memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第7章
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the stage to Chillicothe； Ohio； November 16th； having Henry Stanberry； Esq。； and wife； as travelling companions； We continued by stage。 next day to Portsmouth； Ohio。
At Portsmouth Mr。 Stanberry took a boat up the river； and I one down to Cincinnati。 There I found my brothers Lampson and Hoyt employed in the 〃Gazette〃 printing…office； and spent much time with them and Charles Anderson； Esq。； visiting his brother Larz； Mr。 Longworth； some of his artist friends； and especially Miss Sallie Carneal； then quite a belle； and noted for her fine voice；
On the 20th I took passage on the steamboat Manhattan for St。 Louis； reached Louisville； where Dr。 Conrad； of the army； joined me； and in the Manhattan we continued on to St。 Louis； with a mixed crowd。 We reached the Mississippi at Cairo the 23d； and St。 Louis； Friday； November 24； 1843。 At St。 Louis we called on Colonel S。 W。 Kearney and Major Cooper； his adjutant…general； and found my classmate； Lieutenant McNutt； of the ordnance； stationed at the arsenal； also Mr。 Deas； an artist； and Pacificus Ord； who was studying law。 I spent a week at St。 Louis； visiting the arsenal； Jefferson Barracks； and most places of interest； and then became impressed with its great future。 It then contained about forty thousand people； and my notes describe thirty…six good steamboats receiving and discharging cargo at the levee。
I took passage December 4th in the steamer John Aull for New Orleans。 As we passed Cairo the snow was falling； and the country was wintery and devoid of verdure。 Gradually； however； as we proceeded south； the green color came； grass and trees showed the change of latitude； and when in the course of a week we had reached New Orleans； the roses were in full bloom； the sugar…cane just ripe； and a tropical air prevalent。 We reached New Orleans December 11； 1843； where I spent about a week visiting the barracks； then occupied by the Seventh Infantry； the theatres； hotels； and all the usual places of interest of that day。
On the 16th of December I continued on to Mobile in the steamer Fashion by way of Lake Pontchartrain； saw there most of my personal friends； Mr。 and Mrs。 Bull； Judge Bragg and his brother Dunbar； Deshon； Taylor； and Myers； etc。； and on the 19th of December took passage in the steamboat Bourbon for Montgomery； Alabama； by way of the Alabama River。 We reached Montgomery at noon； December 23d； and took cars at 1 p。 m。for Franklin； forty miles； which we reached at 7 p。 m。； thence stages for Griffin； Georgia； via La Grange and Greenville。 This took the whole night of the 23d and the day of the 24th。 At Griffin we took cars for Macon； and thence to Savannah； which we reached Christmas…night； finding Lieutenants Ridgley and Ketchum at tea； where we were soon joined by Rankin and Beckwith。
On the 26th I took the boat for Charleston； reaching my post； and reported for duty Wednesday morning； December 27； 1843。
I had hardly got back to my post when； on the 21st of January； 1844； I received from Lieutenant R。 P。 Hammond； at Marietta； Georgia； an intimation that Colonel Churchill； Inspector…General of the Army； had applied for me to assist him in taking depositions in upper Georgia and Alabama； concerning certain losses by volunteers in Florida of horses and equipments by reason of the failure of the United States to provide sufficient forage； and for which Congress had made an appropriation。 On the 4th of February the order came from the Adjutant…General in Washington for me to proceed to Marietta； Georgia； and report to Inspector…General Churchill。 I was delayed till the 14th of February by reason of being on a court…martial； when I was duly relieved and started by rail to Augusta； Georgia； and as far as Madison； where I took the mail…coach； reaching Marietta on the 17th。 There I reported for duty to Colonel Churchill； who was already engaged on his work； assisted by Lieutenant R。 P。 Hammond； Third Artillery； and a citizen named Stockton。 The colonel had his family with him； consisting of Mrs。 Churchill； Mary； now Mrs。 Professor Baird； and Charles Churchill； then a boy of about fifteen years of age。
We all lived in a tavern； and had an office convenient。 The duty consisted in taking individual depositions of the officers and men who had composed two regiments and a battalion of mounted volunteers that had served in Florida。 An oath was administered to each man by Colonel Churchill； who then turned the claimant over to one of us to take down and record his deposition according to certain forms； which enabled them to be consolidated and tabulated。 We remained in Marietta about six weeks； during which time I repeatedly rode to Kenesaw Mountain； and over the very ground where afterward； in 1864； we had some hard battles。
After closing our business at Marietta the colonel ordered us to transfer our operations to Bellefonte； Alabama。 As he proposed to take his family and party by the stage； Hammond lent me his riding…horse； which I rode to Allatoona and the Etowah River。 Hearing of certain large Indian mounds near the way； I turned to one side to visit them； stopping a couple of days with Colonel Lewis Tumlin； on whose plantation these mounds were。 We struck up such an acquaintance that we corresponded for some years； and as I passed his plantation during the war； in 1864； I inquired for him； but he was not at home。 From Tumlin's I rode to Rome； and by way of Wills Valley over Sand Mountain and the Raccoon Range to the Tennessee River at Bellefonte； Alabama。 We all assembled there in March； and continued our work for nearly two months； when； having completed the business； Colonel Churchill； with his family； went North by way of Nashville； Hammond； Stockton； and I returning South on horseback； by Rome； Allatoona； Marietta； Atlanta； and Madison； Georgia。 Stockton stopped at Marietta； where he resided。 Hammond took the cars at Madison； and I rode alone to Augusta； Georgia； where I left the horse and returned to Charleston and Fort Moultrie by rail。
Thus by a mere accident I was enabled to traverse on horseback the very ground where in after…years I had to conduct vast armies and fight great battles。 That the knowledge thus acquired was of infinite use to me； and consequently to the Government； I have always felt and stated。
During the autumn of 1844； a difficulty arose among the officers of Company B； Third Artillery （John R。 Yinton's）； garrisoning Augusta Arsenal； and I was sent up from Fort Moultrie as a sort of peace…maker。 After staying there some months； certain transfers of officers were made； which reconciled the difficulty； and I returned to my post； Fort Moultrie。 During that winter； 1844…'45； I was visiting at the plantation of Mr。 Poyas； on the east branch of the Cooper； about fifty miles from Fort Moultrie； hunting deer with his son James； and Lieutenant John F。 Reynolds； Third Artillery。 We had taken our stands； and a deer came out of the swamp near that of Mr。 James Poyas； who fired； broke the leg of the deer； which turned back into the swamp and came out again above mine。 I could follow his course by the cry of the hounds； which were in close pursuit。 Hastily mounting my horse； I struck across the pine…woods to head the deer off； and when at full career my horse leaped a fallen log and his fore…foot caught one of those hard； unyielding pineknots that brought him with violence to the ground。 I got up as quick as possible； and found my right arm out of place at the shoulder； caused by the weight of the double…barrelled gun。
Seeing Reynolds at some distance； I called out lustily and brought him to me。 He soon mended the bridle and saddle； which had been broken by the fall； helped me on my horse； and we followed the coarse of the hounds。 At first my arm did not pain me much； but it soon began to ache so that it was almost unendurable。 In about three miles we came to a negro hut； where I got off and rested till Reynolds could overtake Poyas and bring him back。 They came at last； but by that time the arm was so swollen and painful that I could not ride。 They rigged up an old gig belonging to the negro； in which I was carried six miles to the plantation of Mr。 Poyas； Sr。 A neighboring physician was sent for； who tried the
