memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第99节

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Catching　as　accurate　an　idea　of　the　ground　as　possible　by　the　dim　light　of　morning；　I　saw　that　our　line　of　attack　was　in　the　direction　of　Missionary　Ridge；　with　wings　supporting　on　either　flank。　　Quite　a　valley　lay　between　us　and　the　next　hill　of　the　series；　and　this　hill　presented　steep　sides；　the　one　to　the　west　partially　cleared；　but　the　other　covered　with　the　native　forest。　The　crest　of　the　ridge　was　narrow　and　wooded。　　The　farther　point　of　this　hill　was　held…by　the　enemy　with　a　breastwork　of　logs　and　fresh　earth；　filled　with　men　and　two　guns。　　The　enemy　was　also　seen　in　great　force　on　a　still　higher　hill　beyond　the　tunnel；　from　which　he　had　a　fine　plunging　fire　on　the　hill　in　dispute。　　The　gorge　between；　through　which　several　roads　and　the　railroad…tunnel　pass；　could　not　be　seen　from　our　position；　but　formed　the　natural　place　d'armes；　where　the　enemy　covered　his　masses　to　resist　our　contemplated　movement　of　turning　his　right　flank　arid　endangering　his　communications　with　his　depot　at　Chickamauga　Station。

As　soon　as　possible；　the　following　dispositions　were　made：　The　brigades　of　Colonels　Cockrell　and　Alexander；　and　General　Lightburn；　were　to　hold　our　hill　as　the　key…point。　　General　Corse；　with　as　much　of　his　brigade　as　could　operate　along　the　narrow　ridge；　was　to　attack　from　our　right　centre。　　General　Lightburn　was　to　dispatch　a　good　regiment　from　his　position　to　cooperate　with　General　Corse；　and　General　Morgan　L。　Smith　was　to　move　along　the　east　base　of　Missionary　Ridge；　connecting　with　General　Corse；　and　Colonel　Loomis；　in　like　manner；　to　move　along　the　west　bane；　supported　by　the　two　reserve　brigades　of　General　John　E。　Smith。

The　sun　had　hardly　risen　before　General　Corse　had　completed　his　preparations　and　his　bugle　sounded　the　〃forward　！〃　The　Fortieth　Illinois；　supported　by　the　Forty…sixth　Ohio；　on　our　right　centre；　with　the　Thirtieth　Ohio　（Colonel　Jones）；　moved　down　the　face　of　our　hill；　and　up　that　held　by　the　enemy。　　The　line　advanced　to　within　about　eighty　yards　of　the　intrenched　position；　where　General　Corse　found　a　secondary　crest；　which　he　gained　and　held。　　To　this　point　he　called　his　reserves；　and　asked　for　reenforcements；　which　were　sent；　but　the　space　was　narrow；　and　it　was　not　well　to　crowd　the　men；　as　the　enemy's　artillery　and　musketry　fire　swept　the　approach　to　his　position；　giving　him　great　advantage。　　As　soon　as　General　Corse　had　made　his　preparations；　he　assaulted；　and　a　close；　severe　contest　ensued；　which　lasted　more　than　an　hour；　gaining　and　losing　ground；　but　never　the　position　first　obtained；　from　which　the　enemy　in　vain　attempted　to　drive　him。　　General　Morgan　L。　Smith　kept　gaining　ground　on　the　left　spurs　of　Missionary　Ridge；　and　Colonel　Loomis　got　abreast　of　the　tunnel　and　railroad　embankment　on　his　aide；　drawing　the　enemy's　fire；　and　to　that　extent　relieving　the　assaulting　party　on　the　hill…crest。　Captain　Callender　had　four　of　his　guns　on　General　Ewing's　hill；　and　Captain　Woods　his　Napoleon　battery　on　General　Lightburn's；　also；　two　guns　of　Dillon's　battery　were　with　Colonel　Alexander's　brigade。　　All　directed　their　fire　as　carefully　as　possible；　to　clear　the　hill　to　our　front；　without　endangering　our　own　men。　　The　fight　raged　furiously　about　10　a。m。；　when　General　Corse　received　a　severe　wound；　was　brought　off　the　field；　and　the　command　of　the　brigade　and　of　the　assault　at　that　key…point　devolved　on　that　fine　young；　gallant　officer；　Colonel　Walcutt；　of　the　Forty…sixth　Ohio；　who　fulfilled　his　part　manfully。　He　continued　the　contest；　pressing　forward　at　all　points。　　Colonel　Loomis　had　made　good　progress　to　the　right；　and　about　2　p。m。；　General　John　E。　Smith；　judging　the　battle　to　be　most　severe　on　the　hill；　and　being　required　to　support　General　Ewing；　ordered　up　Colonel　Raum's　and　General　Matthias's　brigades　across　the　field　to　the　summit　that　was　being　fought　for。　　They　moved　up　under　a　heavy　fire　of　cannon　and　musketry；　and　joined　Colonel　Walcutt；　but　the　crest　was　so　narrow　that　they　necessarily　occupied　the　west　face　of　the　hill。　　The　enemy；　at　the　time　being　massed　in　great　strength　in　the　tunnel…gorge；　moved　a　large　force　under　cover　of　the　ground　and　the　thick　bushes；　and　suddenly　appeared　on　the　right　rear　of　this　command。　　The　suddenness　of　the　attack　disconcerted　the　men；　exposed　as　they　were　in　the　open　field；　they　fell　back　in　some　disorder　to　the　lower　edge　of　the　field；　and　reformed。　　These　two　brigades　were　in　the　nature　of　supports；　and　did　not　constitute　a　part　of　the　real　attack。

The　movement；　seen　from　Chattanooga　（five　miles　off　）　with　spy…glasses；　gave　rise　to　the　report；　which　even　General　Meiga　has　repeated；　that　we　were　repulsed　on　the　left。　　It　was　not　so。　　The　real　attacking　columns　of　General　Corse；　Colonel　Loomis；　and　General　Smith；　were　not　repulsed。　　They　engaged　in　a　close　struggle　all　day　persistently；　stubbornly；　and　well。　　When　the　two　reserve　brigades　of　General　John　E。　Smith　fell　back　as　described；　the　enemy　made　a　show　of　pursuit；　but　were　in　their　turn　caught　in　flank　by　the　well…directed　fire　of　our　brigade　on　the　wooded　crest；　and　hastily　sought　cover　behind　the　hill。　　Thus　matters　stood　about　3　p。m。　　The　day　was　bright　and　clear；　and　the　amphitheatre　of　Chattanooga　sat　in　beauty　at　our　feet。　　I　had　watched　for　the　attack　of　General　Thomas　〃early　in　the　day。〃　　　Column　after　column　of　the　enemy　was　streaming　toward　me；　gun　after　　gun　poured　its　concentric　shot　on　us；　from　every　hill　and　spur　that　gave　a　view　of　any　part　of　the　ground　held　by　us。　　An　occasional　shot　from　Fort　Wood　and　Orchard　Knob；　and　some　musketry…fire　and　artillery　over　about　　Lookout　Mountain；　was　all　that　I　could　detect　on　our　side；　but　about　3　p。m。　　I　noticed　the　white　line　of　musketry…fire　in　front　of　Orchard　Knoll　extending　farther　and　farther　right　and　left　and　on。　　We　could　only　hear　　a　faint　echo　of　sound；　but　enough　was　seen　to　satisfy　me　that　General　Thomas　was　at　last　moving　on　the　centre。　　I　knew　that　our　attack　had　drawn　vast　masses　of　the　enemy　to　our　flank；　and　felt　sure　of　the　result。　　Some　guns　which　had　been　firing　on　us　all　day　were　silent；　or　were　turned　in　a　different　direction。

The　advancing　line　of　musketry…fire　from　Orchard　Knoll　disappeared　to　us　behind　a　spar　of　the　hill；　and　could　no　longer　be　seen；　and　it　was　not　until　night　closed　in　that　I　knew　that　the　troops　in　Chattanooga　had　swept　across　Missionary　Ridge　and　broken　the　enemy's　centre。　　Of　course；　the　victory　was　won；　and　pursuit　was　the　next　step。

I　ordered　General　Morgan　L。　Smith　to　feel　to　the　tunnel；　and　it　was　found　vacant；　save　by　the　dead　and　wounded　of　our　own　and　the　enemy　commingled。　　The　reserve　of　General　Jeff。　C。　Davis　was　ordered　to　march　at　once　by　the　pontoon…bridge　across　Chickamauga　Creek；　at　its　mouth；　and　push　forward　for　the　depot。

General　Howard　had　reported　to　me　in　the　early　part　of　the　day；　with　the　remainder　of　his　army　corps　（the　Eleventh）；　and　had　been　posted　to　connect　my　left　with　Chickamauga　Creek。　　He　was　ordered　to　repair　an　old　broken　bridge　about　two　miles　up　the　Chickamauga；　and　to　follow　General　Davis　at　4　a。m。；　and　the　Fifteenth　Army　Corps　was　ordered　to　follow　at　daylight。　　But　General　Howard　found　that　to　repair　the　bridge　was　more　of　a　task　than　was　at　first　supposed；　and　we　were　all　compelled　to　cross　the　Chickamauga　on　the　new　pontoon…bridge　at　its　mouth。　　By　about　11a。m。　　General　Jeff。　C。　Davis's　division　reached　the　depot；　just　in　time　to　seee　it　in　flames。　　He　found　the　enemy　occupying　two　hills；　partially　intrenched；　just　beyond　the　depot。　　These　he　soon　drove　away。　　The　depot　presented　a　scene　of　desolation　that　war　alone　exhibits　corn…meal　and　corn　in　huge　burning　piles；　broken　wagons；　abandoned　caissons；　two　thirty…two…pounder　rifled…guns　with　carriages　burned；　pieces　of　pontoons；　balks　and　chesses；　etc。；　destined　doubtless　for　the　famous　invasion　of　Kentucky；　and　all　manner　of　things；　burning　and　broken。　　Still；　the　enemy　kindly　left　us　a　good　supply　of　forage　for　our　horses；　and　meal；　beans；　etc。；　for　our　men。

Pausing　but　a　short　while；　we　passed　on；　the　road　filled　with　broken　wagons　and　abandoned　caissons；　till　night。　　Just　as　the　head　of　the　column　emerged　from　a　dark；　miry　swamp；　we　encountered　the　rear…guard　of　the　retreating　enemy。　　The　fight　was　sharp；　but　the　night　closed　in　so　dark　that　we　could　not　move。　　General　Grant　came　up　to　us　there。　　At　daylight　we　resumed　the　march；　and　at　Graysville；　where　a　good　bridge　spanned　the　Chickamauga；　we　found　the　corps　of　General　Palmer　on　the　south　bank；　who　informed　us　that　General　Hooker　was　on　a　road　still　farther　south；　and　we　could　hear　his　guns　near　Ringgold。

As　the　roads　were　filled　with　all　the　troops　they　could　possibly　accommodate；　I　turned　to　the　east；　to　fulfill　another　part　of　the　general　plan；　viz。；　to　break　up　all　communication　between　Bragg　and　Longstreet。

We　had　all　sorts　of　rumors　as　to　the　latter；　but　it　was　manifest　that　we　should　interpose　a　proper　force　between　these　two　armies。　I　therefore　directed　General　Howard　to　move　to　Parker's　Gap；　and　thence　send　rapidly　a　competent　force　to　Red　Clay；　or　the　Council…Ground；　there　to　destroy　a　large　section　of　the　railroad　which　connects　Dalton　and　Cleveland。　　This　work　was　most　successfully　and　folly　accomplished　that　day。　　The　divisio