memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第17部分

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ision　（Jefferson　C。　Davis's）　was　strongly　refused　along　Proctor's　Creek。　　This　line　was　about　five　miles　long；　and　was　intrenched　as　against　a　sally　about　as　strong　as　was　our　enemy。　　The　cavalry　was　assembled　in　two　strong　divisions；　that　of　McCook　（including　the　brigade　of　Harrison　which　had　been　brought　in　from　Opelika　by　General　Rousseau）　numbered　about　thirty…five　hundred　effective　cavalry；　and　was　posted　to　our　right　rear；　at　Turner's　Ferry；　where　we　had　a　good　pontoon…bridge；　and　to　our　left　rear；　at　and　about　Decatur；　were　the　two　cavalry　divisions　of　Stoneman；　twenty…five　hundred；　and　Garrard；　four　thousand；　united　for　the　time　and　occasion　under　the　command　of　Major…General　George　Stoneman；　a　cavalry…officer　of　high　repute。　　My　plan　of　action　was　to　move　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee　to　the　right　rapidly　and　boldly　against　the　railroad　below　Atlanta；　and　at　the　same　time　to　send　all　the　cavalry　around　by　the　right　and　left　to　make　a　lodgment　on　the　Macon　road　about　Jonesboro。

All　the　orders　were　given；　and　the　morning　of　the　27th　was　fixed　for　commencing　the　movement。　　On　the　26th　I　received　from　General　Stoneman　a　note　asking　permission　（after　having　accomplished　his　orders　to　break　up　the　railroad　at　Jonesboro）　to　go　on　to　Macon　to　rescue　our　prisoners　of　war　known　to　be　held　there；　and　then　to　push　on　to　Andersonville；　where　was　the　great　depot　of　Union　prisoners；　in　which　were　penned　at　one　time　as　many　as　twenty…three　thousand　of　our　men；　badly　fed　and　harshly　treated。　　I　wrote　him　an　answer　consenting　substantially　to　his　proposition；　only　modifying　it　by　requiring　him　to　send　back　General　Garrard's　division　to　its　position　on　our　left　flank　after　he　had　broken　up　the　railroad　at　Jonesboro。　　Promptly；　and　on　time；　all　got　off；　and　General　Dodge's　corps　（the　Sixteenth；　of　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee）　reached　its　position　across　Proctor's　Creek　the　same　evening；　and　early　the　next　morning　（the　28th）　Blair's　corps　（the　Seventeenth）　deployed　on　his　right；　both　corps　covering　their　front　with　the　usual　parapet；　the　Fifteenth　Corps　（General　Logan's）　came　up　that　morning　on　the　right　of　Blair；　strongly　refused；　and　began　to　prepare　the　usual　cover。　　As　General　Jeff。　C。　Davis's　division　was；　as　it　were；　left　out　of　line；　I　ordered　it　on　the　evening　before　to　march　down　toward　Turner's　Ferry；　and　then　to　take　a　road　laid　down　on　our　maps　which　led　from　there　toward　East　Point；　ready　to　engage　any　enemy　that　might　attack　our　general　right　flank；　after　the　same　manner　as　had　been　done　to　the　left　flank　on　the　22d。

Personally　on　the　morning　of　the　28th　I　followed　the　movement；　and　rode　to　the　extreme　right；　where　we　could　hear　some　skirmishing　and　an　occasional　cannon…shot。　　As　we　approached　the　ground　held　by　the　Fifteenth　Corps；　a　cannon…ball　passed　over　my　shoulder　and　killed　the　horse　of　an　orderly　behind；　and　seeing　that　this　gun　enfiladed　the　road　by　which　we　were　riding；　we　turned　out　of　it　and　rode　down　into　a　valley；　where　we　left　our　horses　and　walked　up　to　the　hill　held　by　Morgan　L。　Smith's　division　of　the　Fifteenth　Corps。　　Near　a　house　I　met　Generals　Howard　and　Logan；　who　explained　that　there　was　an　intrenched　battery　to　their　front；　with　the　appearance　of　a　strong　infantry　support。　　I　then　walked　up　to　the　ridge；　where　I　found　General　Morgan　L。　Smith。　　His　men　were　deployed　and　engaged　in　rolling　logs　and　fence…rails；　preparing　a　hasty　cover。　　From　this　ridge　we　could　overlook　the　open　fields　near　a　meeting…house　known　as　〃Ezra　Church；〃　close　by　the　Poor…House。　　We　could　see　the　fresh　earth　of　a　parapet　covering　some　guns　（that　fired　an　occasional　shot）；　and　there　was　also　an　appearance　of　activity　beyond。　　General　Smith　was　in　the　act　of　sending　forward　a　regiment　from；　his　right　flank　to　feel　the　position　of　the　enemy；　when　I　explained　to　him　and　to　Generals　Logan　and　Howard　that　they　must　look　out　for　General　Jeff。　C。　Davis's　division；　which　was　comming　up　from　the　direction　of　Turner's　Ferry。

As　the　skirmish…fire　warmed　up　along　the　front　of　Blair's　corps；　as　well　as　along　the　Fifteenth　Corps　（Logan's）；　I　became　convinced　that　Hood　designed　to　attack　this　right　flank；　to　prevent；　if　possible；　the　extension　of　our　line　in　that　direction。　　I　regained　my　horse；　and　rode　rapidly　back　to　see　that　Davis's　division　had　been　dispatched　as　ordered。　　I　found　General　Davis　in　person；　who　was　unwell；　and　had　sent　his　division　that　morning　early；　under　the　command　of　his　senior　brigadier；　Morgan；　but；　as　I　attached　great　importance　to　the　movement；　he　mounted　his　horse；　and　rode　away　to　overtake　and　to　hurry　forward　the　movement；　so　as　to　come　up　on　the　left　rear　of　the　enemy；　during　the　expected　battle。

By　this　time　the　sound　of　cannon　and　musketry　denoted　a　severe　battle　as　in　progress；　which　began　seriously　at　11。30　a。m。；　and　ended　substantially　by　4　p。m。　　It　was　a　fierce　attack　by　the　enemy　on　our　extreme　right　flank；　well　posted　and　partially　covered。　　The　most　authentic　account　of　the　battle　is　given　by　General　Logan；　who　commanded　the　Fifteenth　Corps；　in　his　official　report　to　the　Adjutant…General　of　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee；　thus：


HEADQUARTERS　FIFTEENTH　ARMY　CORPS　BEFORE　ATLANTA；　GEORGIA；　July　29；　1864

Lieutenant…Colonel　WILLIAM　T。　CLARK；　Assistant　Adjutant…General；　Army　of　the　Tennessee；　present。

COLONEL：　I　have　the　honor　to　report　that；　in　pursuance　of　orders；　I　moved　my　command　into　position　on　the　right　of　the　Seventeenth　Corps；　which　was　the　extreme　right　of　the　army　in　the　field；　during　the　night　of　the　27th　and　morning　of　the　28th；　and；　while　advancing　in　line　of　battle　to　a　more　favorable　position；　we　were　met　by　the　rebel　infantry　of　Hardee's　and　Lee's　corps；　who　made　a　determined　and　desperate　attack　on　us　at　11　A。M。　of　the　28th　（yesterday）。

My　lines　were　only　protected　by　logs　and　rails；　hastily　thrown　up　in　front　of　them。

The　first　onset　was　received　and　checked；　and　the　battle　commenced　and　lasted　until　about　three　o'clock　in　the　evening。　　During　that　time　six　successive　charges　were　made；　which　were　six　times　gallantly　repulsed；　each　time　with　fearful　loss　to　the　enemy。

Later　in　the　evening　my　lines　were　several　times　assaulted　vigorously；　but　each　time　with　like　result。　　The　worst　of　the　fighting　occurred　on　General　Harrow's　and　Morgan　L。　Smith's　fronts；　which　formed　the　centre　and　right　of　the　corps。　　The　troops　could　not　have　displayed　greater　courage；　nor　greater　determination　not　to　give　ground；　had　they　shown　less；　they　would　have　been　driven　from　their　position。

Brigadier…Generals　C。　R。　Woods；　Harrow；　and　Morgan　L。　Smith；　division　commanders；　are　entitled　to　equal　credit　for　gallant　conduct　and　skill　in　repelling　the　assault。　　My　thanks　are　due　to　Major…Generals　Blair　and　Dodge　for　sending　me　reenforeements　at　a　time　when　they　were　much　needed。　　My　losses　were　fifty　killed；　four　hundred　and　forty…nine　wounded；　and　seventy…three　missing：　aggregate；　five　hundred　and　seventy…two。

The　division　of　General　Harrow　captured　five　battle…flags。　　There　were　about　fifteen　hundred　or　two　thousand　muskets　left　on　the　ground。　One　hundred　and　six　prisoners　were　captured；　exclusive　of　seventy…three　wounded；　who　were　sent　to　our　hospital；　and　are　being　cared　for　by　our　surgeons。　　Five　hundred　and　sixty…five　rebels　have　up　to　this　time　been　buried；　and　about　two　hundred　are　supposed　to　be　yet　unburied。　　A　large　number　of　their　wounded　were　undoubtedly　carried　away　in　the　night；　as　the　enemy　did　not　withdraw　till　near　daylight。　　The　enemy's　loss　could　not　have　been　less　than　six　or　seven　thousand　men。　　A　more　detailed　report　will　hereafter　be　made。

I　am；　very　respectfully；　Your　obedient　servant；

JOHN　A。　　LOGAN；　Major…General；　commanding　Fifteenth　Army　Corps。


General　Howard；　in　transmitting　this　report；　added：

I　wish　to　express　my　high　gratification　with　the　conduct　of　the　troops　engaged。　　I　never　saw　better　conduct　in　battle。　　General　Logan；　though　ill　and　much　worn　out；　was　indefatigable；　and　the　success　of　the　day　is　as　much　attributable　to　him　as　to　any　one　man。


This　was；　of　coarse；　the　first　fight　in　which　General　Howard　had　commanded　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee；　and　he　evidently　aimed　to　reconcile　General　Logan　in　his　disappointment；　and　to　gain　the　heart　of　his　army；　to　which　he　was　a　stranger。　　He　very　properly　left　General　Logan　to　fight　his　own　corps；　but　exposed　himself　freely；　and；　after　the　firing　had　ceased；　in　the　afternoon　he　walked　the　lines；　the　men；　as　reported　to　me；　gathered　about　him　in　the　most　affectionate　way；　and　he　at　once　gained　their　respect　and　confidence。　　To　this　fact　I　at　the　time　attached　much　importance；　for　it　put　me　at　ease　as　to　the　future　conduct　of　that　most　important　army。

At　no　instant　of　time　did　I　feel　the　least　uneasiness　about　the　result　on　the　28th；　but　wanted　to　reap　fuller　results；　hoping　that　Davis's　division　would　come　up　at　the　instant　of　defeat；　and　catch　the　enemy　in　flank；　but　the　woods　were　dense；　the　roads　obscure；　and　as　usual　this　division　got　on　the　wrong　road；　and　did　not　come　into　position　until　about　dark。　　In　like　manner；　I　thought　that　Hood　had　greatly　weakened　his　main　lines　inside　of　Atlanta；　and　accordingly　sent　repeated　orders　to　Schofield　and　Thomas　to　make　an　attempt　to　break　in；　but　both　reported　that　they　found　the　parapets　very　strong　and　full　manned。

Our　men　were　unusually　encouraged　by　this　day's　work；　for　they　realized　that　we　could　compel　Hood　to　come　out　from　behind　his　fortified　lines　to　attack　us　at　a　disadvantage。　　In　conversation　with　me；　the　soldiers　of　the　Fifteenth　Corps；　with　whom　I　was　on　the　most　familiar　terms；　spoke　of　the　affair　of　the　28th　as　the　easiest　thing　in　the　world；　that；　in　fact；　it　was　a　common　slaughter　of　the　enemy；　they　pointed　out　where　the　rebel　lines　had　been；　and　how　they　themselves　had　fired　deliberately；　had　shot　down　their　antagonists；　whose　bodies　still　lay　unburied；　and　marked　plainly　their　lines　of　battle；　which　must　have　halted　within　easy　musket…range　of　our　men；　who　were　partially　protected　by　their　improvised　line　of　logs　and　fence…rails。　　All　bore　willing　testimony　to　the　courage　and　spirit　of　the　foe；　who；　though　repeatedly　repulsed；　came　back　with　increased　determination　some　six　or　more　times。

The　next　morning　the　Fifteenth　Corps　wheeled　forward　t