the army of the cumberland-第12章

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f　Nelson's　defeat　also　reached　him　here。

On　August　16th；　Buell　had　ordered　Nelson　to　assume　command　in　Kentucky；　and　to　make　such　dispositions　of　his　troops　as　would　resist　any　movement　by　Kirby　Smith；　then　threatening　Cumberland　Gap。　　The　plan　of　the　rebels　in　their　campaign；　which　was　intended　to　free　the　soil　of　the　South　from　the　Northern　armies　by　carrying　the　war　into　the　North；　was　for　Kirby　Smith　to　move　through　Eastern　Kentucky　to　Lexington　and　thence　to　Cincinnati；　and　for　Bragg　to　push　through　Central　Kentucky　to　Louisville。　　With　these　two　cities　in　the　possession　of　their　armies　it　would　be　a　short　step　to　enter　upon　the　rich　fields　of　the　Northern　States；　and　with　the　large　number　of　new　recruits　gained　en　route　their　armies　could　resist　any　Northern　troops　that　would　be　brought　against　them。　　This　had　been　Sidney　Johnston's　plan　to　be　worked　out　after　he　had　achieved　the　victory　he　contemplated　at　Shiloh；　and　Bragg　as　his　successor　endeavored　to　carry　out　Johnston's　plan　of　campaign。　　One　was　as　much　a　success　as　the　other；　and　in　both　the　hour　of　defeat　trod　so　quickly　on　their　apparent　victory　that　the　campaign　in　each　instance　ultimately　resulted　in　failure。　　So　far　as　the　advance　of　Bragg　and　Kirby　Smith　into　Kentucky　was　concerned；　by　it　the　South　suffered　a　loss　instead　of　a　gain；　and　was　compelled　from　that　time　on　to　act　upon　a　steadily　lessening　line　of　defence。　　Bragg's　report　shows　he　took　a　smaller　command　out　than　he　took　into　the　State。

On　the　same　day　that　Nelson's　orders　were　dated；　Stevenson　appeared　with　his　division　before　Cumberland　Gap。　　George　W。　Morgan　in　command　there　immediately　sent　out　cavalry　to　the　adjoining　gaps　to　watch　for　further　movements　of　the　enemy。　　When　a　short　distance　from　Roger's　Gap　the　cavalry　struck　the　head　of　Kirby　Smith's　army　on　its　advance　to　Kentucky。　　Smith's　forces　were　those　of　his　own　command　in　East　Tennessee；　re…enforced　by　the　divisions　of　McCown　from　Mississippi；　sent　him　by　Bragg；　and　also　the　two　fine　brigades　of　Cleburne　and　Preston　Smith；　ordered　to　report　to　him　from　Chattanooga。　　Kirby　Smith　moved　with　his　main　command　to　Barboursville；　and　ordered　McCown　to　Cumberland　Ford　with　a　large　force；　which　cut　off　Morgan；　in　the　Gap；　from　his　base　of　supplies　in　that　direction。　Leaving　Stevenson　in　Morgan's　front　to　engage　his　attention；　Kirby　Smith　with　his　entire　force　advanced　into　Kentucky；　thus　entirely　cutting　off　re…enforcements　and　supplies　to　Morgan's　command。　　The　latter　failing　in　his　efforts　to　bring　on　an　engagement；　placed　his　command　on　half　rations；　and　after　a　council　of　war　abandoned　the　Gap；　dismounting　his　siege　guns　and　destroying　what　stores　and　ammunition　he　could　not　remove；　marched　out　with　his　entire　command；　to　the　east　of　Kirby　Smith's　force；　to　the　Ohio　River。　　John　Morgan's　cavalry　annoyed　the　command　for　some　days；　without　inflicting　any　material　loss。

When　Nelson　reached　Kentucky　he　found　that　a　new　department　had　been　created；　with　General　H。　G。　Wright　in　command；　embracing　that　part　of　the　State　east　of　Louisville　and　the　line　of　the　Nashville　Railroad；　taken　from　under　Buell's　command。　　Wright　ordered　Nelson　to　proceed　to　Lexington　and　assume　command　of　all　the　troops　in　that　locality；　nearly　all　of　them　new　regiments；　principally　from　Ohio　and　Kentucky；　hastily　gathered　together；　without　drill　or　discipline。　　Nelson　concentrated　these　troops　at　Lexington；　and　organized　them　into　a　division　with　Generals　M。　D。　Manson；　J。　S。　Jackson；　and　Charles　Cruft　as　brigade　commanders。　　On　August　23d；　Nelson　sent　a　detachment　of　the　Seventh　Kentucky　cavalry　and　Colonel　Child's　battalion　of　Tennessee　cavalry；　under　Colonel　Metcalfe's　command；　to　Big　Hill　to　resist　the　advance　of　the　enemy。　　These　troops　being　attacked　by　a　greatly　superior　force　the　Seventh　Kentucky　broke　and　fled；　leaving；　however；　about　one…fourth　of　the　command　with　the　Tennessee　battalion；　which；　after　fighting　bravely；　was　compelled　to　retire。　　Metcalfe　rallied　his　men；　but　on　the　approach　of　the　enemy　they　again　broke　and　ran；　leaving　the　Tennesseeans　to　resist　the　attack；　which　they　so　far　succeeded　in　doing　as　to　secure　a　safe　retreat　to　Richmond。　　The　enemy　pushed　forward　and　demanded　the　surrender　of　the　town；　but　learning　that　re…enforcements　had　arrived；　retired。　　Nelson　then　ordered　Manson's　and　Cruft's　brigades；　under　the　command　of　the　former；　to　proceed　to　Richmond。　On　arriving　there　Manson　went　into　camp　south　of　the　town　and　threw　out　his　pickets。　　The　cavalry；　on　the　29th；　reported　an　advance　of　the　enemy　in　large　numbers；　and　that　a　heavy　force　of　infantry　was　driving　in　the　pickets。　　Manson　advanced　to　their　support　with　his　own　brigade；　leaving　Cruft　with　his　command　at　Richmond。　Moving　forward　with　his　troops　he　drove　the　attacking　party　back　and　formed　his　line　of　battle　on　each　side　of　the　road　some　two　miles　from　the　town。　　The　enemy　attacked　with　infantry；　artillery；　and　cavalry；　but　was　driven　back　with　the　loss　of　one　field　piece　and　several　men　captured。　　Manson　then　occupied　Rogersville；　where　he　remained　in　camp　all　night。　　In　the　morning　he　ordered　Cruft　to　join　him；　and　moved　out　beyond　the　town　to　meet　the　enemy's　advance。　After　heavy　fighting　for　over　an　hour　the　left　of　Manson's　command　was　fiercely　assaulted；　which　being　re…enforced；　the　right　began　to　give　way　in　confusion。

The　troops　were　rallied　on　a　new　line　a　mile　to　the　rear；　but　as　this　was　badly　posted　for　defense；　the　command　was　withdrawn　from　this　position　to　the　line　occupied　the　day　before；　and　from　thisthe　enemy　attacking　in　heavy　forcethe　Federal　troops　were　again　routed　and　driven　back　to　their　camps；　where　the　last　stand　was　made　and　the　heaviest　fighting　took　place。　　Nelson；　arriving　on　the　ground；　assumed　command　and　endeavored　to　stem　the　tide　of　defeat。　　The　enemy　advanced　in　such　overwhelming　numbers　upon　the　position　of　the　Federal　forces　that　they　were　driven　in　complete　disorder　at　all　points　from　the　field。　　Nelson　was　twice　wounded；　but　was　able　to　reach　Louisville　with　several　detachments　of　his　routed　troops。　Here　he　assumed　command　and　bent　every　energy　to　the　organization　of　new　troops；　forming　the　citizens　in　commands　for　the　defence　of　that　city。　　Nelson's　losses　in　the　engagement　at　Richmond　were　two　hundred　and　twenty…five　killed；　six　hundred　wounded；　and　over　two　thousand　captured。　　He　also　lost　nine　guns。　　His　entire　command　consisted　of　some　seven　thousand　troops。　　The　enemy's　force　was　twelve　thousand　men　and　thirty…six　pieces　of　artillery；　and　he　lost　over　nine　hundred　killed　and　wounded。　　Kirby　Smith　then　pushed　his　command　north；　occupying　Lexington；　and　sent　out　detachments　threatening　Louisville　and　Cincinnati。　　On　the　6th　of　September；　General　Heth　with　some　six　thousand　troops　advanced　and　took　position　a　few　miles　south　of　Covington。　　He　was　ordered　by　Kirby　Smith　not　to　attack；　but　to　hold　his　command　in　readiness　to　move　at　a　moment's　notice　to　form　a　junction　with　Bragg；　then　marching　north　through　Kentucky。

Smith；　while　waiting　to　form　a　junction　with　Bragg；　was　actively　employed　in　gathering　supplies　for　his　army　in　the　richest　part　of　the　State。　　He　also　sought　to　obtain　recruits　for　his　command；　but　recruiting　for　the　infantry　service　did　not　prove　a　success。　During　the　entire　period　the　rebel　army　was　in　Kentucky　not　one　entire　infantry　regiment　was　raised。　　Individual　enlistment　was　constantly　going　on；　but　the　leading　officers　of　that　army　estimated　their　entire　gain　was　not　over　five　thousand　men；　including　three　regiments　of　cavalry　recruited　under　Buford。　　Heth's　advance　alarmed　the　three　cities　of　Covington；　Newport；　and　Cincinnati；　spreading　consternation　among　all　classes。　　Martial　law　was　proclaimed；　and　all　able…bodied　citizens　were　ordered　to　report　for　work　on　the　fortifications　south　of　Covington。　　These　works　were　manned　by　the　population　of　the　surrounding　country；　coming　to　Cincinnati　to　defend　that　city　from　pillage。　　Regiments　of　〃Squirrel　Hunters〃　were　formed；　and　a　show　of　force　was　kept　up　until　veteran　troops　could　be　brought　forward　to　take　their　place。　　Heth　wished　to　attack；　but　Kirby　Smith　would　not　permit　this；　as　he　anticipated　a　battle　with　Buell；　and　that　Bragg　would　have　to　fight　his　entir