memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第77章
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neral C。 S。 Hamilton of 'Rosecrans's army corps；' had passed the Hatchie from Corinth；〃 and was destined for Holly Springs； ordering me to 〃cooperate as far as advisable；〃 but 〃not to neglect the protection of the road。〃 I ordered General Hurlbut to leave detachments at Grand Junction and Lagrange； and to march for Holly Springs。 I left detachments at Moscow and Lafayette； and； with about four thousand men； marched for the same point。 Hurlbut and I met at Hudsonville； and thence marched to the Coldwater； within four miles of Holly Springs。 We encountered only small detachments of rebel cavalry under Colonels Jackson and Pierson； and drove them into and through Holly Springs； but they hung about； and I kept an infantry brigade in Holly Springs to keep them out。 I heard nothing from General Hamilton till the 5th of July； when I received a letter from him dated Rienzi； saying that he had been within nineteen miles of Holly Springs and had turned back for Corinth； and on the next day； July 6th； I got a telegraph order from General Halleck； of July 2d； sent me by courier from Moscow； 〃not to attempt to hold Holly Springs； but to fall back and protect the railroad。〃 We accordingly marched back twenty…five milesHurlbut to Lagrange； and I to Moscow。 The enemy had no infantry nearer than the Tallahatchee bridge； but their cavalry was saucy and active； superior to ours； and I despaired of ever protecting a railroad； preventing a broad front of one hundred miles； from their dashes。
About this time； we were taunted by the Confederate soldiers and citizens with the assertion that Lee had defeated McClellan at Richmond； that he would soon be in Washington； and that our turn would come next。 The extreme caution of General Halleck also indicated that something had gone wrong； and； on the 16th of July； at Moscow； I received a dispatch from him； announcing that he had been summoned to Washington； which he seemed to regret； and which at that moment I most deeply deplored。 He announced that his command would devolve on General Grant； who had been summoned around from Memphis to Corinth by way of Columbus； Kentucky； and that I was to go into Memphis to take command。 of the District of West Tennessee； vacated by General Grant。 By this time； also； I was made aware that the great； army that had assembled at Corinth at the end of May had been scattered and dissipated； and that terrible disasters had befallen our other armies in Virginia and the East。
I soon received orders to move to Memphis； taking Hurlbut's division along。 We reached Memphis on the 21st； and on the 22d I posted my three brigades mostly in and near Fort Dickering； and Hurlbut's division next below on the river…bank by reason of the scarcity of water； except in the Mississippi River itself。 The weather was intensely hot。 The same order that took us to Memphis required me to send the division of General Lew Wallace （then commanded by Brigadier…General A。 P。 Hovey） to Helena； Arkansas； to report to General Curtis； which was easily accomplished by steamboat。 I made my own camp in a vacant lot； near Mr。 Moon's house； and gave my chief attention to the construction of Fort Pickering； then in charge of Major Prime； United States Engineers； to perfecting the drill and discipline of the two divisions under my command； and to the administration of civil affairs。
At the time when General Halleck was summoned from Corinth to Washington； to succeed McClellan as commander…in…chief； I surely expected of him immediate and important results。 The Army of the Ohio was at the time marching toward Chattanooga； and was strung from Eastport by Huntsville to Bridgeport； under the command of General Buell。 In like manner； the Army of the Tennessee was strung along the same general line； from Memphis to Tuscumbia； and was commanded by General Grant； with no common commander for both these forces： so that the great army which General Halleck had so well assembled at Corinth； was put on the defensive； with a frontage of three hundred miles。 Soon thereafter the rebels displayed peculiar energy and military skill。 General Bragg had reorganized the army of Beauregard at Tupelo； carried it rapidly and skillfully toward Chattanooga； whence he boldly assumed the offensive； moving straight for Nashville and Louisville； and compelling General Buell to fall back to the Ohio River at Louisville。
The army of Van Dorn and Price had been brought from the trans…Mississippi Department to the east of the river； and was collected at and about Holly Springs； where； reenforced by Armstrong's and Forrests cavalry； it amounted to about forty thousand brave and hardy soldiers。 These were General Grant's immediate antagonists； and so many and large detachments had been drawn from him； that for a time he was put on the defensive。 In person he had his headquarters at Corinth； with the three divisions of Hamilton； Davies； and McKean； under the immediate orders of General Rosecrans。 General Ord had succeeded to the division of McClernand （who had also gone to Washington）； and held Bolivar and Grand Junction。 I had in Memphis my own and Hurlbut's divisions； and other smaller detachments were strung along the Memphis & Charleston road。 But the enemy's detachments could strike this road at so many points； that no use could be made of it； and General Grant had to employ the railroads； from Columbus； Kentucky； to Corinth and Grand Junction； by way of Jackson； Tennessee； a point common to both roads； and held in some force。
In the early part of September the enemy in our front manifested great activity； feeling with cavalry at all points； and on the 13th General Van Dorn threatened Corinth； while General Price seized the town of Iuka； which was promptly abandoned by a small garrison under Colonel Murphy。 Price's force was about eight thousand men； arid the general impression was that he was en route for Eastport； with the purpose to cross the Tennessee River in the direction of Nashville； in aid of General Bragg； then in full career for Kentucky。 General Grant determined to attack him in force； prepared to regain Corinth before Van Dorn could reach it。 He had drawn Ord to Corinth； and moved him； by Burnsville； on Iuka； by the main road； twenty…six miles。 General Grant accompanied this column as far as Burnsville。 At the same time he had dispatched Rosecrans by roads to the south； via Jacinto； with orders to approach Iuka by the two main roads； coming into Iuka from the south； viz。； they Jacinto and Fulton roads。
On the 18th General Ord encountered the enemy about four miles out of Iuka。 His orders contemplated that he should not make a serious attack； until Rosecrans had gained his position on the south； but； as usual； Rosecrans had encountered difficulties in the confusion of roads； his head of column did not reach the vicinity of Iuka till 4 p。m。 of the 19th； and then his troops were long drawn out on the single Jacinto road； leaving the Fulton road clear for Price's use。 Price perceived his advantage； and attacked with vehemence the head of Rosecrans's column； Hamilton's division； beating it back； capturing a battery； and killing and disabling seven hundred and thirty…six men； so that when night closed in Rosecrans was driven to the defensive； and Price； perceiving his danger； deliberately withdrew by the Fulton road； and the next morning was gone。 Although General Ord must have been within four or six miles of this battle； he did not hear a sound； and he or General Grant did not know of it till advised the next morning by a courier who had made a wide circuit to reach them。 General Grant was much offended with General Rosecrans because of this affair； but in my experience these concerted movements generally fail； unless with the very best kind of troops； and then in a country on whose roads some reliance can be placed； which is not the case in Northern Mississippi。 If Price was aiming for Tennessee； he failed； and was therefore beaten。 He made a wide circuit by the south； and again joined Van Dorn。
On the 6th of September； at Memphis； I received an order from General Grant dated the 2d； to send Hurlbut's division to Brownsville； in the direction of Bolivar； thence to report by letter to him
