memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第69部分

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s's　Landing；　Arkansas；　to　proceed　in　order　to　Milliken's　Bend　（a）；　and　there　dispatch　a　brigade；　without　wagons　or　any　incumbrances　whatever；　to　the　Vicksburg　&　Shreveport　Railroad　（at　h　and　k）；　to　destroy　that　effectually；　and　to　cut　off　that　fruitful　avenue　of　supply；　then　to　proceed　to　the　mouth　of　the　Yazoo；　and；　after　possessing　ourselves　of　the　latest　and　most　authentic　information　from　naval　officers　now　there；　to　land　our　whole　force　on　the　Mississippi　side；　and　then　to　reach　the　point　where　the　Vicksburg　&　Jackson　Railroad　crosses　the　Big　Black　（f）；　after　which　to　attack　Vicksburg　by　land；　while　the　gun…boats　assail　it　by　water。　　It　may　be　necessary　（looking　to　Grant's　approach）；　before　attacking　Vicksburg；　to　reduce　the　battery　at　Haine's　Bluff　first；　so　as　to　enable　some　of　the　lighter　gunboats　and　transports　to　ascend　the　Yazoo　and　communicate　with　General　Grant。　　The　detailed　manner　of　accomplishing　all　these　results　will　be　communicated　in　due　season；　and　these　general　points　are　only　made　known　at　this　time；　that　commanders　may　study　the　maps；　and　also　that　in　the　event　of　non…receipt　of　orders　all　may　act　in　perfect　concert　by　following　the　general　movement；　unless　specially　detached。

You　all　now　have　the　same　map；　so　that　no　mistakes　or　confusion　need　result　from　different　names　of　localities。　　All　possible　preparations　as　to　wagons；　provisions；　axes；　and　intrenehing…tools；　should　be　made　in　advance；　so　that　when　we　do　land　there　will　be　no　want　of　them。　　When　we　begin　to　act　on　shore；　we　must　do　the　work　quickly　and　effectually。　　The　gunboats　under　Admiral　Porter　will　do　their　full　share；　and　I　feel　every　assurance　that　the　army　will　not　fall　short　in　its　work。

Division　commanders　may　read　this　to　regimental　commanders；　and　furnish　brigade　commanders　a　copy。　　They　should　also　cause　as　many　copies　of　the　map　to　be　made　on　the　same　scale　as　possible；　being　very　careful　in　copying　the　names。

The　points　marked　e　and　g　（Allan's　and　Mount　Albans）　are　evidently　strategical　points　that　will　figure　in　our　future　operations；　and　these　positions　should　be　well　studied。

I　am；　with　great　respect；　your　obedient　servant；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General。


The　Mississippi　boats　were　admirably　calculated　for　handling　troops；　horses；　guns；　stores；　etc。；　easy　of　embarkation　and　disembarkation；　and　supplies　of　all　kinds　were　abundant；　except　fuel。　　For　this　we　had　to　rely　on　wood；　but　most　of　the　wood…yards；　so　common　on　the　river　before　the　war；　had　been　exhausted；　so　that　we　had　to　use　fence…rails；　old　dead　timber；　the　logs　of　houses；　etc。　　Having　abundance　of　men　and　plenty　of　axes；　each　boat　could　daily　procure　a　supply。

In　proceeding　down　the　river；　one　or　more　of　Admiral　Porter's　gunboats　took　the　lead；　others　were　distributed　throughout　the　column；　and　some　brought　up　the　rear。　　We　manoeuvred　by　divisions　and　brigades　when　in　motion；　and　it　was　a　magnificent　sight　as　we　thus　steamed　down　the　river。　　What　few　inhabitants　remained　at　the　plantations　on　the　river…bank　were　unfriendly；　except　the　slaves；　some　few　guerrilla…parties　infested　the　banks；　but　did　not　dare　to　molest　so；　strong　a　force　as　I　then　commanded。

We　reached　Milliken's　Bend　on　Christmas…day；　when　I　detached　one　brigade　（Burbridge's）；　of　A。　J。　Smith's　division；　to　the　southwest；　to　break　up　the　railroad　leading　from　Vicksburg　toward　Shreveport；　Louisiana。　　Leaving　A。　J。　Smith's　division　there　to　await　the　return　of　Burbridge；　the　remaining　three　divisions　proceeded；　on　the　26th；　to　the　mouth　of　the　Yazoo；。　　and　up　that　river　to　Johnson's　plantation；　thirteen　miles；　and　there　disembarked　Steele's　division　above　the　mouth　of　Chickasaw　Bayou；　Morgans　division　near　the　house　of　Johnson　（which　had　been　burned　by　the　gunboats　on　a　former　occasion）；　and　M。　L。　Smith's　just　below。　　A。　J。　Smith's　division　arrived　the　next　night；　and　disembarked　below　that　of　M。　L。　Smith。　　The　place　of　our　disembarkation　was　in　fact　an　island；　separated　from　the　high　bluff　known　as　Walnut　Hills；　on　which　the　town　of　Vicksburg　stands；　by　a　broad　and　shallow　bayou…evidently　an　old　channel　of　the　Yazoo。　　On　our　right　was　another　wide　bayou；　known　as　Old　River；　and　on　the　left　still　another；　much　narrower；　but　too　deep　to　be　forded；　known　as　Chickasaw　Bayou。　　All　the　island　was　densely　wooded；　except　Johnson's　plantation；　immediately　on　the　bank　of　the　Yazoo；　and　a　series　of　old　cotton…fields　along　Chickasaw　Bayou。　　There　was　a　road　from　Johnson's　plantation　directly　to　Vicksburg；　but　it　crossed　numerous　bayous　and　deep　swamps　by　bridges；　which　had　been　destroyed；　and　this　road　debouched　on　level　ground　at　the　foot　of　the　Vicksburg　bluff；　opposite　strong　forts；　well　prepared　and　defended　by　heavy　artillery。　　On　this　road　I　directed　General　A。　J。　Smith's　division；　not　so　much　by　way　of　a　direct　attack　as　a　diversion　and　threat。

Morgan　was　to　move　to　his　left；　to　reach　Chickasaw　Bayou；　and　to　follow　it　toward　the　bluff；　about　four　miles　above　A。　J。　Smith。　Steele　was　on　Morgan's　left；　across　Chickasaw　Bayou；　and　M。　L。　Smith　on　Morgan's　right。　　We　met　light　resistance　at　all　points；　but　skirmished；　on　the　27th；　up　to　the　main　bayou；　that　separated　our　position　from　the　bluffs　of　Vicksburg；　which　were　found　to　be　strong　by　nature　and　by　art；　and　seemingly　well　defended。　　On　reconnoitring　the　front　in　person；　during　the　27th　and　28th；　I　became　satisfied　that　General　A。　J。　Smith　could　not　cross　the　intervening　obstacles　under　the　heavy　fire　of　the　forts　immediately　in　his　front；　and　that　the　main　bayou　was　impassable；　except　at　two　pointsone　near　the　head　of　Chickasaw　Bayou；　in　front　of　Morgan；　and　the　other　about　a　mile　lower　down；　in　front　of　M。　L。　Smith's　division。

During　the　general　reconnoissance　of　the　28th　General　Morgan　L。　Smith　received　a　severe　and　dangerous　wound　in　his　hip；　which　completely　disabled　him　and　compelled　him　to　go　to　his　steamboat；　leaving　the　command　of　his　division　to　Brigadier。　　General　D。　Stuart；　but　I　drew　a　part　of　General　A。　J。　Smith's　division；　and　that　general　himself；　to　the　point　selected　for　passing　the　bayou；　and　committed　that　special　task　to　his　management。

General　Steele　reported　that　it　was　physically　impossible　to　reach　the　bluffs　from　his　position；　so　I　ordered　him　to　leave　but　a　show　of　force　there；　and　to　return　to　the　west　side　of　Chickasaw　Bayou　in　support　of　General　Morgan's　left。　　He　had　to　countermarch　and　use　the　steamboats　in　the　Yazoo　to　get　on　the　firm　ground　on　our　side　of　the　Chickasaw。

On　the　morning　of　December　29th　all　the　troops　were　ready　and　in　position。　　The　first　step　was　to　make　a　lodgment　on　the　foot…hills　and　bluffs　abreast　of　our　position；　while　diversions　were　made　by　the　navy　toward　Haines's　Bluff；　and　by　the　first　division　directly　toward　Vicksburg。　　I　estimated　the　enemy's　forces；　then　strung　from　Vicksburg　to　Haines's　Bluff；　at　fifteen　thousand　men；　commanded　by　the　rebel　Generals　Martin　Luther　Smith　and　Stephen　D。　Lee。　　Aiming　to　reach　firm　ground　beyond　this　bayou；　and　to　leave　as　little　time　for　our　enemy　to　reenforce　as　possible；　I　determined　to　make　a　show　of　attack　along　the　whole　front；　but　to　break　across　the　bayou　at　the　two　points　named；　and　gave　general　orders　accordingly。　　I　pointed　out　to　General　Morgan　the　place　where　he　could　pass　the　bayou；　and　he　answered；　〃General；　in　ten　minutes　after　you　give　the　signal　I'll　be　on　those　hills。〃　　He　was　to　lead　his　division　in　person；　and　was　to　be　supported　by　Steele's　division。　　The　front　was　very　narrow；　and　immediately　opposite；　at　the　base　of　the　hills　about　three　hundred　yards　from　the　bayou；　was　a　rebel　battery；　supported　by　an　infantry　force　posted　on　the　spurs　of　the　hill　behind。　　To　draw　attention　from　this；　the　real　point　of　attack；　I　gave　instructions　to　commence　the　attack　at　the　flanks。

I　went　in　person　about　a　mile　to　the　right　rear　of　Morgan's　position；　at　a　place　convenient　to　receive　reports　from　all　other　parts　of　the　line；　and　about　noon　of　December　29th　gave　the　orders　and　signal　for　the　main　attack。　　A　heavy　artillery…fire　opened　along　our　whole　line；　and　was　replied　to　by　the　rebel　batteries；　and　soon　the　infantry…fire　opened　heavily；　especially　on　A。　J。　Smith's　front；　and　in　front　of　General　George　W。　Morgan。　　One　brigade　（DeCourcey's）　of　Morgan's　troops　crossed　the　bayou　safely；　but　took　to　cover　behind　the　bank；　and　could　not　be　moved　forward。　Frank　Blairs　brigade；　of　Steele's　division；　in　support；　also　crossed　the　bayou；　passed　over　the　space　of　level　ground　to　the　foot　of　the　hills；　but；　being　unsupported　by　Morgan；　and　meeting　a　very　severe　cross…fire　of　artillery；　was　staggered　and　gradually　fell　back；　leaving　about　five　hundred　men　behind；　wounded　and　prisoners；　among　them　Colonel　Thomas　Fletcher；　afterward　Governor　of　Missouri。　　Part　of　Thayer's　brigade　took　a　wrong　direction；　and　did　not　cross　the　bayou　at　all；　nor　did　General　Morgan　cross　in　person。　　This　attack　failed；　and　I　have　always　felt　that　it　was　due　to　the　failure　of　General　G。　W。　Morgan　to　obey　his　orders；　or　to　fulfill　his　promise　made　in　person。　　Had　he　used　with　skill　and　boldness　one　of　his　brigades；　in　addition　to　that　of　Blair's；　he　could　have　made　a　lodgment　on　the　bluff；　which　would　have　opened　the　door　for　our　whole　force　to　follow。　　Meantime　the　Sixth　Missouri　Infantry；　at　heavy　loss；　had　also　crossed　the　bayou　at　the　narrow　passage　lower　down；　but　could　not　ascend　the　steep　bank；　right　over　their　heads　was　a　rebel　battery；　whose　fire　was　in　a　measure　kept　down　by　our　sharp…shooters　（Thirteenth　United　States　Infantry）　posted　behind　logs；　stumps；　and　trees；　on　our　side　of　the　bayou。

The　men　of　the　Sixth　Missouri　actually　scooped　out　with　their　hands　caves　in　the　bank；　which　sheltered　them　against　the　fire　of　the　enemy；　who；　right　over　their　heads；　held　their　muskets　outside　the　parapet　vertically；　and　fired　down　So　critical　was　the　position；　that　we　could　not　recall　the　men　till　after　dark；　and　then　one　at　a　time。　　Our　loss　had　been　pretty　heavy；　and　we　had　accomplished　nothing；　and　had　inflicted　little　loss　on　our　enemy。　　At　first　I　intended　to　renew　the　assault；　but　soon　became　satisfied　that；　the　enemy's　attention　having　been　drawn　to　the　only　two　practicable　points；　it　would　prove　too　costly；　and　accordingly　resolved　to　look　elsewhere　for　a　po