captains of the civil war-第43节
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the explosion； and plunged headforemost to the bottom； her screw madly whirling in the air。 Nor was this the worst； for the Tecumseh's mistake had thrown the other monitors out of their proper lineahead； athwart the wooden ships； which began to slow and swing about in some confusion。 The Confederates redoubled their fire。 Ahead lay the fatal torpedoes。 For a moment Farragut could not decide whether to risk an advance at all costs or to turn back beaten。 He was a very devout as well as a most determined man； and his simple prayer； 〃O God； shall I go on？〃 seemed answered by the echo of his soul； 〃Go on！〃 So on he went； not in unreflecting exaltation； but in exaltation based on knowledge and on skill。 Like Cromwell； he might well have said； 〃Trust in the Lord and keep your powder dry！〃 For he had done all that naval foresight could have done to ensure success。 And now； in one lightning flash of genius； he reviewed the situation。 He knew the torpedoes of his day were often unreliable； that they exploded only on a special kind of shock； that those which did explode could not be replaced in action； that they were all fixed to their own spots； and that if one ship was blown up her next…astern would get through safely。
The Brooklyn； his next…ahead； was in his way。 So he ordered the flagship Hartford and her lashedtogether consort； the double…ender Metacomet； to use； the one her screw； the other her paddles； in opposite directions； till he had cleared the Brooklyn's stern。 As he； drew clear and headed for the danger…channel a shoutwent up from the Brooklyn's deck〃'ware torpedoes！〃 But Farragut； his mind made up； instantly roared back〃Damn the torpedoes！〃 Then； turning to the Hartford's and Metacomet's decks； he called his orders down： 〃Four bells！ Captain Drayton； go ahead！ Captain Jouett； full speed！〃 In answer to the order of 〃four bells〃 the engines worked their very utmost and the two vessels dashed ahead。 Torpedoes knocked against the bottom and some of the primers actually snapped。 But nothing exploded； and Farragut won through。
Inside the harbor the Tennessee fought hard against the overwhelming Union fleet。 But her lowpowered engines gave her no chance at quick maneuvers。 Three vessels rammed her in succession； and she was forced to surrender。
After this purely naval victory on the fifth of August； General Granger's troops invested Fort Morgan； which； becoming the target of an irresistible converging fire from both land and sea on the twenty…second； surrendered on the twenty…third。
The next objective of a joint expedition was Fort Fisher； which stood at the end of a long； low tongue of land between the sea and Cape Fear River。 Fort Fisher guarded the entrance to Wilmington in North Carolina； the port； above all others； from which the Confederate armies drew their oversea supplies。 Lee wrote to Colonel Lamb； its commandant； saying that he could not subsist if it was taken。 Lamb had less than two thousand men in the fort； but there were six thousand more forming an army of support outside。 The Confederates； however； had no naval force to speak of； while the Union fleet； commanded by Admiral Porter； was the largest that had ever yet assembled under the Stars and Stripes。 There were nearly sixty fighting vessels of all kinds； including five new ironclads and the three finest new frigates。 The guns that were carried exceeded six hundred。
There was also a mine ship； the old Louisiana； stuffed chock…a…block with powder to blow in the side of the fort。 The Washington wiseacres set great store on this new mine of theirs。 It was； of course； to end the war。 But naval and military experts on the spot were more than doubtful。 On the night of the twenty…third of December the Louisiana was safely worked in near the fort by brave Commander Rhind； who fired the slow match and escaped unhurt with his devoted crew of volunteers。 A tremendous explosion followed。 But； as there was nothing to drive the force of it against the walls； it simply resulted in an enormous flurry of water； mud； sand； earth； and bits of flaming wreckage。
Next morning the fleet bombarded with such success as to silence many of the guns opposed to them。 But on Christmas Day General Weitzel reported that an assault would fail； whereupon General Butler concurred and retreated； much to the rage of the fleet； which thought quite otherwise。
In a few days General Terry arrived with the same white troops reinforced by two small colored brigades； making a total of eight thousand men。 To these Porter； strongly reinforced； added a naval brigade； two thousand strong； that volunteered to storm the sea face of Fort Fisher。 These gallant men had only cutlasses and pistolsexcept the four hundred marines； who carried bayonets and rifles。 They were a scratch lot； from the soldier's point of view； never having been landed together as a single unit till called upon to assault the most dangerous features of the fort。 Yet； though they were repulsed with considerable loss； they greatly helped to win the day by obliging the defenders to divide their forces。 As Terry's army was； by itself； four or five times stronger than Lamb's entire command the military stormers succeeded in fighting their way through every line of defense and compelling a surrender。 They did exceedingly well。 But their rear was safe； because Bragg had withdrawn the supporting army for service elsewhere； while； in their front； the enemy defenses had been almost torn out by the roots in many places under the terrific converging fire of six hundred naval guns for three successive days。
When Fort Fisher surrendered on the fifteenth of January （1865） the exhausted South had only one good port and one good raider left： Charleston and the Shenandoah。
CHAPTER X。 GRANT ATTACKS THE FRONT： 1864
On March 9； 1864； at the Executive Mansion； and in the presence of all the Cabinet Ministers； Lincoln handed Grant the Lieutenant…General's commission which made him Commander…in…Chief of all the Union armiesa commission such as no one else had held since Washington。 On April 9； 1865； Grant received the surrender of Lee at Appomattox； and the four years war was ended by a thirteen months campaign。
Victor of the River War in '63； Grant moved his headquarters from Chattanooga to Nashville soon before Christmas。 He then expected not only to lead the river armies against Atlanta in '64 but； at the same time； to send another army against Mobile； where it could act in conjunction with the naval forces under Farragut's command。
He consequently made a midwinter tour of inspection： southeast to Chattanooga； northeast to Knoxville and Cumberland Gap； northwest to Lexington and Louisville； thence south； straight back to Nashville。 This satisfied him that his main positions were properly taken and held； and that a well…concerted drive would clear his own strategic area of all but Forrest's elusive cavalry。
It was the hardest winter known for many years。 The sticky clay roads round Cumberland Gap had been churned by wheels and pitted by innumerable feet throughout the autumn rains。 Now they were frozen solid and horribly encumbered by debris mixed up with thousands upon thousands of perished mules and horses。 Grant regretted this terrible wastage of animals as much in a personal as in a military way； for； like nearly all great men； his sympathies were broad enough to make him compassionate toward every kind of sentient life。 No Arab ever loved his horse better than Grant loved his splfndid charger Cincinnati； the worthy counterpart of Traveler； Lee's magnificent gray。
Summoned to Washington in March； Grant； after one scrutinizing look at the political world； then and there made up his steadfast mind that no commander…in…chief could ever carry out his own plans from any distant point； for； even in his fourth year of the war； civilian interference was still being practiced in defiance of naval and military facts and needs； and of some very serious dangers。
Lincoln stood wisely for civil control。 But even he could not resist the perverting pressure in favor of the disastrous Red River Expedition； against which even Banks protested。 Public and Government alike desired to give the French fair warning that the establishment of an imperial Mexico； especially by means of foreign intervention； was regarded as a semi…hostile act。 There were two entirely different ways in which this warning could be given： one completely effective without being provocative； the other provocative without being in the very least degree effective。 The only effective way was to win the war； and the best way to win the war was to strike straight at the heart of the South with all the Union forces。 The most ineffective way was to withdraw Union forces from the heart of the war； send them off at a wasteful tangent； misuse them in eccentric operations just where they would give most offense to the French； and then expose them to what； at best； could only be a detrimental victory； and to what would much more likely be defeat； if not disaster。
Yet； to Grant's and Farragut's and every other soldier's and sailor's disgust； this worst way of all was chosen； and Banks's forty thousand sorely needed veterans were sent to their double defeat at Sabine Cross Roads
