the army of the cumberland-第10章

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d　to　free；　for　a　time　at　least；　Tennessee　from　the　control　of　the　Federal　forces。

With　the　start　thus　made　by　both　commands　for　Chattanooga；　everything　was　in　favor　of　Bragg；　whose　movements　were　unimpeded；　as　his　route　was　south　of　the　Tennessee；　through　his　own　territory；　with　his　lines　of　communication　open　when　he　arrived　at　that　place。　With　Buell；　the　repairs　of　the　railroad　retarded　his　progress；　and　the　advance　weakened　his　command　by　the　increased　number　of　detachments　required　to　guard　his　line　as　it　lengthened。

McCook's　and　Crittenden's　commands　were　started　eastward；　the　first　from　Corinth；　and　the　latter　from　Booneville。　　McCook　reached　Florence　on　the　15th　of　June；　where　ferryboats　had　been　provided　by　Mitchel　for　the　crossing　of　his　division。　　A　delay　was　occasioned　here　by　the　report　that　Nelson　had　been　attacked；　but　this　was　found　to　be　false；　and；　on　the　26th；　the　divisions　of　McCook；　Crittenden；　and　Nelson　crossed；　and　started　at　once　for　Athens；　which　place　they　reached　on　the　29th。　　On　the　same　day　Buell　established　his　headquarters　at　Huntsville；　Ala。；　and　gave　personal　supervision　to　the　repair　of　the　railroads；　now　extremely　urgent。　　He　placed　his　troops　by　division　upon　the　different　sections　of　the　line；　under　orders　to　push　repairs　with　all　possible　expedition。　　These　troops；　as　repairs　were　made；　advanced　from　time　to　time；　concentrating　on　the　line　of　the　Nashville　and　Chattanooga　road。　　The　repairs　to　this　railroad　were　completed　on　July　28th；　and　on　the　Nashville　and　Decatur　road　on　August　3d。　　During　the　latter　part　of　July　the　last　division　of　Buell's　army；　under　Thomas；　crossed　the　Tennessee　River；　being　relievedon　the　line　of　the　Memphis　and　Charleston　Railroadby　troops　from　Grant's　army。　　Thomas　established　his　headquarters　at　Dechard。　　It　was　on　this　march　with　his　brigade　that　General　Robert　L。　McCook　was　murdered　by　guerillas。　　He　was　riding　in　an　ambulance；　ill　at　the　time；　and　unarmed。

Nelson's　division　had　been　sent　to　Murfreesboro　about　the　middle　of　July；　to　drive　Forrest；　who；　with　his　cavalry；　on　the　13th；　attacked　the　Federal　garrison　in　the　town。　　The　post　was　under　the　command　of　General　T。　L。　Crittenden；　and　the　troops　composting　the　Twenty…third　Brigade　were　under　the　command　of　Colonel　Duffield。　There　was；　unfortunately；　a　disagreement　between　the　ranking　officers　at　the　post　that　led　to　the　most　unfortunate　results。　　Colonel　Lester；　of　the　Third　Minnesota；　during　the　absence　of　Duffield；　commanding　the　brigade；　had；　by　reason　of　the　unpleasant　relations　existing　between　portions　of　the　command；　widely　distributed　them　in　different　parts　of　the　town。　　On　the　return　of　Crittenden　and　Duffield　on　July　11th；　neither　of　them　assumed　command；　and　their　dignity；　thinking　more　of　their　own　personal　importance　than　the　good　of　the　service。　　With　no　one　in　command；　there　was　no　unity　or　proper　〃esprit　de　corps〃　among　the　troops；　and　no　disposition　for　defence　when　Forrest　made　his　attack。　　the　latter　had　advanced　through　McMinnville　from　Chattanooga；　with　about　two　thousand　men；　and　arrived　at　Murfreesboro　about　five　o'clock　on　the　morning　of　the　13th；　captured　the　pickets；　and　made　disposition　of　his　forces　for　immediate　attack。　　Forming　his　entire　command　into　columns　of　fours；　with　the　Eighth　Texas　in　front；　Forrest　moved　forward　on　a　trot　until　he　reached　the　Federal　encampments；　which　Colonel　Wharton；　with　two　regiments；　charged。　　The　Second　Georgia　dashed　into　the　town；　captured　the　provost　guard　and　all　Federal　officers　and　men　on　the　streets；　seized　and　secured　the　supplies。

Major　Smith　with　the　Kentucky　troops　was　sent　to　the　rear　of　the　Federal　command　to　cut　off　the　retreat。　　The　Texans　charged　into　the　camp　of　the　Ninth　Michigan；　and　reaching　the　tents；　roused　some　of　the　men　from　sleep。　　A　portion　of　that　regiment；　however；　rallied　by　the　officers；　made　a　handsome　stand　and　drove　the　Texans　off。　　Duffield　was　wounded　while　rallying　his　men。　　The　Second　Georgia　charged　into　the　public　square　and　surrounded　the　Court　House；　occupied　by　a　company　of　the　Ninth　Michigan；　who　twice　repulsed　the　attacking　force。　　Reinforcements　being　brought　forward；　the　doors　of　the　building　were　battered　down　and　the　company　was　forced　to　surrender。　　Forrest　now　attacked　the　Third　Minnesota　on　the　east　bank　of　Stone's　River；　about　a　mile　and　a　half　from　town；　which　had　just　left　their　camp　to　join　the　force　in　the　town；　when　Forrest　with　three　regiments　moved　to　the　attack。

Colonel　Lester　formed　his　command　in　line　of　battle；　with　nine　companies　of　infantry　and　four　pieces　of　artillery；　and　opened　fire　on　the　rebels　as　they　advanced。　　Forrest　attempting　to　get　to　the　rear　of　his　force；　encountered　the　camp　guard　of　some　hundred　men　left　by　Lester　to　protect　his　camp；　posted　behind　a　strong　barricade　of　wagons　and　some　large　ledges　of　rocks；　difficult　to　carry。　Forrest　at　once　ordered　a　charge　which　was　twice　made　and　repulsed。　Leading　his　men　the　third　time；　he　succeeded　in　driving　the　guard　from　their　position　to　the　main　command；　posted　some　six　hundred　yards　away。　　It　was　now　one　o'clock；　and　beyond　the　skirmishes　between　the　commands　but　little　had　been　accomplished。

Forrest's　officers　urged　him　to　withdraw　with　the　results　obtained　up　to　that　time。　　This　he　refused　to　do；　and　made　disposition　of　his　command　for　further　attack　on　the　Federal　forces　occupying　the　camp　of　the　Ninth　Michigan；　which　consisted　of　this　regiment　and　a　company　of　the　Second　Kentucky　cavalry。　　He　dismounted　two　of　his　regiments　and　threw　forward　skirmishers；　directed　them　to　open　brisk　firing；　and　sent　the　Second　Georgia　dismounted　to　attack　on　the　left。　　After　this　he　brought　up　the　Eighth　Texas　and　placed　them　in　position　to　charge　on　the　left。

Having　made　this　disposition　of　his　forces；　he　sent　forward；　under　a　flag　of　truce；　a　written　demand　for　the　surrender　of　Duffield's　command；　which　was　complied　with　at　once。　　After　this；　Forrest　demanded　the　surrender　of　the　Third　Minnesota；　which　Lester；　after　an　interview　with　Duffield　and　a　consultation　with　his　own　officers；　made；　surrendering　some　five　hundred　infantry　of　his　regiment　and　two　sections　of　Hewitt's　battery　of　artillery。　　The　entire　forces　surrendered　were　seventeen　hundred　troops　with　four　pieces　of　artillery。　　Forrest　captured　about　six　hundred　horses　and　mules；　and　a　very　large　quantity　of　stores　and　Government　supplies；　part　of　which　he　carried　away　and　the　rest　he　destroyed；　to　the　value　of　nearly　a　million　of　dollars。

This　loss　occurred　the　day　after　the　opening　of　the　road　from　Nashville　south；　and　very　seriously　interfered　with　the　movements　at　the　front。　　Nelson　endeavored　to　intercept　Forest；　but　could　not　successfully　〃chase　cavalry　with　infantry。〃　　Forrest　on　Nelson's　approach　withdrew　to　McMinnville；　and　from　there　made　a　dash　on　Lebanon；　some　fifty　miles　distant；　where　he　expected　to　find　a　force　of　five　hundred　Federal　cavalry。　　This　force　escaped　him；　and　he　then　swept　around　to　the　south　of　Nashville；　captured　150　bridge　guards　and　burned　four　bridges。　　Learning　that　Nelson　was　again　in　pursuit　of　him；　Forrest　returned　to　McMinnville。

From　this　point　he　made　repeated　raids　on　the　line　of　road　south　of　Nashville；　leaving　Morgan　to　operate　against　the　Louisville　and　Nashville　Railroad。　　These　raiders　were　able　to　move　almost　without　opposition；　as　Buell　was　without　sufficient　cavalry　to　cope　with　them。　　The　latter　had　been　compelled　to　divide　his　cavalry　into　small　bands　to　run　down　the　guerillas　that　had　been　operating　on　his　line　of　railroad。　　Now　that　Forrest's　and　Morgan's　commands　had　become　so　formidable；　he　was　compelled　to　organize　his　cavalry　into　united　bodies　for　better　defensive　movements　against　these　raiders。　　The　Second　Indiana；　Fourth　and　Fifth　Kentucky；　and　Seventh　Pennsylvania　cavalry　regiments　he　formed　into　one　brigade；　and　on　August　11th；　he　sent　it　under　General　R。　W。　Johnson　against　Morgan；　who　had　been　ordered　by　Bragg　to　break　the　railroad　between　Louisville　and　Nashville；　in　order　to　retard　Buell's　movement　north　to　Louisville　as　much　as　possible；　and　who　was　operating　about　Gallatin；　Tennessee；　which　he　had　captured　with　200　prisoners。　Colonel　Boone　was　in　command　of　the　Federal　forces　at　this