the army of the cumberland-第13章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


not　permit　this；　as　he　anticipated　a　battle　with　Buell；　and　that　Bragg　would　have　to　fight　his　entire　army；　in　which　event　he　would　need　every　available　man。　　Heth　fell　back　in　a　few　days　and　on　October　4th　Smith　reported　with　his　command　to　Bragg　at　Frankfort。

Bragg's　movements　became　clearly　apparent　to　Buell　while　the　latter　was　concentrating　at　Murfreesboro。　　On　September　7th；　Buell　started　with　Ammen's；　Crittenden's；　McCook's；　Wood's；　Rousseau's；　and　Mitchell's　divisions　in　the　race　between　the　opposing　armies　for　Louisville。　If　Bragg　moved　energetically　and　with　the　intent　of　taking　Louisville　without　fighting　a　battle　in　Kentucky　before　he　reached　that　city；　his　start　in　the　race　and　the　shorter　line　he　was　moving　on　gave　him　the　decided　advantage　in　the　movement。　Buell's　object　was　to　overtake　Bragg；　and；　if　necessary；　force　the　fighting。　　This　would　compel　the　latter　to　move　his　army　so　closely　on　the　one　road　open　to　him　that　his　movements　would　be　necessarily　slow。　　Failing　in　this；　Buell's　plans　were　to　press　Bragg　so　hard　that　if　he　refused　to　fight　in　Kentucky　he　must　leave　the　State　in　possession　of　the　Federal　forces　before　he　could　gain　anything　by　his　advance。

Buell；　after　reaching　Nashville；　crossed　the　river　there　at　once　and　pushed　on　with　all　possible　speed。　　He　left　Thomas's；　Palmer's；　and　Negley's　divisions；　with　Thomas　in　command；　as　the　garrison　at　this　place。　　So　important　did　Buell　regard　the　holding　of　Nashville；　that　he　determined　to　weaken　his　immediate　command　and　leave　this　strong　force　under　his　most　trusted　subordinate；　to　retain　possession　of　that　point。　　He　considered　his　army　in　pursuit　of　Bragg　of　sufficient　strength　to　make　the　fight　for　the　possession　of　Kentucky；　and　in　the　event　Bragg　was　driven　from　that　State　he　would　concentrate　in　the　vicinity　of　Nashville；　where　the　battle　for　that　important　position　with　Middle　Tennessee　would　yet　have　to　be　fought。　　In　the　happening　of　the　latter　event　it　was　an　absolute　necessity　that　the　Federal　army　should　hold　Nashville　as　a　point　at　which　to　concentrate　and　move　to　the　attack。　　If　the　result　of　the　movement　in　Kentucky　should　be　the　defeat　of　Buell；　then　it　was　important　that　the　general　in　command　of　the　forces　at　Nashville　should　be　an　officer　of　experience；　to　save　the　troops　left　there；　in　their　retreat　to　rejoin　the　main　army。　　Buell　regarded　the　holding　of　Nashville　by　our　forces　as　second　only　to　the　safety　of　Kentucky；　and　made　the　disposition　of　his　command　accordingly。　With　this　view；　on　the　12th；　he　ordered　R。　B。　Mitchell's　division　to　return　to　Nashville　and　form　part　of　the　garrison　of　that　place。　Bragg；　on　the　8th；　had　reached　the　railroad；　where　he　burned　the　bridge　at　Salt　River；　and　for　some　days　in　his　northward　march　was　engaged　in　tearing　up　the　railroad　as　he　advanced。　　On　the　13th；　his　cavalry　reached　Munfordville　beyond　Green　River。

Buell；　on　the　10th；　learning　that　additional　forces　of　Bragg's　command　were　crossing　the　Cumberland　at　Gainesville；　at　once　countermanded　the　order　to　Mitchell；　and　directed　Thomas　to　place　Negley　in　command　of　Nashville；　and　if　he　regarded　it　best　to　do　so；　to　leave　Paine's　division　＇Palmer　in　command＇　with　Negley's　to　hold　that　place。　　If　Paine　could　be　spared；　then　Thomas　was　to　move　forward　by　forced　marches　with　his　division　and　Paine's；　and　unite　his　command　with　the　main　army。　　Thomas；　knowing　that　Bragg　had　left　a　large　force　to　threaten　Nashville；　ordered　Paine's　division　to　remain　there；　and　started　at　once　with　the　first　division　to　report　to　Buell。

Bragg；　to　reach　Munfordville；　had　only　sixty…eight　miles　to　march　from　his　crossing　of　the　Cumberland　River；　while　Buell　had　one　hundred　and　five　miles　to　travel　before　he　could　intercept　him　at　that　place。　　Bragg's　advance　had　reached　and　attacked　Munfordville　before　Buell's　army　had　arrived　at　Bowling　Green。　　On　Bragg's　advance　under　General　Chalmers；　arriving　at　Munfordville；　his　cavalry　engaged　the　attention　of　the　garrison　there　under　Colonel　John　T。　Wilder；　while　the　artillery　and　infantry　were　being　placed　in　position。　　On　the　13th；　demand　was　made　of　Wilder　to　surrender。　This　he　refused　to　do。　　With　the　early　light　of　the　next　day　an　assault　was　made　by　the　enemy；　which　was　repulsed　with　heavy　loss。　Two　detachments　reported　during　the　day；　reinforcing　Wilder's　command。　One　of　them　was　under　Colonel　Dunham　from　Louisville；　who；　being　Wilder's　senior　in　rank；　assumed　command。　　On　the　following　day　a　second　demand　for　surrender　was　made　by　Chalmers；　who　represented　his　command　sufficiently　large　to　capture　the　place。　　Dunham　refused　to　comply　with　this　demand；　and　the　enemy　then　withdrew；　going　north。　　Two　days　later　the　rebels　made　another　attack　on　the　works　and　were　again　repulsed。　　In　the　afternoon　Bragg　appeared　in　person　before　the　town；　and　sent；　under　a　flag　of　truce；　another　demand　for　the　surrender　of　the　command；　as　the　garrison　of　the　place　was　surrounded　by　an　entire　army；　and　to　assault　would　only　be　a　needless　sacrifice　of　human　life。　　This　was　declined；　but　with　the　request　from　Colonel　Dunham　that　Bragg　suspend　hostilities　to　give　time　for　consultation。　　This　Bragg　agreed　to　do　until　nine　o'clock　in　the　evening。　　Dunham；　who　had　succeeded　in　opening　communication　with　General　Gilbert　at　Louisville；　telegraphed　him　the　facts；　and　added　that　he　feared　he　would　have　to　surrender。　Gilbert　telegraphed　back　an　order　placing　Dunham　in　arrest；　and　ordering　Wilder　to　assume　command。　　At　the　Council　of　War　that　was　held　by　Wilder　it　was　determined　that　the　place　should　not　be　surrendered　without　personal　inspection　by　the　commanding　officer　that　Bragg's　statements　as　to　his　force　and　situation　were　true。　Wilder；　under　Gilbert's　orders；　assumed　command　at　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening；　and　notified　Bragg　of　the　result　of　the　consultation；　proposing；　with　Bragg's　permission；　to　satisfy　himself　as　to　the　truth　of　his　statements。　　Remarkable　as　it　appears；　this　proposition　was　agreed　to　by　Bragg；　and　Wilder；　under　escort；　investigated　the　enemy's　lines　prepared　for　assault；　and　counting　forty…five　cannon　in　position；　supported　by　25；000　men；　he　concluded　it　was　impossible　to　further　successfully　defend　the　place。　　He　reported　the　facts　to　the　Council　of　War；　and　the　demand　for　the　surrender　was　acceded　to　at　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　of　the　17th。　　Under　the　terms　of　the　capitulation　the　troops　marched　out　with　the　honors　of　war　at　daylight；　retained　their　sidearms　and　private　property；　and　were　at　once　paroled。　　This　attack　on　Munfordville　by　Bragg　established　the　fact　that　it　was　not　his　intention　to　press　on　to　Louisville；　and　the　advantage　Buell　derived　from　the　delay　attending　this　attack　was　in　a　measure　some　compensation　for　the　loss　of　the　place。

Bragg　then　took　position　at　Prewitt's　Knob；　where　Buell　moved　with　his　entire　army；　Thomas　having　reported　on　the　20th。　　The　two　armies　confronted　each　other　at　this　point　for　three　days；　and　disposition　was　made　for　battle。　　On　the　21st；　while　the　troops　were　being　placed　in　position　by　Thomas；　under　order　of　Buell；　the　enemy　retreated；　marching　for　a　short　distance　toward　Louisville；　then　turned　to　the　right；　and　took　position　near　Bardstown。　　Bragg　claimed　in　his　official　report　that　after　maneuvring　unsuccessfully　for　four　days　to　draw　General　Buell　into　an　engagement；　he　found　himself　with　only　three　days'　rations　on　hand　for　his　troops　〃and　in　a　hostile　country；〃　that　even　a　successful　engagement　would　materially　cripple　him；　and　as　Buell　had　another　route　to　the　Ohio；　to　the　left；　he　concluded　to　turn　to　the　right；　send　to　Lexington　for　supplies　to　meet　him　in　Bardstown；　and　commenced　the　movement　to　that　place。　This　gave　Buell　an　open　road　to　Louisville；　of　which　he　immediately　availed　himself；　and　on　the　29th；　the　last　division　of　the　Army　of　the　Ohio　reached　that　city。　　The　place　was　under　the　command　of　Gilbert；　who　had　nothing　but　new　levies　of　inexperienced　troops。　These　Buell　incorporated　with　the　brigades　of　his　Army　of　the　Ohio；　and　on　the　morning　of　the　30th；　after　furnishing　his　command　with　needed　supplies；　moved　his　army　out　of　Louisville　against　the　enemy。　The　movement　was　delayed　by　a　day；　by　Halleck's　order　relieving　Buell　and　placing　Thomas　in　c