personal memoirs-2-第7部分

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The　engagement　soon　became　general　across　the　valley；　both　sides

fighting　mainly　mounted。　　For　about　two　hours　the　contending　lines

struggled　with　each　other　along　Tom's　Brook；　the　charges　and　counter

charges　at　many　points　being　plainly　visible　from　the　summit　of　Round

Top；　where　I　had　my　headquarters　for　the　time。



The　open　country　permitting　a　sabre　fight；　both　sides　seemed　bent　on

using　that　arm。　　In　the　centre　the　Confederates　maintained　their

position　with　much　stubbornness；　and　for　a　time　seemed　to　have

recovered　their　former　spirit；　but　at　last　they　began　to　give　way　on

both　flanks；　and　as　these　receded；　Merritt　and　Custer　went　at　the

wavering　ranks　in　a　charge　along　the　whole　front。　　The　result　was　a

general　smash…up　of　the　entire　Confederate　line；　the　retreat　quickly

degenerating　into　a　rout　the　like　of　which　was　never　before　seen。

For　twenty…six　miles　this　wild　stampede　kept　up；　with　our　troopers

close　at　the　enemy's　heels；　and　the　ludicrous　incidents　of　the　chase

never　ceased　to　be　amusing　topics　around　the　camp…fires　of　Merritt

and　Custer。　　In　the　fight　and　pursuit　Torbert　took　eleven　pieces　of

artillery；　with　their　caissons；　all　the　wagons　and　ambulances　the

enemy　had　on　the　ground；　and　three　hundred　prisoners。　　Some　of

Rosser's　troopers　fled　to　the　mountains　by　way　of　Columbia　Furnace；

and　some　up　the　Valley　pike　and　into　the　Massamitten　Range；

apparently　not　discovering　that　the　chase　had　been　discontinued　till

south　of　Mount　Jackson　they　rallied　on　Early's　infantry。



After　this　catastrophe；　Early　reported　to　General　Lee　that　his

cavalry　was　so　badly　demoralized　that　it　should　be　dismounted；　and

the　citizens　of　the　valley；　intensely　disgusted　with　the　boasting　and

swaggering　that　had　characterized　the　arrival　of　the　〃Laurel　Brigade〃

in　that　section；　baptized　the　action　（known　to　us　as　Tom's　Brook）　the

〃Woodstock　Races；〃　and　never　tired　of　poking　fun　at　General　Rosser

about　his　precipitate　and　inglorious　flight。　　（When　Rosser　arrived

from　Richmond　with　his　brigade　he　was　proclaimed　as　the　savior　of　the

Valley；　and　his　men　came　all　bedecked　with　laurel　branches。）



On　the　l0th　my　army；　resuming　its　retrograde　movement；　crossed　to　the

north　side　of　Cedar　Creek。　　The　work　of　repairing　the　Manassas　Gap

branch　of　the　Orange　and　Alexandria　railroad　had　been　begun　some　days

before；　out　from　Washington；　and；　anticipating　that　it　would　be　in

readiness　to　transport　troops　by　the　time　they　could　reach　Piedmont；

I　directed　the　Sixth　Corps　to　continue　its　march　toward　Front　Royal；

expecting　to　return　to　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　by　that　line。　　By　the

12th；　however；　my　views　regarding　the　reconstruction　of　this　railroad

began　to　prevail；　and　the　work　on　it　was　discontinued。　　The　Sixth

Corps；　therefore；　abandoned　that　route；　and　moved　toward　Ashby's　Gap

with　the　purpose　of　marching　direct　to　Washington；　but　on　the　l3th　I

recalled　it　to　Cedar　Creek；　in　consequence　of　the　arrival　of　the

enemy's　infantry　at　Fisher's　Hill；　and　the　receipt；　the　night　before；

of　the　following　despatch；　which　again　opened　the　question　of　an

advance　on　Gordonsville　and　Charlottesville：





（Cipher。）

〃WASHINGTON；　October　12；　1864；　12　M。



〃MAJOR…GENERAL　SHERIDAN：



〃Lieutenant…General　Grant　wishes　a　position　taken　far　enough　south　to

serve　as　a　base　for　further　operations　upon　Gordonsville　and

Charlottesville。　　It　must　be　strongly　fortified　and　provisioned。

Some　point　in　the　vicinity　of　Manassas　Gap　would　seem　best　suited　for

all　purposes。　　Colonel　Alexander；　of　the　Engineers；　will　be　sent　to

consult　with　you　as　soon　as　you　connect　with　General　Augur。



〃H。　　W。　　HALLECK；　Major…General。〃





As　it　was　well　known　in　Washington　that　the　views　expressed　in　the

above　despatch　were　counter　to　my　convictions；　I　was　the　next　day

required　by　the　following　telegram　from　Secretary　Stanton　to　repair

to　that　city　：





〃　WASHINGTON；　October　13；　1864。



〃MAJOR…GENERAL　SHERIDAN

（through　General　Augur）



〃If　you　can　come　here；　a　consultation　on　several　points　is　extremely

desirable。　　I　propose　to　visit　General　Grant；　and　would　like　to　see

you　first。



〃EDWIN　M。　　STANTON；

〃Secretary　of　War。〃





I　got　all　ready　to　comply　with　the　terms　of　Secretary　Stanton's

despatch；　but　in　the　meantime　the　enemy　appeared　in　my　front　in

force；　with　infantry　and　cavalry；　and　attacked　Colonel　Thoburn；　who

had　been　pushed　out　toward　Strasburg　from　Crook's　command；　and　also

Custer's　division　of　cavalry　on　the　Back　road。　　As　afterward

appeared；　this　attack　was　made　in　the　belief　that　all　of　my　troops

but　Crook's　had　gone　to　Petersburg。　　From　this　demonstration　there

ensued　near　Hupp's　Hill　a　bitter　skirmish　between　Kershaw　and

Thoburn；　and　the　latter　was　finally　compelled　to　withdraw　to　the

north　bank　of　Cedar　Creek。　　Custer　gained　better　results；　however；　on

the　Back　road；　with　his　usual　dash　driving　the　enemy's　cavalry　away

from　his　front；　Merritt's　division　then　joining　him　and　remaining　on

the　right。



The　day's　events　pointing　to　a　probability　that　the　enemy　intended　to

resume　the　offensive；　to　anticipate　such　a　contingency　I　ordered　the

Sixth　Corps　to　return　from　its　march　toward　Ashby's　Gap。　　It　reached

me　by　noon　of　the　14th；　and　went　into　position　to　the　right　and　rear

of　the　Nineteenth　Corps；　which　held　a　line　along　the　north　bank　of

Cedar　Creek；　west　of　the　Valley　pike。　　Crook　was　posted　on　the　left

of　the　Nineteenth　Corps　and　east　of　the　Valley　pike；　with　Thoburn's

division　advanced　to　a　round　hill；　which　commanded　the　junction　of

Cedar　Creek　and　the　Shenandoah　River；　while　Torbert　retained　both

Merritt　and　Custer　on　the　right　of　the　Sixth　Corps；　and　at　the　same

time　covered　with　Powell　the　roads　toward　Front　Royal。　　My　head…

quarters　were　at　the　Belle　Grove　House；　which　was　to　the　west　of　the

pike　and　in　rear　of　the　Nineteenth　Corps。　　It　was　my　intention　to

attack　the　enemy　as　soon　as　the　Sixth　Corps　reached　me；　but　General

Early　having　learned　from　his　demonstration　that　I　had　not　detached

as　largely　as　his　previous　information　had　led　him　to　believe；　on　the

night　of　the　13th　withdrew　to　Fisher's　Hill；　so；　concluding　that　he

could　not　do　us　serious　hurt　from　there；　I　changed　my　mind　as　to

attacking；　deciding　to　defer　such　action　till　I　could　get　to

Washington；　and　come　to　some　definite　understanding　about　my　future

operations。



To　carry　out　this　idea；　on　the　evening　of　the　15th　I　ordered　all　of

the　cavalry　under　General　Torbert　to　accompany　me　to　Front　Royal；

again　intending　to　push　it　thence　through　Chester　Gap　to　the　Virginia

Central　railroad　at　Charlottesville；　to　destroy　the　bridge　over　the

Rivanna　River；　while　I　passed　through　Manassas　Gap　to　Rectortown；　and

thence　by　rail　to　Washington。　　On　my　arrival　with　the　cavalry　near

Front　Royal　on　the　16th；　I　halted　at　the　house　of　Mrs。　Richards；　on

the　north　bank　of　the　river；　and　there　received　the　following

despatch　and　inclosure　from　General　Wright；　who　had　been　left　in

command　at　Cedar　Creek　：



〃HEADQUARTERS　MIDDLE　MILITARY　Division；

〃October　16；　1864。



〃GENERAL：



〃I　enclose　you　despatch　which　explains　itself。　　If　the　enemy　should

be　strongly　reenforced　in　cavalry；　he　might；　by　turning　our　right；

give　us　a　great　deal　of　trouble。　　I　shall　hold　on　here　until　the

enemy's　movements　are　developed；　and　shall　only　fear　an　attack　on　my

right；　which　I　shall　make　every　preparation　for　guarding　against　and

resisting。



〃Very　respectfully；　your　obedient　servant；



〃H。　　G。　　WRIGHT；　Major…General　Commanding。

〃MAJOR…GENERAL　P。　H。　SHERIDAN；

〃Commanding　Middle　Military　Division。〃





＇INCLOSURE。＇　〃To　LIEUTENANT…GENERAL　EARLY：



〃Be　ready　to　move　as　soon　as　my　forces　join　you；　and　we　will　crush

Sheridan。



〃LONGSTREET；　Lieutenant…General。〃





The　message　from　Longstreet　had　been　taken　down　as　it　was　being

flagged　from　the　Confederate　signal…station　on　Three　Top　Mountain；

and　afterward　translated　by　our　signal　officers；　who　knew　the

Confederate　signal　code。　　I　first　thought　it　a　ruse；　and　hardly　worth

attention；　but　on　reflection　deemed　it　best　to　be　on　the　safe　side；

so　I　abandoned　the　cavalry　raid　toward　Charlottesville；　in　order　to

give　General　Wright　the；　entire　strength　of　the　army；　for　it　did　not

seem　wise　to　reduce　his　numbers　while　reinforcement　for　the　enemy

might　be　near；　and　especially　when　such　pregnant　messages　were

reaching　Early　from　one　of　the　ablest　of　the　Confederate　generals。

Therefore　I　sent　the　following　note　to　General　Wright：　　　　　　I



〃HEADQUARTERS　MIDDLE　MILITARY　DIVISION；

〃Front　Royal；　October　16；　x864。



〃GENERAL：　The　cavalry　is　all　ordered　back　to　you；　make　your　position

strong。　　If　Longstreet's　despatch　is　true；　he　is　under　the　impression

that　we　have　largely　detached。　　I　will　go　over　to　Augur；　and　may　get

additional　news。　　Close　in　Colonel　Powell；　who　will　be　at　this　point。

If　the　enemy　should　make　an　advance；　I　know　you　will　defeat　him。

Look　well　to　your　ground　and　be　well　prepared。　　Get　up　everything

that　can　be　spared。　　I　will　bring　up　all　I　can；　and　will　be　up　on

Tuesday；　if　not　sooner。



〃P。　H。　SHERIDAN；　Major…General。



〃MAJOR…GENERAL　H。　　G。　　WRIGHT；

〃Commanding　Sixth　Army　Corps。〃





At　5　o'clock　on　the　evening　of　the　16th　I　telegraphed　General　Halleck

from　Rectortown；　giving　him　the　information　which　had　come　to　me　from

Wright；　asking　if　anything　corroborative　of　it　had　been　received　from

General　Grant；　and　also　saying　that　I　would　like　to　see　Halleck；　the

telegram　ending　with　the　question：　〃Is　it　best　for　me　to　go　to　see

you？〃　　Next　morning　I　sent　back　to　Wright　all　the　cavalry　except　one

regiment；　which　escorted　me　through　Manassas　Gap　to　the　terminus　of

the　railroad　from　Washington。　　I　had　with　me　Lieutenant…Colonel　James

W。　　Forsyth；　chief…of…staff；　and　three　of　my　aides；　Major　George　A。

Forsyth；　Captain　Joseph　O'Keefe；　and　Captain　Michael　V。　Sheridan。　　I