按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
of W。 L。 Elliott。 The army in the field consisted of 60；773 effective men。
General Thomas ordered the Fourth Corps to Cleveland。 The Fourteenth Corps in front of Chattanooga was well thrown forward toward the enemy's front at Dalton； preparatory to the spring campaign in Atlanta； under General Sherman。 The Twentieth Corps was stationed in Lookout Valley。
In the general engagement Grant's plan of battle had been for Sherman with five divisions to make the main attack； sweep everything before him down the ridge； and when he had the rebels in full retreat； the Army of the Cumberland was then to aid in the pursuit； after patiently waiting until the fighting was over。 Hooker； under Grant's original plan； was to simply hold Lookout Valley secure； and when the enemy was driven by Sherman； he too was to join in the pursuit。 All the fighting of the battle was to be done by Sherman and all the glory thereof was to be his。 In Sherman's memoirs we are favored with Grant's views of the Army of the Cumberland when Sherman first reported in person to Grant at Chattanooga； to learn of his plan and the part he； Sherman； was to take。 Sherman says that Grant told him 〃that the men of Thomas's army had been so demoralized by the battle of Chickamauga that he feared they could not be got out of their trenches to assume the offensive；〃 and that 〃the Army of the Cumberland had so long been in the trenches that he wanted my troops to hurry up to take the offensive FIRST； after which he had no doubt the Cumberland Army would fight well。〃 So； under Grant's plan； the Army of the Cumberland was to stand by and be taught a grand object lesson how to fight； as given by Sherman。 During the course of the engagement the plan was modified twice。 Under the original plan； Sherman was to make a demonstration up Lookout Valley； in the expectation that Bragg would strengthen his left at the expense of his right； thereby making Sherman's part of the plan so much the lighter as the line on his battle front was weakened。 To carry this out Hugh Ewing's division was sent to Trenton； but this accomplished nothing。 Grant fearing that Bragg's right might be too strong for Sherman to give his lesson to the Army of the Cumberland properly； finding Osterhaus's division cut off from Sherman； ordered it to report to Hooker； who was directed to take it and Geary's division with Cruft's division of the Fourth Corps and make a demonstration on the rebel left at Lookout Mountain； to attract the attention of Bragg while Sherman was getting into position to take 〃the end of Missionary Ridge as far as the tunnel。〃 Hooker； on the day previous； learning that Howard's corps was going into Chattanooga； and probably into the fight； asked to be allowed his right to be with his troops under fire。 Under his original order he was simply to hold Lookout Valley； which he did not relish if part of his command should engage the enemy。 When his orders came to 〃make a demonstration〃 he determined he would take Lookout Mountain and drive Bragg's left out of his works。 With less than ten thousand troops； over two…thirds of whom were the Army of the Cumberland； Hooker fought his 〃Battle above the Clouds；〃 that will last in history forever； and grow in fancy and song as the years roll on。 Hooker took Lookout Mountain and drove the rebel left to Rossville； over five miles； before Sherman reached the tunnel。 He made Sherman's task none the easier； however； because Bragg then threw the two divisions Hooker had whipped upon Sherman's front。
Then； when Sherman had been fighting for nearly two days； and had failed to make the headway Grant's plan contemplated； the plan underwent another modification。 On the 25th； Grant ordered Thomas to move out his troops from the centre； to make another 〃demonstration〃 in Sherman's behalf； so he could take the tunnel in accordance with the original plan。 Thomas was ordered to take the first line of rifle…pits and hold his command there； while Bragg was expected to draw off part of his troops from Sherman's front and strengthen his line in front of the 〃demonstration。〃 Thomas's orders to his corps and division generals were given in accordance with Grant's instructions； and as the orders reached the brigade and regimental commanders； as far as the officers were concerned the movement was only to be a 〃demonstration。〃 When the troops reached the rebel line； captured it； and then found themselves under the heavy fire from the enemy's lines on the heights above； without orders； and even against orders； the soldiers of the Army of the Cumberland； who were 〃so demoralized that they would not fight；〃 pressed up the face of the ridge under the deadly musketry fire that greeted them； with cannon in front； to the right and the left； raking with converging fire； and won for General Grant the battle of Missionary Ridge； driving Bragg away from Sherman's front and thus enabling him to take the tunnel as ordered。 Whenever the victory of Missionary Ridge shall be narrated on history's page； this gallant charge of the brave men of Wood's and Sheridan's divisions； with those of Baird and Johnson on their left and right； will always be the prominent feature of the engagement as told in the coming years； and will be the last to lose its glory and renown。
No wonder that General Grant failed to appreciate this movement at the time； not understanding the troops who had it in charge。 When he found these commands ascending the ridge to capture it when he ordered a 〃demonstration〃 to be made to the foot of the hill and there to wait； he turned sharply to General Thomas and asked； 〃By whose orders are those troops going up the hill？〃 General Thomas； taking in the situation at once； suggested that it was probably their own。 General Grant remarked that 〃it was all right if it turned out all right；〃 and added； 〃if not； some one would suffer。〃 But it turned out 〃all right；〃 and Grant in his official report compliments the troops for 〃following closely the retreating enemy without further orders。〃 General Thomas； in his official report； after narrating the events of the 23d 24th； and 25th of November； quietly says： 〃It will be seen by the above report that the original plan of operations was somewhat modified to meet and take the best advantage of emergencies which necessitated material modifications of that plan。 It is believed； however； that the original plan had it been carried out could not possibly have led to more successful results。〃
Appendix A。
Organization of the Fourteenth Army Corps； Dept。 of the Cumberland。
Major…General W。 S。 Rosecrans； Commanding。
December 20； 1862。
CENTRE。
Major…General Geo。 H。 Thomas。
First Division。
Brigadier…General S。 S。 Fry。
FIRST BRIGADE。Col。 M。 B。 Walker； 82d Ind。； 12th Ky。； 17th O。； 31st O。； 38th O。 SECOND BRIGADE。Col。 J。 M。 Harlan； 10th Ind。； 74th Ind。； 4th Ky。； 10th Ky。； 14th O。 THIRD BRIGADE。Brig。…General J。 B。 Steedman； 87th Ind。； 2d Minn。； 9th O。； 35th O。； 18th U。S。 ARTILLERY。4th Mich。 Battery； 1st O。 Battery 〃C。；〃 4th U。S。 Battery 〃L〃
Third Division。
Brigadier…General L。 H。 Rousseau。
NINTH BRIGADE。Col。 B。 F。 Scribner； 38th Ind。； 2d O。； 33d O。； 94th O。； 10th Wis。 SEVENTEENTH BRIGADE。Col。 J。 G。 Jones； 42d Ind。； 88th Ind。； 15th Ky。； 3d O。； 10th O。 TWENTY…EIGHTH BRIGADE。Col。 H。 A。 Hambright； 24th Ill。； 79th Penn。； 1st Wis。； 21st Wis。 ARTILLERY。4th Ind。 Battery； 5th Ind。 Battery； 1st Ky。； 1st Mich。 Battery 〃A。〃 CAVALRY。2d Ky。 （Battalion）； 11th Ky。 （Detachment）； 4th Ind。 （Detachment）。
Eighth Division。
Brigadier…General J。 S。 Negley。
SEVENTH BRIGADE。Col。 John F。 Miller； 37th Ind。； 78th Penn。； 21st O。； 74th O。； Independent Battalion； Capt。 Casey。 TWENTY…NINTH BRIGADE。Col。 T。 R。 Stanley； 19th Ill。； 11th Mich。； 18th O。； 69th O。 ARTILLERY。1st Ky。 Battery 〃B。；〃 1st O。 Battery 〃G。；〃 1st O。 Battery 〃M。〃 CAVALRY。7th Penn。； 1st Tenn。
Seventh Division。
Brigadier…General J。 M。 Palmer。
FIRST BRIGADE。Col。 G。 W。 Roberts； 22d Ill。； 27th Ill。； 42d Ill。； 51st Ill。 SECOND BRIGADE。Brig。…General J。 D。 Morgan； 10th Ill。； 16th Ill。； 60th Ill。； 10th Mich。； 14th Mich。 ARTILLERY。1st Ill。 Battery 〃C。；〃 10th Wis。 Battery。 CAVALRY。7th Ill。 Co。 〃C。〃
Twelfth Division。
Brigadier…General E。 Dumont。
FORTIETH BRIGADE。Col。 A。 O。 Miller； 98th Ill。； 72d Ind。； 75th Ind。 … BRIGADE。Gen。 W。 T。 Ward； 102d Ill。； 105th Ill。； 70th Ind。； 79th O。 ARTILLERY。18th Ind。 Battery。 CAVALRY。4th Ind。 （Detachment）； 7th Ky。； 11 Ky。 （Detachment）。
RIGHT WING。
Major…General A。 McD。 McCook。
Second Division。
Brigadier…General J。 W。 Sill。
FOURTH BRIGADE。Col。 Buckley； 6th Ind。； 5th Ky。； 1st O。； 93d O。； 18th U。S。； 19th U。S。 FIFTH BRIGADE。Col。 E。 N。 Kirk； 34th Ill。； 79th Ill。； 29th Ind。； 30th Ind。； 77th Penn。 SIXTH BRIGADE。Brig。…General Willich； 89th Ill。； 32d Ind。； 39th Ind。； 15th O。； 49th O。 ARTILLERY。1st O。 Battery 〃A。；〃 1st O。 Battery 〃E。；〃 5th U。S。 Battery 〃L。〃 CAVALRY。2d Ky。 （2 Cos）。
Ninth Division。
Brigadier…General J。 C。 Davis。
THIRTIETH BRIGADE。*59th Ill。； 74th Ill。； 75th Ill。； 22nd Ind。 THIRTY…FIRST BRIGADE。*21st Ill。； 38th Ill。； 101st O。； 15th Wis。 THIRTY…SECOND BRIGADE。*25th Ill。； 35th Ill。； 81st Ind。； 8th Kan。 ARTILLERY。2d Minn。 Battery； 5th Wis。 Battery； 8th Wis。 Battery。