the army of the cumberland-第56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！


　in　rapid　succession　from　Orchard　Knob。

There　was　some　little　delay　attending　the　preliminaries　of　the　movement；　and　it　was　not　until　after　half…past　three　that　the　commands　having　moved　out　and　taken　the　alignment　were　in　position　for　the　advance；　when　the　guns　sounded　one；　two；　three；　four；　five；　six。　　With　this　the　troops；　impatient　all　the　day　with　being　kept　in　the　breastworks　while　Sherman's　men　were　hard　at　work；　eagerly　pressed　onward；　divisions；　brigades；　and　regiments　striving　each　with　the　other　for　the　advance。　　With　the　first　movement　Bragg　at　once　hurried　reinforcements　from　his　right　and　left　to　strengthen　his　troops　in　his　works　to　resist　the　advance　on　his　centre。　Here　his　line　was　under　the　command　of　Breckinridge；　who　had　his　own　division　under　Lewis；　Stewart's　division；　and　part　of　those　of　Buckner　and　Hindman　under　Patton　Anderson。　　The　enemy　had　originally　four　lines　of　breastworks。　　The　first　one　on　our　front　was　captured　by　Thomas　on　the　23d；　when　Orchard　Knob　was　taken。　　This　left　three　lines　of　rifle…pits　remaining。　　The　second　one　was　about　half　a　mile　to　the　rear　of　the　first；　near　the　foot　of　the　ridge。　　From　here　to　the　top　was　a　steep　ascent　of　some　five　hundred　yards；　covered　with　large　rocks　and　fallen　timber。　　About　half　way　up　the　ridge　a　small　line　of　works　had　been　thrown　up。　　On　the　crest　of　the　hill　Bragg's　men　had　constructed　their　heaviest　breastworks；　protected　on　our　front　by　some　fifty　pieces　of　artillery　in　position。　As　our　troops　advanced；　each　command　cheering　and　answering　back　the　cheer　of　the　others；　the　men　broke　into　a　double…quick；　all　striving　to　be　the　first　to　reach　the　rifle…pits　at　the　foot　of　the　ridge；　held　by　a　strong　line　of　the　enemy's　troops。　　The　rebels　opened　fire　with　shot　and　shell　from　their　batteries；　as　our　troops　advanced；　changing　it　soon　to　grape　and　canister；　which　with　the　fire　from　the　infantry　made　it　terrifically　hot。　　Dashing　through　this　over　the　open　plain；　the　soldiers　of　the　Army　of　the　Cumberland　swept　on；　driving　the　enemy's　skirmishers；　charging　down　on　the　line　of　works　at　the　foot　of　the　ridge；　capturing　it　at　the　point　of　the　bayonet；　and　routing　the　rebels；　sending　them　at　full　speed　up　the　ridge；　killing　and　capturing　them　in　large　numbers。　　These　rifle…pits　were　reached　nearly　simultaneously　by　the　several　commands；　when　the　troops；　in　compliance　with　their　instructions；　laid　down　at　the　foot　of　the　ridge　awaiting　further　orders。　　Here　they　were　under　a　hot；　plunging；　galling　fire　from　the　enemy　in　their　works　on　the　crest　of　the　ridge。　　Without　further　waiting；　and　under　no　orders　from　their　officers；　first　one　regiment；　then　another　started　with　its　colors　up　the　ascent；　until　with　loud　hurrahs　the　entire　line；　cheered　by　their　officers；　advanced　over　and　around　rocks；　under　and　through　the　fallen　timber；　charged　up　the　ridge；　each　determined　to　reach　the　summit　first。　　The　centre　part　of　Sheridan's　division　reached　the　top　first；　as　they　were　the　nearest　to　the　crest；　and　crossed　it　to　the　right　of　Bragg's　headquarters。　　The　rest　of　the　line　was　soon　up；　and　almost　simultaneously　the　ridge　was　carried　in　six　places。　　Here　the　enemy　making　a　fight　for　a　short　time　was　routed　from　the　last　of　his　lines；　and　his　centre；　panic…stricken；　broke　in　full　retreat。　Regiments　were　captured　almost　entire；　battery　after　battery　along　the　ridge　was　taken。　　In　some　cases　the　rebels　were　bayoneted　at　their　guns；　and　the　cannon　that　but　a　moment　before　was　firing　on　our　troops；　were　by　them　captured；　turned；　and　used　against　the　rebels　as　they　were　driven　in　masses　to　the　rear。　　The　charge　occupied　about　one　hour　from　the　time　of　the　firing　of　the　guns　on　Orchard　Knob　until　the　troops　occupied　the　rebel　lines　on　the　ridge。　　Sheridan's　division　reached　the　ridge　a　few　minutes　too　late　to　capture　Bragg；　Breckinridge；　and　a　number　of　the　rebel　generals；　who　left　Bragg's　headquarters　on　the　charge　of　our　men　up　the　ridge。

Sheridan　advanced　with　his　division；　skirmishing　with　the　enemy's　rear…guard；　but　driving　them　steadily　for　about　a　mile　on　the　Chickamauga　station　road。　　Here　this　road　runs　over　a　high　ridge　on　which　the　enemy　had　posted　eight　pieces　of　artillery　supported　by　a　strong　force　to　cover　their　retreat。　　At　this　point　Sheridan；　with　Harker's　and　Wagner's　brigades；　had　an　engagement　with　these　troops；　but　after　a　movement　flanking　the　rebel's　right　and　left；　they　hurriedly　retreated；　leaving　two　pieces　of　artillery　and　a　large　number　of　wagons。　　After　this　ridge　was　captured；　Sheridan's　troops　went　into　bivouac。　　During　the　night　the　full　moon　flooded　the　surrounding　country　with　its　bright　light。　　At　midnight；　on　Granger's　suggestion；　Sheridan　in　the　advance　was　again　ordered　with　his　division　to　press　the　enemy。　　He　at　once　advanced　his　command　to　Chickamauga　Creek；　capturing　a　large　number　of　prisoners　and　quantities　of　material　and　stores。

Wood；　on　reaching　the　top　of　the　ridge；　with　Baird　on　his　left；　met　with　heavy　opposition。　　The　enemy　was　supported　by　a　division　from　Hardee　on　the　right；　advancing　just　as　Baird　was　getting　into　position。　　Here　these　two　divisions　were　engaged　in　a　sharp　contest　until　after　dark。　　Turchin；　with　his　brigade；　which　was　the　left　wing　of　Baird；　had　taken　possession　of　a　small　work　constructed　by　the　enemy　on　the　ridge　when　he　was　attacked　by　the　rebels　in　a　most　furious　charge；　but　gallantly　repulsed　them；　when　they　drew　off　in　the　direction　of　Tunnel　Hill。　　Missionary　Ridge　was　now　entirely　within　our　control；　with　the　exception　of　the　point；　where　Sherman's　advance　had　been　so　stoutly　resisted。　　During　the　night；　Bragg　drew　off　Hardee's　troops　from　the　front　of　Sherman；　where　the　latter　at　once　placed　his　command　in　position　for　the　pursuit　the　next　day。

During　the　night　of　the　25th；　Thomas　was　directed　to　send　Granger　with　his　corps；　and　additional　troops　to　make　his　command　up　to　20；000；　to　march　to　Burnside's　relief　at　Knoxville；　and　the　other　portion　of　Thomas's　command　with　Sherman's　troops　to　pursue　the　enemy　on　the　26th。　　The　latter；　on　the　morning　of　that　day　advanced　by　the　road　through　Chickamauga　Station；　while　Thomas　ordered　the　command　under　Hooker　and　Palmer　to　push　on　by　way　of　the　Greysville　and　Ringgold　road。　　At　the　former　place　the　rearguard　of　the　rebels　was　surprised　after　night；　and　three　cannon　and　a　large　number　of　prisoners　captured。　　On　the　next　day　another　piece　of　artillery　was　captured　at　Greysville；　and　later　in　the　day　Hooker's　advance　again　struck　the　enemy；　strongly　posted　in　a　pass　in　Taylor's　Ridge。　　Here；　after　a　heavy　fight　of　over　an　hour；　they　were　driven　from　the　pass　with　considerable　loss　on　both　sides。　　The　pursuit　was　discontinued　on　the　28th。　　Hooker　remained　for　a　few　days　at　Ringgold；　while　Palmer　returned　to　his　camp　at　Chattanooga。

Sherman's　troops；　with　Davis's　division　in　the　advance；　pressed　through　Chickamauga　Station；　and　at　about　dark　struck　the　rear　of　the　enemy's　column；　and　had　a　sharp　fight。　　After　leaving　Greysville；　Sherman　turned　his　command　to　the　left；　to　strike　the　railroad　between　Dalton　and　Cleveland。　　Howard　was　sent　to　destroy　this　road；　which　he　did　in　a　most　thorough　manner。　　On　the　following　day　the　Fifteenth　Corps　destroyed　the　Atlanta　Railroad　from　below　Greysville　back　to　the　State　line。　　On　the　18th；　Sherman　was　ordered　to　make　a　reconnoissance　to　the　Hiawassee　with　his　own　corps；　together　with　Davis's　and　Howard's　troops　of　Thomas's　command。　　On　reaching　Charleston；　Sherman　received　orders　to　take　command　of　Granger's　column；　moving　to　Burnside's　relief；　and　to　press　forward　with　all　the　troops　under　him　in　all　haste　to　Knoxville；　eighty…four　miles　distant。　　Advancing　rapidly　with　his　command；　Sherman　reached　Knoxville　on　the　6th。　　Longstreet；　however；　retreated　on　the　4th　of　December　to　Virginia。　　Leaving　Granger's　corps　to　aid　in　the　pursuit　of　Longstreet；　Sherman　by　easy　marches　returned　to　Chattanooga　on　the　16th　of　the　month；　where　he　ordered　Howard　and　Davis　to　report　with　their　commands；　while　he　marched　west　with　his　own　corps　to　Northern　Alabama　and　placed　them　in　winter　quarters。

Sherman　with　his　two　days'　fighting　reports　the　losses　of　his　command；　including　Howard's　command；　but　not　that　of　Davis；　whose