the army of the cumberland-第27章

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k；　while　Negley's　was　placed　as　support　on　McCook's　right。　　The　evident　design　of　Bragg　during　the　day　was　simply　to　feel　the　lines　of　our　army　to　find　out　if　Rosecrans　was　retreating。　　Satisfied　of　this；　he　felt　that　while　he　could　maintain　his　position　he　was　not　in　condition　to　attack；　after　the　heavy　hammering　his　army　had　received　the　day　before。

At　daylight　the　next　day　Bragg　gave　orders　to　his　corps　commanders　to　feel　our　lines　and　ascertain　Rosecrans's　position。　　Fire　was　opened　from　four　batteries　on　the　centre；　and　a　demonstration　of　force　was　made　by　his　infantry；　followed　by　another　on　McCook；　but　at　all　points　meeting　with　a　heavy　artillery　fire；　he　concluded　that　our　army　still　occupied　the　battle　field　in　force。　　Bragg　ordered　Wharton's　and　Pegram's　brigades　of　cavalry　to　cross　to　the　right　bank　of　Stone's　River　immediately　in　Breckinridge's　front。　　Soon　after　this　a　number　of　his　staff　officers　discovered　for　the　first　time　that　Van　Cleve's　troops；　sent　over　the　day　before；　had　quietly　crossed　unopposed；　and　had　established　themselves　on　and　under　cover　of　an　eminence　from　which　Polk's　line　was　commanded　and　enfiladed。　It　was　an　evident　necessity　either　to　withdraw　Polk's　line　or　to　dislodge　Van　Cleve's。　　The　first　alternative　was　not　to　be　entertained　until　the　failure　of　an　attempt　to　accomplish　the　latter。　　Polk　was　at　once　ordered　to　send　over　to　Breckenridge　the　remaining　brigades　belonging　to　his　division　still　with　Polk；　and　Breckenridge；　reporting　to　Bragg；　received　his　orders。　　The　attack　was　to　be　made　with　the　four　brigades　of　Breckinridge's　command；　the　cavalry　protecting　his　right　and　co…operating　with　him。　　The　crest　of　ground　near　the　river；　where　Van　Cleve's　division　was　in　position；　was　the　point　against　which　the　main　attack　was　to　be　directed。　　This　taken；　Breckinridge　was　to　bring　up　his　artillery　and　establish　it　on　the　high　ground；　so　as　to　enfilade　our　lines　on　the　other　side　of　the　river。　　Polk　was　to　open　with　a　heavy　fire　on　our　left　as　Breckinridge　commenced　his　advance。　　The　signal　for　the　attack　was　to　be　one　gun　from　the　centre；　and　four　o'clock　was　the　hour　set　for　the　firing　of　this　gun。

Breckinridge　drew　up　his　division　in　two　lines；　the　first　in　a　narrow　skirt　of　woods；　the　other　some　two　hundred　yards　in　rear。　General　Pillow；　after　the　first　day's　fighting；　reporting　for　duty；　was　assigned　to　the　command　of　Palmer's　brigade。　　Pillow's　and　Hanson's　brigades　formed　the　first　line；　Preston's　and　Adams's　brigades　the　second。　　The　artillery　was　placed　in　rear　of　the　second　line；　and　in　addition　to　that　of　his　brigade；　ten　Napoleon　guns12…pounderswere　sent　to　aid　in　the　attack。

Van　Cleve's　division　was　under　the　command　of　Colonel　Samuel　Beatty；　with　Price's　brigade　on　the　right　next　to　the　river；　Fyffe's　brigade　on　the　left。　　Grider's　brigade　formed　Beatty's　support；　while　a　brigade　of　Palmer's　division　was　placed　in　position　on　the　extreme　left　to　protect　that　flank。　　Drury's　battery　was　posted　in　the　rear。　　In　front　of　Breckinridge's　line　was　an　open　space　some　six　hundred　and　fifty　yards　in　width；　with　a　gentle　ascent　which　it　was　necessary　for　his　troops　to　cross　before　reaching　our　lines。　Several　hundred　yards　in　the　rear　of　the　latter　was　the　river；　increasing　the　distance　as　it　flowed　beyond　our　left。

General　Rosecrans　had　ordered　Crittenden　to　send　Beatty's　division　across　the　river　as　protection　to　the　troops　on　the　left　and　centre；　as　from　the　high　ground　near　the　river　the　enemy；　by　an　enfilading　fire；　could　sweep　these　portions　of　our　line。　　During　the　morning　of　the　2d　Negley's　division　was　ordered　from　the　right；　and　placed　in　position　on　the　west　bank　of　the　river；　in　the　rear　of　Beatty's　division；　as　reserves；　being　here　on　the　left　of　Hazen's　and　Cruft's　brigades　of　Palmer's　division。

As　soon　as　Breckinridge's　command　entered　the　open　ground　to　his　front；　the　artillery　massed　on　the　west　bank　of　the　river　by　order　of　Crittenden；　consisting　of　all　the　guns　of　the　left　wing；　together　with　the　batteries　belonging　to　Negley's　division　and　Stoke's　battery；　making　58　guns　in　position；　opened　a　heavy；　accurate；　and　destructive　fire。　　Large　numbers　of　the　enemy　fell　before　they　reached　Beatty's　infantry　lines。　　Pressing　forward　without　waiting　to　throw　out　a　skirmish　line；　Breckinridge's　command　swept　onward；　reckless　of　the　artillery　fire　and　that　of　the　infantry；　and　struck　Price's　and　Grider's　brigades；　broke　their　lines；　drove　them　from　their　position　on　to　their　support　in　the　rear；　which　also　gave　way；　when　the　entire　division　retreated　in　broken　ranks　across　the　river；　taking　refuge　behind　the　line　of　Negley's　division；　and　there　reforming。　　Breckenridge　reports　that　he　〃after　a　brief　but　bloody　conflict　routed　both　the　opposing　lines；　took　400　prisoners　and　several　flags；　and　drove　their　artillery　and　the　great　body　of　their　infantry　across　the　river。〃　　His　success；　however；　was　exceedingly　short…lived。　　Colonel　John　F。　Miller；　commanding　the　right　brigade　of　Negley's　division；　had；　in　the　absence　of　Negley　in　the　rear；　ordered　the　troops　of　his　division　to　lie　down　under　cover　of　the　bluff　of　the　river　bank；　and　hold　their　fire　until　our　troops　from　the　other　side　crossed　over　and　moved　to　the　rear。　As　soon　as　the　last　of　Beatty's　men　had　passed　through　Miller's　lines；　he　commanded　the　division　to　rise　and　open　fire　on　Breckinridge's　troops。　　Miller's　fire　was　so　effectively　given　as　to　cause　the　enemy　at　once　to　recoil；　Breckenridge's　command　being　also　under　the　artillery　fire　on　the　left；　enfilading　his　ranks。　　His　division　soon　wavered；　and　then　began　falling　back。　　At　this　Miller…Negley　still　not　appearingordered　the　division　to　charge　across　the　river；　and　to　drive　the　enemy　from　their　line　of　intrenchments；　which　they　did。　　While　crossing；　Miller　received　word　from　Palmer　not　to　cross　his　command；　but　as　the　greater　part　of　his　troops　were　over　the　river　driving　the　enemy；　Miller　pressed　on　in　person；　and　hurried　the　troops　last　to　cross；　up　to　the　support　of　those　in　the　advance。　　He　was　then　ordered　by　Palmer　to　recross　the　river；　and　to　support　the　artillery　on　the　hill　on　the　west　bank。　　The　troops　under　Miller　were　then　advancing　through　the　cornfield；　driving　the　enemy；　and　as　his　right　flank　was　fully　protected；　he　had　no　inclination　to　turn　back；　and　he　ordered　the　troops　forward。　One　of　the　enemy's　batteries　was　posted　in　a　wood　just　beyond　the　cornfield　to　the　front。　　It　was　keeping　up　a　brisk　fire　on　Miller's　advance；　when　he　ordered　his　men　to　charge　this　battery；　which　they　did；　capturing　three　guns。　　At　the　time　of　the　charge　the　Twenty…sixth　Tennessee　was　supporting　the　battery。　　This　regiment　was　broken　by　the　assault；　a　large　number　of　them　captured；　with　the　colors　of　the　command。　　Sending　the　prisoners；　guns；　and　colors　to　the　rear；　Miller　reformed　his　line　so　as　to　hold　the　ground　until　relieved　by　other　troops。　　These　being　crossed　over　the　river　under　Hazen；　together　with　Davis's　division；　Miller's　command　returned　to　the　west　bank　of　the　river　and　there　reformed　the　division　in　line；　and　took　position　for　the　night。　　Negley　himself　was　not　across　the　river　with　the　command　during　the　engagement。

Bragg　was　deeply　chagrined　at　the　failure　of　Breckinridge's　movement。　In　his　report　of　the　action　he　says；　〃The　contest　was　short　and　severe；　the　enemy　were　driven　back　and　the　eminence　gained；　but　the　movement　as　a　whole　was　a　failure；　and　the　position　was　again　yielded。　　Our　forces　were　moved；　unfortunately；　to　the　left　so　far　as　to　throw　a　portion　of　them　into　and　over　Stone's　River；　where　they　encountered　heavy　masses　of　the　enemy；　while　those　against　whom　they　were　intended　to　operate　had　a　destructive　enfilade　on　our　whole　line。　　Our　reserve　line　was　so　close　to　the　front　as　to　receive　the　enemy's　fire；　and　returning　it　took　their　friends　in　the　rear。　　The　cavalry　force　was　left　entirely　out　of　the　action。〃　Bragg　immediately　sent　Anderson's　brigade　across　the　river；　which　formed　in　line　on　the　front　of　Breckinridge's　command；　and　remained　there　in　position　during　the　night。　　He　also　sent　Cleburne's　division　over；　and　placed　Hardee　in　command　of　that　side　of　the　river。　　Rosecrans　ordered　Davis　to　take　and　hold　the　line　occupied