the army of the cumberland-第12部分

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！



On　McCook　getting　his　command　into　position；　he　reported　to　General　Buell　in　person；　who　ordered　him　to　send　out　a　force　to　the　Chaplin　River；　and　find　out　the　position　of　the　enemy　in　his　front。　　During　McCook's　absence　Rousseau　had　advanced　the　right　of　his　line　a　half　mile　to　obtain　a　supply　of　water；　for　which　the　troops　were　suffering。　　On　seeing　this；　the　rebels　opened　a　heavy　fire　with　some　twenty　pieces　of　artillery。　　Rousseau　moved　his　other　troops　to　support　his　right；　and；　posting　Simonson's　and　Loomis's　batteries；　returned　the　enemy's　artillery　fire。

When　McCook　returned　to　his　command；　seeing　that　a　good　position　on　high　ground　could　be　occupied　by　our　troops　on　the　left　and　front　of　Rousseau's　new　line　and　near　the　river；　he　at　once　sent　skirmishers　into　the　woods　at　that　point；　to　find　out　if　the　enemy　held　the　position。　　He　also　directed　Jackson　to　form　a　new　line　of　battle　with　his　division　nearer　the　stream；　and　sent　the　skirmishers　forward　to　the　river　as　soon　as　this　was　done；　where　they　obtained　the　needed　supply　of　water。　　On　the　formation　of　the　new　line；　as　no　heavy　force　of　the　enemy　had　been　encountered；　McCook；　at　about　half…past　one　o'clock；　rode　to　the　right　of　his　line。　　About　half　an　hour　later；　Hardee；　in　command　of　three　divisions；　under　Cheatham；　Buckner；　and　Anderson；　some　sixteen　thousand　strong；　advanced　to　the　attack　on　McCook；　driving　back　the　skirmishers；　first　striking　those　posted　in　the　woods。　　McCook　had　formed　his　line　of　battle；　with　Rousseau's　right　near　a　barn　on　the　right　of　the　Maxville　road；　extending　to　the　left　and　across　that　road　on　a　ridge　through　a　cornfield　to　the　woods　where　the　skirmishers　were。　　The　right　of　Jackson's　line　was　holding　a　wooded　elevation；　running　off　to　the　left　in　rear　of　Chaplin　River；　while　his　left；　north　of　Maxville　road；　was　thrown　back　in　a　northwesterly　direction；　forming　an　obtuse　angle；　deflected　about　thirty　degrees　along　broken　heights　from　their　centre　and　right；　the　point　of　the　angle　being　near　where　the　Maxville　road　crosses　Doctor's　Creek。　　The　enemy　considered　the　key　of　McCook's　position　to　be　at　this　crossing；　and　directed　their　main　attack　on　that　point。　　McCook　had　posted　Starkweather's　brigade　in　the　rear　of　the　left　as　support　to　Jackson；　with　Stone's　and　Bush's　batteries　of　Rousseau's　division；　and　had　placed　Webster's　brigade　of　Jackson's　division　in　rear　of　Rousseau's　line。　　The　enemy　opened　the　attack　on　the　extreme　left　of　the　Federal　force　posted　in　the　angle。　　This　was　a　very　strong　position；　by　reason　of　the　character　of　the　ground；　which　enabled　these　troops　to　sweep　their　front　with　a　heavy　fire。　　The　troops　here　were　protected　by　being　posted　behind　stone　fences；　and　were　supported　by　batteries　in　the　rear。　　In　the　attack　on　the　left　Jackson　was　killed　by　the　first　fire。　　Terrill's　troopsnearly　all　newwere　driven　back；　and　McCook's　left　turned。　　In　falling　back；　Terrill　endeavored　to　rally　his　command　near　the　batteries　posted　in　his　rear。　　While　gallantly　doing　so；　he　fell；　mortally　wounded；　and　died　in　a　few　hours。　McCook　sent　to　Sheridan；　asking　him　to　protect　his　right；　and　sent　to　Gilbert　for　reinforcements。

The　advance　of　the　enemy　was　checked　by　Starkweather's　brigade；　with　Stone's　and　Bush's　batteries；　all　well　posted　to　meet　the　assault　after　Terrill's　brigade　had　been　driven　back。　　The　enemy　made　repeated　assaults　with　fresh　troops　at　this　point；　but　was　driven　back　each　time　with　heavy　loss　until　the　troops　and　batteries　were　out　of　ammunition；　when　they　fell　back　to　the　original　line；　and　obtaining　a　supply　renewed　the　fight。

On　the　right　in　Rousseau's　front　the　enemy　under　Anderson　made　a　vigorous　charge　on　Lytle's　and　Harris's　brigades；　attacking　in　greatly　superior　numbers。　　They　were　however　handsomely　repulsed。　After　fighting　until　their　ammunition　was　exhausted；　these　troops　retired　on　the　line　with　Starkweather's　command。　　The　rebels　then　pushing　forward　under　heavy　fire　from　their　batteries　drove　Lytle's　brigade　from　the　new　line。　　Sloan's　battery　getting　into　position　opened　on　the　rebels　with　canister　and　checked　their　advance。　Colonel　Gooding's　brigade　from　Mitchell's　division　of　Gilbert's　corps；　with　Penney's　Fifth　Wisconsin　Battery；　was　ordered　up；　and　after　a　brisk　engagement　the　enemy　was　driven　back　and　the　original　line　of　battle　reoccupied。　　Steedman's　brigade　of　Schoepff's　division　also　came　up；　and　attacking　the　enemy　aided　in　the　final　repulse。

When　the　heaviest　attack　was　made　on　Rousseau　the　enemy　assaulted　Sheridan's　division　in　the　advanced　position　which　he　occupied　after　forcing　back　their　line　earlier　in　the　day。　　He　now　withdrew　his　troops；　and　posting　them　in　a　more　favorable　position　on　the　original　line；　opened　on　the　rebels　with　heavy　musketry　fire　and　canister。　　The　enemy　pressing　him　very　hard　at　this　point；　he　called　on　Gilbert　for　support；　who　re…enforced　him　with　Carlin's　brigade　from　Mitchell's　division。　　As　the　enemy　moved　forward　in　strong　force　to　the　attack；　Carlin　immediately　ordered　his　troops　to　charge；　which　they　did；　and　drove　the　rebels　before　them　through　Perryville；　capturing　in　the　town　two　caissons；　fifteen　wagons　loaded　with　ammunition；　and　a　guard　of　138　men　under　command　of　three　officers。　　Sheridan　also　drove　the　enemy　for　some　distance；　but　did　not　consider　it　prudent　to　advance　too　far；　leaving　McCook's　right　exposed。　　He　then　directed　his　artillery　fire　on　the　enemy　at　his　left；　and　aided　in　checking　the　advance　in　that　quarter。　Wagner's　brigade　of　Wood's　division　became　engaged；　and　did　good　service　on　the　right　of　Mitchell's　division。　　The　rest　of　Crittenden's　corps　was　not　engaged　in　the　action。　　Thomas；　on　arriving　on　the　battlefield　with　this　corps；　was　directed　to　take　position　in　the　line　of　battle　on　the　right　and　wait　for　orders。　　Here　he　waited　during　the　entire　day；　and　received　none。　　Only　part　of　Gilbert's　corps　was　engaged　in　the　fight；　the　heavy　blow　striking　McCook's；　which　he　failed　to　report　to　Buell　until　after　two　hours'　fighting。　The　battle　was　closed　by　night　coming　on；　and　a　general　engagement　was　anticipated　the　next　day。　　Thomas　was　directed　to　move　Crittenden's　and　Gilbert's　corps　forward　in　the　morning　at　six　o'clock；　and　attack　the　enemy's　front　and　left　flank。

Buell　ordered　McCook　during　the　night　to　close　the　opening　between　his　right　and　Gilbert's　left。　　His　orders　for　the　following　day　were　to　hold　his　position　and　take　advantage　of　any　opportunity　that　the　events　of　the　day　might　present；　the　main　attack　to　be　made　by　the　other　corps。　　On　the　following　morning；　the　advance　being　made　in　accordance　with　these　orders；　it　was　discovered　that　the　enemy's　main　body　had　retired　during　the　night；　and　was　falling　back　on　Harrodsburg；　with　indications　that　he　would　there　make　a　stand。　　Bragg　left　his　dead　and　wounded　on　the　field；　but　retired　leisurely　and　in　good　order。

Buell　reported　the　strength　of　his　command　before　the　engagement　at　58；000　effective　men。　　Of　these　he　claimed　22；000　were　raw　troops；　not　drilled；　and　undisciplined。　　Less　than　one…half　of　this　entire　force　was　in　the　action。　　His　reports　show　a　loss　of　4；348；　being　916　killed；　2；943　wounded；　and　489　missing。　　Nearly　all　the　losses　were　from　McCook's　command；　which　bore　the　brunt　of　the　heavy　fighting。　　Bragg　referring　to　his　loss　in　his　official　report　says：　〃In　such　a　conflict　our　own　loss　was　necessarily　severe；　probably　not　less　than　2；500　killed；　wounded；　and　missing。〃　　During　the　campaign　General　Buell　captured　nearly　five　thousand　prisoners。

The　enemy's　troops　engaged　in　the　battle　were　under　the　immediate　command　of　General　Polk。　　Bragg　had　been　with　Kirby　Smith　at　Frankfort；　where　these　active　operations　found　him　engaged　in　superintending　〃the　ceremony　of　installing　the　Provisional　Governor　into　office。〃

In　his　official　report　of　the　battle　of　Perryville；　made　from　Bryantsville；　October　12；　1862；　Bragg　says：　　〃After　consulting　with　the　General　（Polk）　and　reconnoitering　the　ground　and　examining　his　dispositions；　I　declined　to　assume　the　command；　but　suggested　some　changes　and　modifications　of　his　arrangements；　which　he　promptly　made。〃　　In　a　subsequent　report　of　Perryville；　made　while　he　was　at　Shelbyville；　of　date　May　20；　1863；　he　reflects　very　severely　upon　Polk's　movements　at　Perryville。　　He　says　that　he　ordered　the　attack　to　be　made　by　Polk　on　Gilbert　early　in　the　morning　of　the　8th；　that　he　waited　until　10　A。M。；　and　hearing　no　firing　started　to　see　Polk　and　have　an　explanation　of　the　delay。　　Here　he　was　〃informed　that　it　was　determined　not　to　attack；　but　to　assume　the　'defensive　offensive。'〃　　Bragg　gave　orders　for　some　changes　in　the　line　of　battle；　restoring　certain　portions　of　the　command　that　had　been　withdrawn；　and　again　ordering　Polk　to　bring　on　the　engagement。　　The　execution　of　this　order　was　delayed　by　Polk；　and　Bragg；　becoming　〃impatient　at　the　delay　after　this　order；〃　〃despatched　a　staff　officer　to　repeat　it　to　the　General；　and　soon　thereafter　followed　in　person　and　put　the　troops　in　motion。〃

Bragg's　intention　was　not　to　fight　a　general　engagement　at　Perryville；　but　merely　to　check　the　advance　of　Buell's　army；　thereby　gaining　time　to　gather　his　supplies　and　men　together　and　leave　the　State。　Bragg　had　been　urged；　by　leading　Kentuckians　in　his　command　and　others；　to　undertake　the　campaign　in　Kentucky　with　the　promise　of　immense　numbers　of　recruits　and　large　quantities　of　supplies。　　He　anticipated　that　his　coming　would　be　hailed　as　that　of　a　deliverer；　and　that　the　young　men　of　the　State　would　flock　to　his　banners　and　fill　up　his　army；　so　that　he　could　attack　Buell　at　any　point。　Bragg's　entire　command　in　Kentucky　was　estimated　at　thirty…five　to　forty　thousand。　　He　anticipated　enlisting　twenty　thousand　recruits；　and　took　arms　to　Kentucky　for　that　number　of　new　troops。　　Buell's　command；　with　his　losses　and　the　garrison　at　Nashville　was　less　than　this；　but　at　Louisville　he　received　some　twenty…two　thousand　new　troops。　　The　number　of　infantry　recruits　for　Bragg's　army　was　very　small；　for　he　says　in　his　first　official　report　of　the　battle　of　Perryvillewhen　he　at　that　time　was　preparing　to　leave　the　State〃with　ample　means　to　arm　twenty　thousand　men　and　a　force　with　that　to　fully　redeem　the　State；　we　have　not　yet　issued　half　the　a