the army of the cumberland-第31章

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royed　twice　and　some　three　times。　In　addition　to　this；　most　of　the　water　stations；　several　depots；　and　a　large　number　of　cars　were　burnt；　a　number　of　engines　badly　damaged；　and　a　tunnel　in　Tennessee　nearly　filled　up　for　a　distance　of　eight　hundred　feet。〃

By　reason　of　this　condition　of　things；　Rosecrans　determined　to　increase　the　cavalry　arm　of　his　army；　so　that　he　could　meet　the　ten　or　twelve　thousand　cavalry　of　the　enemy　in　their　detached　raids　on　more　of　an　equal　footing。　　From　the　commencement　of　operations　in　Tennessee　under　Buell；　the　enemy's　cavalry　had　been　steadily　increasing　in　numbers　and　in　efficiency；　until　at　this　time　it　was　a　greater　problem　how　to　meet　this　arm　of　the　enemy's　force　than　his　infantry。　　Rosecrans　made　repeated　urgent　applications　to　the　department　at　Washington　for　additional　cavalry；　for　horses　and　improved　arms　for　those　already　under　his　command。　　He　detailed　infantry　to　be　mounted　and　armed　as　cavalry；　organizing　a　brigade　of　〃mounted　infantry〃　under　Colonel　John　T。　Wilder。

On　Bragg's　retreating　from　Murfreesboro；　he　took　position　with　a　portion　of　his　army　and　established　his　headquarters　at　Shelbyville。　He　then　ordered　part　of　his　command　to　move　to　Tullahoma；　and　there　intrench；　throwing　up　extensive　earthworks　and　fortifications。　Later；　he　placed　his　troops　in　winter　quarters。　　In　addition　to　the　cavalry　that　had　formerly　been　under　Bragg；　Van　Dorn　in　February　reported　to　him　with　his　command　of　three　brigades　of　cavalry；　about　five　thousand　effective　troops。　　Bragg　placed　Van　Dorn　and　Wheeler　to　protect　the　front　and　flanks　of　his　army；　assigning　the　former　to　the　left；　with　his　headquarters　at　Columbia；　and　directing　the　latter　to　take　position　on　the　right；　constituted　each　command　a　corps。　　To　Wheeler's　command　he　assigned　Morgan's；　Wharton's；　and　Martin's　divisions。　　Forrest's　command　was　assigned　to　Van　Dorn。　Some　important　events　took　place　during　the　first　six　months　of　1863；　that　had　a　bearing　on　the　fortunes　of　the　Army　of　the　Cumberland。

On　January　9th；　in　recognition　of　the　services　of　that　army；　by　General　Order　No。　9　of　the　War　Department；　that　command　was　reorganized；　and　the　Centre；　Right；　and　Left　were　constituted　corps　d'armee；　with　the　designation　of　Fourteenth；　Twentieth；　and　Twenty…first　Corps；　under　the　same　commanders；　who　were　thus　advanced　to　this　higher　command。　　During　this　month；　Steedman；　in　command　of　Fry's　old　division；　was　ordered　from　Gallatin　to　the　front；　and　posted　at　Triune　and　La　Vergne。　　Reynold's　division　was　ordered　from　Gallatin　to　Murfreesboro。　　A　slight　change　was　also　made　in　the　boundaries　of　the　Department。　　On　the　25th；　by　order　of　the　War　Department；　the　commands　of　Fort　Henry　and　Fort　Donelson　were　transferred　from　the　department　under　Grant；　to　that　under　Rosecrans；　and　later　Fort　Heiman。　　To　Rosecrans　was　then　committed　the　care　and　control　of　the　Cumberland　River；　his　second　and　secondary　line　of　communication　and　supplies　connecting　his　two　principal　depots。

On　January　26th；　Bragg　ordered　Wheeler　on　an　expedition　to　capture　Fort　Donelson。　　Wheeler　directed　Forrest　to　move　his　brigade　with　four　guns　on　the　river　road；　via　the　Cumberland　Iron　Works；　to　the　vicinity　of　Dover；　which　was　the　real　position　occupied　and　fortified　by　Federal　forces；　and　not　the　old　site　of　Fort　Donelson；　while　Wheeler　with　Wharton's　command　of　some　twenty…five　hundred　men　moved　on　a　road　to　the　left。　　Rosecrans；　hearing　from　his　scouts　that　this　movement　was　contemplated；　ordered　Davis　in　command　of　his　division　and　two　brigades　of　cavalry　under　Minty；　to　march　by　the　Versailles　road；　and　take　Wheeler　in　the　rear。　　Steedman　was　directed　to　watch　Wheeler's　movements　by　way　of　Triune。　　Davis　despatched　Minty　to　move　with　his　cavalry　around　by　way　of　Unionville　and　Rover；　while　he　moved　with　the　infantry　direct　to　Eaglesville。　At　Rover；　Minty　captured　a　regiment　of　some　three　hundred　and　fifty　men。　　Davis　and　Steedman's　forces　united　at　Franklin；　the　latter　marching　by　way　of　Nolinsville。　　Wheeler；　advancing　rapidly；　passed　between　the　troops　in　pursuit；　and；　on　February　3d；　his　entire　force　attacked　the　post　at　Dover；　occupied　by　Colonel　Harding　with　the　Eighty…third　Illinois；　some　six　hundred　men　in　the　command。　The　rebels　opened　fire　at　once；　and　made　vigorous　assault　in　force　upon　Harding's　position。　　His　little　command　repulsed　the　enemy　with　heavy　loss。　　Again　they　advanced；　making　a　more　determined　assault　than　before；　but　again　they　were　driven　back　with　still　greater　loss。　　In　this　last　repulse　Harding　ordered　his　men　to　charge　beyond　his　works；　which　they　did　with　great　gallantry；　capturing　forty…two　of　the　rebels。　　Wheeler　then　withdrew　with　a　total　loss　of　one　hundred　and　fifty　killed；　four　hundred　wounded；　and　one　hundred　and　fifty　captured。　　Colonel　Harding　lost　sixteen　killed；　sixty　wounded；　and　fifty　captured。　　Efforts　were　made　to　cut　off　the　retreat　of　Wheeler's　force　by　Davis's　command；　re…enforced　by　five　hundred　cavalry；　which　went　as　far　west　as　Kinderhook　and　Bon　Aqua　Springs；　but　Wheeler　took　the　road　through　Centreville；　where　he　crossed　Duck　River。

In　the　latter　part　of　the　engagement　at　Dover；　Harding　was　aided　by　the　fire　from　six　gunboats　which　were　acting　as　convoys　for　a　fleet　of　transports　conveying　reinforcements　to　Rosecrans's　command；　consisting　of　eighteen　regiments　of　infantry；　with　four　batteries　of　artillery　that　had　been　serving　in　Kentucky　under　the　command　of　General　Gordon　Granger。　　The　troops　forming　this　column　were　under　the　immediate　command　of　Crook；　Baird；　and　Gilbert。　　After　the　danger　at　Dover　had　passed；　the　fleet　steamed　up　to　Nashville；　and　there　the　troops　disembarked。　　During　February　Crook　was　sent　with　his　command　to　take　post　at　Carthage；　on　the　Cumberland　River；　and　watch　the　movements　of　the　enemy　from　there　to　Rome；　and　Gilbert　was　ordered　to　proceed　with　his　brigade　to　Franklin。

On　March　4th；　Gilbert　at　Franklin　ordered　Colonel　Coburn；　with　five　regiments　of　infantry；　four　detachments　of　cavalry　under　Colonel　Jordan；　and　Aleshire's　battery；　the　whole　command　nearly　three　thousand　strong；　to　proceed　south　from　Franklin　with　a　wagon…trail　of　one　hundred　wagons；　ostensibly　on　a　foraging　expedition；　but　also　to　reconnoitre　the　enemy's　front　toward　Columbia。　　Coburn's　command　some　twelve　miles　south　of　Franklin；　was　to　meet　a　force　moving　from　Murfreesboro　toward　Columbia；　and　these　commands　were　to　co…operate　and　determine　the　position　of　the　enemy。　　Unknown　to　Gilbert；　Van　Dorn；　on　assuming　command　in　Columbia；　in　February；　determined　to　establish　outposts　and　picket…lines　within　sight　of　Franklin　and　Triune；　and　to　move　his　headquarters　north　of　Duck　River　to　Spring　Hill。　　Jordan's　cavalry　struck　the　enemy　only　three　miles　from　town；　formed　in　line　of　battle。　　Opening　with　artillery；　Jordan　advanced；　and；　after　a　sharp　conflict；　the　enemy　retreated　to　Spring　Hill。　　That　night　Coburn　notified　Gilbert　that　he　was　confronted　by　a　largely　superior　force；　and　suggested　that　he　fall　back。　　Gilbert；　however；　ordered　him　to　advance。　　Proceeding　next　morning；　the　column　met　the　enemy　drawn　up　in　line　of　battle　a　short　distance　from　Thompson's　Station。　　Forrest's　command　occupied　the　extreme　right；　with　a　battery　of　artillery　on　the　left　of　this；　and　some　paces　retired　was　Armstrong's　brigade。　　On　the　left　of　his　command　and　in　line　with　it　was　the　Texan　brigade　under　Whitfield；　with　two　guns　on　each　side　of　the　Columbia　turnpike；　making　a　force　of　10；000　men　under　Van　Dorn。　　It　was　about　half…past　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning　when　Coburn　struck　these　troops　in　line。　　He　immediately　deployed　his　infantry　across　the　pike　and　to　the　right；　and　ordered　his　command　to　advance。　　The　enemy's　battery　posted　at　the　pike　opening　fire；　Coburn's　troops　charged　it　handsomely；　his　entire　command　moving　in　line　of　battle　down　the　pike。　　When　within　one　hundred　and　fifty　yards；　Armstrong's　and　Whitfield's　brigades　sprang　forward　and　opened　a　destructive　fire。　　Coburn's　troops　held　their　lines　for　over　half　an　hour　under　heavy　fire；　replying　with　the　same；　when　he　ordered　his　command　to　fall　back。　　Finding　this　large　force　in　his　front；　he　directed　Jordan　with　his　cavalry　to　cover　his　retreat。　　Van　Dorn　now　advanced　his