personal memoirs-1- 第30部分

telling　fire　into　the　enemy's　ranks；　which　were　then　attacking　across

some　cleared　fields；　but　when　he　discovered　additional　troops

confronting　him；　he　gave　up　the　attempt　to　carry　Wood's　position。　　It

was　here　that　I　lost　Schaefer；　who　was　killed　instantly；　making　my

fourth　brigade　commander　dead　that　day。　　The　enemy　in　front　of　Wood

having　been　checked；　our　whole　line　east　of　the　railroad　executed

undisturbed　its　retrograde　movement　to　a　position　about　three　hundred

yards　to　its　rear。　　When　I　fell　back　to　the　edge　of　the　clump　of

timber；　where　when　first　coming　on　the　ground　I　had　formed　to　help

Wood；　I　was　ordered　by　Rosecrans　to　prepare　to　make　a　charge　should

the　enemy　again　assault　us。　　In　anticipation　of　this　work　I　massed　my

troops　in　close　column。　　The　expected　attack　never　came；　however；　but

the　shot　and　shell　of　a　furious　cannonade　told　with　fatal　effect　upon

men　and　officers　as　they　lay　on　their　faces　hugging　the　ground。　　The

torments　of　this　trying　situation　were　almost　unbearable；　but　it　was

obvious　to　all　that　it　was　necessary　to　have　at　hand　a　compact　body

of　troops　to　repel　any　assault　the　enemy　might　make　pending　the

reconstruction　of　the　extreme　right　of　our　line；　and　a　silent

determination　to　stay　seemed　to　take　hold　of　each　individual　soldier；

nor　was　this　grim　silence　interrupted　throughout　the　cannonade；

except　in　one　instance；　when　one　of　the　regiments　broke　out　in　a

lusty　cheer　as　a　startled　rabbit　in　search　of　a　new　hiding…place

safely　ran　the　whole　length　of　the　line　on　the　backs　of　the　men。



While　my　troops　were　still　lying　here；　General　Rosecrans；　with　a　part

of　his　staff　and　a　few　orderlies；　rode　out　on　the　rearranged　line　to

supervise　its　formation　and　encourage　the　men；　and　in　prosecution　of

these　objects　moved　around　the　front　of　my　column　of　attack；　within

range　of　the　batteries　that　were　shelling　us　so　viciously。　　As　he

passed　to　the　open　ground　on　my　left；　I　joined　him。　　The　enemy　seeing

this　mounted　party；　turned　his　guns　upon　it；　and　his　accurate　aim　was

soon　rewarded；　for　a　solid　shot　carried　away　the　head　of　Colonel

Garesche；　the　chief…of…staff；　and　killed　or　wounded　two　or　three

orderlies。　　Garesche's　appalling　death　stunned　us　all；　and　a

momentary　expression　of　horror　spread　over　Rosecrans's　face；　but　at

such　a　time　the　importance　of　self…control　was　vital；　and　he　pursued

his　course　with　an　appearance　of　indifference；　which；　however；　those

immediately　about　him　saw　was　assumed；　for　undoubtedly　he　felt　most

deeply　the　death　of　his　friend　and　trusted　staff…officer。



No　other　attacks　were　made　on　us　to　the　east　of　the　railroad　for　the

rest　of　the　afternoon；　and　just　before　dark　I　was　directed　to

withdraw　and　take　up　a　position　along　the　west　side　of　the　Nashville

pike；　on　the　extreme　right　of　our　new　line；　where　Roberts's　brigade

and　the　Seventy…third　and　Eighty…eighth　Illinois　had　already　been

placed　by　McCook。　　The　day　had　cost　me　much　anxiety　and　sadness；　and

I　was　sorely　disappointed　at　the　general　result；　though　I　could　not

be　other　than　pleased　at　the　part　taken　by　my　command。　　The　loss　of

my　brigade　commandersSill；　Roberts；　Schaefer；　and　Harrington…and　a

large　number　of　regimental　and　battery　officers；　with　so　many　of

their　men；　struck　deep　into　my　heart：　My　thinned　ranks　told　the

woeful　tale　of　the　fierce　struggles；　indescribable　by　words；　through

which　my　division　had　passed　since　7　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and

this；　added　to　our　hungry　and　exhausted　condition；　was　naturally

disheartening。　　The　men　had　been　made　veterans；　however；　by　the

fortunes　and　misfortunes　of　the　day；　and　as　they　went　into　their　new

places　still　confident　of　final　success；　it　was　plain　to　see　that

they　felt　a　self…confidence　inspired　by　the　part　they　had　already

played。



My　headquarters　were　now　established　on　the　Nashville　pike；　about

three　miles　and　a　half　from　Murfreesboro'；　my　division　being　aligned

to　the　west　of　the　pike；　bowed　out　and　facing　almost　west；　Cleburn's

division　of　the　Confederates　confronting　it。　　Davis's　division　was

posted　on　my　right；　and　Walker's　brigade　of　Thomas's　corps；　which　had

reported　to　me；　took　up　a　line　that　con　nected　my　left　with　Johnson's

division。



Late　in　the　evening　General　Rosecrans；　accompanied　by　General　McCook；

and　several　other　officers　whose　names　I　am　now　unable　to　recall；

rode　by　my　headquarters　on　their　way　to　the　rear　to　look　for　a　new

line　of　battleon　Overall's　creek　it　was　saidthat　would　preserve

our　communications　with　Nashville　and　offer　better　facilities　for

resistance　than　the　one　we　were　now　holding。　　Considerable　time　had

elapsed　when　they　returned　from　this　exploration　and　proceeded　to

their　respective　commands；　without　intimating　to　me　that　anything　had

been　determined　upon　by　the　reconnoissance；　but　a　little　later　it　was

rumored　through　the　different　headquarters　that　while　the　party　was

looking　for　a　new　position　it　discovered　the　enemy's　troops　moving

toward　our　right　and　rear；　the　head　of　his　columns　being　conducted　in

the　darkness　by　the　aid　of　torches；　and　that　no　alternative　was　left

us　but　to　hold　the　lines　we　then　occupied。　　The　torches　had　been　seen

unquestionably；　and　possibly　created　some　alarm　at　first　in　the　minds

of　the　reconnoitring　party；　but　it　was　soon　ascertained　that　the

lights　came　from　a　battalion　of　the　Fourth　regular　cavalry　that　was

picketing　our　flank　and　happened　to　be　starting　its　bivouac　fires　at

the　moment。　　The　fires　and　the　supposed　movements　had　no　weight；

therefore；　in　deciding　the　proposition　to　take　up　a　line　at　Overall's

creek；　but　General　Rosecrans；　fortunately　for　the　army；　decided　to

remain　where　he　was。　　Doubtless　reflections　during　his　ride　caused

him　to　realize　that　the　enemy　must　be　quite　as　much　crippled　as

himself。　　If　it　had　been　decided　to　fall　back　to　Overall's　creek；　we

could　have　withdrawn　without　much　difficulty　very　likely；　but　such　a

retrograde　movement　would　have　left　to　the　enemy　the　entire　battle…

field　of　Stone　River　and　ultimately　compelled　our　retreat　to

Nashville。



In　the　night　of　December　3rd　several　slight　demonstrations　were　made

on　my　front；　but　from　the　darkness　neither　party　felt　the　effect　of

the　other's　fire；　and　when　daylight　came　again　the　skirmishers　and

lines　of　battle　were　in　about　the　same　position　they　had　taken　up　the

evening　before。　　Soon　after　daybreak　it　became　evident　that　the

conflict　was　to　be　renewed；　and　a　little　later　the　enemy　resumed　the

offensive　by　an　attack　along　my　left　front；　especially　on　Walker's

brigade。　　His　attempt　was　ineffectual；　however；　and　so　easily

repulsed　as　to　demonstrate　that　the　desperate　character　of　his

assaults　the　day　before　had　nearly　exhausted　his　strength。　　About　3

o'clock　in　the　afternoon　he　made　another　feeble　charge　on　my　front；

but　our　fire　from　the　barricades　and　rifle…pits　soon　demoralized　his

advancing　lines；　which　fell　back　in　some　confusion；　thus　enabling　us

to　pick　up　about　a　hundred　prisoners。　　From　this　time　till　the

evening　of　January　3　Bragg's　left　remained　in　our　front；　and

continued　to　show　itself　at　intervals　by　weak　demonstrations；　which

we　afterward　ascertained　were　directly　intended　to　cover　the

desperate　assault　he　made　with　Breckenridge　on　the　left　of　Rosecrans；

an　assault　that　really　had　in　view　only　a　defensive　purpose；　for

unless　Bragg　dislodged　the　troops　which　were　now　massing　in　front　of

his　right　he　would　be　obliged　to　withdraw　General　Polk's　corps　behind

Stone　River　and　finally　abandon　Murfreesboro'。　　The　sequel　proved

this　to　be　the　case；　and　the　ill…judged　assault　led　by　Breckenridge

ending　in　entire　defeat；　Bragg　retired　from　Murfreesboro'　the　night

of　January　3。



General　Rosecrans　occupied　Murfreesboro'　on　the　4th　and　5th；　having

gained　a　costly　victory；　which　was　not　decisive　enough　in　its

character　to　greatly　affect　the　general　course　of　the　war；　though　it

somewhat　strengthened　and　increased　our　hold　on　Middle　Tennessee。

The　enemy　in　retiring　did　not　fall　back　very　faronly　behind　Duck

River　to　Shelbyville　and　Tullahomaand　but　little　endeavor　was　made

to　follow　him。　　Indeed；　we　were　not　in　condition　to　pursue；　even　if

it　had　been　the　intention　at　the　outset　of　the　campaign。



As　soon　as　possible　after　the　Confederate　retreat　I　went　over　the

battle…field　to　collect　such　of　my　wounded　as　had　not　been　carried

off　to　the　South　and　to　bury　my　dead。　　In　the　cedars　and　on　the

ground　where　I　had　been　so　fiercely　assaulted　when　the　battle　opened；

on　the　morning　of　the　31st；　evidences　of　the　bloody　struggle　appeared

on　every　hand　in　the　form　of　broken　fire…arms；　fragments　of

accoutrements；　and　splintered　trees。　　The　dead　had　nearly　all　been

left　unburied；　but　as　there　was　likelihood　of　their　mutilation　by

roving　swine；　the　bodies　had　mostly　been　collected　in　piles　at

different　points　and　inclosed　by　rail　fences。　　The　sad　duties　of

interment　and　of　caring　for　the　wounded　were　completed　by　the　5th；

and　on　the　6th　I　moved　my　division　three　miles；　south　of

Murfreesboro'　on　the　Shelbyville　pike；　going　into　camp　on　the　banks

of　Stone　River。　　Here　the　condition　of　my　command　was　thoroughly

looked　into；　and　an　endeavor　made　to　correct　such　defects　as　had　been

disclosed　by　the　recent　battle。



During　the　engagement　there　had　been　little　straggling；　and　my　list

of　missing　was　small　and　legitimate；　still；　it　was　known　that　a　very

few　had　shirked　their　duty；　and　an　example　was　necessary。　　Among　this

small　number　were　four　officers　who；　it　was　charged；　had　abandoned

their　colors　and　regiments。　　When　their　guilt　was　clearly

established；　and　as　soon　as　an　opportunity　occurred；　I　caused　the

whole　division　to　be　formed　in　a　hollow　square；　closed　in　mass；　and

had　the　four　officers　marched　to　the　centre；　where；　telling　them　that

I　would　not　humiliate　any　officer　or　soldier　by　requiring　him　to

touch　their　disgraced　swords；　I　compelled　them　to　deliver　theirs　up

to　my　colored　serv