andersonville-第42部分

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Tennessee　used　to　call　our　Brigade　'Leggett's　Cavalry；'　for　they　always
had　us　chasing　Old　Forrest；　and　we　kept　him　skedaddling；　too；　pretty
lively。　　But　I　tell　you　we　did　get　into　a　red　hot　scrimmage　on　the　22d。
It　just　laid　over　Champion　Hills；　or　any　of　the　big　fights　around
Vicksburg；　and　they　were　lively　enough　to　amuse　any　one。〃

〃So　you　were　in　the　affair　on　the　22d；　were　you！　　We　are　awful　anxious　to
hear　all　about　it。　　Come　over　here　to　my　quarters　and　tell　us　all　you
know。　　All　we　know　is　that　there　has　been　a　big　fight；　with　McPherson
killed；　and　a　heavy　loss　of　life　besides；　and　the　Rebels　claim　a　great
victory。〃

〃O；　they　be　…。　　It　was　the　sickest　victory　they　ever　got。　　About　one
more　victory　of　that　kind　would　make　their　infernal　old　Confederacy　ready
for　a　coroner's　inquest。　　Well；　I　can　tell　you　pretty　much　all　about　that
fight；　for　I　reckon　if　the　truth　was　known；　our　regiment　fired　about　the
first　and　last　shot　that　opened　and　closed　the　fighting　on　that　day。
Well；　you　see　the　whole　Army　got　across　the　river；　and　were　closing　in
around　the　City　of　Atlanta。　　Our　Corps；　the　Seventeenth；　was　the　extreme
left　of　the　army；　and　were　moving　up　toward　the　City　from　the　East。
The　Fifteenth　（Logan's）　Corps　joined　us　on　the　right；　then　the　Army　of
the　Cumberland　further　to　the　right。　　We　run　onto　the　Rebs　about　sundown
the　21st。　　They　had　some　breastworks　on　a　ridge　in　front　of　us；　and　we
had　a　pretty　sharp　fight　before　we　drove　them　off。　　We　went　right　to
work；　and　kept　at　it　all　night　in　changing　and　strengthening　the　old
Rebel　barricades；　fronting　them　towards　Atlanta；　and　by　morning　had　some
good　solid　works　along　our　whole　line。　　During　the　night　we　fancied　we
could　hear　wagons　or　artillery　moving　away　in　front　of　us；　apparently
going　South；　or　towards　our　left。　　About　three　or　four　o'clock　in　the
morning；　while　I　was　shoveling　dirt　like　a　beaver　out　on　the　works；　the
Lieutenant　came　to　me　and　said　the　Colonel　wanted　to　see　me；　pointing　to
a　large　tree　in　the　rear；　where　I　could　find　him。　　I　reported　and　found
him　with　General　Leggett；　who　commanded　our　Division；　talking　mighty
serious；　and　Bob　Wheeler；　of　F　Company；　standing　there　with　his
Springfield　at　a　parade　rest。　　As　soon　as　I　came　up；　the　Colonel　says：

〃Boys；　the　General　wants　two　level…headed　chaps　to　go　out　beyond　the
pickets　to　the　front　and　toward　the　left。　　I　have　selected　you　for　the
duty。　　Go　as　quietly　as　possible　and　as　fast　as　you　can；　keep　your　eyes
and　ears　open；　don't　fire　a　shot　if　you　can　help　it；　and　come　back　and
tell　us　exactly　what　you　have　seen　and　heard；　and　not　what　you　imagine　or
suspect。　　I　have　selected　you　for　the　duty。'

〃He　gave　us　the　countersign；　and　off　we　started　over　the　breastworks　and
through　the　thick　woods。　　We　soon　came　to　our　skirmish　or　pickets；　only　a
few　rods　in　front　of　our　works；　and　cautioned　them　not　to　fire　on　us　in
going　or　returning。　　We　went　out　as　much　as　half　a　mile　or　more；　until　we
could　plainly　hear　the　sound　of　wagons　and　artillery。　　We　then　cautiously
crept　forward　until　we　could　see　the　main　road　leading　south　from　the
City　filled　with　marching　men；　artillery　and　teams。　　We　could　hear　the
commands　of　the　officers　and　see　the　flags　and　banners　of　regiment　after
regiment　as　they　passed　us。　　We　got　back　quietly　and　quickly；　passed
through　our　picket　line　all　right；　and　found　the　General　and　our　Colonel
sitting　on　a　log　where　we　had　left　them；　waiting　for　us。　　We　reported
what　we　had　seen　and　heard；　and　gave　it　as　our　opinion　that　the　Johnnies
were　evacuating　Atlanta。　　The　General　shook　his　head；　and　the　Colonel
says：　'You　may　re　turn　to　your　company。'　Bob　says　to　me：

〃'The　old　General　shakes　his　head　as　though　he　thought　them　d…d　Rebs
ain't　evacuating　Atlanta　so　mighty　sudden；　but　are　up　to　some　devilment
again。　I　ain't　sure　but　he's　right。　　They　ain't　going　to　keep　falling
back　and　falling　back　to　all　eternity；　but　are　just　agoin'　to　give　us　a
rip…roaring　great　big　fight　one　o'　these　dayswhen　they　get　a　good
ready。　　You　hear　me！'

〃Saying　which　we　both　went　to　our　companies；　and　laid　down　to　get　a
little　sleep。　　It　was　about　daylight　then；　and　I　must　have　snoozed　away
until　near　noon；　when　I　heard　the　order　'fall　in！'　and　found　the　regiment
getting　into　line；　and　the　boys　all　tallying　about　going　right　into
Atlanta；　that　the　Rebels　had　evacuated　the　City　during　the　night；　and
that　we　were　going　to　have　a　race　with　the　Fifteenth　Corps　as　to　which
would　get　into　the　City　first。　　We　could　look　away　out　across　a　large
field　in　front　of　our　works；　and　see　the　skirmish　line　advancing　steadily
towards　the　main　works　around　the　City。　　Not　a　shot　was　being；　fired　on
either　side。

〃To　our　surprise；　instead　of　marching　to　the　front　and　toward　the　City；
we　filed　off　into　a　small　road　cut　through　the　woods　and　marched　rapidly
to　the　rear。　　We　could　not　understand　what　it　meant。　　We　marched　at　quick
time；　feeling　pretty　mad　that　we　had　to　go　to　the　rear；　when　the　rest　of
our　Division　were　going　into　Atlanta。

〃We　passed　the　Sixteenth　Corps　lying　on　their　arms；　back　in　some　open
fields；　and　the　wagon　trains　of　our　Corps　all　comfortably　corralled；　and
finally　found　ourselves　out　by　the　Seventeenth　Corps　headquarters。　　Two
or　three　companies　were　sent　out　to　picket　several　roads　that　seemed　to
cross　at　that　point；　as　it　was　reported　'Rebel　Cavalry'　had　been　seen　on
these　roads　but　a　short　time　before；　and　this　accounted　for　our　being
rushed　out　in　such　a　great　hurry。

〃We　had　just　stacked　arms　and　were　going　to　take　a　little　rest　after　our
rapid　march；　when　several　Rebel　prisoners　were　brought　in　by　some　of　the
boys　who　had　straggled　a　little。　　They　found　the　Rebels　on　the　road　we
had　just　marched　out　on。　　Up　to　this　time　not　a　shot　had　been　fired。
All　was　quiet　back　at　the　main　works　we　had　just　left；　when　suddenly　we
saw　several　staff　officers　come　tearing　up　to　the　Colonel；　who　ordered　us
to　'fall　in！'　'Take　aims！'　'about；　face！'　　The　Lieutenant　Colonel　dashed
down　one　of　the　roads　where　one　of　the　companies　had　gone　out　on　picket。
The　Major　and　Adjutant　galloped　down　the　others。　　We　did　not　wait　for
them　to　come　back；　though；　but　moved　right　back　on　the　road　we　had　just
come　out；　in　line　of　battle；　our　colors　in　the　road；　and　our　flanks　in
open　timber。　　We　soon　reached　a　fence　enclosing　a　large　field；　and　there
could　see　a　line　of　Rebels　moving　by　the　flank；　and　forming；　facing
toward　Atlanta；　but　to　the　left　and　in　the　rear　of　the　position　occupied
by　our　Corps。　　As　soon　as　we　reached　the　fence　we　fired　a　round　or　two
into　the　backs　of　these　gray　coats；　who　broke　into　confusion。

〃Just　then　the　other　companies　joined　us；　and　we　moved　off　on　'double
quick　by　the　right　flank；'　for　you　see　we　were　completely　cut　off　from
the　troops　up　at　the　front；　and　we　had　to　get　well　over　to　the　right　to
get　around　the　flank　of　the　Rebels。　　Just　about　the　time　we　fired　on　the
rebels　the　Sixteenth　Corps　opened　up　a　hot　fire　of　musketry　and　artillery
on　them；　some　of　their　shot　coming　over　mighty　close　to　where　we　were。
We　marched　pretty　fast；　and　finally　turned　in　through　some　open　fields　to
the　left；　and　came　out　just　in　the　rear　of　the　Sixteenth　Corps；　who　were
fighting　like　devils　along　their　whole　line。

〃Just　as　we　came　out　into　the　open　field　we　saw　General　R。　K。　Scott；
who　used　to　be　our　Colonel；　and　who　commanded　our　brigade；　come　tearing
toward　us　with　one　or　two　aids　or　orderlies。　　He　was　on　his　big　clay…bank
horse；　'Old　Hatchie；'　as　we　called　him；　as　we　captured　him　on　the
battlefield　at　the　battle　of　'Matamora；'　or　'Hell　on　the　Hatchie；'　as　our
boys　always　called　it。　　He　rode　up　to　the　Colonel；　said　something
hastily；　when　all　at　once　we　heard　the　all…firedest　crash　of　musketry　and
artillery　way　up　at　the　front　where　we　had　built　the　works　the　night
before　and　left　the　rest　of　our　brigade　and　Division　getting　ready　to
prance　into　Atlanta　when　we　were　sent　off　to　the　rear。　　Scott　put　spurs
to　his　old　horse；　who　was　one　of　the　fastest　runners　in　our　Division；
and　away　he　went　back　towards　the　position　where　his　brigade　and　the
troops　immediately　to　their　left　were　now　hotly　engaged。　　He　rode　right
along　in　rear　of　the　Sixteenth　Corps；　paying　no　attention　apparently　to
the　shot　and　shell　and　bullets　that　were　tearing　up　the　earth　and
exploding　and　striking　all　around　him。　　His　aids　and　orderlies　vainly
tried　to　keep　up　with　him。　　We　could　plainly　see　the　Rebel　lines　as　they
came　out　of　the　woods　into　the　open　grounds　to　attack　the　Sixteenth
Corps；　which　had　hastily　formed　in　the　open　field；　without　any　signs　of
works；　and　were　standing　up　like　men；　having　a　hand…to…hand　fight。
We　were　just　far　enough　in　the　rear　so　that　every　blasted　shot　or　shell
that　was　fired　too　high　to　hit　the　ranks　of　the　Sixteenth　Corps　came
rattling　over　amongst　us。　　All　this　time　we　were　marching　fast；　following
in　the　direction　General　Scott　had　taken；　who　evidently　had　ordered　the
Colonel　to　join　his　brigade　up　at　the　front。　　We　were　down　under　the
crest　of　a　little　hill；　following　along　the　bank　of　a　little　creek；
keeping　under　cover　of　the　bank　as　much　as　possible　to　protect　us　from
the　shots　of　the　enemy。　　We　suddenly　saw　General　Logan　and　one　or　two　of
his　staff　upon　the　right　bank　of　the　ravine　riding　rapidly　toward　us。
As　he　neared　the　head　of　the　regiment　he　shouted：

〃'Halt！　　What　regiment　is　that；　and　where　are　you　going？'　　〃The　Colonel；
in　a　loud　voice；　that　all　could　hear；　told　him：　〃The　Sixty…Eighth　Ohio；
going　to　join　our　brigade　of　the　Third　Divisionyour　old　Division；
General；　of　the　Seventeenth　Corps。〃

〃Logan　says；　'you　had　better　go　right　in　here　on　the　left　of　Dodge。
The　Third　Division　have　hardly　ground　enough　left　now　to　bury　their　dead。
God　knows　they　need　you。　　But　try　it　on；　if　you　think　you　can　get　to
them。'

〃Just　at　this　moment　a　staff　officer　came　riding　up　on　the　opposite　side
of　the　ravine　from　where　Logan　was　and　interrupted　Logan；　who　was　about
telling　the　Colonel　not　to　try　to　go　to　the　position　held　by　the　Third
Division　by　the　road　cut　through　the　woods　whence　we　had　come　out；　but　to
keep　off　to　the　right　towards　the　Fifteenth　Corps；　as　the　woods　referred
to　were