memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第35部分
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of the officers and men; I insist that these orders were obeyed as well as any similar orders ever were; by an army operating wholly in an enemy's country; and dispersed; as we necessarily were; during the subsequent period of nearly six months。
'Special Field Orders; No。 119。'
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI IN THE FIELD; KINGSTON; GEORGIA; November 8; 1864
The general commanding deems it proper at this time to inform the officers and men of the Fourteenth; Fifteenth; Seventeenth; and Twentieth Corps; that he has organized them into an army for a special purpose; well known to the War Department and to General Grant。 It is sufficient for you to know that it involves a departure from our present base; and a long and difficult march to a new one。 All the chances of war have been considered and provided for; as far as human sagacity can。 All he asks of you is to maintain that discipline; patience; and courage; which have characterized you in the past; and he hopes; through you; to strike a blow at our enemy that will have a material effect in producing what we all so much desire; his complete overthrow。 Of all things; the moat important is; that the men; during marches and in camp; keep their places and do not scatter about as stragglers or foragers; to be picked up by a hostile people in detail。 It is also of the utmost importance that our wagons should not be loaded with any thing but provisions and ammunition。 All surplus servants; noncombatants; and refugees; should now go to the rear; and none should be encouraged to encumber us on the march。 At some future time we will be able to provide for the poor whites and blacks who seek to escape the bondage under which they are now suffering。 With these few simple cautions; he hopes to lead you to achievements equal in importance to those of the past。
By order of Major…General W。 T。 Sherman; L。 M。 DAYTON; Aide…de…Camp。
'Special Field Orders; No。 120。'
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI IN THE FIELD; KINGSTON; GEORGIA; November 9; 1864
1。 For the purpose of military operations; this army is divided into two wings viz。:
The right wing; Major…General O。 O。 Howard commanding; composed of the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Corps; the left wing; Major…General H。 W。 Slocum commanding; composed of the Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps。
2。 The habitual order of march will be; wherever practicable; by four roads; as nearly parallel as possible; and converging at points hereafter to be indicated in orders。 The cavalry; Brigadier…General Kilpatrick commanding; will receive special orders from the commander…in…chief。
3。 There will be no general train of supplies; but each corps will have its ammunition…train and provision…train; distributed habitually as follows: Behind each regiment should follow one wagon and one ambulance; behind each brigade should follow a due proportion of ammunition…wagons; provision…wagons; and ambulances。 In case of danger; each corps commander should change this order of march; by having his advance and rear brigades unencumbered by wheels。 The separate columns will start habitually at 7 a。m。; and make about fifteen miles per day; unless otherwise fined in orders。
4。 The army will forage liberally on the country during the march。 To this end; each brigade commander will organize a good and sufficient foraging party; under the command of one or more discreet officers; who will gather; near the route traveled; corn or forage of any kind; meat of any kind; vegetables; corn…meal; or whatever is needed by the command; aiming at all times to keep in the wagons at least ten days' provisions for his command; and three days' forage。 Soldiers must not enter the dwellings of the inhabitants; or commit any trespass; but; during a halt or camp; they may be permitted to gather turnips; potatoes; and other vegetables; and to drive in stock in sight of their camp。 To regular foraging…parties must be intrusted the gathering of provisions and forage; at any distance from the road traveled。
6。 To corps commanders alone is intrusted the power to destroy mills; houses; cotton…gins; etc。; and for them this general principle is laid down:
In districts and neighborhoods where the army is unmolested; no destruction of each property should be permitted; but should guerrillas or bushwhackers molest our march; or should the inhabitants burn bridges; obstruct roads; or otherwise manifest local hostility; then army commanders should order and enforce a devastation more or less relentless; according to the measure of such hostility。
6。 As for horses; mules; wagons; etc。; belonging to the inhabitants; the cavalry and artillery may appropriate freely and without limit; discriminating; however; between the rich; who are usually hostile; and the poor and industrious; usually neutral or friendly。 Foraging…parties may also take mules or horses; to replace the jaded animals of their trains; or to serve as pack…mules for the regiments or brigades。 In all foraging; of whatever kind; the parties engaged will refrain from abusive or threatening language; and may; where the officer in command thinks proper; give written certificates of the facts; but no receipts; and they will endeavor to leave with each family a reasonable portion for their maintenance;
7。 Negroes who are able…bodied and can be of service to the several columns may be taken along; but each army commander will bear in mind that the question of supplies is a very important one; and that his first duty is to see to those who bear arms。
8。 The organization; at once; of a good pioneer battalion for each army corps; composed if possible of negroes; should be attended to。 This battalion should follow the advance…guard; repair roads and double them if possible; so that the columns will not be delayed after reaching bad places。 Also; army commanders should practise the habit of giving the artillery and wagons the road; marching their troops on one side; and instruct their troops to assist wagons at steep hills or bad crossings of streams。
9。 Captain O。 M。 Poe; chief…engineer; will assign to each wing of the army a pontoon…train; fully equipped and organized; and the commanders thereof will see to their being properly protected at all times。
By order of Major…General W。 T。 Sherman;
L。 M。 DAYTON; Aide…de…Camp。
The greatest possible attention had been given to the artillery and wagon trains。 The number of guns had been reduced to sixty…five; or about one gun to each thousand men; and these were generally in batteries of four guns each。
Each gun; caisson; and forges was drawn by four teams of horses。 We had in all about twenty…five hundred wagons; with teams of six mules to each; and six hundred ambulances; with two horses to each。 The loads were made comparatively light; about twenty…five hundred pounds net; each wagon carrying in addition the forage needed by its own team: Each soldier carried on his person forty rounds of ammunition; and in the wagons were enough cartridges to make up about two hundred rounds per man; and in like manner two hundred rounds of assorted ammunition were carried for each gun。
The wagon…trains were divided equally between the four corps; so that each had about eight hundred wagons; and these usually on the march occupied five miles or more of road。 Each corps commander managed his own train; and habitually the artillery and wagons had the road; while the men; with the exception of the advance and rear guards; pursued paths improvised by the aide of the wagons; unless they were forced to use a bridge or causeway in common。
I reached Atlanta during the afternoon of the 14th; and found that all preparations had been made…Colonel Beckwith; chief commissary; reporting one million two hundred thousand rations in possession of the troops; which was about twenty days' supply; and he had on hand a good supply of beef…cattle to be driven along on the hoof。 Of forage; the supply was limited; being of oats and corn enough for five days; but I knew that within that time we would reach a country well stocked with corn; which had been gathered and stored in cribs; seemingly for our use; by Governor Brown's militia。
Colonel Poe; United States Engineers; of my staff; had been busy in his special task of destruction。 He had a large force at work; had leveled the great depot; round house; and the machine…shops of the Georgia Railroad; and had applied fire to the wreck。 One of these machine…shops had been used by the rebels as an arsenal; and in it were stored piles of shot and shell; some of which proved to be loaded; and that night was made hideous by the bursting of shells; whose fragments came uncomfortably; near Judge Lyon's house; in which I was quartered。 The fire also reached the block of stores near the depot; and the heart of the city was in flames all night; but the fire did not reach the parts of Atlanta where the court… house was; or the great mass of dwelling houses。
The march from Atlanta began on the morning of November 15th; the right wing and cavalry following the railroad southeast toward Jonesboro'; and General Slocum with the Twentieth Corps leading off to the east by Decatur and Stone Mountain; toward Madison。 These were divergent lines; designed to threaten both Mason and Augusta at the same time; so as to prevent a concentration at our intended destination; or 〃objective;〃 Milledgeville; the capital of Georgia; distant southeast about one hundred miles。 The time allowed each column for reaching Milledgeville was seven days。 I remained in Atlanta during the 15th with the Fourteenth Corps; and the rear… guard of the right wing; to complete the loading of the trains; and the destruction of the buildings of Atlanta which could be converted to hostile uses; and on the morning of the 16th started with my personal staff; a company of Alabama cavalry; commanded by Lieutenant Snelling; and an infantry company; commanded by Lieutenant McCrory; which guarded our small train of wagons。
My staff was then composed of Major L。 M。 Dayton; aide…de…camp and acting adjutant…general; Major J。 C。 McCoy; and Major J。 C。 Audenried; aides。 Major Ward Nichols had joined some weeks before at Gaylesville; Alabama; and