memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第52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！


。　　Indeed；　it　was　not　until　the　following　April　that　the　battle　of　Shiloh　gave　me　personally　the　chance　to　redeem　my　good　name。

On　reaching　St。　Louis　and　reporting　to　General　Halleck；　I　was　received　kindly；　and　was　shortly　afterward　（viz。；　November　23d）　sent　up　to　Sedalia　to　inspect　the　camp　there；　and　the　troops　located　along　the　road　back　to　Jefferson　City；　and　I　was　ordered　to　assume　command　in　a　certain　contingency。　　I　found　General　Steels　at　Sedalia　with　his　regiments　scattered　about　loosely；　and　General　Pope　at　Otterville；　twenty　miles　back；　with　no　concert　between　them。　　The　rebel　general；　Sterling　Price；　had　his　forces　down　about　Osceola　and　Warsaw。　　I　advised　General　Halleck　to　collect　the　whole　of　his　men　into　one　camp　on　the　La　Mine　River；　near　Georgetown；　to　put　them　into　brigades　and　divisions；　so　as　to　be　ready　to　be　handled；　and　I　gave　some　preliminary　orders　looking　to　that　end。　But　the　newspapers　kept　harping　on　my　insanity　and　paralyzed　my　efforts。　　In　spite　of　myself；　they　tortured　from　me　some　words　and　acts　of　imprudence。　　General　Halleck　telegraphed　me　on　November　26th：　〃Unless　telegraph…lines　are　interrupted；　make　no　movement　of　troops　without　orders；〃　and　on　November　29th：　〃No　forward　movement　of　troops　on　Osceola　will　be　made；　only　strong　reconnoitring…parties　will　be　sent　out　in　the　supposed　direction　of　the　enemy；　the　balk　of　the　troops　being　held　in　position　till　more　reliable　information　is　obtained。〃

About　the　same　time　I　received　the　following　dispatch：

HEADQUARTERS；　ST。　LOUIS；　MISSOURI　November　28；　1881。　　Brigadier

General　SHERMAN；　Sedalia：

Mrs。　Sherman　is　here。　　General　Halleck　is　satisfied；　from　reports　of　scouts　received　here；　that　no　attack　on　Sedalia　is　intended。　You　will　therefore　return　to　this　city；　and　report　your　observations　on　the　condition　of　the　troops　you　have　examined。　Please　telegraph　when　you　will　leave。

SCHUYLER　HAMILTON；　Brigadier…General　and　Aide…de…Camp。


I　accordingly　returned　to　St。　Louis；　where　I　found　Mrs。　Sherman；　naturally　and　properly　distressed　at　the　continued　and　reiterated　reports　of　the　newspapers　of　my　insanity；　and　she　had　come　from　Lancaster　to　see　me。　　This　recall　from　Sedalia　simply　swelled　the　cry。　　It　was　alleged　that　I　was　recalled　by　reason　of　something　foolish　I　had　done　at　Sedalia；　though　in　fact　I　had　done　absolutely　nothing；　except　to　recommend　what　was　done　immediately　thereafter　on　the　advice　of　Colonel　McPherson；　on　a　subsequent　inspection。　Seeing　and　realizing　that　my　efforts　were　useless；　I　concluded　to　ask　for　a　twenty　days'　leave　of　absence；　to　accompany　Mrs。　Sherman　to　our　home　in　Lancaster；　and　to　allow　the　storm　to　blow　over　somewhat。　　It　also　happened　to　be　mid…winter；　when；　nothing　was　doing；　so　Mrs。　Sherman　and　I　returned　to　Lancaster；　where　I　was　born；　and　where　I　supposed　I　was　better　known　and　appreciated。

The　newspapers　kept　up　their　game　as　though　instigated　by　malice；　and　chief　among　them　was　the　Cincinnati　Comercial；　whose　editor；　Halsted；　was　generally　believed　to　be　an　honorable　man。　　P。　B。　Ewing；　Esq。；　being　in　Cincinnati；　saw　him　and　asked　him　why　he；　who　certainly　knew　better；　would　reiterate　such　a　damaging　slander。　　He　answered；　quite　cavalierly；　that　it　was　one　of　the　news…items　of　the　day；　and　he　had　to　keep　up　with　the　tine；　but　he　would　be　most　happy　to　publish　any　correction　I　might　make；　as　though　I　could　deny　such　a　malicious　piece　of　scandal　affecting　myself。　　On　the　12th　of　November　I　had　occasion　to　write　to　General　Halleck；　and　I　have　a　copy　of　his　letter　in　answer：


ST。　Louis；　December　18；　1881。　Brigadier…General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Lancaster；　Ohio。

My　DEAR　GENERAL：　Yours　of　the　12th　was　received　a　day　or　two　ago；　but　was　mislaid　for　the　moment　among　private　papers；　or　I　should　have　answered　it　sooner。　　The　newspaper　attacks　are　certainly　shameless　and　scandalous；　but　I　cannot　agree　with　you；　that　they　have　us　in　their　power　〃to　destroy　us　as　they　please。〃　　I　certainly　get　my　share　of　abuse；　but　it　will　not　disturb　me。

Your　movement　of　the　troops　was　not　countermanded　by　me　because　I　thought　it　an　unwise　one　in　itself；　but　because　I　was　not　then　ready　for　it。　　I　had　better　information　of　Price's　movements　than　you　had；　and　I　had　no　apprehension　of　an　attack。　　I　intended　to　concentrate　the　forces　on　that　line；　but　I　wished　the　movement　delayed　until　I　could　determine　on　a　better　position。

After　receiving　Lieutenant…Colonel　McPherson's　report；　I　made　precisely　the　location　you　had　ordered。　　I　was　desirous　at　the　time　not　to　prevent　the　advance　of　Price　by　any　movement　on　our　part；　hoping　that　he　would　move　on　Lexington；　but　finding　that　he　had　determined　to　remain　at　Osceola　for　some　time　at　least；　I　made　the　movement　you　proposed。　　As　you　could　not　know　my　plans；　you　and　others　may　have　misconstrued　the　reason　of　my　countermanding　your　orders。。。。

I　hope　to　see　you　well　enough　for　duty　soon。　　Our　organization　goes　on　slowly；　but　we　will　effect　it　in　time。　　Yours　truly；

H。　W。　HALLECK。


And　subsequently；　in　a　letter　to　Hon。　Thomas　Ewing；　in　answer　to　some　inquiries　involving　the　same　general　subject；　General　Halleck　wrote　as　follows：

Hon。　THOMAS　　EWING；　Lancaster；　Ohio。

DEAR　SIR：　Your　note　of　the　13th；　and　one　of　this　date；　from　Mr。　Sherman；　in　relation　to　Brigadier…General　Sherman's　having　being　relieved　from　command　in　Sedalia；　in　November　last；　are　just　received。　　General　Sherman　was　not　put　in　command　at　Sedalia；　he　was　authorized　to　assume　it；　and　did　so　for　a　day　or　two。　　He　did　not　know　my　plans；　and　his　movement　of　troops　did　not　accord　with　them。　　I　therefore　directed　him　to　leave　them　as　they　were；　and　report　here　the　result　of　his　inspection；　for　which　purpose　be　had　been　ordered　there。

No　telegram　or　dispatch　of　any　kind　was　sent　by　me；　or　by　any　one　with　my　knowledge　or　authority；　in　relation　to　it。　　After　his　return　here；　I　gave　him　a　leave　of　absence　of　twenty　days；　for　the　benefit　of　his　health。　　As　I　was　then　pressing　General　McClellan　for　more　officers；　I　deemed　it　necessary　to　explain　why　I　did　so。　I　used　these　words：　〃I　am　satisfied　that　General　Sherman's　physical　and　mental　system　is　so　completely　broken　by　labor　and　care　as　to　render　him；　for　the　present；　unfit　for　duty；　perhaps　a　few　weeks'　rest　may　restore　him。〃　　This　was　the　only　communication　I　made　on　the　subject。　　On　no　occasion　have　I　ever　expressed　an　opinion　that　his　mind　was　affected　otherwise　than　by　over…exertion；　to　have　said　so　would　have　done　him　the　greatest　injustice。

After　General　Sherman　returned　from　his　short　leave；　I　found　that　his　health　was　nearly　restored；　and　I　placed　him　temporarily　in　command　of　the　camp　of　instruction；　numbering　over　fifteen　thousand　men。　　I　then　wrote　to　General　McClellan　that　he　would　soon　be　able　to　again　take　the　field。　　I　gave　General　Sherman　a　copy　of　my　letter。　　This　is　the　total　of　my　correspondence　on　the　subject。　　As　evidence　that　I　have　every　confidence　in　General　Sherman；　I　have　placed　him　in　command　of　Western　Kentuckya　command　only　second　in　importance　in　this　department。　　As　soon　as　divisions　and　columns　can　be　organized；　I　propose　to　send　him　into　the　field　where　he　can　render　most　efficient　service。　　I　have　seen　newspaper　squibs；　charging　him　with　being　〃crazy；〃　etc。　　This　is　the　grossest　injustice；　I　do　not；　however；　consider　such　attacks　worthy　of　notice。　　The　best　answer　is　General　Sherman's　present　position；　and　the　valuable　services　he　is　rendering　to　the　country。　　I　have　the　fullest　confidence　in　him。

Very　respectfully；　your　obedient　servant；

H。　W。　HALLECK；　Major…General。


On　returning　to　St。　Louis；　on　the　expiration　of　my　leave　of　absence；　I　found　that　General　Halleck　was　beginning　to　move　his　troops：　one　part；　under　General　U。　S。　Grant；　up　the　Tennessee　River；　and　another　part；　under　General　S。　R。　Curtis；　in　the　direction　of　Springfield；　Missouri。　　General　Grant　was　then　at　Paducah；　and　General　Curtis　was　under　orders　for　Rolls。　　I　was　ordered　to　take　Curtis's　place　in　command　of　the　camp　of　instruction；　at　Benton　Barracks；　on　the　ground　back　of　North　St。　Louis；　now　used　as　the　Fair　Grounds；　by　the　following　order：


＇Special　Order　No。　87＇。

HEADQUARTERS　DEPARTMENT　OF　THE　MISSOURI　St。　Louis；　December　23；　1861

＇EXTRACT。＇

Brigadier…General　W。　T。　Sherman；　United　States　Volunteers；　is　hereby　assigned　to　the　command　of　the　camp　of　instruction　and　post　of　Benton　Barracks。　　He　will　have　every　armed　regiment　and　company　in　his　command　ready　for　service　at　a　moment's　warning；　and　will　notify　all　concerned　that；　when　marching　orders　are　received；　it　is　expected　that　they　will　be　instantly　obeyed；　no　excuses　for　delay　will　be　admitted。　　General　Sherman　will　immediately　report　to　these　headquarters　what　regiments　and　companies；　at　Benton　Barracks；　are　ready　for　the　field。

By　order　of　Major…General　Halleck；

J。　C。　KELTEN；　Assistant　Adjutant…General。


I　immediately　assumed　command；　and　found；　in　the　building　constructed　for　the　commanding　officer；　Brigadier…General　Strong；　and　the　family　of　a　captain　of　Iowa　cavalry；　with　whom　we　boarded。　Major　Curtis；　son　of　General　Curtis；　was　the　adjutant…general；　but　was　soon　relieved　by　Captain　J。　H。　Hammond；　who　was　appointed　assistant　adjutant…general；　and　assigned　to　duty　with　me。

Brigadier…General　Hurlbut　was　also　there；　and　about　a　dozen　regiments　of　infantry　and　cavalry。　　I　at　once　gave　all　matters　pertaining　to　the　post　my　personal　attention；　got　the　regiments　in　as　good　order　as　possible；　kept　up　communication　with　General　Halleck's　headquarters　by　telegraph；　and；　when　orders　came　for　the　movement　of　any　regiment　or　detachment；　it　moved　instantly。　　The　winter　was　very　wet；　and　the　ground　badly　drained。　　The　quarters　had　been　erected　by　General　Fremont；　under　contract；　they　were　mere　shells；　but　well　arranged　for　a　camp；　embracing　the　Fair　Grounds；　and　some　forty　acres　of　flat　ground　west　of　it。　　I　instituted　drills；　and　was　specially　ordered　by　General　Halleck　to　watch　Generals　Hurlbut　and　Strong；　and　report　as　to　their　fitness　for　their　commissions　as　brigadier…generals。　　I　had　known　Hurlbut　as　a　young　lawyer；　in　Charleston；　South　Carolina；　before　the　Mexican　War；　at　which　time　he　took　a　special　interest　in　military　matters；　and　I　found　him　far　above　the　average　in　the