the army of the cumberland-第25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！


e　in　command　of　that　side　of　the　river。　　Rosecrans　ordered　Davis　to　take　and　hold　the　line　occupied　by　Beatty's　division。　　Later；　all　the　troops　of　Crittenden's　corps　crossed　the　river　and　occupied　the　crests；　intrenching　themselves　in　this　position。

During　the　morning　of　the　3d　Bragg　ordered　a　heavy　and　constant　picket　firing　to　be　kept　up　on　his　front；　to　determine　whether　our　army　still　confronted　him。　　At　one　point　in　the　wood　to　the　left　of　the　Murfreesboro　pike　the　rebel　sharpshooters　had　all　day　annoyed　Rousseau；　who　requested　permission　to　dislodge　them　from　their　supports；　coving　a　ford　at　that　place。　　About　six　o'clock　in　the　evening　two　regiments　from　John　Beatty's　brigade　of　Rousseau's　division；　co…operating　with　two　regiments　of　Spear's　brigade　of　Negley's　division；　under　cover　of　a　brisk　artillery　fire；　advanced　on　the　woods　and　drove　the　enemy　not　only　from　their　cover；　but　also　from　their　intrenchments　a　short　distance　from　the　rear。

At　noon　Bragg；　on　consultation　with　his　generals；　decided　to　retreat；　leaving　the　field　in　possession　of　his　opponent。　　At　12。15　of　the　night　of　the　2d；　after　Breckinridge's　failure；　Cleburne　and　Withers　had　sent　a　communication　to　Bragg's　headquarters；　through　Polk；　stating　that　there　was　but　〃three　brigades　that　are　at　all　reliable；　and　even　some　of　these　are　more　or　less　demoralized　from　having　some　brigade　commanders　who　do　not　possess　the　confidence　of　their　commands。〃　　They　expressed　their　fears　of　great　disaster　which　should　be　avoided　by　retreat。　　This　was　endorsed　by　Polk　at　12。30　A。M。；　January　3d；　〃I　send　you　the　enclosed　papers　as　requested；　and　I　am　compelled　to　add　that　after　seeing　the　effect　of　the　operations　of　to…day；　added　to　that　produced　upon　the　troops　by　the　battle　of　the　31st；　I　very　greatly　fear　the　consequences　of　another　engagement　at　this　place　on　the　ensuing　day。　　We　could　now　perhaps　get　off　with　some　safety；　and　with　some　credit　if　the　affair　was　well　managed；　should　we　fail　in　the　meditated　attack；　the　consequences　might　be　very　disastrous。〃

By　11　P。M。　the　whole　of　Bragg's　army；　except　his　cavalry；　was　in　retreat　in　good　order　to　a　position　behind　Duck　River。　　His　cavalry　held　the　front　at　Murfreesboro　until　Monday　morning；　when　they　fell　back　and　covered　Bragg's　immediate　front。　　Sunday　the　4th　was　spent　in　burying　the　dead；　and　the　cavalry　was　sent　to　reconnoitre。　On　the　5th　Thomas's　entire　command；　preceded　by　Stanley's　cavalry；　marched　into　Murfreesboro；　and　encamped　on　the　Manchester　and　Shelbyville　road。

The　cavalry　under　Stanley　rendered　very　efficient　service　on　the　advance　from　Nashville。　　Dividing　these　troops　into　three　columns　he　sent　the　first　brigade　under　Colonel　Minty　with　Crittenden's　corps；　the　second　brigade　under　Colonel　Zahm　moved　to　the　right；　protecting　McCook's　right　flank；　the　reserve　Stanley　commanded　in　person；　and　moved　with　the　head　of　McCook's　command　on　the　Nolinsville　pike。　　Colonel　John　Kennett；　in　command　of　the　cavalry　division；　commanded　the　cavalry　on　the　Murfreesboro　pike。　　There　was　constant　skirmishing　between　the　enemy's　cavalry　and　artillery　and　each　of　the　columns　up　to　the　31st；　as　the　army　advanced；　getting　into　position。　　At　midnight　on　the　30th；　Stanley　moved　with　part　of　his　command　to　Lavergne；　where　the　enemy's　cavalry　was　interfering　with　the　trains。　　At　9。30　he　was　ordered　by　General　Rosecrans　to　hasten　to　the　right　and　cover　McCook's　flank。　　On　reaching　there　he　found　McCook's　new　line　formed　on　the　Nashville　road；　when　the　enemy's　skirmishers　advanced　and　drove　Stanley's　dismounted　cavalry　out　of　the　woods　to　the　open　field。　　Here　he　was　re…enforced；　and　charging　the　rebels　routed　them；　driving　them　back　to　their　lines。　　On　the　1st　Zahm's　brigade　was　sent　to　Lavergne　to　protect　the　wagon　trains　being　sent　to　Nashville。　　He　had　several　skirmishes　with　Wheeler；　but　finally　secured　the　safety　of　the　train　and　repulsed　every　attack　of　the　rebel　cavalry。

On　the　2d　and　3d　of　January　the　cavalry　was　engaged　in　watching　the　flanks　of　our　position。　　On　the　4th　Stanley　discovered　that　the　enemy　had　fled。　　Collecting　his　cavalry　he　moved　to　the　fords　of　Stone's　River；　in　readiness　to　cross；　and　on　the　5th；　preceding　Thomas；　they　entered　Murfreesboro。　　Zahm's　command　went　out　on　the　Shelbyville　pike　six　miles；　meeting　with　no　opposition。　　Stanley　with　the　rest　of　his　cavalry　marched　down　the　Manchester　pike；　encountering　the　enemy's　cavalry　strongly　posted　at　Lytle's　Creek　in　heavy　force。　　Fighting　here　until　sundown；　the　rebels　were　driven　from　one　cedar…brake　to　another　until　Spear's　brigade　came　up；　when　they　were　driven　from　their　last　stand　in　disorder。　　The　cavalry　returned　and　camped　at　Lytle's　Creek　to　recuperate；　after　nine　days　of　active　campaigning。　　During　this　time　the　saddles　were　only　taken　off　the　horses　to　groom　them；　and　were　immediately　replaced。

Bragg　in　his　retreat　left　in　his　hospitals　all　his　wounded　in　Murfreesboro。　　By　this　some　2；500　prisoners　fell　into　our　hands　to　be　cared　for。

Thus；　after　seven　days'　battle；　the　Army　of　the　Cumberland　rested　in　Murfreesboro　having　achieved　the　object　of　the　winter　campaign。　The　final　battle　for　Kentucky　had　been　fought　by　Bragg　and　lost。　Nashville；　too；　was　now　beyond　his　hopes；　and　for　the　great　victory　of　the　31st；　which　he　claimed；　Bragg　had　but　little　to　show。

In　the　heavy　skirmishing　prior　to　the　31st；　success　attended　every　movement　of　the　Federal　army。　　The　heavy　fighting　of　the　early　part　of　the　31st　was　all　in　Bragg's　favor　up　to　the　time　his　advance　was　checked　by　our　centre　and　the　new　line　on　the　right。　　From　that　time　to　the　occupation　of　Murfreesboro　every　movement　resulted　in　favor　of　the　army　under　Rosecrans；　and　the　retreat　of　Bragg　after　the　defeat　of　Breckinridge　gave　the　halo　of　victory　to　our　army　as　the　result　of　the　campaign。　　In　his　retreat　Bragg　admitted　that　he　had　gained　nothing　but　a　victory　barren　of　results；　at　the　cost　of　him　of　10；125　killed；　wounded；　and　missing；　9；000　of　whom　were　killed　and　wounded；　over　twenty　per　cent　of　his　command。　　Bragg's　field　return　of　December　10；　1862；　shows　an　effective　total　of　51；036；　composed　of　39；304　infantry；　10；070　cavalry；　and　1；662　artillery。　By　reason　of　Morgan　and　Forrest　being　absent　on　their　raids；　Bragg's　cavalry　was　reduced　to　5；638。　　This　gave　an　effective　force　of　46；604；　which　was　the　strength　of　the　army　with　which　Bragg　fought　the　battle。

Rosecrans's　force　on　the　battle…field　was：　　Infantry；　37；977；　artillery；　2；223；　cavalry；　3；200；　total；　43；400。　　His　loss　was：　killed；　1；553；　wounded；　7；245。　　The　enemy　captured　about　2；800　men。　Making　his　total　loss　about　twenty…five　per　cent。　of　his　force　in　action。　　Rosecrans　lost　twenty…eight　pieces　of　artillery　and　a　large　portion　of　his　wagon　train。　　Bragg　lost　three　pieces　of　artillery。

Why　did　Rosecrans's　plan　of　battle　miscarry　so　fatally　and　Bragg's　come　so　near　absolute　success？　　The　fault　was　not　the　plan　as　conceived　by　the　former。　　The　near　success　of　the　latter　proved　a　vindication　of　that。　　The　originator　of　the　plan　was　not　at　fault　personally；　for　at　no　time　during　the　battle　did　he　falter　or　prove　unequal　to　his　command。　　When　called　on　to　give　up　his　plan　of　the　offensive　and　assume　the　defensive　to　save　his　army；　the　wonderful　power　of　Rosecrans　as　a　general　over　troops　was　never　displayed　to　a　greater　advantage。　　With　the　blood　from　a　slight　wound　on　his　cheek；　in　a　light　blue　army　overcoat；　through　the　mud　and　rain　of　the　battle…field；　he　rode　along　the　line　inspiring　his　troops　with　the　confidence　he　felt　as　to　the　final　result。　　To　Rosecrans　there　was　but　one　outcome　to　the　battle　at　Stone's　River；　and　that　was　victory。　　When　some　of　his　general　officers　advised　retreat　to　Nashville；　not　for　an　instant　did　he　falter　in　his　determination　to　〃fight　or　die　right　here。〃　　The　demoralization　of　one　of　his　division　commanders　was　so　great；　that　on　Thursday　afternoon；　when　the　rebels　were　massing　on　Rosecrans's　right；　this　general；　commanding　a　division；　announced　to　his　brigade　commanders　that　in　the　event　of　the　anticipated　assault　resulting　disastrously；　he　proposed　to　take　his　division　and　cut　his　way　through　to　Nashville。　　To　his　troopsthe　greater　part　of　whom　had　never　seen　Rosecrans　under　the　enemy's　firewhen　on　the　return　from　the　cedars；　they　formed　anew　in　front　of　the　Nashville　pikeseeing　the　Commanding　General　of　the　army　riding　fearlessly　on　the　extreme　front；　in　the　heat　of　battle；　cool　and　collected；　giving　orders　and　encouraging　his　menhis　mere　presence　was　an　inspiration。　　His　personal　bravery　was　never　more　fully　shown　than　when　he　rode　down　to　the　〃Round　Forest〃　with　his　staff；　under　fire；　at　the　time　Garesche　was　killed　by　a　shell　that　only　missed　the　chief　by　a　few　inches。　　In　this　ride　Rosecrans　had　three　mounted　orderlies　shot　dead　while　following　him。　　When　the　entire　extent　of　McCook's　disaster　in　its　crushing　force　was　revealed　to　him；　he　felt　the　full　burden　of　his　responsibility；　and　rising　to　the　demands　of　the　hour　he　was　superb。　　Dashing　from　one　point　to　another；　quick　to　discern　danger　and　ready　to　meet　it；　shrinking　from　no　personal　exposure；　dispatching　his　staff　on　the　gallop；　hurrying　troops　into　position；　massing　the　artillery　and　forming　his　new　lines　on　ground