　that　the　murder　trial　was　in　progress　at　St。　Augustine；　that　Ashlock　had　given　his　testimony；　and　had　availed　himself　of　the　chance　to　take　a　wife　to　share　with　him　the　solitude　of　his　desolate　hut　on　the　beach　at　Indian　River。　He　had　brought　ashore　his　wife；　her　sister；　and　their　chests；　with　the　mail；　and　had　orders　to　return　immediately　to　the　steamer　（Gaston　or　Harney）　to　bring　ashore　some　soldiers　belonging　to　another　company；　E　（Braggs）；　which　had　been　ordered　from　St。　Augustine　to　Fort　Pierce。　　Ashlock　left　his　wife　and　her　sister　standing　on　the　beach　near　the　pilot…hut；　and　started　back　with　his　whale…boat　across　the　bar。　　I　also　took　the　mail　and　started　up　to　the　fort；　and　had　hardly　reached　the　wharf　when　I　observed　another　boat　following　me。　　As　soon　as　this　reached　the　wharf　the　men　reported　that　Ashlock　and　all　his　crew；　with　the　exception　of　one　man；　had　been　drowned　a　few　minutes　after　I　had　left　the　beach。　They　said　his　surf…boat　had　reached　the　steamer；　had　taken　on　board　a　load　of　soldiers；　some　eight　or　ten；　and　had　started　back　through　the　surf；　when　on　the　bar　a　heavy　breaker　upset　the　boat；　and　all　were　lost　except　the　boy　who　pulled　the　bow…oar；　who　clung　to　the　rope　or　painter；　hauled　himself　to　the　upset　boat；　held　on；　drifted　with　it　outside　the　breakers；　and　was　finally　beached　near　a　mile　down　the　coaSt。　They　reported　also　that　the　steamer　had　got　up　anchor；　run　in　as　close　to　the　bar　as　she　could；　paused　awhile；　and　then　had　started　down　the　coast。

I　instantly　took　a　fresh　crew　of　soldiers　and　returned　to　the　bar；　there　sat　poor　Mrs。　Ashlock　on　her　chest　o