the army of the cumberland-第19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！


under　Colonel　Basil　W。　Duke；　in　the　first　brigade；　with　a　battery　of　four　guns。　　The　second　brigade　was　placed　in　command　of　Colonel　W。　C。　P。　Breckenridge；　and　was　composed　of　four　regiments；　with　one　three…inch　Parrot　gun　and　the　two　mountain　howitzers。　　This　force；　trained　as　it　had　been；　had　no　superior　for　the　work　it　was　ordered　to　doraiding　in　the　rear；　destroying　bridges；　trestleworks；　and　capturing　bridge…guards。　　So　accustomed　had　they　become　to　hardships　of　every　nature；　that　it　was　almost　incredible　the　amount　of　rough　riding；　scant　fare；　and　loss　of　sleep　these　men　endured。　　Proud　of　their　past　success；　and　emboldened　by　it　to　the　belief　that　they　were　able　to　defeat　any　force　that　could　overtake　them；　they　at　last　found　the　country　south　of　the　Ohio　too　confined　for　them；　and；　aiming　at　grander　feats；　they　passed　north　of　that　river；　and；　entering　upon　an　entirely　different　kind　of　warfare；　met　with　complete　disaster。

On　the　morning　of　the　22d　the　command　of　Morgan　took　the　road　again　for　Kentucky。　　Bragg　ordered　the　railroad　in　Rosecrans's　rear　to　be　broken；　and　his　communication　with　Louisville　destroyed。　　Morgan　and　his　men　were　in　most　excellent　spirits　at　the　prospect　of　another　raid　into　that　State。　　He　had　with　him　the　pick　of　the　youth　of　the　State　of　Kentucky。　　On　the　24th　Morgan's　command　had　their　first　skirmish　with　a　battalion　of　Michigan　troops；　which　resulted　in　the　loss　to　Morgan　of　seventeen　of　his　men　and　two　of　his　officers。　On　the　25th　Colonel　Hobson　had　an　engagement　with　Johnson's　regiment　near　Munfordville；　in　which　the　rebels　suffered　a　loss　of　some　fifty　men　killed　and　wounded。　　Morgan　then　attacked　the　stockade　at　Bacon　Creek；　held　by　a　force　of　100　men；　who　made　a　most　stubborn　and　determined　resistance；　inflicting　severe　loss　upon　the　attacking　party；　and　demonstrating　the　worth　of　a　stockade　properly　built　and　efficiently　manned。　　These　stockades　were　built　with　heavy　upright　timber　ten　or　twelve　feet　high。　　They　were　surrounded　by　ditches　and　pierced　for　musketry。　　Assailants；　when　right　at　the　base；　were　still　far　from　taking　them。　　It　was　supposed　that　they　would　not　resist　artillery；　and；　in　fact；　they　were　not　built　with　the　expectation　of　doing　so。　　If　the　garrison　of　the　stockade　succeeded　in　driving　off　the　guerilla　parties　that　swarmed　through　the　country；　it　fully　accomplished　its　purpose。　　This　stockade　successfully　resisted　the　heavy　artillery　firing　brought　to　bear　upon　it；　even　when　a　number　of　shells　exploded　within　the　work。　　After　making　such　a　brave　defiance；　it　is　to　be　regretted　that　they　did　not　hold　out　to　the　last；　and　refuse　to　surrender　at　all。　　The　commanding　officer　had　rejected　a　number　of　demands　made　on　him　to　surrender；　when　Morgan　came　up　in　person；　and　in　his　own　name　offering　them　liberal　terms；　they　surrendered。　　Morgan　then　burnt　the　bridge　across　Bacon　Creek；　and　pressed　on　to　Nolin；　fourteen　miles　beyond；　where　the　stockade　was　surrendered　without　a　fight。　　The　bridge　here　also　was　destroyed。　　Morgan's　division；　on　the　27th；　captured　Elizabethtown；　after　a　severe　engagement　with　the　command　of　Lieutenant…Colonel　Smitha　detachment　of　some　six　hundred　infantry。　　Smith　sent　Morgan　a　demand　for　him　to　surrender；　which　Morgan　declined；　and　returned　the　compliment　by　making　the　same　demand　on　Smith；　who　also　declined。　　After　an　engagement　lasting　some　six　hours；　Morgan's　artillery　rendered　the　building　Smith's　command　was　fighting　in　untenable；　and　he　then　surrendered。　　The　next　day　Morgan；　moving　along　the　railroad；　destroyed　it　thoroughly。　The　principal　object　of　the　expedition　was　the　great　trestleworks　at　Muldraugh's　Hills；　only　a　short　distance　apart。　　The　garrison　defending　the　lower　trestle；　600　strong；　was　captured　by　the　Second　Brigade。　　The　First　Brigade　captured　the　garrison　at　the　upper　trestle200　strong。　　These　trestles　were　respectively　80　and　90　feet　high；　and　each　of　them　500　feet　long。　　They　were　thoroughly　destroyed。　　Thus　was　accomplished　the　objects　of　the　raid；　but　the　destruction　of　these　bridgestrestle　and　railroaddid　not　accomplish　the　design　contemplated　by　Bragg。　　Rosecrans's　prompt　movement　from　Nashville　on　the　rebels　encamped　at　Murfreesboro；　and　the　result　of　that　campaign；　rendered　Morgan's　raid　a　failure　in　the　main；　as　Bragg　intended　the　road　should　be　so　thoroughly　destroyed　as　to　prevent　the　further　occupation　of　Nashville　by　our　army。　　The　loss　to　the　Federals　was　an　exceedingly　severe　one；　and　had　Rosecrans　remained　at　Nashville　inactive　all　the　winter　of　1862；　Bragg's　designs　would　have　met　with　a　greater　degree　of　success。

On　the　29th；　Colonel　Harlan　with　his　brigade　attacked　and　routed　Morgan's　troopers　at　Rolling　Fork　of　Salt　River；　and　drove　them　to　Bardstown。　　While　Morgan　was　moving　around　Lebanon；　Colonel　Hoskins's　command　attacked　him　and　captured　150　men。　　Morgan　passed　between　the　forces　sent　against　him；　showing　again　that　it　is　impossible　to　catch　cavalry　with　infantry。　　Morgan　then　commenced　his　retreat　form　the　State。　　On　the　morning　of　January　1；　1863；　as　his　command　was　passing　Columbia；　115　miles　in　an　air…line　from　Murfreesboro；　his　men　reported　hearing　distinctly　the　roar　of　heavy　cannonading　in　that　direction。　　On　the　2d　Morgan　crossed　the　Cumberland；　and　felt　safe　once　more　from　all　pursuit。

On　December　21st；　General　Carter　moved　with　three　regiments　of　cavalry　toward　East　Tennessee；　from　Lebanon；　Ky。；　to　raid　on　the　rebel　line　of　communication。　　Crossing　the　Cumberland　Mountains　forty　miles　northeast　of　Cumberland　Gap；　he　passed　through　Southwestern　Virginia　and　Tennessee　to　Carter's　Station；　destroying　the　Holston　and　Watauga　bridges　and　several　miles　of　railroad。　　He　then　leisurely　returned　to　Kentucky　by　the　same　route　he　had　advanced。





Chapter　VII。




The　Advance　to　Murfreesboro。

On　December　22d；　General　Thomas　moved　his　headquarters　from　Gallatin　to　Nashville；　and　there　concentrated　the　divisions　of　Rousseau　and　Negley；　and　Walker's　brigade　of　Fry's　division。　　Of　the　five　divisions　composing　the　Centre；　that　of　J。　J。　Reynolds　was　guarding　the　Louisville　and　Nashville　railroad；　and　on　the　same　duty　were　the　remaining　two　brigades　of　Fry's　division。　　R。　B。　Mitchell　was　assigned　to　the　command　of　Nashville　with　his　division　as　the　garrison。　　This　left；　under　the　immediate　command　of　Thomas；　the　two　divisions　and　the　brigade　as　above；　as　his　only　available　force。　McCook　with　three　divisions　under　Johnson；　Davis；　and　Sheridan；　and　Crittenden；　also　with　three　divisions　under　Wood；　Palmer；　and　Van　Cleve；　were　in　camp　in　front　of　Nashville；　on　the　Franklin；　Nolinsville；　and　Murfreesboro　turnpikes。

The　position　of　the　enemy　under　Bragg　was　fully　known　to　Rosecrans。　Two　corps　under　Polk　and　Kirby　Smith　were　at　Murfreesboro　with　strong　outposts　at　Stewart's　Creek　and　Lavergne。　　The　corps　under　Hardee　was　on　the　Shelbyville　and　Nolinsville　pike；　between　Triune　and　Eaglesville；　with　an　advance　guard　at　Nolinsville。　　Rosecrans；　on　the　morning　of　the　26th；　directed　the　advance　movement　to　commence　in　the　following　order。　　McCook　was　to　move　his　command　of　three　divisions　direct　on　the　Nolinsville　pike　to　Triune。　　Thomas　was　to　advance　his　command　of　two　divisions　and　a　brigade　on　McCook's　right　by　the　Franklin　and　Wilson　pikes；　threatening　Hardee's　left；　and　on　his　falling　back　was　then　to　cross　over　on　country　roads　and　occupy　Nolinsville。　　Crittenden　was　ordered　to　move　his　command　direct　on　the　Murfreesboro　pike。　　On　the　arrival　of　Thomas　at　Nolinsville；　and　being　in　a　position　to　support；　McCook　was　to　attack　Hardee　at　Triune；　and　if　the　latter　was　re…enforced　and　McCook's　advance　resisted；　Thomas　was　to　go　to　his　aid。　　If　Hardee　fell　back　to　Stewart's　Creek；　five　miles　south　of　Lavergne；　and　the　enemy　made　a　stand　there；　then　Crittenden　was　to　attack　him　at　once；　and　Thomas　was　to　come　in　on　his　left　flank；　while　McCook　was　to　bring　his　forces　in　supporting　distance　of　Thomas　and　Crittenden　as　needed；　after　sending　a　division　to　watch　Hardee　and　to　pursue　him　if　retreating。

Davis　took　the　advance　of　the　Right　Wing　with　the　First　Division。　He　moved　from　camp　at　6　A。M。　on　the　Edmondson　pike；　on　which　he　was　ordered　to　move　to　Prim's　blacksmith　shop；　from　whence　he　was　to　march