the army of the cumberland-第26部分

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During　March　the　rebel　cavalry　under　Morgan　met　with　one　of　the　most　decisive　repulses　yet　experienced　by　that　command。　　On　the　18th　of　March　Colonel　Hall　with　his　command；　the　second　brigade　of　Reynolds's　division；　was　sent　from　Murfreesboro　after　Morgan。　Starting　northeast　from　that　place　he　advanced　beyond　Statesville；　when　hearing　that　Morgan　was　advancing　on　him　he　retired　toward　Milton；　posted　his　command　on　some　high　ground　near　that　place　and　awaited　the　attack。　　Morgan　endeavored　first　to　turn　the　right　and　then　the　left　of　Hall's　command；　but　in　each　of　these　attempts　he　was　driven　off　with　heavy　loss。　　He　then　dismounted　the　main　portion　of　his　command　and　ordered　an　attack　to　be　made　on　the　front。　　A　vigorous　assault　was　at　once　made　with　a　heavy　force；　but　this　was　also　repulsed；　Morgan　losing　a　large　number　of　men。　　After　an　engagement　lasting　some　four　hours；　in　which　Hall's　brigade　fought　with　the　utmost　determination；　Morgan's　command；　being　repulsed　at　all　points　and　in　every　assault；　withdrew　from　the　field　with　a　loss　of　some　ninety…five　killed；　three　hundred　and　fifty　wounded；　and　twenty　prisoners。

Early　in　April；　Morgan's　troopers　were　defeated　with　great　loss。　On　the　2d　of　April　Stanley　advanced　with　his　cavalry　to　Liberty；　where　Morgan　met　them　with　his　entire　command。　　The　two　forces　encamped　within　two　miles　of　each　other。　　On　the　morning　of　the　3d；　Stanley　advanced；　intending　to　engage　Morgan's　command　at　once；　but　found　that　he　had　retreated　to　what　he　regarded　as　a　very　strong　position　at　Snow　Hill。　　Morgan；　however；　had　left　a　strong　force　at　Liberty　to　watch　Stanley's　movements。　　As　Stanley　advanced；　he　struck　this　force　and　quickly　drove　upon　it　with　part　of　his　command；　sending　a　portion　around　to　the　right；　which　turned　the　enemy's　left　flank。　　Pressing　Morgan's　command　from　both　positions；　it　soon　gave　way　at　all　points；　and　was　in　full　retreat。　　Morgan's　officers　tried　to　rally　their　men；　but　the　latter　were　thoroughly　demoralized　and　had　no　fight　in　them。　　The　teamsters　became　panic…stricken　and　added　to　the　general　rout。　　It　was　two　weeks　before　Morgan　succeeded　in　getting　his　men　together　again。

Early　in　April；　Rosecrans　ordered　Colonel　Streight　to　the　command　of　a　brigade　he　had　organized　for　the　purpose　of　making　a　raid　on　the　lines　of　communication　of　the　rebels；　and　to　move　through　the　country　south　and　southeast；　destroying　as　he　went　all　property　of　use　to　them。　　Streight's　command　started　from　Nashville；　partially　mounted；　going　by　way　of　Clarksville　to　Fort　Henry；　at　which　place　he　took　steamer　from　Eastport；　Miss。　　En　route　to　Fort　Henry　his　command　secured　as　many　animals　as　they　could；　but　only　four…fifths　of　the　men　were　mounted；　and　they　poorly。　　The　animals　were　nearly　all　mules；　and　very　few　of　them　were　fit　for　the　service　required。　It　was　expected　that　the　command　would　capture　enough　good　animals　to　carry　the　expedition　successfully　through；　but　this　was　not　realized。　　Leaving　Eastport　on　the　21st；　he　passed　through　Tuscumbia　three　days　later；　and　reached　Moulton　on　the　26th。　　From　here　on　the　28th　he　pressed　forward　through　Day's　Gap　on　Sand　Mountain；　in　the　direction　of　Blountsville。　　In　the　gap　their　rear　guard　was　overtaken　and　attacked　on　the　30th　by　the　enemy's　cavalry　under　Forrest；　who　had　pressed　forward；　riding　night　and　day。　　Selecting　the　best　mounted　of　his　men；　he　pushed　at　once　to　Streight's　camp。　Here　coming　upon　the　rear　of　Streight's　force　as　it　was　leaving　camp；　Forrest　opened　with　artillery　firing。　　Dismounting　his　men；　Streight　formed　his　command　on　the　crest　of　a　hill　on　each　side　of　the　road　and　awaited　the　enemy's　attack。　　As　Forrest　advanced；　Streight　ordered　a　charge　to　be　made　which　drove　the　enemy　at　all　points；　capturing　their　two　pieces　of　artillery。　　Forrest　lost　in　killed　and　wounded　seventy…five　men；　a　large　percentage　of　whom　were　killed。　　Streight's　loss　was　twenty…one　killed　and　wounded。　　A　good　many　of　horses　were　captured　from　the　enemy；　on　which　Streight　mounted　a　number　of　his　men。　　On　the　same　afternoon　the　enemy　attacked　again；　but　was　driven　back　with　considerable　loss；　after　a　severe　engagement　lasting　from　three　o'clock　until　dark。　　On　May　1st；　the　Federal　forces　reached　Blountsville　at　noon。　　Here　all　the　wagons　save　one　were　burned；　and　the　ammunition　placed　on　pack　mules；　after　distributing　to　the　men　all　that　they　could　carry。　At　three　o'clock　Streight　started　again；　and　skirmishing　commenced　at　once　on　their　rear。　　Pressing　on；　the　command　marched　until　twelve　o'clock　that　night。　　Resuming　their　march　in　the　morning；　the　rear　skirmished　all　the　forenoon　of　the　2d　with　the　rebels。　Arriving　at　Gadsden；　Streight　remained　long　enough　to　destroy　a　large　quantity　of　provisions　in　store　there　for　the　enemy。　　It　was　expected　at　this　place　that　a　small　steamer　would　be　found；　upon　which　a　detachment　of　men　could　be　sent　to　capture　Rome。　　In　this　Streight　was　disappointed。　　From　this　point　Streight's　animals　became　much　exhausted；　and　the　men　were　falling　to　the　rear　and　getting　captured。　　To　prevent　this　the　command　had　to　go　much　slower。　　Forrest　coming　up　about　one　o'clock　on　the　2d；　attacked　the　command　while　the　horses　were　being　fed　at　Blount's　farm。　　Here　Colonel　Hathaway　fell；　shot　through　the　breast。　　Again　the　rebels　were　repulsed；　but　they　constantly　pressed　upon　the　rear　of　Streight's　command；　keeping　up　a　brisk　skirmish　fire。　　The　enemy　were　kept　in　check　at　Blount's　farm　until　after　dark。　　In　the　meantime　the　main　command　had　crossed　the　Coosa。　　Here　the　river　was　so　high　that　the　ammunition　was　damaged　by　being　wet。　　From　this　place　Streight　sent　a　detachment　to　burn　the　Round　Mountain　iron　works；　one　of　the　principal　manufactories　of　munitions　of　war　in　the　South。　　It　was　burned　to　the　ground　and　all　the　machinery　destroyed。　　On　arriving　at　the　other　branch　of　the　Coosa　a　bridge　was　found；　and；　as　soon　as　the　command　had　crossed；　it　was　destroyed。　　On　the　morning　of　the　3d；　as　the　men　were　preparing　their　breakfast；　the　enemy　again　attacked。　Shortly　afterward　Forrest　sent　in　a　flag　of　truce；　demanding　the　surrender　of　the　entire　command。　　This　was　at　first　refused；　but　on　consultation　with　his　officers；　and　considering　the　damaged　condition　of　his　ammunition　and　the　complete　exhaustion　of　his　command；　Streight；　after　making　a　personal　inspection　of　Forrest's　artillery；　finally　yielded；　and　the　entire　force　of　1；466　officers　and　men　was　surrendered。

On　April　20th；　Thomas　sent　J。　J。　Reynolds　with　three　brigades　of　infantry　and　Minty's　brigades　of　cavalry；　together　with　Wilder's　brigade　of　mounted　infantry；　to　proceed　to　McMinnville；　capture　what　force　was　there；　destroy　the　railroad　from　Manchester　to　McMinnville；　and　co…operate　with　a　force　to　move　from　Carthage　against　Morgan。　Reynolds　made　a　successful　raid　on　the　railroad　and　nearly　destroyed　it；　burned　all　the　bridges；　trestle…work；　cars；　and　locomotives　on　the　road；　also　the　depot　in　McMinnville；　and　several　cotton　mills。　A　large　amount　of　supplies　was　captured；　some　one　hundred　animals　picked　up。　　The　command　from　Carthage　failed　to　aid　in　the　expedition；　and　Morgan's　command　in　the　main　effected　their　escape。

Colonel　Lewis　D。　Watkins　on　the　27th　made　a　gallant　charge　on　the　Texas　Legion；　encamped　close　to　Van　Dorn's　main　command　near　Spring　Hill。　　Dashing　in　upon　the　enemy　early　in　the　morning；　he　was　among　them　before　they　could　rally　for　defence；　capturing　one　hundred　and　twenty…eight　prisoners；　over　three　hundred　animals；　and　their　camp　equipage　without　the　loss　of　a　man。

It　was　during　the　six　months　waiting　at　Murfreesboro　that　the　unfortunate　controversy　arose　between　Rosecrans　and　the　authorities　at　Washington；　represented　by　General　Halleck；　as　Commander…in…Chief；　and　Mr。　Secretary　Stanton　of　the　War　Department。　　The　Army　of　the　Cumberland；　during　the　period　of　the　active　movements　of　that　command；　congratulated　itself　that　the　field　of　operations　was　so　far　removed　from　Washington　City；　that　it　did　not　come　under　the　influence　of　the　authority　that　seemed　to　paralyze　every　effort　of　the　commands　immediately　around　the　seat　of　war　at　the　East。　　But　in　this　they　were　mistaken。　　The　future　student　of　the　history　of　the　war；　in　the　light　of　the　full　official　records；　will　wonder　most　at　the　fact　that；　under　the　orders　from　Washington；　the　commanders　in　the　field　were　at　all　able　to　finally　crush　the　rebellion。　　It　was　only　when　the　armies　at　the　East　were　placed　under　a　general　who　was　practically　untrammeled　in　the　exercise　of　his　power；　and　who　conducted　his　campaigns　upon　military　principles；　and　not　as　the　result　of　orders　from　Washington　that　the　beginning　of　the　end　of　the　rebellion　in　the　East　began　to　dawn。　　In　Tennessee　we　have　seen　how　Halleck　gave　Buell　orders　and　then　attached　such　conditions　to　them　as　to　render　their　proper　execution　absolutely　impossible。　There　was　nothing　to　prevent　Buell　from　occupying　Chattanooga　in　June；　1862；　as　he　was　directed；　while　Bragg　with　his　command　was　in　Northern　Mississippi；　except　the　utterly　useless　condition　attached　to　his　orders；　that　he　should　repair　the　Memphis　and　Charleston　Railroad　as　he　moved　east。　　Buell　urged；　in　forcible　terms；　the　foolishness　and　even　impropriety　of　this　delay；　but　Halleck；　who　knew　much　of　the　theory　of　war　as　learned　from　books；　and　in　a　general　way　wished　to　apply　these　principles　to　the　practical　movements　of　troops；　overruled　Buell。　　The　latter　knew　that　the　enemy　in　his　front　always　resolutely　refused　to　be　bound　in　his　operations　by　such　rules　in　conducting　campaigns。　　The　result　of　Halleck's　wisdom　soon　became　manifest　when　Bragg　started　for　Kentucky；　after　the　waste　of　Buell's　time　in　repairing　this　railroad；　which；　when　completed；　was　at　once　turned　over　to　the　enemy　in　good　condition　for　immediate　use　against　our　own　forces。　　On　Buell　fell　the　force　of　the　blow　that　some　one　had　to　bear　for　this　failure　to　take　advantage　of　a　patent　opportunity。　　Buell's　obedience　to　Halleck's　orders　rendered　Bragg's　advance　into　Kentucky　possible；　while　Buell's　failure　to　bring　Bragg　to　a　decisive　action　in　Kentucky；　and　his　refusal　to　follow　Bragg　into　the　mountains　of　Eastern　Kentucky　and　Tennessee；　was　deemed　sufficient　cause　by　Halleck　to　issue　the　order　removing　him　from　his　c