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！
Giles A。 SMITH； Colonel Eighth Missouri； commanding First Brigade。
P。 S。…I forgot to state above that the Thirteenth Infantry and One Hundred and Thirteenth Illinois being under the immediate command of General Sherman； he can mention them as their conduct deserves。
On the 3d of April； a division of troops； commanded by Brigadier… General J。 M。 Tuttle； was assigned to my corps； and was designated the Third Division； and； on the 4th of April； Brigadier…General D。 Stuart was relieved from the command of the Second Division； to which Major…General Frank P。 Blair was appointed by an order from General Grant's headquarters。 Stuart had been with me from the time we were at Benton Barracks； in command of the Fifty…fifth Illinois； then of a brigade； and finally of a division； but he had failed in seeking a confirmation by the Senate to his nomination as brigadier…general； by reason of some old affair at Chicago； and； having resigned his commission as colonel； he was out of service。 I esteemed him very highly； and was actually mortified that the service should thus be deprived of so excellent and gallant an officer。 He afterward settled in New Orleans as a lawyer； and died about 1867 or 1868。
On the 6th of April； my command； the Fifteenth Corps； was composed of three divisions：
The First Division； commanded by Major…General Fred Steele； and his three brigades by Colonel Manter； Colonel Charles R。 Wood； and Brigadier…General John M。 Thayer。
The Second Division； commanded by Major…General Frank P。 Blair； and his three brigades by Colonel Giles A。 Smith； Colonel Thomas gilby Smith； and Brigadier…General Hugh Ewing。
The Third Division； commanded by Brigadier…General J。 M。 Tuttle； and his three brigades by Brigadier…General R。 P。 Buckland； Colonel J。 A。 Mower； and Brigadier…General John E。 Smith。
My own staff then embraced： Dayton； McCoy； and Hill； aides； J。 H。 Hammond； assistant adjutant…general； Sanger； inspector…general； McFeeley； commissary； J。 Condit Smith； quartermaster； Charles McMillan； medical director； Ezra Taylor； chief of artillery； JNo。 C。 Neely； ordnance…officer； Jenney and Pitzman； engineers。
By this time it had become thoroughly demonstrated that we could not divert the main river Mississippi； or get practicable access to the east bank of the Yazoo； in the rear of Vicksburg； by any of the passes； and we were all in the habit of discussing the various chances of the future。 General Grant's headquarters were at Milliken's Bend； in tents； and his army was strung along the river all the way from Young's Point up to Lake Providence； at least sixty miles。 I had always contended that the best way to take Vicksburg was to resume the movement which had been so well begun the previous November； viz。； for the main army to march by land down the country inland of the Mississippi River； while the gunboat…fleet and a minor land…force should threaten Vicksburg on its river…front。
I reasoned that； with the large force then subject to General Grant's orders…viz。； four army corpshe could easily resume the movement from Memphis； by way of Oxford and Grenada； to Jackson； Mississippi； or down the ridge between the Yazoo and Big Black； but General Grant would not； for reasons other than military； take any course which looked like； a step backward； and he himself concluded on the river movement below Vicksburg； so as to appear like connecting with General Banks； who at the same time was besieging Port Hudson from the direction of New Orleans。
Preliminary orders had already been given； looking to the digging of a canal； to connect the river at Duckport with Willow Bayou； back of Milliken's Bend； so as to form a channel for the conveyance of supplies； by way of Richmond； to New Carthage； and several steam dredge…boats had come from the upper rivers to assist in the work。 One day early in April； I was up at General Grant's headquarters； and we talked over all these things with absolute freedom。 Charles A。 Dana； Assistant Secretary of War； was there； and Wilson； Rawlins； Frank Blair； McPherson； etc。 We all knew； what was notorious； that General MeClernand was still intriguing against General Grant； in hopes to regain the command of the whole expedition； and that others were raising a clamor against General Grant in the news papers at the North。 Even Mr。 Lincoln and General Halleck seemed to be shaken； but at no instant of time did we （his personal friends） slacken in our loyalty to him。 One night； after such a discussion； and believing that General McClernand had no real plan of action shaped in his mind； I wrote my letter of April 8； 1863； to Colonel Rawlins； which letter is embraced in full at page 616 of Badeau's book； and which I now reproduce here：
HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS； CAMP NEAR VICKSBURG； April 8；1868。
Colonel J。 A。 RAWLINS； Assistant Adjutant…General to General GRANT。
SIR： I would most respectfully suggest （for reasons which I will not name） that General Grant call on his corps commanders for their opinions； concise and positive； on the best general plan of a campaign。 Unless this be done； there are men who will； in any result falling below the popular standard； claim that their advice was unheeded； and that fatal consequence resulted therefrom。 My own opinions are：
First。 That the Army of the Tennessee is now far in advance of the other grand armies of the United States。
Second。 That a corps from Missouri should forthwith be moved from St。 Louis to the vicinity of Little Rock； Arkansas； supplies collected there while the river is full； and land communication with Memphis opened via Des Arc on the White； and Madison on the St。 Francis River。
Third。 That as much of the Yazoo Pass； Coldwater； and Tallahatchie Rivers； as can be gained and fortified； be held； and the main army be transported thither by land and water； that the road back to Memphis be secured and reopened； and； as soon as the waters subside； Grenada be attacked； and the swamp…road across to Helena be patrolled by cavalry。
Fourth。 That the line of the Yalabusha be the base from which to operate against the points where the Mississippi Central crosses Big Black； above Canton； and； lastly； where the Vicksburg & Jackson Railroad crosses the same river （Big Black）。 The capture of Vicksburg would result。
Fifth。 That a minor force be left in this vicinity； not to exceed ten thousand men； with only enough steamboats to float and transport them to any desired point； this force to be held always near enough to act with the gunboats when the main army is known to be near VicksburgHaines's Bluff or Yazoo City。
Sixth。 I do doubt the capacity of Willow Bayou （which I estimate to be fifty miles long and very tortuous） as a military channel； to supply an army large enough to operate against Jackson； Mississippi； or the Black River Bridge； and such a channel will be very vulnerable to a force coming from the west； which we must expect。 Yet this canal will be most useful as the way to convey coals and supplies to a fleet that should navigate the lower reach of the Mississippi between Vicksburg and the Red River。
Seventh。 The chief reason for operating solely by water was the season of the year and high water i