memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第67部分

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　in　like　manner；　sent　his　trains　with　the　Seventeenth　Corps；　well　to　the　right；　and；　with　the　four　divisions　of　the　Fifteenth　Corps；　took　roads　which　would　enable　him　to　come　promptly　to　the　exposed　left　flank。　　We　started　on　the　16th；　but　again　the　rains　set　in；　and　the　roads；　already　bad　enough；　became　horrible。

On　Tuesday；　the　16th；　General　Slocum　found　Hardee's　army；　from　Charleston；　which　had　retreated　before　us　from　Cheraw；　in　position　across　the　narrow；　swampy　neck　between　Cape　Fear　and　North　Rivers；　where　the　road　branches　off　to　Goldsboro'。　　There　a　pretty　severe　fight　occurred；　in　which　General　Slocum's　troops　carried　handsomely　the　advanced　line；　held　by　a　South　Carolina　brigade；　commanded　by　a　Colonel　Butler。　　Its　Commander；　Colonel　Rhett；　of　Fort　Sumter　notoriety；　with　one　of　his　staff；　had　the　night　before　been　captured；　by　Kilpatrick's　scouts；　from　his　very　skirmish…line。　　The　next　morning　Hardee　was　found　gone；　and　was　pursued　through　and　beyoud　Averysboro'。　　General　Slocum　buried　one　hundred　and　eight　dead　rebels；　and　captured　and　destroyed　three　guns。　　Some　eighty　wounded　rebels　were　left　in　our　hands；　and；　after　dressing　their　wounds；　we　left　them　in　a　house；　attended　by　a　Confederate　officer　and　four　privates；　detailed　out　of　our　prisoners　and　paroled　for　the　purpose。

We　resumed　the　march　toward　Goldsboro'。　　I　was　with　the　left　wing　until　I　supposed　all　danger　had　passed；　but；　when　General　Slocum's　head　of　column　was　within　four　miles　of　Bentonsville；　after　skirmishing　as　usual　with　cavalry；　he　became　aware　that　there　was　infantry　in　his　front。　　He　deployed　a　couple　of　brigades；　which；　on　advancing；　sustained　a　partial　repulse；　but　soon　rallied；　when　he　formed　a　line　of　the　two　leading　divisions　（Morgan's　and　Carlin's）　of　Jeff。　C。　Davis's　corps。　　The　enemy　attacked　these　with　violence；　but　was　repulsed。　　This　was　in　the　forenoon　of　Sunday；　the　19th。　General　Slocum　brought　forward　the　two　divisions　of　the　Twentieth　Corps；　hastily　disposed　of　them　for　defense；　and　General　Kilpatrick　massed　his　cavalry　on　the　left。

General　Jos。　Johnston　had；　the　night　before；　marched　his　whole　army　（Bragg；　Cheatham；　S。　D。　Lee；　Hardee；　and　all　the　troops　he　had　drawn　from　every　quarter）；　determined；　as　he　told　his　men；　to　crash　one　of　our　corps；　and　then　defeat　us　in　detail。　　He　attacked　General　Slocum　in　position　from　3　P。　M。　　on　the　19th　till　dark；　but　was　everywhere　repulsed；　and　lost　heavily。　　At　the　time；　I　was　with　the　Fifteenth　Corps；　marching　on　a　road　more　to　the　right；　but；　on　hearing　of　General　Slocum's　danger；　directed　that　corps　toward　Cox's　Bridge；　in　the　night　brought　Blair's　corps　over；　and　on　the　20th　marched　rapidly　on　Johnston's　flank　and　rear。　　We　struck　him　about　noon；　forced　him　to　assume　the　defensive；　and　to　fortify。　Yesterday　we　pushed　him　hard；　and　came　very　near　crushing　him；　the　right　division　of　the　Seventeenth　Corps　（Mower's）　having　broken　in　to　within　a　hundred　yards　of　where　Johnston　himself　was；　at　the　bridge　across　Mill　Creek。　　Last　night　he　retreated；　leaving　us　in　possession　of　the　field；　dead；　and　wounded。　　We　have　over　two　thousand　prisoners　from　this　affair　and　the　one　at　Averysboro'；　and　I　am　satisfied　that　Johnston's　army　was　so　roughly　handled　yesterday　that　we　could　march　right　on　to　Raleigh；　but　we　have　now　been　out　six　weeks；　living　precariously　upon　the　collections　of　our　foragers；　our　men　dirty；　ragged；　and　saucy；　and　we　must　rest　and　fix　up　a　little。　　Our　entire　losses　thus　far　（killed；　wounded；　and　prisoners）　will　be　covered　by　twenty…five　hundred；　a　great　part　of　which　are；　as　usual；　slight　wounds。　　The　enemy　has　lost　more　than　double　as　many；　and　we　have　in　prisoners　alone　full　two　thousand。

I　limited　the　pursuit；　this　morning；　to　Mill　Creek；　and　will　forthwith　march　the　army　to　Goldsboro'；　there　to　rest；　reclothe；　and　get　some　rations。

Our　combinations　were　such　that　General　Schofield　entered　Goldsboro'　from　Newborn；　General　Terry　got　Cox's　Bridge；　with　pontoons　laid；　and　a　brigade　across　Neuse　River　intrenched；　and　we　whipped　Jos。　Johnstonall　on　the　same　day。

After　riding　over　the　field　of　battle　to…day；　near　Bentonsville；　and　making　the　necessary　orders；　I　have　ridden　down　to　this　place　（Cox's　Bridge）　to　see　General　Terry；　and　to…morrow　shall　ride　into　Goldsboro。

I　propose　to　collect　there　my　army　proper；　shall　post　General　Terry　about　Faison's　Depot；　and　General　Schofield　about　Kinston；　partly　to　protect　the　road；　but　more　to　collect　such　food　and　forage　as　the　country　affords；　until　the　railroads　are　repaired　leading　into　Goldsboro'。

I　fear　these　have　not　been　pushed　with　the　vigor　I　had　expected；　but　I　will　soon　have　them　both　going。　　I　shall　proceed　at　once　to　organize　three　armies　of　twenty…five　thousand　men　each；　and　will　try　and　be　all　ready　to　march　to　Raleigh　or　Weldon；　as　we　may　determine；　by　or　before　April　10th。

I　inclose　you　a　copy　of　my　orders　of　to…day。　　I　would　like　to　be　more　specific；　but　have　not　the　data。　　We　have　lost　no　general　officers　nor　any　organization。　　General　Slocum　took　three　guns　at　Averysboro'；　and　lost　three　others　at　the　first　dash　on　him　at　Bentonsville。　　We　have　all　our　wagons　and　trains　in　good　order。

Yours　truly；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General。



HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OF　THE　MISSISSIPPI　IN　THE　FIELD；　COX'S　BRIGADE；　GOLDSBORO'；　NORTH　CAROLINA；　March　23；　1865。

Lieutenant…General　U。　S。　GRANT；　commanding　the　Armies　of　the　United　States；　City　Point；　Virginia。

GENERAL：　　On　reaching　Goldsboro'　this　morning；　I　found　Lieutenant　Dunn　awaiting　me　with　your　letter　of　March　18th　and　dispatch　of　the　17th。　　I　wrote　you　fully　from　Cox's　Bridge　yesterday；　and　since　reaching　Goldsboro'　have　learned　that　my　letter　was　sent　punctually　to　Newborn；　whence　it　will　be　dispatched　to　you。

I　am　very　glad　to　hear　that　General　Sheridan　did　such　good　service　between　Richmond　and　Lynchburg；　and　hope　he　will　keep　the　ball　moving；　I　know　that　these　raids　and　dashes　disconcert　our　enemy　and　discourage　him　much。

General　Slocum's　two　corps　（Fourteenth　and　Twentieth）　are　now　coming　in。　　I　will　dispose　of　them　north　of　Goldsboro'；　between　the　Weldon　road　and　Little　River。　　General　Howard　to…day　is　marching　south　of　the　Nenae；　and　to…morrow　will　come　in　and　occupy　ground　north　of　Goldsboro'；　extending　from　the　Weldon　Railroad　to　that　leading　to　Kinston。

I　have　ordered　all　the　provisional　divisions；　made　up　of　troops　belonging　to　the　regular　corps；　to　be　broken　up；　and　the　men　to　join　their　proper　regiments　and　organizations；　and　have　ordered　General　Schofield　to　guard　the　railroads　back　to　Newborn　and　Wilmington；　and　to　make　up　a　movable　column　equal　to　twenty…five　thousand　men；　with　which　to　take　the　field。　　His　army　will　be　the　centre；　as　on　the　Atlanta　campaign。　　I　do　not　think　I　want　any　more　troops　（other　than　absentees　and　recruits）　to　fill　up　the　present　regiments；　and　I　can　make　up　an　army　of　eighty　thousand　men　by　April　10th。　　I　will　post　General　Kilpatrick　at　Mount　Olive　Station　on　the　Wilmington　road；　and　then　allow　the　army　some　rest。

We　have　sent　all　our　empty　wagons；　under　escort；　with　the　proper　staff…officers；　to　bring　up　from　Kinston　clothing　and　provisions。　As　long　as　we　move　we　can　gather　food　and　forage；　but；　the　moment　we　stop；　trouble　begins。

I　feel　sadly　disappointed　that　our　railroads　are　not　done。　　I　do　not　like　to　say　there　has　been　any　neglect　until　I　make　inquiries；　but　it　does　seem　to　me　the　repairs　should　have　been　made　ere　this；　and　the　road　properly　stocked。　　I　can　only　hear　of　one　locomotive　（besides　the　four　old　ones）　on　the　Newbern　road；　and　two　damaged　locomotives　（found　by　General　Terry）　on　the　Wilmington　road。　　I　left　Generals　Easton　and　Beckwith　purposely　to　make　arrangements　in　anticipation　of　my　arrival；　and　have　heard　from　neither；　though　I　suppose　them　both　to　be　at　Morehead　City。

At　all　events；　we　have　now　made　a　junction　of　all　the　armies；　and　if　we　can　maintain　them；　will；　in　a　short　time；　be　in　a　position　to　march　against　Raleigh；　Gaston；　Weldon；　or　even　Richmond；　as　you　may　determine。

If　I　get　the　troops　all　well　planed；　and　the　supplies　working　well；　I　may　run　up　to　see　you　for　a　day　or　two　before　diving　again　into　the　bowels　of　the　country。

I　will　make；　in　a　very　short　time；　accurate　reports　of　our　operations　for　the　past　two　months。　　Yours　truly；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General　commanding。



HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OF　THE　MISSISSIPPI　IN　THE　FIELD；　COX'S　BRIGADE；　GOLDSBORO'；　NORTH　CAROLINA；　March　24；　1865。

Lieutenant…General　U。　S。　GRANT；　City　Point；　Virginia。

GENERAL：　I　have　kept　Lieutenant　Dunn　over　to…day　that　I　might　report　farther。　　All　the　army　is　now　in；　save　the　cavalry　（which　I　have　posted　at　Mount　Olive　Station；　south　of　the　Nenae）　and　General　Terry's　command　（whichto…morrow　will　move　from　Cog's　Ferry　to　Faison's　Depot；　also　on　the　Wilmington　road）。　　I　send　you　a　copy　of　my　orders　of　this　morning；　the　operation　of　which　will；　I　think；　soon　complete　our　roads。　　The　telegraph　is　now　done　to　Morehead　City；　and　by　it　I　learn　that　stores　have　been　sent　to　Kinston　in　boats；　and　that　our　wagons　are　loading　with　rations　and　clothing。　By　using　the　Neuse　as　high　up　as　Kinston；　hauling　from　there　twenty…six　miles；　and　by　equipping　the　two　roads　to　Morehead　City　and　Wilmington；　I　feel　certain　we　can　not　only　feed　and　equip　the　army；　but　in　a　short　time　fill　our　wagons　for　another　start。　　I　feel　certain；　from　the　character　of　the　fighting；　that　we　have　got　Johnston's　army　afraid　of　us。　　He　himself　acts　with　timidity　and　caution。　　His　cavalry　alone　manifests　spirit；　but　limits　its　operations　to　our　stragglers　and　foraging…parties。　　My　marching　columns　of　infantry　do　not　pay　the　cavalry　any　attention；　but　walk　right　through　it

I　think　I　see　pretty　clearly　how；　in　one　more　move；　we　can　check…　mate　Lee；　forcing　him　to　unite　Johnston　with　him　in　the　defense　of　Richmond；　or　to　abandon　the　cause。　　I　feel　certain；　if　he　leaves　Richmond；　Virginia　leaves　the　Confederacy。　　I　will　study　my　maps　a　little　more　before　giving　my　positive　views。　　I　want　all　possible　information　of　the　Roanoke　as　to　navigability；　how　far　up；　and　with　what　draught。

We　find　the　country　sandy；　dry；　with　good　roads；　and　more　corn　and　forage　than　I　had　expected。　　The　families　remain；　but