andersonville-第47部分

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ready。　　You　hear　me！'

〃Saying　which　we　both　went　to　our　companies；　and　laid　down　to　get　a
little　sleep。　　It　was　about　daylight　then；　and　I　must　have　snoozed　away
until　near　noon；　when　I　heard　the　order　'fall　in！'　and　found　the　regiment
getting　into　line；　and　the　boys　all　tallying　about　going　right　into
Atlanta；　that　the　Rebels　had　evacuated　the　City　during　the　night；　and
that　we　were　going　to　have　a　race　with　the　Fifteenth　Corps　as　to　which
would　get　into　the　City　first。　　We　could　look　away　out　across　a　large
field　in　front　of　our　works；　and　see　the　skirmish　line　advancing　steadily
towards　the　main　works　around　the　City。　　Not　a　shot　was　being；　fired　on
either　side。

〃To　our　surprise；　instead　of　marching　to　the　front　and　toward　the　City；
we　filed　off　into　a　small　road　cut　through　the　woods　and　marched　rapidly
to　the　rear。　　We　could　not　understand　what　it　meant。　　We　marched　at　quick
time；　feeling　pretty　mad　that　we　had　to　go　to　the　rear；　when　the　rest　of
our　Division　were　going　into　Atlanta。

〃We　passed　the　Sixteenth　Corps　lying　on　their　arms；　back　in　some　open
fields；　and　the　wagon　trains　of　our　Corps　all　comfortably　corralled；　and
finally　found　ourselves　out　by　the　Seventeenth　Corps　headquarters。　　Two
or　three　companies　were　sent　out　to　picket　several　roads　that　seemed　to
cross　at　that　point；　as　it　was　reported　'Rebel　Cavalry'　had　been　seen　on
these　roads　but　a　short　time　before；　and　this　accounted　for　our　being
rushed　out　in　such　a　great　hurry。

〃We　had　just　stacked　arms　and　were　going　to　take　a　little　rest　after　our
rapid　march；　when　several　Rebel　prisoners　were　brought　in　by　some　of　the
boys　who　had　straggled　a　little。　　They　found　the　Rebels　on　the　road　we
had　just　marched　out　on。　　Up　to　this　time　not　a　shot　had　been　fired。
All　was　quiet　back　at　the　main　works　we　had　just　left；　when　suddenly　we
saw　several　staff　officers　come　tearing　up　to　the　Colonel；　who　ordered　us
to　'fall　in！'　'Take　aims！'　'about；　face！'　　The　Lieutenant　Colonel　dashed
down　one　of　the　roads　where　one　of　the　companies　had　gone　out　on　picket。
The　Major　and　Adjutant　galloped　down　the　others。　　We　did　not　wait　for
them　to　come　back；　though；　but　moved　right　back　on　the　road　we　had　just
come　out；　in　line　of　battle；　our　colors　in　the　road；　and　our　flanks　in
open　timber。　　We　soon　reached　a　fence　enclosing　a　large　field；　and　there
could　see　a　line　of　Rebels　moving　by　the　flank；　and　forming；　facing
toward　Atlanta；　but　to　the　left　and　in　the　rear　of　the　position　occupied
by　our　Corps。　　As　soon　as　we　reached　the　fence　we　fired　a　round　or　two
into　the　backs　of　these　gray　coats；　who　broke　into　confusion。

〃Just　then　the　other　companies　joined　us；　and　we　moved　off　on　'double
quick　by　the　right　flank；'　for　you　see　we　were　completely　cut　off　from
the　troops　up　at　the　front；　and　we　had　to　get　well　over　to　the　right　to
get　around　the　flank　of　the　Rebels。　　Just　about　the　time　we　fired　on　the
rebels　the　Sixteenth　Corps　opened　up　a　hot　fire　of　musketry　and　artillery
on　them；　some　of　their　shot　coming　over　mighty　close　to　where　we　were。
We　marched　pretty　fast；　and　finally　turned　in　through　some　open　fields　to
the　left；　and　came　out　just　in　the　rear　of　the　Sixteenth　Corps；　who　were
fighting　like　devils　along　their　whole　line。

〃Just　as　we　came　out　into　the　open　field　we　saw　General　R。　K。　Scott；
who　used　to　be　our　Colonel；　and　who　commanded　our　brigade；　come　tearing
toward　us　with　one　or　two　aids　or　orderlies。　　He　was　on　his　big　clay…bank
horse；　'Old　Hatchie；'　as　we　called　him；　as　we　captured　him　on　the
battlefield　at　the　battle　of　'Matamora；'　or　'Hell　on　the　Hatchie；'　as　our
boys　always　called　it。　　He　rode　up　to　the　Colonel；　said　something
hastily；　when　all　at　once　we　heard　the　all…firedest　crash　of　musketry　and
artillery　way　up　at　the　front　where　we　had　built　the　works　the　night
before　and　left　the　rest　of　our　brigade　and　Division　getting　ready　to
prance　into　Atlanta　when　we　were　sent　off　to　the　rear。　　Scott　put　spurs
to　his　old　horse；　who　was　one　of　the　fastest　runners　in　our　Division；
and　away　he　went　back　towards　the　position　where　his　brigade　and　the
troops　immediately　to　their　left　were　now　hotly　engaged。　　He　rode　right
along　in　rear　of　the　Sixteenth　Corps；　paying　no　attention　apparently　to
the　shot　and　shell　and　bullets　that　were　tearing　up　the　earth　and
exploding　and　striking　all　around　him。　　His　aids　and　orderlies　vainly
tried　to　keep　up　with　him。　　We　could　plainly　see　the　Rebel　lines　as　they
came　out　of　the　woods　into　the　open　grounds　to　attack　the　Sixteenth
Corps；　which　had　hastily　formed　in　the　open　field；　without　any　signs　of
works；　and　were　standing　up　like　men；　having　a　hand…to…hand　fight。
We　were　just　far　enough　in　the　rear　so　that　every　blasted　shot　or　shell
that　was　fired　too　high　to　hit　the　ranks　of　the　Sixteenth　Corps　came
rattling　over　amongst　us。　　All　this　time　we　were　marching　fast；　following
in　the　direction　General　Scott　had　taken；　who　evidently　had　ordered　the
Colonel　to　join　his　brigade　up　at　the　front。　　We　were　down　under　the
crest　of　a　little　hill；　following　along　the　bank　of　a　little　creek；
keeping　under　cover　of　the　bank　as　much　as　possible　to　protect　us　from
the　shots　of　the　enemy。　　We　suddenly　saw　General　Logan　and　one　or　two　of
his　staff　upon　the　right　bank　of　the　ravine　riding　rapidly　toward　us。
As　he　neared　the　head　of　the　regiment　he　shouted：

〃'Halt！　　What　regiment　is　that；　and　where　are　you　going？'　　〃The　Colonel；
in　a　loud　voice；　that　all　could　hear；　told　him：　〃The　Sixty…Eighth　Ohio；
going　to　join　our　brigade　of　the　Third　Divisionyour　old　Division；
General；　of　the　Seventeenth　Corps。〃

〃Logan　says；　'you　had　better　go　right　in　here　on　the　left　of　Dodge。
The　Third　Division　have　hardly　ground　enough　left　now　to　bury　their　dead。
God　knows　they　need　you。　　But　try　it　on；　if　you　think　you　can　get　to
them。'

〃Just　at　this　moment　a　staff　officer　came　riding　up　on　the　opposite　side
of　the　ravine　from　where　Logan　was　and　interrupted　Logan；　who　was　about
telling　the　Colonel　not　to　try　to　go　to　the　position　held　by　the　Third
Division　by　the　road　cut　through　the　woods　whence　we　had　come　out；　but　to
keep　off　to　the　right　towards　the　Fifteenth　Corps；　as　the　woods　referred
to　were　full　of　Rebels。　　The　officer　saluted　Logan；　and　shouted　across：

〃General　Sherman　directs　me　to　inform　you　of　the　death　of　General
McPherson；　and　orders　you　to　take　command　of　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee；
have　Dodge　close　well　up　to　the　Seventeenth　Corps；　and　Sherman　will
reinforce　you　to　the　extent　of　the　whole　army。'

〃Logan；　standing　in　his　stirrups；　on　his　beautiful　black　horse；　formed　a
picture　against　the　blue　sky　as　we　looked　up　the　ravine　at　him；　his　black
eyes　fairly　blazing　and　his　long　black　hair　waving　in　the　wind。
He　replied　in　a　ringing；　clear　tone　that　we　all　could　hear：

〃Say　to　General　Sherman　I　have　heard　of　McPherson's　death；　and　have
assumed　the　command　of　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee；　and　have　already
anticipated　his　orders　in　regard　to　closing　the　gap　between　Dodge　and　the
Seventeenth　Corps。'

〃This；　of　course；　all　happened　in　one　quarter　of　the　time　I　have　been
telling　you。　　Logan　put　spurs　to　his　horse　and　rode　in　one　direction；
the　staff　officer　of　General　Sherman　in　another；　and　we　started　on　a
rapid　step　toward　the　front。　　This　was　the　first　we　had　heard　of
McPherson's　death；　and　it　made　us　feel　very　bad。　　Some　of　the　officers
and　men　cried　as　though　they　had　lost　a　brother；　others　pressed　their
lips；　gritted　their　teeth；　and　swore　to　avenge　his　death。　　He　was　a　great
favorite　with　all　his　Army；　particularly　of　our　Corps；　which　he　commanded
for　a　long　while。　　Our　company；　especially；　knew　him　well；　and　loved　him
dearly；　for　we　had　been　his　Headquarters　Guard　for　over　a　year。　　As　we
marched　along；　toward　the　front；　we　could　see　brigades；　and　regiments；
and　batteries　of　artillery；　coming　over　from　the　right　of　the　Army；　and
taking　position　in　new　lines　in　rear　of　the　Sixteenth　and　Seventeenth
Corps。　　Major　Generals　and　their　staffs；　Brigadier　Generals　and　their
staffs；　were　mighty　thick　along　the　banks　of　the　little　ravine　we　were
following；　stragglers　and　wounded　men　by　the　hundred　were　pouring　in　to
the　safe　shelter　formed　by　the　broken　ground　along　which　we　were　rapidly
marching；　stories　were　heard　of　divisions；　brigades　and　regiments　that
these　wounded　or　stragglers　belonged；　having　been　all　cut　to　pieces；
officers　all　killed；　and　the　speaker；　the　only　one　of　his　command　not
killed；　wounded　or　captured。　　But　you　boys　have　heard　and　seen　the　same
cowardly　sneaks；　probably；　in　fights　that　you　were　in。　　The　battle　raged
furiously　all　this　time；　part　of　the　time　the　Sixteenth　Corps　seemed　to
be　in　the　worst；　then　it　would　let　up　on　them　and　the　Seventeenth　Corps
would　be　hotly　engaged　along　their　whole　front。

〃We　had　probably　marched　half　an　hour　since　leaving　Logan；　and　were
getting　pretty　near　back　to　our　main　line　of　works；　when　the　Colonel
ordered　a　halt　and　knapsacks　to　be　unslung　and　piled　up。　　I　tell　you　it
was　a　relief　to　get　them　off；　for　it　was　a　fearful　hot　day；　and　we　had
been　marching　almost　double　quick。　　We　knew　that　this　meant　business
though；　and　that　we　were　stripping　for　the　fight；　which　we　would　soon　be
in