personal memoirs-1-第25节

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blame；　and　many　arrests　and　trials　took　place；　but　there　had　been

such　an　interchanging　of　cap　numbers　and　other　insignia　that　it　was

next　to　impossible　to　identify　the　guilty；　and　so　much　crimination

and　acrimony　grew　out　of　the　affair　that　it　was　deemed　best　to　drop

the　whole　matter。



On　August　27　about　half　of　the　command　was　absent　reconnoitring；　I

having　sent　it　south　toward　Tupelo；　in　the　hope　of　obtaining　some

definite　information　regarding　a　movement　to　Holly　Springs　of　the

remainder　of　the　Confederate　army；　under　General　Price；　when　about

mid…day　I　was　suddenly　aroused　by　excited　cries　and　sounds　of　firing；

and　I　saw　in　a　moment　that　the　enemy　was　in　my　camp。　　He　had　come　in

on　my　right　flank　from　the　direction　of　the　Hatchie　River；　pell…mell

with　our　picket…post　stationed　about　three　miles　out　on　the　Ripley

road。　　The　whole　force　of　the　enemy　comprised　about　eight　hundred；

but　only　his　advance　entered　with　my　pickets；　whom　he　had　charged　and

badly　stampeded；　without；　on　their　part；　the　pretense　of　a　fight　in

behalf　of　those　whom　it　was　their　duty　to　protect　until　proper

dispositions　for　defense　could　be　made。　　The　day　was　excessively　hot；

one　of　those　sultry　debilitating　days　that　had　caused　the　suspending

of　all　military　exercises；　and　as　most　of　the　men　were　lounging　or

sleeping　in　their　tents；　we　were　literally　caught　napping。　　The　alarm

spread　instantly　through　the　camp；　and　in　a　moment　the　command　turned

out　for　action；　somewhat　in　deshabille　it　is　true；　but　none　the　less

effective；　for　every　man　had　grabbed　his　rifle　and　cartridge…box　at

the　first　alarm。　　Aided　by　a　few　shots　from　Captain　Henry　Hescock's

battery；　we　soon　drove　the　intruders　from　our　camp　in　about　the　same

disorder　in　which　they　had　broken　in　on　us。　　By　this　time　Colonel

Hatch　and　Colonel　Albert　L。　Lee　had　mounted　two　battalions　each；　and

I　moved　them　out　at　a　lively　pace　in　pursuit；　followed　by　a　section

of　the　battery。　　No　halt　was　called　till　we　came　upon　the　enemy's

main　body；　under　Colonel　Faulkner；　drawn　up　in　line　of　battle　near

Newland's　store。　　Opening　on　him　with　the　two　pieces　of　artillery；　I

hurriedly　formed　line　confronting　him；　and　quickly　and　with　but

little　resistance　drove　him　in　confusion　from　the　field。　　The　sudden

turning　of　the　tables　dismayed　Faulkner's　men；　and　panic　seizing

them；　they　threw　away　every　loose　article　of　arms　or　clothing　of

which　they　could　dismember　themselves；　and　ran　in　the　wildest

disorder　in　a　mad　effort　to　escape。　　As　the　chase　went　on　the　panic

increased；　the　clouds　of　dust　from　the　road　causing　an　intermingling

of　friend　and　foe。　　In　a　little　while　the　affair　grew　most　ludicrous；

Faulkner's　hatless　and　coatless　men　taking　to　the　woods　in　such

dispersed　order　and　so　demoralized　that　a　good　many　prisoners　were

secured；　and　those　of　the　enemy　who　escaped　were　hunted　until　dark。

When　the　recall　was　sounded；　our　men　came　in　loaded　down　with　plunder

in　the　shape　of　hats；　haversacks；　blankets；　pistols；　and　shotguns；　in

a　quantity　which　amply　repaid　for　the　surprise　of　the　morning；　but

did　not　excuse　the　delinquent　commander　of　our　picket…guard；　who　a

few　days　later　was　brought　to　a　realizing　sense　of　his　duty　by　a

court…martial。



Shortly　after　this　affair　Captain　Archibald　P。　Campbell；　of　the

Second　Michigan　Cavalry；　presented　me　with　the　black　horse　called

Rienzi；　since　made　historical　from　having　been　ridden　by　me　in　many

battles；　conspicuously　in　the　ride　from　Winchester　to　Cedar　Creek；

which　has　been　celebrated　in　the　poem　by　T。　Buchanan　Read。　　This

horse　was　of　Morgan　stock；　and　then　about　three　years　old。　　He　was

jet　black；　excepting　three　white　feet；　sixteen　hands　high；　and

strongly　built；　with　great　powers　of　endurance。　　He　was　so　active

that　he　could　cover　with　ease　five　miles　an　hour　at　his　natural

walking　gait。　　The　gelding　had　been　ridden　very　seldom；　in　fact；

Campbell　had　been　unaccustomed　to　riding　till　the　war　broke　out；　and；

I　think；　felt　some　disinclination　to　mount　the　fiery　colt。　　Campbell

had　an　affection　for　him；　however；　that　never　waned；　and　would　often

come　to　my　headquarters　to　see　his　favorite；　the　colt　being　cared　for

there　by　the　regimental　farrier；　an　old　man　named　John　Ashley；　who

had　taken　him　in　charge　when　leaving　Michigan；　and　had　been　his　groom

ever　since。　　Seeing　that　I　liked　the　horseI　had　ridden　him　on

several　occasionsCampbell　presented　him　to　me　on　one　of　these

visits；　and　from　that　time　till　the　close　of　the　war　I　rode　him

almost　continuously；　in　every　campaign　and　battle　in　which　I　took

part；　without　once　finding　him　overcome　by　fatigue；　though　on　many

occasions　his　strength　was　severely　tested　by　long　marches　and　short

rations。　　I　never　observed　in　him　any　vicious　habit；　a　nervousness

and　restlessness　and　switch　of　the　tail；　when　everything　about　him

was　in　repose；　being　the　only　indication　that　he　might　be

untrustworthy。　　No　one　but　a　novice　could　be　deceived　by　this；

however；　for　the　intelligence　evinced　in　every　feature；　and　his

thoroughbred　appearance；　were　so　striking　that　any　person　accustomed

to　horses　could　not　misunderstand　such　a　noble　animal。　　But　Campbell

thought　otherwise；　at　least　when　the　horse　was　to　a　certain　degree

yet　untrained；　and　could　not　be　pursuaded　to　ride　him；　indeed；　for

more　than　a　year　after　he　was　given　to　me；　Campbell　still　retained

suspicions　of　his　viciousness；　though；　along　with　this　mistrust；　an

undiminished　affection。　　Although　he　was　several　times　wounded；　this

horse　escaped　death　in　action；　and　living　to　a　ripe　old　age；　died　in

1878；　attended　to　the　last　with　all　the　care　and　surrounded　with

every　comfort　due　the　faithful　service　he　had　rendered。



In　moving　from　Corinth　east　toward　Chattanooga；　General　Buell's　army

was　much　delayed　by　the　requirement　that　he　should　repair　the　Memphis

and　Charleston　railroad　as　he　progressed。　　The　work　of　repair　obliged

him　to　march　very　slowly；　and　was　of　but　little　use　when　done；　for

guerrillas　and　other　bands　of　Confederates　destroyed　the　road　again

as　soon　as　he　had　passed　on。　　But　worst　of　all；　the　time　thus

consumed　gave　General　Bragg　the　opportunity　to　reorganize　and

increase　his　army　to　such　an　extent　that　he　was　able　to　contest　the

possession　of　Middle　Tennessee　and　Kentucky。　　Consequently；　the

movement　of　this　army　through　Tennessee　and　Kentucky　toward　the　Ohio

Riverits　objective　points　being　Louisville　and　Cincinnatiwas　now

well　defined；　and　had　already　rendered　abortive　General　Buell's

designs　on　Chattanooga　and　East　Tennessee。　　Therefore　extraordinary

efforts　on　the　part　of　the　Government　became　necessary；　and　the

concentration　of　National　troops　at　Louisville　and　Cincinnati　to　meet

the　contingency　of　Bragg's　reaching　those　points　was　an　obvious

requirement。　　These　troops　were　drawn　from　all　sections　in　the　West

where　it　was　thought　they　could　be　spared；　and　among　others　I　was

ordered　to　conduct　thitherto　Louisville　or　Cincinnati；　as

subsequent　developments　might　demandmy　regiment；　Hescock's　battery；

the　Second　and　Fifteenth　Missouri；　and　the　Thirty…sixth　and　Forty…

fourth　Illinois　regiments　of　infantry；　known　as　the　〃Pea　Ridge

Brigade。〃　With　this　column　I　marched　back　to　Corinth　on　the　6th　of

September；　1862；　for　the　purpose　of　getting　railroad　transportation

to　Columbus；　Kentucky。



At　Corinth　I　met　General　Grant；　who　by　this　time　had　been

reestablished　in　favor　and　command　somewhat；　General　Halleck　having

departed　for　Washington　to　assume　command　of　the　army　as　General…in…

Chief。　　Before　and　during　the　activity　which　followed　his

reinstatement；　General　Grant　had　become　familiar　with　my　services

through　the　transmission　to　Washington　of　information　I　had　furnished

concerning　the　enemy's　movements；　and　by　reading　reports　of　my　fights

and　skirmishes　in　front；　and　he　was　loth　to　let　me　go。　　Indeed；　he

expressed　surprise　at　seeing　me　in　Corinth；　and　said　he　had　not

expected　me　to　go；　he　also　plainly　showed　that　he　was　much　hurt　at

the　inconsiderate　way　in　which　his　command　was　being　depleted。　　Since

I　was　of　the　opinion　that　the　chief　field　of　usefulness　and

opportunity　was　opening　up　in　Kentucky；　I　did　not　wish　him　to　retain

me；　which　he　might　have　done；　and　I　impressed　him　with　my　conviction；

somewhat　emphatically；　I　fear。　　Our　conversation　ended　with　my　wish

gratified。　　I　afterward　learned　that　General　Granger；　whom　General

Grant　did　not　fancy；　had　suggested　that　I　should　take　to　Cincinnati

the　main　portion　of　Granger's　commandthe　Pea　Ridge　Brigadeas　well

as　the　Second　Michigan　Cavalry；　of　which　I　was　still　colonel。

We　started　that　night；　going　by　rail　over　the　Mobile　and　Ohio　road　to

Columbus；　Ky。；　where　we　embarked　on　steamboats　awaiting　us。　　These

boats　were　five　in　number；　and　making　one　of　them　my　flag…ship；

expecting　that　we　might　come　upon　certain　batteries　reported　to　be

located　upon　the　Kentucky　shore　of　the　Ohio；　I　directed　the　rest　to

follow　my　lead。　　Just　before　reaching