杉林溪戰役（Battle of Cedar Creek）

1864年10月19日清晨，美國聯邦雪倫都奧軍團（Army of the Shenandoah）指揮官薛立頓將軍（P.Sheridan）赴首都華盛頓會議，指揮部群龍無首之際，軍團突遭敵軍奇襲，在全然意料外，軍團受到重大的人員物質損失。幸虧將軍他匆忙趕回，在緊急關頭現身戰場，扭轉了此次戰事的勝負結果，並影響隨後世事的變化。薛立頓將軍在杉林溪戰役緊要關頭，奔駛回防（Sheridans Ride）的這一幕，在整個美國歷史中不僅極具戲劇性，且是令人擊掌贊嘆的輝煌章節。

雖然不似蓋茨堡之役（Battle of Gettysburg）或者第一次牛奔河戰役(First Battle of Bull Run)聞名，杉林溪戰役在南北内戰中卻佔據了一個重要實在地位。這場戰爭決定了邦聯再沒有能力威脅首都華盛頓，并且丟失了他們的糧倉——雪倫都奧谷地（The Valley of Shenandoah ）。

1864年10月19日那日清晨，南方爾力將軍（J.Early）的山谷軍團（Army of the Valley）21000人藉由夜幕的掩護，早一晚，已前進到北軍宿營點附近，集結在攻擊發起綫旁。部隊人員除了武器彈藥，爲了防止行進中和岩石樹木碰撞發出叮叮噹噹聲響，其他裝備，譬如：錫杯水壺烹飪器具，全都不允携帶。當早上第一抹紅色霞光塗上天際綫，步兵們即涉水渡過杉林溪，呼號衝過聯邦軍隊的防禦障礙物，攫奪下火炮並即轉過炮口用以對付那些絲毫不提防的敵人——許多仍然還在軍帳裏睡覺。聯邦將軍們雖然嘗試著阻止隨后更多不幸事件發生，但受了驚嚇的北軍奔跳著亂抓武器抵抗，但在清晨的灰色薄霧裏，那些南方士兵瞧來就如同一群鬼魅戰士，北軍部隊掙扎不了多久，很快驚慌地解體，如同堤防缺口，河水潰散泄流到田野各處。敗兵匆忙撤退時，混亂失序，武器，裝備，帳篷四處丟棄；後方遺留下無數的篷車、醫護車輛、散兵和逃亡的士兵。當面的十三軍和十九軍整個被擊潰了，衹有配置在最後方的第十一軍勉强維持住一條防禦綫。南方軍團卻似乎滿意眼前的勝利，忘記「宜將剩勇追窮寇」的道理，停止了追擊。這真不能怪南方士兵們，後勤能力不足，長時的半飢半飽，他們一頭撞進美酒食物堆裏，蝗蟲一樣，再捨不得出來——如此兩個珍貴黃金小時流失。

薛立頓將軍其實已經結束了華盛頓的會議，閑散旅游地正在歸來路上，先一天晚上他投宿在離自己司令總部20哩的溫切史特鎮内（Winchester）。19日當天清晨吃早餐時，他久經訓練的耳朵，忽然聽聞遠處隆隆火炮聲，明白前綫有了戰事。即刻將他的漆黑如炭名馬睿恩熙（Rienzi）備上馬鞍，手握軍帽，躍馬往南奔駛，身後跟著他的助理們和三小隊隨身警衛。沿著谷地大路（Valley Pike），如閃電般地往回路奔。一路上，壞消息不停傳來，告知他的無敵隊伍已經被整個擊潰。滿身塵土的騎士與駿馬抵達那遭難之地時，灰心氣短以及失去信心的部隊即以如雷般的歡欣呼喊聲歡迎他們的將軍。

那時，海逸斯上校（COLONEL RUTHERFORD B. HAYES）的英勇步兵旅牢牢守住了路的左邊，路的右側奮力支撐著戰綫的是麥肯理少校（Major William McKinley）指揮的第26俄亥俄團剩餘戰士們。兩位指揮官同時和薛立頓將軍立正敬禮。啊呀，這真是歷史的一刻，誰有這樣的面子，這樣的機會，兩位未來的總統同時向著同一個人敬禮。薛將軍僅是揮著手中的軍帽，仍舊飛奔冲往前方田野的最高點，在戰綫前上上下下地騎馬喊：「士兵們，面朝另一方，我們往回走，重新奪回我們的營帳。」「跟著我，跟著我，今晚我們睡囘我們原來的營帳。」

將軍和他鞍下黑馬的高昂精神似乎有渗透能力，彷彿發出了激動整個部隊的刺激電流。突然間，部隊後頭無數的營連隊旗從地裏高高升起，召喚著他們的指揮官，掌旗兵立定舉正了旗子，列兵排好方陣，八千名騎兵在卡斯特將軍的指揮下準備妥當，隨時即可衝鋒。將軍和他的部屬說：「這次得好好狠狠給他（對手爾力將軍）洗一回臉。」整個部隊萬衆一心，在將軍領頭下，上午十點半，從密都唐鎮（Middletown），發出如同雪崩般地不能阻擋力量，朝敵人反擊，重新奪回了被俘虜的己方戰士，武器，營帳等等，并且將一場災難轉變成四年内戰中最爲著名的一場勝利。

薛立頓將軍那天清晨奔駛二十里，導致翻轉整個戰役勝負，解了首都華盛頓之危，間接幫助林肯贏了三星期后的總統大選，並深遠影響内戰結果；他本人亦終身受人景仰。詩人瑞德（Thomas Buchanan Read） 仿效朗費蘿（Henry W. Longfellow ）的《Paul Reveres Ride》，寫下了《Sheridans Ride》一詩，試著去比擬他和婦孺皆知的開國英雄李偉爾（Paul Revere）有著同等的偉人高度，大力贊美他的勇敢及愛國心。當然，真實的歷史我們都知道銀匠李偉爾其實并沒有完成他的傳遞情報任務——不過這是另個複雜的故事了。

《Sheridans Ride》一詩，我將其列在下方，英詩曾試譯過兩回，自覺效果很差，今次藏拙，不敢再來獻醜。

UP from the South at break of day, 
Bringing to Winchester fresh dismay, 
The affrighted air with a shudder bore, 
Like a herald in haste, to the chieftains door, 
The terrible grumble, and rumble, and roar,          
Telling the battle was on once more, 
And Sheridan twenty miles away. 
 
And wider still those billows of war, 
Thundered along the horizons bar; 
And louder yet into Winchester rolled   
The roar of that red sea uncontrolled, 
Making the blood of the listener cold, 
As he thought of the stake in that fiery fray, 
And Sheridan twenty miles away. 
 
But there is a road from Winchester town,   
A good, broad highway leading down; 
And there, through the flush of the morning light, 
A steed as black as the steeds of night, 
Was seen to pass, as with eagle flight, 
As if he knew the terrible need;   
He stretched away with his utmost speed; 
Hills rose and fell; but his heart was gay, 
With Sheridan fifteen miles away. 
 
Still sprung from those swift hoofs, thundering South, 
The dust, like smoke from the cannons mouth;   
Or the trail of a comet, sweeping faster and faster, 
Foreboding to traitors the doom of disaster. 
The heart of the steed, and the heart of the master 
Were beating like prisoners assaulting their walls, 
Impatient to be where the battle-field calls;   
Every nerve of the charger was strained to full play, 
With Sheridan only ten miles away. 
 
Under his spurning feet the road 
Like an arrowy Alpine river flowed, 
And the landscape sped away behind   
Like an ocean flying before the wind, 
And the steed, like a barque fed with furnace ire, 
Swept on, with his wild eyes full of fire. 
But lo! he is nearing his hearts desire; 
He is snuffing the smoke of the roaring fray,   
With Sheridan only five miles away. 
 
The first that the general saw were the groups 
Of stragglers, and then the retreating troops; 
What was done? what to do? a glance told him both, 
Then, striking his spurs, with a terrible oath,   
He dashed down the line mid a storm of huzzas, 
And the wave of retreat checked its course there, because 
The sight of the master compelled it to pause. 
With foam and with dust the black charger was gray; 
By the flash of his eye, and the red nostrils play,   
He seemed to the whole great army to say, 
"I have brought you Sheridan all the way 
From Winchester, down to save the day!" 
 
Hurrah! hurrah for Sheridan! 
Hurrah! hurrah for horse and man!   
And when their statues are placed on high, 
Under the dome of the Union sky, 
The American soldiers Temple of Fame; 
There with the glorious generals name, 
Be it said, in letters both bold and bright,   
"Here is the steed that saved the day, 
By carrying Sheridan into the fight, 
From Winchester, twenty miles away!"

2017.12.28