the army of the cumberland-第36章

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homas。

〃General　Thomas　to　attack　the　rebels　on　the　flank　of　his　advance　position　at　the　forks　of　the　road；　and　drive　the　rebels　toward　Fairfield。

〃General　McCook　to　feign　and　advance；　as　if　in　force；　on　the　Wartrace　road　by　the　Liberty　Gap　passes。

〃General　Stanley；　with　his　cavalry；　to　occupy　their　attention　at　Forsterville；　and　General　Granger　to　support　him　with　his　infantry　at　Christiana。〃


In　the　event　that　Thomas　succeeded　in　his　attack　and　drove　the　enemy　toward　Wartrace；　he　was　then　to　cover　that　road　with　a　division；　and　taking　the　remainder　of　his　troops　was　to　move　rapidly　on　Manchester。　　McCook　was　then　to　move　in　and　take　Thomas's　place　at　Beech　Grove；　holding　Liberty　Gap　with　a　division；　and　was　finally　to　withdraw　that　and　follow　Thomas　with　his　entire　command　to　Manchester。

The　same　day　that　Crittenden's　command　marched　to　Holly　Springs；　Brannan's　division　reached　the　main　command　of　Thomas；　and　went　into　camp　with　Rousseau　at　Hoover's　Mills。　　Reynolds　had　a　slight　skirmish　with　the　enemy　on　his　front。　　On　the　night　of　the　25th；　Rousseau　was　ordered　up　with　his　division　to　take　position　immediately　in　the　rear　of　Reynolds；　preparatory　to　an　attack　on　the　enemy's　position　at　Beech　Grove　the　next　morning。　　Minty's　brigade　of　cavalry　pressed　forward　at　all　points　and　drove　the　enemy　to　Guy's　Gap。　　Long　took　position　at　Lumley's　Station。　　The　remainder　of　Turchin's　division　moved　in　the　advance　with　General　Crittenden。

The　incessant　rains　that　had　fallen　since　the　opening　of　the　campaign　delayed　the　advance；　by　preventing　Brannan　joining　the　Fourteenth　Corps　as　soon　as　was　expected。　　During　the　night　of　the　25th　it　rained　so　continuously　that　it　was　almost　impossible　for　the　troops　to　move；　but　by　extraordinary　exertions　the　divisions　were　all　in　position　by　10。30　A。　M。　　At　4　o'clock　in　the　morning　Brannan's　division　moved　up　to　take　part　in　the　attack。　　At　8　A。　M。　Negley's　division　took　position　to　support　the　attack　of　the　other　divisions。　If　the　enemy's　position　at　Beech　Grove　was　carried；　then　Rousseau　and　Brannon　were　to　push　on　to　Manchester　that　night　if　possible。　At　10。30　A。M。　the　advance　was　ordered。　　Moving　forward　on　the　rebels　in　force　on　the　heights　north　of　Garrison　Creek；　our　army　drove　them　steadily　and　rapidly　toward　Fairfield；　Rousseau　and　Brannan　operating　on　their　left　flank　from　the　hills　north　of　the　Fairfield　road；　while　Reynolds　advanced　against　their　front　and　right。　The　enemy　had　prepared　for　an　obstinate　resistance；　and　attempted　to　enfilade　Thomas's　troops　from　the　high　ground　on　his　right。　　This　was　effectually　prevented　by　a　gallant　charge　of　Walker's　brigade　and　the　regulars　under　Major　Coolidge；　who　drove　the　enemy　from　this　position。　　Thomas　pushed　forward　his　troops；　driving　the　rebels　in　the　direction　of　Fairfield；　who　covered　their　retreat　with　two　batteries　of　artillery；　occupying　positions　behind　strong　lines　of　skirmishers　flanked　by　heavy　cavalry　force。　　The　rebels　thus　retired　to　Fairfield；　near　to　which　place　our　pickets　were　advanced。　Reynold's　division　and　the　baggage　moved　forward　during　the　night　toward　Manchester。　　Late　in　the　afternoon　Wilander's　brigade　seized　Matt's　Hollow；　and　thus　secured　that　passage。　　Thomas　placed　his　divisions　in　line　of　battle　extending　from　the　Fairfield　road　to　within　five　miles　of　Manchester。　　McCook　remained　in　camp　at　Liberty　Gap　during　the　day；　while　Granger　rested　at　Christiana。　Crittenden's　command　pressed　forward　as　rapidly　as　possible　on　toward　Manchester；　struggling　over　almost　impassable　roads。

Rosecrans's　headquarters；　on　the　27th；　reached　Manchester。　　The　advanced　position　secured　by　Thomas's　command　rendered　the　concentration　of　the　whole　army　on　the　enemy's　left；　through　Hoover's　Gap；　at　this　time　an　easy　matter。　　With　this　done；　Bragg　would　either　be　forced　to　fight　in　resisting　the　further　advance　of　the　army　under　Rosecrans；　or　abandon　Middle　Tennessee　altogether。　　Early　on　the　morning　of　the　27th；　Reynolds's　advance　brigadeWilder's　mounted　infantrytook　possession　of　Manchester；　capturing　forty　prisoners；　a　guard　at　the　railroad　depot；　and　taking　the　town　completely　by　surprise。　Reynolds's　entire　division　reached　Manchester　during　the　morning。　General　Thomas　then　moved　Rousseau's　and　Brannan's　divisions　in　pursuit　of　the　enemy；　driving　him　as　far　as　Fairfield；　and　ascertained　at　that　place　that　the　rebels　had　retreated　entirely。　These　two　divisions　then　turned　into　the　Fairfield　and　Manchester　road；　Brannan's　reaching　the　latter　place　at　10　P。M。　and　Rousseau's　at　midnight。　　Negley's　division　had；　during　the　day；　been　moving　in　support　of　these　two　divisions　toward　the　Fairfield　road；　by　way　of　Noale　Fork；　and　arrived　at　Manchester　at　8　P。M。　　Thomas's　corps　being　now　together；　it　was　manifest　that　the　enemy　must　leave　his　intrenchment　at　Shelbyville；　and　that　our　army　must　be　prepared　to　meet　him　at　Tullahoma；　only　twelve　miles　distant。　　Rosecrans　gave　the　necessary　orders　at　once　to　the　other　corps　commanders　to　close　up　their　columns　on　Manchester；　and　be　prepared　for　the　contest。

On　the　extreme　right　our　cavalry；　on　the　27th；　did　brilliant　work。　Supported　by　the　reserve　corps　under　Granger；　Stanley　advanced　from　Christiana　to　Guy's　Gap；　where　the　advance　of　the　rebel　army　under　Wheeler；　with　Martin's　and　a　portion　of　Wharton's　divisions；　was　encountered。　　Charging　down　on　them　with　Minty's　brigade；　closely　followed　by　Mitchell's　division；　Stanley　routed　and　drove　them　out　of　the　gap　into　their　intrenchments　just　north　of　Shelbyville。　Here　they　again　made　a　stand。　　Dashing　ahead；　Minty　encountered　them　in　their　works；　and　drove　them　in　disorder　from　their　intrenchments　into　Shelbyville。　　While　Minty　was　pushing　them　on　the　front；　Mitchell　came　up；　turned　their　right；　cutting　off　their　direct　line　of　retreat；　and　both　forces　united　in　driving　them　beyond　the　town；　completely　defeated。　　Wheeler　lost　all　his　artillery　and　some　five　hundred　prisoners。　　A　large　number　of　the　rebels　were　driven　into　Duck　River　and　drowned　while　attempting　to　cross。　　The　flight　was　so　hurried　that　Wheeler　himself　only　escaped　by　swimming　the　river。　　This　successful　movement　established　the　fact　that　Bragg　had　abandoned　his　strong　line　of　defence　at　Shelbyville；　and　the　question　now　to　be　answered　was　whether　he　would　accept　battle　at　Tullahoma；　or　retire　with　his　entire　command　across　the　Cumberland　Mountains　and　the　Tennessee　River；　fighting　as　he　fell　back。

While　the　concentration　of　his　command　at　Manchester　was　being　effected；　Rosecrans　determined　to　break　the　line　of　railroad　in　the　rear　of　Bragg's　army；　if　possible。　　On　the　morning　of　the　28th　Wilder；　with　his　brigade　of　mounted　infantry；　started　at　reveille　by　way　of　Hillsboro；　to　burn　Elk　River　bridge；　and　to　destroy　the　railroad　between　Dechard　and　Cowan。　　John　Beatty；　with　his　brigade　of　infantry　marched　to　Hillsboro　for　the　purpose　of　covering　and　supporting　Wilder's　movement。　　The　latter　reached　Elk　River　and　crossed　his　command；　floating　his　mountain　howitzers　on　a　raft　made　of　an　old　saw…mill。　　He　then　moved　on　to　Dechard；　where；　after　a　slight　skirmish　with　a　detachment　of　the　enemy；　he　destroyed　the　depot　full　of　commissary　goods；　the　water　tanks；　the　railroad　bridge　over　the　Winchester　road；　and　tore　up　some　three　hundred　yards　of　the　railroad。　　Earlier　in　the　day　Wilder　sent　part　of　his　command；　under　Colonel　Munroe；　to　destroy　the　railroad　bridge　over　Elk　River。　Withers's　division　of　Bragg's　army　reached　this　point　only　a　few　moments　ahead　of　Munroe；　and　prevented　the　burning　of　the　bridge。　Finding　that　the　enemy　was　in　pursuit　of　him　at　all　points；　Wilder　next　moved　to　Tantalon　and　Anderson　with　detachments　of　his　command；　but　was　compelled　to　retire；　as　these　points　were　strongly　guarded　by　heavy　forces　of　the　enemy's　infantry。　　Crossing　the　mountains　that　night　on　his　return　over　the　Tracy　City　road；　and　so　on　to　Pelham；　the　troops　slept　at　the　foot　of　the　mountains；　and　started　the　next　morning　just　in　time　to　escape　Forrest；　who　was　in　pursuit　with　ten　regiments　of　cavalry。　　Wilder　reached　Manchester　at　1　P。M。　of　the　30th。

Sheridan's　division　of　McCook's　corps　reached　Manchester　on　the　29th。　　The　commandtroops　and　animalssuffered　severely　on　their　mar