personal memoirs-1-第43节

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！



holding　only　the　line　of　Missionary　Ridge；　and　our　troops；　being　now

practically　connected　from　Sherman　to　Hooker；　confronted　it　with　the

Army　of　the　Cumberland　in　the　centrebowed　out　along　the　front　of

Wood's　division　and　mine。　　Early　in　the　day　Sherman；　with　great

determination　and　persistence；　made　an　attempt　to　carry　the　high

ground　near　the　tunnel；　first　gaining　and　then　losing　advantage；　but

his　attack　was　not　crowned　with　the　success　anticipated。　　Meanwhile

Hooker　and　Palmer　were　swinging　across　Chattanooga　Valley；　using　me

as　a　pivot　for　the　purpose　of　crossing　Missionary　Ridge　in　the

neighborhood　of　Rossville。　　In　the　early　part　of　the　day　I　had　driven

in　the　Confederate　pickets　in　my　front；　so　as　to　prolong　my　line　of

battle　on　that　of　Wood；　the　necessity　of　continuing　to　refuse　my

right　having　been　obviated　by　the　capture　of　Lookout　Mountain　and　the

advance　of　Palmer。



About　2　o'clock　orders　came　to　carry　the　line　at　the　foot　of　the

ridge；　attacking　at　a　signal　of　six　guns。　　I　had　few　changes　or　new

dispositions　to　make。　　Wagner's　brigade；　which　was　next　to　Wood's

division；　was　formed　in　double　lines；　and　Harker's　brigade　took　the

same　formation　on　Wagner's　right。　　Colonel　F。　T。　Sherman's　brigade

came　on　Harker's　right；　formed　in　a　column　of　attack；　with　a　front　of

three　regiments；　he　having　nine。　　My　whole　front　was　covered　with　a

heavy　line　of　skirmishers。　　These　dispositions　made；　my　right　rested

a　little　distance　south　of　Moore's　road；　my　left　joined　Wood　over

toward　Orchard　Knob；　while　my　centre　was　opposite　Thurman's　house

the　headquarters　of　General　Braggon　Missionary　Ridge。　　A　small

stream　of　water　ran　parallel　to　my　front；　as　far　as　which　the　ground

was　covered　by　a　thin　patch　of　timber；　and　beyond　the　edge　of　the

timber　was　an　open　plain　to　the　foot　of　Missionary　Ridge；　varying　in

width　from　four　to　nine　hundred　yards。　　At　the　foot　of　the　ridge　was

the　enemy's　first　line　of　rifle…pits；　at　a　point　midway　up　its　face；

another　line；　incomplete；　and　on　the　crest　was　a　third　line；　in　which

Bragg　had　massed　his　artillery。



The　enemy　saw　we　were　making　dispositions　for　an　attack；　and　in　plain

view　of　my　whole　division　he　prepared　himself　for　resistance；

marching　regiments　from　his　left　flank　with　flying　colors；　and

filling　up　the　spaces　not　already　occupied　in　his　intrenchments。

Seeing　the　enemy　thus　strengthening　himself；　it　was　plain　that　we

would　have　to　act　quickly　if　we　expected　to　accomplish　much；　and　I

already　began　to　doubt　the　feasibility　of　our　remaining　in　the　first

line　of　rifle…pits　when　we　should　have　carried　them。　　I　discussed　the

order　with　Wagner；　Harker；　and　Sherman；　and　they　were　similarly

impressed；　so　while　anxiously　awaiting　the　signal　I　sent　Captain

Ransom　of　my　staff　to　Granger；　who　was　at　Fort　Wood；　to　ascertain　if

we　were　to　carry　the　first　line　or　the　ridge　beyond。　　Shortly　after

Ransom　started　the　signal　guns　were　fired；　and　I　told　my　brigade

commanders　to　go　for　the　ridge。



Placing　myself　in　front　of　Harker's　brigade；　between　the　line　of

battle　and　the　skirmishers；　accompanied　by　only　an　orderly　so　as　not

to　attract　the　enemy's　fire；　we　moved　out。　　Under　a　terrible　storm　of

shot　and　shell　the　line　pressed　forward　steadily　through　the　timber；

and　as　it　emerged　on　the　plain　took　the　double…quick　and　with　fixed

bayonets　rushed　at　the　enemy's　first　line。　　Not　a　shot　was　fired　from

our　line　of　battle；　and　as　it　gained　on　my　skirmishers　they　melted

into　and　became　one　with　it；　and　all　three　of　my　brigades　went　over

the　rifle…pits　simultaneously。　　They　then　lay　down　on　the　face　of　the

ridge；　for　a　breathing…spell　and　for　protection'　from　the　terrible

fire；　of　canister　and　musketry　pouring　over　us　from　the　guns　on　the

crest。　　At　the　rifle…pits　there　had　been　little　use　for　the　bayonet；

for　most　of　the　Confederate　troops；　disconcerted　by　the　sudden　rush；

lay　close　in　the　ditch　and　surrendered；　though　some　few　fled　up　the

slope　to　the　next　line。　　The　prisoners　were　directed　to　move　out　to

our　rear；　and　as　their　intrenchments　had　now　come　under　fire　from　the

crest；　they　went　with　alacrity；　and　without　guard　or　escort；　toward

Chattanooga。



After　a　short　pause　to　get　breath　the　ascent　of　the　ridge　began；　and

I　rode；　into　the　ditch　of　the　intrenchments　to　drive　out　a　few

skulkers　who　were　hiding　there。　　Just　at　this　time　I　was　joined　by

Captain　Ransom；　who；　having　returned　from　Granger；　told　me　that　we

were　to　carry　only　the　line　at　the　base；　and　that　in　coming　back；

when　he　struck　the　left　of　the　division；　knowing　this　interpretation

of　the　order；　he　in　his　capacity　as　an　aide…de…camp　had　directed

Wagner；　who　was　up　on　the　face　of　the　ridge；　to　return；　and　that　in

consequence　Wagner　was　recalling　his　men　to　the　base。　　I　could　not

bear　to　order　the　recall　of　troops　now　so　gallantly　climbing　the　hill

step　by　step；　and　believing　we　could　take　it；　I　immediately　rode　to

Wagner's　brigade　and　directed　it　to　resume　the　attack。　　In　the

meantime　Harker's　and　F。　T。　Sherman's　troops　were　approaching　the

partial　line　of　works　midway　of　the　ridge；　and　as　I　returned　to　the

centre　of　their　rear；　they　were　being　led　by　many　stands　of

regimental　colors。　　There　seemed　to　be　a　rivalry　as　to　which　color

should　be　farthest　to　the　front；　first　one　would　go　forward　a　few

feet；　then　another　would　come　up　to　it；　the　color…bearers　vying　with

one　another　as　to　who　should　be　foremost；　until　finally　every

standard　was　planted　on　the　intermediate　works。　　The　enemy's　fire

from　the　crest　during　the　ascent　was　terrific　in　the　noise　made；　but

as　it　was　plunging；　it　over…shot　and　had　little　effect　on　those　above

the　second　line　of　pits；　but　was　very　uncomfortable　for　those　below；

so　I　deemed　it　advisable　to　seek　another　place；　and　Wagner's　brigade

having　reassembled　and　again　pressed　up　the　ridge；　I　rode　up　the　face

to　join　my　troops。



As　soon　as　the　men　saw　me；　they　surged　forward　and　went　over　the

works　on　the　crest。　　The　parapet　of　the　intrenchment　was　too　high　for

my　horse　to　jump；　so；　riding　a　short　distance　to　the　left；　I　entered

through　a　low　place　in　the　line。　　A　few　Confederates　were　found

inside；　but　they　turned　the　butts　of　their　muskets　toward　me　in　token

of　surrender；　for　our　men　were　now　passing　beyond　them　on　both　their

flanks。



The　right　and　right　centre　of　my　division　gained　the　summit　first；

they　being　partially　sheltered　by　a　depression　in　the　face　of　the

ridge；　the　Confederates　in　their　immediate　front　fleeing　down　the

southern　face。　　When　I　crossed　the　rifle…pits　on　the　top　the

Confederates　were　still　holding　fast　at　Bragg's　headquarters；　and　a

battery　located　there　opened　fire　along　the　crest；　making　things　most

uncomfortably　hot。　　Seeing　the　danger　to　which　I　was　exposed；　for　I

was　mounted；　Colonel　Joseph　Conrad；　of　the　Fifteenth　Missouri；　ran　up

and　begged　me　to　dismount。　　I　accepted　his　excellent　advice；　and　it

probably　saved　my　life；　but　poor　Conrad　was　punished　for　his

solicitude　by　being　seriously　wounded　in　the　thigh　at　the　moment　he

was　thus　contributing　to　my　safety。



Wildly　cheering；　the　men　advanced　along　the　ridge　toward　Bragg's

headquarters；　and　soon　drove　the　Confederates　from　this　last

position；　capturing　a　number　of　prisoners；　among　them　Breckenridge's

and　Bates's　adjutant…generals；　and　the　battery　that　had　made　such

stout　resistance　on　the　crest…two　guns　which　were　named　〃Lady

Breckenridge〃　and　〃Lady　Buckner〃　General　Bragg　himself　having　barely

time　to　escape　before　his　headquarters　were　taken。



My　whole　division　had　now　reached　the　summit；　and　Wagner　and　Harker

the　latter　slightly　woundedjoined　me　as　I　was　standing　in　the

battery　just　secured。　　The　enemy　was　rapidly　retiring；　and　though

many　of　his　troops；　with　disorganized　wagon…trains　and　several　pieces

of　artillery；　could　be　distinctly　seen　in　much　confusion　about　half　a

mile　distant　in　the　valley　below；　yet　he　was　covering　them　with　a

pretty　well　organized　line　that　continued　to　give　us　a　desultory

fire。　　Seeing　this；　I　at　once　directed　Wagner　and　Harker　to　take　up

the　pursuit　along　Moore's　road；　which　led　to　Chickamauga　Station

Bragg's　depot　of　supplyand　as　they　progressed；　I　pushed　Sherman's

brigade　along　the　road　behind　them。　　Wagner　and　Harker　soon　overtook

the　rearguard；　and　a　slight　skirmish　caused　it　to　break；　permitting

nine　guns　and　a　large　number　of　wagons　which　were　endeavoring　to　get

away　in　the　stampede　to　fall　into　our　hands。



About　a　mile　and　a　half　beyond　Missionary　Ridge；　Moore's　road　passed

over　a　second　ridge　or　high　range　of　hills；　and　here　the　enemy　had

determined　to　make　a　stand　for　that　purpose；　posting　eight　pieces　of

artillery　with　such　supporting　force　as　he　could　rally。　　He　was

immediately　attacked　by　Harker　and　Wagner；　but　the　position　was

strong；　the　ridge　being　rugged　and　difficult　of　ascent；　and　after　the

first　onset　our　men　recoiled。　　A　staff…officer　from　Colonel　Wood's

demi…brigade　infor