YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

Anonymous Gift

GENERAL WM. T. SHERMAN. (1883/
(Copyright bj^T. G. McCurdy & Co — UdB.)

THE LIFF OF

GENERAL
U/illiamJ.S^rma9

JAAE5 F. BOYD, A. M.

AUTHOR OF " MILITARY AND CIVIL LIFE OF U. S. GRANT,"
"LIFE OF SHERIDAN," ETC., ETC.

PUBLISHERS' UNION,
1 89 1.

COPYRIGHT BY
JAMES P. BOYD,
1891.

Introductory.

5 HE last of the great military figures in the strife for the
preservation of the American Union passed away
with General "William Tecumseh Sherman. Death
withheld its hand till he grew ripe in years, and came into
the full enjoyment of the honors he so hardly won and so
richly deserved. The illustrious soldier had time to culti
vate the arts of peace, to gauge the nation he had helped to
save, and in turn, to be measured by the standards of patri
otic citizenship and ennobled manhood.
As soldier or citizen his is a unique figure. It stands out
in history as one of a mighty group of generals whom the
wars of half a century, and on two continents, called into
prominence and crowned with laurels. It stands also as one
of that lesser group of martial heroes whom the blandish
ments of political life and civil occupation could not swerve,
and whose later ambitions found their gratification in
philosophic contemplation and liberal devotion of matured
energy to the ends of enlightened citizenship.
Many, indeed most, of the great leaders of the Union
army came into prominence slowly. They were evolutions
of their time, survivals, so to speak, of the ordeals which
quickly consumed a host of the best favored and most
promising. Sherman was a matured man when the echoes
of Sumpter startled the nation. He was past forty. He
had not distinguished himself as a military cadet at "West
Point. Hating the desultory life of a recruiting officer, he
burned for action and distinction on the fields of Mexico,
s

6 INTRODUCTORY.
but had the misfortune to be consigned to the wastes of
Lower California — an enemy's country, but far removed
from the roar of cannon and scenes of strife. Dissatisfied
with the hum-drum existence of the remote camp, he tasted
of the speculative excitement incident to the discovery of
gold on the Pacific coast. The taste was bitter. At last
he drifted into the tame life of a military professor in a
Southern college. Here he subsisted for a brief time, un
marked by the world, unmeasured by events.
Only when the great rebellion burst upon the country
did the rolling stone settle. The dissatisfied, unrooted man
then found a place and mission. Let it stand to his ever
lasting credit that, despite his environment, he obeyed the
spirit of loyalty, and threw his future in with that of his
country. He understood the situation' from the very first-
understood better than most men of his time, so well indeed
as to invite derision for his counsels, and subject himself
to the charge of illusory statements and unbalanced judg
ment. Piqued at this, yet firm in his conviction, and thor
oughly fixed in his devotion, he practically devoted
himself, and fell in with the fortunes ot one who seemed
to grasp the Western situation, and who awakened the
country with the capture of Fort Donaldson." The genius
which proved too commanding to escape question, was yet
not too proud to co-operate with that of another, on the
lines which both sanctioned. The man, the officer, sunk
himself in his cause. Duty was paramount to distinction.
Shiloh must be fought, Memphis must fall, the Yazoo must
be threaded, Yicksburg must surrender, the grand march
must be made to Chattanooga, Missionary Eidge must
close a#two years' chapter of blood, before the discredited
genius of the Cumberland Army, or the insane commander
at Paducah, comes out into the clear sunlight of distinction

INTRODUCTORY. 7
and stands "right face " with the great chieftains of his
time. In all places, thus far, Sherman had proven true ; at all
points, able. He had been brave where others shrank;
prompt, where others dallied ; obedient, where others mur
mured. He could grasp and endure ; organize and effect.
Time and service had come to his vindication. Plan and
victory had established his genius. Grant trusted him im
plicitly. Lincoln and the authorities looked to him as the
one best fitted to shape and fight the future campaigns of
the West, and to co-operate with the armies of the Potomac
and the East. The soldiers grew to love him, and they
fought with confidence under his lead. The nation sounded
his praise, and looked for victory where he floated the flag
of his battalions and raised his voice in command.
Under these auspices he launched his greatest campaign,
a campaign largely of his own creation, and for which he
- was to be wholly responsible, and, therefore, one in which
he was rightfully independent as to details. It was boldly
conceived and admirably executed. It lasted for a year, and
was unmarred by defeat or unsullied by retreat. It was a
campaign in which fully 60,000 men were to be kept active,
in which innumerable obstacles were to be surmounted, in
which a powerful enemy had ever to be faced, and in which
long lines of supplies had to be maintained and new bases of
operations constantly formed. By and by, as theories invi
ted and results warranted, it was to be a campaign of dash .
and sweep, a grand rush through an enemy's country, a dar
ing effort to reach a distant coast in the rear of hostile lines.
And further it was to be a campaign of co-operation, a un
ion of the "Western and Eastern armies, whose position and
number should effectually prevent either the relief or escape
of the confederate forces then hemmed within the Peters-

8 INTRODUCTORY.
burg lines. The fall of Atlanta, the triumphal "March to
the Sea" the invasion of the Carolinas, the surrender of
Johnston's army, the consummation of all things as designed
and mapped, render this campaign one of the most notable
in history. Its results thrilled the entire country. It will
never cease to be a study among military men. It gave to
Sherman a permanent rank among the world's great gener
als, and fixed his name forever in the memory of a grateful
people. After victory had become final and the Union of States
assured, the conquering army passed in grand review before
its generals in Washington. Sherman could not help ex
claiming, "It is the most magnificent army in existence."
In this just and proud recognition of the organized energies
which had saved the country there is also that which con
tributes glowingly to the characters of those who gave these
energies shape and direction. Sherman could see his will
in the faces of his veterans, and detect his discipline in their
tread. In their magnificent numbers and triumphant air,
he could read the story of his perfect vindication, and con
fidently point to history to note, that he, almost alone, had
gauged the magnitude of the struggle from the start, that
he was not unwise when he implored an early call for troops
in the beginning, that he was not insane when he protested
against the small size of the first levies and refused to risk
the lives of a handful of new recruits in a country thickly
studded with armed men and fortified places. All his pre
dictions had been fulfilled to the letter ; every demand he
had made for men and supplies had been met thrice over
before he was permitted to stand in his place and witness
the triumphal procession from the bivouac to the hearthstone.
"We associate with Grant the impression of resistless- force.
with Sheridan the sudden energy that sweeps all barries,

INTRODUCTORY- $
Sherman was the professional and practical soldier. He
mapped his campaigns after the manner of Von Moltke. He
studied topography, knew roads, mastered the details of a
campaign in advance, as no other general did. It was said
of him that if the maps of the continent were lost, he could
reproduce them county by county. From rifle pit to forti
fication, he knew the art of defence, and no formation, ma-
nouvre or march in assault or attack escaped his attention-
The reports, of his campaign teem with reasons for this or
that move, and show on every page his pride in the work
of a soldier, who is both made and born.
It was supreme command of the art of war that placed
Sherman among the greatest of generals. His retreats were
as masterly as his advances. The former, as at Vicksburg,
and the latter, as in the Atlanta campaign, are models. His
"March to the Sea" added a new chapter to military science,
and settled the possibility of invasion with an army as its
own base. Many generals fought great battles successfully
and executed long and intricate campaigns favorably, but
no one combined to the same extent the factors which con
stituted a military situation and worked a military problem
with greater ease and certainty. The difficult operations
which led to Atlanta, would have been impossible in the
hands of almost any one except Sherman, and they became
possible with him only by reason of the care bestowed on
their preparation and that quickness of perception and nice
ty of movement which enabled him to divine the plans of
his opponent and to thwart his intentions in time.
It ia a pleasure to make history of these things for the
benefit of mankind. It is even more of a pleasure to record
„ the fact that this great soldier deepened the love, pride and
devotion of his countrymen through twenty-five years of
peace. He quit the battle-field crowned with its highest

io INTRODUCTORY.
honors, and his devotion to the noble ideals of a soldier's
life saved him from all civic temptations. The people's
regard for him passed into love, and their regret at his death
was as profound as their gratitude for his steadfast and un
selfish devotion to the cause of Liberty and Union.

CONTENTS.

Page
Introductory,  5
CHAPTER I.
Parentage— Birth — Education, .... 15
CHAPTER II. /
Early Army Life,  25
CHAPTER III.
A College Professor,  40
CHAPTER IV.
At Bull Run,  • . 52
CHAPTER V.
Army of the Cumberland,  62
CHAPTER VI.
AtShiloh,  77
CHAPTER VII.
Memphis and Beyond. . . . . . ' . 101

is Contents.
CHAPTER VIII. Page
Capture of Vicksburg  128
CHAPTER IX.
Chattanooga,  187
CHAPTER X.
Knoxville and Meridian,  225
CHAPTER XI.
Chattanooga to Atlanta,  261
CHAPTER XII.
Preparing for the Grand March, 320
CHAPTER XIII.
The March to the Sea,  352
CHAPTER XIV.
Through the Carolinas, ..... 390
CHAPTER XV.
Johnston's Surrender,  427
CHAPTER XVI.
In Times of Peace,  491
CHAPTER XVII.
Death and the Grave, .... . 546

LIST OK ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page
1. General Wm. T. Sherman, (1883.) . . Frontispiece.
2. At West Point,  19
3. General Anderson,  69
4. Commodore Foote,  76
5. Iron Clad River Gunboat,  85
6. Battle of Shiloh,  92
7. Admiral Porter,  125
8. Vicksburg and Port Hudson (Map),  144
9. Grant and Sherman,  162
10. Grant and Pemberton,  169
11. Maj. Gen. Geo. G. Meade,  185
12. Battle of Lookout Mountain,  196
13. Battle of Missionary Ridge,  218
14. General Longstreet,  235
15. Cavalry Column On The March,  253
»3

14 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Page
16. Chattanooga and Vicinity (Map),  272
17. Death of Gen. McPherson,  291
18. Living off the Country,  307
19. Maj. Gen'l Geo. H. Thomas,  325
20. Gen. Jno. A. Logan,  343
21. President Lincoln,  351
22. Gen'l Judson Kilpatrick,  361
23. Cavalry Fight,  380
24. Maj. Gen'l O. 0. Howard,  402
25. General Slocum,  411
26. General Robert E. Lee,  434
27. Gen'l Joseph E. Johnston,  470
28. General Wm. T. Sherman, (1890),  487
29. President Grant,  522
30. General Philip H. Sheridan,  539
31. Head of the Procession coming down Broadway,
New York  598
32. The Catafalque Passing Fifty-Seventh Street and
Broadway, New York,  599

CHAPTER I.
PARENTAGE, BIRTH, EDUCATION.
The Sherman family from which William Tecumseh
Sherman sprang was of English descent. In the records of
the British Museum there is an account of the Sherman's
of Laxley, in the county of Suffolk, dating as far back as
1616. There was another branch of the family in Dedham,
Essex county. The first Sherman whose name is found
recorded in this country was Edmond, who, with his three
sons, Edmond, Samuel and John, were at Boston before
1636. In the "History of Ancient Woodbury, Connecti
cut," it is stated that Samuel Sherman, the Rev. John Sher
man and Captain John, his first cousin, arrived from Ded
ham in 1634. This Captain John was the ancester of Roger
Sherman, the signer of the Declaration of Independence.
The Ohio Shermans trace their descent from Samuel Sher
man and his brother John, the clergyman, a Presbyterian
of the most strict type.
Taylor Sherman, of Norwalk, Conn., was, at the beginning
of the present century, one of the strongest jurists of that
State, and occupied a foremost place in its courts. In 1805
he went to Ohio as a commissioner to settle some boun
dary disputes and bought some real estate in Sherman
Township, Huron County. He returned to Connec
ticut, however, and died there in 1815. His wife was
Elizabeth Stoddart, a decendant of Anthony Stoddart,
who came to Boston from England in 1639. They had a
son, Charles Robert Sherman, who was born at Norwalk,
became a lawyer of prominence there, and married Mary
Hoyt of the same town.
is

16 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
When James Monroe became President in 1817 he made
Lawyer Charles R. Sherman, of Norwalk, Conn., a Collector
of Internal Revenue. Two of his deputies robbed the Gov
ernment and involved him in financial embarrassment from
which he never recovered. In the hope of bettering his
condition he went west in 1821, leaving his wife behind
him in Connecticut. A year later he sent for her, and
under the escort of some friends and neighbors she traveled
on horseback over the Alleghenies, holding her infant child
on a pillow in front of her. The new home was in Lan
caster, O. Mr. Sherman in a short time won great promi
nence as an able, eloquent and judicious advocate. His
reputation soon extended over the entire State, and his
practice was very large and fairly remunerative. In 1823
when he was only thirty-five years of age, the Legislature
of Ohio elected him a Judge of the Supreme Court. Ad
mirably fitted for the bench, his written opinions prove that
he possessed a fine legal mind. His manner was kind and
considerate and to know him was to be his friend. The
salary attached to the office was barely sufficient to support
himself and his large family, so that when he suddenly died
at Lebanon, 0., June 24, 1829, in the noon of his fame, and
at the age of forty-one, those dependent on him were almost
totally unprovided for.
In this emergency the relatives and friends of her hus
band came to the assistance of the widow and her eleven
children. Two of them were adopted by an aunt. John
the present Senator and ex-Secretary of the Treasury, went
to live with an uncle, and Thomas Ewing, who had then
been United States Senator and Secretary of the Treasury
took William Tecumseh into his family and educated him
as one of his own children. The story of the adoption is
interesting. Mr. Ewing, who was not only a warm friend

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 17
but also a distant relative of Judge Sherman, drove across
the country to the Sherman home as soon as he heard of
the death. He knew the family was large, that they were
very poor, and he resolved to take one of the children until
the fortunes of the house grew brighter. Mrs. Sherman
was unable to decide which one of the little ones to surren
der. After a tearful consultation she and her eldest
daughter accompanied Mr. Ewing out of doors where the
boys were romping on the grass.
" Well," said Mr. Ewing, " which one of 'em shall I talce ?
They all look alike to me."
The distressed mother was still unable to decide, when
the daughter, snatching up one of them in her arms and
holding him out, said. "Well, Mr. Ewing, if you must
take one, take ' Cump,' because he is the smartest."
" All right, then, ' Cump ' it is." said Mr. Ewing, taking
the child in his arms and placing him in his carriage. Mr.
Ewing took him to his family, and, says General Sherman in
his "Memoirs," "ever after treated me as his own son."
" Cump " was then nine years of age, having been born in
Lancaster, February 8, 1820. His father knew and
admired the Indian Chief Tecumseh, which accounts for his
middle name.
Young Sherman was sent to the Lancaster Academy by his
benefactor. It was the best educational establishment in
the place, as good a school in fact as any in Ohio at that
time. He studied all the ordinary branches, including
Latin, Greek, and French. The years passed on, and one
day a note came from Senator Ewing, who was in Wash
ington, notifying him to prepare for the Military Academy
at West Point. Previous to this, however, Sherman was
allowed in 1834 to work during that Fall and the following
Spring as rodman for a surveyor who was making surveys

18 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
for a canal to connect with the great Ohio one at Carroll,
eight miles above Lancaster. He was paid a silver half
dollar for each day's actual work, and this was the first
money he earned.
During the Autumn and Spring of 1835-36 he worked
hard studying mathematics and French, the chief requisites
for admission to West Point. The letter of appointment
came early in 1836 from the Secretary of War, Mr.
Poinsett. He at once made the journey to Washington to
see Mr. Ewing. A week was spent at the Capital. Gen
eral Jackson was then at the height of his power, and
General Sherman has left it on record how he spent an hour
looking through- the wooden railings which then ran around
the White House at " Old Hickory," as he walked up and
down inside. In less, than thirty years his own fame as a
soldier was destined to surpass that of the hero, of New
Orleans. The start for the Academy was made, and on June 12
he stepped on board the Steamer Cornelius Vanderbilt, at
New York, and finished the last stage of his journey.
He joined the class of 1836 and went through the regular
course of four years, graduating in June, 1840, number six
in a class of forty- three. The class originally was more
than one hundred. " At the Academy, " says the General,
" I was not considered a good soldier, for at no time was I
selected for any office, but remained a private throughout
the whole four years. Then, as now, neatness in dress and
form, with a strict conformity to the rules, were the qualifi
cations required for office, and I suppose I was found not to
excel in any of these. In studies I always held a respect
able reputation with the professors, and generally ranked
among the best, especially in drawing, chemistry, mathema
tics and natural philosophy. My average demerits, per

MESS HALL.

NORTH BARRACKS.

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litoi'l'Wii i?#?' ,'¦; »':¦;

PARADE GROUND,

BARRACKS,

AT WFST POINT.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 21
Annum, were about one hundred and fifty, which reduced
my final class standing from number four to number six. "
As a cadet he was an earnest, high-spirited, honorable and
out-spoken youth, deeply impressed, according to one of his
early letters, with the grave responsibility attached to
" serving the country. " And just here we obtain "a side
light on the formation of his independence of character.
While at West Point he was the constant correspondent of
Mr. Ewing's daughter, Ellen, whom he subsequently married.
The campaign of General Harrison for the Presidency was in
progress. Mr. Ewing was a leader of the Whig party, and
young Sherman was a Democrat. " His friends, " wrote the
cadet to Miss Ewing, " have thought proper to envelop Gen
eral Harrison's name with log cabins, hard cider, ginger
bread and such humbugging, the plain object of which is to
deceive and mislead his ignorant and' prejudiced,- though
honest, fellow-citizens. " Not long before graduating he
wrote to Miss Ewing : Your father wishes me to graduate
in the engineer corps. This I can't do. Next, to resign
and become a civil engineer. But I propose and intend to
go in the infantry, be stationed in the Far West out of
reach of civilization, and to remain there as long as possi
ble. "
But destiny had different plans marked out for him.
After graduation and the usual three months furlough, he
was commissioned second lieutenant in the Third
Artillery and ordered to report the following September at
Governor's Island in the harbor of New York. There he was
placed in command of a company of recruits preparing for
service in Florida. In less than a month the company,
with three other ones was ordered to Savannah, Ga. They
embarked in a sailing vessel to that port where they were
transferred to a small steamer and taken to St. Augustine,

22 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Florida. General Taylor was then in command in Florida,
with headquarters at Tampa Bay. The Third Artillery,
Sherman's regiment, occupied the posts along the Atlantic
coast from St. Augustine to Key Biscayne, his own com
pany being stationed at Fort Pierce, on the Indian River.
He was detached from the company of recruits and joined
his own command. In November preparations were begun
for active operations against the Indians, the object being
to catch the scattered bands -of Seminoles then on the Pen
insula and send them to join their tribe in the newly estab
lished Indian Territory. The life was not without its
perils. The Indians did not want to leave, and frequently
offered resistance with disastrous consequences to them
selves as well as to the military. In November, 1841,
Sherman received his first promotion, being made the First
Lieutenant of Company G. He left Fort Pierce and joined
his new command at St. Augustine. Shortly afterwards he
was placed in command of a detachment of twenty men at
Picolata, on the St. John's River. He remained there only
a few months, having been ordered on duty which took
him to Pensacola. Thence he was sent to Fort Morgan,
Mobile Point. He was now quartermaster and commissary.
The following June found him in Fort Moultrie, the regiment
having been changed from the Gulf posts to those on the
Atlantic. " We remained at Fort Moultrie," says General
Sherman, " nearly five years, until the Mexican war scattered
us forever. Our life there was of strict garrison duty, with
plenty of leisure for hunting and social entertainment. We
soon formed many and most pleasant acquaintances in the
city of Charleston, and it so happened that many of the
families resided at Sullivan's Island in the Summer season
where we could reciprocate the hospitalities extended to us
in the Winter." This life was interrupted by a brief leave

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 23
of absence in 1843, which he spent in Ohio and in visiting
some of the principal Southern cities. In this year he
began the study of law, not with a view to practice but as
a recreation. An order came from the War Department at Washing
ton in January, 1844, which, curiously enough, took him
through the country over which he was in after years to
sweep at the head of a conquering army on one of the most
famous expeditions in all military history — the "march to
the sea." It was a detail to assist Col. Churchill, the In
spector-General of the Army, in taking depositions in Up
per Georgia and Alabama concerning certain losses by vol
unteers in Florida of horses and equipments by reason of
the failure of the United States to provide sufficient forage
and for which Congress had made an appropriation. The
order directed him to go to Marietta, where Churchill was
conducting the investigation. It was all over in two
months, when Sherman rode South on horseback by way
of Rome, Altoona, Marietta, Atlanta, Madison and Au
gusta, Ga. "Thus, by a mere accident," says Sherman, in
the " Memoirs," " I was enabled to traverse on horseback the
very ground where, in after years, I had to conduct vast
armies and fight great battles. That the knowledge thus
acquired was of infinite use to me and consequently to the
Government, I have always felt and stated." In the Win
ter of 1844, his right shoulder was dislocated by the fall of
his horse while hunting deer on the Cooper River. He
suffered severely, and spent a short leave of absence which
was allowed him in the North. He was back in Fort Moul
trie by March, 1845. Congress had about this time
passed a joint resolution providing for the annexation of
Texas, then an independant republic, and the Army and the
country looked for an immediate war with Mexico. Gen-

«4

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.

eral Taylor was already at Corpus Christi, where he was
collecting an army. The work of recruiting was going on
and excitement was spreading. The martial spirit was
abroad, and Sherman, like all young army officers, was
anxious to join his fortunes with those who were hastening
to the field. His companions were going out from about
him. Each gap in his coterie, each break in his mess,, but
increased his desireto enter the activities which invasion of
hostile territory promised.

CHAPTER II.
EARLY MILITARY LIFE.
The spring of 1846 found Sherman a first lieutenant of
Company G., Third Artillery, at Fort Moultrie, S. C. Rob
ert A.nderson, who held the fort at the outbreak of the Re
bellion, was Captain of the Company. One other company
of the Artillery (Bragg's) with George H. Thomas, John F.
Reynolds and Frank Thomas had gone the previous year to
Corpus Christi, Texas, to join the forces of General Taylor,
preparatory to the invasion of Mexico.
Sherman was ordered to report at Governor's Island, N.
Y., for recruiting service. He left Ft. Moultrie in April,
1846, and reported to Colonel Mason, First Dragoons, on
May 1st. Immediately he was assigned' to the Pittsburgh
recruiting station. Once installed there he opened a second
recruiting station at Zanesville, 0. Though the duty was
irksome, the situation was pleasant for he was contiguous
to his home at Lancaster, 0., and could often visit his
friends. In May he heard of the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca
De La Palma, fought May 8th and 9th, and felt such a
longing to be with his comrades who were actually fighting,
that he wrote to Washington, asking to be considered an
applicant for active service. The response being too tardy
he started without authority, and with twenty-five recruits
for Cincinnati, where he turned them over to the command
ing officer at Newport Barracks. He then reported to Col
onel Fanning, superintendent of the Western Recruiting

26 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
station at Cincinnati, who gave him a good round cursing
for leaving his Pittsburgh post without orders and ordered
him back.
He reached Pittsburgh by stage in June, stopping at his
Lancaster home on the way, and there found an order from
Washington relieving him from recruiting service, and as
signing hini to Company F, 3d Artillery, then under orders
for California. He immediately took stage for Cumberland,
Md., and cars thence to New York, whence his company
was to sail by transport for California.
The company comprised 113 men and officers, in com
mand of Captain Tompkins. It boarded the store-ship Lex
ington, abreast of Fort Columbus, and sailed July 14, 1846,
for the Pacific, via Cape Horn. The long voyage was with
out incident, other than the daily drill of the men. In sixty
days the vessel reached Rio Janerio, where it remained a
week. In October the vessel rounded Cape Horn, and in
sixty days from Rio, entered the harbor of Valpa
raiso, where the vessel was re-supplied. It sailed thence in
November for Monterey, California, then Mexican soil, but
already taken possession of by our navy, and by troops
under General Fremont. Kearney was then en route thither
overland, and Stevenson was to follow by sea with a regi
ment of volunteers.
Monterey Bay was reached in January, 1847, and the news
was such as to lead the Company to expect something excit
ing from the start. Kearney had arrived, and already had a
vigorous skirmish, the fleet under Commodore Stockton was
down the coast toward San Diego, and the whole country
swarmed with guerrillas. Sherman was commissary and
quarter-master, and had plenty to do to land the Company
and quarter it in a block house upon ahill west of the town.
But as soon as this work was over and they were all comfort-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 27
able, there came a longing for some of the excitement which
had been promised. It did not come. Mexico was not
fighting her cause on that ground. She had enough to do
nearer her capital. So they all agreed that they were
doomed to a life of monotony, except as it could be relieved
by camp sports, hunting game, which was plenty, and visit
ing the historic spots.
The situation was made somewhat interesting by a con
flict of authority between General Kearney, Colonel Fre
mont and Commodore Stockton, and it came to be a jocular
query among the younger officers, " Who the devil is gov
ernor of California?" Itwas finally decided in favor of Kear
ney, who appeared at the head of new detachments. Soon
after, Sherman was relieved of the duty of quartermaster
and commissary, and reverted to his place as a company
officer. In May, 1847, he was asked by Kearney to go with him
on the Lexington as aide, to Los Angeles. Before sailing,
Commodore Biddle arrived from China, and as supreme
naval commander on the Pacific, entrusted Sherman with
orders for all naval officers, then in land service, to report at
once to him (Biddle) at Monterey. He. executed these or
ders faithfully. Fremont was at Los Angeles, and had not
yet recognized Kearney's authority. Sherman was requested
to visit him and was instrumental in bringing him and
Kearney together for an understanding.
Kearney was preparing to return to the United States,
overland, and had arranged for an escort composed of a bat
talion of Mormons, whose term of service, would soon expire.
He placed Sherman in charge of his escort with orders to
march it to Monterey. He reached his destination in fif
teen days, having had a fine chance to view and study the
country. By the end of May, Kearney departed overland

28 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
for the States, leaving Colonel Mason in command, who
selected Sherman as his adjutant-general. Fremont left
with Kearney, *so that Mason and Sherman held the fate
of California in their hands.
The situation was one of absolute repose, and the
young officers and their forces repined their lot, espe
cially when they read of the activities nearer the Mexican
capital, and of the honors that attended them. Sherman,
however, found occasional opportunity for the exercise of
his administrative ability. He visited Sonoma for the
purpose of settling a difficulty between rival alcaldes, and
on his way took in Yerba Buena, now the site of San
Francisco, where he was solicited to buy lots at sixteen
dollars apiece. He regarded the place as utterly God
forsaken, and refused investment at a song, which in a
short while was worth millions. He arrested Nash, one
of the rival alcaldes, took him back to Monterey, and,
having acquainted him with the situation as it was likely
to be, secured for him an honorable dismissal on the con
dition that he would no longer assume authority under
Mexican auspices.
The capture of Mazatlan and Guaymas by the naval
forces, and the sending of a few companies of land forces
to hold Lower California, comprised all the important
movements of 1847 and the early part of 1848. Halleck
had been made Secretary of State by Col. Mason, and
now occured something of a civic nature which was more
stupendous than military power, and further reaching
in its results than forcible conquest. This was the dis
covery of gold in California. Sherman was present with
Governor Mason, in the Spring of 1848, when two Ameri
cans came in with a letter from Capt. Sutter, at Coloma
stating that he was erecting a saw-mill there, and asking

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 29
for protection in his titles. They showed something in a
paper which was pronounced by all to be placer gold. It
had been taken from Sutter's mill-race. As the land yet
belonged to Mexico, no guarantee of his title could be
given, but as the spot was forty miles from any large
settlement, Gov. Mason gave the assurance that the im-;
provement would hardly be disturbed.
Just then the quicksilver agitation was spreading, and
Sherman was kept busy helping the Governor to settle
disputed claims to mines fabled for wealth, and located
in all imaginary directions and positions. But during
the summer of 1848, fabulous stories began to come of the
gold finds near Sutter's saw-mill. The cry of gold!
gold ! rang everywhere. The soldiers began to desert to
take their chances with the miners. The population of
entire towns and sections might have been seen stringing
past in wagons on their way to the gold-fields. Gov-
* Mason determined to inspect the scene of so much wealth,
and dispatched Sherman on a tour of inspection, with
four soldiers and an outfit of servants and pack-mules.
He made his way over the usual route to Yerba Buena,
crossed to Saucelito, packed and rode to San Rafael Mis
sion, passed through Bodega, Sonoma and Puta to the
Sacramento River. Sutter's settlement and fort was but
a few miles from the river, and when it was reached . he
found him a veritable monarch of all he surveyed. He
had great plenty of herds, and the valleys beyond were
teeming with adventurers, locating claims, mining, wash
ing, and wrangling for supremacy. His saw-mill at
Coloma was forty miles beyond the fort, and thither
Sherman hastened. The story he learned was that
Marshall, the architect of Sutter's saw-mill, had started
the machinery of the mill and found that the tail-race

30 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
would not carry off the water fast enough. All hands>
Marshall included, went to work to remove obstructions
in the tail-race. His eye was attracted by particles of
yellow matter. He secured about an ounce and decided
i t was gold. He took it to Sutter, who gave Marshall to
understand that he thought him crazy, sent him back to
the mill with orders to keep the matter secret, but at the
same time dispatched his messengers to Gov. Mason to
see about the confirmation of his titles.
Sherman found that in July, 1848, the Mormons, at
Mormon Island, were the most numerous pioneers in the
gold regions, and the most industrious and successful.
They had been in that section before as soldiers, and
therefore it' was like a return to a section with which they
were acquainted. The whole region skirting the Ameri
can River was filled with mining camps, and the greatest
activity prevailed." But the greatest activity was that of
the imagination, and tales of fabulous discoveries and*
marvelous wealth were on the tongues of every one they
met. After making the tour of the mining section, and ascer
taining that gold actually existed, the party returned to
Sutter's Fort, and back to Yerba Buena, which by this
time was throwing off its old Spanish name, and fast
coming into prominence as San Francisco, a place on
more lipa throughout the civilized world than any other,
and soon to be one of the wildest speculative centres on
the globe. By easy marches Sherman reached Monterey
where dispatches informed him that the Mexican War was
over, and that the treaty of Guadaloupe Hidalgo was
under way. It was well that this was the case, for such
Was the intensity of the gold fever at that juncture, that
no officer could have kept an army of volunteers on duty.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 31
Even the regulars deserted in numbers from Col. Mason's
command, and there were times when a body servant
could not be had for five prices in gold.
-In September, 1848, official news of the treaty with
Mexico reached Gov. Mason, and he immediately mustered
out all his volunteers, leaving in California only a company
of artillery at Monterey, and one of dragoons at Los
Angeles. All the thought and energy of the country were
turned toward the mines, and during the Fall of 1848, Col-
Mason, Sherman, and a few others, made a visit to the So-
nora region, which was then dividing honors with the Mormon
Island and Coloma section. These visits were the basis of
a report to the Government, and Sherman prepared the re
port with great care. Lieut. Loeser was deputed to carry
the report and specimens of gold to Washington. The
President made the report the subject of a special message
to Congress, and thus gave official sanction to what had
before been conjectural. This report and message laid the
ground work of that phenomenal migration and mighty
spirit of adventure which characterized the following year,
and rendered the name of "forty-niner" historic.
Even Sherman himself could not escape the speculative
fever of the hour, for we find him back again at Coloma, in
the Winter of 1848, and a partner in a store, out of which hef
cleared fifteen hundred dollars in a short time. One of hisj
companions on this trip, Warner, surveyed the site of
Sacramento, and the city came into existence by magic.
California was now one of the most active fields on the
continent. It became the policy of the Government to
centre there a sufficient body of troops for protection, and
they came by sea and land. The headquarters at Monterey
became the scene of many official gatherings, and life was
pleasant through the latter part of the winter of 1848-49.

32 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
The arrival of the steamer California, in March, 1849, was
the beginning of a new epoch on the Pacific coast. It
brought a rare coterie of new officers, and gave those who
were dissatisfied with their fortunes a chance to change
them. Sherman tendered to General Smith, who had just
arrived, his resignation of Adjutant-General of the Depart
ment of California, determined to take advantage of one of
the many offers of employment and partnership which had
been made him. But Smith would not have it so, because,
as a new commander, the experience of Sherman would be
invaluable to him. Sherman therefore went to San Fran
cisco with General Persifer F. Smith, and became a part of
his military family. He parted regretfully with Col. Mason,
whom he regarded as a man of sterling honor, and proof
against the seductions and intrigues of the place and time.
The condition of General Smith and his staff became piti
able soon after their arrival in San Francisco. Soldiers and
servants deserted, and it was with difficulty that a single
meal a day could be provided. The rains were heavy and
the mud fearful. There were no safe streets and no side
walks. Gambling was a pastime. All sorts of houses were
being thrown together, and rents were such as that an army
officer could not touch them. But for Sherman's fifteen
hundred dollars, made in the little Coloma store, he would
have starved.
In April, 1849, the mail steamer Oregon arrived from
Panama. This was the beginning of something like regular
steamship communication with the Isthmus, and the Panama
route to California grew in favor. By the Oregon came the
commission of naval officers who were to select the site of
the future navy yard of the Pacific. They selected Mare
Island, which is now the stronghold on the Pacific. As it
was manifest that army officers could not live in San Fran-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 33
cisco on their small pay, General Smith transferred his
headquarters back to Monterey, whither Sherman went.
This change would cheapen living and promote health, but
it would necessitate long lines of travel. For these Sher
man prepared by improvising a swift-footed train of horses
and mules.
Desertions grew so frequent at the garrison that the offi
cers decided an example would have to be set before the
men. One day's tally alone showed the departure of twenty-
eight men for the diggings. They had not only deserted,
but had walked off' with well-stored knapsacks, and. in
defiant mood. That night Sherman and seven other officers
started in pursuit, and succeeded in capturing and returning
twenty -four of the offenders. This checked desertion for a
little while, but it seemed as if nothing but death itself could
stay the terrible gold fever, which not only justified deser
tion from the army and navy, but from creed, politics,
morals and all business principles.
Major Joseph Hooker now came from the East, and took
Sherman's place as Adjutant-General of the Pacific Division.
Sherman then became one of General Smith's regular aides.
Headquarters were changed to Sonoma. There was but
little to do, and many of the officers took advantage of their
leisure to patch out their salaries with business ventures.
Sherman took a contract to survey Colonel Stevenson's pro
jected city, the " New York of the Pacific," at and about
Benicia. His share in this work netted him five hundred
dollars in cash and fifteen town lots, which last he sold for
five hundred dollars. He next surveyed a ranche for Mr.
Hartwell, in the Sacramento Valley. His pay for this was
in land, out of which he realized about three thousand dol
lars. This he invested in Sacramento lots, and again turned
a handsome profit. His leave of absence had now expired)

34 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
and he returned to camp at Sonoma, to witness the inpour.
ing of pioneers and adventurers from all parts of the world,
and the establishment of a regular line of steamers from
San Francisco to Sacramento. "While the country was fill
ing up with miners, it was also bearing a crop of politicians
who were intriguing for power in what was now a prospect
ive State. The preliminary elections were duly held, and a
Convention to frame a Constitution met at Monterey. Gen
eral Smith sent Sherman down to watch the proceedings.
He found the Convention harmonious, except as to the
question of slavery. But the majority in favor of freedom
was so large that the clause excluding slavery was quickly
adopted. The first Legislature of the new State convened
in San Jose", in October, 1849, and elected Fremont and
Gwin as U. S. Senators.
On Sherman's return to Monterey he was sent by General
Smith to Sacramento, to instruct his engineers to push their
surveys of the Sierra Nevadas, to ascertain the practicabiHty
of passing through «them by rail, a subject which then
elicited great interest. This body of engineers, under
Warner, was afterwards massacred by the Indians. During
all the Fall of 1849 General Smith kept his officers busy
organizing and sending out relief expeditions for adventurers
who had given out and gotten belated in their weary
marches across plains and over mountains. He then took
a trip to Oregon to complete his observations and reports
on the Pacific coast, and while he was gone Sherman spent
most of his time in San Francisco.
About Christmas Smith sent important dispatches from
Oregon to San Francisco, with orders to Sherman to deliver
them in person to General Winfield Scott, in New York
City. This was a welcome mission for Sherman, who had
long desired just such an opportunity to go East. He paid

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 35
his passage from San Francisco on the steamer Oregon, but
went by land to Monterey, to visit friends and adjust mat
ters for a long' absence. He boarded the steamer at San
Diego, and found many friends on board, among them Gen
eral Fremont and family, and Senator Gwin. He arrived in
New York in the latter part of January, 1850, and promptly
delivered his dispatches to General Scott, with whom he
dined. In a few days General Scott ordered Sherman to proceed
to Washington with the Pacific dispatches, and lay them
before the Secretary of War (Crawford). This he did, and
was questioned closely by the Secretary as to the resources
and politics of the new 'State. He then visited President
Taylor, at the White House, and made the acquaintance of
many of the prominent Government officials, stopping the
while at the home of Mr. Ewing, who was Secretary of the
Interior. Sherman had now completed his mission to the East, and
he asked for and obtained a six months' leave of absence
from duty. He first visited his mother at Mansfield, Ohio,
and then returned to Washington, where he married Miss
Ewing, daughter of Thomas Ewing, Secretary of the Inte
rior. The marriage took place on May 1st, 1850, and was
a distinguished affair, being attended by the President and
his Cabinet, Senators, Representatives, Army and Navy
officers, and others in high authority. His wedding tour
extended for two months, and by July 1st he was back in
Washington, to find political feeling, already running high
over the question of slavery in the newly conquered Mexi
can territory, and intensely excited over the sudden death of
the President, which occurred on July 9 th. By request of
the Adjutant-General of the Army he attended President
Taylor's funeral in the capacity of aide. He witnessed the

36 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. ¦
Cabinet revolution brought about by change of Presidents,
the retiracy of his father-in-law, Mr. Ewing, from the
Interior Department, and his return to Washington as Sen
ator from Ohio, in place of Mr. Corwin. He was also pres
ent at the heated debates in the Senate between the friends
and opponents of slavery extension, and over Henry Clay's
" Omnibus Bill."
By the close of July, Mr. Ewing had given up his house
in Washington, and Sherman escorted his family to their
Lancaster home. His name was now borne on the rolls of
Company C, Bragg's Third Artillery, stationed at St. Louis.
Pending the passage of a bill in Congress, authorizing the ad
dition of four Captains to the Commissary Department, of
which he expected to be one, he started for St. Louis in
September, and reported at Jefferson barracks for duty.
Here he received word that the pending bill had passed and
that it provided for his promotion to the post of Captain.
His commission bore date Sept. 27, 1850, and he imme
diately went on duty, sending for his wife, and taking per
manent quarters at a hotel. From this time we must date
Sherman's interest in St. Louis, for he became a purchaser
of lots, some of which he held throughout his life.
He passed 1851 and part of 1852 in St Louis, and in the
Spring of the latter year was sent to Fort Leavenworth on a
cattle inspecting tour. He returned by steamboat to St.
Louis, where he remained during the Summer of 1852,
though his family was absent at Lancaster. In the Fall he
was ordered to New Orleans to take charge of the badly
managed Commissariat there, and relieve it from the suspi
cion of corruption. By changing the methods of purchasing
supplies from secret solicitation to bids in open market, he
soon broke up the corrupt practices which had brought odi
um on his predecessor and on the Department.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 37
His family, now consisting of his wife and two children,'
arrived in New Orleans about Christmas, 1852, and he fur
nished a house for them. Almost at the same time he was
visited by Major Turner, and shown articles of co-partner
ship for the founding of a bank in California, in which his
own name was mentioned as a partner, and in which flatter
ing inducements as to independent salary for active service
were held out. Sherman was pleased with the overtures
and prospects, and asked for a six- months' leave of absence>
in order to go to California and examine matters for himself.
In February 1853, he sent his family to Ohio, sold his furni
ture and lease, accounted for the public property and records
and started for California by the Nicaraugua route. On this
voyage his vessel was wrecked on the California coast. ¦ The
passengers were all gotten ashore safely. Sherman and a
party started up the coast for aid. They secured a lumber
laden schooner, .but it too was wrecked and the lives of all
on board were in danger till rescued by a passing craft.
Sherman found San Francisco in the midst of terrible
speculative inflation* Values of every kind were out of all rea
son, and money was being made and lost with bewildering
rapidity. He found the bank of Lucas, Turner & Co., in
which he had been offered a place and partnership, already
a fact, and fully in the speculative swim. Its main house
was at St, Louis. After looking over the ground, he and
Turner agreed that business might be securely done on a cash
capital of $200,000 and a credit of $50,000 in New York,
To secure this, Sherman started back to New York)
where he arrived in July 1853. He then visited St. Louis,
taking in his Lancaster L; me, and made satisfactory arrange
ments with Mr. Lucas, the senior member of the firm. He
returned to Ohio, laid his plans before his friends, and upon
their approval, he sent bis resignation as Captain in the

38 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Army to the Adjutant-General, to take effect September 6
1853. The acceptance of this resignation ended Sherman's early
army career. He had not seen battles, but had been one of
the most active of officers. He had not enjoyed rapid nor
high promotion, but he accumulated a fund of experience
which was to prove invaluable in the near future.
As a private citizen he engaged passage for himself and
family, for San Francisco, and sailed on September 20, 1853,
reaching their destination in safety on October 15. Sher
man immediately turned in as banker, and soon found that
the glowing profit of three per cent a month on loans was
eaten up by expenses, and that the glamor of the situation
was attenuated moonshine. The deposits were such an un
certain factor — in the millions to-day, in the hundreds to
morrow — that they could not be calculated upon for any
business transactions, covering even the shortest periods.
He was dissapomted at the revelation, but being in for it,
was forced to float with the tide toward the catastrophe
which impended.
A new bank building was erected, substantial, but on an
unfortunate site, as the city drifted away from it. Sherman
worked hard. Business was brisk. Losses by loans were
frequent. Securities were so fluctuating, that business dif
fered nothing from gambling. At length the large house of
Page, Bacon & Co. failed (Feb. 22, 1855). This was the
signal for a general run and crash. Bank after bank failed
and the run on Sherman's bank was only met after great
difficulty. Its survival of the wreck gave it a strong place
among the institutions at the Golden Gate.
About this time Sherman was commissioned an officer in
the State militia. It was the dangerous period during
which the " Vigilantes " held control of court and city, and

LIFE OF -GENERAL SHERMAN. 39
administered justice in their own prompt and brutal way.
Their conflict with the State authorities was direct and Sher
man could see no way to secure order except with the help
of the Federal forces. This he failed to secure, in a direct
form, yet the moral effect of his efforts was such as to finally
induce the mob element to fall back into the usual currents
of order and peace.
Affairs in San Francisco grew from bad to worse. Real
estate depreciated; first-class securities could not be had.
Rates of loans increased. Overwork and asthma drove Sher
man into nervousness and despondency. The reasons for
starting the bank of Lucas, Turner & Co. had ceased to ex
ist. Sherman wrote Lucas at St. Louis, to the effect that
he could use his money to better advantage in the East than
on the Pacific. The reply was that Sherman should adjust
the affairs of the bank and close its doors. He settled every
thing up as well as he could, and on May 1, 1857, the house of
Lucas, Turner & Co., as it existed in San Francisco, became
extinct.

CHAPTER III.
A COLLEGE PROFESSOR.
After the banking firm of Lucas Turner and Co., closed
out its business in San Francisco, Sherman left, with his
family, for the East, May 1st, 1857, by way of the Isthmus
of Panama. On their arrival in New York, they started for
Lancaster, Ohio, where the family remained, he going on to
St. Louis, to consult with the firm about starting a branch
house in New York, of which he was to have control.
This office was opened, July 21, 1857. Business prospered
till the panic in the latter part of that year, when the firm
of Lucas & Co., suspended.
Sherman closed up the New York business, and started
again for St. Louis, where he aided the suspended firm in
the conversion of its securities and payment of its creditors.
The firm came out whole, and its senior member proved to be
one of Sherman's most steadfast friends. He entrusted him
with the duty of selling the California real estate of the
firm and settling up its affairs on the Pacific. This required
another visit thither, and he sailed for San Francisco, via
Panama, on January 5, 1858, leaving his family at Lancas
ter, Ohio.
By July 3d, he had made all the collections he could,
and returned East, to find himself practically out of employ
ment, and with a wife and four children to maintain. His
friends made many kind offers of help, but he preferred to be
as independent as possible. Two of his brothers-in-law,
Hugh, and T. E. Ewing, Jr., had established themselves in
the law business in Leavenworth, Kansas, where their father
40

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 41
owned large tracts of -land. The father offered him the
management of the lands, and the brothers offered him an
equal partnership in their law firm. He accepted, and the
law firm of Sherman and Ewing was duly announced, on
Main Street Leavenworth. Sherman had read but a few of
the elementary law books, and did not pretend to be a law
yer, but his partners were able jurists, and he felt that while
they could manage all the business in the courts, he could attend
to collections, agencies, and such branches as his banking
experience had qualified him for. He was compelled,
however to take out a license as a lawyer, and when he
inquired what examination he would have to go through,
was told by the judge that he would be admitted on the
ground of general intelligence.
The business of the law firm flourished, and one of its most
lucrative cases fell right into General Sherman's line. He
was employed by Major Van Vliet to go to Fort Riley, to
superintend repairs on the military road. He traveled the
whole 136 miles in an ambulance, made the necessary con
tracts for cuttings and bridges, and returned safely to receive
a fair compensation for his labor and risks.
His family joined him in November. In the following
year, January, 1859, the firm was enlarged by the admission
of Daniel McCook*, and.became Sherman, Ewing and MeCook.
Though business grew, it was hardly equal to the support
of three persons, who had family and style to keep, and
Sherman keptlooking about him for something more certain
and profitable. An opportunity came in the shape of an
offer from Hon. Thomas Ewing, to open a farm on his lands
west of Leavenworth. This he accepted, and by Summer he
had erected farm buildings and cleared and fenced quite a
handsome tract. But there was soon an end to this, and he,
with perhaps a secret longing for his old occupation, applied

42 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
to the War Department for employment as an army pay
master, or something akin to that duty.
In response to this, he was notified that a military college
was about to be' founded in Louisiana, and that the posi
tion of superintendent would be open. He applied for this
and was selected, through the influence of Generals Buell
and Graham. He immediately closed business as a Leaven
worth lawyer, and returned with his family to Lancaster, O.
In the Autumn of 1859 he went to Baton Rouge, La., to
consult about his new position, and thence to Alexandria
to compare notes with General Graham. At his house all
the details of the college were arranged, and the site being
near to Alexandria, Sherman found himself in full authority.
His position was that of Superintendent and Professor of
Engineering. He called about him a corps of Professors,
and proceeded to put the college in operation on scientific
and military principles. The institution was opened for
pupils on January 1, 1860, under the name of the " Louis
iana Seminary of Learning and Military Academy." There
were sixty cadets present. The salary of the professors was
low. Much State legislation was needed to put the institu
tion on a paying basis. Sherman found himself under
suspicion on account of the prominence of his brother, John,
then a candidate for Speaker of the National House of
Representatives, and who was bitterly denounced in the
South as an abolitionist. But despite -these difficulties he
secured the necessary legislation, got a full quota of arms
from Secretary of War, Floyd, and wound up the first term
of the institution with success.
Having spent the Summer vacation at Lancaster with his
family, he returned to the college in the Fall to find all its
old pupils back and some 130 new applicants. Everything
looked prosperous save that the coming political storm

LiF'E' OF' GENERAL SHERMAN'. 43
hung heavy in the horizon of the future. The president
ial nominations had been made, the elections would occur
in November, and excitement was already running high.
On all sides he heard that the election of Mr. Lincoln
would imperil the Union. Sherman kept aloof from the
excitement, thinking that the storm might blow over.
But the election of Lincoln came about. He had hard
work to keep his cadets to their recitations. The politi
cal leaders everywhere talked of secession as a fixed fact,
and there was nothing that so impressed Sherman with
their sincerity as that they could not honorably retreat
from their own often repeated threats. Though avoid
ing controversy with these excited people, his personal
views were not unknown. He looked on secession as
both treason and war, and made it understood that under
no conditions would the North and West ever permit the
Mississippi river to pass from their control.
On December 20, 1860, South Carolina took her step of
secession, followed soon by Mississippi. Delegations
swarmed into Louisiana, to influence her Governor, legis
lature and people to follow the lead of South Carolina.
A bold front would scare the Government into submis
sion and avoid war. Buchanan met their importunities
with his message announcing the doctrine that the gov
ernment was not endowed with constitutional power to
coerce a state. This announcement, at a time when its
only effect could be to encourage secession, shook Sher
man's faith in Republican institutions. He says he be
gan to think that European commentators on Republic
anism were right, and that our Union was truly only the
rope of sand they had predicted. But in this we detect
the patriotic resolution to make it stronger if need be, to
make it over afresh and re-annoint it anew with the blood

44 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
of its citizens, should secession throw down its gauntlet
and tempt-to armed trial.
• He had hope that the patriots of Louisiana would be
strong enough to stem the tide in the convention called
for January 8, 1861. They were numerous enough in
the state to prevent the fatal step of secession, but they
were not organized, and it became apparent to all that
they were helpless in the convention and in the pre
sence of the shrewd politicians who had pre-arranged
the result, and who were working from the National
Capital. Their concert of action appalled Sherman. Before the
convention acted on the ordinance of secession, before
Louisiana's two senators resigned their seats, the Gover
nor of the state had ordered the seizure of the forts on
the Mississippi, and of the United States Arsenal at Baton
Rouge. .This latter act deeply and bitterly impressed
Sherman, not only on account of its illegality, but as
showing the depth and intensity of the design to force
war. Moreover, he was driven into the humiliating position
of an accessory after the fact, for the arms taken from
the arsenal were distributed to certain strong points,
and one consignment of several thousand stand of mus
kets was sent to Sherman, at Alexandria, with the re
quest that he receive and account for them. To be made
a receiver of stolen goods in this peremptory way, and
those goods the property of the United States, at whose
expense he had been educated, in whose service he had
so lately been and which he had " sworn to support, was
too much for him. He therefore wrote the following to
the Governor.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 45
Louisiana State Seminary Of Learning And
Military Academy, January 18, 1861.
Governor Thomas O. Moore, Baton Rouge, La.
Sir : — As I occupy a quasi-military position under the
laws of the State, I deem it proper to acquaint you that I
accepted such position when Louisiana was a State in the
Union, and when the motto of this seminary was inserted
in marble over the main door : " By the liberality of the
General Government of the United States. The Union
— Esto Perpetua."
Recent events foreshadow a great change and it be
comes all men to choose. If Louisiana withdraws from
the Federal Union, I prefer to maintain my allegiance to
the Constitution as long as a fragment of it survives, and
my longer stay here would be wrong in every sense of
the word.
In that event, I beg you will send or appoint some au
thorized agent to take charge of the arms and munitions
of war belonging to the State, or advise me what disposi
tion to make of them.
And furthermore, as President of the Board of Super
visors, I beg of you to take immediate steps to relieve me
as Superintendent, the moment the State determines to
secede, for on no earthly account will I do any act or
think any thought hostile to or in defiance of the old
Government of the United States.
With great respect, I am your obedient servant,
W. T. Sherman, Superintendent.
On the next day he sent a letter to the President of
the Board of Supervisors stating that he had completed
his accounts to date, and settled all the bills ; that he
disapproved of the seizure of Government property in the

46 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN,
State ; that he could not longer retain his position with
honftr ; that he was already a large loser pecuniarily by
reason of failure to pay his full salary : that the sooner
he got away the better ; that he asked for the influence of
the Board in behalf of Major Smith as his successor.
Letters of regret at his proposed step came from several
sources. The Board of Supervisors expressed the loss the
Institution would meet with in a resolution, which was
full of praise of his management. Louisiana passed the
ordinance of secession on January 26 or 27, 1861, and
Sherman's resignation became final. It was given out
in Southern circles that he had breached hospitality by
deserting them. But this effusiveness vanishes in the
light of the preceding pages, and it is plain that he re
tired from a delicate position, with trie instincts of a chief
tain and all the honors of a patriot. His accounts were
fully audited and squared, he discharged every obligation,
honorary and business, and on February 20, 1861, he
went to New Orleans, on his way to cast his lot in with
those who sought to preserve the union of the States Two
days before he left Alexandria, such had been the concert
and such the rapidity of action, Jefferson Davis and Alex
ander Stephens had been inaugurated as President and
Vice-President of the Southern Confederacy. He was
therefore in New Orleans under the new Confederacy, and
a stranger to the institutions he was soon to uphold with
the skill and energy of a Napoleon. He saw no flag
afloat but the pelican banner, heard no voice but that of
secession, and felt as much in a foreign country, as if he
had been walking the streets of London, or basking under
the suns of South Africa. He heard of war, and saw en
listments going on. The United States of America was
as much a foreign country as Kamtschatka or Otaheiti.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 47
He bade farewell to this anomalous scene on February
25th, 1861, and embarked for his native land, taking the
railroad by way of Cairo and Cincinnati for Lancaster,
Ohio. His seminary was wrecked and dispersed by the
war, and its professors were scattered to take service in
the Confederate armies, all except one, and to meet the re
spective fates Providence had in store for them.
When Sherman turned northward he had no idea of
what his own future would be. Situated as he had been
and seeing that the crisis had been precipitated by those
whom he designated and hated, as politicians, he natur
ally thought that identical influences were at work, and
similarly responsible, in the North. Therefore he looked
to civic rather than militarv employment, and was more
disposed to seek the help of some of the members of his
old banking firm in St. Louis, than such aid as his father
*in-law or his brother John might, by virtue of their
standing and influence, give. He was astounded with
the shading of sentiment as he moved northward.
Everywhere in the South the feeling was fiery, and the
situation one of active preparation. In the border states
he heard of nothing, except that if Mr. Lincoln dared to
coerce the seceding states, the border states would surely
join them and make it impossible for the Government to
bring them to terms. In the northern states, Illinois, In
diana and Ohio, through which he passed, all was apathy,
and not the least sign of excitement or preparation. It
looked to him as though the Southern idea that a first-
class scare was all that was necessary to secure indepen
dence, and that a slightest amount of bloodletting might
have to be thrown in as a suggestion of earnestness, was
not so far wrong after all.
On reaching Lancaster, he found a letter from his

48 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
brother John to hasten to Washington; also one from
his friend Turner in St. Louis, offering the presidency of
the Fifth Street Railway, in that city, at a salary of
$2,500. Thislast meant a living,and he accepted it prompt
ly, yet he went to Washington in obedience to his brother's
request. He reached Washington on March 10th, 1861, to
find Mr Lincoln inaugurated, his brother a senator, arid
Major Andrews under orders to defend Fort Sumpter to
the last. He saw no signs of military preparation, and
heard no talk of war except from Southern Senators and
Representatives, who were daily thundering their threats
against the Government, and daily resigning to join their
fortunes with the Confederacy.
Senator Sherman took him to see Mr. Lincoln. He
introduced him as his brother, Col. Sherman, just from
Louisiana, and full of information of the Southern sit
uation, which he would be glad to impart. Lincoln
seemed delighted, and asked how they were getting On
down there. Sherman answered " that they were getting
on swimmingly, but preparing for war." Lincoln ex
claimed, " 0, well ! I guess we'll be able to keep house."
Sherman was silenced. He went out, blessing his brotlier
and politicians in general, and giving them to under
stand that they had gotten the country in a fix, and
might get it out in their own way. As for himself,
he was going to St. Louis to make an honest living for
his family.
Off he went, gathering his family and effects at Lan
caster, and arriving in his St. Louis home on April lst>
1861. He duly entered on the duties of railway presi
dent, and found them not uncongenial. But the air was
full of " war and rumors of war." All about him was
treason, and the grand plot seemed to be how to force the

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 49
border states into recognition of the Confederacy. The
pelican flag hung publicly in conspicuous places, and a
recruiting camp was in active operation within the city
limits. On the Union side were head-quarters which
were a rendezvous for " Home Guards," under command
of Frank Blair, who seemed to be general in charge of
everything appertaining to Missouri.
Sherman tried, at first, to keep out of the current, and
talked with very few. But the bombardment of Sump
ter was announced on April 12th, and all knew that war
had come. Instantly, as Jeff Davis had calculated, Vir
ginia, North Carolina, Arkansas and Tennessee followed
South Carolina with secession ordinances, and conven
tions were called in. Kentucky and Missouri.
Prior to this, April 6th, Sherman had been asked by
Postmaster General Montgomery Blair if he would accept
the Chief Clerkship in the War Department, as a step to
the Assistant Secretaryship. He wrote, declining, and
giving as a reason that he had just entered a position,
which would support his family, had rented a house, and
incurred other obligations, and did not feel at liberty to
change. This reply caused some uneasiness among his
friends, lest he might prove doubtful in his loyalty. A
few days after he was sent for by General Frank Blair
who offered him the position held by Brigadier General
Harney, whom the Government mistrusted. This he al
so declined.
Finding that these declinations for purely business
reasons were becoming annoying to his friends, and a
source of suspicion as to his political status, he wrote
the Secretary of War as follows ;

so life of general sherman.
Office of St. Lodis Railway Co
May 8th, 1861.
Hon. S. Cameron, Sec'y of War, '
Dear Sir : I hold myself now, as always, prepared to
serve my country in the capacity for which I was trained.
I did not and will not volunteer for three months, because
I cannot throw my family on the cold charity of the
world. But for the three years call made by the Presi
dent, an officer can prepare his command, and do good
service. I will not volunteer as a soldier, because, rightfully or
wrongfully, I feel unwilling to take a mere private's
place and, having for many years lived in California and
Louisiana, the men are not well enough acquainted with
me to elect me to my appropriate place.
Should my services be needed, the records of the War
department will enable you to designate the station in
which I can render the most service. Yours truly,
W. T. Sherman.
Whether in response to this, or by independent volition
of the War Department, Sherman could not tell, but on
May 14th, 1861, he was honored with a commission as Col
onel of the Thirtieth Regular Infantry. With it came a
request to hasten to Washington. He hastened thither
to find that the Government was rising to meet. a serious
occasion. The call for 75,000 volunteers had been made,
and President Lincoln, on his own authority, had author
ized the regular army to be increased by ten new regi
ments of infantry. He took the oath of office, was fur
nished with a roster of officers for his yet incomplete regi
ment, reported to General Scott, and asked for leave of
absence to repair to Jefferson barracks, St. Louis, to raise

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.

Si

a regiment of his own. Scott would not hear to this, and
ordered him tr report to his headquarters in person for
inspection duty
Satisfied that he could not then return to St. Louis, he
ordered his family to go to their Lancaster home and sent
his resignation as President of the railway company.
Thus, two months ended his career as a railway magnate,
and he was back on the lines for which he was best fitted
by education and instinct.

CHAPTER IV.
AT BULL' RUN.
It was in May, 1861, that Sherman received notice from
his brother John, to the effect that he had been appointed
a Colonel of the Thirteenth Regular Infantry. He was then
at St. Louis, and the notice contained the request that he
should hasten to Washington. After reaching the Capital,
he expected to enter at once on the work of recruiting and
instructing, but was instead assigned to inspection duty by
Lieutenant General Winfield Scott. This was June 20,
1861. The scare about the safety of the Capital had passed,
and quite a large force of regulars and volunteers had been
collected in and about the city.
General Mansfield commanded the troops in the city.
General McDowell commanded beyond the Potomac, his
troops extending from Alexandria to above Georgetown.
General Patterson was crossing the Potomac from Hagers
town with an army of Pennsylvania troops. Colonel Sher
man visited the latter army at Hagerstown, and returned to
Washington with his brother John, who was an aide de
camp under Patterson, but who had resigned in order to
attend the session of Congress, which had been called to
meet on July 4th, 1861. Colonel Sherman was now a pro
found student of the military and political situation. He
found a vast maj ority of the army officers imbued with the idea
that the war was to be a short one, an idea he did not share.
He gloried in the pluck of President Lincoln, who recog
nized in his message of July 4th, that civil war was a solemn
5»

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 53
fact, and that his call for 400,000 men and $400,000,000 was
justified by events. He found the army in and about
Washington composed of good material, but piebald in
dress, loaded with arms and accoutrements of every pattern,
and lacking discipline. They were brave men but not sol
diers. All this his quick military eye took in.
On this date, the Confederates had two armies in front of
Washington, one at Manassas under Beauregard, with its
advance at Fairfax Court House ; the other at Winchester
under Joe Johnston, with its advance at Martinsburg and
Harper's Ferry. The tone of the Congress, the people and
the soldiers was impatient, and General Scott was forced to
hasten preparations for a forward move, by the "On to Rich
mond" cry. In the organization of McDowell's army, Col,
Hunter was assigned to the command of the Second Divis
ion, and Sherman took command of Hunter's former brigade,
composed of five regiments in position about Fort Corcoran,
and opposite Georgetown. He assumed command on June
30th, 1861, and set about preparing his command for the
general advance. His brigade was the Third of the First
Division, which division was under General Tyler. Sher
man selected for the field the 13th New York, Colonel
Quimby ; the 69th New York, Colonel Corcoran ; the 79th
New York, Colonel Cameron and the 2d Wisconsin, Colo
nel Peck. His first review of these regiments impressed
him with their strength and bravery, and he congratulated
himself in having one of the best brigades, at the start, in
the army. Ayres battery of the Fifth Regular Artillery
was also attached to his brigade. His remaining regiment,
the 29th, New York, Colonel Bennett, was left in charge of
the forts and camps during an absence which most counted
on as likely to be brief. The great trouble with all these reg
iments, and for that matter the entire volunteer army, was

54 LIFE OF GENEEAL SHERMAN.
that they were enlisted for only ninety days, and were too
anxious to close the war in that tfme.
The grand advance began about July 15th, 1861. Tyler
marched his division to Centreville, Sherman's brigade
marching third in line. The march was an annoying
j one to a man of Sherman's skill and discipline. He
/could not prevent straggling and those breaches of order
'incident to raw recruits, try however hard he might.
But his experience was simply that of every trained offi
cer in that moving throng of volunteers. The entire
army converged at Centreville. On the 18th, Tyler sent
his 4th Brigade, (Richardson's) to reconnoitre Blackburn
Ford across Bull Run. He found it strongly guarded,
and was soon in the midst of a sharp battle. Sherman was
ordered to send Ayre's Battery to Richardson's relief, which
he did. Immediately a second order came from Tyler
for Sherman to advance his entire brigade. He double-
quicked it for three miles, and arrived in time to relieve
Richardson's Brigade, which had been worsted at the
ford, and was retiring. Tyler was present in person, and
he ordered Sherman to hold the ground till Richardson
could straighten up his confused lines. For half an hour
he held his men in line under a vigorous artillery fife,
and thus Tyler marched his division back to Centreville
in comparative good order. The reconnoisance developed
/the fact that the enemy were in strong force beyond Bull
Run, and had no idea of leaving their naturally strong
position without a battle.
After two days and nights in camp, General McDowell
began (July 21st) the forward.movement which brought
on the celebrated battle of Bull Run, the first, the best
planned, but the worst fought of the War. Of this battle
General Sherman afterwards said : — " Our men had been

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 55
told so often at home that all they had to do was to make
a bold stand and the rebels would run ; and nearlyall of
us for the first time then heard the sound of cannon and
muskets in anger, and saw the bloody scenes common to
all battles, with which we were soon to be so familiar. We
had good organization, good men, but no cohesion, nor
real discipline, no respect for authority, no real knowledge v
of war. Both armies were fairly defeated and, which ever |
stood fast, the other would have run. Though the North
was overwhelmed with mortification and shame, the South
really had not much to boast of, for in the three or four
hours of fighting, their organization was so broken up
that they did not and could not follow our army, when it
was known to be in a state of disgraceful and causeless
flight. It is easy to criticize a battle after it is over, but
all now admit that none others, equally raw in war, could
have done better than we did at Bull Run; and the
lesson of that battle should not be lost on a people like
ours." When McDowell's forward movement began (July 21st,
1861) Tyler's First Division started from its Centreville
camp at 2 A.M, and marched by brigades to the enemy's
front, near the stone bridge across Bull Run. Sherman
deployed his brigade (the Third) along the timber to the
right of the Warren ton road. Observing the enemy on
the opposite side of the stone bridge, he ordered Captain
Ayres to move his battery to the right and open fire on
the mass.
His smooth-bore guns proved ineffective, and Sherman
sent for the two rifled guns which Tyler had borrowed at
an earlier hour. He also swung his 69th N. Y. Regiment
to the extreme right of his brigade. He remained in this
position, till a heavy musketry fire on the opposite side

56 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
of Bull Run showed that Hunter's columns had crossed
and were hotly engaged. Other divisions of the army
had also crossed, and the musketry and artillery fire had
become general. The Confederates retreated before the
Union forces till about noon, when they seemed to come
to a stand. Sherman now received orders from Tyler to
cross his entire brigade, and support Hunter. He did so
promptly, and ascended the bluffs on the opposite side.
But in doing so he cut himself from his artillery, which
found the run impassable. Sherman advanced cautious
ly, and effected a junction with Hunter's Division, his
69th being almost continuously under fire. He threw
his brigade into position, in the rear of Porter's, and
sought out General Hunter, who had been engaged in
fierce conflict and was wounded. Hunter ordered him
to join his forces in the pursuit of the enemy, who were
falling back.
Placing Quimby's regiment of ' rifles in front, and
directing his other regiments to follow in line, he ad
vanced and opened fire on the enemy, who had come to
a stand on favorable ground. He continued this advance
amid a sharp fire, and succeeded in driving the enemy
back to a point where Rickett's battery had been cut to
pieces but a short while before. Here he came within
range of the enemy's "artillery, and was soon forced to
change his direction by the right flank, in order to pro
tect his men. All of his left was being swept by a severe
artillery and musketry fire, and all the Union regiments
there were being driven out with great losses. Sherman
protected his own men for a time by holding to a deep
roadway, but when his Wisconsin Second found itself
fully abreast of the enemy, he ordered it out by the left
flank and began an open attack. This regiment moved

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 57
slowly up the hill in the face of a heavy fire which it re
turned with spirit. On gaining the summit the fire of
the enemy became so intense as to throw the regiment
into confusion, and it retreated to the base of the hill,
where it was re-formed for a second advance. It fought
over the same ground even more valiantly than before,
but was again repulsed at the summit. ' Sherman now
sent in his 69th N. Y., and Colonel Cameron led it up the
hill and in a magnificent charge over the summit. But
he found the ground swept by musketry, from a row of
pines, and by artillery from an advantageous position.
He rallied his men several times under this concentrated
fire, but they finally broke and sought the cover
which the base of the hill afforded. All this time
Quimby's Regiment was similarly striving for the crest
of another ridge a little to the left, and with no better
success. It was getting more and more difficult to hold the men in
line. Their losses had been heavy, they were unused to
the fire of artillery and small arms, Colonel Cameron had
been killed, and many other officers, the wounded were
being carried thickly back, or were making their own
painful way, to the hospitals in the rear, stragglers were
multiplying each one with some tale of dissatisfaction.
Sherman succeeded in re-forming and holding all his
shattered regiments, but it was manifest that they could
not be urged into the offensive again, even if they could
be made to stand on the defensive.
He ordered Colonel Corcoran back to the top of the ridge,
where the brigade had been formed in the morning, and
instructed him to hold it till the remaining regiments
could fall back to him. It so happened that General
McDowell was present in person on this ridge, and he

58 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
united his efforts with Corcoran's to allay panic and as
sure the men. The Confederates were now making use
of their cavalry, and they appeared in force on the very
ground Sherman's brigade had striven to hold. He
therefore threw his lines into the form of an irregular
square, and in this shape fell back toward the fording of
Bull Run they had crossed in the morning. There were
no orders to retreat, but for an hour the men had been
disorderly, unmanageable and in spontaneous backward
motion. Lines that could be maintained were thin. The
roads were streaming with men bent upon reaching
Centreville or even Washington.
As soon as Sherman saw his irregular square in motion,
he rode to the fording to see that Ayres had his battery
in place on the other side to cover his crossing. But the
battery was not there. He pushed on to Centreville,
where he met McDowell, wh ;> gave him to understand
that he would rally his broken forces at Centreville and
make a stand. But at nine o'clock at night he received
orders from Tyler that he should continue the retreat to
Washington. Then it was that the retreat became most
disorderly. The men of different regiments became
mixed up and indifferent to all orders. Night seemed to
inspire additional terrors. It was noon next day when
Sherman reached the Potomac to find the men crossing
by aqueduct and ferries into Washington. He increased
the river guard and ordered all to be stopped who at
tempted to cross. The men soon began to inquire for
their commands and camps, and to seek them out. By
and by order began to reign, and the army took organ
ized shape once more.

LIFE OF GENERAL ^HERMAN.

59

Sherman's losses were very heavy.
as follows : —

He reported them

EEGIMENTS

KILLED

WOUNDED

MISSING

TOTAL

N. Y.13th 

6
1138 32
24

3
. 27 59
51 68

2095
115 63

9
58

" 69th 

192

" 79th 

198

152

111

205

293

609

i

In generalizing on this battle, Sherman makes it known
that in supporting Hunter, his forces were victorious and
jubilant. His brigade actually passed by Hunter's divis
ion, and followed the lead of Heintzelman's Division
which was well in advance on the road toward Manassas
Junction. There came a crossing of a small stream, and
the ascent of a long hill on whose top the actual battle
was going on. Here his regiments came into action.
The enemy had been driven to the cover of a pine woods
on his left front, and it was against this he hurled his
regiments successively, only to see them driven back
with loss and confusion. He felt that the woods could
prove only a temporary refuge for the enemy, and that
their broken forces could not be rallied permanently in
such a place. He reformed his regiments with a view to
another charge, and without any idea that the whole
army was in retreat, till admonished of the fact by the
appearance of Syke's regulars, formed in hollow square
to resist cavalry. Then he found that his brigade was
almost alone, and it was then that he ordered Corcoran
to throw it into shape for defense against cavalry.
By July 25th, 1861, Sherman had his men well posted
and comfortable in and about Fort Corcoran, and ready
for any defence they might be called upon to make.

60 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
There was much controversy about the term of enlist
ment, and severe measures had at this time to be resorted
to. On the 26th his camp was visited by President Lin
coln and Mr. Seward, who were on a tour of inspection of
the army. Noticing that Mr. Lincoln desired to say
something to encourage the men, he asked him to please
discourage all noisy demonstrations, and reminded him
that the time for hurrahing had passed with Bull Run, and
that what was needed most now was cool, thoughtful,
hard-fighting soldiers. Then in the midst of the camp,
Mr. Lincoln made a very excellent and assuring speech,
and when the men broke into cheers, he curbed them
with the dry remark : — " Don't cheer boys ? I confess I
rather like it myself, but Colonel Sherman here says it is
not military, and I guess we had better defer to his
opinion." Both Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Seward compli
mented Sherman for the discipline and cleanliness they
observed in his camp, and assured him that their visit
thereto had given them more pleasure than any event
since the disastrous battle.
The officers now came in for a share of fear and tremb
ling. McDowell was busy substituting the ninety day
regiments with those which had enlisted for three years
McClellan had been summoned from the West, and was
making daily changes in the commands. Each officer
felt that his turn might come next, not knowing how
much he might have contributed to the Bull Run defeat.
But at this juncture, relief came to Sherman in the shape
of an announcement from the War Department, to the
effect that he, among others, had been promoted to be
a Brigadier General of Volunteers.
The new regiments were coming in very fast and sev
eral of them were assigned to Sherman's command. He

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 61
began a system -of drills, all of which were new to him,
but which he deemed necessary ; for he saw a long, hard
war ahead and thought the best place to begin was right
in the alphabet of the latest and best approved tactics.
He also began the construction of two new forts farther
out and overlooking Fort Corcoran.
Thus, the early part of August, 1861, passed, and Mc-
Clellan's ideal army of 100,000 men and one hundred
batteries was fast assuming shape, not under his immedi
ate direction, for he had his headquarters in Washing
ton, but under the direction of those who were permitted
to retain old commands or those assigned to new ones.

CHAPTER V.
ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND.
About the middle of August, 1861, Brigadier-General
Sherman was called into consultation at Willard's Hotel,
with General Robert Anderson, who announced that affairs
in Kentucky had reached a crisis, that the Legislature was
in session and would declare the State for the Union, if
properly backed by the Federal Government, and that he,
Anderson, had been offered the command of the Depart
ment of the Cumberland, embracing Kentucky and Tennes
see, with the privilege of selecting his own Brigadiers. He
indicated that Sherman should be his right hand man and
that the remaining three might be Thomas, Buell and
Burnside. The idea suited Sherman. He wished to go
West, and was perfectly willing to go under Anderson, in
whose company he had been a lieutenant, at Fort Moultrie,
in 1843-46. .
They called on President Lincoln, and the result of the
interview was an order assigning General Anderson to the
command of the Department of the Cumberland, with
Sherman and Thomas as his brigadiers. The order was
dated August 24th, 1861. In a few days he was relieved
of his command of the Third Brigade in the Army of the
Potomac by General Fitz- John Porter, and immediately
started for Cincinnati. There he met General Anderson
(September 2d) and several prominent citizens, and the
situation in Kentucky and Tennessee was discussed.
General Nelson had a Union camp at Dick Robinson,

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 63
below Nicholasville, and General Rosseau one at Jefferson-
ville, opposite Louisville. The State Legislature of Ken
tucky was in session and ready to take action as soon as
General Anderson was ready. But the Confederates were
already on the march from Nashville with a force com
manded by Sidney Johnson and Buckner, and from the
Cumberland Gap with a force under Crittenden and Zolli-
coffer. Anderson saw he was not strong enough to compete
with these forces. He therefore sent Sherman to confer
with the Governors of Indiana and Illinois as to measures
for help. He was also sent to St. Louis to confer with
General Fremont, toward whose command all the new regi
ments of infantry, cavalry and artillery were tending.
While Sherman was 'upon this mission Anderson and
Thomas initiated the Department of the Cumberland at
Louisville. Sherman found his mission a difficult one. Governor
Morton was raising and equipping men very fast, but they
were deflected, as fast as ready, to the command of either
McClellan or Fremont. Governor Yates had promised his
men to Fremont. At St. Louis he found Fremont so bent
on the invasion of Missouri and a descent of the Mississippi
that he could get no promises of help from him. Hastening
back to Louisville he found that the Legislature of Kentucky
had precipitated the question of its adhesion to the Union,
and thus given the signal for military action. Anderson
was all unprepared for it, whereas Sidney Johnston instantly
occupied- and fortified Bowling Green, and sent a division in
advance toward Louisville. Zollicoffer advanced to Somer
set. Excitement in Louisville was intense. Pillow and
Polk were in strong force in Columbus. The rebel families
of Louisville were in high glee, and expected Buckner to
capture the city at any moment.

64 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
All the tooops at Anderson's disposal were embraced in
Rousseau's Legion and a few Home Guards, the former en
camped at Jeffersonville. He ordered Sherman to cross the
river to Jeffersonville, taking all the Home Guards he could
find along, and with Rousseau's force, march to Muldraugh's
Hill and secure it before Buckner came. Within an hour
after reaching Rousseau's camp Sherman had 1000 men un
der way by rail to Lebanon Junction, and thence on foot to
Muldraugh's Hill, site of the old State' " Camp of Instruc
tion." This he fortified, and very soon his force was in
creased by two new regiments, which Anderson had for
warded to him.
He soon found that Buckner had not crossed Green River
on his way north, as had been reported, and that Sidney
Johnston was fortifying Bowling Green, preparatory to a
systematic conquest of Kentucky. Anderson kept sending
out his fresh troops, and by October 1st, Sherman had with
him the equivalent of two brigades, which he was fast drill
ing and organizing. On October 5th, Sherman went to
Louisville to find Anderson broken down by worry and
work, and on the eve of resigning. On October 8th, he did
resign, and Sherman assumed command, as senior officer in
the department, though it was against his wishes, and con
trary to the agreement with the President, that he should
be asked to serve only in a subordinate capacity in the
West. However, he received the assurance that General
Buell, whose arrival from California was expected, would
soon relieve him of the command.
Sherman saw that a forward movement that Fall would
be impracticable, and that the best thing to do would be to
collect men and materials at Camp Dick Robinson where
Thomas was in command, and at Elizabethtown, to which
post he sent General McCook. He completed a working

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 65
staff, and thus relieved himself of the labor which had
crushed Anderson, and was telling on him. Yet he could
not free his mind of dread lest Johnston, who was a noted
soldier, might fall on either of his camps, and then walk in
to Louisville. Further, he felt chagrined to see the new
levies diverted toward McClellan at Washington, and Fre
mont at St. Louis, and Kentucky practically neglected.
In October, General Cameron, Secretary of War, stopped
at Louisville on his way east from St. Louis, and Sherman,
determined to have a plain talk with him about the situa
tion. He explained to him that all the new volunteers were
sent either to Washington or St. Louis ; that his two camps
under Thomas and McCook were too weak for defence, and
were only a temptation to Johnson to attack them ; that all
his forces combined would not warrant taking the offensive ;
and that Louisville was, at that very moment, practically at
Johnston's mercy. He showed further, that the young men
of Kentucky were openly enlisting in the Confederate ar
mies, and that the older men, instead of being Unionists)
were of the " let-us-alone " type. And further, that instead
of 40,000 Springfield muskets promised by the government
to General Anderson, it had sent but 10,000 Belgian mus
kets, which had. been refused by the Governors of Ohio and
Pennsylvania. As a result of this conversation, Adjutant-General
Thomas, who accompanied Secretary Cameron, wrote, on
the spot, an order to send Negley's Pennsylvania Brigade,
then at Pittsburg, direct to Louisville, and another one de
flecting two regiments thither, which were en route to St.
Louis. Sherman then mapped for the Secretary and his
companions the military situation as he saw it. He showed
that McClellan was on the left of a grand army of inva
sion, with a breadth of country, equal to one hundred miles,

66 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
before him, yet he had 100,000 men ; that Fremont was on
the right with a country of about equal breadth to protect
or invade, yet he had 60,000 men ; and that he, Sherman,
held the center of the grand army, with a country in front
over 300 miles wide, yet he had only 18,000 men. He
argued that fully 60,000 men were necessary for defensive
purposes alone, and that no offensive movement could be
entirely successful with less than 200,000 men.
After this interview, satisfactory in an official sense, but
but so astounding in its revelations to the gang of idiots
who accompanied Secretary Cameron in the guise of re
porters and newspaper correspondents, General Sherman
began to suffer the penalty of plain speech and exceptional
prescience. He was written up as impracticable, visionary,
crazy, even, and his situation was rendered well-nigh un
bearable. On October 22d General Negley's Brigade arrived, and
was sent at once to Camp Nolin, to which place the Eliz
abethtown camp had been advanced. The two other regi
ments which had heen deflected, also arrived and were
posted at Elizabethtown and Lebanon Junction. On the
same date he wrote to Adjutant-General Thomas, giving
him an official review of the Kentucky situation, and,
urging the importance of sending additional force to the
Cumberland Army.
On November 1st, 1861, General McClellan was appointed
/Commander-in-Chief of all the Union armies. He called
for a report from Sherman, which was promptly forwarded.
It showed that McCook's command at Camp Nolin com
prised four brigades, and was confronted by Buckner, South
of Green River, with a superior force. General Thomas
was at Camp Dick Robinson with a smaller force, and Gen
eral Nelson was East of Paris and directing his attention

LIFE OF GENERAL. SHERMAN. 67
to the Confederate forces in the Big Sandy Valley. The
report concluded with the acknowledgment that the forces
were too wide apart for effective co-operative work, and
with the suggestion that they be greatly strengthened, but
he says: — "I am told that my estimate of troops for this
line, viz., 200,000, has been construed to my prejudice, and
I therefore leave it to the future."
Though the future abundantly vindicated Sherman's po
sition, as he had boldly and unhesitatingly announced it at
this critical juncture in his own and the nation's career, and
though it might well be left so as a matter of history, yet it
is a matter of pride to narrate that General Wood, after the
war, subscribed to General Sherman's statement of the in
terview between him and Secretary Cameron in the follow
ing language : —
" General Sherman said that the information in his pos
session indicated an intention, on the part of the rebels, of
a grand advance toward the Ohio River. He further ex
pressed the opinion that, if such an advance should be
made, and not checked, the rebel force would be swollen by
at least 20,000 recruits from the disloyalists of Kentucky.
His lowest computation of the organized rebel soldiers then
in Kentucky fixed the strength at about 35,000. Add
20,000 for reinforcements gained in Kentucky, to say noth
ing of troops withdrawn from other rebel States, and the
effective rebel force in the State, at a low estimate, would
be 55,000 men.
" Sherman explained in a forcible way, how largely the
difficulties of suppressing the rebellion would be increased,
if the rebels should be allowed to plant themselves firmly
and with strong fortifications, at points commanding the
Ohio River. It would be easy for them to carry the war
thence into the Northern States.

68 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
" To resist an advance of the rebels, Sherman said he
did not have, at that time, over 14,000 effective men, and
their disposition was more for the purpose of checking the
separate advances of the rebel columns, and encouraging
the raising of troops among loyal Kentuckians, than of
withstanding an advance of such forces as might have been
combined against him in a single week.
" All that General Sherman had said thus far applied to
the defensive situation. He then turned to the offensive
sides, and assumed that the Government had taken on itself
the business of suppressing the rebellion. Waxing elo
quent, he said the rebellion could never be put down, the
authority of the Government asserted, and the Union of
States 'declared perpetual, by maintaining a defensive. To ac
complish these ends, it was absolutely necessary that the .
Government should adopt, and maintain to the end, an of
fensive. "In order to expel the rebels from Kentucky, 60,000
soldiers were declared to be necessary. Before the rebels
were expelled from Kentucky, many more than 60,000 were
sent into the State. Ascending from the question of the po
litical and military situation in Kentucky, and forecasting
in his sagacious intellect the grand and daring operations
which, three years afterwards, he realized in a campaign
without parallel in modern times, he expressed the opinion
that, in order to carry the war to the gulf, and destroy all
armed opposition to the government in the Mississippi val
ley, at least 200,000 troops would be required."
Sherman's views were fully indorsed at the time by Guth.
rie and others equally well informed, and it came about
almost to the letter as he had predicted.
About the middle of November, 1861, General Buell ar
rived at Louisville and relieved General Sherman of the

GENERAL ANDERSON.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 71
command of the Cumberland Department. This relief was
welcome, and at Sherman's own request. He was ordered to
report for duty to General Halleck, who had succeeded to the
command in the Missouri Department, with headquarters at
St. Louis. Halleck received him kindly and on November
23d, sent him to Sedalia and Jefferson City to inspect the
troops and report their condition. He bore orders to assume
command should an emergency arise to warrant it. He
found the forces in pitiable plight. Steele's regiments were
scattered about Sedalia. Pope was at Otterville, twenty
miles away, and with no concert between him and Steele.
Threatening both, were Price's rebel forces, at Osceola and
Warsaw. He advised Halleck at once to put his men in one
camp at La Mina River and form them into brigades and
divisions, and on his own responsibility issued preliminary
orders to that effect. This was construed as another evi
dence of insanity by the officious newspaper correspondents,
and Halleck, who was sensitive to these kid-gloved warriors
who had never seen a battle and knew no more of war than
a suckling babe, telegraphed that the position should not be
disturbed till further orders.
On November 28th, he returned to St. Louis, very much
depressed at the repeated attacks on him in the newspapers
but rejoiced to find that his wife had come on from Lancas
ter to see him. The newspaper attacks had grown so out
rageous that he resolved to escape them by a brief retiracy
and rest. Being mid- winter, and operations being off for a
season, he asked for a twenty days' leave of absence, in order
to take his wife home and find escape from the newspaper
fusilade. The papers of the day had the army officers at a decided
disadvantage. They could not explain nor rgsply. The
utmost they could do was, to maintain silence and suffer,

72 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
with the hope that time would come to their vindication. It
may be that Sherman felt too keenly the arrows aimed at
him, and that he should have rested his case solely on what
he knew to be a sentiment far above that which found daily
parade in sensational newspaper columns — such, for in
stance, as this found in a reply by Halleck to one of his
despondent letters: — St. Louis, Dec. 18, 1861.
Dear General : — "I should have answered yours of 12th
inst. sooner. The newspaper attacks are certainly shameless
and scandalous, but I cannot agree with you that they have
us in their power, ' to destroy us as they please.' I get my
share of abuse, but it does not disturb me. Your movement
of troops in Missouri was not countermanded by me because
I thought it unwise, but because I was not then ready for it.
I had better information of Price's purposes than you, and I
did not apprehend an attack by him. I intended to concen
trate the troops on the fine you proposed, but I wished the
movement delayed till I could determine a better position.
After I got Colonel McPherson's report, I made precisely the
location you had ordered. I was desirous at the time not to
prevent the movement of Price by any movement on our
part, hoping he would move to Lexington, but finding he
had determined to remain at Osceola for some time, I made
the movement you proposed. A3 you could not know my
plans, you and others may have misconstrued my reason for
countermanding your orders. I hope to see you well enough
for duty soon/ " Yours truly,
" H. W. Halleck."
Halleck wrote several letters to prominent persons relative
to Sherman, all of which were calculated to disabuse them

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 7$
of impressions falsely engendered by the newspaper corres
pondents. He explained to McClellan that he had given
Sherman a twenty days' leave of absence because he had
been sorely taxed, and was so nervously depressed as to ren
der a short rest necessary. He wrote to W. W. Ewing, ex
plaining the whole situation, and asserting his entire con
fidence in his abihty, and praising him for his constancy to
duty. When Sherman returned to St. Louis, after his leave of
absence, he found Halleck on the eve of moving his forces.
One of his armies, under Grant, was to go up the Tennessee,
and was then at Paducah. The other, under Curtis, was to
move in the direction of Springfield, Mo., and was then at
Rolla. Sherman was ordered to take Curtis's place in com
mand of the Camp of Instruction, at Benton Barracks, north
of St. Louis. He was to have every company and regiment
of his command ready for movement at a moment's warning,
and was to notify all concerned that when marching orders
were received, no excuse for delay would be accepted.
He found in camp about a dozen regiments of infantry
and cavalry, which he placed in first class order. Then he
established telegraphic communication with Halleck, and
obeyed his orders to the letter. It was mid-winter, but
Halleck was pushing things for an early Spring start, and
was securing for St. Louis a reign of order it had not known
for months. What the first movement should be became a
study. It was seen that the Confederate fine stretched from
Bowling Green to Columbus, and that its centre correspond
ed very nearly with that of the Tennessee River. It was de
termined that the- place to break it was in the centre.
Therefore^ Grant was destined to pioneer that move, which
was so brilliantly successful, and so productive of rich mil
itary results. He moved up the Tennessee, about February

74 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
1st, 1862, in conjunction with Com. Foote's. Gunboats, and
on February 6th, Fort Henry was captured. Grant pitched
directly across to Fort Donelson, on the Cumberland .River,
and invested it. The gunboats came around in due time
from the Tennessee, and with their help, Buckner was
forced to surrender his army of over 12,000 men. This was
war in earnest, and victory worth counting on. These vic
tories inspired the whole country,. They were the first sub
stantial ones of the war, and their value could not be esti
mated. They pierced the Confederate centre, and forced a
falling back of the wings, for a hundred miles or more.
On February 13th, 1862, Sherman received orders from
Halleck, to turn oyer his command at Benton Barracks to
General Strong, and to proceed at once to the command at
Paducah. General Hurlburt was to accompany him. On
the same day, he started for Paducah, knowing that Halleck
designed to push operations on the Tennessee with unusual
vigor. . On the 15th, he received the following from Hal
leck : " Send General Grant everything you can spare from
Paducah and Smithfield ; also General Hurlbut. Bowling
Green has been evacuated entirely.
" H. W. Halleck,
" Major-General."
It was simultaneous with the arrival of this despatch that
Sherman received word of the Fall of Donelson, and it was,
he says, " as if a heavy weight had been raised from our
breasts, we were so thankful for such a series of fruitful vic
tories." The Confederate's left fell back to Island No. 10
and their right did not even stop at Nashville, toward which
Buell was now tending. The centre took for its base the
Memphis & Charleston R. R.

COMMODORE FOOTE.

CHAPTER VI.
AT SHIL0H.
In February, 1862, the situation in the Department of
Mississippi was this: — Halleck was in command at St.
Louis; Buell was under him, in command of the army of
the Ohio, in Kentucky ; Grant commanded the army of the
Tennessee, at Forts Henry and Donalson ; Curtis com
manded in Missouri. His chief of staff, Cullum, was posted
at Cairo, and Sherman had just been assigned to the com
mand at Paducah.
Fort Donaldson had surrendered to Grant on February
16 ; there were many wounded and prisoners to care for ;
the important operations up the Tennessee and Cumberland
rivers were in progress ; communication between St. Louis
and Donelson was difficult. The fall of Donelson forced'
the retreat of the Confederates from Bowling Green, and
Buell was pursuing to and through Nashville. Every day,
under Grant's energy, the armies of Halleck were getting
further away from him. Yet it was a spendid sweep, man
ifest to all, and was bound to redeem a belt of country 200
miles deep, and extending from the Mississippi to the Alle-
ghenies. Sherman's position at Paducah became most important,
first to Halleck as a centre of information, and second to
Grant as a base of supplies; it was a source of satisfaction to
Grant to have such a man in such a place at such a time.
Sherman was kept busy, sending boats of supplies and troops
to Halleck, to Grant, to Buell, and co-operating with them
77

78 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
with all his skill and energy. At the same time he was re-
, ceiving raw recruits, and busily organizing a division for
himself, his object being to take the field as soon as circum
stances would permit.
At this juncture Halleck and Grant were wide apart as to
method. Grant had swung to Buell's aid at Nashville
whereas Halleck would have confined him to the line of the
Tennessee. But Grant had not really left the line of the
Tennessee ; he had only made sure of the fall of Nashville,
and the establishment of a line, which left nothing to be
added except what could be gained at Pittsburg Landing
(Shiloh) and thence to. the Mississippi by way of Corinth
He knew far better what he was about than did Halleck.
By March 10th, Sherman had completed the formation of
his division and was in receipt of orders from Halleck to
embark at Paducah, and steam to Ft. Henry. He started
with four brigades composed of splendid Western material
The First, Colonel Hicks, embraced the Fortieth Illinois
Forty-sixth Ohio, and Morton's, Indiana Battery; the Second,
Colonel Stuart, embraces the Fifty-fifth Illinois, Seventy
fifth Ohio, and Fifty-fourth Ohio; the Third, Colonel Hilde
brand, comprised the Seventy-first Ohio, Fifty-seventh Ohio,
and Fifty-third Ohio ; the Fourth, Colonel Buckland, com
prised the Seventy-second Ohio, Forty-eighth Ohio, and
Seventieth Ohio. The water was high, and the steamers
reached Fort Henry in time, and Sherman reported his
arrival to General C. F. Smith, who ordered him to rendez
vous a few miles above the Fort. On March 13th General
Smith, himself, arrived at the rendezvous with a large fleet
of boats, carrying the divisions of Hurlbut, Lew Wallace
and himself, his own being in "command of General W. H.
L. Wallace.
As soon as General Smith arrived he sent for Sherman

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 79
and ordered him to push on, under escort of two gun-boats,
and land below Eastport, then to make a break for the
Memphis & Charleston R. R., at some point between Tus-
cambia and Corinth. It was the last formal order Sherman
ever received from Smith, for the latter died on April 25,
1862. Under this order Sherman steamed up the Tennessee,
following the two gun-boats, till he unmasked the Confed
erate batteries at Eastport and Chickasaw. He then dropped
back to the mouth of Yellow River, from which a road ran
out to Burns-ville, the site of the repair shops of the Mem
phis & Charleston Railroad. Here he disembarked and made
a strike for Burnsville, his cavalry being well in advance,
with the intention of burning the repair shops; When six
miles out with his artillery and infantry he met the calvary
returning with word that the streams had become impassable
owing to the heavy rains. Fearing lest his communication
with the boats would be cut off by overflow of the river bot
toms he returned, dragging his artillery underwater over the
low lands near the river. Embarking he dropped down to
Pittsburg Landing, where he found Hurlbut's Division in
boats. Leaving his command there, he steamed down to
Savannah to confer with Smith. From him he received per-.
sonal instructions to disembark his own and Hurlbut's Di
visions at Pittsburg Landing and take a position well out in
the country, so as to admit of the landing of the rest of the
army. On March I6th, a reconnoitering force under Sher
man disembarked at Pittsburg Landing, marched ten miles
out toward Corinth to Pea Ridge where they encamped tem
porarily. On the 18th this was followed by Hurlbut's Di
vision which took position at the forks of the Corinth and
Hamburg roads, one and a half miles out. On the 19th,
Sherman disembarked his entire division, and encamped it
three miles out, covering the roads to Purdy and Corinth

80 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
and the Lick Creek fording. In a few days the other di.
visions came up. Prentiss encamped on Sherman's left,
McClernand and Wallace took position in the rear. Wallace
held the road on the north side of Snake Creek, running
from Crump's Landing out to Purdy. Though Sherman and
Colonel McPherson, of Halleck's Staff, hadreconnoitered the
ground well in advance and had ascertained that the Con
federates were rapidly concentrating at Corinth, he was re
sponsible only for his own division, Smith being in chief
command with his headquarters back at Savannah. Still,
Sherman kept all the roads to his front well picketed, ac
quainted himself thoroughly with the topography of the coun
try, and gathered all the information he could as to the in
tention of the enemy, all of which information was to th*
effect that concentration was rapidly going on at Corinth,
and that an attack was intended. He labored at a disadvan
tage as to news from his rear, on account of Smith's illness.
Grant, who had now satisfactorily explained to Halleck
his reasons for visiting Nashville after the fall of Donel
son, was, on March 17th, restored to his command of all the
Tennessee River troops, and came at once to Savannah to
relieve Smith, who was suffering , from what proved to be
his mortal illness. After this, matters took a new turn in
the rear, but Sherman thought that the front of the army
should have been better fortified. Still he felt that such a
thing might have rendered the raw recruits more timid,
might have spread the opinion that there was no intention
to advance. Besides, all looked upon the position as nat
urally a strong one, two and one-half miles wide, with
Snake Creek on the right, or North ; a confluent, Owl Creek
on the right front, and Lick Creek on the left. At a later
period of the war, such a position could have been made
impregnable in a single night.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 81
From April 1st to April 4th it was made evident to
Sherman by the daring approaches of the enemy's cavalry,
that a movement from Corinth was under way. On the
4th a reconnoissance showed that the enemy's infantry were
distant less than five miles. He informed Grant of his dis
covery. Doubtless the other division commanders on the
front, conveyed similar information,
The general situation was this : — Buell had been ordered
from Nashville to Grant's support at Pittsburg Landing,
and was then on his way. The Confederates had centered
at Corinth under Johnston, and were anxious to attack
Grant before Buell's arrival. Hence their haste, and hence
Grant's desire to simply hold till the promised junction of
forces came about.
On Saturday, April 5th, 1862, the enemy's cavalry were
again very bold and harrassed Sherman's entire front. On
Sunday, the 6th, the morning opened with rapid picket
firing. Sherman and his staff rode out along the lines, and
when about four hundred yards in advance of Appier's Reg
iment they were fired upon from a ravine to the left, and
one of his orderlies was killed. Instantly, the whole Con
federate line of battle seemed to put in an appearance at
the front, driving in pickets and advance guard.
Sherman had left his men under orders to be ready, and
now came word to fall into line. His ground was favorable,
and he had a fair idea of the enemy's probable points of at
tack. To Waterhouse, who commanded the battery which
guarded the ravine of Owl Creek, he said, " reserve your fire
till the rebels have crossed the ravine and begun the ascent."
He sent word to McClernand to support his left; to Pren
tiss that the enemy were in full force in his front ; to Hurl-
but, asking him to support Prentiss. By 7 A. M , he had
his division all under arms and in line of battle, and not a

82 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
moment too soon, for it was the real beginning of the event
ful battle of Shiloh, in which Sherman's part was to be most
conspicuous, and in which he was to win the plaudits of his
Commander, the government and the country.
Taking for granted that his part of this fierce contest, is
all that will concern a reader of his life, we follow him
through those two days of anxiety and carnage, which em
braced the time of the battle.
His First Brigade, Hick's, and Morton's Battery was on
his extreme right, guarding the bridge on the Purdy Road,
over Owl Creek.
His Second Brigade, Stuart's, was on his extreme left,
guarding the ford over Lick Creek.
His Third Brigade, Hildebrand's, was on the left of the
Corinth Road, its right resting on Shiloh meeting house.
His Fourth Brigade, Buckland's, was on the right of the
Corinth Road, its left resting on Shiloh meeting house.
Taylor's Battery was posted at Shiloh, and Waterhouse's
on a ridge to the left. Eight companies of cavalry were
posted to the left and rear of Shiloh meeting house, which
Sherman regarded as the centre of his position.
At S A. M., the glistening ot bayonets in the woods to
the left and beyond Owl Creek, told him that the enemy de
signed a determined attack on his entire line. Appier's Reg
iment was on the left flank of the first line of battle, and
he was ordered to hold his ground at all hazzards. McCler-
nand had promptly sent three regiments of his division, to
the -support of Waterhouse's battery. The battle opened
by a battery in the woods to the front, throwing shells into
Sherman's camp. Both of Sherman's batteries promptly
responded. Then heavy columns of Confederate infantry
were seen surging to the left across Appier's front, and other
columns advancing directly upon Sherman's front. He

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 83
opened artillery and infantry fire along his whole fine, and
the battle became general. Still other columns of infantry
kept pushing obliquely along his left, and therefore bearing
down on Prentiss' division. Sherman detected in this an in
tention of the enemy to pass his left flank and fall upon
Prentiss and McClernand, whose fine of camps were two
miles back from the Tennessee, and almost parallel with it.
Soon the sound of musketry and artillery burst upon his
ears to confirm his judgment of the situaation. Prentiss was
attacked about 9 A. M., and from the receding nature of
the sounds, was evidently falling back. Just then Appier's
Regiment broke under a heavy fire and fell back in disorder,
followed by Mungen's, and the enemy were pressing hard on
Waterhouse's Battery, which was then exposed. The three
regiments, sent to guard it, held their ground for some time,
but were finally driven back with heavy loss, and three guns
of the battery, fell into the enemy's hands.
Sherman had thus to witness the turning of his left, and
at the same time stand up under a determined attack and
galling fire along his entire front. But he deemed Shiloh so
important that he held to it and renewed orders to stand
fast by it. It was held to tenaciously for an hour and until
the enemy had gotten artillery in position, in the rear of his
left. A change then became necessary. Appier's and Mun
gen's Regiments of Hildebrand's Brigade had fled to the rear,
and Hildebrand's own regiment was in disorder. Sherman,
therefore, ordered Taylor's battery to fall back from Shiloh
to the junction of the Purdy and Hamburg road, and the
two brigades resting on Shiloh meeting house, to fall back
and adopt those roads as their new fine. Riding across the
angle, Sherman met Behr's battery and ordered it to come
into action by the right. Captain Behr was instantly killed,

84 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
and as he fell his batteryjbroke and fled, leaving five of their
guns behind.
The enemy pressed so hard 'upon the new position that the
battery fell into their hands, and to form the lines designed
was impossible. Only Hildebrand himself remained on the
field, of his entire brigade. McDowell's and Buckland's Brig
ades were piloted back by Sherman's aides till they united
with McClernand's right. Thus Sherman's camp and orig
inal line was completely abandoned, and the day had gone
disastrously with him, but no more so than with the other
commands which were engaged.
The enemy were now attacking McClernand's entire front
with the greatest fury. Sherman pressed McDowell's Brig
ade against the enemy's left flank, and thus relieved Mc
Clernand's right. The enemy were forced back and Sher
man determined to hold on by ordering his men to the cover
of trees, fallen timber and the wooded valley on his right. He
held to this position for four hours, sometimes advancing a
little and sometimes receding. In this effort he was in per
fect concert with McClernand, who regarded the position as
vital. Grant came on the spot to view it, and two Iowa
regiments were ordered to help Sherman hold it, but they
could not be brought to face the terrific fire which centered
there. By 4 P.M. it was evident that Hurlbut's line had b^een
driven back to the river. But knowing that Lew Wallace
was hastening from Crump's Landing with reinforcements
both Sherman and McClernand deemed it opportune to form
a new line, with its right covering a bridge which Wallace
had to cross. This was a most difficult task with tired and
disordered troops, but it was accomplished, in the face of a
determined cavalry charge by the enemy which was hand
somely repulsed, and under cover of a magnificent charge by

IRON CLAD RIVER GUN BOAT.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 87
part of McClernand's forces, sustained by the fire of two bat
teries, which played havoc with the enemy, crowded into a
narrow ravine. In his new position Sherman had a clear
field of 200 yards before himt and was content to keep the
enemy at that distance for the rest of the day. His com
mand was now of a decidedly mixed character. Hildebrand
was there, but his brigade was not. McDowell had been
wounded, and his regiments were not in line. Buckland's
Brigade was there entire. Many other regiments and frac.
tions, whose officers had maintained an organization, came
into the line and fought with Sherman's Division during the
rest of the battle.
Buell had arrived on the scene during the day. In the-
evening he and Grant came to Sherman's bivouac and Grant
informed him that Wallace had come up and had formed on
his right. He also said that the last assault made by the
Confederates in the ravine near the river, had been repelled
by Webster's heavy battery, and that he was convinced the
battle was over for the day. That night it rained hard,
but Sherman's men were in good spirits and ready to redeem
on Monday what they had lost on Sunday.
At daylight on Monday morning Sherman received orders
from Grant to march out and capture his original camps.
He despatched his aides to bring up all of his men they
could find and especially the brigade of Stuart, which had
become detached from its command the day before. At
the appointed time, all that remained of his original divis
ion, together with the fragments that had been attached
to it, were pushed briskly forward, and occupiedthe ground
from which it had been driven the afternoon before, on
McClernand's right. Here they attracted the fire of a battery
located on McDowell's former headquarters and were com
pelled to halt. Grant's orders to advance had been general,"

88 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
and Sherman felt that all the divisions were in motion. He
also knew that Buell's army had been thrown along the
fine of the Corinth road, and he expected to hear guns an
nouncing his advance with his fresh troops. At 10 A. M.
the sound came. It was loud and steady. It indicated
victorious advance for it gradually came nearer. This was
enough to satisfy Sherman. He knew that Wallace was on
his right, with a fresh and well ordered division. He knew
that if McClernand had moved at all under Grant's order he
would be where he was the day before, and that he (Sher
man) had to keep touch with his right. So, leading the
head of his column, he formed line of battle, facing South,
with Buckland's Brigade directly across the ridge and Stu
art's on his right in the woods. He advanced steadily and
slowly in the face of a withering fire of musketry and ar
tillery. There was grim determination in the face of every
¦officer and soldier. Nothing short of an earthquake could
have disturbed the dogged resolution of his troops at that
moment. They seemed to feel that the moment had ar
rived, when a day's -disasters must be redeemed. They
found their general everywhere in their midst, imparting
his spirit, and sustaining his command with the deliberation
of one born to control a crisis.
Taylor, who had been off for ammunition, came rushing
in with a broken battery of three guns. These Sherman
quickly threw into position with orders to advance by hand
firing. Under cover of their fire, he advanced till he reached
the crossing of the Corinth road with McClernand's lines-
Here he met Buell's well ordered forces, sight of which en
couraged his own men. He saw one of Buell's regiments
enter a thicket behind which the enemy were posted in force
beheld one of the fiercest musketry fires he ever witnessed,
and saw the regiment emerge in line as true as when it en-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 89
tered. This point was only 500 yards east of Shiloh meet
ing-house. It was evident that the struggle of the day was
to centre there; though southward the enemy could be seen
forming. These McClernand quickly dispatched with the
aid of three guns of Wood's Battery sent him by Sherman.
Just then two guns of McAllister's twenty-four pound how-
etizers arrived and Sherman placed them where they did ex
cellent execution.
It was now 2 P.M. Two batteries of the enemy at Shiloh
were showering shot upon the wood from which Buell's Regi
ment had been driven. But McCook threw his whole brig
ade in that direction. It deployed beautifully and entered
the wood. Sherman threw Smith's Brigade (formerly
Stuart's) in upon his right, and Buckland's in upon Stuart's
right, and ordered all to advance with McCook's right, which
proved to be Rousseau's Kentucky Brigade. Sherman mean
while personally superintended the fire of the two twenty-
four pounders, which soon silenced the enemy's guns to the
left and finally the batteries at Shiloh meeting-house.
Rousseau's Brigade kept McCook's right to the front with
a steady sweep, Sherman's troops keeping even with it, and
by 4 P.M. they all came out on Sherman's original line, with
the enemy in full retreat. He ordered his men - to occupy
their original camps, which they did with the gracious feel
ing of conquerors, after a test such as soldiers are seldom
put to. Many times during the sanguinary advance the
ammunition gave out, but Grant was in command and sup
plies kept constantly coming from the rear. He had over
looked no detail of the conflict, but had anticipated the spot
and moment where and when men and material would be
needed. Many times Sherman held his men in place with
empty cartridge boxes, knowing that a supply would be on
hand at the earliest possible moment.- And it always came.

go

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.

Sherman gave to Rousseau the greatest credit for his
plucky push into the woods, and against, as it turned out,
the very centre of the Confederate columns, commanded by
Bouregard, and supported by Bragg's, Polk's and Brecken-
ridge's Divisions — Johnston having been, supposably, killed
'on the day before. It must be remembered that Sherman's
troops in this great battle were all new, having received
their muskets for the first time in Paducah. None of them
had ever seen fire, or heavy columns bearing down upon
them as on the first day of the battle. He could not expect
of them the coolness and steadiness of older troops. They
knew nothing of the value of combination and organization
When panic-stricken, their impulse was to get away. His
brigade officers were cool men and Hildebrand fought it out
alone, while Buckland held his men well in hand all the
time. Stuart, who was detached, had really to fight his bat
tle alone on Sunday, and was wounded. McDowell was un
fortunately thrown from his horse and incapacitated, but he
held his men with courageous ability. All of the fragments
of commands which attached themselves to Sherman on
Sunday evening fought with courage and constancy on Mon
day. His list of casualties was as follows : 16

i!

wounded,

45

(t

missing,

6

Soldiers- killed,

302

i<

wounded,

. 1,230

«

a

435

Total&r division, .... 2,034
Seven guns were captured for the seven which had been
lost on Sunday. When the meri regained their camps on
Monday they were too fatigued to follow up their victory,

BATTLE OF SHILOH.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.

93

but on the following day they tracked the enemy for six
miles, finding abandoned camps and hospitals in all of
which were wounded and dead. The roads were strewn
with abandoned wagons, ambulances and limber boxes,
which evidences of confusion showed a hasty retreat.
Thus ended the battle of Shiloh, one of the most desper
ate of the war, and one which was least understood. The
newspaper correspondents were running wild when it occur
red. They wrote Grant up as drunk. They pictured it as
a surprise. They saved the day with Buell. They in
dulged in idiotic speculation and unsupported statements
till the country was surfeited with their twaddle and sensa
tionalism. To give each man his honored place in a great
and successful battle, to write fairly of defeat and victory,
to weigh situations and compare results, to deliberate at all
and report truth, was not a part of their mission, or if so,
no part of their intentions. To their charge'that Grant
was drunk Lincoln well said, " I wish some of the other
officers in command could find some of his whiskey." The
fact is' the correspondents were in the condition they imag
ined Grant to be in.
Sherman suspected Buell of catering to this sensational
ism, because he did not like his inquiries and his mistrust
of the situation on Sunday evening when he came to visit
him, and when he ostentatiously announced that he was on
hand with three divisions of 18,000 men. Sherman gently
reminded him that with such an augmentation of force there
ought to be no difficulty in sweeping the field on the morrow,
for that he himself could fully count on as many men,' with
the assistance of McClernand, Prentiss, and Wallace, while
he did not doubt that the enemy had suffered in an equal
ratio with the Union troops.

94 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Grant refused to respond to the many low attacks made
upon him. Sherman could not brook such unfairness and
he responded in his own energetic style through the news
papers. . It took only two of his letters to open the eyes of
the North to the situation, and establish the participants in
the places they will occupy in deliberately written history.
It was a battle fought with five divisions, on its first day,
Sherman's, McClernand's, Prentiss', Hurlbut's and W. H. L.
Wallace's. It was a battle fought without intrenchments,
and on the theory that Buell's arrival would be the' signal
for an offensive move on Corinth. It was fought against a
force of 45,000 men, led by Johnston, one of the most skill
ful of generals, who sacrificed his fife on the battle field. It
was fought without General Lew Wallace's Division,, which
came in the evening from beyond Snake Creek. It was
fought without Buell, who had crossed but a few of his men
over the Tennessee on Sunday. The second day's battle
was one of hard fighting, but sure victory. It was a Grant
battle in every sense of the word — " move early. The one
who moves first is sure to win." Buell co-operated hand
somely. Joint armies won. Joint honors were due. His
tory will see to this. Nothing could eclipse the magnitude
of the victory. Ten thousand six hundred and ninety-nine
of the enemy had been placed hors du combat. The Union
loss was 12,217, of which number 2,167 belonged to Buell's
Army. It was a battle which could not be gaged by counts
ot dead and wounded. Following Donelson it was some
thing. Preceding Corinth it was stupendous. It placed
Corinth within Union grasp. It broke the second Confed
erate line 200 miles south of its first. It made infinite con
quest in a southerly direction possible. No newspaper cor
respondent could see this, nor any one without the military
instinct. It was for the future to unfold. Slowly but surely

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 95
the curtain lifted, and the importance of Shiloh began to
dawn. It is no exaltation of Sherman to say that he bore the
brunt of this hard fight. He had the front and the post of
honor. He held with the utmost tenacity every point he ¦
could. He supported wherever help was needed and when
ever he could spare a man. He retreated with all the order
mortal could preserve. He kept ranks in line which would
have defied any other control. Grant gave to him the great
est praise and freely conceded that the result of the victory
was largely due to his bravery and skill. Horse after horse
had fallen under him ; he had received more than one wound.
What wonder that he should resent every malignant attempt
to disparage the honors he had won and the importance of
the victory I
Owing to the many aspersions on Grant and his officers,
in fighting the battle of Shiloh, by irresponsible newspaper
correspondents, who knew more in a minute than any
trained General could expect to achieve in a lifetime,
General Sherman, knowing Grant's reticence and indiffer-
entism, had threatened to " take up the cudgel. " Here is
how he acquitted himself, without creating an opportunity,
but taking advantage of one which arose in a natural
way and in the line of army publications. The time is
July, 1865.
TO EDITOR OF UNITED STATES SERVICE MAGAZINE,
Dear Sir : In the June number of the United States
Service Magazine, I find a brief sketch of Lieuteant-Gen-
efal U. S. Grant, in which I see you are likely to perpet
uate an error, which General Grant may not deem of suffic
ient importance to correct. To General Beull's noble, able
and gallant conduct, you attribute the fact that the disaster

96 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
on April 6th, at Pittsburgh . Landing was retrieved and
made the victory of the following day. As General Tay
lor is said in his later days to have doubted whether he
was at the battle of Buena Vista at all, on account of the
many things having transpired there, according to the histor
ians, which he did not see, so I begin to doubt whether I
was at the battle of Pittsburgh Landing, of modern de
scription. But I was at the battles of April 6th and 7th,
1862. General Grant visited my division in person about
ten A. M., when the battle raged fiercest. I was then on
the right. After some general conversation, he remarked
that I was doing right in stubbornly opposing the progress
of the enemy, and, in answer to my inquiry as to cartridges,
told me he had anticipated their want, and given order ac
cordingly ; he then said his presence was more needed over
at the left. About two P. M., of the 6th, the enemy mater
ially slackened his attack on me, and about four P. M., I de
liberately made a new line behind McArthur's drill-field,
placing batteries on ehosen ground, repelling easily a cav
alry attack, and watching the cautious approach of the
enemy's infantry, that never dislodged methere. I selected
that line in advance of a bridge across Snake Creek, by
which we had all day been expecting the approach of Lewis
Wallace's Division from Crump's Landing. About five P.
M., before the sun set, General Grant came up again to me,
and after hearing my report of matters, explained to me the
situation of affairs on the left, which were not as favorable ;
still, the enemy had failed to reach the landing of the boats.
We agreed that the enemy had expended the furore of his
attack, and we estimated our loss, and approximated our
then strength including Lewis Wallace's fresh division, ex
pected each minute. He then ordered me to get all things
ready, and, at daylight the next day to assume the offensive.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 97
That was before General Buell had arrived, but he was
known to be near at hand. General Buell's troops took no
essential part in the first day's fight, and Grant's army,
though collected together hastily, green as militia, some
regiments arriving without cartridges even, and nearly all
hearing then the sound of battle for the first time, had with
stood and repelled the first day's terrific onset of a superior
enemy, well commanded and well handled. I know I had
orders from General Grant to assume the offensive before I
knew General Buell was on the west side of the Tennessee.
I think General Buell, Coionel Fry, and others of General
Buell's staff rode up to where I was about sunset, just as
General Grant was leaving me. General Buell asked me
many questions, and got of me a small map, which I had
made for my own use, and told me that by daylight, he
could have eighteen thousand fresh men, which I knew
would settle the matter.
I understood Grant's forces were to advance on the right
of the Corinth road, ana Buell's on the left; and accord
ingly, at daylight, I advanced my division by the flank, the
resistance being trivial, up to the very spot where the day
before the battle had been most severe, and then waited till
near noon for Buell's troops to get up abreast, when the en
tire fine advanced and recovered all the ground we had ever
held. I know that, with the exception of one or two severe
struggles, the fighting of April 7th was easy as compared with
that of April 6th.
I never was disposed, nor am I now, to question anything
done by General Buell and his army, and know that ap
proaching our field of battle from the rear, he encountered.
the sickening crowd of laggards and fugitives that excited
his contempt, and that of his army, who never gave full
credit to those in the front line, who did fight hard, and who

98 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
, had, at 4 P.M., checked the enemy, and were preparing the
next day to assume the offensive. I remember the fact the
better from General Grant's anecdote of his at Donelson bat
tle, which he told me then for the first time — that, at a cer
tain period of the battle he saw that either side was ready to
give way, if the other showed a bold front, and he deter
mined to do that very thing, to advance on the enemy,
when, as he prognosticated, the enemy surrendered. At 4
P. M. of April 6th, he thought the appearance the same, and
he judged, with Lewis Wallace's fresh division and such of
our startled troops as had recovered their equilibrium, he
would be justified in dropping the defensive and assuming
the offensive in the morning. And, I repeat, I received such
orders before I knew General Buell's troops were at the
river. I admit that I was glad Buell was there because I
knew his troops were older than ours, and better systema
tized and drilled, and his arrival made that certain, which
before was uncertain. I have heard this question much dis
cussed, and must say, that the officers of Buell's army dwelt
too much on the stampede of some of our raw troops, and
gave to us too little credit for the fact that for one whole
day, weakened as we were by the absence of Buell's army,
long expected, of Lewis Wallace's Division, only four miles
off, and of the fugitives from our ranks, we had beaten off
our assailants for the time. At the same time, our army of
the Tennessee have indulged in severe criticisms at the slow
approach of that army which knew the danger that threat
ened us from the concentrated armies of Johnston, Beaure-
gard and Bragg, that lay at Corinth. In a war like this.
where opportunities for personal prowess are as plenty aa
blackberries, to those who seek them at the front, all such
criminations should be frowned down ; and were it not for
the military character of your journal, I would not venture

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 99
to offer a correction to a very popular error.
I will also avail myself of this occasion to correct a an
other very common mistake, in attributing to General Grant
the selection of that battle-field. It was chosen by that vet
eran soldier, Major-General Charles F. Smith, who ordered
my division to disembark there, and strike for the Charles
ton Railroad. This order was subsequently modified, by his
ordering Hurlbut's Division to disembark there, and mine
higher up the Tennessee, at the mouth of Yellow Creek, to
strike the railroad at Burnsville. But floods prevented our
reaching the railroad, when General Smith ordered me in
person also to disembark at Pittsburg Landing, and take
post well out, so as to make plenty of room, with Snake and
Lick Creeks the flanks of a camp for the grand army of in
vasion. It was General Smith who selected that-field of battle, and
it was well chosen. On any other we surely would have
been overwhelmed, as both Lick and Snake Creeks forced
the enemy to confine his movement to a direct front attack,
which new troops are better qualified to resist than where
the flanks are exposed to a real or chimerical danger. Even
the divisions of that army were arranged in that camp by
General Smith's order, my division forming, as it were, the
outlying picket, whilst McClernand's and Prentiss' were the
real line of battle, with W. H. L. Wallace in support of the
right wing, and Hurlbut of the left ; Lewis Wallace Divis
ion being detached. All these subordinate dispositions were
made by the order of General Smith, before General Grant,
succeeded him to the command of all the forces up the Ten
nessee, headquarters at Savannah. Ifthere were any error in
putting that army on the west side of the Tennessee, ex
posed to the superior»force of the enemy also assembling at
Corinth, the mistake was not General Grant's ; but there was

ioo LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
no mistake. It was necessary that a combat, fierce and bit
ter, to test the manhood of the two armies, should come off,
and that was as good a place as any. It was not then a
question of military skill and strategy, but of courage and
pluck, and I am convinced that every life lost that day to
us was necessary, for otherwise at Corinth, at Memphis, at
Vicksburg, we would have found harder resistance, had we
not shown our enemies that, rude and untutored as we were,
we could fight as well as they.
Excuse so long a letter, which is very unusual for me ;
but of course my life is liable to cease at any moment, and
I happen to be a witness to certain truths which are now
beginning to pass out of memory, and form what is called
history. I also take great pleasure in adding, that nearly all of the
new troops that at Shiloh drew from me official censure,
have more than redeemed their good name ; among them,
that very regiment which first broke, the 53d Ohio, Colonel
Appen. Under another leader, Colonel Jones, it has shared
every campaign and expedition of mine since, is with me
now, and can march, and bivouac, and fight as well as the
the best regiment in this or any army. Its reputation now
is equal to that of any from the State of Ohio.
I am, with respect, yours truly,
W. T. Sherman, Major- General.

CHAPTER VII.
MEMPHIS AND BEYOND.
While Grant and Smith were making sure ground for
the " Army of the Tennessee " on the line of the Tennes
see River, Pope was moving down the Mississippi against
Island No. 10 and New Madrid. Pope's army was power,
fully supported by the gunboat fleet under Admiral
Foote. On the date of the battle of Shiloh, Pope and
Foote were bombarding Island No. 10 and the batteries
on the Kentucky shore opposite; Pope, having run
his steamers to the Easts hore, captured a large part of the
Confederate forces near Tiptonville.
Halleck still remained at St. Louis, and seemed dazed
with the successes of his Generals. Instead of following
up the triumphs on the line of the Mississippi, he ordered
Pope around and up the Tennessee, and following him,
took command of the Tennessee operations in person.
Foote's gunboat fleet descended the Mississippi tillbrought
to a stand at Fort Pillow, 50 miles above Memphis. It
was at this juncture that Farragut entered the mouth of
the Mississippi and prepared to co-operate with Butler for
the reduction of Forts Jackson and Philip, and the
capture of New Orleans.
Shiloh had been fough t on April 6 and 7. On the 8th the
enemy cleared the front of the Union army, leaving be
hind killed, wounded and much property. The close of the
battle had left the Army of the Tennessee on the right of.
the line and the Army of the Ohio on the left, but neither
101

102 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Grant nor Buell seemed to exercise command, both being
busy in repairing damages. All the subordinate officers
were wholly engrossed with collecting stragglers, burying
dead and caring for the wounded. After this came the
re-organization of existing forces. Sherman consolidated
his four brigades into three, the First under General M.
L. Smith, the Second under Colonel John A. McDowell,
the Third under General J. W. Denver. While thus re.
organized and ready for an advance, he was promoted to
the rank of Major General of Volunteers, a merited com
pliment, after the hard fought field of Shiloh.
In a few days Halleck arrived by boat and assumed
personal command. He came full of the prejudices
which had been inspired by worthless newspaper corres
pondents against Grant, and in a few days issued an
brder re-organizing the entire army. Buell's army
was given the centre ; Pope's army, then arriving, was
given the left ; the right was composed of Sherman's
division, Hurlbut's division, and two others made up of
fragments of Prentiss' and Smith's commands. General
Thomas was taken from Buell's command and placed in
command of this newly formed right. The two divisions
of Wallace and McClernand were placed in reserve under
McClernand. Grant was practically ignored, though he
still retained his staff and an escort of one small com
pany of Illinois cavalry. For a month he remained thus
ostracised, during which time he visited Sherman often,
not to complain, yet unable to conceal his indignation at
the insult heaped upon him.
Sherman was now immediately under Thomas, a class
mate of his at West Point, and a chum of the old army.
The enemy had stopped at and fortified Cornith, 30 miles
distant from Shiloh. They had received large re-inforce-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 103
ments and were under command of Beauregard, who had
succeeded Johnston, killed at Shiloh. The Union army had
also received Buell's and Pope's armies, and was even
stronger that its adversary. Supplies were plenty by way
of the river. Toward the end of April everything seemed
ready for a move on Corinth. Sherman's division held the
extreme right, and marched by way of the White House
and across Lick Creek, thence by the main road to Elams.
The Prudy road was then taken to Corinth, his skirmishers all
the while holding the line of the Mobile and Ohio railroad.
The marches were provokingly tardy, being governed by
those of the centre, which was seemingly digging its way
forward. Halleck's excessive caution and irritating tardi
ness became a theme of satirical mirth in the army and of
wide, though subdued criticism. His orders were express
to fortify every camp at night, whether an enemy had beeny
sighted or not.
Sherman's part of the army made its tedious advance
without opposition, till it neared Corinth. When within
two miles of the place, two of his brigades came into con
tact with the enemy, and the result was a sharp engagement,
which forced his opponents further toward the fortifications.
On the 27th he was ordered by Halleck to make a strong
demonstration on Corinth, and to call for the nearest divisions
to assist. A brief reconnoitre developed the enemy in strong
position on a hill. Calling on Hurlbut and McClernand to
each send a brigade to his assistance, he formed a line of
battle and charged on the position, carrying it in fine style,
and occupying the ridge, which overlooked the fortifications
of Corinth. The Confederates had been surprised and
soon returned, but quickly fled again when they re
ceived a well concentrated fire. Both Grant and Thomas
were present during this engagement, and expressed their

104 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
pleasure at the way the plans had been laid and the troops
behaved. Shiloh had been won on April 6th and 7th. Corinth was
some thirty miles from Shiloh. It was now May 29th.
Verily the army had dug its way along. But its investment,
of the place was now complete, and it was ready to dig its
way in. Halleck's divisions were all in touch. On that
night the confusion within the town seemed to be unusual.
On the morning of the 30th the earth shook with a series
of explosions and clouds of smoke rose above the town.
Sherman telegraphed to Halleck's headquarters asking him
if he knew the cause; Halleck replied with an order to
feel the enemy and see if he was still in his front. Sherman
pushedforward two regiments Trom each of histhree brigades
and followed with his entire~division. He found all the
Confederate parapets abandoned. He drove straight for
the town with his whole force, and found it evacuated The
evacuation had gone on all night, and the rear guard had
set fire to the magazine at daylight. He dispatched Smith's
brigade after the retreating columns. It pursued to the
Tuscambia River, where it found the bridge burned. He
pushed his other brigades to a point south of the town and
halted there to await the arrival of Thomas.
Halleck had ordered all his columns to move coincident
with Sherman's, and they entered the town simultaneously
from different directions. But Beauregard had made a swift
and sure retreat, and had reached Tupelo, without serious
molestation except from Pope's cavalry. After the situa
tion had been made out by Halleck, Sherman was ordered
back to his camp of the day before. Though Halleck's
progress had been slow and uneventful, the time expended
was not necessarily wasted. -It had brought him to the
coveted line of. the Memphis and Charleston railroad, and

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 105
to its intersection with the Mobile and Ohio railroad. It
had placed him in a position whence he could move in any
direction. It had given opportunity for the men to become
acquainted with service and for commanders to learn
their men. His caution was such as to introduce every
kind of field and camp preparation. The result was disci
pline and organized control, and even confidence amid
jovial criticism.
Sherman gave him great credit for acquirement and
capacity, and believed he really would have taken advant
age of his pivotal situation and great strength of disciplined
numbers by a movement directly on Vicksburg or Mobile
if he had not been overruled from Washington. The oc
cupation of Corinth, instead of inuring to any immediate
advantage, was a signal for the dispersion of his magnifi
cent army. Pope's army was distributed among other com
mands, and he was sent East. Thomas went back to his
old command in the army of the Ohio. Buell was ordered
to march to Chattanooga along the line of the Memphis and
Charleston railroad. McClernand was sent toward Mem
phis. McPherson was given charge of the northern con
nections, with orders to open railway connection between
Columbus and Corinth. Hurlbut and Sherman were sent
north to Chewalla. Even Grant with his little guard, and
smarting under the slights of the last month, was going to
leave on a thirty days' absence, and would have done so but
for Sherman, who compared his (Grant's) humiliation to his
own at Louisville and Paducah, and out of which he had
come at Shiloh. He advised him to hold on and trust to a
turn in events. Grant changed his mind and held on. The
result was what the country demanded, a hero equal to a
large and complex situation.
Sherman was at Chewalla but a short time when he was

106 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
ordered to Grand Junction, fifty miles west of Corinth, to
repair the railroad thence to Memphis, which had been
evacuated, after Corinth had fallen into Halleck's hands,
and on the appearance of McClernand's forces before it, co
operated with by the fleet of gunboats under Admiral Davis,
who had succeeded Foote. Farragut had captured New
Orleans, and had come up the Mississippi as far as the forti
fications of Vicksburg.
The Confederates were rapidly strengthening their armies
by conscription. Bragg succeeded Beauregard in the west
ern command, as being a better organizer and disciplinarian.
His first test was to outmanoeuvre Buell in- his march to
Chattanooga and force him clear back to Louisville. Dur
ing the latter part of June and first half of July, Sher
man's and Hurlbut's divisions held Grand Junction, and the
neighboring railroad towns, and were kept busy rebuilding
railroads and fighting off Confederate cavalry. On July
17th, 1862, Halleck was assigned to the command of all the
armies, superseding McClellan/ This left Grant supreme in
his old jurisdiction, the District of Tennessee, but with a
greatly reduced force, and one hardly equal to the task of
keeping his line of supplies open back to Columbus.
On the very day of Halleck's promotion, July 17th, Sher
man sent two brigades to Holly Springs, so as to better pro
tect the railroads. On the 23d, Grant paid him a visit at
Lafayette, on his way to Memphis to take command of the
District of Tennessee. From this date on, Sherman re
ceived his orders from Grant, and continued to do so till the
end of the war ; but before this Sherman had received
Halleck's order to occupy Memphis, which he did. The
occupancy of Memphis stretched the Union lines to such
tension that Grant's army was on the defensive all the while.
It had the greatest difficulty in keeping communications

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 107
open, and in holding the various points stretching all the
way from Memphis to Tuscambia, while Buell's long line
which aimed for Chattanooga, was entirely flanked by Bragg
and finally doubled up and forced back to the Ohio. Van
Dorn and Price had been brought from the west side of
the Mississippi to the east, and were supported by Arm
strong and Forrest with powerful cavalry forces. Their
joint armies aggregated 40,000 men, centered about Holly
Springs, and therefore in position to cut the road at Grand
Junction, and thus sever the connection between Corinth
and Memphis.
Memphis was secure under Sherman, but Grant, at Cor
inth, could but watch the enemy and be on continual guard.
He spent eight weeks at Corinth, fortifying, and holding to
his strategic triangle, whose corners were Corinth, Bolivar
and Jackson. The military situation all over the country
was gloomy. The Armies of the Potomac had met with
reverses. Bragg was threatening the States north of the
Ohio. Grant had been drawn upon "for forces to help Buell,
till even defence became most arduous and dangerous.
On September 13th, Price swung round to Grant's left and
seized Iuka. Van Dorn was known to be marching
directly on Corinth at the same' time. Grant determined
to beat Price, and march back to Corinth, before Van Dorn
could arrive. He sent Ord's (formerly McClernand's) divi
sion and Rosecrans' command in haste to Iuka, twenty-three
miles distant, with orders to attack. These two commands
got detached, and Price fell on Rosecrans near Iuka, and
defeated him with a loss of 760 men and a battery, but
finding that Ord was at hand, he retreated and rejoined
Van Dorn. Grant now put Ord in command at Bolivar, and
Rosecrans at Corinth, taking up his own headquarters at
Jackson, so as to better .communicate with all points of his

108 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
command, and sending to Sherman to order Hurlbut's divi
sion out to Brownsville and Bolivar. Grant's army now
stood : A small reserve at Jackson ; Sherman's division at
Memphis, 6,000 men ; Ord and Hurlbut at Bolivar, 10,-
000 men ; Rosecrans at Corinth, three divisions, 20,000 ;
out posts, 10,000. He had to guard a front of 150 miles.
Van Dorn had full 40,000 men, and superior cavalry, ready
to move anywhere. On October 1st, Grant regarded his
position as most precarious and so telegraphed Halleck.
Sherman had made Memphis very strong, and could
afford to make bold infantry and cavalry dashes toward Holly
Springs, and even as far as the Cold Water. On October 2nd,
Van Dorn appeared before Corinth with his entire army,
moving on it from the northwest. The object was to cut Rose
crans off from all reinforcements. But Grant ordered Hurl
but and Ord to hurry down from Bolivar and attack Van
Dorn's flank and rear. Van Dorn invested Corinth on the
3rd, driving Rosecrans within his fortifications, and on the
4th he made a furious attack upon this key to northern Mis
sissippi and western Tennessee, which met with a bloody
repulse, their loss being 1,400 killed and 2,225 prisoners.
On their retreat they were struck by Ord and Hurlbut and
their disaster was rendered final. Sherman estimated
their entire loss at 6,000 killed, wounded and prisoners,
Ord pursued the enemy with vigor, and at the Hatchie
River caught up to them, capturing a battery and several
hundred prisoners, and forcing them to make a wide detour
in order to reach Holly Springs. Grant was as much dis
pleased at Rosecrans, for his failure to pursue Van Dorn
from Corinth, as he had been for his failure to beat Price
at Iuka.
These two battles, Iuka and Corinth, relieved Grant's
command of all immediate danger and recalled the atten-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 109
tion of the Government again to this important field of
operations. They in a measure retrieved the disasters in
the East. Says Sherman : " The effect of the battle of
Corinth was very great. It was indeed a decisive blow to
the Confederate cause in our quarter, and changed the
whole aspect of affairs in west Tennessee. From the timid
defensive we were at once enabled to assume the bold offen
sive. In Memphis I could see its effects upon the citizens,
and they openly admitted that their cause had sustained a
death blow. But the rebel government was then at its
maximum strength. Van Dorn was reinforced, and soon
General Pemberton arrived and assumed command, adopt
ing for his line the Tallahatchie River, with his advance
on the Cold Water, and detachments as far forward as
Grand Junction and Hernando." Grant was also reinforced
with .new regiments, some of which were sent to Sherman
at Memphis for drill and organization into brigades.
Though Grant did not receive all the credit that was due
for these achievements, his fame was on the rise again, and
his genius was ready for a new departure. In the latter part
of October he broached to Halleck the importance of an
offensive movement into Mississippi, with a view to the
capture of Vicksburg.
When Sherman reached Memphis in July, 1862, he
found business at a stand still. Stores, churches, schools
were closed and the citizens hostile. He ordered all this
changed and encouraged a brisk trade with the Mississippi
boats, so that commercial activity was soon restored, and
the cotton trade alone became immense. He had his dif
ficulties about slaves, cotton ownership, and local govern
ment, which he settled according to his interpretation of
the laws which should prevail amid arms. A sample of

110 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
his method of dealing with an abusive and treasonable
press is apropos. " Headquarters, Memphis, July 24, 1862.
" Samuel Sawyer, Esq.,
" Editor Union Appeal, Memphis.
" Dear Sir : — It is well I should come to an understanding
at once with the press as well as the people of Memphis,
which I am ordered to command ;. which means to control
for the interest, welfare and glory of the whole Government
of the United States.
" Personalities in a newspaper are wrong and criminal.
Thus, though you meant to be complimentary in your
sketch of my career, you make more than a dozen mis
takes as to fact, which I need not correct, as I do not desire
my biography to be written till after I am dead. It is
enough for the world to know that I am a soldier, bound
to obey the orders of my superiors, the laws of my country
and to venerate its constitution; and that when discretion
is given me, I shall exercise it wisely, and account to my
superiors., "I regard your article headed "City Council, General
Sherman and Colonel Slack," as highly indiscreet. Of course
no person who can jeopardize the safety of Memphis can
remain here, much less exercise public authority; but I
must take time and be satisfied that injustice be not done.
" If the parties named be the men you describe the fact
should not be published, to put them on their guard and
thus encourage their escape. The evidence should be care
fully collected, authenticated and placed in my hands. But
your statement of facts is entirely qualified in my mind
and loses its force by your negligence of the very simple
facts within your reach as to myself.
" I will attend to the judge, mayor, aldermen and police-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. Ill
men all in good time. Use your influence to re-establish
system, order, government. You may rest easy that no
military commander is going to neglect internal safety or to
guard against external danger ; but to do right requires
time and more patience than I possess. If I find the press
of Memphis actuated by high principles and sole devotion
to the country, I will be their best friend ; but if I find it
personal, abusive, dealing in inuendos and hints, looking to
their own selfish aggrandizement and fame, then they had
better look out, for I regard such persons as greater ene
mies to their country and mankind than the men who
from a mistaken sense of State pride, have taken up mus
kets and fight us about as hard" as we care about.
" Yours,
" W. T. Sherman,
" Major General."
During Sherman's stay at Memphis he erected Fort
Pickering, enforced drill and discipline, reorganized his
division into six brigades : — Smith's First, McDowell's
Second, Denver's Third, Stuart's Fourth, Buckland's Fifth
and Lauman's Sixth. These were formed into three minor
divisions of two brigades each, and became Smith's First
Division, Denver's Second Division and Lauman's Third.
He had these in the best possible order and fancied that no
officer in the army could turn out so handsome and well
drilled a division.
Halleck had not responded to Grant's proposition to take
the offensive, so he considered silence as the equivalent of
consent and mapped his southerly campaign against Pem
berton, from Grand Junction. On November 15th he tele
graphed Sherman to meet him in Columbus, Kentucky.
At that meeting he explained to Sherman his proposed
movement against Pemberton, then entrenched on the Tal-

112 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
lahatchie. He would move from Grand Junction on Abbe
ville and Holly Springs. McPherson would/ move from
Corinth and aim to join him at Holly Springs. Sherman
was to leave in Memphis a proper garrison, and march his
inain force to the line of the Tallahatchie so as to come in
on his right. He gave it out that his object was to capture
Vicksburg and open the Mississippi. In this move, he was
at liberty to call on Curtis for co-operation. Curtis com
manded in the Department of Arkansas. Sherman sug
gested that if Curtis were to dispatch a force from Helena
toward Grenada and thus threaten Pemberton's rear, it
might assist the proposed attack in front. Grant ordered
Sherman to make an order to this effect, and in pursuance
of it Hovey's command was sent from Helena toward
Charleston on the Tallahatchie.
The reader ought now to understand the line of the Mis
sissippi River. The Confederates early seized the import
ant positions on this river. Columbus, Fort Pillow, Island
No. 10, Vicksburg and Port Hudson were all strongly forti
fied. Columbus, Fort Pillow and Island No. 10, fell in the
spring of 1862, but Vicksburg, situated at a remarkable
bend and on high bluffs, was maintained and was regarded
as impregnable — the "Gibraltar of America." After the
capture of New Orleans in June, 1862, Farragut's fleet and
William's army moved up the Mississippi River, 530 miles,
to Vicksburg. .The fleet bombarded the town without
effect, but part of the fleet succeeded in running by the
batteries. The troops did not attack, but were occupied
several weeks in cutting a canal across the peninsula oppo
site the town. The proposition was to make a new chan
nel for the river and leave Vicksburg an inland town.
Heat, disease and high water killed off the men so fast and
the work presented such insuperable obstacles, that the pro-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 113
ject was abandoned, and Vicksburg still remained to con
trol the " Father of Waters." It was therefore essential
that it should fall. Toward Vicksburg every energy was
turned. Its fall would let the waters of the great highway
run unvexed to the sea.
The conclusion of Grant's interview with Sherman was,
as already stated, that his movement had for its ultimate
object the capture of Vicksburg. In pursuance of orders
Sherman moved from Memphis on November 24th, 1862,
leaving Hurlbut in command of the city with five regiments
of infantry, two regiments of cavalry and one battery of
artillery. Sherman marched with his three small divisions,
by different roads, till the Tallahatchie's was approached.
All the rest of Grant's columns had moved on time, and by
the 29th Grant's cavalry had crossed the Tallahatchie and
his headquarters were at Holly Springs. Sherman was up,
and would cross the river at Wyatt. He had communicated
with Grant, by means of his cavalry, at Holly Springs.
Sherman reached Wyatt on December 2nd, without oppo
sition, and therS learned that Pemberton's army had fallen
back to the Yalabusha, near Grenada. This evacuation of
the Tallahatchie fortifications was due to the exaggerated
reports respecting Hovey's command, which had promptly
appeared on Pemberton's rear and threatened his commu
nications. Grant pushed directly to Oxford in pursuit.
Sherman had to build a bridge at Wyatt which took two
days, but by November 5th, his whole command was at Col
lege Hill, ten miles from Oxford, and he was "in commu
nication with Grant.
Pemberton was now at Grenada. Grant's cavalry were
at Coffeeville, eighteen miles north. His entire force was
at Oxford, twenty-eight miles north. This was December
5th. He feared to lengthen his line of communication, and

114 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
wrote Halleck that he thought it practicable to send General
Sherman to move the Memphis and Helena forces to the
south of the Yazoo and thus secure Vicksburg and the
State of Mississippi. Pending an answer from Halleck, he
sent for Sherman and they talked over the situation. Grant
told him that large reinforcements would reach Memphis
soon ; that Porter would aid with his entire gunboat fleet ;
that Helena could supply a full division of troops ; and he
believed that he (Sherman) could make a point somewhere
on the Yazoo and capture Vicksburg. If Pemberton should
retreat south, Grant would follow him up and finally join
Sherman near or, perhaps, within Vicksburg.
After this talk, Grant dispatched to Halleck that Sher
man would command the expedition down the Mississippi,
with 40,000 men, would land above Vicksburg, or up the
Yazoo, cut the Mississippi Central railroad, and that he
(Grant) would co-operate from where he was (Oxford).
Grant drew up full instructions for Sherman and presented
them to him. All this was done without knowledge of the
fact that McClernand was using his influence at Washing
ton to get command of an expedition with precisely the
same object in view, viz : the capture of Vicksburg.
Grant's instructions to Sherman were to go to Memphis,
taking along one of his present divisions, assume command
of all the troops there, including Curtis' forces then east of
the Mississippi, organize them into brigades and divisions
as if of his own army, and move as soon as possible down
the river to a point above Vicksburg, and with Porter's
cooperation proceed to the reduction of that place. Grant's
object in hurrying Sherman to Memphis was to anticipate
the possible appointment of McClernand to the very expe
dition he had planned for Sherman. But with all his hurry
he was too late. The Washington machine, even in spite

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 115
of Halleck, had ordered that McClernand should have a
command in the expedition against Vicksburg. Grant was
ordered to divide his command into four army corps and
assign one to McClernand. He informed McClernand of
this and ordered him to report at Memphis.
Sherman meanwhile had arrived in Memphis (December
12th), and began immediately the Vicksburg movement. He
formed and organized three divisions, the First, Gen'l A. J.
Smith; Second, Gen'l Morgan; Third, Gen'l M. L. Smith,
and sent word to Gorman to make up a strong division at
Helena, which became his Fourth Division under Steele.
Admiral Porter dropped down from Memphis with his
whole gunboat fleet and was ready to co- operate. Prepara
tions were hasty, but the expedition was to be in the nature
of a surprise, while Grant held Pemberton at Grenada.
By the 19th, the Memphis troops were embarked. By the
21st Helena was reached and Steele's division was taken
aboard. By the 22d the troops and fleet rendezvoused at
Friar's Point-, and Sherman issued formal instructions to
army and navy, how to proceed and how to cooperate.
On the 25th, Christmas day, Milliken's Bend was reached
and Smith's division was landed and ordered to march in
land and break up the railroad leading from Vicksburg to
Shreveport, La. He sent the other three divisions by boat
up the Yazoo, with orders to land at Johnson's plantation,
thirteen , miles from the mouth of the river. All were
then ordered to make their way toward Hayne's Bluff, by
such roads and approaches as could be found. The way was
difficult, being through swamps and bayous, some fordable
and some having to be bridged. Haine's Bluff was the
northern-most of the Vicksburg range of bluffs, and was
heavily fortified, being the key to the Vicksburg right.
Sherman advanced his men over obstacles of every kind,

116 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
and in the face of an almost constant skirmish fire from the
enemy, until he came within range of the guns on the forti
fications. Here it took* intricate and tedious manoeuvering
to pass the obstacle presented by the last bayou, the Chick
asaw. But by the morning of the 29th, all were in position
and ready to make a lodgment on the foot-hills ahead of
them. The First Division was to make a diversion directly
on Vicksburg, while the navy was to play on Haine's Bluff
He estimated that the entire Confederate forces then in
front of him were about 15,000 men, under Luther Smith
and S. D. Lee.
At noon on December 29th, Sherman gave his orders for
attack. Morgan was to lead his division in person and
Steele was to support him. Sherman's artillery opened
along the whole line, and the Confederate artillery replied.
Soon the infantry opened fire, and one brigade of Morgan's
command crossed the intervening bayou, but soon took the
cover of the banks and could not be moved. Blair's bri
gade of Steele's division got across the bayou and reached
the foot-hills, but being unsupported, and meeting with a
withering artillery fire, fell back, leaving 500 men behind.
Other brigades took wrong directions and did not cross the
bayou at all. The attack failed, and the situation was so
critical that Sherman could not get his men off the field till
darkness afforded a cover for his movements.
Sherman determined, at first, to renew the assault, but
on second thought, gave it up, and looked for another point
below the bluff. He found one at Blake's plantation.
Porter undertook to cover the landing there with his gun
boats. Everything was in readiness for a landing and a
dash pv the hills, when a dense fog fell on the scene, pre
cluding further operations. It had been raining incessantly
and the waters were ten feet above their ordinary level. It

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 117
became the part of wisdom to withdraw. The sound of
engine whistles in Vicksburg told that reinforcements were
coming to the enemy. The withdrawal took place on Jan
uary 1st, and on the 2nd Sherman had all his forces on board
the boats and was on his way to the mouth of the Yazoo.
He had listened long and in vain for the sound of Grant's guns
in the direction of Yazoo City, or some point in the rear. He
retired, disappointed at not having gained the key to Vicks
burg, yet he had contributed his share to the carrying out
of those broad designs which he and Grant had approved in
their Oxford camp.
Sherman's return to the mouth of the Yazoo brought
him face to face with ¦ McClernand, who had just arrived
from Washington. He was thunder-struck when McCler
nand read to him orders from the War Department, author
izing him (McClernand) to the command of the expedition
ary force on the Mississippi. Sherman explained to him
what he had been doing, how he had been cooperating
with Grant, and how he expected that Grant would soon be
in the rear of Vicksburg. McClernand told him that Grant
need not be expected in that direction, that he had been
driven back from Coffeeville and Oxford to Holly Springs.
Sherman could then explain why Vicksburg had been rein- '
forced, and he fell back at once to Milliken's Bend, ten
miles above. But he did not as yet have the light on the
appointment of McClernand that Grant had, within a few
days after issuing his orders to Sherman.
On December 20th the enemy's cavalry dashed into
Holly Springs, twenty -eight miles in Grant's rear, and cap
tured the garrison and stores. Forrest pushed his cavalry
to the railroad between Jackson and Columbus and cut it
at several places. This shut Grant's supplies off, though
he had striven hard to prevent just such a catastrophe. He

118 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
was forced to retreat from the line of the Tallahatchie, and
in giving up he sent word to Halleck that the line of com
munication was too long to warrant a rear movement on
Vicksburg from the north, but that he should 'send rein
forcements to Memphis, and he (Grant) would command
the Mississippi expedition in person. This was not in
derogation of Sherman's command, but because he knew that
McClernand was to supersede Sherman. On this retreat Grant
learned a new point of war. His supplies were gone, and
he was forced to live off the country. He fared better than
he expected, and afterwards declared that if he^had known
an army could be subsisted in this way with so much com
fort he would have given up the idea of preserving his
communications, and would have moved on to the rear of
Vicksburg as he had at first designed.
On December 23d, Grant was back at Holly Springs. He
had sent Sherman word of his change of base, but it had
not been received. Though Sherman was censured for his
failure by the reckless correspondents and by some envious
officers, Grant gave him full credit for a skillful and tena
cious trial, and took especial pains to designate in his report
of the operations the intricate and treacherous nature of
the section Sherman was called upon to traverse. Sherman
almost congratulated himself on his defeat, for he grimlv
asked, " What would have become of us if we had succeeded
with Grant far away and Pemberton's reinforcements pour
ing into Vicksburg. It would have been sure capture or
death to all of us."
The situation was now a peculiar one. McClernand held
full authority from Washington to command the Missis
sippi expeditionary force. Sherman could not but obey
him. Grant was in command of the Department, and he
was where he could not be heard from. Yet he had already

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 119
planned another move on Vicksburg. Sherman's mind,
too, was active. He proposed to McClernand that while
waiting for further orders from Grant, the expeditionary
force should ascend the Arkansas fifty miles, and capture
Arkansas Post, then held by 5,000 Confederates, and a
point whence issued craft which endangered the Union
fleet. McClernand acquiesced, and embarked his whole
army on transports, Sherman commanding his Second
and Morgan his First Corps. Porter piloted them up the
Arkansas with his gunboats, and bombarded the fort for
several days. The army disembarked and took position so
as to reach the flank and rear of the enemy's position. On
January 11th, the forces were in place and well up under
the fortifications. Porter was ordered to open fire, which
was the signal for an assault all along the Union lines.
Sherman moved his lines with great regularity over the in
tervening spaces and in the" face of a heavy fire. As they
approached the parapets a white flag appeared and the
order " cease firing " was given. The token of surrender
was followed by the appearance of the respective brigades
within the fort, who were ordered to " stack arms." The sur
render was complete, and netted 4,791 prisoners, with a loss
of several hundred killed and wounded. Sherman's losses
were four officers and seventy-five men killed, thirty -four
officers and four hundred and six men wounded. The
losses in Morgan's corps were less. McClernand remained
on the steamer Tigress during all the time of this battle and
capture, but he was very willing to rejoice over results and
claim the honors that were really due, for it was a credita
ble affair throughout, and a very bright conception on
Sherman's part, not only because it removed a rearward
menace, but because it kept the men active and gave them

120 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
an opportunity to recover from the effects of their defeat in
the Yazoo bayous.
The fort was dismantled, the stores were removed, and
on January 13th, 1863, the troops were re-embarked. They
arrived at Milliken's Bend on January 21st, where they
awaited the arrival of Grant, who had already determined
to abandon the line on the interior south of Corinth, and
turn his entire attention to the capture of Vicksburg in
some other direction. On January 29th, he arrived at
Young's Point, near the mouth of the Yazoo, and on the
30th assumed command of the expedition against Vicks
burg. MeClernard protested against this, but Grant was
the department commander and protest proved in vain.
In the reduction of Arkansas Post, Sherman was fortu
nate in having the cooperation of so energetic, valiant and
original a naval officer as Commander Porter. There were
many similarities in their characters and methods. Both
lived to ripe ages, and to enjoy the repose of peace for
years after they had fought their battles and earned their
fame. Both found a deep place, in the affections of their
countrymen. They died within two days of each other,
and the nation shed the tears of a double sorrow over their
biers. David Dixon Porter, Admiral Commanding the United
States Navy, died at his home in Washington, D. C, on the
morning of February 13th, 1891: Sherman passed away
at a little after noon of February 14th, in his New York
home. Admiral Porter was born at Chester, Pa., June, 8, 1813,
and was fourth son of the famous old Commodore David
Porter, the Francis Drake of the American Navy, who, as
commander of the Essex in the war of 1812, was a greater
terror to the merchant navy of England than was ever the

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 121
pirate Alabama and Raphael Semmes to the commerce of
this nation during the Rebellion.
Five generations of the Porter family served in the
American marine. Alexander Porter was captain of a
Boston merchant ship. His son David commanded the
Delight] and the Aurora in the Revolutionary War. At
one time he was confined on the old prison ship Jersey,
and after the war he was made a sailing master in the
United States Navy. David's sons, John and David, were
both in the navy. The former reached the grade of Com
mander, and the latter was that renowned commodore
whose services in the naval war with France, with Tripoli,
and finally with Great Britain, are lustrous in naval annals.
His son was the subject of our sketch.
At the age of eleven, we find the young Porter sailing
after pirates in the West Indies with his father. The lat
ter, through a conflict with some of the local authorities,
incurred certain penalties at the hands of the home govern
ment, and was suspended for six months. Smarting under
this punishment the father entered the navy of Mexico, at
that time struggling against Spain for independence, and
the lad was made a midshipman in the Mexican service.
Under his cousin, Capt. David H. Porter, who had also
gone from our navy to that of Mexico, David D. Porter
cruised against the commerce of Spain, discovered and sup
pressed a mutiny, and did some excellent service. The cli
max of his career in the Mexican service was reached
when Captain Porter, in command of the armed brig Guer-
rere off Cuba, attacked two Spanish war vessels convoying
a fleet of merchantmen. The noise of the battle brought
out the sixty-four-gun frigate' Lealtad, and, after a desper
ate fight, the Guerrere was captured. Captain Porter and

122 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
eighty of his crew were killed, and the young midshipman
was taken prisoner. He was then fourteen years old.
Young Porter's capture by the Spanish sailors led to his
restoration to the United States Navy. For a time he was
imprisoned in the guard ship at Havana, but he was soon
released and made his way back to the United States by
way of Vera Cruz. February 2nd, 1829, he re-entered the
United States Navy as midshipman, and in the same year
his father also resigned from the Mexican service.
To February 27th, 1841, he spent twelve years in the Medi -
terranean and on coast survey duty. In the Mexican War
he took part in every naval engagement fought. During
the year following that war he was on furlough and com
manded merchant vessels in the Isthmus trade, running out
of New York. Among his exploits at this time was that
Qf running the steamer Crescent City into the harbor of
Havana during the excitement relative to the ship Black
Warrior. . The Spanish Government had refused to permit
any United States vessel- to enter that port. Running under
the shotted guns of Moro Castle, Porter was ordered to'
halt. He replied that he carried the United States flag and
the United States mail, and he would go in. And he
did. Lieutenant Porter began his career in the -Rebellion by
taking command of the Powhatan of the Gulf squadron,
where his vessel blockaded the Southwest Pass. He was
promoted to the rank of commander from April 22, 1861.
When it was resolved to attack New Orleans Porter re
ported to Farragut with a fleet of twenty-one mortar
schooners, each carrying a 13-inch mortar, besides five war
steamers as convoys. The land forces cooperated under
the command of General Butler.
With this formidable fleet of mortar vessels, in the spring

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 123
of 1862 Farragut and Porter began their memorable attack
on Forts Jackson and St. Philip, the river defenses of New
Orleans. For six days and nights, from April 18th to
April 24th, Porter bombarded the forts, throwing 16,800
shells at the enemy's works. Then occurred the famous
river fight and the running of the forts by Farragut's fleet.
After the latter went up to New Orleans the forts sur
rendered (April 28th) to Commodore Porter, whose flotilla
had been left below.
The next conspicuous service of Commander Porter was
performed soon after, in the operations of the Mississippi
between New Orleans and Vicksburg. ''The mortar
flotilla," wrote Farragut in his official report, June 30,
1862, " have never done better service than at Vicksburg."
In fact, its bombardment of the forts enabled Farragut's
fleet to run by them. In July of that year Commander
Porter was ordered to take his mortar fleet to Fortress Mon
roe, and then received the command of the Mississippi
squadron as acting rear admiral, September, 1862.
This force was increased from a dozen vessels to many
times that number by putting guns and protective armor on
the ordinary river boats.
Taking eight of these vessels, early in 1863, he cooper
ated with General Sherman in the reduction of Arkansas
Post, silencing the fort by the heavy fire of his sixty-six
guns and knocking the bomb-proofs to pieces. Returning
to Vicksburg, where Grant was operating, on the night of
April 16th, he ran the batteries with his fleet,- leading off in
his flagship, the Benton, and, although every vessel was
struck by the fire from the forts, little damage was done.
Being now south of Vicksburg, Porter attacked Grand
Gulf in connection with Grant's army, bringing to bear
eighty "one pieces of artillery and silencing the batteries.

124 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
His fleet, however, suffered not a little in this engagement,
the Benton, for example, being struck forty-seven times
and losing twenty-six men. When Vicksburg finally sur
rendered, Commander Porter received the thanks of Con
gress for his services and also a commission as rear
admiral. One more great exploit was to crown the admiral's
career. Toward the close of the year JL864, having been
put in command of the North Atlantic blockading squadron,
he was ordered to cooperate with a land force commanded
by General Butler to reduce Fort Fisher and the other
works on Cape Fear River preparatory to capturing Wil
mington. The troops were sent on transports, and on
Christmas eve Admiral Porter began a tremendous bom
bardment from thirty -five vessels, five of which were iron
clads, holding nineteen others in reserve. In a little over
an hour the forts were silenced. Still, General Butler did
not consider the works substantially injured, and con
cluded, after a reconnoissance, that they could not be car
ried by assault. He therefore returned with his command
to Hampton Roads. Admiral Porter asked for a renewal
of the attempt, which was granted, with General Terry in
command of the troops.
January 13th and 14th Porter resumed the attack, and
early in the morning of the 15th, with forty-four vessels
in a curved line, besides fourteen held in reserve, he opened
a tremendous fire with careful aiming, taking the trans-
verses in order and dismounting the guns between them.
The result was that the infantry were driven to their bomb-
proofs, gun after gun was silenced, and so many of them
were dismounted that, at the time fixed for the assault
in the afternoon, there were few to be feared. TJien a
land attack was made, and after several hours of hard

ADMIRAL PORTER.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 127
fighting Fort Fisher was captured by General Terry. For
this brilliant assault i,400 sailors and 500 marines had been
landed, and they all took part in the action. Once more
Congress gave Porter a vote of thanks.
After the war, when the grades of General and Lieuten
ant General were awarded to Grant and Sherman, those of.
Admiral and Vice Admiral were given to Farragut and
Porter, dating from July, 1866. On Farragut's death, Por
ter was made Admiral of the' Navy, August 15, 1870, and it
was provided that the grade should lapse when he should
cease to hold it. Meanwhile, as Vice Admiral, he had
been made Superintendent of the Naval Academy at An
napolis, The twenty-one years through which Admiral Porter
held his high grade were years of peace. A part of his
leisure time was devoted to literature, he being the author
of " A Life of Commodore David Porter," a novel called
" Allen Dare and Robert le Diable," " Incidents and Anec
dotes of the Civil War," " Harry Martine," and a " History
of the Navy in the War of the Rebellion." He also wrote
several valuable reports, and' his essays and testimony be
fore committees of Congress showed a vigorous and pro
gressive interest in the problems of national defense and
naval construction.

CHAPTER VIII.
CAPTURE OF VICKSBURG.
After the fall of Arkansas Post, Sherman's expedition
rendezvoused at Napoleon, January 18th, 1863. Grant came.
down from Memphis, in person, to interview Sherman. He
had the investment and capture of Vicksburg fully in mind,
and designed to make a passage up and down the Mississippi,
past the Vicksburg fortifications, by a second effort to cut
the canal across the Penninsula. There was still a conflict
of authority and some feeling between Grant and McCler
nand, but a vast majority of the officers recognized the recti
tude of Grant's claims, by virtue of his general command of
the Department of the Tennessee. In December, 1862, the
Western armies had been formed into five groups or corps.
The command of the Thirteenth had been given to
McClernand ; the Fourteenth to Thomas ; the Fifteenth to
Sherman; the Sixteenth to Hurlbut; the Seventeenth to
McPherson ; the last two being at and back of Memphis.
After consulting with Sherman, at Napoleon, General
Grant ordered Sherman's and McClernand's Corps to Vicks
burg to resume work on the canal, andrepaired thither himself
to superintend operations. The work before these two corps
was most difficult owing to continuous high water. Ere any
thing satisfactory was reached, Sherman received orders from
Grant to report to him at Milliken's Bend. He went and
was informed that Grant deemed Vicksburg approachable
by way of the Yazoo River, if the bayous leading .into it
could be threaded. He had tried Steele's Bayou with five
128

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 129
gunboats and found no obstruction except fallen trees. He
therefore ordered Sherman to test the feasibility of getting
an army through to the Yazoo, and to draw on his own
corps for sufficient force to remove all obstructions and
hold all available points. He supplied him with two steamers
and promised to send him as many additional ones as he
might need.
This was really Grant's first move on Vicksburg, and in
view of its importance he chose for its leader one whom he
thought best fitted for the hazardous enterprise." Sherman
started up the Bayott with the Eighth Missouri, who were
watermen, and with a full supply of axes and tools for
removing obstructions. Sixty miles up, he met Lieutenant
Woodworth with the gunboat Price, and then turned into
Black Bayou, up which Admiral Porter had pushed some
gunboats, amid the thickest kind of obstructions. At Deer
Creek he met Admiral Porter, who thought he would be
able to make his way to the Rolling Fork and Sun
flower. Sherman returned to Black Bayou, and disposed
his forces so as to clear the obstructions. He ordered up
two additional regiments. On March 19th, Porter was
attacked by the enemy and sent for Sherman to come to his
rescue. He immediately dispatched some 800 men to
Porter's aid, and sent word that he would follow with all
the forces he could gather. Following the sound of Porter's
guns, the forces made their way through water and cane
brakes to the rescue. Coming upon v the enemy, mostly
"sharp shooterswho were picking off Porter's men from the
gunboats, they were dispersed, and Porter felt greatly
relieved. But inasmuch as his aims were now known
and a force of the enemy had really passed below him
for the purpose of felling trees and cutting off his retreat, he
deemed it best to back down the bayou with his boats

130 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
covered by Sherman's troops. This failure to reach the
Yazoo above Haine's. Bluff was a disappointment to Grant.
He ordered the troops back to Young's Point, which they
reached on the 27th of March.
On April 3rd, 1863, the Third Division under General
Tuttle was assigned to Sherman's corps. The corps now
comprised three divisions commanded by Generals Steele,
Blair and Tuttle. At this date it became apparent that
the effort to divert the Mississippi through the canal was a
failure, and equally, that to gain Haine's Bluff by way
of the Yazoo was impossible. There* was much specula
tion among army commanders as to what should be done
next. Sherman favored a land movement in the rear of
Vicksburg, by way of Oxford and Grenada, to be cooperated
with by the gunboats on the river. But Grant would
take no backward step, and concluded on a river movement
below Vicksburg, so as to make it a diversion in favor of
General Banks, then besieging Port Hudson.
While these experiments were being tried, Farragut had
succeeded in running part of his fleet past the fortifications
of Port Hudson, and in communicating with Grant.
Through Farragut, Banks was also communicated with.
He was then pushing his Red River expedition with a large ,
army, and with a view to the capture of Port Hudson,
under the cooperation of Farragut. It seemed to be the
sentiment of Halleck, that Grant having exhausted his
genius and the patience of the authorities, in his efforts to
reach Vicksburg, should go the help of Banks, and make
Port Hudson the objective of the combined armies. Then,
communications down the Mississippi being open, a north
ward movement of the combined armies might effect the
reduction of Vicksburg. But Grant regarded the distance
between the two armies as too great, and the intermediate

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 131
obstacles as too insurmountable, to make this combination,
practicable. He was once more suffering from political
clamor. Vicious correspondents were reviving their old
slanders. All the McClernand influence was against him.
The cry went up in Washington for his. removal. Lincoln
said: "I father like the man. I think we'll try him a lit
tle longer." Rosecrans had gotten no further than Murfrees-
borough, Tenn., in his efforts against. Bragg. Banks had
achieved no military results with his mammoth expedition.
Burnside had met with disaster at Fredericksburg. Grant's
efforts on Grenada, up the Yazoo, and to canal the penin
sula opposite Vicksburg, had all failed. There had really
been nothing to relieve the gloom of the country since
Corinth and Iuka. The swamps, the intricate bayous, the
sickly climate, the rains, the high waters, indeed entire
nature seemed to conspire with the Confederates on the line
of the Mississippi and to mock the genius of the Union
generals and the strength of the Union forces.
Sherman had taken occasion to put his views of the cap
ture of Vicksburg, by a rear movement, starting from
Memphis and carried down to the Tallahatchie and Yalla-
busha, on paper, and to submit them to Col. Rawlins, Grant's
chief of staff. His letter was able and showed that he had
good military reasons for his convictions. It was most
courteous in tone and its conclusion ran : " I make these
suggestions with the request that General Grant simply
read them and give them, as I know he will, a share of his
thoughts. I prefer he should not answer them, but merely
give them as much or as little weight as they deserve.
Whatever plan of action he may adopt will receive from
me the same zealous cooperation and energetic support as
though I had conceived it myself."
As already said, Grant had determined on his move to

132 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
the south of Vicksburg, and nothing shook his plans. He
found no more faithful and able subordinate than Sherman,
who merged all conceptions in those of his superior, and
fought the harder to convert them into success. Grant's first
grand step was to throw all of his army below Vicksburg.
In the last week in March, 1863, he ordered all his forces
to concentrate at Milliken's Bend on the west side of the
Mississippi, above' Vicksburg. McPherson's corps came
thither from Lake Providence and Sherman's from Steele's
Bayou. McClernand's corps was already there. Hurl
but's corps was stripped of all its strength, except
what was barely necessary for a rear guard. Boats and
floats of every kind were collected from Cairo and St.
Louis. On March 29th, McClernand was ordered to move by
way of Richmond to New Carthage, twenty-seven miles
below, ana on the west bank of the river. Sherman and
McPherson were to follow, as fast as rations and supplies
arrived. The roads were low and much overflowed, and
the march was slow, but New Carthage was occupied on
April 6th. It was soon surrounded by water, and the re
mainder of Grant's columns were forced to rendezvous at
Perkins's, twelve miles below, which point they only reached
by a continuation of boat bridges across bayous and over
flowed flats.
At this juncture Grant started Grierson, with 1,700 cav
alry, on that memorable raid from La Grange, during which
he traversed the entire State of Mississippi, destroying the
main lines of railroad leading to Vicksburg, and arriving
at Baton Rouge, La., with 500 prisoners, having lost but
three killed and seven wounded of his own men. Grant
ordered this raid not more as a diversion in favor of his
own contemplated movement to the south of Vicksburg,

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 133
than as a test of the ability of an army to live off the
country, and of his theory that the interior of the Confed
eracy had been weakened by the gradual forcing of its
strength to the exterior.
When the Mississippi army was once below Vicksburg,
its greatest need would be for boats and barges with which
to cross to the east bank of the river. It was determined
to run these past the Vicksburg batteries. Volunteers
went up from the army, and numerous steamers Were man*
ned, each protected by cotton bales and wet hay, and each
having- in tow a line of transports and barges. While
seven of Porter's iron clads engaged the Vicksburg batter
ies, these steamers were to run the gauntlet of the twenty-
eight heavy guns which commanded the river for a dis
tance of fifteen miles. The night of April 16th was
selected for the perilous undertaking. Porter led the way,
and at eleven o'clock his first gunboat was discovered
oppposite the first battery, which instantly opened fire.
Porter responded and instantly his whole fleet opened a
terrific fire. The steamers with their long tow3 hugged
the Louisiana shore and steamed ahead with all their
force. The night was dark, and the C@nfederates set
fire to houses in Vicksburg so as to illuminate the river.
This brought the .respective steamers into view and each
became a target for the enemy's shot. There was a terri
ble wreckage of vessels and their tows. Those which
caught fire were cut loose and permitted to float away with
the current. Every steamer was struck, and those entirely
disabled and which could be reached by boats below, were
taken in tow and drawn out of reach of the destructive shots.
One transport, the Henry Clay, having in tow a large barge
filled with soldiers, took fire and burned to the water's edge.
As she floated helplessly with the current, General Sher-

134 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
man, who was watching the bombardment in a small boat,
picked up the pilot as he floated by on the blazing wreck.
The burning vessels helped the aim of the enemy, whose
fire grew more intense as they saw that the desperate under
taking was about to prove, in part at least, successful. The
commingled smoke and flame on the river, the glare of the
burning buildings on the bluff's, the belching of heavy guns
from the batteries and the bursting of shells over the
water and the eraft, the terrific responses from Porter's gun
boats, made up a scene of appalling grandeur, and one
without parallel in the annals of warfare. This terrific
ordeal lasted for over two hours and a half, when the ves
sels passed one by one beyond the range of the shore bat
teries. Porter came out of the fire with all his gunboats,
and but few of the steamers were damaged beyond repair.
The loss of life was insignificant. Sherman's part in this
undertaking was, on his own responsibility, to have four
yawl boats hauled across the swamp to the reach of the
river below Vicksburg, and manned with soldiers ready to
pick up the wrecks which might float by. He was in mid
stream when. the fleet was making its perilous trip, and he
describes the scene as sublime.
The army below Vicksburg had now the support of a
gunboat fleet, and all the steamers, transports and barges
necessary for the operations which had been mapped for
McClernand's corps. Grant ordered McClernand to move
at once on Grand Gulf and capture the- place. But this
officer delayed the movement. Porter grew impatient and
requested "Sherman to ask Grant to come down in person to
the front to examine the situation for himself. Sherman
sent the request, and though Grant was sick, he rode from
Milliken's Bend, forty miles, in one day and reached Per
kins's at night. He was astounded to find that McCler-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 135
nand had been wasting so much precious time, and became
convinced of the fact that McClernand was not the man to
command his advance column. \t was then that he de
termined to take command in person and remain with the
advance. He made a hasty return to Milliken's Bend to
hasten the advance of McPherson's corps, and came back
to share the fortunes of the army, in person.
On the night of April 26th, six other transports ran the
Vicksburg batteries, with twelve barges laden with forage .
and rations. With these Grant hoped to be able to embark
his entire army at Perkins's, but they proved inadequate,
and he was forced to march to Hard Times, twenty miles
further down, over a water laden road and through deep
channels. The Thirteenth Corps arrived there on April
29th and was followed by the others. Sherman's Fifteenth,
arrived on May 6th. Grant had prospected the eastern
shore and found that there was but one point between
Grand Gulf and Warrenton where a good road led to the
bluffs, and that it was protected by the enemy's fortifica
tions. He therefore determined to make a direct attack on
Grand Gulf, which was protected by a series of rifle trenches
and two batteries of thirteen heavy guns. The gunboats
would, attack and silence the batteries, and the troops would
land and storm the works. Ten thousand of the Thir
teenth Corps, (McClernand's) were put on transports and
moved to a point just out of range of the Grand Gulf bat
teries. On the morning of April 29th, Porter was in posi
tion and began the bombardment, keeping it up for over
five hours and frequently running his vessels close up to
the batteries. He could inflict but little damage on account
of the elevation of the batteries, and in return he received
but little damage. He had demonstrated the futility of
further firing and so withdrew.

136 LIFE OP GENERAL SHERMAN.
Grant was disappointed, but on conferring with Porter, it
was agreed to run past the batteries that night, disembark
the troops on the transports at Hard Times, and march them
thence to De Shroon's, three miles below. Porter ran his
fleet by without much damage and on the morning of the
30th was at De Shroon's, ready to take the entire Thirteenth
Corps aboard, if necessary. Another prospecting tour on
the east bank revealed a good road from "Bruinsburg,.six
miles below Grand Gulf, to Port Gibson, twelve miles inland
and on high ground.
It ought not to be omitted that while Grant was operat
ing here, he had intrusted to Sherman a most delicate oper
ation on the north of Vicksburg and up the Yazoo. It was
not only delicate as a military operation, but was particu
larly delicate as to Sherman's military reputation, for he
had been over the Yazoo ground twice without success, and
the operation proposed was in no sense to be a success, ex
cept in so far as the good' results of a feint might follow.
The operation was a diversion on Haine's Bluff, simultane
ous with the attack on Grand Gulf. Grant expressed his
unwillingness to place Sherman where he might draw criti
cism, yet such was his confidence in him that he said he
had no other man to whom he felt like entrusting this
operation. Sherman replied, "I believe the diversion at
Haine's Bluff is proper and right and will make it, let
whatever report of repulses be made." He accordingly
(April 29th) moved ten regiments on transports up the
Yazoo, made a mock disposition for attack and succeeded
in drawing a heavy fire from the batteries upon both the
land and naval forces. He kept this up for two days, caus
ing great anxiety in Vicksburg and many changes of troops.
The demonstration answered every purpose for which it
was made, and Sherman retired without loss. On with-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 137
drawing from the Yazoo, he marched this part of his corps
directly to Perkins's and to Hard Times, where as already
stated he arrived on May 6th.
On April 29th, Grant landed his advance corps (the
Thirteenth) at Bruinsburg, on the east shore of the Missis
sippi, and on the morning of the 30th its advance, supplied
with three days' rations, was moved two and a half" miles
inland. The Seventeenth Corps was ferried across as
quickly as possible. By night the entire Thirteenth Corps
and part of the Seventeenth were firmly established on
Mississippi soil, and McClernand was well on his way to
surprise Port Gibson, twelve miles inland and at the junc
tion of the road leading to Grand Gulf, and also out to
Jackson, the capital of the State. Port Gibson once in his
possession, Grand Gulf would be turned and its evacuation
become necessary. Well had he telegraphed Halleck, on
landing at Bruinsburg, that he " now regarded half the
battle as over."
When eight miles from Bruinsburg McClernand struck
the enemy (May 1st), posted in force and ready for defence,
in a country admirably fitted for that purpose. McCler
nand hastened up his rear divisions and developed his force,
throwing Hovey, Carr and H. J. Smith to his right and
Osterhaus to his left. In a short time the whole force was
engaged with artillery and musketry. Grant heard the fir
ing at Bruinsburg and immediately started for the front,
where he assumed entire command. McClernand's right
was driving the enemy, but Osterhaus was making no
headway, though fighting vigorously. A part of McPher-
son's corps was up, and two brigades of Logan's division
were sent to help Osterhaus. The battle raged thus for
two hours, "when McPherson reached the fieM with the re
mainder of his corps. The left was the pivotal point.

138 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
McPherson threw J. E. Smith's brigade in on Osterhaus'
left, and both Grant and McPherson accompanied the move
ment, whose object was to over-reach and turn the Confed
erate right. It was a grand success. The Confederates
were completely flanked, and by sunset their entire lines
had been doubled up and swept away. They retreated
toward Port Gibson, leaving their dead and wounded on the
field. They were pursued to within two miles of Port
Gibson, when night called a halt and the Union troops slept
on their arms, with orders to renew the attack in the early
morning. The Union losses in the battle of -Port Gibson
were 130 killed and 718 wounded. That of the enemy
was about the same. Grant captured over 600 prisoners.
The move from Bruinsburg had been a surprise, for Bowen,
the Confederate general, said he had only been able to get
two brigades down from Vicksburg in time to participate
in the fight.
During the night the Confederates evacuated Post Gib
son and crossed the Bayou Pierre, burning the bridges.
Early next morning (May 2nd,) the Union troops entered
Port Gibson, flushed with victory and eager for further fight.
Grant ordered McClernand to repair the bridges, and Mc
Pherson to pursue. The pursuit was active and unremit
ting for fifteen miles, to Hankinson's Ferry, on the Big Black
River, fifteen miles from Port .Gibson. Several hundred
prisoners were captured. This was May 3d. This rapid
and successful movement forced the evacuation of Grand
Gulf, and Grant rode into the town to find that. Porter had
preceded him by a few hours, and had already landed a
a navel force in the stronghold.
Sherman was, all this time, pushing his corps from Mil-
likin's Bend toward Perkins's. Grant sent him a detailed
account of the situation, with orders to join him by the

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 139
best means at his command, and wound up with the la
conic remark : " The road to Vicksburg is open." Grant's
situation was now such that he could not think of sparing
troops for Banks. The decisive battle for Vicksburg
must be fought in a few days, and he would have need of
every resource. He had word that the Confederate Gen
eral Johnston had arrived at Jackson, and that reinforce
ments were pouring in to that point. There was therefore
more propriety in Banks coming to his rescue, than in his
going to Banks's rescue. He felt moreover that the enemy
in his front were greatly demoralized, and therefore the
proper one to attack. The fall of Grand Gulf, and the victory
at Port Gibson had inspired his own men. He ought to take
advantage of that inspiration then and there, and not dis
sipate it by a long backward march into the unknown.
Perhaps no army was ever more peculiarly situated than
Grant's at this juncture. He was within fifteen miles of
Warrenton, the southern extension of the Vicksburg forti
fications. Pemberton's command in and about Vicksburg,
and along the line of railroad to Jackson, numbered 60,000
men. Gregg was rapidly forming an army at Jackson, to
cooperate with Pemberton. If they were permitted to
unite forces, they would outnumber and crush Grant. He
could defeat Gregg before Pemberton came to the rescue,
but in so doing he would be venturing between two
armies, and even if Pemberton did not attack in his rear,
he could at least destroy his communications. So he could
attack Pemberton and drive him into Vicksburg, but this
would be to leave Gregg in the opeu country and hovering
on his rear. One or the other of these armies must be
crushed separately. Grant decided that it should be
Gregg's, and in order to settle the matter of "danger to his
communications, he determined to cut aloof from Grand

140 LIFH OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Gulf and depend on the country for supplies. The army
was to become its own base of operations. This determin
ation was reached in the face of a howl from Washington
to go to the aid of Banks, and to make Grand Gulf a base
of operations against Port Hudson, and in spite of the per
suasions against it of most of his subordinates. At mid
night of May 3d, he started to the front at Hankinson's
ferry, leaving orders for Sherman to cross as quickly as
possible' to Grand Gulf, and prepare for the march, and for
all of the available troops to be hurried down and across
the Mississippi.
On May 4th, Grant ordered McClernand and McPherson
to make extensive reconnoisances. On the 7th McPherson
moved a division to Rocky Springs, ten miles from Hankin
son's-, and Grant took up his headquarters there. On the
8th Sherman came up to Hankinson's with his corps, hav
ing crossed the Mississipppi and marched eighteen miles,
in forty-eight hours. He was surprised at the situation
when he arrived. It was cramped and confused, and he
wrote 'Grant to " stop the incoming of further troops till has
army was supplied with wagons, and then to act as quickly
as possible, for this road will be jammed as sure as life, if
you attempt to supply 50,000 men by one single road."
The reply was, " I do not calculate upon the possibility of
supplying the army with full rations from Grand Gulf. I
know it will be impossible without constructing additional
roads. What I do expect is to get up what rations of hard
bread, coffee and salt we can, and make the country furnish
the balance. We started from Bruinsburg with two days'
•rations, and received no more for some days. Abundance
was found in the meantime- — corn meal, bacon, vegetables,
and abundance of beef and mutton. A delay now would
give the enemy time to reinforce. If Blair were up I be-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 141
lieve we could enter Vicksburg in seven days. You are
where the troops have lived off' the people and may find a
scarcity of provisions, but as we get on new soil corn and
cattle will be more abundant. Bring Blair's two brigades
as soon as possible."
Grant had not imparted his purposes, except in this way.
Their very originality and audacity excited admiration and
there was hardly a general but who said " Well, he's worth
sticking to at any rate. If this wins all our fortunes are
made." The army being now well in hand, a forward
movement began, McPherson holding the left nearest Black
River, McClernand the right, and Sherman following by two
roads. At Rocky Springs Grant heard that the Confeder
ates were fortifying at Edward's Station onfhe Vicksburg and
Jackson railroad. He at once changed the position of his
corps. McPherson and Sherman were to hug theDig Black
and strike the railroad at Bolton, east of Edward's Station.
Sherman was to remain there while McPherson tore up the
railroad as far as Jackson and then return. This would
enable- Grant to avoid a battle at Edward's Station, and at
the same time would sever the Jackson and Vicksburg
Confederates. Both Sherman and McPherson fell to this
design with alacrity. McClernand was thrown to the left,
and on the 9th of May marched to the Big Sandy r'ver.
McPherson marched to within seven miles of Utica, Sher
man moving on the same general front. Grant's position
now was with Sherman's centre. He had 40,000 men
in. motion, with 120 artillery guns. The movement
continued, varied to suit circumstances, till May 12, when it
came within two miles of Raymond. Here McPherson un
earthed the enemy, 5,000 strong. The fight for Raymond
must now take place. McPherson deployed, and the battle
began. The enemy stood fire for a brief time and then

142 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
fled through Raymond, which was entered by the Union
troops at 5 P. M. McPherson lost 69 killed and 341
wounded, while the enemy lost 100 killed, 305 wounded and
415 prisoners.
Pemberton fell to Grant's original idea of marching on
Edward's Station, and was completely deceived by .his
deflection eastward to Raymond, Grant's way to Jackson
was clear. He ordered McPherson to throw back a column
to meet Sherman at Fourteen Mile Creek, and McClernand
to throw forward one till Sherman was touched. The
troops were now in contact, the marching was difficult, the
fields were robbed of corn and the mills brought into
requisition to grind, and the ambulances were turned into
ammunition wag«ns.
On the 13th, Johnston took command in Jackson, whence
the beaten Confederates at Raymond had fled. Grant's
orders for the 13th were that McPherson should march to
Clinton, Sherman was to follow closely, and McClernand to
follow Sherman. It was well that the movement was thus
prompt for Johnston had 10,0.00 men at Jackson and ex
pected 13,000 more in a few days. Grant had kept up a
feint against Edward's Station in order to deceive Pember
ton as to his designs on Jackson, but Johnston saw through
the 'design and ordered Pemberton to attack Grant in the
rear at Clinton.
McPherson reached Clinton at 2 P. M. and tore up the
railroads and bridges. Sherman was ordered to take the
direct road from Raymond to Jackson. McClernand was
ordered to fall down to Raymond with all his corps, except
a brigade or two to keep up the appearance of an attack on
Edward's Station, and to be in readiness to aid either Sher
man or McPherson.
On the 14th McPherson was ordered to move at day-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 145
break on Jackson, ten miles from Clinton. Sherman was
to move in the same direction from Raymond. McCler
nand was ordered to move one division to Clinton, one to a
point near Mississippi Springs, and to hold one in Raymond
for support. Grant now sent his first message to Washing
ton since leaving Grand Gulf. It ran: "I will attack
Jackson to-day."
Both Sherman and McPherson were off at daylight. At
9 A. M., Crocker, in McPherson's advance, struck the
enemy, five miles from Jackson, and drove them to within
two miles and a half of the city. Here the enemy was
found in force under Johnston, and artillery firing began.
Sherman had a similar experience on his route and at
about the same time. Grant was now well supported, for
Blair's division of Sherman's corps had newly arrived and
a fresh division of McPherson's corps.
As the enemy's position was revealed it was found to be
strong, on a semi-circular ridge, with wood on the right
and rolling ground in front. Batteries commanded the
roads, on both sides of which the national troops were
deployed. At 11 A. M. McPherson ordered an advance.
His skirmishers were hotly received and were ordered back
to the lines. A charge was then ordered and Crocker's line
swept forward with cheers carrying the Confederate out
works. The whole corps followed till within range of the
guns on the Jackson works. Here he brought his artillery
into play, and halted his columns.
Sherman had driven in the skirmishers on the Mississippi
Springs road and had forced one Confederate battery from
its position. He had pushed his way till well in front of
the Jackson intrench ments. Grant was with him, and see
ing the character of the obstacles ahead, he asked Sher
man to send a force to the extreme right to reconnoitre.

146 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
It did not return, and Grant rode in that direction, with
his staff', to find that the road was clear into Jackson and
that the enemy had evacuated the town. Sherman at once
forced the situation in his front, captured the ten pieces of
artillery which had been playing on him, with 150 prison
ers, and triumphantly entered the city. McPherson moved
simultaneously, capturing seven guns. At 3 P. M. the two
corps united in the city, and the American flag was raised
on the capitol amid the cheers of the two victorious corps.
The enemy escaped by the Canton road, the only one by
means of which it could hope to form a junction with Pern -
berton. McPherson immediately sent Stevenson's brigade
in pursuit, but the enemy had effeotually escaped, by sacri
ficing the artillery which had been used to keep the Union
forces at bay. Grant's swiftness had precipitated battle
before Johnston's reinforcements arrived. It also kept him
out of the way of an attack on his rear by Pemberton. In
all seventeen cannon were captured. McPherson lost only
thirty-seven men killed and 228 -wounded, and Sherman
but four killed and twenty-one wounded. The enemy lost
845 in killed, wounded and prisoners.
At 4 P. M. Grant called his generals together- and gave
orders for the morrow. McPherson was to occupy the
entrenchments inside and out. Sherman was to destroy
railroads, and all property of the enemy. Never was
destruction more complete. Railroads were destroyed in
all directions, together with bridges, factories and arsenals.
Jackson was wiped out as a railroad centre and supply
depot. But while triumph crowned the situation, there was dan
ger ahead. Johnston was in communication with Pember
ton and evidently intended to join him. The nearest point
on the Vicksburg and Jackson road where he could do this

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 147
was Bolton. McClernand was ordered to make for this
point with all his force. McPherson was ordered to take
the road to Clinton and thence to Bolton. Blair was
ordered to hasten thither with his division of the Fifteenth
Corps. Grant's army was well situated for this convergent
move, and nothing but excessive rains interferred with it.
So prompt had the response been that on the'morning of
the 15th a detachment of cavalry of Osterhaus's command
had driven out the enemy's pickets and seized Bolton.
Hovey came up from Clinton soon after and held the town.
And so the outstanding forces clustered in and came within
supporting distance. At 4 P. M. of the 15th Grant was at
Clinton to take in the situation. Bolton sure and no enemy ;
he was clearly between Johnston and Pemberton, why not
take a step toward Vicksburg ? To McClernand, he ordered,
" Move to-morrow toward Edward's Depot. Feel your way
and don't bring on an engagement unless you are sure of
your ground." On that very day Pemberton moved his
forces from Edward's Station toward Dillon, intending to cut
Grant's communications, not knowing he hadn't any to cut.
But he was met with an order from Johnston to march to
Clinton, the only point the two armies could be brought.
together. To reach there he had to go back to Edward's
Station. He was full 25,000 strong with ten batteries.
' Grant became aware of all this, and changed his design of
leaving a part of Sherman's force in Jackson. He ordered
Sherman to Bolton with all celerity, stating that he wanted
every man up, as the fight was evidently to be at Edward's
-Station and at any moment. In one hour, Sherman had
his columns inTnotion. The enemy was moving out from
Edward's Station. Grant had his columns in motion, part
on the direct road from Bolton to Edward's, part on the
middle road from Raymond to Edward's, and part on the

148 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
southern road from Raymond to Edward's. McClernand
had charge of the advance.
At 5 P: M. of the 15th Smith's division on the southern
road struck the enemy, five and a half miles from Edward's
Station, and opened an artillery fire. Osterhaus, on the
middle road, heard it, and pushed forward till he uncovered
the enemy in force. Pemberton fell back a little and
formed a line of battle, stretching across the three converg
ing roads on which Grant's troops were advancing. The
region was known as the Champion Hills, and by this
name the battle was designated. When it was found that
Pemberton with all his Vicksburg forces was in the way,
McPherson sent for Grant to come forward at once. He
came to find the enemy strongly posted on the Champion
Hill ridge. Their position was excellent, in the midst of
timbered heights, with an open front irregular with ravines.
Their lines extended for four miles, #nd their left was their
key. When Grant took the situation in, he renewed his
directions to have his forces hasten to the field, and super
intended their disposition.
Already active firing was going on. It was the morning
of May 16th, 1863. McPherson moved his corps splen
didly into action. Hovey gained ground continuously on
the right. Logan kept even pace with him. Eleven guns
and 300 prisoners fell to their keeping, and, they gained the
brow of the heights. But the woods and roads formed a
natural fortification for the enemy and they rallied, beating
Hovey back. Grant was watching the point, and he sent
in a brigade of Crocker's division which had just arrived.
This encouraged Hovey and he held his ground. Yet the
enemy had the advantage, for McClernand's advance divis
ions had not come on the scene as expected. They made a
terrific onset on McPherson's batteries which were play-

• LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 149
ing on them with telling effect, but were met and repulsed
by Smith's brigade' of Logan's division, with the loss of
many prisoners. The threatened turning of their left
caused them to throw themselves with greater fury than
ever on Hovey, who had been fighting for three hours, and
whose ammunition was out. Hovey was forced to call
again for help. Grant expected every moment to hear of
the arrival of McClernand, and did not wish to change the
disposition of the battle till he arrived. But he did not
come. Grant then changed the face of his forces so as to
let Crocker's and Boomer's brigades into the fight. They
made a dashing charge, and Hovey regained five of his lost
guns. It was now evident that the enemy was massed in
this particular front, and that the position was in danger.
Stevenson's brigade was thrown in further to the right. It
made a charge on the double quick, through ravines and
up hills, and captured seven guns and several hundred
prisoners. The enemy fell back unceremoniously, and,
unmindful of the fact that Logan had been steadily advanc
ing all the while, they found themselves with a force in
their rear, with Hovey and Crocker pressing their front.
They could not reform their broken lines, and the battle
was over. The victory of Champion Hills was a matter of
history. ,
McClernand' now appeared on the left. Grant ordered
his fresh troops, at once, to pursue the enemy. Had they
been on hand according to orders, the entire Confederate
army might have been captured, or the victory obtained
sooner and at less cost. As it was, Grant fought every man
he had at command, and lost 426 killed, 1,842 wounded and
189 missing. The enemy's loss was estimated at between
three and four thousand killed and wounded, while nearly
3,000 prisoners were captured, Loring's entire Confederate

150 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
command was forced away from Pemberton during the
fight, and in order to escape had to make a wide detour,
before it could join Johnston. '
The Confederate defeat at Champion Hills was complete.
Many prominent Confederate officers fell. The retreat
revealed great demoralization, and much valuable property
was abandoned.' Pemberton and Johnston were perma
nently severed. Pemberton himself fled to Smith's Ferry
over the Big Black, where he left a division to hold it till
Loring arrived, who never came. The pursuit was kept up
till Edward's Station was reached, and the whole line was
strewn with wreckage of battle. All these victories were
enlivened by what now were dignified comicalities in the
shape of dispatches from Washington requesting Grant to
turn his attention to the support of Banks. He was get
ting that way now, and in time would reach him.
Pemberton was on his way to join Johnston when he met
Grant at Champion Hills, and on the very day of the battle
Johnston had marched ten miles toward Pemberton. Sher
man evacuated Jackson at noon of the 16th, paroling pris
oners and leaving wounded in order to *each the scene of
action. He marched twenty miles and reached Bolton by
night, where he was informed of the victory of Champion
Hills. His whole corps was ordered to Bridgeport, just
north of Edward's Station, and on the road leading into
Vicksburg. This meant that Grant was going to move on
Vicksburg, and that Sherman should have the post of
honor on his right. It also meant that he should touch
the Vicksburg front, if at all, at Haine's Bluff, the very
point he had attempted three times before to gain in other
directions. Once at Bridgeport, Sherman's first duty was to cross the
Big Black, and all the pontoons were sent with him.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 151
Grant marched his centre on the line of the railroad, and
directly to where it crossed the Big Black. Here he found
the enemy in force and strongly entrenched. McClernand's
corps fell into line, Carr's division on the right, and Oster
haus on the left. Skirmishing and artillery fire continued
for several hours, when Lawler's brigade charged upon one
of. the enemy's parapets and carried it. He was quickly
followed by other commands, and the Union troops began
to swarm inside of the entrenchments. The enemy fled
precipitately to the Big Black crossing, leaving all their
guns "behind. That part which had crossed became so
panic stricken that they set fire to the bridge, leaving those
on the east side to cross the river as they might. Some
tried to swim across, of whom many were drowned. The
wreck and confusion was fearful. One entire brigade was
surrounded and captured. Others hid in the entrenchments
and were afterwards captured. The Union loss was twenty-
nine killed and two hundred and forty wounded. The
Confederates lost lt751 prisoners and eighteen cannon,
besides their killed and wounded.
Pemberton did not stop further to contest Grant's cross
ing of the Big Black. Discomfited by repeated defeats, and
trembling lest Sherman should turn his right from Bridge
port and beat him into Vicksburg, he hastened into that
stronghold with his disorganized army and left all the
ways in his rear open for. Grant's army. Word flashed
along the whole line to repair bridges and cross the Big
Black. To Sherman he said, "Secure a position on the
west side of the Big Black as soon as you can, and if
such information as you can gain warrants you in believing
that you can go immediately into the city, do it. If you
have doubts, throw out troops to your left to connect with
those here. We will then move in three columns, if roads

152 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
can be found, and either have Vicksburg or Haine's Bluff
by to-morrow night. The enemy have been so terribly
beaten yesterday and to-day, that they will hardly make a
stand, unless they rely on Johnston's reinforcements, and I
do not think Johnston will attempt to reinforce with any
thing at his command, if he is at all aware of the condi
tion of things here."
The. small supplies Grant had been carrying were nearly
exhausted. The country he was in had been exhausted of
crops and animals. It was imperative that he should have
fresh supplies. To Grand Gulf was not a long way, but it
was a dangerous one. All this added to the importance of
reaching and holding Haine's Bluff. Onee there, the ques
tion of future subsistence would be settled, by way of the
Yazoo and upper Mississippi.
McPherson and McClernand built bridges of everything
they could find, and by the morning of the 18th of May
their corps were on the way to Vicksburg. Sherman
reached Bridgeport on the 17th, and found that Blair's
pontoon brigade had already laid a bridge. Sherman
crossed before daylight on the morning of the 18th, and
by 9 A. M., had struck the Benton road, within four miles
of Vicksburg. He now commanded the Yazoo River on
his right, and halted till the other commands could come
up. When Sherman struck the Walnut Hills running off to
the Yazoo and terminating in the series of bluffs, of which
Haine's Bluff' is the most conspicuous, Grant was with him.
Sherman sent Col.. Swan to the bluff to capture the Con
federate battery there. He found it abandoned. Swan saw
a Union gunboat two miles down the Yazoo,, which he sig
nalled. It steamed up, and took on board the guns of the
abandoned battery. Swan then returned and reported the

[LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 153
glorious news, that the army had a safe flank and source of
supplies. Grant and Sherman then rode together up to the
bluffs, the long wished for goal of the campaign. As they
gazed up and down the Yazoo from the spot where Sher
man had made so many ineffectual efforts to get a hold,
the latter turned abruptly round and exclaimed to Grant,
" Until this moment I never thought your expedition a suc
cess. I never could see the end clearly until now. But
this is a campaign; this is a success, if we never take the
town." Thus with the magnanimity of a true soldier and
man, Sherman rejoiced with his triumphant superior in the
success which lay at their feet.
Grant now formed his lines for an advance on Vicksburg.
Sherman's corps was to operate on the right, McPherson's
in the centre and McClernand's on the left. Sherman
pushed his right clear to the Mississippi, in view of the
Union fleet. All of the 18th, the Union skirmishers
kept forcing the Confederates ahead, and picking up pris
oners. That night the various corps came into place,
and on the morning of the 19th, the siege of Vicksburg
began. Communication was opened with the fleet. Roads
were built to the foot of the Yazoo bluff's, by which sup
plies could arrive. The Confederates had been forced
entirely within their strong entrenchments. Grant's ac
count of stock was as follows : A twenty day campaign ;
two hundred miles traversed ; five battles fought and five
victories won ; twenty-seven heavy guns and sixty-one field
pieces captured ; 6,500 prisoners captured ; 6,000 Confed
erates killed and wounded ; a state capital taken ; a strong
hold on the Mississippi (Grand Gulf) in his possession ;
two Confederate armies forced apart ; a total loss to himself
of 4,335 killed and wounded ; a new supply line opened ;
an enemy environed.

154 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
On that day (May 19th) Grant ordered an assault along
his entire line. He was determined to take advantage of
the demoralization in the ranks of the enemy, and test to
the utmost the strength of his works, situated, as they were,
on the steep hills and deep ravines which run back from
Vicksburg. The Union line completely invested the city
on the north and east. McClernand's corps could not com
plete the investment on the south, without attenuating his line
too much. The troops were In high spirits, after their fre
quent successes. Grant's first order was for all the commands
to push Up as close as possible to the entrenchments, and
wait till 2 P. M., when all the artillery should fire three
volleys. Sherman's advance was the most difficult because
the enemy seemed to- be massed on the north side of the
city. He, however, pushed Blair's division well to his
front, and posted his artillery in the most advantageous
positions. When the signal was given, Blair advanced over
almost impassible ground, and in very irregular line, but
got a foothold on the works, along with the Thirteenth
regulars. Steele's division, on Sherman's right, drove in
the lines and captured several outworks. The firing was
intensely heavy, and Sherman's losses were heavy. McPher-
'son tried to advance his corps, but the roughness of the
country retarded all his operations. Only a single brigade
succeeded in carrying the works in its front. McClernand
also advanced slowly, and effected nothing substantial.
When night came, Sherman called off his advanced forces
to points where they could bivouac without danger. The
assault had been unsuccessful. The Confederates had ac
quired new spirit, now that they were behind well ordered
entrenchments, and in that stronghold which had defied so
many formidable assaults.
On the 20th of May, Grant called his generals together

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 155
for the first time and compared notes with Sherman
McPherson and McClernand. It was agreed that the assault
had failed because the ground was more difficult than ex
pected and because the lines of attack were, by reason of
the ground, along the strongest part of the fortifications,
being on the three main roads leading into the city. There
was a slight shifting of guns and forces to avoid as many
obstacles as possible, and then the assault was to be renewed.
Grant sent word to Porter to bombard the front from, his
mortar fleet. Porter opened fire on the 20th and kept it up
on the 21st, dismounting many of the enemy's guns and
causing such a panic among the citizens that many of them
dug temporary shelters in the sides of the hills.
Sherman had reconnoitered all of his front in person and
had determined upon the points for his second attack. He
put all his batteries into position and had them covered
with good epaulements. He brought his troops forward in
support and in concealed positions. Orders for the second
assault had been given, and it was to take place at 10 A.
M., on May 22d. Sherman's men were ready on the min
ute. A forlorn hope, caroying plank with which to cross
the ditch, advanced to the ditch on a run. The lines of
infantry rushed from cover and followed. Instantly the
enemy rose from behind the parapets and poured a destruc
tive fire upon his lines. For two hours a severe and bloody
battle ensued, in which Sherman's forces were repulsed at
every point. They retreated to cover behind the spurs of
ground close to the Confederate works. Grant came to
Sherman, and, pointing to the works, Sherman said that his
assault had been a failure. Grant responded that the result
had been about the same with McPhersonls and McCler
nand's corps. While they were talking an orderly deliv
ered a note to Grant. It read that the troops of McCler-

156 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
nand had carried the parapets in their front and that the
Union flag waved over Vicksburg. Grant discredited the
note, which, it seems, was from McClernand, and instantly
rode down the lines to verify it. If Sherman did not
receive wprd from him by 3 o'clock, he was to make
another assault on the position in his front. Not having
heard at precisely 3 o'clock, he ordered another assault,
which, like the first, was unsuccessful. It afterwards
turned out that McPherson had been unsuccessful in his
assault, and that McClernand's corps, instead of having
gained any material advantage, had only succeeded in cap
turing one or two of the outlying works of the enemy. The
matter caused great feeling among the generals, and that
feeling was kept up until McClernand was removed ulti
mately from the command of his corps. It turned out that
McClernand had sent during the day three or four similar
dispatches to Grant, all of which were fulsome and incorrect.
In all of the assaults of that day, the troops fought with
great persistency and in the face of one of the most consec
utive and murderous fires they had experienced during the
whole war. The losses of the day footed up fully 3,000,
and the army, was made fully sure that over ground so
rough and so much obstructed, Vicksburg could not be
carried by storm. There was no murmuring when they
were compelled to fall back, and there was no demoraliza
tion in their ranks. Whole detachments remained over
night close up to the Confederate intrenchments and really
dug their way back out of the ditches. The assault was
regarded as without parallel in modern warfare. No simi
lar attack on fortifications of equal strength had ever been
undertaken by European generals unless the assaulting
party outnumbered the defenders at least twice or three
times. It was made with perhaps fully 30,000 men in line,

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 157
and instead of meeting a garrison, it met an entire army.
According to Pemberton's own statement, he had nearly
19,000 men in the trenches.
The repulse forced the Union troops to leave their dead
behind them. They could not return during the next day
to bury them, for the entire field was commanded by Con
federate guns. For two dajrs the corpses lay festering
between the two armies, and the stench became so intoler
able to the besieged, that Pemberton proposed to Grant an
armistice of two hours and a half to enable the troops to
bury their dead. The offer was accepted and the Confed
erates took advantage of the opportunity to carry off the
dead horses and' mules lying in their front, and which were
very offensive. The armistice really lasted for several
hours, during which time many of the officers and men
exchanged civilities. On this day also Grant reported his
investment of Vicksburg to Halleck and at the same time
gave him a full account of the assaults and his reasons for
their failures.
After this, it became clear that further operations would
have to be condncted in the nature of a siege. While the
three corps retained their respective positions — Sherman on
the right, McPherson in the centre and McClernand on the
left — all of them were considerably strengthened by arriv
ing brigades, and McClernand's corps was sufficiently
extended to enable him to draw his supplies from Warren-
ton without danger. Both Hurlbut and Prentiss were
ordered to send forward, as quickly as possible, all the
troops they could spare, and, says Grant, " The siege of
Vicksburg is going to occupy time, contrary to my expec
tations when I arrived behind it. To watch the enemy and
prevent him from collecting a force outside near enough to
attack my rear. I require a large artillery force, Contract

158 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
everything on the line of route from Memphis to Corinth,
and keep your artillery well at south of here. By this
means you ought to be able to send me quite a large force."
Grant had much occasion to fear for his rear, for it wa3
well known that Johnston was collecting a force at Canton
and was determined t© strike a blow. Grant's hope that
Rosecrans in Tennessee might make a diversion in his
favor was disappointed. He did not seem to be pushing
Bragg with such energy as would prevent him from detach
ing reinforcements' from his army and sending them to
Johnston. Halleck, at Washington, seemed now fully
alive to the situation and was directing all his energies
toward the strengthening of Grant's position. He even
went so far as to dispatch to Banks that he should come to
the rescue of Grant.
On the 23rd, orders were issued for the pick and shovel
to be called into requisition. There were 40,000 men on
duty. The weather was extremely hot. The character of
the ground presented obstacles to digging of a formidable
nature. There- were few engineering troops in the com
mand and only four engineer officers, while fully five times
aS' many might have been called into requisition. Most of
the positions were within a few hundred yards of the Con
federate parapets and it was with difficulty that the Union
soldiers could establish for themselves comfortable camps.
But by and by these difficulties began to be surmounted
and camps became quite comfortable and safely connected
by covered ways. Details were made to open roads, cut
out fallen timber and construct the regular approaches of
the siege. As the ground was broken, batteries were
placed in advantageous positions to keep down the Confed
erate fire, and lines of parapets and trenches were made to
connect these batteries. The enemy dared hardly show

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 159
himself above the parapets, for every appearance was~a
signal for a sharp artillery fire or an attraction for sharp
shooters. So effective was the activity of the sharpshoot
ers that at the end of a fortnight nearly all of the Confed
erate artillery was withdrawn and they fired but few shots.
The labor in the trenches was performed by pioneers, or by
details from the lines, or by negroes. Several of the pio
neer companies had negroes attached to them, who had
come into the lines and who were paid for their services.
The aggregate length of the trenches was twelve miles, and
eighty-nine batteries were put into place during the prog
ress of the siege, the guns of those from the rear being
moved forward as the siege advanced. The troops were
moved at the same time and encamped in the rear of their
batteries. By May 30th there was in position 220 guns, mostly light,
and one battery of heavy guns on the right, commanded
by naval officers. Each day the artillery fire of the Con
federates slackened and by this time it was hardly employed
at all. The silence of their artillery was attributed to
Pemberton's desire to save his ammunition. Sometimes
the enemy resorted to mining in order to delay the ap
proaches of the Union Army, but they were usually feeble
efforts and did not result in much damage. They made
occasional sorties, which were sometimes sources of delay
and then they run counter- trenches down from their salients,
and parallel to those of the besiegers, but their secret posi
tions were almost always uncovered on the following day
and they were routed out of them by bayonet charges
They occasionally threw fire balls and hand grenades, which
bursting, flung their fragments around, carrying confusion
into the ranks of those near by. On May 27th Grant sent
to Porter, asking him to run the ironclad Cincinnati down

160 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
to the south of Vicksburg, to enfilade the Confederate lines
on his left, and silence, a water battery there, which was
doing considerable damage. The vessel was protected with
logs and hay, and steamed with a full head to her position.
The Confederates opened fire upon her from several batter
ies, which crippled the gunboat so as to render her almost
useless. All of the Union batteries in the vicinity .opened
their fire, in aid of the gunboat, but the current being very
swift, she was compelled to expose her stern, which was
unprotected by iron plating, and she was very nearly de
stroyed by plunging shot from a ten-inch Columbiad upon
the hills. She was run across the river and made fast to a
tree, but before the hawser could be tied, she drifted out
under Confederate fire, again, and finally filled and sank,
drowning fifteen of the crew and twenty-five or more
wounded which she had on board.
During these siege approaches, the principal position for
Sherman's batteries was on a ridge about 400 yards from
the enemy's lines, and at a point near the head of the
stream on the north side of their defences. On Blair's
front were four batteries of six guns, and his approach
started from the left of the principal battery near the grave
yard road, and was directed against the salient of the work
commanding this road ; the same which he had assaulted. on
the 22d of May. This approach was carried forward until it
reached a large oak tree, subsequently known as " the lone
tree," which gave its name to the battery erected there.
From the right of this approach, other approaches were
started, following around the hillside, just outside of the
enemy's lines. Work upon these approaches was gener
ally suspended during the day, though the position of the
sharpshooters on the different ridges afforded the best pro
tection to the working parties. To the left of "the lone

GRANT AND SHERMAN.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 16t>
tree,1' another parallel was constructed to the foot of th«
hill in front. This allowed the construction of a parapet
on the brow of the hill and within eighty yards of the
enemy's works, from which the sharpshooters were enabled
to give them serious annoyance. To the left of Blair's
brigade* was Ransom's, encamped in a ravine. His trenches
were located on the hillside which was here very steep.
His parallels ran around the foot of the hill, and were suf
ficient to admit of the assembling of his entire brigade.
From the 24th of May McPherson had been carrying on
a series of most systematic operations, which had resulted
in trenches, parapets, parallels and cross trenches. All of
the batteries on Logan's, Ransom's, Blair's, Tuttle's and
Steele's fronts were able to bring converging, direct, en
filading and reverse fire on all parts of the Confederate
lines in their fronts. While the same operations had been
going on in McClernand's corps, he had not changed the
position of his divisions to the same extent as Sherman and
McPherson. He had laid out an extensive system of par
allels, but it was found exceedingly difficult to get him
to widen and strengthen them sufficiently to allow of
free communication between them. On the night of the
24th of May, Lauman's division arrived on the south side
of the city, and was put into position, so as to effectually
guard the Warrenton road. By June 11th, Herron's divi
sion, from the Department of Missouri, arrived, and was
assigned to a place on the left of Lauman's. He immedi
ately formed a strong line of trenches on the Warrenton
road, and his approaches were directed against the extreme
southern limit of the defences of Vicksburg.
Grant now learned. that Johnston had been reinforced by
at least 10,000 men, and that it was reasonably certain he
would make a determined effort to raise the siege. He,

164 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
accordingly, sent word to Banks that he had already gathered
all the effective forces to his aid that could be obtained in
West Tennessee and along the line of the Mississippi. He,
therefore, asked that Banks give him as much assistance as
possible, and stated that he would be pleased if he could
come as general of such forces as he could spare. On the
25th of May, Grant sent Osterhaus's command as far as
Big Black River to destroy bridges and obstruct the ap
proaches to Vicksburg. On the 26th he sent a force of 12,-
000 men under Blair to drive off the enemy, supposed to be
collecting between the Big Black and the Yazoo. It was"
not expected to fight Johnston but to destroy all stock,
forage, roads and bridges. Blair moved along the Yazoo
for over forty miles and accomplished the purpose of his
expedition, preventing Johnston from moving on Vicksburg
in that direction, and also from drawing supplies from the
region between the two rivers. On May 31st Johnston had
a force of twenty to twenty -five thousand strong at Jack
son and Canton, and was using every effort to increase it to
40,000. With this force he intended to move on Haine's
Bluff". Porter was requested to send a body of marines to
Haines' Bluff to hold the place till relieved by other forces.
Hurlbut not as yet having responded to Grant's order, a
second order was sent, telling him to permit no boat to leave
Memphis going north until transportation for all of his
troops was furnished. Singularly enough, on this date Grant
received dispatches from Banks, requesting him to send him
10,000 men and setting forth the necessity of concentration.
Brant replied quite characteristically, that concentration
was necessary to the success of the campaigns in the West,
but that Vicksburg was the vital point*
As soon as Blair returned, Grant sent a brigade of nearly
1,200 cavalry, under Mower, up the Yazoo to Mechanics-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 165
burg, to watch the course of the Big Black from Bridge
port, and to obstruct the roads. On June 3rd, one of Hurl
but's divisions arrived, and it was sent at once to support
Mower at Mechanicsburg. On the 8th another division
arrived from Memphis under Smith, and. was ordered at once
to Haine's Bluff, which place again became of most vital
importance, for if Grant should be compelled to raise the
siege, he might still retain possession of Haine's Bluff, and
thus hold undisputed control of the Mississippi River thus
far. He ordered it to be strongly fortified, so that it could
be held against a sudden movement by a force of 10,000
men, and so that it would be capable of giving protection
to at least 40,000 men. Washburn was placed in command
at Haine's Bluff, and in three days' time he had it so en
closed as that it was defensible against any force which was
likely to be brought against it.
Since the beginning of the siege Grant had received fully
20,000 reinforcements, and his entire force amounted to 75,-
000 men, half of whom remained in the trenches till the
end of the siege. The other half formed an army of observ
ation and closely watched all the movements of Johnston
in the rear. On the 11th of June Grant informed Sherman
that if Haine's Bluff should be besieged by Johnston, he
(Sherman) would be detached temporarily from his corps
and given command at the bluff. At the same time Grant
said that it was evident the enemy had brought large re
inforcements from Bragg's army and with no other design
than to make a desperate attempt to raise the siege of
Vicksburg. Both McPherson and Sherman were left
understanding orders to hold parts of their commands in
readiness to send tp Haine's Bluff in case that place should
be besieged. McClernand also was armed with instruc-

166 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
tions which would enable him to act with promptitude in
case of a movement on their rear by Johnston.
By June 21st, the national works had approached so
close to those of the besieged that the picket lines were in
hearing distance, and often times the Union and Confeder
ate pickets made agreements to withhold hostilities until
they could have a talk and make an exchange of tobacco
and rations. The Confederate pickets often let fall the in
formation that the besieged really expected another assault
very soon. They said also that the men were somewhat
inclined to be mutinous because their officers would not sur
render ; also that the authorities were preparing 2,000 or
more boats with which they expected to cross the Missis
sippi, in case they were forced to surrender. On the' 22nd
of June, Grant received positive information that Johnston
was crossing the Big Black River with the intention of
marching directly on his rear. Sherman was directed to
take command of the force in the rear, and to take troops
from his own and McPherson's corps and add to the force
which had already been sent out to meet Johnston. Parke's
Ninth Corps was also included in this new command which
now amounted to nearly one-half Grant's whole army. Said
Grant: "Should Johnston come, we want to whip him if
the siege has to be raised to do it," and Sherman's instruc
tions were, that he should use all the forces indicated as he
deemed most advantageous, and if more were, required, he
should call on Grant, and they would be furnished to the
last man both at Vicksburg and at Union Point. Grant
also said to McPherson : " Sherman goes out to meet John
ston, if he comes, and the greatest vigilance will be re
quired on the line, as the Vicksburg garrison may take the
same occasion for an attack also. Batteries should have
a good supply of grape and cannister." His instructions

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 167
to Parke were : " We want to whip Johnston at least fif
teen miles off if possible." This new force threw up a line
of works extending from the Yazoo to the Big Black
River, almost as strong as those which defended Vicks
burg, so that now the city was not only surrounded by
Confederate defences, but by an outer line of Union de
fences. Grant found himself again between two Confeder
ate armies. Besieging one, he was threatened with a siege
by another. If both should combine to assault him from
different sides, it seemed quite possible that the garrison
of Vicksburg might yet elude his grasp, and to prevent this
contingency was the object of his sleepless vigilance.
A little while before this, Grant had received from Sher
man and McPherson official communications couched in
strong language, complaining of a congratulatory order is
sued by McClernand on May 30th. It magnified McCler-
narin's importance, at least in his own eyes, and was alto
gether unmilitary and offensive in its tone. He had
succeeded in getting it published in Northern news
papers, copies of which were sent to Sherman and McPher
son. They branded his assertions" as false, and called on
their commander to interfere. Grant immediately wrote
McClernand, enclosing his offensive address, and asking him
if it was a correct copy of what he had written. If it
were not a correct copy, he asked that one should be sent
to his headquarters. The next day McClernand sent him
a correct copy, and on the following day, he was relieved
of his command and ordered home. He was succeeded by
Gen. Ord. This was the termination of what had been a
continuous struggle with McClernand ever since the cam
paign against Vicksburg started, and indeed the beginning
of the trouble could be traced back to 1861, at Cairo.
Grant had been repeatedly urged to relieve McClernand on

168 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
account of his offensive letters, but the only answer which
Grant ever gave was, that he could not afford to quarrel
with a man whom he was obliged to command.
On June 10th, Pemberton sent word to Johnston that he
would endeavor to hold out in Vicksburg as long as they
had anything to eat. He said the enemy kept bombarding
the city, day and night, from seven mortars, and also kept
up a continuous fire on his lines with artillery and mus
ketry. They subsisted on greatly reduced rations, but had
enough" to hold out for twenty days. "The men are becom
ing fatigued, but yet retain pretty good spirits. At
some points the enemy's works are within twenty feet of
our intre.nchments. The men have been thirty-four days
and nights in the trenches, without relief. The prices of
food in the town have risen enormously. Flour is $5.00 a
pound, or a thousand dollars a Barrel, in Confederate money.
Meal is $140 a bushel ; molasses ten to twelve dollars a
gallon; and beef sells as high as $2.50 a pound; mule
meat sells at $1.00 a pound and is in great demand. Many
families, even of wealth, have eaten the last mouthful of
food they possess, and the poorer classes are on the verge of
starvation. There is scarcely a building that has not been
struck by shells, and many have been entirely demolished.
A number of women and children have been killed and
all who do not remain in the caves on the hillsides are in
danger." On June 25th, Grant fired a heavy mine, which extended
thirty-five feet from the point of starting, and had been
filled with 1,500 pounds of powder. A heavy artillery fire
was opened along the line at the moment of explosion.
Huge masses of earth were thrown high into the air and
the ground was shaken as if by an earthquake. A few of
the Confederate soldiers were thrown into the air, one or

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 169
two of whom came down inside of the national lines. The
enemy, however, had detected the digging of the mine and
had withdrawn most of their troops out of the reach of its
effects. The cavity made in the ground was large enough
to contain two regiments. As soon as the smoke rose a
breach was discovered in a parapet in front of the cavity,
when a column of infantry rushed into the cavity in order
to take possession of the breach. The ditch and slope
were gained and a desperate struggle ensued in the crater,
but the Confederates soon withdrew into their interior
lines. The loss in this singular hand to hand encounter
was about thirty on each side. The crater was called by
the soldiers " the death hole." Across the aperture rifle
pits were built on the next day, and a covered gallery was
commenced from which further mines or counter mines
could lead. Another mine was sprung on July 1st, which
demolished the entire redan, leaving an immense chasm
where the Confederate works had stood. Many of those.
manning the works were killed or wounded, but no serious
attempt was made to charge, on account of the danger
which attended it, and the inconsiderable results which fol
lowed the explosion of the 25th.
Amid all these difficulties nothing seemed to weary the
patience or depress the hope of the commander. Even
after the unsuccessful assault of May 23rd, he said : " There
is no doubt of the fall of this place ultimately." On the 24th
to Halleck, he claimed that the enemy were now undoubt
edly within his grasp, and that the fall of Vicksburg and
the capture of the entire garrison was only a question of
time. Without evincing any enthusiam, he was undoubt
edly the mo'st confident man in his army. On June 3rd, he
said prophetically that the approaches were gradually Hear
ing the enemy's fortifications, and that in five days more

170 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
his batteries should be on their parapets. One day while
riding along his lines, he stopped at the house of a Con
federate woman, who asked him tauntingly, if he was ever
going to get into Vicksburg. He said, " Certainly." She
replied, "When?" " I cannot tell exactly when I shall
take the town," he said, " but I mean to stay here until I
do, if it takes thirty years."
By July 1st the approaches in many places had reached
the enemy's ditch at nearly a dozen different points. The
Union regiments could be put under cover within from five
to one hundred yards of the Confederate works. The
hand to hand character of all the late fighting showed that
further progress could be made only by digging, which was
becoming more tedious and difficult every day. At this
juncture, Grant made up his mind to try another assault
and had fixed it for the morning of July the 6th. He had
even issued orders to prepare the approaches so that troops
could debouche with ease, and to widen the main ap
proaches so that the men could move readily by fours.
Johnston was moving against the rear and on the night of
July the 1st, encamped at Brownsville on the Big Black,
and on the 3rd sent word to Pemberton that about the 7th
of the month he would create such a diversion as would
enable the garrison to cut its way out. This movement
was never made, as the sequel will show. The same knowl
edge of the situation which induced Grant to make a
second final assault upon the fortifications also satisfied
Pemberton that the time had come when he must either
capitulate or evacuate the city. He addressed to each of
his four division commanders a note stating that unless the
siege of Vicksburg was raised and supplies thrown in, it
would become necessary very shortly to evacuate the place.
He saw no prospect of the former, and there were many

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 171
obstacles to the latter. He requested them to. inform him,
with as little delay as possible, respecting the conditions of
their troops, their ability to a make marches and undergo
the fatigues necessary to a successful evacuation. Two of
the officers favored surrender ; the others declared that an
attempt at evacuation would not succeed. Influenced by
these sentiments, Pemberton sent the following to Grant, on
the morning of July 3rd : " I have the honor to propose to
you an armistice of  hours, with a view to arranging
terms for the capitulation of Vicksburg. To this end, if
agreeable to you, I will appoint three commissioners to
meet a like number to be named by yourself, at such place and
hour as you may find convenient. I make this proposition
to save further effusion of blood, which must otherwise be
shed to a frightful extent, feeling myself fully able to
retain my position for a yet indefinite period. This com
munication will be handed to you under a flag of truce, by
Maj. Gen. John S. Bowen." At 10 o'clock in the morning,
the white flag appeared. Hostilities in that quarter at once
ceased, and Bowen and Col. Montgomery came from the
works of Vicksburg toward the national lines. The Con
federate soldiers became greatly excited, conjecturing that
a surrender was contemplated. To counteract this, a story
was put into circulation to the effect that Pemberton was
simply sending out to ask Grant's permission to remove
some sick and wounded to a point outside of the lines.
Bowen was received by Gen. Smith, and expressed a wish
to converse with Grant. Smith would not consent to this.
Bowen then suggested that perhaps it might be well for
Grant and Pemberton to meet. Grant was informed of this
suggestion and sent a verbal message, that if Pemberton
wished to see him, an interview could be had between the
lines on McPherson's front, at 3 o'clock P. M. In reply to

172 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Pemberton's written note, he returned the following :
"Your note of this date is just received, proposing an
armistice of several hours, for the purpose of arranging
terms of capitulation through commissioners to be ap
pointed, etc. The useless effusion of blood you propose
stopping by this course, can be ended at any time you may
choose by the unconditional surrender of the city and gar
rison. Men who have shown so much endurance and
courage as those now in Vicksburg, will always challenge
the respect of an adversary, and I can assure you will be
treated with all respect due to prisoners of war. I do not
favor the proposition to appoint commissioners to arrange
terms of capitulation, because I have no terms other than
those alsove indicated."
At 3 in the afternoon Pemberton came to the front in
company with Bowen and Col. Montgomery. Grant was
surrounded by Gens. Ord, McPherson, Logan, A. J. Smith
and several members of his staff. The two commanders
met on the hillside under a ¦ tree, within 200 feet of the
Confederate works. The works of both sides were crowded
with unarmed men, leaning over the parapets, looking
eagerly on. After the two generals shook hands, Pemberton
asked what terms of capitulation would be allowed. Grant
replied, those that had been expressed in his letter of
the morning. Pemberton, in rather' a haughty manner,
said that if this were all, the conference might as well
terminate and hostilities be resumed immediately. Grant
said, "Very well," and turned away. Gen. Bowen, how
ever, suggested that two of the subordinates present should
retire and consult and then report such terms as they
thought "might be worthy the consideration of their chiefs.
Grant did not object to this, but said that he would not
consider himself bound by any agreement of his subordin-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 178
ates. Smith and Bowen were deputed to retire and con
sult, Grant and Pemberton in the meanwhile walking up
and down between the parapets, in conversation. After a
little while Smith and Bowen returned with a proposition,
as made by Bowen, that the Confederates should march out
of Vicksburg with the honors of war, carrying muskets
and field arms with them, but leaving heavy artillery
behind. The proposal caused Grant to smile and he in
stantly rejected it. Some further conversation took place,
when it was agreed that Grant should send his terms to
Pemberton by 10 o'clock that night. The hostilities were
not to be resumed until the correspondence had termin
ated. On Grant's return to his headquarters, he called
into consultation all of his corps and division generals and
heard their opinions of what terms would be proper to allow
Pemberton. With the exception of the opinion advanced
by Gen. Steele, Grant found none which he could wholly
sanction. He, therefore, framed terms, which reconciled
themselves to his views of the situation, and placed them
in writing, sending them to Pemberton. They were as fol
lows : " In conformity with agreement of th is afternoon, I
will submit the following proposition for the surrender of
the city of Vicksburg, public stores, etc. On your accept
ing the terms proposed, I will march in one division as a
guard and take possession at 8 A. M., to-morrow. As
soon as rolls can be made out, and paroles signed by officers
and men, you will be allowed to march out of our lines ;
the officers taking with them their side arms and clothing,
and the field, staff and cavalry officers one horse each. The
rank and file will be allowed all their clothing, but no
other property. If these conditions are accepted, any
amount of rations you deem necessary can be taken from
the stores you now have and also the necessary cooking

174 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
utensils for preparing them. Thirty wagons also, counting
two-horse or mule teams as one, will be allowed to trans
port such articles as cannot be carried along. The same
conditions will be allowed to all siclc and wounded officers
and soldiers, as fast as they become able to travel. The
paroles for these latter must be signed, however, whilst offi
cers are present authorized to sign the roll of prisoners."
Pemberton called a general council of his officers and sub
mitted Grant's letter to.them. All except one recommended
the acceptance of its propositions, and at a later hour that
night the following reply was made : " I have the honor
to acknowledge the receipt, of your communication of this
dale, proposing terms of capitulation for this garrison and
post. In the main your terms are accepted, but in justice
both to the honor and spirit of my troops, manifested in
the defence of Vicksburg, I have to submit the following
amendments, which, if acceded to by you, will perfect the
agreement between us. At 10 A. M. to-morrow, I pro
pose to evacuate the works in and around Vicksburg and
to surrender city and garrison under my command by
marching out with my colors and arms, stacking them in
front of my present lines, after which you will take posses
sion. Officers retain their side arms, personal property and
the rights and property of citizens to be respected."* It
was after midnight when Grant received this response. He
immediately sent word that he could not accept the pro
posed amendments in full, and that it would be necessary
for Pemberton to furnish every officer and man with a
parole signed by himself; and again Grant said he could
make no stipulations with regard to the treatment of citi
zens and their private property. Whilst he did not pro
pose to cause them any undue annoyance or loss, he could
not place himself under any restraints by stipulations. To

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 175
<
this Pemberton replied that he would accept the terms as
they had been proposed and as they were now understood.
As soon as Grant had received Pemberton's first commu
nication, he gave Sherman orders to march directly out
against Johnston the moment the surrender should be con
summated, believing the enemy would surrender by the
night of the 3rd of July or on -the morning of the 4th.
He instructed Sherman to attack Johnston and destroy the
railroad on the north of Jackson. At the same time he
directed Steele and Ord to be in readiness to move the
moment Vicksburg was surrendered. His design was to
break Johnston up as thoroughly as possible. He left Sher
man with full power to make all the arrangements to reach
this end and promised him the aid of all the troops in his
command, except one corps. On the night of the 3rd orders
were passed along Grant's lines that the pickets should be
men of more than ordinary ability, and should be allowed
to say to the Confederate pickets that in case of surrender,
officers and men would be paroled and allowed to go home.
On Saturday morning, July 4th, Pemberton. marched his
garrison out of Vicksburg and beyond the lines it had
defended for so long a time. They stacked arms in front of
the conquerors and laid down their colors where many of
the besiegers had lain down their lives, and then in full view
of the Union forces, who were lining all the parapets, they
returned inside of their works as prisoners of war. The
number that surrendered was 31,600, including fifteen
generals and 2,153 officers. One hundred and seventy-
two guns were also surrendered. This was the largest
capture of men and material ever made in war at one
time. The return of the garrison as prisoners within
their works was followed by the entry of the Union
troops. Logan's division was the first to enter the town,

176. tFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
because it was regarded as entitled to this honor, by
having been most heavily engaged in both the assaults, and
being nearest in its approaches to the Confederate intrench-
ments. His division was headed by Grant and his staff.
The division was marched directly to Pemberton's head
quarters, where he sat with his generals on a porch. They
all saluted Grant, but did not extend to him the courtesy
of a chair. Pemberton seemed especially broken up and
surly. Finally one of the Confederates offered him a seat.
He asked for a drink of water and was informed that he
could find it inside. He entered and met a negro, who
gave him the desired cup of water. Grant continued his
journey down to the wharf*, where he consulted .with
Admiral Porter on the flagship. On the 6th of July he
moved his headquarters into Vicksburg.
On the night of the 4th, he announced the capture of
Vicksburg to the Government thus : " The enemy surrend
ered this morning. The only terms allowed is their parole
as prisoners of war. This I regard as a great aid to us at
this moment.. It saves probably several days in the cap
ture, and leaves troops and transports ready for immedi
ate service. Sherman with a large force moves immedi
ately on Johnston to drive him from the State. I will send
troops to the relief of Banks and return the Ninth Army Corps
to Burnside." He also sent word to Banks of the capture
of Vicksburg and offered to send him a corps of troops.
By July 13th the paroles were completed and the Confed-.
* erate garrison took up its line of march. When they reached
the fortifications, each man's name was called and checked
off on the rolls. The Union troops crowded the way on
both sides for some distance beyond the intrenchments,
and the prisoners marched between the lines thus formed.
For hours they streamed through these exultant lines, suf-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 177
fering all the bitterness of defeat. No insults or taunts were
heard, no cheers of triumph, nor sounds of cannon saluted
their ears. They, marched silently and sadly on, and by
sunset of that day Vicksburg was free from Confederate
forces. An important and inevitable consequence of the fall of
Vicksburg was the surrender of Port Hudson, which occur
red on July 8th, to General Banks. The Confederacy was
thus divided into two parts by the Father of Waters, and
all the objects of the armies and navies operating on its
waters were accomplished.
We must now follow Sherman on that hasty movement
eastward, designed by Grant to crush Johnston, ' and of
which Sherman was the veritable leader. With his usual
promptitude he had his forces across the Big Black by the
6th of July and was on the march to Bolton, where he ex
pected to meet the other corps. By the 8th, there had been
a general convergence of the corps upon Clinton, where
Johnston was stationed. On the 9th ifrwas discovered that
Johnston was retreating toward Jackson, leaving behind his
cattle, hogs and sheep, which were first shot and then
thrown into the stagnant pools, the only water supply, to
putrify. The weather was intensely hot and army move
ments most fatiguing. Yet Sherman ordered prompt pur
suit, and by the 10th had driven Johnston behind the Jack
son intrenchments, where he made a stand.
Sherman now closed his lines about the place, his own
corps holding the centre from the Clinton to the Raymond-
road ; Ord's Thirteenth on the right, stretching to Pearl
River, below the city ; and Parke's Ninth on the left. Gn
the 11th all these corps pressed close in and shelled the
city from all directions. Lauman's brigade of Ord's Thir
teenth disregarded orders and pressed too close in. It

178 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
was beaten back with great loss and its commander was
censured. It looked now to Sherman as though he had
a siege before him as at Vicksburg. He prepared for this
by tightening his lines on the three sides of the city which
he held, and by sending back to Grant for the appliances
with which to make siege progressions. Meanwhile he was
busily carrying out Grant's orders as to the destruction of
railroads, cars, bridges, and the driving off of cavalry. He
carried this devastation far and near.
Johnston was hoping that scarcity of water would in
duce Sherman to exhaust himself in assaults. But he soon
found that Sherman had other intentions, and one of Johns
ton's intercepted telegrams ran, " If the enemy will not
attack, we must, at the last moment, withdraw. We can-
ndt attack seriously without risking our entire army." All
the while Sherman was pressing closer to the Confeder
ate intrenchments, using sharpshooters and artillery with
much effect. On the 16th, he received a fresh supply of
ammunition, which Johnston heard of. This decided- him
to. evacuate the place, avoiding further assault or siege.
All night Sherman's picks and shovels were busy, and
off in the city rumbling sounds were heard. Morning re
vealed the fact that the enemy had taken advantage of
the darkness to make an hasty exit across the Pearl River,
burning the bridges and leaving the roads paved with
loaded shells and torpedoes. Steele's division was at once
sent in pursuit. It followed fourteen miles to Brandon.
Owing to the intensely hot weather and the scarcity of
water, Sherman decided that a pursuit over a tract of coun
try ninety miles wide and with troops already over-exerted,
would necessarily be fatal to his command. He therefore
called off the pursuit, and devoted two or three days to
further work of destruction, assisting, meanwhile, the in-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 181
habitants, whose homes had been ruined by war, by gener
ous gifts of provisions out of the army stores. Grant ac
quiesced in his decision, and ordered him to send Ord back
to Vicksburg, Parke to Haine's Bluff, while Sherman might
encamp in the vicinity of the Big Black. Choosing as
healthful a camp as he could find, he reached it on July
27th, and prepared for a long and much needed rest during
the warm weather. His whole loss on this expedition was
less than 1,000 men. He had inflicted a loss on Johnston
of 71 killed, 504 wounded and nearly 2,000 prisoners.
In the entire series of battles culminating in the capture
of Vicksburg, the losses are thus summanized by Badeau :
UNION FORCES.
Killed  1,243
Wounded  7,095
Missing  535
Total  .'  8,873
CONFEDERATE FORCES.
Surrendered at Vicksburg  32,000
Captured at Champion Hills  3,000
" " Big Black  2,000
" " Port Gibson  2,000
Loring's command, cut off.  4,000
Killed and wounded  10,000
Stragglers  3,000
Total  ,  56,000
Add to this the immense destruction to railroad prop
erty, steamers, cotton, etc., besides arms and munitions for
an army of_100,000 men, and some idea can be formed of
the extent of the material loss to the enemy occasioned by

182 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
the Vicksburg disaster, as well as of the gain to the national
forces. But Vicksburg was not to be measured by such exhib
its. Towering over the unprecedented list of prisoners,
guns and small arms captured was, as Sherman eloquently
says, . " The great fact that its possession secured the
navigation of the great central river of the Continent,
bisected fatally the Southern Confederacy, and set the
armies which had been used in its conquest free for other
purposes. * * * * The campaign of Vicksburg, in its con
ception and execution, belonged exclusively to Grant, not
- only in its great whole, but in the thousands of its details.
I still retain many of his letters and notes, all in his own
handwriting, prescribing the routes of march for divisions
and detachments, specifying even the amount of food and
tools to be" carried along. * * * * His success at Vicks
burg justly gave him great fame at home and abroad.
The President conferred on him the rank of Major Gen
eral in the regular army, the highest grade then existing by
law ; and General McPherson and I shared in his success
by receiving similar commissions as brigadier generals in
the regular army."
Amid the intense satisfaction of the Government and the
bewildering joy of the people, President Lincoln wrote
Grant, under .date of July 13th : "My Dear General : I
do not know that you and I ever met personally. I write
this now in grateful acknowledgment for the almost ines
timable-service you have done the country. I wish to say
a further word. When you first reached the vicinity of
Vicksburg,. I thought you should do what you finally did
— march the troops across the neck, run the batteries with
the transports and thus go below. * * * * When you got
below and took Port Gibson, Grand Gulf and the vicinity, I

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 183
thought you should go down the river and join Banks ; and
when you turned northward east of the Big Black, I feared
it was a mistake. I now wish to make a personal acknow
ledgment that you were right and I was wrong."
Halleck bestowed similar praise, and concluded his letter
thus : " Your narration of the campaign, like the opera
tions themselves, is brief, soldierly, and in every respect^
creditable and satisfactory. In boldness of plan, rapidity
of execution and brilliancy of routes, these operations will
compare favorably with those of Napoleon about Ulm.
You and your army have well deserved the gratitude of
the country, and it will be the boast of your children that
their fathers were of the heroic army which reopened the
Mississippi River."
It must not be forgotten that the fall of Vicksburg was
coincident with the defeat of Lee at Gettysburg by the
Union forces under General Meade. The country experi
enced a double thrill onthe 4th of July, 1863. We could
hardly state more fully the result of the offensive operations
on the. Mississippi. Those which Meade had in hand and
which resulted in the victory of Gettysburg, were quite of
another nature. They were purely defensive, and were
forced on the Union army in the East by the determination
of Lee to try the very policy of invasion which Grant was
so sucoessfully carryingoutin the West. While Vicksburg
sealed the wisdom of Grant's policy, Gettysburg proved the
failure of Lee's. As to the central field in which Bragg
and Rosecrans were struggling, Murfreesboro would have
ended the policy of invading the North by way of the
Ohio, as effectually as Gettysburg did that of invading it
by way of the Potomac, if it had not been for the Chicka-
mauga back-set.
No sooner had Sherman and McPherson entered the cap-

184 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
italof Mississippi the second time, than Grant sent in their
names as worthy the honors of brigadiers in the regular
army. These honors he epitomizes thus :
1st. " Their great fitness for any command that it may
ever become necessary to intrust to them."
2d. "Their great purity of character and disinterestedness
in anything except the faithful performance of their duty
and the success of every one engaged in the great battle for
the preservation of the Union."
3d. " They have honorably won this distinction upon
many well fought battle fields. The promotion of such
men as Sherman and McPherson always adds strength to
an army."
As already stated, their merited promotion quickly came,
and it is no discrimination to say that as to Sherman, no
honor had ever been more richly or hardly won, and none
ever fell on worthier shoulders. From Shiloh to Corinth ;
from Corinth to Memphis ; from Memphis to the Yazoo ;
from the Yazoo to Arkansas Post ; from Arkansas Post to
Milliken's Bend ; from Milliken's Bend to Perkins's ; from
Perkins's to Jackson ; from Jackson to Bridgeport and
Haine's Bluff and thence to Vicksburg ; from Vicksburg
back to Jackson ; he had ever been prompt, daring and
self-sacrificial. His constancy was unfaltering, his genius
unfailing. Ever at Grant's right, he was trusted beyond
all others. When Sherman tried an expedient, Grant was
satisfied no generalship could do more. He proved to be
as ready in independent command, as in his own, handling
combined corps with the ease and safety of proficient gen
eralship. The lustre of Vicksburg never paled on the head
of Sherman.

MAJ. GEN. GEO, G. MEADE.

CHAPTER IX.
CHATTANOOGA.
The Mississippi River fell under control of the Union
forces after the capture of Vicksburg and Port Hudson.
The armies west of the stream became unimportant. Grant
went to New Orleans to confer with Banks, and while gone
his respective corps de armee were distributed as follows : —
Parke's Ninth Corps returned to Kentucky to afterwards
join Burnside's Army of the Ohio. Ord's Thirteenth Corps
drifted to Natchez and thence to New Orleans and Texas.
McPherson's Seventeenth remained in and about Vicksburg.
Hurlbut's Sixteenth was at Memphis ; Sherman's Fifteenth
was east of Vicksburg on the line of the Big Black River.
It was now composed of Steel's First division; Blair's
Second division; Tuttle's Third division, and Ewing's
Fourth division.
The camp was well chosen for health and comfort, and
supplies were easily obtained by a short railroad from
Vicksburg. From all appearances there was to be a month
or two of rest during the hot weather. Sherman's family
came to his headquarters on a lengthy visit. Grant's
family visited him at Vicksburg, and many of the officers
enjoyed the pleasure of family reunions.
But while times were thus restful on the Big Black, cam
paigns were in progress elsewhere. Bragg had centered his
army at Chattanooga, after being driven southward by the
Army of the Cumberland under Rosecrans. Burnside was
centering his Army of the Ohio in East Tennessee, mostly
187

188 LKPB OP GENERAL SHERMAN.
at Knoxville. Rosecrans crossed the Tennessee and exe
cuted that celebrated flank and rear movement on Bragg
which forced him to evacuate Chattanooga and fall back to
Chickamauga. Here he offered battle, which Rosecrans
was forced to accept. The result was the bloody and disas
trous affair of Chickamauga, in which Rosecrans was driven
into Chattanooga, and practically surrounded by Bragg's
forces. This blow fell heavily- upon the country. The
Government was paralyzed for the time being. It could
hardly be realized that such a fatality was in store so soon
after the momentous successes at Gettysburg and Vicks
burg. Sherman was first apprised of the sad event, and of the
further danger to the imprisoned Rosecrans of starvation, by
a dispatch from Grant, September 22d, 1863, ordering him
to send one of his divisions immediately to Vicksburg, to
march thence to Chattanooga, and to come to Vicksburg
himself. Here Sherman learned from Grant the alarming
character of the situation as pictured in Halleck's dispatch.
After a consultation the conclusion reached was that
Sherman should march his whole corps to the scene. He
hastened back to the Big Black, gave orders for his First,
Second and Fourth Divisions to march at once, and left his
Third (Tuttle's) in charge of the camp. He took his family
to Vicksburg, and was soon ready for that memorable march
which meant the rescue of a demoralized and starving army
four hundred miles distant.
This grand march was carried on in the face, of great
difficulties. Word had come that all the routes of supply
for Rosecrans were overtaxed, and the line of Sherman's
march must be as nearly due East as possible, from Mem
phis ; he to repair the damaged railroads as far as Athens,
Ala., and thus keep up a line of iupphes from Memphis.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 189
By September 28th, Sherman's corps was on board the
boats at Vicksburg, and on its way to Memphis, where
it arrived on October 2nd. Here General Sherman and his
family were grief stricken over the death of their little
son, Willie, a boy of nine years, who had been pranking it
as corporal in the Big Black River camp for two months,
and who had endeared himself to the entire command.
On the arrival of Sherman at Memphis, where General
Hurlbut was in command, he was furnished with dispatches
from Washington, to the effect that all the troops that could
possibly be spared in West Tennessee and on the Missis
sippi River should be sent without delay to General Rose
crans, then on the Tennessee River. Sherman was urged
to act with all possible promptness, and if there were any
boats at Memphis at the disposal of General Hurlbut, he.
was to send them down the river to bring up the troops.
The dispatches contained information to the effect that a
part of Lee's army had been sent to reinforce Bragg. They
also requested that information be sent to Washington of
the number of troops that had been already dispatched
toward Decatur, where they then were ; also of the number
of troops that were to follow, and when. Special instruc
tions accompanied these dispatches to Sherman to repair
the Memphis and Charleston railroad, as he progressed
eastward, as far as Athens, Alabama, and to draw his sup
plies by that road, so as not to be dependent on the roads
up to Nashville, which were already overtaxed by the
demands of Rosecrans' army. When Sherman arrived in
Memphis, he found that a part of his command had already
gone to Corinth by rail, and that others were in the act of
starting. The railroad was only in fair condition to Corinth,
ninety-six miles, so that it took until the 9th for him to get
his Second Division off, and then he gave orders for the

190 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Fourth Division to march with their wagon trains up the
common road.
On October 11th, he followed his command on the road to
Corinth. When at Colliersville, he was attacked by the
enemy, who were stationed in a brick depot building,
punctured with loop-holes. He formed a company of the
69th Indiana and a part of the regulars, distributed them
about the depot building, and opened an artillery fire upon
it. When -this small force was disposed, ready for the
attack, the enemy made a sortie from the building, upon
the rear of his trains, and succeeded in getting away with
some horses, but a few of the cool and practised shots of
the regulars drove them back. There was general skir
mishing for a few hours around the place, when Corse's
division came up, having charged on the double quick for
several miles, and drove the enemy off. The next day, all
damages were repaired and Sherman's troops entered Cor
inth. Here he received a dispatch from Grant to the effect
that he had arrived in Memphis on Oct. 14th, and that he
would be off' in a few hours for Cairo. He also said that
McPherson would be in Canton on that day. Sherman
also received dispatches at dorinth, from Halleck, to the
effect that the important matter to be attended to on his
march, was that of supplies, and that when he arrived at
Eastport, he might dispense with the railroads ; that even
if he found the enemy so strong as to prevent his reaching
Athens, nevertheless he would have greatly assisted Rose
crans in drawing away a part of the enemy's forces from
him. On Oct. 18th, Sherman and his staff rode to Burns-
ville, and on the 19th, they reached Iuka, where he was
agreeably surprised to hear of the arrival at Eastport, ten
miles away, of two gunboats, under the command of Capt.
Phelps, which had been sent up the Tennessee River, by

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 191
Admiral Porter, to his aid. After a study of the situation
here, he was satisfied that in order to reach Gen. Rosecrans,
he would have to take the road north of the Tennessee
River, and so on the 24th, he ordered his Fourth Division to
cross at Eastport, under the escort of the gunboats, and to
move direct for Florence. On this date, he received the
general orders from the Department at Washington,
-appointing Gen. Grant to the command of the military
Division of the Mississippi, and authorizing him, on his
arrival at Chattanooga, to supersede Gen. Rosecrans by
Gen. Geo. H. Thomas. The same orders conveyed the
information that he (Sherman) had been appointed to the
command of the Department and Army of the Tennessee.
He found at this juncture, that the Army of the Tennes
see was made up of three corps. To the Fifteenth Corps, his
own, part of which was then in advance of him, he assigned
the command, temporarily, to Gen. Frank P. Blair. Gen.
Hurlbut's corps, the Sixteenth, remained back at Memphis.
McPherson, commanding the Seventeenth Corps, was at
Vicksburg. On Oct. 27th, while pushing repairs to the railroad at
Bear Creek, and patching the many breaks between it and
Tuscambia, he was handed a dispatch from Grant, to this
effect : " Drop all work on the Memphis and Charleston
railroad, cross the Tennessee and hurry eastward, with all
possible dispatch, toward Bridgeport, till you meet further
orders from me." As this implied an absence from his
command, he immediately issued all the orders to McPher
son and Hurlbut, which he deemed necessary for his De
partment of the Tennessee, and further ordered a collection
of a force out of the Sixteenth Corps, of 8,000 men, under
Gen. G. M. Dodge, to follow east as far as Athens, Tenn.,
and there await instructions. All repairs on the Charles-

192 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
ton railroad were instantly discontinued, and all the divi
sions of the Fifteenth Corps were marched to Eastport, where
they crossed the river and were hurried eastward. In per
son, Sherman rode t<r Florence on Nov. 1st, whither his
divisions followed rapidly. Their rapid march soon brought
them to Elk River, a wide and deep stream, which could
only be crossed by a ferry. Deeming this process too slow,
he changed the route thirty miles to the north, by Elkton,
Winchester and Deckerd. At this last point, he came in
communication with the Army of the Cumberland, and, by
means of telegraph from this point, with Gen. Grant, at
Chattanooga. He received by telegraph from Grant, the
same% orders that he had received before, to push his com
mand forward with all possible dispatch, and to proceed in
advance of it in person. Sherman did so and reached
Bridgeport on the night of November 13th, leaving his
troops to follow him, by their several roads. At Bridge
port, he received another dispatch from Grant at Chatta
nooga to come up in person with all haste, and to have his
troops follow him as fast as possible. He took passage on
one of the three small steamers, which were carrying stores
up as far as Kelly's Ferry, and there he found orderlies and
one of Grant's private horses waiting for him, on which he
rode to Chattanooga, reaching it on Nov. 14th: He was
heartily welcomed by Grant, Thomas and all of the officers,
who fully realized the extraordinary efforts he had made to
reach that remote point, and to force forward his columns
to its relief.
And now, while Sherman's troops are heading for Bridge
port and making their long and rapid march, it is proper
for the reader to understand the situation in and about
Chattanooga, as well as the broader situation, which neces
sitated the change of commanders in the Department of the

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 193
Tennessee, the consolidation of the respective armies then
operating in the West, and the appointment of Grant to the
command of the new Department of the Mississippi, as
well as of Sherman to the new Department and Army of
the Tennessee.
It was on September 19th and 20th when Rosecrans suf
fered his severe repulse at the battle of Chickamauga, nine
miles south of Chattanooga, and was .compelled to retire
into Chattanooga, with a heavy loss of life and munitions
of war, and with the sacrifice of immense strategic advant
ages. Driven into Chattanooga by Bragg, he was sur
rounded by a superior force, which occupied the most
advantageous positions on the ridges to the east and west
of the town, and which almost entirely cut off' his lines of
communication. The situation was most desperate. His
men were demoralized and threatened with starvation. His
signal defeat at Chickamauga had carried consternation to
the Government and the country. Grant, who had been
injured by a fall from his horse, when on a visit to New
Orleans, had been solicited to take the field as soon as he
felt himself sufficiently recovered. On Sept. 28th, he tele
graphed that he was ready for any duty he might be called
upon' to perform. The dispatches from the field of action
to the Government were exceedingly confused, and in con
sequence of it, Grant sent one of his staff' to Cairo, so as to
be out of the line of confusion and where he could com
municate directly with the Government. Almost the first
dispatch which came to this officer was to the effect that
Grant should come to Cairo as quickly as possible. On his
arrival there, he found another dispatch from Halleck to
the effect that he should go to the Gait House, at Louis
ville, to meet an officer of the War Department, and that he
should take with him his staff, ready for field operations. At

194 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Indianapolis, he was met by Secretary Stanton, who handed
him an order, creating for him a new command of the mili
tary Division of the Mississippi, including all the territory
between the Alleghanies and the Mississippi, and therefore
embracing the three original Departments of the Tennessee,
the Cumberland and the Ohio. At this time Burnside com
manded the Department of the Ohio and Rosecrans that of
the Cumberland. It had become apparent to the authori
ties at Washington that the time had arrived when there
should be a consolidation of the various commands in the
West in the hands of one person. The danger at Chatta
nooga was so imminent and was increasing with such rapid
ity as to make it absolutely necessary that some person
should act at once. At the same time Secretary Stanton exhib
ited the order to Grant, which relieved Rosecrans of his
command, and substituted Maj. Gen. Geo. H. Thomas, the
next in rank in the army. This substitution was to be
entirely with Grant's consent. He accepted it at once, pre
ferring Thomas to Rosecrans. The Secretary of War
accompanied Grant to Louisville. On the way, the mili
tary situation was discussed, when the secretary made
known his fears that Rosecrans was preparing to abandon
Chattanooga, and urged Grant to assume command a? once,
and before this mischief was consummated. Grant imme
diately telegraphed to Rosecrans and Thomas, assuming
command of the new military division, and appointing
Thomas to the Department of the Cumberland. On Oct.
19th he started for Chattanooga.
In the disastrous battle of Chickamauga, Rosecrans had
lost over 16,000 men and thirty-six cannon, and but for the
gallantry and persistency of Thomas and his corps, the
army would have been destroyed and Chattanooga lost. As
it was, Bragg pushed his force up to the top of Missionary

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 197
Ridge, east and south of the town, and threw up a formid
able line of works. This ridge is from four to five hun
dred feet high. He also pushed his forces on to Lookput
Mountain, west of the town, and three miles distant. Look
out rises to a height of 2,200 feet. West of Lookout
Mountain is Lookout Valley, whose western edge is Rac
coon Mountain, a ridge quite as lofty as Lookout. The
supply route for Chattanooga was by way of the railroad
along the southern bank of the Tennessee, and immediately
under Lookout Mountain. Both Lookout Mountain and
Lookout Valley had been abandoned by Rosecrans, who
thus sacrificed his line of supplies in that direction. The
situation of the Army of the Cumberland at Chattanooga,
therefore, was one of siege. , The Confederate batteries
commanded railroad and river, and all supplies were cut
off, except those which could be obtained by wagons from
Nashville, a distance of sixty miles away. Bragg could
watch every movement of the Federal army, and from the
high points of Lookout Mountain, he could throw shells
into Rosecrans' camp. All his positions were strongly for
tified. Rosecrans was forced to put his command upon
half rations. Thousands of his soldiers lay sick in camps
and hospitals. Forage could not be procured and more
than 10,000 mules and horses perished in arid around the
town. All military horses were sent back to Bridgeport,
over the mountains, a third of them dying on the road.
Even if he had been able, he could not have retreated with
out sacrificing all his artillery. His stock of ammunition
had so run down as that there was not a supply on hand
for one long-fought battle. It seemed that under these cir
cumstances, all Bragg had to do was to wait, continue his
quiet siege and in the end Chattanooga must inevitably fall
without a battle. Starvation would reduce the besieged

198 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
and throw them into his hands quicker than any operations
which he might see fit to carry on. Such was the situa
tion of the Army of the Cumberland on the 19th of Octo
ber, 1863, when Gen. Grant took the command. No other
Union armyTiad ever found itself in such straits during the
war. Grant's first dispatch to Thomas was: "Hold Chatta
nooga at all hazards. I will be there as soon as possible."
To this, he received the reply : " I will hold it till, we
starve." On the morning of the 20th, Grant Btarted from
Louisville by rail, and arrived at Nashville on the same
night. He pushed straight on to Bridgeport, on the Ten
nessee, and then went by horse, over the mountains, to
Chattanooga, telegraphing to Halleck, Sherman, Porter,
Thomas and Burnside on the way, attending to the various
questions of supplies, and directing the movements of his
three armies, as it were, from the saddle. He reached
Chattanooga at dark on the night of the 23rd, and found
that the situation as he had been given' to understand it,
was not in the least exaggerated. The army was hemmed
in on every side by the enemy. The soldiers were down
cast. There was hardly a possibility of holding it much
longer. Escape would have been exceedingly difficult by
the' impassable defiles in the rear. The position was such
as that no military defence could possibly have been made,
for the horses had either died or been sent away. It was
even dangerous to send reinforcements thither, for there
was no means of supplying- them. Such a night of gloom
had never been injected into Grant's army experience.
After notifying Halleck of his arrival, he requested the
approval of the order placing Sherman in the command of
the Department of the Tennessee, with headquarters in the
field. The request was promptly met, and Sherman found

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 199
himself occupying Grant's old command, the Army of the
Tennessee. Though Thomas was the ranking officer, he ac
cepted this change with great magnanimity, and said that
be understood that an independent command had been pre
pared for him, when Rosecrans should be relieved, but that
he had decided not to accept it. Now, however, since the
arrangement was that Grant was to have an independent
and supreme command, he was entirely satisfied to accept
the Army of the Cumberland. Hooker had been already
ordered from the East by the Department at Washington,
and his arrival was expected. Thomas had ordered him
to concentrate his command at Bridgeport, with a view to
securing the Tennessee River and the wagon road-on the
north side of it, between Chattanooga and Bridgeport.
Grant and Sherman rode over the field together, and ap
proved of Thomas' disposition of Hooker's forces. All saw
that the first and paramount consideration was the gaining
of some means of supporting the army. Grant ordered
Hooker to cross the river at Bridgeport, and made such
other disposition of the forces then at his command as
would secure the outlet of Lookout Valley, and if possible
the Lookout Heights themselves, from whose summits the
river was controlled for several miles. All of Thomas'
orders thus far issued, had been looking in the same direc
tion. Gen. Smith, Chief Engineer of the Department of the
Cumberland, was instructed to make a lodgement at
Brown's Ferry, and throw a bridge across the river there.
In two days, he had pontoons ready. On the 26th, he
started sixty boats down the river, each containing thirty
men. The boats were loaded with pontoon sections. Tney
floated by the enemy's pickets, rounded the foot of Look
out Mountain, and landed at Brown's Ferry, where in the
face of a sharp fire from Confederate pickets, they managed

200 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
to secure the heights rising from Lookout Valley at its out
let to the river, and to throw an excellent pontoon bridge
across the stream. The force was so posted as to command
this bridge, and the artillery was placed so as to command
the roads leading around Lookout Mountain to the enemy's
camp in Chattanooga.
On the morning of the 26th Hooker's corps crossed the
Tennessee on the pontoon bridge at Bridgeport, with a large
part of the Eleventh Corps under Howard and a portion of the
Twelfth Corps, under Geary. He marched directly along
the railroad and down the valley to Wauhatchie. Follow
ing the western base of the Raccoon Mountain, he finally
descended through a narrow gorge into Lookout Valley
proper. As the column emerged into the valley, the move
ment was detected by the enemy on Lookout Mountain,
who shelled his columns but did not retard his march.
Hooker kept on down the valley, and on the evening of the
28th, he halted his command within one mile of Brown's
Ferry. Grant's intention now became manifest to the
enemy, and a corps was sent in force to attack Hooker. It
made its attack upon Geary, stationed near Wauhatchie.
Howard was at once sent for to come to his support. In
marching up, he found the Confederates strongly posted on
the hills on his left, so as to command his line of march.
He ordered an assault upon these hills, which were steep,
wooded and unknown, but his men scaled them under heavy
fire and captured their summits, together with many
prisoners. Geary had been fighting for fully three hours
without assistance, and finally succeeded in repelling the
assault on his front. All these engagements were carried
on during the night, which was beautifully moonlit. Be
fore 4 o'clock in the morning, the battle was over and the
enemy were repulsed at every point. Out of some 7,000

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 201
men which Hooker had engaged, his loss was 416 in killed
and wounded. The loss of the enemy was equally great
in killed and wounded, and besides they lost over a hundred
prisoners. Howard fortified the heights which he had ob
tained, and Hooker's entire corps took possession of them,
This decided the fate of Lookout Valley and secured the
line of supplies between Chattanooga and Bridgeport.
Thus in five days after the arrival of Grant at Chattanooga,
the imperilled command there had been rescued' from im
mediate danger. The door for relief bad been opened.
The siege of Chattanooga had been raised and the isolated
and defensive army there was ready to assume the offen
sive. Rosecrans had been on the defensive. Now, in
the incredibly short time of less than a week, Bragg
with his superior forces and great advantages of posi
tion was thrown on the- defensive. Not only sup
plies of rations and ammunition were teeming into the
town, but two corps of excellent soldiers were ready to be
added to the national army, while Hooker threatened the
most formidable position then in the possession of the
enemy, namely, Lookout Mountain. The relief of the army
at Chattanooga seemed to have been almost miraculous.
The spirit of the men was at once revived. Memory of
Chickamauga was gradually lost, save as it seemed as an
inspiration for revenge. The soldiers seemed to feel that
there had been a decidedly new departure, and that their
new commander could not only appreciate a desperate situ
ation, but had the ability to relieve it.
Meanwhile Grant was anxiously looking for the arrival
sf Sherman. The situation at Knoxville in East Ten
nessee had grown very serious. Bragg had felt so sure of
his position around Chattanooga as to dare to detach
Longstreet's division to attack Burnside at Knoxville and

202 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
secure control of East Tennessee. The Government had
grown very uneasy about Burnside's fate, and Grant was in
constant receipt of communications, urging him to hasten
to Burnside's relief. This he could not do before Sher
man's arrival, nor could he until such arrival, carry out any
part of the design which he had formed after arriving at
Chattanooga, which design was of a threefold nature:
First, to beat the enemy back from his strongly fortified
positions around Chattanooga ; secondly, to go to the relief
of Burnside in East Tennessee ; and thirdly, to make "Chat
tanooga such a point, as that he could effectively operate from
it in the direction of Alabama and Georgia. Every day he
felt as if Sherman should be on hand. Every day he
feared that Longstreet might return and take his old place
in Bragg's ranks ; but whilst he was anxious about Sher
man's arrival, he knew that his march was proceeding as
rapidly as possible. The 330 miles which intervened be
tween Memphis and Chattanooga were miles which
embraced various difficulties, both such as nature imposed
in the shape of mountains and rivers, and those which the
enemy interposed by obstructing roadways, making dashes
into his trains, and occasionally confronting him with
almost regular lines of battle. At length, on the 13th of
November, as already stated, Sherman announced his ar
rival at Bridgeport, and bore to Grant at Chattanooga, the
welcome news that his troops were following close behind
him. On the 14th, Sherman's advance reached Bridge
port, where it would have been sooner, but for the high
. water on Elk River, which drove them some thirty miles
out of their way. On the 17th Sherman announced to
Grant, that the leading division of his force was on its way
from Bridgeport, by the Tennessee, to Chattanooga. It was

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 203
to be followed on the next day by the remainder of hia
command. On the day after Sherman's arrival, in person, at Chat
tanooga, he rode out in company with Grant, Thomas and
other officers, to the hills on the north bank of the Ten
nessee whence they could view Chattanooga, the entire line
of Missionary Ridge, and its terminus on the Tennessee River,
the point which Sherman was expected to take and to for
tify. He returned at once to Bridgeport, where he spent
the time for several days urging up his men and getting
ready for the great battle which impended, his position in
which he now knew well, and whose responsibility he felt
with a keenness of a resolute, and able commander. Grant
had submitted to him and Thomas the general plans of the
battle, after they had ridden over the field together and
studied its topography.
According to the plan as sketched in Grant's mind, the
battle should begin on November 21st, at daylight. By
this time, Sherman's troops were expected up from Bridge
port,, marching on the north side of the Tennesse River,
and crossing upon a pontoon bridge to be sprung across the
Tennessee near the mouth of the Chickamauga, ascending
the hills at the northern end of Missionary Ridge and tak
ing a firm hold. In order that Sherman might be able to
accomplish this without possibility of failure, he was to be re
inforced with one division of the Army of the Cumberland,
under Gen. J. C. Davis. The course of Sherman's troops
was to be protected by batteries, under Brannan, Thomas's
chief of artillery. After crossing the river, Sherman was
to move rapidly forward, cover the heights on the north
end of the ridge, and push his forces as far as to the
ravine, through which ran the tunnel. This crossing and
advance was to be in the nature of a surprise, and

204 LIFE. OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
was to be effected before it was possible for the enemy
to concentrate on his front. After Sherman succeeded in
getting into position, well up the end of the ridge, Thomas,
whose position was in the valley, was to push his left out
until it touched Sherman's right, and move forward simul
taneously with him and in his support. The valley south
east of Chattanooga was Grant's centre. In it was Thomas's
army. The right was Lookout Mountain. As already
stated, Hooker held a position, on its southern skirts, com
manding Lookout Valley. He was supported by Geary's
division and two brigades under Cruft, from theFourth Army
Corps. On the 20th, Howard was ordered to take position
on the north side of the Tennessee, near the pontoon
bridge, over which Sherman was expected to pa3S, and to
hold himself in readiness to move there to the coopera
tion of Sherman or of Thomas, as needed.. Long's brigade
of cavalry was to be thrown out on to Sherman's left flank,
and if it should not be needed for Sherman's purposes, it
was then to cross the Chickamauga and raid the enemy's
communications in the rear,-doing as much damage as pos
sible. Sherman began his march from- Bridgeport by sending
Ewing by Lookout Valley, to make a feint on the left flank
of the Confederates, in the direction of Trenton. He
crossed his other divisions at Brown's Ferry, marched up
the north bank of the river to the mouth of South Chicka- ¦
mauga Creek, and kept them concealed in the woods until
they were ready to cross. Owing to the heavy rains and
bad condition of the roads, he was unable to get more
than one division into position by the 21st, and Grant
delayed the battle to give him further time. By the
23rd, another division reported, and by daylight of the
24th, Sherman with 8,000 men was intrenched on the east

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 205
bank of the Tennessee. Thomas now learned that Sher
man's movements across Lookout Valley had been discov
ered by Bragg, and he directed Howard to cross over into
Chattanooga, so as to lead Bragg to suppose that Sherman's
troops were coming to reinforce Chattanooga. Howard
crossed on Sunday and took position in the rear of Thomas'
army, and in full view of the enemy. On the 20th, Bragg
had notified Grant to withdraw all non-combatants from
Chattanooga. This was done for the purpose of covering
up a movement of Bragg's own to the south, with the in
tention of going to the relief of Longstreet. To test "the
truth of this theory, Grant ordered Thomas to try the
enemy's lines on the morning of the 23rd, drive in his
pickets, and see if he still held his force on the front. This
movement was participated in by Sheridan's and Hood's
divisions of the Fourth Corps and supported by Baird's
division of the Fourteenth. They moved out on the plain, as
if on parade,and in full sight of Bragg and his army on Look
out Mountain and Missionary Ridge. They formed their
Mines regularly and moved forward to attack the enemy,
advancing with rapidity. They steadily pushed back the
Confederate lines, and finally with a sweeping charge, drove
the Confederates out of their first line of rifle-pits and sent
them on a full run to the rear, capturing fully 200 prison
ers. Here they made themselves secure by throwing up
temporary breastworks, and sending a strong picket to the
front, to protect the new line. The spot thus captured was
known as " Orchard Knob," and a strong battery was placed
upon it.
After Sherman crossed the Tennessee River, at the north
end of Missionary Ridge, he placed his command in three
columns, which followed in their advance the general direc
tion of Chickamauga Creek. His left was under Gen. M.

206 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
L. Smith and rested on the creek ; his centre was under
Gen. J. E. Smith ; and his right was under Gen. Ewing.
The whole, as a corps, were under the command of Gen.
Frank P. Blair. Davis's division moved to the attack in
support of these. All of the officers had supposed that
Missionary Ridge was an even range at its northern ex
tremity. When Sherman left the river, he passed over the
foothills and pressed up to what was supposed to be the
main portion of the ridge, but when he reached the top of
this, which was accomplished in the midst of lively skir
mishing, he found a deep ravine between this hill and the
next. On the opposite side of this, the Confederates were
heavily entrenched, and this was the very point which he
had been ordered to take. Finding that the opposite side
of the. ravine was strongly fortified, and fearing that he
could not capture it without a prolonged fight and unneces
sary loss, he fortified the top of the first hill and prepared
to hold the ground that he had thus far gained. Here he
was attacked by the enemy with a heavy artillery and
musketry fire. After a severe struggle, their attack was
repulsed. He then prepared for the night, posting his com
mand so as to hold the positions gained. Howard, after
takingTiis new position in the valley, pushed out his left,
so as to connect with Sherman's right. At midnight Sher
man received word from Grant to attack the enemy at dawn
of the next day, and that Thomas would attack in force
early in the day.
While Sherman's attack upon the enemy's left at Mis
sionary Ridge had been going on, Hooker had been press
ing /lis right on the slope up Lookout Mountain, thus draw
ing Bragg's attention to this point and away from Sherman
w'/iile crossing the river and getting into position. Hooker
was under instructions from Thomaa, that if he at any time

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 207
felt himself able to carry the enemy's position, he should
do so. On the 24th, at 4 A. M., Hooker reported his troops
ready to move. Finding that Lookout Creek had been
swollen with recent rains, so that he could not cross with
out building a temporary bridge, he sent Geary up the creek
to effect a crossing at Wauhatchie. Geary made his cross
ing, and while the enemy were watching Hooker building
the bridge, he came, under cover of a heavy mist, down the
creek until he was on the enemy's flank and rear. The
enemy, under Stevenson, were six brigades strong, posted
on the northern slope of the mountain, midway between
the palisades and the Tennessee River. They had a con
tinuous line of earthworks lower down the slope, so as to
prevent an assault from the direction of the river. On each
flank were rifle-pits, batteries, walls of stone and abatis, as
against an attack from either Chattanooga or Lookout Val
ley. As Geary moved down the right bank of the creek,
he soon encountered the enemy's pickets. They gave the
alarm, when the troops rushed into the breastworks and
rifle-pits. All these positions were soon covered by artil
lery planted by Hooker's orders. He sent a brigade of
Osterhaus's division up the creek to build another bridge,
and left Cruft with a small command put on the first bridge
to attract the attention of the enemy. The second bridge
was completed by 11 o'clock, when Osterhaus's division
crossed to Gen. Geary on the right bank. Under cover of
an -artillery fire, the entire line advanced, pressing the enemy
closely back. By noon Geary's advance had driven the
Confederates around the peak of the mountain, when he was
ordered to halt and reform his men, but having the Con
federates on the run, he kept pushing forward, driving them
into disorder and panic. He was supported by other bri
gades coming up on the high ground on his right and doub-

208 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
ling up the confused Confederate lines, which had been re
inforced, but were still unable to resist the sweep of Hook
er's troops as they rounded the curve of the mountain at
Craven's House, the spot selected "by the enemy for his last
stand. From here, he was driven in confusion and rout
down the rocks and precipices in the Chattanooga Valley.
It was now 2 o'clock, and Hooker was unable to see his
immediate front on account of the mist which had settled
on the top of the mountain. He halted his troops in posi
tion, threw up temporary breastworks, with'his line on the
east side of the mountain, his right resting on the palisades,
his left on the mouth of the Chattanooga Creek. From
this position, he reported to Thomas, who ordered Carlin
with his brigade to report to him, who was placed on the
extreme right, thereby relieving Geary's troops. During
the night, the Confederates abandoned the top of the
mountain while the Summertown road remained open,
leaving behind him his camp and garrison equipage. This
gave to the Union army full control of the river and rail
road up to Chattanooga. While the mists still clung on
the mountain, early on the 25th, Hooker was ordered to
press forward on the Rossville road, carry the pass and
operate on Bragg's left and rear. Advancing down the
valley, he found the Confederate pickets holding the right
bank of the Chattanooga Creek, where the bridge on the
Rossville road had been destroyed. Here Hooker was de
layed for some three hours, when Osterhaus crossed his
infantry on the stringers and pressed forward, driving the
enemy's pickets over to Rossville. They were driven out
of this, and Rossville Gap, a point of great importance, fell
into Hooker's possession.
On the same morning, that of Nov. 25th, Sherman made
his disposition for his main attack. Holding his centre

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 209
with three brigades, he moved gradually east and west
along the base of Missionary Ridge, with his right and left
flanks. Corse, advancing from the right centre and sup
ported by Lightburn on the left and M. L. Smith on the.
right, occupied the summit in the woods, within eighty
yards of the entrenched lines of the enemy. From this
point, Corse assaulted the main Confederate line and for
over an hour, a heavy contest was maintained, during
which, both Confederate and Union forces were driven back
and forth several times. In the end, Corse managed to
maintain the summit, which he had first secured. The
commands of Loomis and M. L. Smith also joined in this
contest, which did not end until 3 o'clock. The Union
force held their own at all points, but did not make much
headway. Sherman found himself at this point fighting
the heavy and concentrated columns of the enemy, and thus
far the main portion of the battle had fallen to his share.
It was, however, a part which Grant had expected him to
play in the contest, and he was playing it manfully and to
the purpose. Thomas, Howard and the other commanders
in the centre felt anxious for Sherman's welfare. Grant
was more than anxious, but did not wish to change the
situation until Hooker could be heard from, on the extreme
right. Grant felt that Hooker's appearance there would be
the signal for relief to the stubborn fighting which Sher
man was encountering. It was also to be the signal for
the grand move from the centre. Finding that Hooker had
been delayed, by reason of the destruction of the bridge
near Rossville, and that the expected diversion was not to
come from that quarter, Grant ordered Thomas to move out
his four central divisions — Baird on the left, Wood and
Sheridan in the centre and Johnson on the extreme right —
with two lines of skirmishers in the front, supported by the

210 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
entire force. They were to press forward, carry the first
line of rifle-pits, halt and await orders. The movement
was to begin at 3 o'clock, at a signal by six guns, fired in
rapid succession from Orchard Knob. When the guns
sounded, the troops, impatient of their all-day wait, while
Sherman's men had been so hard at work, pressed eagerly
forward, divisions, brigades and regiments striving with
each other for the advance. With the very first move
ment, Bragg began to hurry reinforcements from his right
and left to strengthen his troops against the assault on his
centre. This centre was under the command of Gen.
Breckenridge, in whose front were four lines of breast
works. The first line had been captured by. the movement
on the 23rd, leaving three lines of formidable rifle-pits, the
first of which was near the foot of the ridge. From this
to the top was a steep ascent of 500 yards covered with
timber and rocks. Half-way up this, another line of breast
works had been thrown up. On the top of the hill, were
the enemy's heaviest breastworks, protected by some fifty
pieces of artillery.
As the Union troops advanced, cheering and echoing
the cheers of each other, they broke into a double quick,
all striving to be first to reach the rifle-pits, at the foot of
the ridge, which were held by a strong line of the enemy's
troops. The batteries from the top of the hill poured down
upon them a rain of shot and shell, soon changing it to
grape and cannister, which, united with the fire of the
infantry from the rifle-pits, made progress very difficult.
Dashing through this fire, Thomas' soldiers swept onward,
drove in the enemy's skirmishers, charged on the line of
works at the foot of the ridge, captured it at the point of
the bayonet, routed the Confederates, sending them at full
speed up the hill, and killed and captured large numbers.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 211
The several commands reached the rifle-pits almost at the
same time and were prepared to lie down, in accordance
with the instructions, but they were subjected to such hot
and plunging fire from the enemy on the crest of the ridge
that, without further waiting for orders from their officers,
first one regiment and then another started up the ascent,
until the entire line advanced over and around rocks, under
and through fallen timber, charged up the ridge, each deter
mined to reach the summit first, each cheered on by their
officers. The centre of Sheridan's division reached the top
first and crossed to the right of Bragg's headquarters. The
rest of the line was soon up, and, almost simultaneously
the ridge was carried in more than half a dozen places. The
enemy concentrated and made a most determined stand, but
it lasted only a short while. They could not withstand the
terrible onset of the Union troops, and were driven from
their lines into broken and panic-stricken retreat. Battery
after battery, regiment after regiment, were captured by
the victorious troops. From the time the charge began
until the troops occupied the top of the ridge, not over an
hour had elapsed. Bragg, Breckenridge and a number of
Confederate generals barely escaped capture. Sheridan
pushed his advantage for about a mile, driving the enemy
ahead of him, out on the Chickamauga road. At a high
point on the road, he had an engagement withthem. They
had posted eight pieces of artillery, for the purpose of cov
ering their retreat. This position, Sheridan flanked, when
the enemy hastily decamped, leaving two pieces of artillery
and a large number of wagons.
Looking back over the battle field at Chattanooga we
can now see how admirably the plans were, laid, and what
an important part Sherman was to play. Perhaps no scene
had ever been- more thoroughly prospected in advance by

212 , LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
the generals who were to enter upon it. We have seen by
what exquisite manoeuvering the siege was raised and the
roads and supply lines opened down to Brown's Ferry" and
Bridgeport. One advantage of the new road, up from
Brown's Ferry, was that as soon as it entered the hills on
the north .side of the Tennessee, it was out of sight of the
Confederates on Lookout Mountain, and hence Bragg could
not tell whether troops marching on it were destined for the
relief of Burnside at Knoxville, or of Thomas at Chatta
nooga. This was most important, for Bragg was far more
concerned for Longstreet, whom he had detached for Knox
ville, and any attack upon whom, from the direction of
Chattanooga, would necessarily be in the rear, than he
was for his own elevated and apparently secure position.
Investigation had shown that the north end of Mission
ary ridge was insecurely guarded by Bragg, and the line of
the left bank of the Tennessee from South Chickamauga
Creek westward to the main Confederate front was held
only by the enemy's cavalry pickets. These facts deter
mined the chief point of onset. The massing of the Union
forces was to take place in that direction. Sherman was
to cross the Tennessee, from the right to the left bank, as he
did. Thomas was to throw in a divison to his aid, and
connect with his right, and then fully cooperate with
Sherman as he made his advance up the northern slopes of
the ridge. In addition to this Sherman was to keep his
left well swung round toward Chickamauga Station, which
was Bragg's source of supplies, and the valley leading
down from which toward Dalton would become his line of
retreat, in case he was forced from his position. To cut the
railroad here, would also imperil Longstreet, and com
pletely sever him from Bragg.
At an early period it was discovered that Bragg was

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 213
apprehensive of an attack on his left. This impression was
engendered by Hooker's active operations in Lookout
Valley, aad to keep it up became a prime object on the
part of Grant. It was for this purpose that Sherman was
ordered to deflect his leading division from Bridgeport
toward Trenton, in the valley west of Lookout, and to
keep the camp fires brightly burning, so as to give the
appearance of large concentration of force there, and so as
to disguise the fact that his main body- was really on the
march up the river to the pontoon crossing opposite Mis
sionary Ridge.
We have seen how Grant had fixed the date of the
battle for the 20th, and how it was postponed to the 24th, on
account of the inability of Sherman to get his forces up and
into position in time. This delay brings to light an important
and even heroic part of Sherman's military history, though
one apt to be dimmed by the recital of more brilliant field
operations and by the smoke of actual cannonade. As the
central spirit of these operations, upon which hung all
Grant's plans and the fate of the great battle, it is emi
nently proper that their details as well as those of the
splendid move across the Tennessee and up the slopes of
Missionary Ridge should become a part of his life.
Sherman's mood was shaped by what he had seen on
his visit to Grant and Thomas at Chattanooga, and he had
seen enough of the acute apprehension for Burnside's safety
in East Tennessee, and of the condition of men and ani
mals in Chattanooga, to inspire him with renewed energy.
He had looked over the ground of his future operations
and was in full accord with all that was to transpire. He
hastened back to Bridgeport to find his troops coming in
from their 330 mile march from Memphis. He had deflected
his leading division (E wing's) to Trenton, to cooperate

214 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
with Hooker. He had hastened J. E. Smith's division
forward, and was urging the others up as fast as they
arrived at Bridgeport. He found his troops in elegant
condition after their long march, and" they were responsive
to his every order, able and willing for the toil and hard
ships of a forced march over the terribly cut up road from
Bridgeport to Chattanooga. The Brown's Ferry bridge
broke repeatedly under the strain of his rapidly marching
forces, and he was compelled to suffer delays which no
human capacity could anticipate or prevent. Labor was
incessant night and day. Not until the 23rd did Ewing's
division get across the bridge, and he was no sooner across
than the bridge fell again, cutting off his rear division
entirely. This was Osterhaus', which deflected to Hooker
and helped him in the splendid charge which won the
heights of Lookout Mountain.
At last, and after these Herculean efforts, Sherman's three
divisions lay behind the hills opposite the mouth of the
Chickamauga. A brigade of the Second Division was
sent to North Chickamauga Creek to man the boats
for the pontoon bridge, which had been prepared there,
and quietly drop them down at midnight to a point
above the South Chickamauga, at which point it was to
land secretly and drive off or capture the enemy's river
pickets. The entire brigade was to drop below the month
of the Chickamauga/ disembark, and quickly send the
boats across for fresh loads. Every Confederate picket,
except one, was captured, and the brigade was promptly
disembarked. Speedily the boats now plied between shore
and shore, and by daylight of Novemberr24th, two divisions,
General Morgan L. Smith's and General John E. Smith's,
comprising 8,000 men, had been ferried across, and had
ensconsed themselves behind respectable rifle pits. By noon

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 215
of that day the regular pontoon bridge had been completed,
both of whose ends were now protected, and the crossing
of which by the other troops, the artillery and the muni
tions, was secured. A pontoon was also thrown across the
mouth of Chickamauga Creek, communicating with the
two regiments which had landed on the north side. At this
point in his hurried and delicate operations, Sherman bore
willing testimony to the completeness of the whole busi
ness. All his officers and men manifested a willingness
and skill which he praised highly. He had never beheld
work done so quietly and effectually, and he challenged
the annals of war to show the laying of a bridge, 1,350
feet in length, so noiselessly and in so short a time.
Jeff C. Davis's division crossed the bridge promptly, and
at 1 P. M., Sherman had his three divisions in line, march
ing from the river and up the northern slopes of Mis
sionary Ridge. As already stated, M. L. Smith held the
left, following substantially the line of Chickamauga
Creek ; J. E. Smith held the centre with double column ;
General Ewing held the right, prepared to deploy con
stantly to the right. Heavy lines of skirmishers preceded
the respective columns, advancing under a drizzling rain
and low hanging clouds which cloaked their operations.
Thus a brigade of each division was pushed rapidly up the
hill, and then the enemy for the first time seemed to real
ize the character of Sherman's audacious movement. They
immediately opened a heavy artillery fire on Sherman's
position, but Ewing soon got some guns in position and
replied with effect. Lightburn pushed his command over
the depression in his immediate front and took position on
the hill beyond, where he was furiously attacked, but man
aged to h«ld his own. Though disappointed in the nature
of the ground, which Sherman had conceived to be a grad-

216 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
ual slope, he felt secure where he was, and ordered the
position to be fortified and his flanks to be extended. At
4 P. M. the enemy felt his left and precipitated a sharp en
gagement, in which they were repulsed. It cost Sherman
the loss of General G. A. Smith, who was severely
wounded, and whose command devolved on Col. Tupper. As
night drew on Sherman ordered Jeff C. Davis to keep one
of his brigades in contact with the bridge, one close up to
the position on the hill and one between. All night heavy
details were kept at work on the intrenchments. Howard
had connected his left with Sherman's right, as had been
prearranged, and had left three of his regiments with
Ewing. During the night the sky cleared and Sherman's camp
fires revealed his position to the enemy above him and the
Union forces in the valley' of Chattanooga. At midnight
orders came from Grant that Sherman should attack at
dawn of day, (November 25th,) with notice that Thomas
would attack early in the day. Before daylight Sherman
and his staff were in the saddle and rode out on his extreme
left near the Chickamauga, then up the hill which Light-
burn held, and around to the right of Ewing. This hasty
review of the situation, decided Sherman to make his
attack directly on Missionary Ridge with his- wings sup
porting. Quite a valley lay before him, and the opposite
hills presented steep sides, covered with wood. Beyond
them lay another ridge, still higher. One point on the
crest of the first ridge was held by the enemy, behind
breastworks of logs and earth. The entire crest of the
second ridge was known to be occupied by the enemy in
force, from which a plunging fire could be directed on the
crest of the first. The gorge between those two crests was
the one through which several roads and the railroad tun-

BATTLE OF MISSIONARY RIDGE

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 219
nel passed, which fact made it doubly important to the
enemy, as it afforded a means of turning his flank and
attacking his supplies and communications.
Sherman disposed his forces for the attack. The bri
gades of- Cockrell, Alexander and Lightburn were to hold
on where they were. General Corse was to lead the attack
from Sherman's right centre pushing up the narrow ridge
in his front, supported by one of Lightburn's regiments.
General Morgan L. Smith was to move along the east base
of Missionary Ridge, connecting with Corse. Loomis was to
move along the west base of the ridge, supported by the
reserve brigades of General John E. Smith. Corse wa3
ready by sun-up, and the bugle sounded " Forward I " Three
of his regiments moved down the hill, on the right centre,
and up that held by the enemy. The line advanced till
within eighty yards of the intrenched position, where Corse
found a secondary crest which he gained and held. Here
he called for reinforcements, which were sent, but the space
was narrow and fully exposed to the sweeping fire of the
enemy's musketry and artillery, so that it was a fatal spot
on which to crowd too many men. Corse's way out was to
assault. This he did in gallant style, bringing on a close
and sanguinary contest, driving and being driven for over
an hour, but all the while holding his grip on his first posi
tion. Smith kept gaining ground steadily on Sherman's
left, and Loomis fought his way by slow degrees around to
the right till he was abreast of the tunnel and railroad em
bankment, where he became the object of a murderous fire
from the enemy, which, while it did him much harm, served
to relieve the pressure on Sherman's centre. All of Sher
man's artillery that could be brought into requisition was
playing on the hill to his front.
It was now 10 A. M. The fight had fully developed and
13

220 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
was being conducted with stubborn fury by both sides.
Corse fell, badly wounded, and was succeeded by Col. Wal-
cut, of the 46th Ohio, who continued the contest with
spirit, pressing onward at all points. Loomis continued to
make progress to the right. Ewing felt that he could spare
part of his command from the left, and he sent Raum's and
Matthias' brigades to tire support of the centre. They
moved to join Walcut, under a terrific fire of cannon and
musketry, but accomplished their object. The ground,
however, was too narrow for full deployment and they re
mained on the west side of the ridge. The enemy, mean
while, had massed heavily in the tunnel gorge, and had
worked a large body, under cover of the bushes, upon the
right flank of this new command. They debouched and
attacked suddenly, throwing the Union troops into disorder
and compelling a retreat to the foot of the hill, where they
were reformed. As they were only supporting columns,
their discomfiture had no effect on the general attack.
Corse and Smith and Loomis still held their own, engaged
in fierce struggle throughout the day. Even the retreat of
the two supporting brigades was turned to the discomfiture
of the enemy, for when they attempted to pursue, full ad
vantage was taken of the exposure of their flanks, and they
were driven in disorder behind the cover of the hills.
The hour of 3 P. M. had arrived. Sherman was man
fully doing the part assigned to him. It was a bright clear
day, and the amphitheatre of Chattanooga lay at his feet,
filled with Thomas' army. The master spirit of the battle
was also there, and Sherman looked down on the scene
wondering what Grant's dispatch could have meant that
" Thomas would attach early in the day." Column after
column of the enemy was streaming out toward Sherman.
Battery after battery was concentrating its fire on his posi-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 221
tion, rendering it more untenable every moment, at least
making progress more dangerous and impossible. While
Sherman's heart was beating with anxiety, Grant's too was
palpitating with desire. He had listened long for sound of
Hooker from down the valley and on his right, and Bragg's
left, and he was still anxiously listening. It came not, but
he was sure it would come. At any rate, Sherman's fine
attack had even more than answered the purpose intended.
The enemy had greatly weakened their centre to contend
with Sherman. The critical hour had arrived for all.
At a little after 3 P. M. Sherman noticed the white line
of musketry fire rolling out from the front of Orchard
Knob in the valley, and extending further and further right
and left. He could only hear the faint echoes of sound, but
could see enough to know that Thomas' army was in mo
tion. He felt confident of the result, for he knew that his
morning's work had drawn heavy masses of the enemy to
his front. Therefore he held on with the greater determina
tion, refusing to be reinforced, and confiding to Thomas'
efforts to break the enemy's centre.
Soon the long light clouds of musketry smoke in the-valley
disappeared behind the intervening spurs of the ridge, and
the further progress of Thomas' army was unknown to
Sherman till late in the evening, when the glorious news
was broken to him that it had swept irresistibly up the
ridge, and had broken through the enemy's centre, captur
ing all before it, and forcing a disastrous retreat. Then
pursuit became the order of the day, or rather night. Mor
gan L. Smith was ordered to feel the tunnel. He found it
vacant, except as occupied by the dead and wounded of
both armies. The reserve of Jeff C. Davis was ordered at
once to cross the Chickamauga on the pontoon and push
rapidly toward Chickamauga Depot. Howard's corps, which

222 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
lay on Sherman's right, was ordered to follow Davis at 4
A. M. The entire Fifteenth Corps was ordered to follow
at daylight. All these troops were compelled to cross the
pontoon on the Chickamauga. By 11 A. M. of the 26th
Davis reached the depot in time to see it in flames, with
the enemy strongly posted on either side. These he drove
off. The desolation at the depot was such as war only un
folds. The flames were consuming all manner of supplies
intended for Confederate use while the invasion of Ken
tucky and Tennessee progressed. Piles of corn, sacks of
corn-meal, broken wagons, abandoned caissons, gun car
riages, pontoons, and all the paraphernalia of a great army
and grand campaign, were feeding the hissing flames.
Sherman halted here only long enough to rescue what
supplies he could from the flames. Then he pushed the
pursuit with all swiftness and persistency, for he knew that
both Thomas and Hooker were doing the same, and that
Grant's object was to inflict all the damage he could on
Bragg before he reached Dalton, the point whither he was
supposed to be tending. Sherman found the roads strewn
with wrecked impedimenta, and at last struck the enemy's
rear guard, near a dark, deep swamp. Here a smart battle
ensued, which delayed Sherman's further progress for the
night. Grant reached the scene during the night and
ordered a continuation of the pursuit on the morrow. It
was kept up to Graysville, when Hooker's guns were heard
further south and near Ringgold. As the roads were filled
with troops, Sherman pushed no further in that direction,
but sent Howard to break up the railroad between Cleve
land and Dalton, while he returned to destroy the eastward
communications between Bragg and Longstreet. He how
ever, sent Jeff C. Davis' division to Hooker's assistance and
left the Fifteenth Corps at Graysville, ready for any emer-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 223
gency. But his personal movement was checked by a
request from Hooker for further help, he having come upon
the enemy in strong force at the mountain pass beyond
Ringgold and having had a hard battle. Sherman's dispo
sition of Howard's corps, had already turned the position
of the enemy in Hooker's front, and by the time Sherman
reached Hooker, the enemy had fled to Tunnel Hill, a point
outside of the Chattanooga Valley and entirely off the soil
of Tennessee.
At Ringgold Sherman again. met Grant, and it was agreed
that all that could be accomplished in the way of pursuit
and destruction in that direction had been achieved. Sher
man was therefore ordered to confine his further operations
to the direction of Charleston and the line of the Hia-
wasse. This would be to aid Granger's corps which Grant
had already started to Burnside's aid at Knoxville, and. as
it turned out, to place Sherman also in the direct line, of
march thither.
In the battles which are grouped under that of Chatta
nooga, Grant's losses were 757 killed, 4,529 wounded, and
330 missing, a total of 5,616. The enemy's losses in killed
and wounded were lighter owing to their more advanta
geous positions, but to therh must be added the loss of
6,142 prisoners, 40 pieces of artillery, 69 artillery wagons,
and 7,000 small arms. Hooker fought with about 10,000
men, Sherman with 20,000, including Howard's corps, and
Thomas with 30,000. Bragg had 45,000; equal to thrice
that number considering the advantages of his positions.
In many respects Chattanooga was one of the most mag
nificent battles ever fought. The plans were well studied
and deep. They embraced the most delicate manoeuvres
under the very eye of the enemy. Only the most skillful
generals, and those in thorough accord, could have held to

224 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
the original plans. Only the most undaunted soldiers could
have turned the toil which preceded action and the heroism
which was required for it into victory. Chattanooga was
the crowning result of a myriad of causes, a culmination of
grandly conceived and concentered ideas, all betokening mil
itary genius of the highest order and military execution as
definite as machine work. Tenacious fighting did the work
at Shiloh. Magnificent strategy conquered Vicksburg.
Complicated manoeuvre bewildered Bragg at Chattanooga,
and prompt action drove him like a whirlwind from his
proud pinnacle. The importance of the victory to the
country could not be magnified. It. laid bare the very heart
of the Confederacy. Its powerful border stronghold was
gone, as well as its base for further Northern operations in
the West. There was a way to Atlanta and the fields and
magazines of the South. And it was a victory as import
ant to Sherman as to Grant, in showing that the Govern
ment had made no mistake by giving to the one the con
trol of the Division of the Mississippi and to the other the
command of the Army of the Tennessee. Sherman received
the direct compliments of Grant for his steadfast and heroic
part in the battle. The Government thanked him through
its officials, and after his return from Knoxville the Senate
and House of Representatives resolved, "That the thanks
of Congress and of the people of the United States are due
and are hereby tendered, to Major-General W. T. Sherman,
Commander of the Department and Army of the Tennes
see, and officers and soldiers uiider him, for their gallant and
arduous services in marching to the relief of the Army of
the Cumberland, and for their gallantry and heroism in the
battle of Chattanooga, which contributed in a great degree
to the success of our arms in that glorious victory."

CHAPTER X.
KNOXVILLE AND MERIDIAN.
After the magnificent battle and splendid victory at
Chattanooga, or rather Missionary Ridge, Nov. 25th, 1863,
Sherman's forces pursued the fleeing Confederate col
umns as far as Ringgold, where they met those of
Hooker, who had also been engaged in a vigorous pur
suit. Here Grant came up, who, on learning that Bragg
was in full retreat toward Dalton, ordered the pursuit off,
in order that he might relieve Knoxville, where Burn-
side was known to be in great danger. Even before the
battle of Missionary 'Ridge, Bragg had detaehed Long-
street's corps to augment the Confederate forces which
were closing in on Knoxville and threatening its capture,
together with entire East Tennessee. Grant and Sher
man spent the night of Nov. 27th together at Graysville
and the whole matter of the relief of Burnside was
talked over. Grant would go back to Chattanooga at
once, and start Granger's Fourth Corps toward Knox
ville. Sherman was to march his corps in the same di
rection, keeping out well into the country and picking
up all the forage lie could find, so as to relieve the slack
stores at Chattanooga.
By Nov. 29th all his columns converged at Cleveland,
and the next day lie was at the railroad crossing on the
Hiawassee, near Charleston. Here lie had word from
Grant, to the effect that Burnside was completely invested
by Longstreet, and in need of instant relief, and that he
225

226 LIFE OP GENERAL SHERMAN.
(Grant) had lost faith in Granger's ability to reach the
scene in time. He therefore asked Sherman to assume
command of all the forces moving up the Tennessee, in
cluding Granger's Corps, and out of them to organize
such a force as he deemed adequate for the situation.
The necessity for promptitude was great, and this new
tax on Sherman's tired troops was felt keenly by them.
But Sherman was equal to the task. He outlined his
march with great dispatch, and by the night of Decem
ber 3d his cavalry advance, under Long, reached Knox
ville to convey to Burnside the welcome news that Sher
man was rapidly approaching with force sufficient to
raise the siege. On December 5th the head of Sherman's
infantry column reached Marysville, fifteen miles distant
from Knoxville. This approach was too much for Long-
street, and he hurriedly raised the siege, after having
tried in a desperate assault to break through Burnside's
fortification. Longstreet retreated up the valley toward
Virginia. Sherman halted his entire army, except two
divisions. With these and his entire staff, he pushed on
and entered Knoxville on December 6th to consult with
Burnside as to measures of pursuit. Burnside said he
had already taken steps to pursue, and thought he would
be successful with the aid of two of Granger's divisions.
Sherman tendered him the help of his own jaded and
half frozen forces. Having spent a few days in and
about Knoxville and supplied Burnside with all he
needed to conduct a vigorous pursuit of Longstreet, he
began an easy return march to Chattanooga, which was
reached on December 16th. Here, Sherman was ordered
to restore the two divisions of Howard and Davis, bor
rowed for the occasion of the Knoxville campaign, to
their original place in Thomas' army, and to take his own.

LIFE OP GENERAL SHERMAN. 227
Fifteenth corps into Northern Alabama for the balance of
the winter.
Sherman's report furnishes the details of this Knoxville
operation, so promptly executed and so pregnant with
results. Its gist is to the following effect : — Grant's fears
that Granger could not reach Knoxville in time, induced
him to order Sherman to take command of all the troops
moving to Burnside's relief, and to hasten to his rescue.
Seven days before, he had left camp on the Tennessee with
with two days' rations, without a change of clothing and
with but a single coat and blanket per man. He was illy
sppulied for such a march, having no provisions except
what had been gathered on the way to Charleston. But
the thought that 12,000 fellow-soldiers were beleagured in
a mountain town, 84 miles distant and that relief must be
had in three days, was a stimulus to further sacrifices. That
night Howard repaired and planked the railroad bridge at
Charleston, and at daylight the army crossed the Hiawasse,
and marched to Athens a distance of fifteen miles. In the
night his cavalry overtook him in Athens. Here he sent
word to Granger, who was skirting the Tennessee, to push
out and meet him at Philadelphia.
On December 2d, he moved rapidly toward Loudon,
twenty six miles distant, sending his cavalry ahead to save,
if possible, the bridge across the Tennessee, which was
held by a Confederate Brigade under Vaughn. The cavalry
moved rapidly and captured every Confederate picket, but
Vaughn's artillery proved too strong for a successful cavalry
dash and darkness set in before Howard got his infantry
up. The enemy decamped in the night destroying pontoons,
running locomotives and cars into the Tennessee and aband
oning four guns and many provisipns, which fell into How
ard's hands in the morning. The destruction of the bridge

228 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
here forced Sherman to the east, and made him dependent
on Burnside's bridge at Knoxville. It was now important
that Burnside should know of Sherman's coming. Sherman,
therefore, ordered Long's Brigade of cavalry to move hastily
from Loudon and push to Knoxville in twenty-fours hours
at whatever cost of life and hoTse-flesh. The distance was
forty miles and the roads very bad. This force was off
by daylight of December 3rd. After its departure, Sherman
ordered the Fifteenth corps from Philadelphia to the Little
Tennessee at Morgantown, expecting to find a crossing.
But the water was too deep and cold, and a bridge became
indispensable. One was improvised and finished by the
night of December 4th and, by the morning of the 5th, Blair's
Fifteenth Corps, and Granger's and Davis' Divisions were
across. On that day he received word from Burnside that
Long's Cavalry Brigade had arrived at Knoxville, and
that Longstreet still lay before the place, but was showing
evidences of retreat. Howard had marched from Loudon
and had crossed the river on an ingeniously constructed
bridge, seven miles below Morgantown. Sherman used all
haste, and by the night of the 5th his columns converged at
Marysville. Another messenger from Burnside told of the
retreat of Longstreet in the direction of Virginia, with all
his (Burnside's) cavalry at his heels. Sherman ordered
Granger, with two divisions, to push ahead and report at
once to Burnside, so as to be ready to take part in the
pursuit. Sherman himself rode from Marysville to Knox
ville, on December 6th, leaving his command to rest or
move at leisure. On his arrival he and Burnside inspected
the fortifications, and it was Sherman's opinion that they
were practically proof against assault.
Burnside tendered Sherman the following letter: — "Gen
eral : I desire to express to you and your command my

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 229
most hearty thanks and gratitude for your promptnes in
coming to our relief during the siege of Knoxville, and 1
am satisfied your approach served to raise the siege. The
emergency having passed, I do not deem for the present,
any other portion of your command but the corps of General
Granger necessary for operations in this section ; and, inas
much as General Grant has weakened the forces immediately
with him in order to relieve us, I deem it advisible that all
the troops now here, save those commanded by General
Granger, should return at once to within supporting distance
of the forces in front of Bragg's Army. In behalf of my
command, I desire again to thank you and your command
for the kindness you have done us.
A. E. Burnside, Major General Commander.
Having seen Granger's forces into Knoxville, and General
Burnside's in pursuit of Longstreet, Sherman returned to
his o wn command. He marched it back to Tellico, and thence
to Charleston. On December 14th, his forces lay along the
Hiawassee. There he left his cavalry and marched the reat
of his troops by easy stages back to Chattanooga and Bridge
port, as Grant had ordered, where JeffC. Davis was ordered
to take the Fifteenth Corps to Alabama, and the rest were
distributed to their proper commands. Since the depart
ure of his corps from the Big Black River, after the fall of
Vicksburg, Sherman had been constantly on the move
and had made one of the longest forced marches — Memphis
to Chattanooga— and fought one of the grandest and most
decisive battles of the war. His losses to this date, includ
ing the battle of Chattanooga, were, a»far as reported, 265
killed, 1332 wounded and 290 missing.
On December 19, 1863, Sherman was at Bridgeport, below
Chattanooga on the Tennessee, where he gave the necesary

230 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
orders for the distribution of the Fifteenth Corps along the
line of the railroad from Stevenson to Decatur, and of the
Sixteenth (now Dodge's) along the railroad from Decatur to
Nashville, all to repair railroads and get ready for the
Spring campaign.
On December 21, 1863, Grant moved his headquarters from
Chattanooga to Nashville, leaving Thwmas in full command
of the Army of the Cumberland, at Chattanooga. About
this time General Logan succeeded to the command of
Sherman's old corps, the Fifteenth relieving General Blair.
Grant's despatches to Halleck at this time were, "I am now
collecting as large a cavalry force as can be spared, at Sa
vannah, Tenn., to cross the Tennessee River, and co-oper
ate with Hurlbut's command at Memphis, cleaning out
entirely the forces now collecting in West Tennessee, under
Forrest. It is the design that the cavalry, after finishing
the work they first started upon, shall push South through
East Mississippi an d destroy the Mobile road as far South
as they can. Sherman goes to Memphis and Vicksburg, in
person, and will have Grenada visited and such other points
on the Mississippi Central as may require it.... I want the
State of Mississippi so visited that large armies cannot
traverse there, this winter. " This was the incipient stage
of the Meridian campaign.
Sherman received word from Grant to meet him in Nash
ville for a conference. Sherman started for that place on De
cember 21st. Theirtalk was ofthe Spring campaign. Grant
was already pondering that movement South from Chatta
nooga which was originally designed to end at Mobile,
where Farragut was to meet him with the fleet, but which,
under changed circumstances and Sherman's genius, became
the " March to the Sea." He did not however broach this
matter till January 15th, 1864, but he and Sherman agreed at

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 231
Nashville that whatever direction the Spring campaign
took, it would be necessary to free as many of the Union
troops then holding the Mississippi as possible. In order to
do this the Meridian campaign and the Shreveport expedi
tion of General Bank's were planned for the winter.
Sherman's Department, that of the Tennessee, embraced
the east bank of the Mississippi from Natchez to the mouth
of the Ohio, and thence up the Tennessee to Decatur and
Bellefonte, Ala. McPherson was at Vicksburg and Hurlbut
at Memphis, with their respective commands. The Confed
erates still maintained a respectable infantry and a large and
active cavalry force in Mississippi, threatening the river
navigation and raiding the raikoads. Sherman was satisfied
he could crush these and set the river garrisons free by one
or two quick moves inland from some river point. Banks
could do the same west of the river. To this Sherman now
turned his attention, with Grant's approval.
After giving all necessary orders for the distribution of
his forces in Southern and Middle Tennessee he spent
Christmas, 1863, with his family in Lancaster, Ohio, and
arrived in Cairo on January 3d, on his way down the
Mississippi. On January 10th, 1864, he arrived at Memphis
and explained to Hurlbut his intention of starting with an
army of 20,000 men from Vicksburg for Meridian and tear
ing up the Vicksburg & Selma and Mobile & Ohio Rail
roads. Hurlbut was to prepare two of his divisions for the
campaign. Sherman found General W. S. Smith's Cavalry
Column, 2,500 strong, at Memphis, sent there by Grant, to
aid Sherman in his campaign, as well as to punish Forrest,
who was continually raiding the Tennessee and Mississippi
garrisons. This force now fell to Sherman's command. He
proposed, to join it with Hurlbut's Cavalry, scattered be
tween Columbus, Ky., and Corinth, and thus make up an

232 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
effective force of 7,500 cavalry under General Smith. This
was done, and Smith was ordered to move from Memphis
directly to Meridian on February 1st, 1864.
Meanwhile, Sherman had been down to Vicksburg to ac
quaint McPherson with his object and prepare as much of
his command as was needed for the campaign. He had come
back to Memphis to help Smith off on his cavalry expedi
tion and was again back at Vicksburg on January 27th
The Confederate General Polk was in command at Me
ridian, with two divisions of infantry, one posted at Canton
and one at Brandon. He had also two strong divisions of
cavalry, one under Armstrong, operating between Yazoo
City and Jackson, the other under Forrest, operating toward
Memphis. Sherman moved out from Vicksburg on Febru
ary 3d, 1864, with two divisions, his right commanded by
McPherson, his left by Hurlbut. He crossed the Big Black
and marched direct for Meridian, 150 miles distant, striking
the Confederate Cavalry and driving them into Jackson,
which was reached on February 6th. Passing through
Brandon, Morton was reached on the 9th. The enemy's in
fantry was flying before him, but his cavalry was flitting
about him, forcing him to keep his columns well in hand.
By the 12th, Hurlbut's command reached Decatur, fol
lowed closely by McPherson. On the 14th, Meridian was
reached, the enemy having evacuated and gone toward Dem-
opolis, without offering any serious resistance. Here Sher
man remained five days, burning, all public property and
destroying the railroads, atthesametime waiting for Smith's
Cavalry to put in an appearance, of which up to that time,
he had not heard the remotest word. During this time, he
kept a large force at work breaking up the Mobile & Ohio
Railroad north and south; and also the Jackson & S^lrna
Railroad east and west. He was determined to damage these

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 233
roads so that they could not be used for hostile purposes,
during the war.
Some envious persons insisted that his destination was
Mobile, and that because his expedition did not go there, it
was a failure. But he never had any intention of goin" to
Mobile. This was made clear in his letter to General Banks
before starting from Vicksburg, m which he said that he ex
pected to be back to Vicksburg by March 1st to co-operate
with Banks in bis movement upon Shreveport. But Sher
man by no means wished to disillusion the enemy as to his
intentions on the contrary, he desired to keep up the im
pression that his objective was Mobile, and this for purposes
which the reader can very well guess.
The object of the Meridian expedition was to cut and de
stroy all the inland raikoads, runnning back from the Mis
sissippi, and also running north and south, so that Sherman
could gather from the defensive force on the Mississippi
River a corps of men fully 20,000 strong to be used in the
spring campaign, whatever its direction might be. This
object Sherman achieved by his Meridian campaign. The
secondary object was the destruction of Forrest's. Cavalry
forces, which had been a constant menace on the supply
route ranning from Memphis eastward. As to this, the ex
pedition did not accomplish very much, owing to the failure
of General Smith in handling his large cavalry force in ac
cordance with the specific instructions which ShermaD had
given him at Memphis. Instead of starting on February
1st, as- Sherman had ordered. Smitn did not leave Memphis
until the 11th ofthe month, and wnen he did start he
allowed Forrest to intercept him at West Point on the Mo
bile & Ohio Railroad, and to defeat him with an inferior force.
Sherman waited impatiently at Meridian until February
20th when nearing nothing from Smith, and having de-

«34 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
stroyed all the raikoads in and around that centre, he ordered
McPherson to move his corps leisurely back to Canton, whilst
he, with Hurlbut's corps and the cavalry, moved north to
Marion and Union.
From this point he dispatched his cavalry further north
in quest of Smith. He then directed all his infantry to con
centrate at Canton, which they reached on February 26th.
As yet no word had been received from Smith, and it was
not until Sherman's arrival at Vicksburg that he learned
that Smith's movement had been an entire failure.
On February 27th, Sherman left the troops at Canton un
der the command of General Hurlbut, with orders to leave
there early in March, and move leisurely to Vicksburg.
Sherman himself rode to Vicksburg, in the latter part of
February, and there found letters to the effect that he should
give aid to General Banks ; but Grant would not hear to
this, and ordered his return to Huntsville, Ala., to prepare
for the spring campaign. Sherman was somewhat dissatis
fied with the conflicting order*, and took advantage of the
time at his command to steam down to New Orleans to see
Banks. He reached New Orleans March 2d, and found
Banks about ready to move on Alexandria. Banks urged
him to remain over the 4th of March to participate in cere
monies connected with the inauguration of the civil govern
ment for Louisiana. Sherman was not organised for displays
of this kind, especially during war times, and ts-ok his de
parture from the State on March 3d, reaching Vicksburg
on the 6th, where he found the officers and soldiers, who
had been with him to Meridian, had returned. Here he re
organized his Vicksburg troops, and left General McPherson
in command there with a fair compliment of forces. He
made up a division and placed it in command of General T,.
K. Smith, which he dispatched to the aid of Banks, on the

GENERAL LONGSTREET.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 237
Red River, convoyed by Admiral Porter's fleet. He made
up a similar division and placed it in the hands of General
J. A. Mower, which proceeded to Atchafalaya and captured
Fort DeRussy, below Alexandria; thus enabling Porter's
fleet to ascend the Red River to Alexandria, where it
awaited the arrival of Banks.
The delays of Banks and the unfortunate results of his
Red River expedition, prevented the return of these two
divisions to Sherman in time to participate in his move
ment of the following spring. Indeed, they never joined
his army at all, but were able to get back in time to assist
General Thomas in the defeat of Hood at Nashville, in the
latter part of 1864.
When Sherman arrived at Vicksburg he received a letter
from General Grant to hasten back to Huntsville, Ala.
Leaving McPherson with full instructions at Vicksburg, he
hurried up the river to Memphis. On his way up he met
Captain Badeau, of Grant's staff, who was the bearer of a
letter from Grant dated Nashville, March 4, 1864. The
letter was marked private.
This letter was not of greater moment to Sherman, than
that which gave it birth was to Grant and to the Union.
It not only marked a man and men for preferment, but it
stamped a policy which had been of long growth, and whose
outcrop would be the beginning of a desired end.
Before interpreting this letter, let us see what the situa
tion was. The campaigns of the west and south-west, and
indeed throughout the Union, during the year of 1863, had
been remarkable, in the respect that where they had been
conducted on a principle of separate and selfish action, they
had been fatal. Where they had been conducted on the
principle ot concentrated and co-operative action, they had
resulted in material victories. This had been made particu-
14

238 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
larly apparent in that union of departments and concentra
tion of force, which gave to Grant the command of the MihV
tary Division of the Mississippi, to each of his entrusted
subordinates the command of individual departments, and
had brought him to unite them all at Chattanooga. But
while the Government was willing to accept a logic which
was clear, viz., the necessity for combined movement of all
its armies under a single, clear-headed, fearless and faithful
leadership, it had not yet struck the man, in whose genius
it could have implicit confidence. The amiable and popular
McClellan, the over prudent and pains-taking Halleck, had
failed in those essentials which make victory sure and
profitable. They had failed, therefore, to inspire the author
ities with that severe and unquestioned confidence, which
only could justify the placing of supreme control of the
armies and the destiny of the country in their hands.
Certain members of the Cabinet, notably Secretary Stan
ton, had early become impressed with the importance of
supreme superintendence and single effort under a General of
adequate capacity. It required stirring events, the victories
of united armies, the admonitions and arguments 1863, to
force these ideas into a conviction in places where it could
be given effective and tangible shape. Grant's growth as a
successful commander, his genius, his skill, his persistency
and wonderful grasp of situations, his tactical powers, his
repeated victories, his freedom from political complications,
the confidence reposed in him by all ofthe officers and men
of the armies, and now by the Government and the country,
greatly simplified the labor and lightened the responsibility
of choosing a suitable General-in-Chief.
Another thing now impelled to the adoption of the princi
ple of a single command, that was the political and general
mihtary out-look. The Confederate schemes to carry the

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 239
war into the North, which had been the central features of
the operation of 1863, had failed, but they were now to be
supplemented by a disintegrated and demoralizing political
doctrine, which had been introduced into the National
Democratic platform at Chicago, to the effect that the war
for the Union had been a failure and should be abandoned.
The General-in-Chief of this doctrine, which was to be ex
emplified on the stump, the official in command of the
Democratic political forces for 1864, was an old commander
of the Union Armies, and his popularity was expected to be
sufficient to carry the doctrine to a bloodless victory. In
the fatfe of such a doctrine, and of so illustrious an expon
ent, it would not do to push a military contest for any
length of time without crowning it with sure and substan
tial victories. Such victories were demanded at the dawn
of 1864. It was clear that the year inaugurated both apo
litical and military crisis. Though the energies of the
Confederates had been taxed to their uttermost, yet it was
as much as ever a unit in its determination, and still lived
vigorously in its armies. So, the energies of the Union
had been largely, though not so exhaustively drawn upon,
and it was as much committed to a policy of peace as the
Confederates and their Northern allies, though only through
the test of victory. The issue was clearer than ever before.
Defeat on either side meant ruin more than ever before.
The scale must soon turn one way or the other, and that
decidedly. The eastern theatre had not been formerly progressive at
any time ; in the western theatre, during all of 1863, it had
been active and aggressive on the part of the Union officers
and soldiers, and had been productive of most substantial
results. These facts furnished not only an indication, but
an inspiration to the authorities and the country. They

240 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
made the history of former and more concentrated effects
conspicuous. They induced the spirit of heroic rally for an
effective and final blow. Such a blow would necessarily
be made more difficult than any other to deliver, for Union
success could only result in driving the Confederates to
gether, and compacting their force. There must be no fur
ther division of lines giving them the advantage of striking
from a common central poinj, but a gradual concentration
of lines. The lesson of other Union victories must now be
presented in ten-fold force. There must be no waste of
precious energy, no discordant policies, no defensive tactics,
no strategy that was not bold nor aggressive, no lack of
concentration, no division of military counsels, no fear of
consequences. As the issues were clear and closely joined,
so the arbiters— the armies — must be kept face to face,
in close contact and perpetual meeting, till the final and de
sired verdict was signed, sealed, delivered, and declared to
the world.
The bill to revive the grade of Lieutenant General in the
Armies of the United States was introduced into Congress
soon after the battle of Chattanooga, and had been'pending
ever since. The instincts of Legislators, spurred by a
growth of sentiment in the country, and by deliberate study
of the situations, of forces and results, led to definite action
on the part of Congress, on February 26, 1864, when both
Houses sanctioned the Bill.
It was approved by President Lincoln on March 1st, and
under its provisions he conferred upon General Grant an of
fice which had not existed since 1798, when the grade of
Lieutenant General was tendered as an honorary offering to
General George Washington,' who held it for one year,
when it was discontinued. In 1855 it was conferred by
Brevet on General Winfield Scott. The authorities at

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 241
Washington neither favored nor opposed this Bill, while it
was pending, yet they were confident of its efficacy ; and
all connected with war affairs, including the President, felt
that the man for the mission was already in the foreground.
But they were aware that it was a very grave measure, and
felt that the responsibility for it should not be detached
from the people, who were the real source of power.
Hitherto the grade had been honorary. Now it would
carry both new and stupenduous power, and would-be effic
ient in breaking up hitherto irremediable evils, only as
those powers were wielded wisely or foolishly.
. On March 3d, 1864, Halleck sent the following despatch
to Grant: — :"The Secretary of War directs that you will
report in person to the War department as early as practica
bly, considering the condition of your command. If neces
sary, keep up telegraphic communications with your com
manders, while en route to Washington."
On the next day Grant started for the Capital, but before*
he started he wrote to Sherman the private letter akeady
mentioned. It read as follows :
Nashville, Tenn., Maroh 4, 1864.
Dear Sherman : — The bill reviving the grade of lieuten
ant-general in the army has become a law, and my name
has been sent to the Senate for the place.
I now receive orders to report at Wasnmgton immedi
ately, in person, which indicates either a confirmation or a
likelihood of confirmation. I start in the morning to com
ply with the order, but I shall say very distinctly, on my
arrival there, that I "shall accept no appointment which will
require me to make that city my headquarters. This, how
ever, is not what I started out to write about.
While I have been eminently successfully in this war, in

242 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
at least gaining the confidence of the public, no one feels
more than I how much of this success is due to the energy,
skill and the harmonious putting forth of that energy and
skill, of those whom it has been my good fortune to have
occupying subordinate positions under me.
There are many officers to whom these remarks are appli
cable to a greater or less degree, proportionate to their abil
ity as soldiers ; but what I want is to express my thanks to
you and McPherson, as the men to whom, above all others,
I feel indebted for whatever I have had of success. Howfar
your advice and suggestions have been of assistance, you
know. How far your execution of whatever has been given
you to do entitles you to the reward I am receiving, you
cahnot know as well as I do. I feel all the gratitude this
letter would express, giving it the most flattering construc
tion. The word " you," I use in the plural, intending it for Mc
Pherson also. I should write to him, and will some day ;
but, starting in the morning, I do not know that I shall find
time just now. Your friend,
U. S. Grant, Major- General.
On the receipt of this letter by Sherman, at the hands
of Captain Badeau, as akeady stated, he replied as follows :
Near Memphis, March 10, 1864.
General. Grant :
Dear General : — I have your more than kind and char
acteristic letter of the 4th, and will send a copy of it to Gen
eral McPherson at once.
You do yourself injustice, and us too much honor, in as
signing to us so large a share of the merits which have led
to your high advancement. I know you approve the friend-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 243
ship I have ever professed to you, and will permit me to
continue as heretofore to manifest it on all proper occasions.
You~ are now Washington's legitimate successor, and oc
cupy a position of almost dangerous elevation ; but if you
can continue as heretofore to be yourself ; simple, honest and
unpretending, you will enjoy through life the respect and
love of friends, and the homage of millions of human beings
who will award to you a large share for securing to them
and their descendants a government of law and stability.
I repeat, you do General McPherson and myself too much
honor. At Belmont you manifested your traits, neither of
us being near ; at Donelson also, you illustrated your whole
character. I was not near, and General McPherson in too
subordinate a capacity to influence you.
Until you had won Donelson, I confess I was almost
cowed by the terrible array of anarchical elements that pre
sented themselves at every point ; but that victory admitted
the ray of light which I have always followed ever since.
I believe you are as brave, patriotic and just, as the great
prototype Washington; as unselfish, kind-hearted and hon
est as a man should be; but the chief characteristic in your
nature is the simple faith in success you have always mani
fested, which I can liken to nothing else than the faith a
Christian has in his Saviour.
This faith gave you victory at Shiloh and Vicksburg.
Also, when you have completed your best preparations, you
go into battle without hesitation, as at Chattanooga, — no
doubt, no reserve ; and I tell you that it was this that made
us act with confidence ; I knew, wherever I was, that you
thought of me, and if I got into a tight place you would
come — if alive.
My only points of doubt were as to your knowledge of
grand strategy, and of books of science and history ; but I

244 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. - •
confess your common sense seems to have supplied all this.
Now as to the future. Do not stay in Washington. Hal
leck is better qualified than you are to stand the buffets of
intrigue and pohcy. Come out West; take to yourself the
whole Mississippi Valley ; let us make it dead sure, and I
tell you the Atlantic slope and Pacific shores will follow its
destiny as sure as the limbs of a tree live or die with the
main trunk ! We have done much, but still much remains
to be done. Time and time's influence are all with us ; we
could almost afford to sit still and let these influences work.
Even in the seceded States your word now would go further
than a President's proclamation, or an act of Congress.
For God's sake and for your country's sake, come out of
Washington ! I foretold to General Halleck, before he left
Corinth, the inevitable result to him, and I now exhort you
to come out West. Here lies the seat of the coming em
pire ; and from the West, when our task is done, we will
make short work of Charleston and Richmond, and the im
poverished coast ofthe Atlantic. Your sincere friend,
W. T. Sherman.
In his letters to Halleek, dated as far back as January
15th, respecting the movement of Sherman in his Meridian
campaign, and also in his last instructions to Sherman prior
to going to Washington, Grant gave the following outline
of his views, respecting the Spring campaign : "I look up
on the next line for me to secure, to be that from Chatta
nooga to Mobile, Montgomery, Atlanta ; To do this, large
supplies must be secured on the Tennessee River, so as to
be in reach of the raikoad from Nashville to the Tennessee
for a considerable length of time. Mobile must be the second
ary base. The destruction which Sherman will do to the

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 245
routes around Meridian will be of material importance to us in
preventing the enemy from drawing supplies from Missis
sippi, and in clearing that section of all large bodies of
rebel troops. I do not look upon any point except Mobile
in the South and the Tennessee River in the North as persis
tent practical starting points from which to operate against
Atlanta and Montgomery."
Thus, long in advance of the formal mapping ofthe move
ment against Atlanta, and of the final orders to Sherman,
which he so grandly executed, they were foreshadowed by
the one who was to become the Commander-in-Chief of the
American Armies. v
In obedience to Halleck's summons, Grant made a rapid
journey to Washington by special trains, arriving at the
Capital on March 8th. On March 9th, he was formally
presented to the President and his Cabinet. President Lin
coln said " General Grant, the nation's appreciation of what
you have done, and its reliance upon you for what remains
to be done in the existing great struggle, are now presented
with this commission, constituting you Lieutenant-General
in the Army of the United States. With this high honor
devolves upon you, also, corresponding responsibility. As
the country herein trusts you, so, under God, it will
sustain you. I scarcely need to add, that with what I
here speak for the nation, goes my hearty personal
concurrence." General Grant replied, " Mr. President, I accept the com
mission with gratitude for the high honor conferred. With
the aid of the noble armies that have fought in so many fields
for our common country, it will be my earnest endeavor not
to disappoint your expectations. I feel the full weight of
the responsibilities now devolving upon me, and I know
that if they are met, it will be to those armies, and above

246 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
all to the favor of that Providence which leads both the
nations and men."
The investiture was then made complete by the action
of the President, who assigned the new Lieutenant-Gen-
eral to the command of all the National Armies, with his
headquarters in the field, and thus brought about one of
the most momentous military changes which had char
acterized the history of the war.
When Lieut.-General Grant took command of the armies
of the United States, and glanced at the situation from his
high station, he saw the enemy in strong numbers, under its
ablest generals and on its best fighting ground in the State
of Virginia, and between the two Capitals, Washington
and Richmond. Across this section, Lee's army stretched,
south of the Rapidan, covering Richmond and menacing
the National Capital. If the Federal armies, concentrated
in the West, drove Johnston from Dalton, established a
new line from Altoona to Mobile, and did all that was now
contemplated under Sherman, it would only result in hard
er Confederate consolidation in the path between Washing
ton and Richmond. Lee's army, therefore, became an im
portant and direct objective. This, together with the
chivalric consideration that Lee stood at the head of the
Confederate Generals, and had proven more than a match
for the best Federal leadership, induced Grant to assume
personal command of the Army of the Potomac, and oper
ate his other armies through the generals who had proven
their ability and secured his entire confidence.
Therefore, on March 10th, he started to the front of the
Army of the Potomac, investigated the situation, confirmed
Meade in his command of the Army, discussed the military
situation with him, and on the 11th of March returned to
Washington. He started immediately for Nashville,

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 247
where he arrived on the 17th, and wrote to Sherman to
meet him there. Sherman hastened thither from Mem
phis, arriving there on March 17, 1864.
Sherman's first words to Grant were, "I cannot congratu
late you on your promotion, the responsibility is so great."
To this the quiet man responded with " silence. "
Not to be put out, Sherman laid before Grant with glow- -
ing colors, and with all his natural persuasiveness, the duty
of remaining in the West. " Here " said he, "you are at
home," "you are acquainted with your ground. You know
us, and we know you ; here you are sure to succeed. In
the East, you must take command of a new campaign, on
an unfamiliar field, with soldiers and officers whom you
have not tried, whom you have never led to victories.
They cannot feel towards you, as we do. Besides, near
Washington, you will beset, it may be, by seeking politi
cians. Stay here where you have made your fame, and use
the same means to consolidate it. "
While this mutual faith, which Sherman spoke of, would
make his Western operations easy, yet nothing but personal
observation and superintendence would insure the success
that Grant desired in Virginia, on that strange field and
among men and officers unused to his guidance. So Grant
prepared to parcel his Western domain, and to leave the
commands in whom he could best confide.
To Sherman, as the one of all others best entitled, both
by long experience and by close personal friendship, he gave
the command of the Military Division of the Mississippi,
the high post which he had just evacuated. This position
would give to him an opportunity to acquire a separate and
distinct renown, which Grant felt was now clearly his due,
Of his ability to do this, he had not the least doubt. The
two traveled together as far as Cincinnati. The plans for

248 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
the Spring movement on Johnston, and into the heart of
Georgia, were all talked over and understood, but Sherman
was left without any detailed instructions.
McPherson was assigned to the command .of the depart
ment of the Tennessee. Sherman was thus placed over
Thomas, and McPherson over Hurlbut, but both these sen
iors acquiesced. A general assignment of work having been
made, and Sherman being left with the largest discretionary
powers, Grant hurried eastward to assume the burden of
activity in the field. By the 23d of March, he was again
in Washington superintending the organization of the Army
of the Potomac and preparing for its forward movement,
which was to take place on the 5th of May, 1864.
From his headquarters, on April 4, 1864, Grant wrote to
Sherman the following letters, and received the following
replies, which became the basis of all the campaigns of the
year 1864. These letters embraced essentially all the orders
Sherman ever received from him, of a peremptory nature,
and, as will be seen, they devolved on Sherman both the
plan and execution of the campaign about to be inaugurated
by him. His armies were to be directed against Johnston,
then strongly entrenched at Dalton, Ga., and he was required
to follow him up closely and persistently so that in no way
possible could he detach any part of his force to the assistance
of Lee at Richmond ; Grant undertaking, in like manner,
to hold Lee so closely that he could not detach any part of
his force to the assistance of Johnston's Army. Armies,
and not places, were to be the objectives of both commanders.
Headquarters Armies op the United States,
Washington, D. C, April 4, 1864
Major- General W- T. Sherman, commanding Military
Division of the Mississippi :
General: — It is my design, if the enemy keep quiet and

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 249
allow me to take the initiative in the Spring campaign, to
work all parts of the army together, and somewhat towards
a'common centre. For your information I now write you
my programme, as at present determined upon.
I have sent orders to Banks, by private messenger, to
finish up his present expedition against Shreveport with all
dispatch ; to turn over the defense of Red River to General
Steele and the Navy, and to return your troops to you, and
his own to New Orleans ; to abandon all of Texas, except
the Rio Grande, and to hold that with not to exceed .4,000
men ; to reduce the number of troops on the Mississippi ,to
the lowest number necessary to hold it, and to collect from
his command not less than 25,000 men. To this I will add
5,000 from Missouri. With this force he is to commence
operations against Mobile as soon as he can. It will be
impossible for him to commence too early.
Gillmore joins Butler with 10,000 men, and the two oper
ate against Richmond from the south side of James River.
This will give Butler 33,000 men to operate with, W. F.
Smith commanding the right wing of his forces, and Gill-
more the left wing. I will stay with the Army of the
Potomac, increased by Burnside's corps of not less than
25,000 effective men, and operate directly against Lee's
army, wherever it may be found.
Sigel collects all his available force in two columns, one,
under Ord and Averill, to start from Beverly, Virginia, and
the other under Crook, to start from Charlestown, on the
Kanawha, to move against the Virginia and Tennessee
Railroad. Crook will have all cavalry, and will endeavor to get in
about Saltville, and move east from there to join Ord. His
force will be all cavaky, while Ord will have from ten to
twelve thousand men of all arms.

250 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
You, I propose to move against Johnston's army, to
break it up, and to get into the interior of the enemy's
country as far as you can, inflicting all the damage you can
against their resources.
I do not propose to lay down for you a plan of campaign,
but simply to lay down the work it is desirable to have
done, and leave you free to execute it in your own way.
Submit to me, however, as early as <you can, your plan of
operations. As stated, Banks is ordered to commence operations as
soon as he can. Gillmore is ordered to report at Fortress
Monroe by the 18th inst., or as' soon thereafter as practicable,
Sigel is concentrating now. None will move from their
places of rendezvous until I direct, except Banks. I want
to be ready to move by the 25th inst., if possible; but all I
can now direct is that you get ready as soon as possible.
I know you will have difficulties to encounter in getting
through the mountains to where supplies are abundant, but
I believe you will accomplish it.
From the expedition from the Department of West Vir
ginia, I do not calculate on very great results ; but it is the
only way I can take troops from there. With the long fine
of railroad Sigel has to protect, he can spare no troops,
except to move directly to his front. In this way he must
get through to inflict great damage on the enemy, or the
enemy must detach from one of his armies a large force to
prevent it. In other words, if Sigel can't skin himself, he
can hold a leg while some one else skins.
I am, general, very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
U. S. Grant, Lieutenant- General.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 251
Headquarters Military Division of the Mississippi,
Nashville, Tenn., April 10, 1864.
Lieutenant-General U. S. Grant, Commander-in-Chief,
Washington, D. C.
- Dear General : Your two letters of April 4th are now
before me, and afford me infinite satisfaction. That we are
now all to get on a common plan, converging 011 a common
centre, looks like enlightened war.
Like yourself, you take the biggest load, and from me
you shall have thorough and hearty co-operation. I will
not let side issues draw me off from your main plans in
which I am to knock out Joe Johnston, and to do as much
damage to the resources of the enemy as possible. I have
heretofore written to General Rawlins and to Colonel Corn-
stock (of your staff) somewhat of the methods in which I
propose to act. I have seen all my army, corps and division
commanders, and have signified only to the former, viz.,
Schofield, Thomas and McPherson, our general plans, which
I inferred from the purport of our conversation here and at1
Cincinnati. First, I am pushing stores to the front with all possible
dispatch, and am completing the army organization accord
ing to the orders from Washington, which are ample and
perfectly satisfactory.
It will take us all of April to get in our furloughed vet
erans, to bring up A. J. Smith's command, and to collect pro
visions and cattle on the line of the Tennessee. Each of
the armies will guard, by detachments of its own, its rear
communications. At the signal to be given by you, Schofield, leaving a
select garrison at Knoxville and Loudon, with 12,000 men
will drop down to the Hiawassee, and march against Johns-

252 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
ton's right by the old Federal road. Stoneman, now in Ken
tucky, organizing the cavalry forces ofthe Army of the Ohio,
will operate with Schofield on his left front — it may, be
pushing a select body of about 2,000 cavaky by Ducktown
or Elijah towards Athens, Ga.
Thomas will aim to have forty-five thousand men of all
arms, and move against Johnston, wherever he may be,
fighting him cautiously, presistently, and to the best advan
tage. He will have two divisions of cavaky to take advan
tage of any offering.
McPherson will have nine divisions of the Army of the
Tennessee, if A. J. Smith gets here, in which case he will
have full thirty thousand of the best men in America.
He will cross the Tennessee at Decatur and Whitesburg,
march toward Rome, and feel for Thomas. If Johnston
falls behind the Coosa, then McPherson will push for Rome;
and if Johnston falls- behind the Chattahoochee, as I believe
he will, then McPherson will cross over and join Thomas.
McPherson has no cavalry, but I have taken one of
Thomas' divisions, viz., Garrard's, six thousand strong,
which is now at Columbia, mounting, equipping, and
preparing. I design this division to operate on McPher
son's right, rear or front, according as the enemy appears.
But the moment I detect Johnston falling behind the
Chattahoochee, I propose, to cast off the effective part
of this cavalry division, after crossing the Coosa, straight
for Opelika, West Point, Columbus, or Wetumpka,
to break up the road between Montgomery and Georgia.
If Garrard can do this work well he can return to the
Union army ; but should a superior force interpose, then
he will seek safety at Pensacola and join Banks, or, after.
rest, will act against any force that he can find east of
Mobile, till such time as he can reach me.

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LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 255
Should Johnston fall behind the Chattahoochee, I will
feign to the right, but pass to the left and act against At
lanta or its Eastern communications, according to devel
oped facts.
This is about as far ahead as I feel disposed to look, but
I will ever bear in mind that Johnston is at all times to
be kept so busy that he cannot in any event send any
part of his command against you or Banks.
If Banks can at the same time carry Mobile and open
up the Alabama River, he will in a measure solve the
most difficult part of my problem, viz., "provisions."
But in that I must venture. Georgia has h million of
inhabitants. If they can live, we should not starve.
If the enemy interrupt our communications, I will be ab
solved from all obligations to subsist on our own re
sources, and will feel perfectly justified in taking what
ever and wherever we can find.
I will inspire my command, if successful, with the
feeling that beef and salt are all that is absolutely nec
essary to life, and that parched corn once fed General
Jackson's army on that very ground.
As ever, your friend and servant,
W. T. Sherman, Major-General.
Headquarters Armies in the Field.
Culpepper Court-House, Virginia, April 19, 1864.
Major-General W. T. Sherman, commanding Military
Division of the Mississippi.
General: — Since my letter to you of April 4th, I have
seen no reason to change any portion ofthe general plan of
campaign, if the enemy remain still and allow us to take
15

256 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
the initiative. Rain has continued so uninterruptedly until
the last day or two, that it will be impossible to move,
however, before the 27th, even if no more should fall in the
meantime. I think Saturday, the 30th, will ' probably be
the day for our general move.
Colonel Comstock, who will take this, can spend a day
with you, and fill up many little gaps of information not
given in any of my letters.
What I now want more particularly to say is, that if the
two main attacks, yours and the one from here, should
promise great success, the enemy may, in a fit of desperation,
abandon one part of their line o( defense, and throw their
whole strength upon the other, believing a single defeat,
without any victory to sustain them, better than a defeat all
along their fine, and hoping, too, at the same time, that the
army, meeting with no resistance, will rest perfectly satis
fied with their laurels, having penetrated to a given point
South, thereby enabling them to throw their force first upon
one and then on the other.
With the majority of military commanders they might
do this. But you have had too much experience in travel
ing light, and subsisting upon the country, to be eaughtrhy
any such ruse. I hope my experience has not been thrown
away. My direction, then, would be, if the enemy in your
front show signs of joining Lee, follow him up to the full
extent of your ability. I will prevent the concentration of
Lee upon your front, if it is in the power of this army to do
it. The Army of the Potomac looks well, and, so far as I can
judge, officers and men feel well.
Yours truly,
U. S. Grant, Lieutenant- General.

life of general sherman. 257
Headquarters Military Division of the Mississippi,
Nashville, Tsnnessee, April 21, 1864.
Cieutenant-General Grant, commanding Armies of
the United States, Culpepper, Virginia.
General : — I now have at the hands of Colonel Com-
stock, of your staff", the letter of April 19th, and am as far
prepared to assume the offensive as possible. I only ask as
much time as you think proper, to enable me to get up
McPherson's two divisions from Cairo. Their furloughs will
expire about this time, and some of them should now be in
motion for Clifton, whence they will march to Decatur, to
join General Dodge.
McPherson is ordered to assemble the Fifteenth Corps
near Larkin's and to get the Sixteenth and Seventeenth
Corps (Dodge and Blair) at Decatur at the earliest possible
moment. From these two points he will direct his forces
on Lebanon, Summerville and Lafayette, where he will act
against Johnston, if he accept battle at Dalton ; or move in
the direction of Rome, if the enemy give up Dalton, and
fall behind the Oostenaula or Etowah. I see that there is
some risk in dividing our forces, but Thomas and Schofield
will have strength enough to cover all the valleys as far as
Dalton ; and, should Johnston turn his whole force against
McPherson, the latter will have his bridge at Larkin's, and
the route to Chattanooga, via. Will's Valley and the Chatta
nooga Creek, open for retreat ; and if Johnston attempt to
leave Dalton, Thomas will have force enough to push on
through Dalton to Kingston, which will checkmate him.
My own opinion is that Johnston will be compelled to hang
to his raikoad, the only possible avenue of supply to hia
army, estimated at from forty-five to sixty thousand men.

258 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
At Lafayette all our armies will be together, and if Johns
ton stands at Dalton we must attack him in position.
Thomas feels certain that he has no material increase jof
force, and that he has not sent away Hardee, or any part of
his army. Supplies are the great question. I have mater
ially increased the number of cars daily. When I got here,
the average was from sixty-five to eighty per day. Yester
day the report was 193 ; to-day, 134; . and my estimate is
that 145 cars per day will give us a day's supply and a day's
accumulation. McPherson is ordered to carry in wagons twenty days'
rations, and to rely on the depot at Ringgold for the renewal
of his bread. Beeves are now beiDg driven on the hoof to
the front ; and the commissary, Colonel Beckwith, seems
fully alive to the importance of the whole matter.
Our weakest point will be from the direction of Decatur,
and Jf will be forced to risk something from that quarter
depending on the fact that the enemy has no force available
with which to threaten our communications from that direc
tion. Colonel Comstock will explain to you personally much
that I cannot commit to paper.
I am, with great respect,
W. T. Sherman, Major- General.
At no point in the history of the war is correspondance
fuller or more unique. Grant and Sherman enter into it
with a spirit that is altogether unusual, and they evince a
determination to agree that is remarkable. Both are full of
original suggestions ; both are considerate; both feel the
newness and gravity of responsibilities; both prove that they
are men for the situation. The confidence between the two
crops out in every line they write. There iano assumption

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 259
on the part of either, but a freedom that borders on brother
hood, and a similarity of aim that shows almost a twin
genius. Ahead of them was something to deter an ordinary
mortal. One was embarking on a trial which had
proven the official death of distinguished Generals. The
other was equally to try the unsolved. Fame or disgrace
was in the pathway of each. Had there been jealousy, or
feeling, or assumption, on the part of either, the future
might have wept for their respective fates, and for the fates
of their armies and the country. But both rose as respon
sibilities thickened. They had long since learned the beauty
and necessity of co-operative work. They both realized to
the fullest that they and the existing situation were out
crops of a sentiment which their united efforts had engend
ered and cultivated. Their present positions were due to
the fact that a single will should dominate military projects
and events. Hence they were to be one, or nothing. The
chief would condescend till the subordinate was his equal ;
the subordinate would co-operate till he stood abreast of
his chief. Rank would make no link to be broken by jeal
ousy or selfishness. As the duties were common so should
the fame be. There was entire recognition of individual
and officiahstrengths and weaknesses. Sherman knew how
to trust ; Grant how to confide. The one believed he could
never draw on the other wrongfully. As the sequel proves,
neither were to be disappointed. Their strifes were as one
strife. There never was an exaction that fulfillment did not
follow ; there never was a responsibility that was not shared
equally. Nothing was vain between these two great minds.
Would that it were our province to follow boththrough the
histories they were then about to make 1 But this privilege
is denied, except where those histories touch and overlap,

260 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
as they often do. Yet in following Sherman we may, nay
must, see much of his chief, for, as already stated, there is
coincidence of duty and of purpose, and the work of one was
to supplement that of the other. There may be two lives
written, but they must be merged in the same glorious
cause.

CHAPTER XL
CHATTANOOGA TO ATLANTA.
We have already mentioned that combination of circum
stances, military, political and otherwise, which persistently
and inevitably led to the concentration of martial command
in the hands of a single general. We have also feebly
sketched the considerations which led to the choice of Grant
as the man best fitted for the supreme post of General in
Chief. Grant's promotion meant the promotion of Sherman. His
dispatch to Sherman at Vicksburg to hasten to Nashville in
dicated Grant's purpose. Before Grant left Washington to
return to Nashville, he notified the authorities of his desire
to appoint Sherman to the command ofthe Military Division
ofthe Mississippi, and thus make him his (Grant's) successor
in the West. He further expressed his desire to entrust
Sherman with the campaign which was, in his judgment, to
be fought out in Georgia.
Much as Sherman had impressed himself on Grant, great
as the confidence was which existed between them, close as
their consensus was as to military objects and methods, able
as Sherman had proved himself at Shiloh, Vicksburg, Chat
tanooga and in his Knoxville and Meridian campaigns, yet
Grant's propositkrtr suggested inquiry in administration
circles. Halleck admired Sherman but doubted his ability
to command the entire Western armies. Lincoln questioned
Grant, but was disposed to yield to his judgment, There
(2SJ)

263 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
were others who doubted if he had sufficiently fought down
the charges of insanity made against him at Paducah when
he astounded the newspaper idiots with the information that
200,000 men would be required to conquer and retain Ken
tucky and Tennessee. But Grant was firm ; so firm indeed,
as to almost make it a condition that Sherman should be thus
honored and given the opportunity of fighting an indepen
dent command. In the end he had his way, and the same
order which placed him in command of all the armies, placed
Sherman in charge of the Military Division of the Missis
sippi. Let us now see what manner of man this Sherman was,
who was so pre-eminently trusted by his superior and so
highly honored by bis Government. Bideau thus paints
him as he and Grant sat at their Nashville interview, on
March 17, 1864 : — "Sherman was tall, angular and spare, as
if his superabundant energy had consumed his flesh ; sandy
haired, sharp featured ; his nose prominent, his lips thin, his
grey eyes flashing fire as fast as lightning on a summer's
night ; his whole face mobile as an actor's, and revealing
every shade of thought or emotion that flitted across his active
mind ; his manner pronounced ; his speech quick, decided,
loud. His words were distinct ; his ideas clear, rapid, comi ng
indeed almost too fast for utterance, but in dramatic, brilliant
form, so that they got full development, while an eager ges
ticulation illustrated and enforced his thought simultaneously
with speech itself. Boiling over with ideas, crammed full of
feeling, discussing every subject and pronouncing on all ;
provoking criticism and contradiction and admiration by
turns; striking ideas out of the flintiest mind; sympathetic;
suggestive to himself as well as to others; starting new
notions constantly in his own brain, and fqjlowing them up,
no matter how far nor whither they led ; witty, eloquent,

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 263
sarcastic, logical; every attribute of person or temper or
intellect indicated genius — every peculiarity fascinated or
commanded the attention. No one could be with him half
an hour and not concede his greatness, or fail to recognize the
traits that have made him world renowned. Such was
Sherman." After drawing an equally faithful portrait of Grant at the
same interview, Badeau continues : " These two, so different,
had been together in evil report and good report, in disaster
and in victory, in battles, sieges and campaigns, and neither
had ever failed the other. Each seemed to find in the traits
of his friend that which his own nature, perhaps, lacked, or
at any rate appreciated. Grant was fascinated by his brilliant
coadjutor, who excited in him a depth and reality of regard
such as he rarely showed ; and Sherman reposed on the calm
strength of his chief with a confidence and an entireness which
never faltered and was never deceived. They knew each
other well, and each recognized the attributes that made the
other's power. Each, too, was great enough to be magnani
mous, and they were ready now to enter upon the new and
wider fields to which they were assigned, each with the same
confidence in the ability and the loyalty of his friend which
had hitherto sustained their intercourse in its remarkable
purity, and doubtless had enhanced the measure of success
which each had then attained."
As already stated, Sherman accompanied Grant on his
return to Washington, as far as Cincinnati, during which
trip the chief developed his principal ideas of the Spring
campaign, and the other fully comprehended and sanctioned.
In his orders to Meade on April 9, Grant said, "Sherman
will move at the same time you do, or two or three days in
advance, and the heart of Georgia is his ultimate aim. If
successful, he will secure the line from Chattanooga to Mobile,,

264 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
with the help of Banks." This dispatch indicates the con
clusion at which these two had arrived on their journey,
though Sherman was unfettered by detailed instructions. No
written orders were then given him; none were deemed nec
essary, for Grant's confidence in his fidelity and ability was
unlimited. He had no fears that his conceptions would not
be appreciated and executed in a spirit of loyalty, and no
desire to limit the operations, curtail the privileges, or sub
tract from the honors wnich Sherman had now an opportunity
to earn. When they parted Sherman was distressed on ac
count of Grant's decision to remain in the East, though sus
tained by the confidence Grant reposed in himself. Of
this quiet confidence Sherman well said : " The simple faith
in success you have always manifested, I can liken to nothing
else than the faith a Christian has in the Savior."
All being now understood between the two generals, Sher-
man returned to Nashville and addressed himself to the task
of making the western conquests secure, to the establishment
of easy communication between his military centres and to
the organization of a grand army for a move into Georgia,
coincident with that contemplated by Grant upon Richmond.
The most delicate part of this task, if not the most difficult,
was the disposition to be made of the old Department and
Corps commanders, so as to not destroy their future useful
ness, yet so as to secure the best material for new conquests.
In performing this part of the task both Grant and Sherman
subjected themselves to much newspaper criticism, but the end
vindicated their judgments. They knew their officers pretty
thoroughly by this time, and their own supremacy in their
respective spheres was so well established, that not even polit
ical influence at Washington could, for any great length of
time, frustrate their choice of subordinates or interfere with
their designs of campaign.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 265
Sherman visited the front of his lines, going first to Pul
aski to see General Dodge ; then to Huntsville, where Mc
Pherson had arrived to take command of the Department of
the Tennessee ; then to Chattanooga to confer with Thomas ;
and lastly to Knoxville to talk over the situation with Scho
field, who had succeeded Burnside. By the end of March
Sherman had his three army comrades about him at Chatta
nooga, where the plan of campaign against General Joseph
E. Johnston, then strongly entrenched at Dalton, thirty miles
to the South, was frequently discussed. The campaign was
to be opened in the Spring, it was to be a hard and unrelent
ing one, the country was difficult, the supplies would have to
be furnished over a long and exposed road from the Chat
tanooga, or rather Nashville, base, till another could be found.
About the matter of supplies Grant was particularly
anxious, but Sherman was awake to the situation. He had
effective guards on the route from Louisville to Nashville,
and thence to Chattanooga, 136 miles distant, and his re
sponses were resolute: — " I am resolved, when General Grant
gives the word, to attack Johnston in the manner hitherto
described, if our men have to live on beef and salt." Again,
"If Banks can at the same time secure Mobile and open up
the Alabama river, he will in a measure solve the most diffi
cult part of my problem — provisions." Again, "If the
enemy interrupt my communications, I will be absolved from
all obligations to subsist on our own resources, and will feel
perfectly justified in taking whatever and wherever I can
find. Georgia has a million inhabitants ; if they can live we
should not starve." Again, " That we are now all to act on
a common plan, converging on a centre, looks like enlight
ened war. From me you (Grant) shall have thorough and
hearty co-operation. . . . Glad I am that there are now
minds at Washington able to devise.. I now know the re-

266 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
suit aimed at; I know my base and have a pretty geod'idea
of my lines of operation. No time shall be lost in putting
my forces in mobile condition. I would ever bear in mind
that Johnston is at all times to be kept so busy that he can
not in any event send any part of his command against you
or Banks. I believe I have the men and the ability to
march square to the position assigned me, and to hold it. I
will be ready at the drop of a hat to cross the Tennessee and
pitch in."
At this juncture Sherman was put out because the men,
10,000 in number, whom he had loaned Banks, had not been
returned, and he was forced to make his preparations without
them. This was a delicate matter, and Sherman did not
hesitate to seek the advice of his chief. Sending his plans,
as arranged without these troops, to Grant's chief-of-staff, he
said, "Please read these papers and communicate their sub
stance to the General, as I have more faith in his" judgment,
as to the measure of strength to make certain military ends,
than in my own."
Sherman's preparations were somewhat retarded in the
latter part of March by Forrest's raid into East Teunessee
and the capture of Union City, Paducah and finally Ft.
Pillow, where the colored garrison was massacred. As a
raid, this was successful in point of damage done- and in the
escape of the force without punishment, but it failed to draw
Sherman's attention from his front.
On April 10, 1864, Sherman's estimate of the forces in his
three Departments was : — Army of the Cumberland, Thomas
commanding, head-quarters at Chattanooga, active, 88,800 ;
Army of the Tennessee, McPherson commanding, head
quarters at HuntsviUe, active, 64,957; Army of the Ohio,
Schofield commanding, headquarters at Knoxville, active,
26,242. Out of these he was preparing a compact army, to

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAL. 267
be ready by May 1, 1864, for active operations in Georgia,
and the proportion he expected each t» furnish was :
Army of the Cumberland  about 50,000 men.
Army of the Tennessee  *' 35,000 "
Army of the Ohio  " 15,000 "
Total  about 100,000 men.
These troops were all to be as free as possible from incum
brances. The regiments were to take along but one wagon
and one ambulance each. Officers were allowed but one
pack-horse each. The soldiers were to carry food and cloth
ing but for five days. It was to be a quick and light moving
army. Tents were forbidden to all except sick and wounded,
and for use as head-quarters of brigades and divisions. Sher
man did not have a tent throughout the campaign, his only
cover* being a tent-fly spread on poles or bushes. He had
never seen an army go out to battle with fewer impedimenta,
yet at no time was it in want of food, ammunition or clothing.
As May 1st approached, and the time for a forward move
ment drew near, his efforts had resulted in a movable army
composed as follows :
Army of the Cumberland, Major general Thomas:
Infantry  54,568 men.
Artillery  2,377 "
Cavalry  3,828 "
Total  60,773 men.
Field guns, 130.
Army of the Tennessee, Major-general McPher-
bon:
Infantry  22,437 men.
Artillery  1,404 "
Cavalry  624 "
Total  24, 465 men.
Meld guns, 96.

268 life of general sherman.
Army of the Ohio, Major-general Schofield :
Infantry  11,183 men.
Artillery  679 "
-Cavalry  1,697 "
Total  13,559 men.
Field guns, 28.
Grand total, 98,797 men and 254 guns.
In the Army of the Cumberland (Thomas) were the Fourth
Army corps, General Howard ; the Fourteenth, General
Palmer; the Eleventh and Twelfth, consolidated as the
Twentieth, General Hooker; and other commands in reserve
or in garrison.
In the Army of the Tennessee were the Fifteenth Army
corps, General Logan ; the Sixteenth Army corps, General
Dodge; the Seventeenth Army corps, General Blair (to
arrive), and their reserves and garrisons.
In the Army of the Ohio, were the Twenty-third Army
corps, General Cox, the cavalry corps, General Stoneman,
and the garrisons and reserves.
The position which the two armies had now assumed,
brought out prominently the strategic character of the region
and the value of its primary feature, Chattanooga. The
mountain system of East Tennessee ran direct into the heart of
the Confederacy. Chattanooga was a natural stronghold on
the line of the Confederate communication. Bragg had felt
this when he captured it, and the surrounding mountain sys
tem from Rosecrans. He, and all other Confederal* generals,
had felt that from this point they would always be i-erionsly
menaced if it were not regained, and it was this thought that
assayed the movement which Grant had rebuffed. The po
sition of Chattanooga had transferred to the Union Armies,
the advantages of interior lines, and of a deliberate offensive.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 269
The mishap of Bragg at Chattanooga completed his disap
pointment, and paved the way for his successor, General J.
E. Johnston, who found himself in possession of Dalton?
directly south of Chattanooga, with an army of at least 45,-
000 effective men, with several thousand cavaly ready to be
recalled, and with the promises of a large contingent militia
from the States of Georgia and Alabama.
JohnstoD fortified himself strongly in and about Dalton,
the first important positiou south of the Union advance line
now at Ringgold, in front of Chattanooga. He had been
pressed by his Government to make an effective campaign to
redeem the disaster of Missionary Ridge. But with a wis
dom superior to that of his advisors, he had declined the
undertaking and had passed the winter in security.
On the 4th of May, 1864, the Army of the Potomac was
ordered to cross the Rapidan. On the same day Grant
flashed the words over the wires to Sherman, to find him
ready to lead out his three armies upon the enemy. There
was a striking parallelism between the movement of the two
Generals. There lay before each Union Commander in Vir
ginia and in Georgia, a hostile army, which was his objective.
There lay before both an important city, one the Capital of
the Confederacy, the other the lieart of its industry. These
were remoter geographical objectives. The desire of both
was to fall upon their opponents and overthrow them in bat
tle. This, in both cases, would have been to drive an ex<-
hausted remnant backward, if not already captured.
' As for Sherman, his aim was to fight the battle for Atlanta
near Chattanooga, while his lines of supply were short and
safe. The reverse was Johnston's policy. For him, success
lay in the defeat of Sherman, after drawing his forces far
away from their base, so that retreat might be long and
disastrous.

270 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Johnston's position in and around Dalton was well nigh
impregnable. In his front, on the line of advance from
Chattanooga, or rather from Ringgold, where Thomas's
Army lay, the mountain ridge, known as Rocky Face, raises
a huge and natural barrier, divided only by a ravine, known
as Mill Creek Gap, or more familiarly, Buzzard's Roost.
Through this ravine ran the wagou aud railroad to Dalton,
together with the Creek (Mill Creek, a tributary of the
Oostanaula). Upon the slope of this ravine, Johnston had
planted batteries, sweeping in all directions, and at its eastern
end ne had mounted artillery, which swept directly across it.
In order to detain his assailants under the fire of his bat
teries, Johnston had flooded the ravine by means of dams on
Mill Creek, felled abatis through the entire ravine, raised his
flag on an accessible spur, and now felt secure in his position.
On May 5th, Sherman rode out to Ringgold and, in pur
suance of the orders received from Grant, plunged into his
great canpaign. Johnson had counted on Sherman flinging
himself in direct attack against his fortified position, but he
could hardly hope for such a piece of fortune from an antago
nist so able as Sherman, who had already decided that,
Johnston's right and centre were secure, and that a movement
must be made upon his left. It might be said that Johnston
himself was somewhat aware of his own weak points, for
while Sherman was busily preparing his supplies and arrang
ing his forces, Johnston was busy in cutting roads in the
rear of his position, so that whatever direction Sherman's
columns might take, he would be able to march the faster and
confront them.
Ou the 6 th of May, Schofield and McPherson got into
position. On the 7th of May, Thomas moved agaiust Tun
nel Hill, driving off a force of pickets and finding the tunnel
aud raikoad intact. At Tunnel Hill he was full in front of

W-\ 1 Lb. I IS bAH , -K ¦

CHATTANOOGA AND VICINITY.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 273
the bold Rocky Face and of the Buzzard Roost gorge. Sher
man had no intentions of attacking Johnston's position
severely in front, but depended on McPherson to capture and
hold the railroad in his rear, which would force Johnston to
detach largely from his main force against him, or rather to
evacuate his position at Dalton altogether. With this pur
pose, Sherman had hitherto posted his three armies ; his right
under McPherson at Gordon's Mill on the Chickamauga ;
his centre under Thomas at Ringgold ; his left under Scho
field at Red Clay, due north of Dalton, on the Georgia line.
Schofield was to move south on the enemy's right ; Thomas
was to actually enter Buzzard's Roost and make a determined
demonstration ; all which was designed to cover McPherson's
quiet move down on the west, through Ship's Gap, past
Villanow, and through Snake Creek Gap to Resaca, 18 miles
south of Dalton and on the railroad. Should he reach the
railroad, he was to break it up and cut off Johnston's sup
plies. This, according to Sherman's estimate, would force
Johnston to retreat, when McPherson was to attack him on
the flanks. Thomas and Schofield finding their respective
fronts relieved, were to fall upon Johnston's rear, and if
possible bring on a general battle while his ranks were in a
state of confusion.
In pursuance of this plan, Thomas pushed forward and
entered Mill Creek Gap. Geary's division of Hooker's corps
took position at Duggs Gap. Newton's division of Howard's
corps forced its way well towards Dalton. Schofield pushed
thither with his entire corps, but this gallant and concen
trated attack was not designed to carry Johnston's position,
much less expected to do so, for Sherman had based every
thing on McPherson's detour.
McPherson, as ordered, had e*tered Snake Creek with a
corps of Logan and Dodge, preceded by Kilpatrick's division
16

274 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
of Cavalry, which came into contact with Canty's Confeder
ate cavalry brigade, and drove it into Resaca. Here the dis
covery was made that Johnston had fathomed Sherman's
scheme, had dispatched part of his force thither, and had
made the place so strong as to defy attack. That night, May
9, Sherman received word from McPherson, that he had
found Resaca too strong for surprise, and had fallen back to
Snake Creek, which he had fortified. He had done the full
measure of his work in startling Johnston from his fancied
security ; but had not succeeded in doing what Sherman de
signed, viz., capturing Resaca by surprise. Sherman had felt
that McPherson was strong enough for this with his 23,000
men, and he fully expected that he would achieve it ; he felt
certain that if he had succeeded in capturing Resaca, Johnston
Would not have ventured to attack him, and that Thomas and
Sehofield would have been able to capture half his army and
artillery in the rapid pursuit which had been prepared for.
Johnston still kept up a strong front at Dalton, and Sher
man, with Hooker's 20th corps, was within easy supporting
distance of McPherson. On May 11th, he perceived signs
of the evacuation of Dalton, and gave orders for a general
movement, leaving Howard's corps and Stoneman's cavalry
in observation in front of Buzzards' Roost Gap. He directed
all the rest of his army to march straight through Snake
Creek Gap to Resaca. These operations consumed the 12th
and 13th of May. When the ranks of Thomas' and Schofield's
army were quite through the Gap they deployed against
Resaca ; McPherson on the right, Thomas in the center, and
Schofield on the left. As had been anticipated by Sherman,
Johnston had abandoned his impregnable defenses at Dalton,
and was found at Resaca with the bulk of his army, acting
purely on the defensive. He was behind a complete line of
entrenchments, strongly manned at all points.

LIFE OP GENERAL SHERMAN. 275
On the 14th, Sherman closed his lines in around the town,
and during all of the 15th, was engaged in active skirmish
and actual battle. On the same day, he laid two pontoon
bridges across the Oostanaula, three miles below Resaca, by
means of which he could threaten Calhoun, a station seven
miles below Tiesaca. On the previous day he had sent
Garrard's calvary down the Oostanaula, with orders to cross
and attack, or threaten, the railroad at a point between
Calhoun and Kingston.
The battle of the 15th was not an attempt to assault the
works, but to press in upon them at aH points. Towards
evening McPherson moved his whole line of battle forward
until it gained a ridge overlooking the town. From this
point his field artillery could reach the railroad bridge of
Oostanaula. The enemy made several desperate attempts to
drive him away, even extending them far into the night, but
in every instance they were repulsed with heavy loss. Thomas
pressed obstinately through Camp Creek Valley, and Hooker's
corps crossed the Creek where a severe engagement resulted
with Johnston's center and right, in which the troops 01
Thomas and Scofield, crossing the valley, separating their
positions from the Confederate entrenchments, vigorously
endeavored to carry them ; but the treacherous bottom of Mill
Creek and the heavy undergrowth of vines and the trees felled
upon slopes and in the ravine prevented further advance, and
nothing special was gained there ; indeed, in the evening John
ston was enabled to regain much of the ground which had been
captured earlier in the day* This terrific advance by Hood's
and Hardee's, corps or rather this determined attaek by them,
had been ordered by Johnston, in order to counteract the effect
of McPherson's successes on the Union right in the morning.
Johnston now heard of the attempt of the Union right to
cross at Lays' Ferry on the pontoons and he quietly counter-

276 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
manded his orders for an attack and crossed the Oostaauala
at sight, burning the railroad bridge behind him. One of his
divisions, Stewart's, not having received the countermand,
attacked Hooker's corps and was badly repulsed. Late in
the afternoon Hooker followed up his advantage, and his
trophies were not only Stewart's position, but'four guns and
several hundred prisoners. The Union losses in the engage
ments about Resaca footed up 609 killed and 3375 wounded.
Of the situation at this date, Sherman says : " Had John
ston remained in Dalton another hour, it would have been
his total defeat, and he only evacuated Resaca because his
safety demanded it. The movement by us through Snake
Creek Gap was a total surprise to him. My army nearly
doubled his in size, but he had all the advantages of natural
position, artificial fronts and roads and concentrated action.
We, on the other hand, were compelled to grope our way
through forests and across mountains with a large army
necessarily more ®r less dispersed. Of course I was disap
pointed in not having crippled his army at that particular
stage of the game. But it all resulted for the best."
From Resaca, Johnston retreated down the railroad to
Cassville, four miles east of Kingston, with the Union army
in pursuit. At Calhoun, Hardee had a sharp engagement
with McPherson, who had crossed on the 16th at Lays Ferry,
and again another engagement with Newton's advance, which
was moving on the Resaca road. Meanwhile Davis had
marched his division westward to Rome, where he took pos
session of a few heavy guns, and all of the valuable Rolling
Mills and Iron Works there. On the 17th, Thomas' column
was fully in contact with Johnston's rear guard near Adairs-
ville, but by the morning of the 18th, the enemy had disap
peared, and the Union pursuit was kept up to Kingston, which
was reached on the forenoon of the 19th.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 277
At Resaca the railroad line runs nearly due south, but at
Kingston it makes a junction with the Rome railroad, and
changes its direction due east. On that date McPherson's
column was four miles west of Kingston. Schofield and
Hooker were on the roads leading from Newton and Cassville,
diagonally with the route followed by Thomas, the head of
whose column was four miles east of Kingston towards Cass
ville. When in this position, Sherman got word from
Thomas that he had found the enemy drawn up in line of
battle, on open ground, half way between Kingston and
Cassville, and that they were evidently prepared for battle.
Sherman ordered McPherson to hurry forward by roads to
the south of Kingston, and to come up on Thomas's right.
He visited Thomas, and found him with his troops deployed
about six miles from Kingston, but be reported that the
enemy had fallen back in good order to Cassville. Knowing
that the respective roads, on which the troops were traveling,
converged at the seminary, near Cassville, Sherman ordered
them to push forward and deploy as rapidly as possible.
In taking up his third position at Cassville, Johnston had
choosen his ground well, on a steep entrenched ridge, with a
valley in front, which was under the control of his artillery.
His lasses thus far had not been great. He had been re-en
forced by French's division of Pope's corps, and, inspired by
this and his favorable circumstances, he ordered an attack
upon Sherman's lines, which miscarried through a misappre
hension of General Hood.
Sherman, suspicious of this, moved into position in front
of Cassville, and ordered his artillery to play upon the
entrenchments. This was to be followed by a concentrated
attack on the next morning at daylight. All night, skirmish
ing was kept up. On the 20th, the enemy retreated, and
Sherman ordered his cavalry in pursuit. This retreat had

278 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
been agreed upon during the night at a conference between
Polk, Hood and Johnston, in which the two former persist
ently urged it for the reason that their position was untenable
under the sweep of the Union batteries. Johnston and
Hardee thought otherwise, but at length yielded ; and, thus
at a single step, the Confederates abandoned the whole valley
of the Etowah, which river they crossed on the morning of
the 20th, making a longer stride in retreat than -ever, passing
both Allatoona and Ackworth, and making for the chain of
hills which cresses from east to west in front of Dallas and
Marietta. This retreat of Johnston's ended the third stage of Sher
man's campaign ; the first stage having ended with the retreat
of Johaston from Dalton, the second with his retreat from
Resaca, and the third with his retreat from Cassville. As
Sherman was now well in advance of the railroad trains, on
which he depended for supplies, he paused for a few days at
Cassville, and repaired the railroad and built the bridge at
Resaca, which had been destroyed.
The authorities of the south remonstrated with Johnston
for falling back without a battle at Cassville ; but his friends
came to his rescue by saying that it was all strategy, that he
was deliberately drawing Sherman into his meshes further
and further away from his post of supplies, and that in due
season he would be prepared for the offensive and would give
decisive battle. It was to Sherman's interest to have such a
battle come on as soon as possible, while his strength was
greatest. Every movement subtracted from his strength by
being forced to leave guards along the railroad, while it
equally added to Johnston's strength, who was now contin
ually picking up the detachments, which he had left behind
him for a similar purpose. Sherman found that at Cassville
Johnston had evidently prepared for a grand battle. There

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 279
were long lines of fresh entrenchments on the hill before the
towfr, extending for three miles to the south, and embracing
the railroad crossing. He was also confident that Polk's
entire corp had come from Mississippi to join Johnston, and
that he now had in hand-three full corps, Hood's, Polk's and
Hardee's, numbering sixty thousand men. He could not,
therefore, understand why he had declined battle under cir
cumstances so favorable.
Sherman now^began to doubt whether it would be possible
to bring his opponent to the offensive, on the north side of
the Chattachoochee. But, for the time being, he consoled him
self with the easy mastery of the Etowah and its bridges,
and derived confidence from the weakness exhibited by his
enemy in declining to fight on favorable terms. After his
army had secured the much needed rest, and the repairs had
been perfected in his rear, Sherman gave the word forward.
His necessity and his success thus far impelled him to make
another effort to cut off his opponents retreat, and, having
thus disloged him, grapple with him upon open ground.
Supposing that Johnston would halt in the natural strong
hold of Allatoona Pass, Sherman determined to make a
movementlto the right, and that of the widest character, but
this time in a manner somewhat different from his former
movements. Filling his wagons with twenty days' supply,
he started his entire army, except the garrisons at Rome and
Kingston, for Dallas, to the south-west of Allatoona. This
movement began on the 23d of May. His columns were
arranged across the Etowah and beyond, as a covering for the
flanking movement. But Johnston detected it on the very
day it started, and took his position at New Hope Church,
east of Dallas, covering the various routes leading back to
the railroad. Here Hood was on Johnston's right at the
Church, Polk was in the centre, and Hardee on the left,

280 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
across the road to Atlanta. On the 25th, Hooker, who wa<*
leading Thomas' advance, came up near the Church, where
Geary's division skirmished severely all the afternoon and up
to sunset. Hooker got his other two divisions in hand and
assaulted Stewart's division of Hood's corps at the Church
for two hours with intense fury, and ceased only when night
fall and a severe storm forced him to desist.
All of Sherman's columns were thrown into line about
Dallas — McPherson and Davis off on the right, Thomas on
the main road in the centre with Hooker's 20th corps in
advance, and Schofield on the left. The night after Hooker's
engagement was intensely dark and the convergence of
Sherman columns caused some confusion. The morning
revealed a strong line of entrenchments facing the Union
Army, behind which was a heavy force of Conferderate in
fantry and guns. The battle commenced on the 26th and
was fought with great desperation all along the line, but
without marked success on either side. Again it was renewed
on the 27th with varying success.
On the 28th, Sherman became convinced that Johnston
was in person at New Hope with his entire army, and, feel
ing that it was nearer to the railroad, which was Sherman's
objective, than to Dallas, he withdrew McPherson from
Dallas to Hooker's right, but before McPherson could exe
cute the order, he was confronted with a heavy force, and
fiercely assailed on his right. He resisted this bold and
daring assault with great stubbornness, inflicting upon the
enemy a terrible repulse ; but it was not until the first of June
that he was enabled to withdraw from Dallas and to effect a
close junction with Hooker in front of New Hope.
Meanwhile Thomas and Schofield were gradually overlap
ping Johnston's force on his right, and therefore extending
the Union left nearer and nearer the railroad, the nearest

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 281
point of which was Ackworth, eight miles distant. Daring
all these days a continual battle was in progress upon the
skirmish lines, which was taking advantage of every species
of cover; both parties digging rifle trenches and fortifying
themselves behind logs. Occasionally one side or the other
would make dashes which usually ended in defeat with great
loss of life.
By the first of June, General McPherson had pushed in
upon the right, close to New Hope Church, but without any
intention of direct attack ; the object being to work the lines
slowly and steadily toward the left till all the wagon roads
between New Hope, Allatoona and Ackworth were under con
trol. When this object was accomplished, Sherman dis
patched Garrards and Stoneman's divisions of cavalry against
Allatoona, which they reached ithout opposition, and where
they repaired the railroad forward from Kingston and
Allatoona, embracing the bridges across the Etowah River.
Such had been the nature of Sherman's movements that
Johnston found himself out-generaled, and on the night of
June 4th he evacuated his lines, leaving Sherman master of
the situation. He spent a few days in fortifying Allatoona
and in bringing up supplies, and on the 11th of June moved
his army forward to Big Shanty, a railroad station in full
view ofthe Kenesaw mountains.
In this instance Sherman's movement, slow and cautious
as it was, and all the time under fire, was the only one he
could hope to execute with success. A move to the right
would have thrown him too far from the railroad, which he
was compelled to keep open and use. Once at Allatoona, he
had a good base of supplies, and here and at Ackworth he
received large reinforcements. Substantially, in the month
of May, he hid forced his antagonist from Dalton, Resaca,
Cassville, Allatoona and Dallas, and had advanced his lines

282 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
victoriously for a hundred miles, from Chattanooga to Big
Shanty, over mountains and through ravines, constituting one
of the most difficult routes an army could be called upon to
traverse. The fighting had been almost continuous, and of a
kind which rendered a computation of losses almost impos
sible. That they were heavy was clear, and when the official
figures came in for May they showed that Thomas had lost
1,294 killed and 5,562 wounded; McPherson, 216 killed
and 1,055 wounded, and Schofield, 1,863 killed and 7,436
wounded.. Johnston figured his total losses for May at 721
killed and 4,692 wounded, together with over 3,000 prisoners.
The battle of New Hope Church was a drawn one as to
fighting, but in its manoeuvres the vantage was with Sherman,
who made his railroad point and forced Johnston to fall
back to the Kenesaw mountains. At Ackworth, Sherman
was joined by Blair with his two divisions ofthe Seventeenth
corps, he having come from Cairo, by way of Clifton on the
Tennessee. Allatoona was strongly fortified under Sherman's
directions and was to be used as his secondary base of sap-
plies. During this active and perilous month, active and perilous
alike to Grant and Sherman, neither forgot the other. On
the day after Grant's assault on Spottsylvania, and again on
May 20th, he sent word to Washington recommending and
urging the promotion of Sherman to the rank of Major-
general in the regular army. He was full of inquiries and
suggestions for Sherman's progress and welfare, and Sherman,
in turn, kept him posted as to the plans and results of those
gallant assaults and brilliant flanking operations which so much
resembled those of his chief, and which were daily carrying
him nearer his goal. Never for a single moment did Sherman
lose sight of the relation his campaign bore to that which
Grant was conducting. His dispatches, at various intervals,

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 283
ran : — " Notify General Grant that I will hold all of John
ston's army too busy to send anything against him." Again : —
"Should General Grant want me to hasten events at any
time, let me know, and I will push in spite of the weather.
Again • — " One of my first objects being to give full employ
ment to Joe Johnston, it makes but little difference where he
is, so he is not on the way to Virginia." Again : — " General
Grant may rest easy that Johnston may not trouble him, if I
can help it by labor or thought." Again : — " I have sent
daily telegrams to Halleck. You therefore know where we
are and what we have done. If our movement has been
slower than you calculated, I can explain the reasons, though
I know you believe me too earnest and impatient to be behind
time." On June 10th Sherman moved his entire army forward to
Big Shanty, where it was in plain sight of the enemy, posted
on three hills known as Kenesaw Mountain, Pine Mountain
and Lost Mountain, and forming a complete defence for
Marietta and the railroad. On each mountain were signal
stations and lines of parapets, protected in front by abattis.
Behind these were heavy masses of infantry. Johnston had
chosen his ground well and was evidently ready for a sturdy
stand. Sherman found before him the same problem he had
confronted at Dalton, Resaca and Dallas. The, only defect
he could see in Johnston's line was that it covered ten miles
of front and was therefore too long to be held successfully by
an army of 60,000 men. But every point of it overlooked
Sherman's position, and no step could be taken without the
greatest caution. He studied the situation very deliberately.
To resort to his previous methods of a flank movement would
here be more dangerous than before, for his supply line had
been lengthened, and any flank movement necessarily threw

284 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
it open to attack, unless, forsooth, such movement were suc
cessful in cutting the enemy's supply line.
All things considered, Sherman thought it best to assault
Johnston's position. He formed for this purpose, with Mc
Pherson on his left, following the railroad which curved around
the base of Kenesaw and facing Pine Mountain. Schofield
was on the right facing Lost Mountain. Hood occupied the
Confederate right opposite McPherson ; Polk the Confederate
centre opposite Thomas; and Hardee the Confederate left
opposite Schofield.
Thus posted, Sherman's object was to work slowly toward
the enemy, and in doing this something very like a battle
raged along his lines for days. The rain poured down almost
incessantly. The roads back to his depot became impassable
and he was forced to make new ones. Every step gained by
his armies gave rise to a new intrenchment. While thus
inching his way forward, he was greatly harassed in his rear
by the enemy's cavalry, compelling him to detach cavalry
guards as far back as Resaca, and strengthen all the garrison
as far back as Nashville. Anticipating a raid from Forrest
on the railroad below Nashville, he ordered Sturgis from
Memphis to attack him, but Sturgis was defeated and driven
back into Memphis. On hearing of this Sherman ordered
A. J. Smith^who was returning from the Red River Expedi
tion and was on his way to join Canby at New Orleans, to
take the offensive at Memphis, with two divisions of the Six
teenth and "Seventeenth corps. He defeated Forrest at Tupelo.
in July, and prevented his anticipated raid on Sherman's
supply lines.
By June 14th, Sherman found his lines fully entrenched
for ten miles, and corresponding with those of the enemy.
His skirmishers were actively engaged all the time, and had been
for days, working their way through dripping thickets and tor-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 285
rent washed ravines, followed closely by their regiments and
brigades, entrenching and holding every coigne of vantage.
On this date Sherman reconnoitred the situation personally
and discovered a Confederate battery surrounded by a group
of officers abreast of Pine Mountains. Though the orders
were that ammunition should be used sparingly, he had two
or three batteries turned on the spot, with the result that the
officers were scattered and General Polk killed.
On the 15th, Sherman pressed all his lines closer, with a
view to an attack upon any weak point that might be dis
covered between Kenesaw and Pine Mountains. It was now
discovered that Johnson had abandoned his Pine Mountain
defences, thus contracting nis long front till it embraced only
Kenesaw and Lost Mountains. The abandoned ground was
quickly taken advantage of by both Thomas and Schofield,
and in their advance they captured many prisoners, among
them the entire 14th Alabama Regiment, 320 strong. Mc
Pherson was now well to the left, around the north end of
Kenesaw. Sherman kept up his persistent approach through
the 16th, when the enemy abandoned Lost Mountain. The
loss of these positions was no detriment to Johnston, who
had found out the faulty length of his first line and had thus
purposely contracted it. Besides, Sherman's advances were
costly as to men, and his own position was not being bettered
by anything thus far abandoned by the enemy. Even when
Sherman's right had swung round so as to threaten the
railroad below Marietta, it found Johnston further contract
ing and entrenching, and covering Marietta and the roads
south of it.
Two days of rain impeded further progress, but Sherman
consumed them in strengthening his lines on the left and
centre, so as to be prepared for an attack from Kenesaw on
his depot at Big Shanty, and at the same time be able to sub-

286 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
tract forces from his left to be gradually worked towards his
right. He kept Gerrard busy with his cavalry division on the
left, while both McPherson and Thomas swung slightly to
the right. No opportunity for direct assault yet appeared.
In front of the Union army frowned Kenesaw, entrenched
with the security of a regular fort, and swarming with the
enemy. Sherman's own troops were covered everywhere by
entrenchments, and his skirmishers fought under the protec
tion of improvised breast-works. He took into his employ
detachments of negro refugees, for the purpose of sparing his
troops the fatigue of erecting their defences.
On June 19th, Johnston again fell back, and Shermarn
thought he had retreated entirely from Kenesaw to the Chal-
tahoochee River, fifteen miles in the rear. But he was soon
disillusioned, for, on ordering an advance, he found him still
thoroughly concentrated and covering Marietta, his front
being Kenesaw mountain, and his flanks resting respectively
on Nose creek and Noonday creek. It was an intensely
strong position, and its greatest strength lay on the right,
opposite McPherson and nearest the railroad, for whose safety
Sherman was at all times most anxious. Again the enemy's
cavalry were reported to be operating in Sherman's rear, and
again he gave orders reinforcing all the guards back as far a»
Resaca, and ordering Smith to push his divisions from Hunts
viUe to Kingston.
On the 21st, Sherman, in- his dispatches to Halleck, thus
mapped the situation: — "This is the nineteenth day of rain
and the prospect of fair weather is as far off as ever. The
roads are impassable. The fields and roads become quagmires
after a few wagons have passed. Yet we are at work all the
time. The left flank is across Noonday Creek. The right i&
across Nose Creek. The enemy still holds Kenesaw, a con
ical mountain, with Marietta behind it, and his flanks retired

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 287
to cover the town and railroad. I am all ready to attack the
moment the weather and roads will permit troops and artil
lery to move with anything like life."
Under these unfavorable auspices Sherman pressed opera
tions with all the earnestness in his power, striving to keep
his fortified lines in close touch with those of the enemy, and
constantly feeling forward for his supply lines or his probable
lines of retreat. On the 22d of June, Sherman ordered
Thomas to advance his extreme right, which was Hooker's
corps, and Schofield to keep his army in close support. This
advance of Hooker brought on an extremely hot engagement,
which eventuated in advantage to neither side, and moreover
was the cause of serious misunderstanding between Hooker
and Sherman, and required the personal appearance of the
latter at the front to settle.
On June 23d, Sherman continued to press closer to the
enemy, feeling for his weak points and more determined than
ever to assault. Every inch gained now was by hard skir
mishing and actual fighting, which could not last always. On
this day his sketch of the situation, as sent to Washington,
was : — " We continue to press forward on the principle of an
advance against fortified positions. The whole country is one
vast fort, and Johnston must have at least fifty miles of
trenches, with abattis and finished batteries. We gain ground
daily fighting all the time. . . . Our lines are now in close
contact and the fighting is incessant, with a good deal of
artillery fire. As fast as we gain one position the enemy has
another all ready, but I think he will soon have to let go
Kenesaw, which is the key to the whole country. Our losses
are light and our supplies are ample."
On the 24th and 25th Schofield was ordered to extend his
lines further to the right, with a view to thinning the enemy's
front. All the commanders now agreed that the last poin

288 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
of line extension had been reached, consistent with safety, and
that there was no alternative left but direct attack on the
enemy's fortifications. So an assault was ordered for June
27th. The points of attack were chosen and the troops pre
pared. The batteries, planted for the purpose, opened a
terrific cannonade for several hours, and then, precisely at the
hour fixed, the armies of McPherson and Thomas rushed
forward to the assault, the former striking Hardee's corps,
and the latter Loring's (formerly Polk's). At all points
they were met in great force and with determined courage.
McPherson fought his way up the face of the lesser Kenesaw,
but could not reach the top. Thomas managed to force his
way over some of the enemy's parapets, but could not hold
them, and his troops fell back, losing two of their most valued
leaders General Harker, killed, and General McCook mort
ally wonnded. By noon the assault was over, and had com
pletely failed to break the Confederate lines at any point,
though the assaulting columns still held close to the enemy's
entrenchments, under improvised parapets. McPhersonilost,
in this assault, 500 men and several officers, and Thomas lost
2,000 men. The enemy's loss did not exceed 800 in killed
and wounded.
Quick to measure results, and not needing a second experi
ment to teach him what to do next, Sherman threw his right,
under Schofield, across Olley Creek, where he gained a posi
tion which threatened Johnston's line of retreat. Stone-
man's cavalry was thrown still further to the right, in the
direction of the Sweetwater. Satisfied that his men had done
all they could in direct assault, Sherman's resolve was to
resort on^e more to his old manoeuvre, a flank movement
and this time he executed it with even greater tactical bril-
lancy than before. Orders were issued to bring forward sup
plies enough for the wagons, and to strip the railroad back

DEATH OF GEN. McPHERSON.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 291
to Allatoona, that place to be the depot for the time under
the protection of Garrard's cavalry.
Sherman thus outlined his movement to Halleck, under
date of July 1st : " Schofield is now south of OUey Creek
and at the head of Nickajack. I have been hurrying down
provisions and forage, and to-morrow night propose to move
McPherson from the extreme left to the right, back of
Thomas. This will bring my right within three miles ofthe
Chattahoochee, and within five miles of the railroad. By
this movement I think I can force Johnston to move his
whole army down from Kenesaw to defend his railroad and
the-Chattahoochee, when I will, by my left flank, reach the
railroad below Marietta. But in this I must cut loose from
the railroad with ten days provisions. Johnston may come
out of his entrenchments to attack Thomas, which is exactly
what I want, for Thomas is strongly entrenched on lines par
allel with those of the enemy, south of Kenesaw. I think
that Allatoona and the line of the Etowah are strong enough
for me to venture on this move. The movement is substan
tially down the Sand town road and straight for Atlanta."
On the night of July 2d, McPherson drew out of his en
trenchments on the left, leaving Garrard's cavalry, dis
mounted, to occupy them, and moved behind Thomas,
stretching to the right as far down as Nickajack. Johnston
detected this movement, and, divining its import, beat a hasty
retreat from the fortress of Kenesaw during the night.
Sherman expected as much, and as soon as he confirmed it by
observations on the next morning, he ordered a swift pursuit
by every possible road, hoping to catch Johnston before he
could cross the river. But Johnston had prepared himself
for retreat, and had covered the line of the Chattahoochee
with works, with advanced trenches out as far as Smyrna
Church, five miles from Marietta. By pressing hard against
17

292 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
the Smyrna entrenchments, Thomas gradually forced them,
compelling the enemy to seek the river entrenchments at the
point where the railroad crossed, called Turner's Ferry. At
this point Sherman engaged in brisk skirmishing for a period
of four days. After driving the enemy well together and
feeling his lines thoroughly, he threw a large force across the
Chattahoochee, above Turner's Ferry, Schofield crossing at
Soap Creek on July 7th, Howard two miles below, at Pow
er's Ferry, while McPherson lay at Rosswell ready to cross
at any moment. All these forces entrenched their positions,
built strong bridges, forcing Johnston to cling to the river
below. Cramped in this position and fearing the flanking
operations well under way, Johnston fled from his position
on the north-west banks of the river at Turner's Ferry, thus
leaving Sherman master of all North Georgia, between the
Tennessee and Chattahoochee.
A second month had passed since Sherman left Chattanooga.
It had been a month of adroit manoeuvre, of excessive toil,
of hard fighting. From Kenesaw to Marietta had really
been a continuous battle, lasting from June 10th to July 3d.
His losses for June were : —
Army of the Cumberland (Thomas) :
Howard's Fourth corps  602 killed, 1,542 wounded.
Palmer's Fourteenth "  353 " 1,466 '"*"
Hooker's Twentieth "  322 " 1,246
Totals  1,277 killed, 4,254 wounded.
Army of the Tennessee :
Logan's Fifteenth corps  179 killed, 687 wounded.
Dodge's Sixteenth "  52 " 157
Blair's Seventeenth "  47 " 212
Totals  278 killed, 1,056 wounded.

life of general sherman. 293
Army of the Ohio :
Schofield's Twenty-third corps  105 killed, 362 wounded.
Cavalry  130 " 68
Totals  235 killed, 430woundad.
A total loss for the month of June in killed and wounded of
7,530.
Johnston figured his losses for the same time at 468 killed
and 3,480 wounded ; a total of 3,948, not counting prisoners?
which Sherman estimated at over 2,000.
Sherman's last two movements had been rapid and bril
liant. The moment he threw McPherson from his left to his
right, in front of Kenesaw, and thereby stretched his right
down toward Turner's Ferry on the Chattahoochee, he pre
sented two alternatives to Johnston; first, either to attack
Thomas in his front, or second, to permit Sherman to reach
his railroad below Marietta, or even cross the Chattahoochee.
Johnston, of course, preferred to abandon Kenesaw and
Marietta and fall back to his Chattahoochee entrenchments,
which covered his positions on tha* river, a broad and deep
stream. Sherman had not suspected the existence of entrench
ments at this point, and fully expected to capture a portion
of Johnston's army in the act of crossing the river, and when
he came to view them, afterwards, he pronounced them the
strongest pieces of field fortifications he had ever seen.
But Sherman well knew that no fortifications could avail
Johnston on that side of the river, for Atlanta was only nine
miles away, and in sight, and the ground favored the practice
of the manoeuvres which had hitherto driven him out of all
his impregnable holds. He therefore arranged his forces, as
already stated, and with the result that Johnston evacuated
his trenches, burned the railroad bridge, pontoons and trestles,
and left Sherman in full possession of the north-west bank of
the river.

294 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Sherman now prepared to take the initiative south of the
Chattahoochee. Rousseau's cavalry column came in to him
at Marietta with the report that it had broken up the Mont
gomery railroad, which brought Johnston's south-west sup
plies from Opelika. Stoneman's cavalry was sent below
Atlanta to threaten the railroad. Blair was to remain at
Turner's Ferry keeping up the feint, while the respective
corps crossed above. This point of crossing was deemed best,
as affording immediate protection to the railroad ; and it,
should not be forgotten that the further Sherman progressed
southward the more important his rearward communications
became. The crossing kept McPherson still on his left, but
it threw Schofield to the center and Thomas to the right. On
July 13th Sherman's dispatch to Halleck read : — " All is well.
I have now accumulated stores at Allatoona and Marietta,
both fortified and garrisoned points. Have also three places
to cross the Chattahoochee. Only await Stoneman's return
from a trip down the river, to cross in force and move on
Atlanta." On July 15th Stoneman returned and was ordered to take
Blair's place at Turner's Ferry, while Blair moved his seven
teenth corps up to Roswell to join McPherson. On July
17th the crossing of the river began, aud with it the move
ment ofthe Union forces on Atlanta. There was ho opposi
tion to the crossing except from cavalry. Thomas crossed,
and swung around facing Peach Tree Creek, which empties
into the Chattahoochee at Turner's Ferry. Schofield crossed,
marched out to Cross Keys and then swung in on Thomas'
left. McPherson crossed, marched out to Stone Mountain,
east of Decatur, where he broke up the railroad toward
Atlanta, and finally joined Schofield's left at Decatur.
It was now July 18th, Sherman got word that Johnston
had relinguished the command of the Confederate army and

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 295
had been succeeded by Hood. He inferred that this meant
fight, and sent word to all parts of his army to be on the
alert. On July 19th, Sherman had his three armies con
verging on Atlanta, and meeting with so little resistance that
he was led to conclude the enemy intended to abandoD the
place without a battle. McPherson was on the railroad near
Decatur. Schofield had a direct road to Atlanta. Thomas
was hugging Peach Tree Creek in line of battle, and building
bridges for his respective divisions. He was immediately in
front of the Confederate works. On July 20th, there was
still a gap between Schofield and Thomas, which Sherman
was endeavoring to fill with two of Howard's divisions.
Hood had evidently discovered this, for he massed his troops
on the Buckhead road, and struck into the interval. The
sudden blow fell on Hooker's three divisions and those of.
Newton and Johnson, and such was its intensity that the
Union troops were rolled back in confusion. But they
quickly recovered and returned in furious parry. For five
hours the battle raged, the conflict at times being hand to
hand. Thomas got his batteries to bear on the scene, and by
and by the enemy weakened and drew off, leaving their dead
and many wounded behind. The Confederate loss in this
rally was nearly 5000, while the Union loss was 1733, most
of which fell on Hooker's corps. This rally came from the
Peach Tree line of the enemy which Johnston had prepared,
from which to fight the battle for Atlanta. Hood, in his
indiscreet and impetuous style, took early advantage of it, as
he thought, but with the result above stated. The result
enabled Sherman to compact his lines and close up on the
enemy's entrenchments, overlapping them to the left.
McPherson still had his Fifteenth corps on the Augusta
railroad and his Seventeenth thrown out on his left. Scho
field was on his right, and Howard's, Hooker's and Palmer's

296 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
corps of Thomas' army on the extreme right. Johnston's
plan of attacking Sherman from his Peach Tree Creek de
fences, as the latter crossed the Chattahoochee, and before he
could form his line for the investment of Atlanta, having
failed under Hood's management, Hood now determined to
try the second plan which was to leave the entrenchments and
Atlanta itself under a strong guard and march to the right,
so as to fall on Sherman's left flank as it moved forward to
complete the line of investment. Sherman's intention was
to call in his left and pass it to the right for the purpose of
reaching and destroying the Macon railroad, below Atlanta,
but before he could execute these orders Leggett's division
had secured by assault a fine position on Leggett's Hill, and
Blair's entire Seventeenth was on the further side of the Au
gusta railroad, while Dodge's Sixteenth was busily destroying
the railroad from Decatur to the enemy's skirmish lines.
This was the situation on July 21st. On that night Hood
moved out to the east beyond Decatur and the Augusta rail
road, and quietly awaited his opportunity in front of Sher
man's extended left. The next morning Sherman found,
much to his astonishment, that the lines of works on the
heights commanding the southerly banks of Peach Tree had
been vacated during the night, and he supposed that Atlanta
had also been abandoned. Sherman ordered Thomas to push
rapidly across these abandoned lines and close in upon the
city. Then he hastened to McPherson's left, to find that a
brisk engagement was already on and that from the nature of
the firing something unexpected in that quarter was happen
ing. McPherson rode to his front, from the Howard House
where he had been consulting with Sherman. Logan's corps
had been thrown in on Schofield's left so as to connect with
Blair's right. Dodge's corps was sent to Blair's left. Still
the noise of battle increased and gradually extended along

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 297
Schofield and Thomas' front. But it was not this that dis
turbed Sherman so much as the sound of heavy artillery fire
that came from the direction of Decatur. Every minute was
undeceiving him as to the true character of the battle. The
busy firing in front of Schofield and Thomas was only a
cover for something else. The heavy booming off toward
Decatur meant that Hood was working determinedly on his
extended and weakened left, and that there was danger of
turning it and getting in his rear. Hood's attack was made
by Hardee's corps. When McPherson reached the scene and
took in the situation, he instantly ordered up his reserve
brigades and threw one of Logan's brigades across the narrow
interval between the corps of Blair and Dodge. Following
the road through the woods in the rear of the Seventeenth
corps, and unaware of the proximity of the enemy, he was
killed by their musketry fire, and his horse issued riderless
from the woods.
Sherman ordered the staff officer, who brought him word
of McPherson's death, to find General Logan and order
him to refuse his left and fight the battle with the Army
of the Tennessee, holding fast to Leggett's Hill, which he,
Sherman, would personally look to Decatur and the safety of
his rear, and would send re-inforcements if required. Sher
man also ordered Thomas to make a strong sally on the right
and not stop until Alabama was reached, if such a thing were
found possible. The game of his antagonist was now ap
parent to Sherman, and the contour of the ground favored
him. While Stewart's corps was keeping up appearances in
Thomas' front, Hardee's and Hood's own corps were really
making victorious progress upon and around Sherman's left-
Smith's division was driven back with the loss of four guns,
upon that of Leggett, which still clung to its crest, and kept
up a terrific battle till late in the afternoon. Wheeler's

298 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
cavalry burst in upon Decatur and drove back the trains
toward the Chattahoochee, capturing several wagons. The
brigade's of the Fifteenth corps which McPherson had ordered
up now came into position in the rear, filling up the gap
between Blair and Dodge. Almost all of Sherman's left had
by this time formed a new line, facing westward. Upon this
the enemy made terrific attacks, breaking repeatedly through
Logan's lines and making captures of guns. It was now 4
P. M., and it seemed that Hood was desperate. Sherman
was no less so, for the hour was most critical. Hood made
his last determined assault, directed mainly against Leggett's
Hill and along the Decatur road. It met with a bloody re
pulse in the centre, but along the railroad it swept away the
Union lines, with the loss of an entire battery of twenty
pound Parrott guns, which were turned upon Sherman's
forces. Wood's division was whirled further to the left in
order to catch the enemy on the flank. Schofield and Logan,
the latter fighting McPherson's army, concentrated all their
available forces and raked the advancing enemy with their
remaining artillery. Wood made a splendid charge under
cover of the twenty guns which Schofield had placed in a
new position, and regained much ofthe lost ground. Logan
had rallied a broken division, in person, and with it swept
the remainder of the field. The day was done, Hood stopped
exhausted. Beating a retreat back over the ground of ad
vance, and carrying only two of the captured guns as trophies,
he was pursued by Sherman to the very gates of Atlanta.
This battle of July 22d, usually called the battle of Atlanta,
was most determined and bloody. The Army of the Ten
nessee, under Logan, bore the brunt of it, and nobly it did
its work. Logan reported the losses as follows : —
Union loss  3,521
Enemy's dead, buried and reported  3,220

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 299
Prisoners sent north  1,017
"Wounded prisoners  1,000
Estimated loss of enemy  10,000
On the date of this battle Rousseau returned from his cav
alry raid on the Alabama road at Opelika, and on the next
day Garrard returned from the line of the Augusta road.
Both had been successful in destroying railroads and breaking
up the enemy's communications. Grant now called attention
to the anxiety of the Confederate government for Hood's
welfare, and to the possibility of his being reinforced from
Richmond. Sherman, therefore, felt that he had no time to
lose. He at once set about to carry out his original intention
of throwing the Army of the Tennessee to his right, leaving
Schofield to stretch his left to the Augusta road, then destroyed,
and sending his cavalry by both flanks to destroy the Macon
road. With his supplies thus cut off, Hood would thus be
forced to evacuate Atlanta, and fight on open ground.
On July 24th Howard was given command of the Army
of the Tennessee, much to the chagrin of Generals Logan and
Blair. Stanley took command of Howard's Fourth corps.
Hooker resigned as commander of the Twentieth corps and
Slocum succeeded him. These changes gave rise to a consid
erable amount of feeling at the time, but Sherman did not
make them hastily nor without first consulting Thomas. On
July 25th Sherman's army stood : — Army of the Tennessee
(Howard) on his left; Army of the Ohio (Schofield), left,
touching the Augusta railroad ; Army of the Cumberland
(Thomas), right, and lines conforming with Atlanta defences.
It was strongly entrenched, and the line extended for five
miles. On July 26th he despatched two cavalry columns, Stone
man's 5,000 strong and McCook's 4,000 strong, with orders
to meet at Lovejoy Station on the Macon road, south of At-

30O LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
lanta, and there destroy it. This project failed for want of
concert, except an easily repaired damage. McCook was surr
rounded and compelled to cut his way out with the loss of
500 men, and Stoneman with 500 men was captured. These
disasters were inflicted by Wheeler's cavalry, which then
appeared on Sherman's rear at Calhoun and ran off 900
beef cattle.
Sherman had fixed July 27th for his flanking movement.
It began promptly by the removal of Dodge's Sixteenth corps
(Army of the Tennessee) across from his extreme left to his
right and into position at Proctor's Creek. Blair's Seven
teenth corps followed and deployed on Dodge's right. Logan's
Fifteenth came next and entered on Blair's right. Jeff C.
Davis' division was pushed down to Turner's Ferry, to cover
the general right flank. All were ordered to entrench.
Sherman's right now covered the Bell's Ferry road, leading
due west from Atlanta. On the 28th, at 11 A. M. Hood
made a determined assault on Logan's and Blair's front. He
kept it up with great fury, till 4 P. M., during which time
many of the scenes of the previous attack on the left were
repeated. But the Union troops were better prepared, and
they gave the enemy a warm reception. Their "gallant ad
vance," as Sherman called it, was repulsed at every point, and
they left the lines of their retreat covered with five thousand
dead and wounded. The Union loss was six hundred. During
this battle Sherman sent orders to Thomas and Scofield to
attack in their front, the supposition being that Hood had
drawn largely from his forces there in order to make his
assault, but they found the parapets ahead of them fully
manned. Thus far Sherman's movement to his right was promising
well ; his men were greatly encouraged by the results on the
28th, and they realized that it was possible to compel Hood ¦

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 301
to come out of his fortified lines to attack at a disadvantage,
or seek battle on a fair field. Sherman therefore kept up his
movement. The fifteenth corps was pushed down toward the
Sandtown Road, where its right was prolonged by Davis'
Division. Then Wood's Division of Palmer's Corps was
taken from Thomas and swung to the right, and so the
right was gradually lengthened and strengthened, till by the
end of July, Sherman's line reached from the Augusta Road
on the left, to the Sandtown Road, a distance of ten miles, all
strongly entrenched. The bridge across the Chattahoochee,
had been rebuilt, and the trains, arriving daily from Nash
ville, kept up a full compliment of supplies. For the month
of July, Sherman figured his losses at 3,804 killed and miss-
ingj 5,915 wounded, a total of 9,719. Those of the enemy
approximated 11,000. Thus closed the month of July, 1864.
In early August, Atlanta was in a state ot siege. The
weather was hot, but Sherman's men were in good spirits, his
skirmishers kept close to the enemy, and every day brought
its continuous clatter of musketry. His movement to the
right was continued, and Hood kept even pace with it by ex
tending his entrenched left. The news of the disaster to his
cavalry columns had disconcerted Sherman somewhat, but he
ordered the guards along his supply line to be increased, and
still felt secure. By degrees Schofield's whole army was
moved to his right, extending his line to East Point. Thomas
was ordered to thin his line, by parting with Johnson's div
ision of the Fourtenth Corps, which was pushed to the ex
treme right rear, and held in reserve for a bold dash on the
Macon railroad, below East Point. Out of the remnants of
his defeated cavalry divisions, which had now gotten in with
their reports of disaster, Sherman organized three smaller
divisions under Garrard, McCook and Kilpatrick. He had
become convinced that cavalry could not, or would not, secure

302 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
a lodgment on the railroad below Atlanta, therefore he ordered
Schofield to make this a special object, and for this purpose
placed the Fourteenth Corps under him. Schofield was now
in command of fully 27,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry, and
on August 4th, Sherman ordered him to strike the Macon
railroad about East Point. He failed to move on account of
the refusal of Palmer to obey his orders. Palmer resigned,
and Jeff. C. Davis was appointed to command the Fourteenth
corps. On August 5, Schofield's extension struck an outwork of the
enemy which he attacked, but unfortunately got entangled
in the trees and bushes and lost 500 men in killed and
wounded. This defeat was not without its value, however,
for it showed that the enemy were extending their entrench
ments as fast as Sherman forged to the right.
On August 7, Sherman thus outlined the situation to Hal
leck: " Have received to-day the dispatches of the Secretary
of War and General Grant, and they are very satisfactory.
We keep hammering away all the time, and there is no peace
inside or outside of Atlanta. To-day General Schofield got
round the line which was assaulted yesterday, turned it and
gained the ground where the assault had been made, and got
possession of our dead and wounded. He continued to press
on that flank and brought on a noisy but not a bloody battle.
He drove the enemy behind his main breastworks which covei
the railroad from Atlanta to East Point, and captured a good
many of his skirmishers, who are of his best troops — the
militia hug the breastworks closely. I do not deem it pru
dent to extend any more to the right, but will push forward
by parallels and make the inside of Atlanta too hot to be
endured. I have sent back to Chattanooga for two thirty-
pound Parrott guns^-with which we can pick out almost any
house in the town. I am too impatient for a siege, and don't

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 303
know but that this is as good a place to fight it out, as fur
ther inland. One thing is certain, whether we get into
Atlanta or not, it will be a used np community when we are
done with it."
On August 10, his thirty-pound Parrotts arrived and were
placed in position. For two days all the batteries played on
Atlanta, and the infantry lines were advanced at every avail
able point. Sherman was ever on the alert for an opening
for assault. But Hood was equally wide-awake, and offered
no opportunity. Sherman now put Kilpatrick with his
newly-formed cavalry on his right rear; Gerrard on his left;
and McCook on the railroad about Marietta and in reserve.
His dispatch to Grant on this date read : " Since July 28,
Hood has not attempted to meet us outside of his parapets.
In order to possess and destroy effectually his communica
tions, I may have to leave a corps at the railroad bridge, well
entrenched, and cut loose with the balance to make a circle of
desolation around Atlanta. I do not propose to assault his
works, which are too strong, nor to proceed by regular ap
proaches. I have lost a good many regiments, and will lose
more by expiration of service; and this is the only reason
why I ask for reinforcements. We have crippled, killed and
captured more of the enemy than we have lost by his acts."
Here then is indication that Sherman had changed his plan
to approach Atlanta by parallels, and had determined to once
more "resort to his old tactics. On August 12th he was ap
prised of the capture of the forts in Mobile Bay by Farragut.
This was most important as Farragut's operations were
auxiliary to his own, and Mobile had been counted as a
possible objective from the start of his campaign. On this
date he also received the welcome news that he had been com
missioned a Major General in the regular army. The enemy
was still holding fast in his front, and seemed determined to

304 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
do so even though every house in the town were battered^
down. He must be drawn out for a square fight, or forced
out by attacking his communications.
On August 13th Sherman, therefore, ordered the Twentieth
corps to the railroad bridge over the Chattahoochee to pro
tect the communications to that point, while the rest of his
army moved boldly and rapidly to the Macon railroad below
East Point. He was the freeer to do this because the fre
quent attacks on his communications back of Allatoona, led
him to believe that Hood^iad dispossessed himself of his
cavalry for raiding purposses. As a counter to this Sher
man withheld his orders for a general army movement for a
few days and dispatched Kilpatrick's cavalry division to des
troy the Macon road near Jonesboro, with the hope that Hood
would thus be forced to evacuate Atlanta, and he (Sherman)
would be able to overwhelm him while retreating. By the
22d of August, Kilpatrick returned, having made the cir
cuit of Atlanta and destroyed much, but by no means enough
to effectually cut off Hood's communications. On the 24th,
Sherman telegraphed to Halleck: "Heavy fires in Atlanta
all day, caused by our artillery. Will be ready to commence
movement around Atlanta, by the south, by to-morrow night,
and for some days you will hear little of us. Will keep
open a courier line back to Chattahoochee bridge by way of
Sandtown. The Twentieth corps will hold the bridge. Will
move with the balance of the army provisioned for twenty

On the night of August 25th Sherman began his movement
with great secrecy, and dexterously shifted his army by suc-
sessive movements from left to right and from north to south.
Schofield held on at or near East Point, and presented a bold
front, while the armies of Thomas and Howard, pivoting on
him, reached the West Point railroad, breaking it up thor-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 305
oughly. By the 29th Thomas was well in place, and moving
from Red Oak to the Fayettville road ; Howard was pushing
for Jonesboro ; and on the 30th Schofield cut loose from his
fortifications and marched out to Morrow's Mills on Thomas'
left. On August 31st Sherman moved his entire army straight
for the railroad. Schofield reached it at Rough and Ready;
Thomas between there and Jonesboro ; while Howard found
Jonesboro occupied by the enemy. Thomas and Schofield
were both ordered toward that point, which they approached,
tearing up the railroad as they advanced, and driving the
enemy -within their fortifications. On September 1st the
Fourteenth corps closed up on the enemy's works, and at
4 P. M. Davis' division made a charge over the parapets,
capturing an entire Confederate brigade and two batteries of
ten guns. Speedily, Sherman sent two divisions of Blair's
Seventeenth to the rear of Jonesboro to cut the railroad, so
that Hardee's corps could not escape ; for now it was known
that his entire corps was at Jonesboro, whither Hood had
sent it with the consciousness that its fall meant the fall of
Atlanta. But Hardee escaped under cover of the night.
That was a night of anxiety to all the Union Generals.
They had taken awful risks, were far away from their com
munications, and were playing a game whose winning or
losing must turn on a very few hours. At length, and about
midnight, the Union camps were awakened by sounds of
heavy explosions in the direction of Atlanta. Sherman, had
ordered Slocum to feel forward from the Chattahoochee
bridge toward the north of Atlanta to observe the effects of
the rearward movement on that front. At first, Sherman
thought that Slocum had been acting rashly and had become
terribly engaged, or that perhaps Hood had attacked him in
force. But there came a lull in the explosions. At 4 A. M.
they broke out again, and louder than before. They were

306 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
now of a nature to be understood. The enemy was blowing
up his magazines, store-houses and trains. Soon Atlanta burst
into flames. Hood's rear guard had done its work, and Hood
himself had made his escape in the night toward Macon.
When Sherman struck Hardee at Jonesboro, he really struck
the force Hood had placed there to cover his retreat. The
pursuit was joined in the morning and continued to near Love-
joy Station. Here word reached Sherman that Slocum had
heard the same explosions in the night, had marched rapidly
forward to find Atlanta evacuated, and had entered the city
unopposed. Sherman had won Atlanta.
His army remained at Lovejoy's for a few days, during
which he decided that it would be useless to pursue Hood's
army further. He, therefore, ordered his army back to At
lanta for rest. It began to fall back on September 5th, and
soon Thomas found a camp in Atlanta, Howard one at East
Point, and Scofield one at Decatur, where the soldiers enjoyed
much needed repose and were cheered by the daily bulletins
of thanks from the loyal north for their bravery and their
victory. Of his own achievement, Sherman says : — " Of course the
glad tidings flew on the wings of electricity to all parts of
the North, where the people had patiently awaited the news of
their husbands, sons and brothers, "Away down in Dixie "
and congratulations came pouring back full of good will and
patriotism. This victory was most opportune, Mr. Lincoln
himself told me afterwards, that even he had previously felt
in doubt, for the summer was fast passing away, that General
Grant seemed to be checkmated about Richmond and Peters
burg and that my army seemed to have run up against an
unpassible barrier, when the news came that "Atlanta was
ours, and fairly won." A presidential election then agitated
the North. Mr. Lincoln represented the National cause, and

IIIIP^

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 309
General McClellan had accepted the nomination of the Demo
cratic party, whose platform was, better to allow the South to
go free to establish a separate government, whose corner-stone
should be slavery. Success to our arms, therefore, at that in
stant was a political necessity ; and it was all important that
something startling in our interest should occur before the
November election. The brilliant success at Atlanta filled ,
that requirement and made the success of Mr. Lincoln certain."
On September 3d, Sherman received the following congrat
ulatory dispatch from President Lincoln :
Executive Mansion, Washington, Sept. 3, 1864.
The national thanks are rendered by the President to
Major General W. T. Sherman and the gallant officers and
soldiers under his command before Atlanta, for the distin
guished ability and perseverance displayed in the campaign in
Georgia, which, under Divine favor has resulted in the cap
ture of Atlanta. The marches, battles, sieges and other
military operations that have signalized the campaign, must
render it famous in the annals of war, and have entitled those
who have participated therein to the applause and thanks of
the nation. Abraham Lincoln,
President oj U. 8.
Grant, too, from an overflowing heart, dispatched to his
western marshal : —
Major-general Sherman : — I have just received your dis
patch announcing the capture of Atlanta. In honor of your
great victory, I have ordered a salute to be fired with shotted
guns from every battery bearing upon the enemy. The salute
will be fired within an hour, amid great rejoicing.
U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-general.
To which Sherman replied : — " I have received your dis
patch, and will communicate it to the troops, in general
18

3io LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
orders  I have always felt that you would personally
take more pleasure in my success than in your own, and I
reciprocate the feeling it its fullest extent."
And again the unselfish Grant telegraphed on Sept. 12th :
" I feel you have accomplished the most gigantic undertaking
given to any general in this war, and with a skill and ability
that will be acknowledged in history as unsurpassed, if
equalled. It gives me as much pleasure to record this in
your favor as it would in favor of any living man, myself
included." Badeau's analysis of Sherman's Atlanta campaign, and its
comparison with that of his chief, is worthy of a place here : —
" It was four months since the national hosts moved out
under the shadow of Lookout Mountain against Johnston's
army. During that period they had marched four hundred
miles, fought thirteen distinct battles, and captured thirteen
thousand prisoners ; they had made seven successful flanking
movements; crossed the Oostenaula, the Etowah, and the
Chattahoochee rivers; turned three mountain ranges and
captured fourteen towns. Sherman had entered the campaign
with -ninety-eight thousand troops, and received reinforce
ments which brought his numbers up to one hundred and
thirteen thousand. At the end his army was eighty-one
thousand strong. He had lost four thousand four hundred
killed, twenty-two thousand eight hundred wounded, and
four thousand four hundred missing ; total, thirty-one thou
sand six hundred men. In the rebel army the losses were
three thousand killed, eighteen thousand nine hundred
wounded, and twelve thousand nine hundred prisoners ; in all,
thirty-four thousand eight hundred soldiers.
"The strategy of the campaign had been almost one contin
uous success. The flanking movements at Dalton and Resaca
were conceived with a clearness and executed with a precision

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 311
not often rivalled, aud were all the more creditable because
performed in the presence of a master in the art of war.
" When the army moved from Kingston, Sherman hoped
not only to avoid Allatoona, but Kenesaw, but the rebel
strategy at this point was admirable. The national object
was divided, and Sherman returned to the railroad sooner
than he had intended or desired. But Allatoona was turned
aud the complete success of the manoeuvre was only delayed.
" The assaults at Kenesaw have been sharply criticized, but
even remembering their immediate result, it must be owned
that they had produced good fruit. They demonstrated to
Johnston that his opponent was not destitute of boldness, and
they proved the mettle of the men, who gained and held
ground so close to the enemy's parapets that he dared hot
show a head above them.
"It is impossible not to perceive the' parallel between these
alternate attacks and the flanking movements and those in the
Wilderness campaign. At East and West the national
generals pursued an aggressive policy in a difficult region,
with forests to penetrate, breastworks to carry, and rivers to
cross. At East and West a skilful opponent took every
means to compensate by position, superior knowledge of the
country, and all defensive arts, for an inferiority in numbers
not half so marked in either instance as had been declared.
In Georgia, as in Virginia, the progress was slow but steady ;
neither commander ever lost an inch of ground, and after
every battle each national army advanced. Sherman's
strategy was, however, more uniformly that of manoeuvring
than Grant's ; he fought but one offensive battle during the
campaign, though his movements were invariably aggressive •
yet Grant as often as Sherman compelled the rebels to abandon
their positions by pure strategy. Sherman was oftener attacked
than Grant; Johnston once assaulted with vigor, and when

312 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Hood assumed command, the offensive-defensive policy was
fairly attempted.
" The fighting was harder at the East, the battles bloodier
and longer, and oftener ; for both sides felt that at the East
the issue must after all be decided. Richmond was a political
as well as a military strategic point, and the insurgent govern
ment naturally concentrated greater force, and made a more
desperate effort for their capital. At the East it was indis
pensable that the armies of the rebels should be not only
depleted, exhausted, beaten, driven from their stronghold —
but destroyed. Sherman's campaign, however, as well as
Grant's tended to this end. It not only annihilated the rail
road communications of the enemy at the West ; not only
penetrated to the heart of the Confederacy, consumed its
products and intercepted its supplies ; but most important of
all, the capture of Atlanta released Sherman to co-operate
more absolutely and closely with Grant.
"Sherman, indeed, always felt that he too was fighting
against Richmond. He appreciated thoroughly the necessity
for co-operation and concentration, and in every step he took
regarded its effects upon the general scheme. He considered
that he bore his part in a game in which there were many
players, and he gave help and expected it in his turn.
" But though his movements were a part, and a most sig
nificant one, of operations which extended over a continent,5
the campaign at the West was Sherman's own. Grant gave
him his army and his aim, but allowed him to follow John
ston in his own fashion, only requiring him to expect no re
inforcements from Eastern troops, and to prevent the Western
rebels from reinforcing Lee. Sherman, indeed, reported his
operations daily, and Grant often advised him, but only to
encourage and approve, not to countermand. He allowed
his own movements to de effected by Sherman's needs, and

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 313
planned campaigns and fought battles to occupy rebel forces
which might otherwise be sent or ordered to Georgia ; but
during the four months in which Sherman was making his
way to Atlanta, Grant never once interferred with his general
plan or with any particular movement ; and thus, although
Sherman's subordination was such as almost to invite a supe
rior to interpose.
" But what their relations were at the beginning, they con
tinued at the close. Grant was as considerate and unselfish,
as anxious for Sherman's fame when his great lieutenant had
stepped up unto the ranks of the world's captains, as when
his friend had been called crazy two years before ; and none
could be quicker to acknowledge and proclaim a success which
for a time, in the eyes of many, eclipsed his own, for Sher
man seemed first to gain his prize, though none knew better
than he, that his work was still incomplete when Atlanta fell.
" Sherman on the other hand, grew in power, and greatness,
and fame. He was more conscious of his own ability after
he had handled a hundred thousand men in independent
movements during an entire summer ; he had learned what
success was, and relished it ; he could not be unconscious of
the far different position he now held before the country ; but
he was as ready to submit his judgment to that of his chief,
as quick to obey an order, even if he did not approve it, as
thoroughly subordinate, as when he rallied a broken division
at Shiloh, or led a corps with all the energy of his nature in
what he deemed a hopeless campaign behind the Vicksburg
Hills." Our life of Sherman would hardly be complete without
Swinton's portrait of him sketched while in the flush of
victory after Atlanta :
" The central figure in the Georgian drama, the man on
whom its success chiefly hung, had been well fitted to the role

3i4 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
he was called to play. Both by native temperament and by
the accidents of his experience, Sherman had been made apt
for the bold and novel method of warfare which it was needr
ful to wage. A man of soldierly instincts, Sherman had
received the training of the full curriculum at West Point,
where his military abilities gained him bright scholastic
honors. The long interim between his graduation and the out
burst of the great war, seems to have done but little additional
for him, either in martial experience or in martial fame ; and
nevertheless that interval must have been a generous seed
time, since no man in the country at the fall of Sumter was
a more thorough potential soldier. Amongst Sherman's early-
displayed traits was a broad and thorough view of campaign
ing, which comprised at once a complete plan at the outset,
and thereafter attention to the minutest details. Of Sherman
it soon became insufficient to say that he knew the art of
combat, but that he knew perfectly how to march, to feed, and
to fight a great army, and reduced each one of these to a dis
tinct and complete science.
"Sherman, moreover, above all Union commanders pos
sesses the geographical eye. His campaigning ground lies
as a grand chart before him, whereof every inch passes under
his vision : it elevations, its depression, its watercourses, its
vegetation, its network of roads, and all its possibilities too,
as well as its present features, he deems it not beneath him
to study. At a glance the features of a landscape take on
in his eye their military hue : a mountain range appears to
him a natural traverse, the rising ground yonder a bastion,
this precipitous pass a gorge, that river a wet ditch to be
passed ; and thus he may be said seldom or never to miscalcu
late the amount of the aid which nature tenders, to him, or
has lent his adversary. Some things, too, of the natural
surroundings, as well as their military significence, evidently

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 313
catches the gaze of his commander, and that, even in his
official reports. But it is that other faculty of measuring and
grasping the terrain on which he manoeuvres and gives battle,
though its breadth and its length be meted as it often was,
by hundreds of miles in a single campaign, of which we
mainly speak. His ground he studies with an anatomist's
nicety, now watching the great backbone formed by the
mountain chain, now the ribs and spines it puts off on either
hand, with those great arteries, the rivers fed by the lesser
water-courses, the veins. Striking here, he knows that he
will touch the heart of the country, or there, that he will
paralyze the right arm of its strength. Nor is it merely the
surface elevations and depressions, nor the geological drift of
the land, nor its clothing of forest and undergrowth, nor its
irrigation, nor the capacity and direction of its turnpikes and
paths, nor the nature of the soil, which may affect his march
ing or his bivouacs, that Sherman investigates; but he
evidently learned thoroughly the natural products ofthe land,
with a view to the question of supplies for him and for his
opponents, and this, too, not by a tardy experience, but be
fore he sets foot on the campaign, and not in his own neigh
borhood only, but for scores of miles on all his possible lines
of advance. Accordingly, it had been related of him, that
even while campaigning on the Mississippi years before, he
was intently studying the whole theatre of his Georgia
triumph, and indeed all the interior of the Confederacy.
It is also said that at the very beginning of the war he
obtained from the Census Bureau in Washington a map,
made at his own request, of the cotton States, with a table
showing the cattle, horses, and products of each country,
according to the last census returns reported from those
States ; so that afterwards, when the time for such enterprise
arrived, he was practically familiar with the resources of the
whole country on his line of march.

3i6 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
" The natural bent of his genius, also, provoked Sherman to
undertake campaigns of the audacious nature of the Georgia
and Carolina excursions. Being original in his conceptions,
he habitually thought of many things which but few other
commanders would have thought of, and, indeed, provided
for a hundred fancied contingencies and dilemmas which his
opponents never attempted to bring about. If ever unduly
elated by success, the first error of over-coufidence was apt to
rouse him to his customary discretion and skill ; but a certain
pride, joined by his bull-dog tenacity of purpose, commonly
iuduced him to try to work through as he had begun, in order
to prove himself to have been right at the start. He pos
sessed a rare and felicitous union of method and originality,
having a great devotion to order and system, which, however,
he overthrew when they became trivial and constraining, as
concerning petty things, and as being the marks of a mind
working in a rnt.
" He was a martinet in his ideas of military regulations,
discipline, drill, subordination, and held himself and his sub
alterns implicitly to obeying orders ; nevertheless, neither in
fashioning his campaigns, nor in executing their tactical de
tails, was he hampered by any traditional leathern-stock'
method, since no small part of his success was due to the
presence in his command of strict discipline and unquestion
ing obedience to orders on the one hand, and a certain free
dom from restraint and wise latitude in the choice of means
on the other. His own temperament was conscientiously
exact and scrupulous, but yet bold and facile in invention,
and naturally bent on some new and better way of doing an
old thing, never admitting meanwhile that anything was im
possible merely because it had not been done before.
" He was not always correct in his judgments of men, and
sometimes hasty in uttering opinions upon matters beyond hia

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 317
professional scope and in which he was not au expert ; but
with regard to the latter it may be said, that it never could
be averred of anything relating to the military art, and of
the former, that no incompetent subordinate ever had the
chance to deceive him twice. In the constitution of his mind
there was a kind of intellectual absolutism which might have
led, but happily did not, to dangerous manifestations. It
was controlled, indeed, by his soldier's habit of fidelity to
orders ; but on emergency and under the push of circumstance
might obviously have asserted its supremacy. In this res
pect Sherman differed remarkably from many brother officers,
most of whom looked to the way in which the people would
regard their actions, kept always in mind their liability to be
hailed before the popular tribunal, and never quite sank the
citizen in the soldier. The tendency in Sherman of which
we speak became the stronger from his being impetuous rather
than imperturbable in spirit, and self-confident in ratio to his
past successes."
"Sherman had a fine organising and administrative ability,
which he exhibited not only in his wonderful composition and
preparation of vast armies, but also in directing municipal
affairs in several conquered cities like Memphis, Atlanta, and
Savannah. In the latter function, however, he showed, as
was not unbecoming a soldier, the tact rather of an executive
than of a legislative or judicial mind. Being a born general,
his quick eye, his deftness and his martial instincts, saved the
time which many journeymen soldiers lose by awkwardness
and slow comprehension. He was prescient from the start,
and being among the first to detect the approach of war, was
also amongst the few who at once appreciated its gravity.
Accordingly, his scorn of three months' troops, and his bold
estimate of two hundred thousand men as requisite to march
from the Ohio to the Gulf, procured him a rather premature

ji8 LIFE OF "GENERAL SHERMAN.
verdict of insanity from the " sixty-day " sages of Washington.
" Remarkable above all was Sherman's restless energy, which
kept him at work in season and out of season, and allowed no
moment's respite in his measureless activity. This quality
enabled him not only to superintend his campaigns, but to
personally direct to a wonderful extent the evolution of their
details. He was accustomed to know thoroughly the condi
tion of the manifold departments of his armies, and to perform
many of those functions which some officers would be glad to
shift upon their aides-de-camp. Allied to this trait was his
perfect self-reliance and confidence, which made him desire,
wherever possible, to take supreme responsibility.
"There are two classes of commanders, of which one may
be said never to have gained a battle if gained, or to have lost
it if lost, it was some corps, division, or brigade commander
who saw and seized the key-point, or repulsed some unexpected
assault, or made some happy unauthorized attack, or knew the
ground whose nature had not been explained to him ; or else
it was some accident of fortune that gained Ihe victory, or
some error or inferiority of the enr my, and in short, anything
but original planning. Nevertheless, even such are invaluable,
if only they know how to use the greatness of others, though
they be not great themselves.
" However, Sherman belonged to the other class, and what
ever victories he gained are his own. No aid-de-camp drafted
his plan of campaign, no subordinate detected for him the
key-points of his battle-grounds, and whatever there is of
good or bad in Sherman's soldiership is his own, for glory or
blame. Accustomed to thoroughly plan and prepare his
campaigns at the outset, so that he had a tolerably just per
spective of their daily progress, he was left with leisure to
employ great care upon details. His field orders are remark
ably specific in their instructions, pointing out to sub-divisions

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 319
the roads to be taken, and the times of starting and arrival,
and the methods of manoeuvre and attack, with such minute
ness as to shift much of the responsibility of the issue to the
shoulders of the general-in-chief. Such orders form a marked
contrast to the loose and general and conditional instructions
of some commanders, whence one conceives a low idea of the
influence they have exerted on the actual issue. Sherman,
however, had himself furnished fine models of the promptness
and precision which he desired in others. For a single
example, at Vicksburg Grant had ordered Sherman to be
ready with supplies of all descriptions, to move back against
Johnston on the 6th of July, for which time an assault on the
city had been fixed. Sherman, without a moment's delay,
prepared himself, though he might have taken leisurely
advantage of the interval ; hence, when it so hapened that
Vicksburg fell an the 4th, the same day Sherman's columns
were marching against the Confederate commander. Grant
says, "when the place surrendered on the 4th, two days
earlier than I had fixed for the attack, Sherman was found
ready, and moved at once." The same trait of promptness
was visible in his forced marches during the Vicksburg and
Chattanooga campaigns, while, as to his precision, being a
master in the art of handling troops, a hundred battalions
would move to and fro beneath his skilful touch with the
smoothness of mechanism."

• CHAPTER XIT.
PREPARING FOR THE GRAND MARCH.*
After the close of the Atlanta campaign Sherman estab
lished a neutral camp at Rough and Ready in order to effect
an exchange of prisoners and facilitate the removal of non-
combatants from the city. He was determined to make
Atlanta a purely military position, and one which would not
repeat the disorderly and mixed control he had experienced
at Memphis and Vicksburg. For this he was charged with
barbarity and cruelty by the Confederate press and its con
geners in the North. He answered, " If the people raise a
howl against my barbarity and cruelty, I will answer that
war is war, and not popularity seeking. If they want peace
they and their relatives must stop the war." He says he
" knew that the people of the South would read in this meas
ure two important conclusions ; one, that we were in earnest ;
the other, that if they were sincere in their common and
popular clamor ' to die in the last ditch,' that the opportunity
would soon come.' "
When General Hood and the Mayor of Atlanta took it
upon themselves to question his motives and criticise his ac
tions, he vindicated himself first to his government in the
following vigorous language : " It is sufficient for my gov
ernment to know that the removal of the inhabitants of At
lanta has been made with liberality and fairness, that it had
been attended with no force, and that no women or children
have suffered, unless for want of provisions by their natural
protectors and friends. 320

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 321
" My real reasons for this step were : — We want all the
houses of Atlanta for military storage and occupation.
" We want to contract the lines of defence so as to diminish
the garrison to the limit necessary to defend its narrow and
vital parts, instead of embracing, as the lines now do, the vast
suburbs. This contraction of the lines, with the necessary
citadels and redoubts, will make it necessary to destroy the
very houses used by families as residences.
" Atlanta is a fortified town, was stubbornly defended, and
fairly captured. As captors we have a right to it.
" The residence here of a poor population would compel us,
sooner or later, to feed them or to see them starve under our
eyes. " The residence here of the families of our enemies would
be a temptation and a means to keep up a correspondence
dangerous and hurtful to our cause. A civil population calls
for provost-guards, and absorbs the attention of officers in
listening to everlasting complaints and special greviences that
are not military.
' These are my reasons ; and, if satisfactory to the Gov
ernment of the United States, it makes no difference whether
it pleases General Hood and his people or not."
It is unneccessary to say that Sherman's course in the mat
ter met with the full approval of the War Department, which
said : " Not only are you justified by the laws and usuages
of war in removing these people, but it was your duty to
your own army to do so."
la a direct and scorching reply to General Hood, Sherman
said: "You style the measures "unprecedented" and appeal to
the dark history of war for a parallel, as an act of "studied and
ingenious cruelty." It is not unprecedented, for General
Johnston himself very properly and wisely removed the

322 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
families all the way from Dalton down, and I see no reason
why Atlanta should be excepted. Nor is it necessary to
appeal to the dark history of war, when recent and modern
examples are so handy. You yourself burned dwelling
houses along your parapet, and I have seen to-day fifty
houses that you have rendered uninhabitable because they
stood in the way of your forts and men. You defended
Atlanta on a line so elose to the town that every cannon shot
and many musket shots from our line of investment, that
overshot the mark, went into the habitations of women and
children. General Hardee did the same at Jonesboro ; and
General Johnston did the same, last summer, at Jackson. I
have not accused you of heartless cruelty, but merely in
stance these cases of very recent occurrence, and could go on
and enumerate hundreds of others, and challenge any fair
man to judge which of us has the heart of pity for the fami
lies of a " braye people."
" I say that it is kindness to these families of Atlanta to re
move them now, at once, from scenes that women and child
ren should not be exposed to, and the " brave people " should
scorn to commit their wives and children to the rude barbar
ians who thus, as you say violate the laws of war, as illus
trated in the pages of dark history.
In the name of common sense, I ask you not to appeal to a
just God in such a sacrilegious manner. You who, in the
midst of peace and prosperity have plunged a nation into war
¦ — dark and cruel war — who dared and badgered us to battle,
insulted our flag, seized our arsenals and forts, that were left
in the honorable custody of ordnance-sergeants, seized and
made "prisoners of war" the very garrisons sent to pro
tect your people against negroes and Indians, long before
any overt act was committed by the (to you) hated Lincoln
Government; tried to force Kentucky and Missouri into re-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 323
bellion in spite of themselves ; falsified the vote of Louisiana ;
turned loose your privateers to plunder unarmed ships; ex
pelled Union families by the thousands, burned their houses,
and declared, by act of your Congress, the confiscation of all
debts due Northern men for goods had and received ! Talk
thus to marines, but not to me, who have seen these things,
and who will this day make as much sacrifice for the peace
and honor of the South as the best born Southerner among
you ! If we must be enemies, let us be men, and fight it out
as we propose to do, and not deal in such hypocritical appeals
to God and humanity. God will judge us in due time, and
he will pronounce whether it be more humane to fight with a
town-full of women and the families of a brave people at our
back, or to remove them in time to places of safety among
their friends and people. "
By the middle of September, 1864, Sherman had his battle
reports in and these questions of camp and local government
settled. Wheeler was still in Middle Tennessee with his
. cavalry, threatening Sherman's communications, and Forrest
was supposed to be moving thither from Mississippi. As
against them, Newton's division of the Fourth corps was
moved back to Chattanooga, Corse's division of the Seven
teenth, to Rome, and Rousseau at Nashville, Granger at
Decatur, and Steadman at Chattanooga, were all ordered to
be on the alert. Hood remained below Boonsboro at, or near
Lovejoy station, and up to this date had given no indication
of his future plans.
While Sherman's army was enjoying a rest, he was in the
midst of mental activity and was really passing through one
of the most critical periods of his military career. No mili
tary policy beyond Atlanta had yet been developed. None
could be fully developed until Hood showed his hand, and
set in operation a new chain of conditions. It is curious to

324 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
note developments at this time, and to study the nature of
tnose hypotheses and thoughts which grew and shaped them
selves into initiatives as much by sheer force of circumstances
as by personal deliberations. To' write them up historically
is next to impossible, but they can be gathered and grouped,
without shading or theory, by outlining the official dispatches
of the period, and by following the threads which led to future
determinate action on the part of Sherman.
On September 10th, Grant's dispatch to Sherman in reply
to one to the effect that " We must have the Alabama river,"
read : " Now that we have all of Mobile that is valuable, I
do not know but it would be the best move for General Can-
by's troops to act upon Savannah, while you move on
Augusta, Ga. I would like to hear from you, however, in
this matter."
Sherman replied that night : — " Our roads are broken near
Nashville and Wheeler is not yet disposed of — I do not
think we can afford to operate further, dependent on the rail
road. It takes so many men to guard it, and then it is
nightly broken by the enemy's cavalry that swarms around
us — If I could be sure of finding provisions and ammunition
at Augusta or Columbus, Georgia, I can march to Milledgeville
and compel Hood to give up Augusta or Macon, and then
turn on the other. The country will afford forage and many
supplies, but not enough in any one place to'admit of delay —
If you can manage to take the Savannah river as high up as
Augusta, or the Chattahoochee as far up as Columbus, I can
sweep the whole state of Georgia ; otherwise I should risk -
our whole army by going too far from Atlanta."
These two dispatches show that Grant and Sherman were
at an early agreement as to the necessity of cutting loose from
Atlanta. Grant was most considerate of the goal ; Sherman
of the start. Grant had given over the idea of going to

MAJ. GEN'L GEO. H. THOMAS.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 327
Mobile, since its forts were now in Union hands, and sug
gested Savannah as an objective for Canby, and Augusta as
an objective for Sherman. Sherman's dispatch suggested a
general sweep of Georgia by his forces, and dependence on
such a future base as Grant might provide him at Columbus
or Augusta, by means of combined naval and land forces
operating on the Savannah and Chattahoochee.
On September 12th, Sherman made known to Halleck his
further thoughts of the situation : " There is a large abunr
dance of torage in Alabama aud Georgia, and independent
columns might operate by a circuit from one army to another
and destroy the enemy's cavalry. Our railroad is repaired
and bringing supplies, but I doubt its capacity to do more
than feed our trains and artillery horses. As soon as General
Grant determines for me the next move on the chess-board, I
will estimate the number I will want."
On September 15th 1864, Sherman's dispatch to Halleck
contained the following : " I am awaiting a courier from Gen
eral Grant." Grant had written on the 12th. Sherman
received the letter on September 20th. Grant's letter author
ized its bearer, Colonel Porter, to explain to Sherman the
exact state of affairs about Petersburg. It then went on and
described Grant's intended move to his left so as to control
the Southside, or Lynchburg and Petersburg railroad. Con
tinuing, it prefigured his intended move for the capture of
Fort Fisher and Wilmington, Then reaching the Atlanta
situation, it went on : — " What you are to do with the forces
at your command, I do not exactly see. The difficulties of
supplying your armies, except when they are constantly
moving beyond where you are, I plainly see. If it had not
been for Price's movement, Canby could have' sent 12,000
more men to Mobile. From your command on the Missis
sippi, an equal number could have been taken. .With these
19

328 " LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
forces, my idea would have been to divide them, sending one
half to Mobile and the other half to Savannah. You could
then move as proposed in your telegram so as to threaten
Macon and Augusta ^equally. Whichever one should be
abandoned by the enemy you could take, and open up a new
base of supplies. My object now in sending a staff officer to
you is not so much to suggest operations for you, as to get
your views, and to have plans matured by the time everything
can bo got ready. It would probably be the 5th of October
befire any of the plans here indicated will be executed."
Under date of September 20th, Sherman replied to the
above letter, whose arrival he had been awaiting. The coin-
eidence of his views with those of his chief is strongly
marked. Observe, Grant has left him Independent. Observe,
also, that Sherman and Grant await each other's suggestions.
There is perfect confidence between the two, and a condescen
sion on the part of the one as gracious and trustful as the
subordination on the part of the other is manly and loyal.
That part of Sherman's reply which bears directly on the
Atlanta situation, ran : " If successful at Wilmington I sup
pose the fleet will be sent at once to the Savannah river.
Then the reduction of that city is the next question. If once
in our possession, I would not hesitate to cross the State of
Georgia with 60,000 men, hauling some stores and depend
ing on the country for the balance. Where a million ot
people can find subsistence, my army won't starve ; but as
you know, in a country like Georgia, with a few roads and
innumerable streams, an inferior force can so harass and de
lay an army, that it would not be a formidable object ; but
if the enemy knew that we had our boats in the Savannah
river, I could rapidly move to Milledgeville, where there is
abundance of corn and meat, and could so threaten Macon
and Augusta as that the enemy would doubtless give up one

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 329
or the other; then I would move so as to interpose between
Augusta and Savannah, and force him to give us Augusta,
with the only powder mills and factories remaining in the
South, or let us have the use of the Savannah river. I would
prefer his holding Augusta; for then, with the Savannah
river in our possession, the taking of Augusta would be a
mere question of time. The campaign could be made in the
winter. The more I study the game the more I am con
vinced it would be wrong for us to penetrate farther into
Georgia without an objective beyond. I can start east and
make a circuit south and back, doing vast damage to the
State, but resulting in no permanent good. I therefore give
it as my opinion that your army and Canby's should be re
inforced to the maximum; that after you get Wilmington,
you should strike for Savannah and its river; that Canby
should hold the Mississippi river and send a force to Colum
bus, Ga. ; that I should keep Hood employed and put my
army in fine order for a march on Augusta, Columbia and
Charleston ; and that I should start as soon as Wilmington
is sealed to commerce and the city of Savannah is in our
possession." This full flow of solicited opinion along the line of Grant's
suggestions brought the two Generals close together, and the
consensus proved to be the intimation and outline of what
afterwards was the "March to the Sea." Its when and its de
tails could now be matured. No, no; not yet ! The situa
tion shifts as if by magic. Hood has not been fully considered
in these golden suggestions and paper plans, or if so, he only
appears as a quiescent factor. But this is not to be. He is
not only to be potential, but the father of a new set of cir
cumstances which were to modify and re-shape all pre-arrange-
ments. On the very day after Sherman sent his letter to
Grant, (September 21st.) Hood moved his army from Love-

330 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
joy to Palmetto Station, on the West Point railroad, twenty-
four miles south of Atlanta. On the same day his cavalry
appeared on the north, or west, side of the Chattahoochee.
Here was a bid to Sherman to enter the lieart of Georgia at
will, to march where he pleased — to Macon, Augusta, the sea.
But there was somethiiag behind all this. Sherman inferred
that it meant the assumption of an active offensive by Hood
and a grand attack upon his railroad communications. On
the 22ud, Hood announced to Bragg, " I shall, unless Sher
man moves south, so soon as I can collect supplies, cross the
Chattahoochee aud form a line of battle near Powder Springs,
This will prevent him from using the Dalton road, and force
him to drive mc off, when I shall fall on his rear." On the
24th, a heavy body of Forrest's cavalry attacked Athens,
Ala., and captured its garrison. Here then, Hood had antici
pated the -very movement Grant and Sherman had been dis
cussing, and had boldly cleared the way for it ; in fact, had
dared Sherman to take it. This audacity had the semblance
of brilliancy. It might have unnerved men of different
compositions from Grant and Sherman. Whilst it must be
admitted it gave rise to new considerations and situations, the
former said of Hood's movement, "It exhibited the weakness
of supposing that an army which had been beaten and deci
mated in a vain attempt at the defensive could successfully
undertake the offensive against the force that had so often
defeated it." The latter telegraphed his preparations to meet
Hood's design : "Hood seems to be moving, as it were, to
the Alabama line, leaving open the road to Macon and Au-'
gusta; but his cavalry is busy on all our roads. I have sent
Newton's division to Chattanooga and will send another to
Rome. If I were sure Savannah would soon be in our pos
session, I should be tempted to march for Milledgeville and
Augusta ; but I must first secure what I have."

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 331
Jeff Davis, the Confederate President, came to Hood at this
time, and all along his route had proclaimed the new campaign,
which was to recover Atlanta, visit upon Sherman the fate of
Napoleon at Moscow, and establish Southern supremacy in
the heart of Tennessee. He little dreamed that he was giving
away the deep-laid scheme of Hood, and that he was fore
warning those who- surely would be forearmed.
Forrest was found to be moving on the railroad between
Nashville and Chattanooga with a superior cavalry force.
Grant, with his usual solicitude for Sherman, and with char
acteristic pugnacity, advised : — " It will be better to drive
Forrest from Middle Tennessee as a first step, and then do
anything you may feel your force sufficient for. When a
movement is made on any uart of the sea-coast, I will advise
you." All of Grant's and Sherman's Georgia and seaward move
ments had been predicated on the element of time, but Hood's
movement dispelled the element of time, in fact Sherman
found that Hood's movement was formidable unless he (Sher
man) should cease to nurse the thought of extending the
advantages of Atlanta further into Georgia and to the sea-
coast. Sherman made confession of this in his reply to
Grant: — "In Middle Tennessee we are weak  I have
already sent one division to Chattanooga and to Rome 
If I send much more I will not be able to threaten Georgia
much  Can you expedite the sending to Nashville of
the recruits that are in Indiana and Ohio? They could
occupy the forts. Hood is now at West Point road, twenty-
four miles south of this, and draws his supplies from that
road. Jefferson Davis is there to-day, and superhuman efforts
will be made to break my road. Forrest is now Lieutenant-
general, aud commands all the enemy's cavalry."

332 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
In response to this Grant ordered all recruits to be sent to
Nashville and placed under Sherman's orders. Sherman
himself called for reinforcements from Kentucky, and ordered
all to concentrate at Nashville. It was manifest that a double
attack, one of infantry and one of cavalry, was to be made
on his communications, and that no thought of anything else
was worthy of consideration, till both were repelled, On
September 28th, Grant telegraphed Halleck: — "Everything
indicates that the enemy are going to make a last and spas
modic effort to regain what they have lost, and especially
against Sherman. Troops should be got to Sherman as
rapidly as the lines of communication will carry them. If
there are no troops in the Western states send them from fur
ther East." On the same date Sherman telegraphed : — "For
rest has got into Middle Tennessee, and will, I feel certain,
get on my main road to-morrow or to-morrow night, but I
will guard well from this back to Chattanooga, and trust to
troops coming up from Kentucky to hold Nashville and for-,
ward to Chattanooga."
All these dispatches are in dismal contrast with those which
but a few days before had mapped so glowing an offensive.
Yet if they are despairing, they evince the energy born of
despair. Hood's movement was thwarting, but there was no
thought that he could create an emergency which would prove
overwhelming. On September 29th, Sherman sent Thomas
back to Chattanooga with Morgan's division of the Four
teenth Corps, with orders to meet Forrest'sTnovements in
Tennessee. It would have been a sad fate for Sherman if he had lost
his army for want of supplies, or if he had been forced to
back to Tennessee over his hard earned battle fields. Yet
larger armies than his had met with such a fate, and upon
this President Davis, Hood and all the Confederate author-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 333
ities fully counted. It may be said that Sherman was ner
vous and excited over the situation. Granted ; but he was not
shaken in the faith that he could ere long march to the sea
and prove to the world that the confederacy was the shell it
had been assumed to be, for on September 28th, he said : —
" I want Appalachicola arsenal taken, also Savannah, and if
the enemy does not succeed in breaking my roads, I can fight
my way across to one place or the other ; but I think better
to hold on to Atlanta and strengthen to my rear and am
therefore glad you have sent troops to Nashville." As the
emergency thickened Sherman seemed to gather new inspira
tion, and as> the«situation darkened his genius seemed to find
new light. Trusting to Grant to protect Nashville, take
Appalachicola and Savannah, backing him on the one side
and opening a way on the other, he felt equal to all else.
On September 29th, Hood crossed the Chattahoochee.
On October 1st, Sherman telegraphed to Grant : " Hood is
evidently across the Chattahoochee below Sweetwater. If he
tries to get on our road this side ofthe Etowah, I will attack
him ; but if he goes to the Selma and Talladega road, why
will it not do to leave Tennessee to the forces which Thomas
has, and to the reserves soon to come to Nashville, and 'for
me to destroy Atlanta and march across Georgia to Savannah
or Charleston, breaking roads and doing irreparable damage ?
We cannot remain on the defensive."
Here we have the full flash of that thought which was to
carry Sherman to the sea. It had been born of the sugges
tions passing between him and Grant. They had nursed it
in secret and in theory till it had assumed pleasing propor
tions. It required the circumstances which Hood threw
around it to develop and harden it into practical shape. It
was no longer a raid, but a military counter to Hood's own
daring movement. It risked little, for Hood was to be pro-

334 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
vided for at any rate, and that, just as soon as he was suffici
ently committed to his northern movement as to no longer
prove a menace to Sherman's rear. It was Hood that was
dallying with a desperate situation, apd not Sherman.
Still Hood was crowding Sherman. He marched directly
on Sherman's rear in the direction of Marietta. Sherman
was forced to follow him. Leaving Slocum's Twentieth
corps in Atlanta, he hastened back to Marietta with his re
maining corps. On October 4th, he learned that heavy
masses of the enemy had been seen marching for Allatoona.
He signalled over the mountain tops to Corse at Rome, to
hasten to Allatoona. On the 5th Sherman reached Marietta
and Kenesaw, to find that the enemy had already struck the
railroad ahead of him and had destroyed it from Marietta to
Allatoona, fully eighteen miles. He could hear the rever
berations of the cannon at Allatoona, where a million rations
were stored
He immediately ordered Cox's Twenty-third corps to move
due west to the Burnt Hickory road, with the hope that it
might be able to come in between Hood's main body and the
force attacking Allatoona. He followed direct for Allatoona
with the rest of his army. While with the signal officer at
Kenesaw, the signal came that Corse had reached Allatoona.
Later in the day came the welcome signal that the attack on
the place had been repulsed. The attack had been made by
5000 of the enemy and Corse had fallen severely wounded.
His dispatch next day ran : "lam short a cheek bone and an
ear, but able to whip all hell yet." The enemy's retreat was
hastened by the proximity of Cox's corps, and they fell back
on the main body toward Dallas, doing much damage to the
railroad, but leaving behind over 200 dead and 411 prisoners.
Corse's defence had been a handsome one. He had lost 707
men, killed and wounded. His bravery was made the sub-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 335
ject of special mention by Sherman. It took 10,000 men
fully seven days to repair the damage to the railroad.
These happenings so engrossed Sherman that he sent no
dispatch to Washington from Oct. 1st till the 9th. Then out
of all the gloom came the significant ray : " It will be phy
sically impossible to protect the roads, now that Hood, For
rest, Wheeler and the whole batch of devils are turned loose
without home or habitation. I think Hood's movements
indicate a diversion to the Selma and Talladega railroad, at
Blue Mountains, 60 miles south of Rome, from which he will
threaten Kingston, Bridgeport, and Decatur, Alabama. I
propose that we break up the railroad from Chattanooga, and
strike with our wagons for Milledgeville, Millen and Sa
vannah. Until we repopulate Georgia it is useless to occupy
it ; but the utter destruction of its roads, houses and people
will cripple our military resources. By attempting to hold
the roads we will lose 1000 men monthly, and will gain no
results. I can make the march and make Georgia howl."
Sherman had sent Corse back to Rome, with orders to feel
the country to the South. He soon reported that the enemy
was in force at Cedartown and Villa Rica. On the 10th the
enemy appeared south Of the Etowah and at Rome. This
determined the direction of Hood, and Sherman ordered all
his forces to Kingston, telegraphing at the same time to
Thomas, then at Nashville, that it looked as if Hood was
bound for Tuscambia. for he was then crossing the Coosa
below Rome. " Let me know," he continued, " if you can
hold him with the forces now in Tennessee and the expected
re-inforeements. You know what I propose to do. 1 will
be at Kingston to-morrow. I think Rome is strong enough
to resist any attack, and the rivers all are high. If he turns
up by Summerville, I will get behind him." Consecutively
with this he telegraphed Grant : " Hood is now crossing the

336 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Coosa, twelve miles below Rome — bound west. If he passes
over to the Mobile and Ohio road, had I not better execute
the plan of my letter sent by Colonel Porter, and leave
Thomas with the troops now in Tennessee to defend the
State ? He will have ample force when the re-inforcements
now ordered reach Nashville."
Grant replied, as might have been expected of one who
believed that the destruction of opposing armies was the only
way to end the war, that " if there is any way of getting at
Hood's army I should prefer it; but I trust to your judg
ment. I find I will not be able to send a force from here to
act with you at Savannah ; at least until the fall of Richmond.
takes place. I am afraid Thomas, with such lines of roads.
as he has to protect could not prevent Hood from going north.
With Wilson (Wilson had been sent from Sheridan's, army to
take command of Sherman's cavalry) turned loose you will
find the rebels put much more on the defensive' than before."
But Sherman had not waited for his reply. He had gone
to Rome and had learned from Corse that Hood's army had
disappeared. Then he became so thoroughly convinced of
the wisdom of changing the following up tactics of the cam
paign, of leaving Hood entirely to the mercy of Thomas, and
of marching across Georgia for Charleston aud Savannah,
that he dispatched Grant again : —
" We cannot now remain on the defensive. With 25,000
infantry and the bold cavalry he has, Hood can constantly
break my road. I would infinitely prefer to make a wreck
of the road and of the country from Chattanooga to Atlanta,
sending back all my wounded and unserviceable men, and
with my effective army move through Georgia, smashing
things to the sea. Hood may turn into Tennessee or Ken
tucky, but I believe he will be forced to follow me. Instead
of being on the defensive I will be on the offensive. Instead

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 337
of me guessing what he will do, he will have to guess at my
plaas. The difference in war would be fully 25 per cent.
I can make Savannah, Charleston, or the mouth of the Appa
lachicola. Answer quick, as I know I will not have the
telegraph long."
It is interesting to note the cautious and enlarged glance of
the Chief and the fiery and localized glance of his able sub
ordinate. There is no disconcert except that which grew out
of Grant's thought that Hood would certainly go north and
Sherman's that he would surely follow him. Grant's thought
led to the belief that Hood should be destroyed before Sher
man left him, and but for his unbounded faith in Sherman's
genius he would have insisted on this result. Grant's answer
to Sherman's imperative message was promptly wired though
Sherman did not receive it for a day or two. It ran : — " Your
dispatch of to-day received. If you are satisfied the trip to
the sea coast can be made, holding the line of the Tennessee
firmly, yon may make it, destroying all the railroads south of
Dalton or Chattanooga as you think best."
Right in the face of this acquiescent and assuring dispatch,
there was dire trouble for Sherman. Hood had slipped up
the Chatooga valley with his whole army and suddenly
invested Resaca. Sherman was compelled to turn thither his
entire available force. Cox was called in from Rome, Stan
ley from McGuire's and Howard from Kingston. They all
reached there on the night and morning ofthe 13th, but only
to learn that Hood had passed up the valley ahead of them,
toward Dalton, burning the. railroad and destroying every
thing possible. He had boldly demanded the surrender of
Resaca, but finding it resolutely garrisoned, had hastened on,
contented with a simple threat to attack. Hood captured a
regiment of colored troops at Dalton, and carried his destruc
tion of the railroad to Tunnel Hill, a distance of twenty-three
miles.

338 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
On October 14th, Sherman ordered Howard through
Snake Creek Gap, and Stanley around by Tilton, to capture
the force of the enemy supposed to be at the Western entrance
of the Gap. Wood carried Ship's Gap, capturing part of the
force left to guard it. Hood had now gotten to Lafayette,
and Sherman hoped to bring him to battle there, but he
escaped down the Chatooga valley, with Sherman in pur
suit. By October 21st, Sherman was as far down as Gayles
ville, where Schofield joined him with fresh forces from
Chattanooga. At this moment Sherman appears to have been in doubt
about his previous plans. He informed Schofield that he
wanted the road from Chattanooga to Atlanta repaired, yet
still announced his intention of making "the interior of
Georgia feel the weight of war." At the same time he said,
" We must follow Hood till he is beyond the reach of mis
chief, and then resume the offensive." Thomas had discour
aged the idea of his marching away and leaving him (Thomas)
to take care of Hood. Grant had thought it best for him not
to leave an unpunished enemy in his rear. Now Sherman
thought it best to see Hood " beyond the reach of mischief"
before he took the offensive.
Sherman followed Hood down the Chatooga Valley to
Gadsden, but without thought of catching him, for he was
lightly equipped and had no intention of standing battle.
Meanwhile, Sherman was forced to live off the country, and
found plenty of food and forage. This fact encouraged him
in his resolve to make the " Grand March." He therefore
began to shape things so that he might cut loose and dare
what he had so long contemplated. He had pursued Hood
as far as Gaylesville, and so telegraphed Halleck on October
19th. He did this; convinced that Hood would not invade
Tennessee except by way of Decatur.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 339
On the same date he telegraphed to his Chief-quarter
master at Atlanta : "Hood will escape me. I want to pre
pare for my big raid. On the 1st of November I want
nothing in Atlanta but what is necessary for war. Send
all trash to the rear at once, and have on hand thirty days'
food and but little forage. I propose to abandon Atlanta
aud the railroad back to Chattanooga, to sally forth to ruin
Georgia and bring up on the seashore. Make all dispositions
accordingly, I will go down the Coosa until I am sure
Hood has gone to the Blue Mountain."
Sherman's pursuit of Hood ceased at Gaylesville. On
October 26th, he learned that Hood had made his appearance
about Decatur. This was evidence to Sherman that he
(Hood) intended to invade Tennessee. The fact left him
free to march through Georgia, but at the same time he must
see that Thomas was amply provided to resist the invading
forces of Hood. The easy manner in which Hood whirled
his forces through valleys and over rivers, the certainty with
which he found supplies away from any base except that of
his own army, were fine object lessons for Sherman, and
highly confirmatory of the opinion that he could do the same
with similar ease and certainty.
How was Thomas situated, or likely to be ? He had at
Nashville some 8,000 new troops. He had at Chattanooga
Steedman's division of 5,000 men. besides the garrisons at
Chattanooga, Bridgeport and Stevenson. Rousseau's division,
5,000 strong, occupied Murfreesboro. Granger's division,
4,000 strong, was at Decatur and HuntsviUe, Alabama. At
the various crossings of the Tennessee were several brigades
of cavalry and infantry. Wilson was rapidly mounting and
forming a division of cavalry in Nashville. A. J. Smith
was returning from Missouri with his division of 10,000
men. Schofield's Twenty-third corps was forwarded to Chat-

340 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
tanooga from Resaca. Sherman, therefore, felt that Thomas
would have an ample force at his command to contend with
Hood aud garrison his forts and depots. He was convinced,
also, that even a general as slow as Thomas was, would have
ample time to make all his preparations, for he had learned
that Hood found a scarcity' of supplies about Decatur and
Tuscambia, and bad moreover run short of ammunition, so
that he was forced to reach Tuscambia before crossing the
Tennessee, in order to get new stores by way of the road
round by Meridian and Corinth, Miss. Hood did not at
tack Decatur, but marched westward toward Corinth, where
he remained for nearly a month, at a point south of the Tennes
see, opposite Florence.
Thomas now sent Stanley's Fourth corps to Pulaski, Tenn.,
and Schofield's Twenty-third to Columbia, Tenn. On Oc
tober 31st, 1864, Sherman was informed that Hood had
crossed the Tennessee above Florence, and that Forrest had
actually attacked and captured two Federal gunboats and five
transports on the river, a feat which was regarded as unpre
cedented. Sherman's situation was now anything but envi
able. The month of October had closed with great damage
to his communications, with vain pursuits of Hood, with a
bold invasion of northward territory, and with the State of
Tennessee confused and unprepared. The country was filled
with wild rumors of danger to Thomas, and of Sherman's
indifference to his fate.
Grant, looking on the scene with his broader eye, felt no
anxiety for any of Sherman's great movements ; neither did
the Government nor Sherman himself. But all felt, and
Grant in particular, that if Thomas was defeated by Hood,
Tennessee and Kentucky would be thrown open to the enemy
and all the advantages of Sherman's Atlanta campaign lost.
Here was a responsibility Grant would have to assume in the

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 341
end. Thomas' troops were scattered' and would be hard to
concentrate. Sherman would not be present to direct him,
in case he (Sherman) started on his novel and dashing cam
paign through Georgia. Thomas had never commanded an
independent army, and had said he did not " wish command
of the defence of Tennessee, unless you (Sherman) and the
authorities at Washington deem it absolutely necessary." All
these things caused Grant to pause and say to Sherman in a
dispatch of November 1st : " Do you not think it advisable,
now, that Hood has gone so far north, to entirely ruin him
before starting on your proposed campaign? With Hood's
army destroyed you can go where you please with impunity. I
believe, and still believe, if you had started south while Hood
was in the neighborhood of you, he would have been forced
to go after you. 'Now that he is far away he might look upon
the chase as useless, and he will go in one direction while you
are pushing in another. If you can see a chance of destroy
ing Hood's army, attend to that first, and make your other
move secondary."
To this Sherman replied from Rome on November 2nd :
" If I Could hope to overhaul Hood, I would turn against
him with my whole force; then he would retreat to the
southwest, drawing me as a decoy away from Georgia, which
is his chief object. If he ventures north of the Tennessee
river, I may turn in that direction, and endeavor to get below
him on his line of retreat ; but thus far he has not gone above
that river. General Thomas will have a force strona; enough
to prevent his reaching any country in which we have an in
terest ; and he has orders, if Hood turns to follow me, to
push for Selma, Ala. No single army can catch Hood, and
I am convinced the best results will follow from our defeat
ing Jeff Davis' cherished plan of making me leave Georgia
by manceuvering. Thus far I have confined my efforts to

342 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
thwart this plan, and have reduced baggage so that I can
pick up and start in any direction ; but I regard the pursuit
of Hood as useless. Still, if he attempts to invade Middle
Tennessee, I will hold Decatur, and be prepared to move in
that direction •; but unless I let go of Atlanta, my force will
not be equal to his."
All this time Sherman was bent to the hardest kind of work
not only in studying the Tennessee situation, but in repairing
his broken road back to Chattanooga, and planning for his
Seaward Campaign. The above dispatch shows that his
designs were growing and taking firmer hold, and he added
to their support the confession that he could not undertake to
catch Hood, and the determination that Hood should not
thwart him by drawing him away to the south-west and out
of the heart of Georgia.
His railroad back to Chattanooga was again in repair, and
he moved his headquarters to Kingston. Evidently not sat
isfied with his last dispatch to Grant, and in the light of fuller
information gained at Kingston, he telegraphed him again on
Nov. 2d : — " If I turn back, the whole effect of my campaign
will be lost. By my movements I have thrown Hood well
to the West, and Thomas will have ample time and sufficient
troops to hold him till the reinforcements from Missouri reach
him. We have now ample supplies at Chattanooga and At
lanta and can stand a month's interruption to our communi
cations. I do not believe the confederate army can reach our
railroad lines except by cavalry raids, and Wilson will have
enough cavalry to checkmate them. I am clearly of the
opinion that the best results will follow my contemplated
movement through Georgia."
Sherman's second dispatch on Nov. 2d was really unneces
sary, for Grant's reply to his Rome dispatch came promptly :
— " Your dispatch of 9 A. M. just received. I dispatched

GEN. JNO. A. LOGAN.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 345
you the same date, advising that Hood's army, now that it had
worked so far north, ought to be looked upon now as the
"object." With the force, however, that you have left with
Thomas, he must be able to take care of Hood and destroy
him. I do not see that you can withdraw from where,you
are to follow Hood, without giving up all we have gained in
territory, I say then, go on as you propose."
Here then the disturbing conditions which Hood had given
rise to, practically cease to operate on the destinies of Grant's
and Sherman's armies and on the plans of their leaders.
Chief and subordinate are together in design, and each ready
to co-operate to the fullest extent. Indeed, ever since Grant's
dispatch of October 11th, saying: "If you are satisfied the
sea-coast can be made, holding the line of the Tennessee
firmly, you may make it, destroying all the railroads south
of Dalton and Chattanooga as you think best." Grant had
been in active preparation to support and facilitate the march.
On October 13th, he announced his decision to the Govern
ment: "On mature reflection, I believe Sherman's proposi
tion is the best that can be adopted," and on the same day he
issued full instructions to Halleck to provide supplies for
Sherman on his arrival at the coast, and for Canby and
Foster to co-operate with Sherman.
Sherman had reduced his army to four corps of infantry, by
sending back to Thomas fully 25,000 men. These corps were
the Fifteenth, Seventeeuth, Fourteenth and Twentieth, with one
division of cavalry. They lay between Rome and Atlanta.
All Sherman's sick and wounded had been sent back to
Chattanooga. The road was fully open and the telegraph
was working. His wagons were all fully loaded, and were
ready for a start at an hour's notice. Hood was far away
and so committed to his Tennessee campaign as that he
cou7d not possibly return to indulge in a stern chase. The
20

346 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
presidential election was on, and Sherman was waiting till it
was over.
On November 6th, 1864, Sherman wrote in detail to
Grant. His letter is curious in the respect that as the date
of his departure arrived, he was nervously weighted with a
sense of its responsibilities, and felt it proper to sit as an
inquisitor on his own judgments. Said he: — "The only
question in my mind is whether I ought to have dogged Hood
far over into Mississippi, trusting to some happy, accident to
bring him to bay and to battle. But I then thought that by
so doing I would play into his hands, by being drawn or
decoyed too far away from our original line of advance. I
felt compelled, therefore, to do what is usually a mistake in
war, viz., divide my forces, send a part back to Tennessee,
retaining a part here. I admit that the first object should be
the destruction of that army, and if Beaureguard moves his
infantry and artillery up into the pocket about Jackson and
Paris, I shall feel strongly tempted to move Thomas directly
against him, and myself move rapidly against Decatur and
Purdy to cut off his retreat. But this would involve the
abandonment of Atlanta and a retrograde movement, which
would be of very doubtful expediency. I am more than
satisfied that Beaureguard has not the nerve to attack fortir
fications, or to meet me in battle, and it would be a great
achievment for him to make me abandon Atlanta by mere
threats or manoeuvres."
While this letter confessed the accuracy of that military
science which demanded the defeat and destruction of Hood,
and even contained a momentary misgiving of his own
strategy, it nevertheless went on with suggestions as to the
proposed route, all of which were based on what Hood
might yet do, and on the probable force which might be
gathered in his (Sherman's) front while his march was pro-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 347
gressing. The letter set the 10th of November as the day for
starting. On November 8th, Sherman received Grant's dispatch, in
reply to his letter of the 6th : — " I see no present reason for
changing your plan. Should any arise you will see it, or if I
do, I will inform you. I think every thing here is favorable
now. Great good fortune attend you ! I believe you will be
eminently successful,, and, at worst, can only make a march
less fruitful of results than hoped for."
Sherman's entire line was now all activity. His trains
were busy whirling toward Chattanooga the stores which had
accumulated at Atlanta and other supply points. Steadman
had arrived at Kingston to superintend the final evacuation
of the posts from Atlanta to Chattanooga. Corse was called
in from Rome, after burning all the mills, factories and build
ings that could be nseful to the enemy. Word had arrived '
that A. J. Smith was at Paducah on his way to Thomas with
two divisions, and could therefore reach Nashville before
Hood. All the troops designed for the " Grand March "
were ordered to rendezvous at Atlanta. The campaign may
be said to have begun at this time. November 10th, as had
been promised.
On November 12th Sherman started from Kingston for
Atlanta, and on his way received telegram from Thomas to
the effect that he had no fears Beauregard (now in command)
could now do him harm and that if he attempted to follow
Sherman, he (Thomas) would follow him as far as possible ;
that if he did not follow Sherman, he would thoroughly
organize the troops at Nashville, and believed he then had
enough to thoroughly ruin Beauregard, unless he got out of
the way very rapidly. He also believed that the greater part
of Beauregard's army was near Florence and Tuscambia, that
Sherman would therefore have a clear road for several days,

348 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
and hoped his success would fully equal his expectations. The
destruction of everything in Sherman's rear had now fully
begun, and his reply of " All right " to Thomas was the last
dispatch that passed over the wires between Atlanta and
Chattanooga. As Sherman rode into Atlanta that night, his
reflections on the situation took this turn : — " It was surely
a strange event — two hostile armies marching in opposite
directions, each in the full belief that it was achieving a final
and conclusive result in a great war ; and I was strongly
inspired with the feeling that the movement on our part was
a direct attack upon the rebel capital at Richmond, though a
full thousand miles of hostile country intervened, and that,
for better or worse, it would end the war."
Sherman had not as yet decided upon an absolute route.
It was indispensible that he should have alternatives. At
the beginning, it was no " march to the sea," but a grand
campaign on a general plan. If the Atlantic could not be
reached, he must make the Gulf of Mexico. In his last
dispatch to Grant he said : — " If I start before I hear further
from you, or before further developments turn my course, you
may take it for granted that I have moved by way of Griffin
to Barnesville ; that I break up the road between Columbus
and Macon good, and that if I feign on Columbus, I will
move by way of Macon and Milieu to Savannah ; or if I
feign on Macon, you may take it for granted I have shot off
toward Opelika, Montgomery and Mobile Bay, I will not
attempt to send couriers back, but trust to the Richmond
papers to keep you well advised, I will see that the road is
completely broken between the Etowah and Chattahoochee,
and that Atlanta itself is utterly destroyed."
For weeks before Sherman's start, the country had been
passing through a period of gloomy agitation. The prosecu
tion of the war had been made a political issue. It was the

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 349
last opportunity the Democrats would have for four years of re
gaining power, and if they succeeded, the Confederates would
gain their end. The enemy, therefore, North and South made
frantic efforts to inflame and prejudice the public mind.
Grant's campaign against Richmond was declared hopeless.
Hood was certain to march to the Ohio. Sherman was
courting annihilation. The North was proclaimed as in favor
of acquiescing in Confederate demands. Northern cities were
full of Confederate refugees and spies, plots were laid to re
lease the prisoners at Chicago and burn the city. A great
conspiracy against the government was detected in the Wes
tern States. Riots broke out in New York City which
according to General Dix, contained "more disaffection and
disloyalty, independent of the elements of disturbance always
here, than any other city in the Union."
The election relieved the gloom, in so far as it was attribu
table to politics. Lincoln was elected by a popular majority
of over 400,000 votes. It occurred on November 8th. The
result was the signal for hurrying re-inforcements to the
front. Grant asked for his quota, saying : " Sherman's
movement may compel Lee to send troops from Richmond,
and if he does I want to be prepared to annoy him."
McClellan resigned his commission in the army on November
8th. The entire military situation changed with Sherman's
start. Grant said, " I would not, if I could, just now do anyr
thing to force the enemy out of Richmond or Petersburg. It
would liberate too much of a force to oppose Sherman with."
The whole effort now and for some time would be clear a path
for Sherman and to augment Thomas' force, on which the
brunt of the next heavy fighting was sure to fall. Supplies
were already on their way to the neighborhood of Savannah.
Rations for thirty days, clothing for 60,000 men, and forage
for 15,000 horses, were ordered to Mobile bay to await the

350 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
possibility of Sherman's appearance there. Canby was or
dered to operate on Beauregard's and Hood's communications.
Foster was directed to destroy railroads between Savannah
and Charleston. Rosecrans was ordered to assist Thomas
directly. As already known, the departure of Sherman, threw the
command of all the Tennessee, forces on Thomas. His
operations depended on the course Hood might take after the,
designs of Sherman were revealed to the enemy. Thomas,
therefore, in the midst of his preparations to meet Hood
should he cross the Tennessee, kept strict watch on him, lest
he migh' turn in pursuit of Sherman. He was prepared to
follow if Hood took a backward step. On November 16th,
Sherman marched outof Atlanta. On the same day Beauregard
telegraphed word to Richmond : " Sherman is about to
move with three corps from Atlanta to Augusta or Macon,
thence probably to Charleston or Savannah." This informa
tion was sent too Hood, who was left his choice of dividing
his forces and going to the rescue of General Cobb in
Georgia; or of at once assuminga bold offensive and thus re
lieving him. Hood immediately chose the latter, and put
his columns in motion, intending to strike between Thomas'
forces at Palaski, and those at Nashville. Thomas divined
his intentions and fell back before Hood's superior numbers.
He fully adopted the policy of slow retreat back to Nashville,
for the double reason that it gave him time to concentrate his
scattered forces, while it encouraged Hood to pursue, thus
committing him more and more to his northern move
ments, and, of course, drawing him further from Sher
man's rear. All possibility of Hood's forces following Sher
man came to an end in this way, and Thomas had to prepare
for the great battle of Nashville, which was begun on Decem
ber 15th, 1864, and resulted in the total defeat of Hood and

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 351
his retreat from Tennessee with the loss of more than half of
his army. The prophecy of Jefferson Davis had come true.
The snows of winter had indeed witnessed a " Moscow re
treat." It was not Sherman, however, but Hood who had
played the part of the discomfited Napoleon. Thomas had
not only rolled back a daring invasion whose success would
have undone all of Sherman's work since he left Chattanooga,
thrown both Kentucky and Tennessee irretrievably into the
Confederacy, and prolonged the war for years, but he' anni
hilated the Western Confederate army, the very object Sher
man had set out to achieve eight months before. Since
Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi had been drained of
material to fill the ranks of Hood, the fully appointed and
hopeful legions which Sherman led out of Atlanta could not
only march unmolested to the sea, but could go whither they
Would in the face of the disheartened officers and broken
squads of the enemy.

CHAPTER XIII.
THE MARCH TO THE SEA.
On November 12, 1864, Sherman cut off all communica
tions to his rear, and threw his army into that campaign whose
destination he did not know, whose direction was to be con
trolled by circumstances, whose support was to be the
resources which the country provided. He would have to
make all the time possible, meet emergencies as they arose,
conform as nearly as possible to his ideal plan, co-operate as
effectively as he could with his chief. It was a bold under
taking, and if executed successfully would prove as useful
in results as it was brilliant in conception.
By November 14th all his troops were in or near Atlanta,
and he had arranged them into four corps. The Fifteenth
Corps under General P. J. Osterhaus, and the Seventeenth
Corps under General Frank P. Blair, composed the right
wing of his army, to whose command General Howard was
assigned. The Fourteenth Corps under General Jeff. C.
Davis, and the Twentieth Corps, under General A. S. Wil
liams, composed the left wing of his army, to whose command
General Slocum was assigned.
Osterhaus' Fifteenth Corps embraced the four divisions of
Wood, Hazen, J. E. Smith and Corse.
Blair's Seventeenth Corps embraced the three divisions of
Mower, Leggett and G. A. Smith,
Davis' Fourteenth Corps embraced the three divisions of
Carlm, Morgan and Baird. (352)

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 353
Williams' Twentieth Corps embraced the three divisions of
Jackson, Geary and Ward.
Sherman's Cavalry division was under command of Kil
patrick, and was held subject to Sherman's own orders. It
embraced the two brigades of Murray and Atkins.
This force had been thoroughly purged of sick and non-
combatants. The artillery had been reduced to sixty guns.
Each soldier carried forty rounds of ammunition on his per
son, and the wagons contained enough to make up two hun
dred rounds per man. Rations for twenty days were in the
trains. Forage for five days was taken along. A good supply
of beef on the hoof was driven with the army. The wagons
numbered 2,500 and the ambulances 600. This well equipped
well armed army of able bodied and experienced soldiers,
numbered 55,255 infantry, 4,584 cavalry and 1,759 artillery,
a total of 60,598 men.
The army started under rigid orders, obedience to which
was insisted upon to the letter, not only as a means of general
safety and discipline, but as a source of individual protection
to the soldiers. The first field order ran substantially as
follows : —
" The General commanding deems it proper to inform the
men ofthe Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Seventeenth and Twentieth
corps, that he has organized them into an army for a special
purpose, well known to the War Department and to General
Grant. It is sufficient for you to know that it involves a
departure from our present base, and a long and difficult .
march to a new one. All the chances of war have been con
sidered and provided for as far as human sagacity can. All
he asks of you is to maintain that discipline, patience and
courage which have characterized you in the past; and he
hopes, through you, to strike a blow at our enemy that will
have a material effect in producing what we all so much desire.

354 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
— his complete overthrow. Of all things, the most important
is that the men during the marches and in camp keep their
places, and do not scatter about as stragglers or foragers, to
be picked up by a hostile people in detail. It is also of the
utmost importance that our wagons should not be loaded with
anything but rations and ammunition. All surplus servants,
non-combatants and refugees should go to the rear, and none
should be encouraged to encumber us on our march. At
some future time we will be able to provide for the poor
whites and blacks who seek to escape the bondage under which
they are now suffering. With these simple cautions, he hopes
to lead you to achievements equal in importance to those of
the past."
This order was followed by another, specifying the details
of conduct and management. It ran : —
1. For purposes of military operations this army is divided
into two wings, viz : — Right wing, General O. O. Howard
commanding, composed of Fifteenth and Seventeenth corps ;
ieft wing, General H. W. Slocum commanding, composed of
fourteenth and Twentieth corps.
2. The habitual order of march will be, whenever practi
cable, by four roads, as nearly parallel as possible, and con
verging at points hereafter to be indicated in orders. The
cavalry (Brigadier-general Kilpatrick) will receive special
orders from the commander-in-chief.
3. There will be no general train of supplies, but each
corps will have its ammunition and provision train, distri
buted habitually as follows : — behind each regiment should
follow one wagon and one ambulance ; behind each brigade
should follow a due proportion of ambulances, ammunition
and provision wagons. In case of danger, each corps com
mander should change this order of march, by having his
advance and rear brigades unencumbered by wheels. The

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN- 355
separate columns will start habitually at 7 A. M/ and make
about fifteen miles a day, unless otherwise fixed in orders.
4. The army will forage liberally on the country during
the march. To this end each brigade commander will or
ganize a good and sufficient foraging party, under the com
mand of one or more discreet officers, who will gather near
the route travelled, corn or forage of any kind, meat of any
kind, vegetables, corn meal or whatever is needed by the
command, aiming at all times to keep in the wagons at least
ten days' provisions for his command, and three days' forage.
Soldiers must not enter the dwellings of the inhabitants, or
commit any trespass ; but during a halt or camp, they may
be permitted to gather turnips, potatoes or other vegetables,
and to drive in stock in sight of camp. To regular forag
ing parties must be entrusted the gathering of provisions and
forage, atany distance from the road traveled.
5. To corps commanders alone is entrusted the power to
destroy mills, houses, cotton gins, etc., and for them this gen
eral principle is laid down, in districts and neighborhoods
where the army is immolested, no destruction of such prop
erty should be permitted ; but should guerrillas or bush
whackers molest our march, or should the inhabitants burn
bridges, obstruct roads, or otherwise manifest local hostility,
then army commanders should order and enforce devastation
more or less relentless according to the measure of such hos
tility. 6. As for horses, mules, wagons, etc., belonging to the in
habitants, the cavalry and artillery may appropriate freely
and without limit ; discriminating, however, between the
rich, who are usually hostile, and the poor and industrious,
usually neutral or friendly. Foraging parties may also take
mules or horses to replace the jaded animals of their trains,
or to serve as pack mules for their regiments or brigades. In

356 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
all foraging, of whatever kind, the parties engaged will re
frain from abusive or threatening language, and may, where
the officer in command thinks proper, give written certificates
of the facts but no receipts ; and they will endeavor to leave
with each family a reasonable portion for their maintenance.
7. Negroes who are able-bodied and can be of service to
the several columns may be taken along ; but each army com.
mander will bear in mind that the question of supplies is a
very important one, and that his first duty is to see to those
who bear arms.
8. The organization at once of a good pioneer battalion for
each army corps, comprised, if possible, of negroes, should be
attended to. This battalion should follow the advance guard,
repair roads and double them, if possible, so that the columns
will not be delayed after reaching bad places. Also, army
commanders should practice the habit of giving the artillery
and wagons the road, marching their troops on one side, and
instruct troops to assist wagons at steep hills or at the cross
ing of streams.
Captain Poe, chief engineer, will assign to each wing of
the army, pontoon trains fully equipped and organized,
and the commander thereof will see that they are fully pro
tected at all times.
The wagons were lightly loaded and each corps had its
complement of about 800, making a train stretching fully five
miles in length. The wagons kept the roads, while the men
moved by the side, except the advance and rear guards. Sher
man reached Atlanta on November 14th, to find that his
orders for the destruction of the place were being carried out.
Foundries, machine shops and arsenals were ablaze, and the
hissing of flames and bursting of loaded shells made day and
night appalling.
On the morning of November 15th the forward movement

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 357
began. The right wing and the cavalry moved southeast
toward Jonesboro. The left wing moved eastward by way of
Decatur toward Madison. By means of these divergent lines,
Sherman designed to threaten both Macon and Augusta, and
thus prevent a concentration of the enemy' on Milledgeville,
which was his real objective, and was distant about 100 miles.
He had calculated that his columns could concentrate, at
Milledgeville in about seven days. The movement was by
four roads and at the rate of fifteen miles a day, as in the
general orders. On the 16th, Sherman followed his columns
in person, with his staff, a small supply train, and a guard of
one company each of cavalry and infantry.
Of his departure, Sherman says : — " About 7 A. M., of
November 16th, we rode out of Atlanta by the Decatur road,
filled by the marching troops and wagons of the Fourteenth
corps, and reaching the hill just outside of the old rebel works,
we naturally paused to look back upon the scenes Of our past
battles. We stood upon the very ground where was fought
the bloody battle of July 22d, and could see the wood wherein
McPherson fell. Behind us lay Atlanta, smouldering and in
ruins, the black smoke rising high in the air and hanging like
a pall over the ruined city. Away off in the distance on the
McDonough road, was the rear of Howard's column, the gun
barrels glistening in the sun, the white-topped wagons stretch
ing away to the south, and right before us the Fourteenth
corps, marching steadily and rapidly, with a cheery look and
swinging pace, that made light of the thousand miles that
lay between us and Richmond. Some band, by accident,
struck up the anthem, "John Brown'3 Soul Goes Marching
On ; " the men caught up the strain, and never or before or
since have I heard the chorus of " Glory, Glory, Hallelujah "
done with more spirit or in better harmony of timeand place.
" We turned our horses' heads to the east. Atlanta was soon

358 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
lost behind the trees and became a thing of the past. Around
it clings many a thought of desperate battle of hope and fear,
that now seem like a memory of a dream ; and I have never
seen the place since. The day was extremely beautiful, clear
sunlight with bracing air, and an unusual exhilaration seemed
to pervade all minds — a feeling of something to come, vague
and undefined, still full of venture and intense interest. Even
the common soldiers caught the inspiration, and many a
group called out to me as I worked my way past them,
" Uncle Billy, I guess Grant is waiting for us at Richmond."
Indeed, the general sentiment was that we were marching to
Richmond, and that there would be an end the war, but how
and when they seemed not to care ; nor did they jneasure the
distance nor count the cost of life, or bother their brains
about the great rivers to be crossed and the food required for
man and beast, that had to be gathered on the way. There
was a " devil-may-care " feeling pervading officers and men
that made us feel the full load ef responsibility, for success
would be accepted as a matter of course, whereas, should we
fail, this " march " would be adjudged the wild adventure of
a crazy fool. I had no purpose to march direct for Rich
mond, but always designed to reach the sea coast first at
Savannah or Port Royal, S. G, and even kept in mind the al
ternative of Mobile."
The first day's march was a successful trial. Its track was
marked by the destruction of the railroads, as ordered, and by
experiments of the respective commands with those general
orders designed as their permanent code of procedure. There
were no burnings except under order of the commanders, no
murders nor rapes, no pillages nor violence except those of a
purely exceptional kind committed by the desperate few in
defiance of order and discipline. ^
The date of Sherman's movement was the signal for con-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 359
fusion and alarm in the ranks of the enemy. General Cobb
then commanding in Georgia, sent a frantic appeal to Rich
mond for help. " We have no force," said he to hinder him
(Sherman) and must fall back to Macon, where reinforce
ments should be sent at once." Beauregard telegraphed from
Tuscumbia that all available forces should be sent from the
Carolinas to Cobb's aid. Taylor, at Selma, was ordered to
gather all the State troops of Mississippi and Alabama, and
hold them ready for an instant move. Wheeler was instruct
ed to use his thirteen brigades of cavalry against Sherman and
harass him at all points.
Sherman's second day's march was even more successful
than the first. His portion of the army passed through Cov
ington with closedranks. Here was a chance to witness the
effects he was producing in the country. As his troops passed
along, waving their colors and playing the " National Airs,"
the whites looked on with a curiosity, which, for the _ time,
held their hatred of the " Stars and Stripes" and the National
cause in restraint. The negroes were wild with joyous ex
citement, and loud in their prayers of thanks for the arrival
of the day that betokened liberty for them.
At Covington, Sherman shaped his left wing for the move
on Milledgeville, by turning thither the Fourteenth corps.
Slocum's Twentieth was well ahead at Madison and the cross
ing of the Oconee, in its feint on Augusta, and had des
troyed the railroads to that river, including the bridges. It
then turned south to Eatonville, tg close in with the Four
teenth, in the demonstration on Milledgeville. Everything
was progressing finely. The foragers found plenty of meal,
bacon, sweet potatoes, cows, cattle and mules. The crops
had been good, and had been gathered for the winter, and
the country had not been visited by marching armies. Sher
man's orders were being carried out faithfully, and foraging

360 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
became a fine art with the daring men to whom it was en
trusted. Complaints were heard of the irresponsible class of
men which came to figure as " bummers," but very often
these were mere hangers on, and their crimes in no way
tainted the obedient and orderly conduct of those who re
spected discipline and had at heart the morale of the
army. By November 23d, Sherman marched, with the Fourteenth
corps, into Milledgeville, to find that Slocum had already
preceded him, with the Twentieth corps. Thus his left wing
had accomplished its journey as designed, and was now firmly
and finely encamped in and around the capital of the State-
But what of the right wing ? A report soon came from How
ard to the effect that he was only twelve miles to the south at
Gordon station, where the Milledgeville branch of the Macon
and Savannah road started. He had made his feint on Macon,
by marching his two corps directly thitherward to the Ocmulgee,
which he crossed on pontoons. Thence he started his Seven
teenth corps eastward for Gordon station, sending his Fif
teenth with Kilpatrick's cavalry to feign further on Macon.
Kilpatrick struck the enemy four miles from Macon, and
drove them back to the defences held by the infantry. He
charged these defences and gained the first parapets, but
could not hold them, and so swung back to his own infantry
supports, which were now near Griswold station. The Fif
teenth corps now deflected eastward, tearing up the railroad
and proceeding slowly »under a rear guard composed of a
brigade of Wood's division. On November 22d, this bri
gade was heavily attacked by Smith's division from Macon.
The attack was handsomely repulsed and the enemy were
driven back into Macon.
Sherman's two wings were then (Nov. 23d) practically
together, the left at Milledgeville and the right at Gordon Sta-

GEN'L JUDSON KILPATRICK.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 363
tion twelve miles distant, and he regarded the first stage of
his grand march as successfully accomplished. The Governor
of the State, the cabinet officers and the legislature had flown
from the capital at Sherman's approach, but most of the citi
zens had remained to gratify their curiosity and take their
chances of life or death at the hands of the " wicked yankee
invaders of their sacred soil."
Here Sherman learned from the Southern newspapers some
thing of the consternation which his bold and unprecedented
invasion was creating. The calls for aid were most frantic,
and they demanded that the entire south should rise up in its
majesty and attack the foe, front flank and rear; that it
should be starved by the destruction of provisions of every
kind ; that all bridges should be burned and all roads ob
structed; that nothing should be left ofthe impudent host,
which, at any rate, was only covering up a tricky design for
escape with its life by fleeing across country to the protection
of the Union fleets on the coast.
On November 17th, Cobb announced officially, "We are
falling back rapidly to this place (Macon). We are too weak
to resist them unless reinforced promptly. The prisoners
should be removed from this place." On the same date
Hardee was ordered from the sea-coast, to gather up and con
centrate all the detached garrisons, hospital convalescents,
reserves, militia and volunteers. On the 18th, Governor
Brown, of Georgia, informed Jefferson Davis that a heavy
force of the enemy was " marching on Macon, burning towns
¦find laying waste the country. We have not sufficient force ;
I hope you will send reinforcements till the emergency is
past." On the 19th, Hardee arrived upon the scene, and so
perfectly was Sherman's feint upon Augusta working, that
both Hardee and Cobb agreed that Augusta was his destina
tion. They therefore whirled all their forces from Macon
£1

364 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
toward Augusta, only to find that Sherman's real objective
was Milledgeville.
While the Confederate Generals and Georgia officials were
frantically appealing to Richmond for help, they were no less
earnest and loud in their alarms to the "People of Georgia."
Beauregard's proclamation ran : —
" People of Georgia : — Arise for the defence of your
native soil ! Rally around your patriotic Governor and gal
lant soldiers ! Obstruct and destroy all the roads in Sherman's
front, flank and rear, and this army will soon starve in your
midst. Be confident. Be resolute, Trust in the overruling pro
vidence, and success will crown your effort. I hasten to join
you in defence of your homes and fire-sides." Senator Hill's
appeal read : — "People of Georgia: — You now have the best
opportunity ever yet presented to destroy the enemy. Put
everything at the disposal of our Generals. Remove all pro
visions from the path ofthe invaders and put all obstructions
in his path. Every citizen with his gun and every negro
with his spade and axe can do the work of a soldier. You
can destroy the enemy by retarding his march. Georgians,
be firm ! Act promptly and fear not!" Six members of con
gress at Richmond joined in the following appeal : — " We
have had a special conference with President Davis and the
Secretary of War, and are able to assure you they have done
and are doing all they can to meet the emergency that presses
upon you. Let every man fly to arms ! Remove all negroes,
horses, cattle and provisions from Sherman's army and burn
what you cannot carry. Burn all bridges and block up thfr
roads in his route. Assail the invader in front, flank and
rear, by night and by day. Let him have no rest !"
Sherman's easily victorious route had not been without
comic happenings, and these direful threats and wild appeals
had their amusing side. Whatever effect they were produc-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 365
ing on the citizens, they were certainly not carrying despair
to the heart ol the invading army, nor even creating such
alarm as to distract its attention from the main object. Af
ter destroying the arsenal at Milledgeville and such other
public property as might be of use to the enemy, Sherman
was ready for his second stage of invasion. This time Millen
was the objective, a point where the railroad from Augusta
intersects the Georgia Central, running from Savannah to
Macon. The orders were for the right wing under Howard
to follow the line of the Central, or Savannah railroad, by
roads to the south of it, and for the left wing under blocum
to move by roads to the north of that railroad through San-
dersville, Davisboro and Louisville. The distance from
Milledgeville to Macon was about one hundred miles. Kil-
patrick's cavalry was to make a circuit to the north of the
moving infantry columns and come in with a dash on Millen,
rescuing the prisoners there. But the conditions had some
what changed since Sherman's arrival at Milledgeville.
Wheeler's Confederate cavalry had now passed his column,
and appeared in his front. Hardee was present in person and
usiug all his efforts to organize an opposing infantry force.
He now claimed to have 10,000 men in shape for resistance.
On November 2-lth, Sherman took the northern route with
the Twentieth and Fourteenth corps, which reached Sanders-
ville together on the 26th. Here a brigade of Confederate
cavalry crossed his pa'h, which was speedily driven into and
tlir.mgh the town by his skirmishers. Ou the way thither,
Sherman was made to witness the fact that the enemy werp
burning forage and provisions in his path. He informed the
citizens of that place that if this continued, he would execute
to the letter his general orders as to devastation. This had
the desired effect, and with very few subsequent exceptions the
inhabitants ceased to contribute to their own ruin.

3'66 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Sherman halted his left wing at Sandersville long enough
to hear from his right. It did not take long • for word to
come. The Fifteenth corps was already opposite to his front
and the Seventeenth had been making its destruction of the
railroad swift and sure. Meanwhile, Kilpatrick had been
heading rapidly for Waynesboro, a point midway between
Augusta and Millen, on the Augusta branch of the Savan
nah, or Central railroad. On his way he came in contact
with Wheeler's cavalry, with whom he had several severe
skirmishes. Learning that the National prisoners had been
sent from Millen to Augusta, he retraced his steps to Louis
ville, where Sheriran added an infantry division to his cav
alry, and started him again towards Waynesboro, with orders
to attack Wheeler and keep up the delusion that a movement
on Augusta was intended. He drove Wheeler through
Waynesboro and across Brier creek, thus completely cover
ing Sherman's left flank. Once at Waynesboro, Kilpatrick
took the railroad south to Millen, relieving Sherman from
fear of attack on his trains as his left wing gradually concen-
ted in the direction of Millen.'
By December 3d, the Fourteenth corps was at Lumpkin's
station, fourteen miles north of Millen. On the same day,
Sherman entered Millen with the Seventeenth corps, and
halted to hear from his other corps. Slocum came in, with
the Twentieth, at Buckhead Church, four miles north of Mil
len, while Howard was really further east than Millen, at a
point opposite Scarboro, on the Ogeechee, with his Fifteenth
corps. Sherman, therefore, had his whole army once more
concentrated in and around an important objective. Hitherto
he had drawn but little on his army stores, having found
abundance in the country. His men and teams were in ex
cellent condition. He had traveled two-thirds of the distance
to the sea, had studied all phases of the respective situations

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 367
as they arose, and had made up his mind as to what his future
route would be. In all things he did not forget that the
enemy's hostility might be expected to increase as he ad
vanced, nor that the gradually changing aspect of the coun
try from a richer to a poorer and sandier soil would cause
him to rely more and more on the stores he carried along.
At this second stage of the march he learned that the
consternation of the confederates had reached its highest
pitch. On November 22d, the commander at Augusta con
fessed that he could muster only 4,000 men, and that the
people showed little spirit. On November 23d, Hardee con
fessed that Wheeler had been driven back from Clinton and
Col. Cross from Griswold, but that " I can gain no reliable
information respecting the enemy's infantry." Bragg was
at this trying juncture sent to the Georgia front, and on
arriving at Augusta, confessed that Sherman had interposed
between the Augusta and Macon forces, leaving him with only
those to the east of the National army which were " feeble
in number, weak in organization and discipline and very de
ficient in equipment. No offensive movement can be under
taken, and but a temporary defence of our scattered posts.
If no more means can be had, our policy is to make sacrifices
and concentrate. The country is being utterly devastated
wherever the enemy moves."
With the thought that Sherman would make Charleston
his objective, the alarm spread through the Carolinas, and
the same appeals for help went up there as in Georgia.
Beauregard's command was extended from the Mississippi to
the sea-coast, and he was calling louder than ever for rein
forcements. Wade Hampton was ordered to Augusta to
organize a cavalry force. Amid all their abandonment of
posts, the destruction of their supplies, railroads and manu
factories of war appurtenances, and their cry for reinforcements

368 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
which did not materialize, it was evident to Sherman that
the confederacy had drawn to the last on its resources, and
that its effective strength was already in its organization at
the front. However he was aware that fortified places exis
ted whose reduction might retard his march. He had no time
for these. His policy was to effectually destroy the enemy's
communications and then to hasten to a new base of supplies
for himself.
Sherman started from Millen direct for Savannah, his army
marching by four roads, and by right and left wings as be
fore. He had now to confront a Confederate division of
10,000 irregular troops which fell back before him, without
offering resistance. His men retained all their old spirits and
easily made their fifteen miles a day. The weather was pro
pitious, and the roads were good. All that looked like war
was the occasional picket-firing in his front as the enemy
lagged on some knoll of observation, or as the guns of Kil
patrick off to the left or rear told of a lively skirmish with
Wheeler's cavalry.
The depot and other public property in Millen had been
destroyed, and the Seventeenth corps hugged the railroad to
Ogeechee, effectually destroying it as it progressed. At this
place, which Sherman entered on December 5th, he found
that the Confederates had determined to make a stand. They
had thrown up extensive earth works, but soon found that
Sherman's advancing lines would extend beyond both their
flanks, and they beat a hasty retreat back toward Savannah,
in reality piloting the way of the invaders thither. Thi3
point was fifty miles from Savannah.
While marching from Ogeechee toward Pooler's Station, it
was found that the enemy had placed torpedoes in the roads,
and that one of the Union officers had been badly wounded
by their explosion. Sherman regarded this as murder, not

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 369
war, and his cure for this kind of deviltry was to set a squad
of Confederate prisoners to work to remove the secret mis
siles. *
By December 8th, Sherman's advance reached Pooler's
Station, eight miles from Savannah. Here he discovered
that the spaces between this point and Savannah showed evi
dence of being entrenched, and the prospect of another sioge
rose before him. He devoted the 9th and 10th to placing
his forces and working them in toward the defences of the
city. Ho threw his Fourteenth corps to the left on the
Savannah river, his Twentieth next, his Seventeenth next,
and his Fifteenth on the extreme right, thus completing the
investment. Savannah is twenty miles from the sea. Southwest of it,
and twelve or fifteen miles distant, runs the Ogeechee, paral
leling the Savannah. The Ogeechee empties into Ossabaw
Sound. On its banks was Fort McAllister, commanding the
river and sound. All the country about Savannah is low
and marshy. The Confederate entrenchments extended with
windings to conform to the sluggish creeks, all the way from
Ft. McAllister to above Savannah on the Savannah River.
The only land approaches to the city were by five narrow
causeways, two of which were devoted to railroads. All
these were commanded by artillery and obstructed by fallen
trees. By means of reconnoitering parties, and by dint of
great perseverance, Sherman made out the lines of defence
and found them all backed and fronted by canals, ditches aud
bayous. An assault could only be made at great disadvantage
and with possibility of failure, for Hardee was in command
of the entrenchments, and whatever his force, he was not a
General to let go an advantage lightly.
Sherman, therefore, saw that it was of vital importance to
open communication with the fleet, which he had reason to

370 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
believe was somewhere near in some of the sounds, and per
haps in Ossabaw. So, on December 13th, he ordered Slocum
to press the siege of Savannah, while Howard moved a
division off to the Ogeechee to rebuild the bridge. This was
promptly done, and Hazen's division crossed to the south
side of the Ogeechee and moved down to the attack on Ft.
McAllister. Kilpatrick had been sent around the fort with
orders to communicate with the fleet below, and two men had
been ordered to drift by the fort in a boat with the same object
in view. They had found that the fleet was really in thesound,
and that its signals could be seen if an elevated spot could be
found. A platform was therefore erected on an old rice mill,
and soon Sherman was in signal communication with all his
land forces, and could see the rockets from the ships below
the Fort.
Hazen made a swift march toward Fort McAllister, which
was a strongly enclosed work, manned by two companies of
artillery,and three of infantry, and mounting twenty-five guns.
He deployed his division, so that both flanks rested on the
river, pushed in his sharp-shooters to pick off the artiller
ists, and assaulted in three columns, in front and on either
flank. The three assaulting columns reached the parapet
at the same time, losing many men by the explosion t»f
torpedoes with which their ways were paved. But they kept
resolutely on, driving the enemy to the bomb-proofs and en
gaging in fierce hand to hand encounter. The Confederates
surrendered only as they were individually overpowered, and
soon Fort McAllister was in General Hazen's hands, at a loss
to him of 24 killed and 110 wounded, but with a gain of its
garrison and all its guns, besides the immense strategic advan
tages which followed. We must tell of these in General
Sherman's own graphic language : — " At two P. M. we ob
served signs of commotion in the fort, which betokened the

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 371
arrival of Hazen, which had been anxiously expected 
The sun was sinking and I was dreadfully impatient. At
that moment some one discovered a faint cloud of smoke and
an object gliding, as it were, along the horizon. Some one
observed, ' It must be one of the squadron.' Soon the flag of
the United States' appeared, and our attention was divided
between the approaching steamer and the assault on the fort.
Another signal came from Hazen, and I replied go ahead, as a
friendly steamer was approaching from below. The officers
on the steamer signalled, 'Who are you?' The reply went
back, ' General Sherman.' The signal came back, ' Is Fort ,
McAllister taken?' The reply was, 'Not yet, but will be
in a minute.' At that instant Hazen's troops came out of the
woods that enveloped the fort, with flying colors and steady
pace. The fort belched forth its heavy guns, covering the
assaulting party with smoke. One of the colors was seen to
drop but soon it rose again, and amid the white sulphurous
smoke there was a pause. The smoke cleared, and now the
parapets were seen to be lined with the blue of our men,
whose musketry fire we could hear, or -thought we could.
Fort McAllister was taken, and we signalled the glad event
to our friends on the gunboat, whose view had been cut off
by a point of timber."
General Sherman resolved to communicate with the
fleet that night. It was moonlight, and he and General
Howard took passage in a row boat and rowed against
tide, to the fort, where they met Hazen. After taking supper
with him, the party embarked on a yawl, and pulled six miles
further when they came to the Dandelion, a tender of the
gunboat Flag, and were taken on board. After congratula
tions were passed, Sherman learned that the fleet had been
expecting his arrival for several days, that Admiral Dahlgren
was in command of the South Atlantic, that Foster was in

372 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
command of the Department of the South, with head-quarters
at Port Royal, that ships loaded with stores for Sherman's
army were then in Port Royal Sound, and that Grant was
still besieging Petersburg.
It was a memorable night, that of December, 13th, 1864?
for Sherman felt that his "March to the Sea "had really
ended. He took advantage of his time while aboard of
the boat to telegraph the Secretary of War, that Ossabaw
Sound had been opened by the capture of Fort McAllister ;
that lie had opened communications with the fleet, that he
had completely destroyed all railroad communications and had
invested Savannah; that his men were in good trim, the
weather was fine, and he had not been molested, save by
guerrillas on his march ; that now that Ft. McAllister was
taken, he could go ahead; that already two gunboats had
been captured on the Savannah river, and the rest prevented
from coming down ; that Hardee was in command at Savan
nah with 15,000 men ; that not a wagon had been lost on the
trip, but that a large supply of negroes, horses and mules had
been gathered up, and the teams were in far better condition
than when they started ; that 200 miles of rails, besides
stores and provisions had been destroyed ; and that the time
had come to rid his army of all surplussage ; that the cap
ture of Ft. McAllister and the opening of communication
with the fleet dissipated all the confederate boasts to head him
off and starve his army; that he regarded Savannah as
already gained.
The same night he met Foster who had come up the sound
to communicate with him, and he promised to forward with
all speed the clothing and supplies destined for Sherman's
army, together with heavy guns for the reduction of Savannah.
On December loth, Sherman returned to his lines. One
mouth had elapsed since he had started from Atlanta on that

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 373
march which was now to be enshrined in poetry and history
as the celebrated "March to the Sea." In that eventful
month ho had broken up the connection between the Con
federate forces cast and west of Georgia, by the destruction of
200 miles of railroad ; had consumed the available provis
ions in a territory fifty miles wide; had liberated countless
slaves and carried away 10,000 horses and mules; had
destroyed a hundred million dollars of properly, a large per
cent, of which enured to the National advantage. His 65,-
000 men and 35,000 animals had practically lived off the
country, and needed no food on their arrival, except bread,
coffee and sugar. His herd of 5,000 cattle at the start, had
augmented to 10,000. Instead of one remount, his officers
had three or four at the end. Instead of a modicum of cooks
and servants for each regiment at the start, there were at
least fifty willing negroes for that duty, on the arrival at
Savannah. Sherman's total casualties during the entire
march were only 103 killed, 428 wounded and 278 missing.
The spirit of the men was suberb throughout, and there was
no duty they did not not enter upon with alacrity. "I only
regarded," says Sherman, "the march from Atlanta to
Savannah as a shift of base, as the transfer of a strong army
which had no opponent and had finished its then work, from
the interior to a point on the sea coast, from which it could
achieve other important results. I considered this march
as a means to an end, and not ae an essential act of war.''
Yet nothing can ever dim its lustre as a military achieve
ment. Because it did not prove dangerous does not detract
from its daring and originality, as it did not subtract from
that brilliancy of manoevure which contributed to its success
He completely confused and baffled all opposition, and it
would have been the same had it been more skilled and
formidable. But one great disappointment was incurred, and

374 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
that was the removal of the National prisoners from Millen
before his forces could reach that point. Not only had he
been instrumental in inflicting irreparable direct injury on the
Confederacy, but the moral effect of his invasion was tre
mendous. It illustrated the weakness of the South, and
demonstrated the exhaustless and formidable energies of the
North. It carried 60,000 men from a remote point, where
conquest was practically done and they were no longer needed,
to a new base where they were in touch with Grant and his
army of investiture, if needed, or ready for any enterprise
calculated to further the victory which impended.
Almost simultaneous with Sherman's arrival at the coast,
the victory of Nashville was announced, and thus the nation
had a double cause for rejoicing. Nashville had long been
a strained situation, one, even, which had required a personal
visit from Grant; but now that the agony was over there, it
could be looked upon as a vindication of Sherman's judgment
in leaving Hood to the care of Thomas, while he pulled loose
and dared his Georgia campaign. Shermau's absence, too,
unheard-of, except indirectly, for a period of thirty days, had
been a strain on Grant and the authorities, but nsiw that the
dark clouds had lifted and the dread silence had been broken,
there went up songs of gladness from all corners ofthe land,
and the spirit of joy presided wherever loyalty clung to the
old flag.
By December 16th, the Federal gun-boats were passing
freely up the Sound and the Ogeechee to Sherman's right,
carrying welcome letters and supplies to the soldiers. Among
these were letters from Grant to Sherman, written at several
times, and based on word he had received from him through
Confederate sources during his grand march. The first was
dated December 3d, and informed Sherman that he had no
fear of his reaching the coast ; that Bragg had gone from

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 375
Wilmington, and that he (Grant) was preparing to blow up
Fort Fisher and capture the place ; |that he had no general
directions to give, but would wait for his (Sherman's) views
on his arrival at the coast; but that he did hope, with the
aid of Sherman's army, to get hold ofthe only two communica
tions to the west remaining to the Confederates, and that this
could be done by holding Savannah and Augusta. If Wil
mington fell, the force there could co-operate with Sherman
to this end.
On the receipt of further news, and after more mature
thought, Grant wrote again under date of December 6th. He
now regarded the communications as broken beyond repair
for three months, during which time he expected to make an
end of the Petersburg siege. He, therefore, thought it wise
for Sherman to establish a base on the coast and come north
by water, unless he saw objections to the plan. Thomas had
been ordered to attack Hood.
These letters disturbed Sherman very much, especially the
last one. He had no idea of going north by water ; looked
upon it as dangerous to the health and morale of his men ;
and saw infinite delay in it, owing to scarcity of transports.
But while he could not disobey orders, he resolved to utilize the
time during which the necessary fleet was collecting, to cap
ture Savannah. He wrote Grant on December 16th to the
effect that he had initiated measures for carrying his men by
water to Virginia, but that he felt a personal dislike to turn
ing northward without first capturing Savannah, and that in
the event of its fall he had contemplated marching northward
through the Carolinas, which object he thought he could
achieve almost as quickly as if he went by water.
He had now invested Savannah closely, and on December
17th sent word to Hardee, saying : "You have doubtless
observed that sea-going vessels now come through Ossabaw

376 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Sound and up the Ogeechee to the rear of my army, giving
me abundance of supplies of all kinds, and especially heavy
ordinance necessary for the reduction of Savannah. I have
already received heavy guns that can cast destructive shot far
into the heart of your city; also I have for some days held
control of every avenue by which the people and garrison of
Savannah can be supplied. I am therefore justified in
demanding the surrender of the city and its dependent forts,
and shall wait a reasonable time for your answer before
opening my heavy ordinance. Should you entertain the
proposition, I am ready to grant liberal terms to the inhabi
tants and garrison ; but should I be forced to assault, or to
the slower and surer process of starvation, I shall then feel
justified in resorting to the harshest measures, and shall make
little effort to restrain my army — burning to avenge the
national wrong which they attach to Savannah and other
large cities, which have been so prominent in dragging our
country into civil war."
Hardee wrote back, denying that Sherman was near
enough to do injury and that he controlled the avenues by
which the city was approached. He also retorted that he was
in communication with every part of his department, and that
he would regret if he (Sherman) should adopt any means
which would tend to drive him (Hardee) from the rules of
civilized warfare.
On December 18th Sherman wrote more fully to Grant,
and after a deliberate study of the situation. It ought here
to be understood, as a matter of history, that Grant had
reconsidered his wish to have Sherman come north by water,
seeing that in order to get the necessary transports to him
would cost fully two months' time, or as long, if not longer
time, than for him to come by land. So on the 16th Halleck
advised Sherman as follows: — "Lieutenant-general Giant

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 377
informs me that in his last dispatch to you he suggested the
transfer of your infantry to Richmond. He now wishes me
to say that you will retain your whole force, at least for the
time being, and with such assistance as may be given you by
General Foster and Admiral Dahlgren,and operate from such
base as you may establish on the coast." Again, on the 18th,
Halleck wrote :— " When Savannah falls, then for another
wide swath through the Confederacy. But I will not antici
pate. General Grant is expected here this morning and will
probably write you his views."
This was the date of Sherman's letter to Grant, which was
to the effect that he had made a demand on Hardee for the
surrender of Savannah which was refused ; that he was much
nearer to the city than Hardee supposed ; that his thirty
pound Parrotts would soon test who was right ; that Slocum
felt certain he could make a successful assault at one or two
points ; that he would like to take Savannah before coming to
him (Grant) but that he would do nothing hasty, and would
embark for the James river as soon as sufficient vessels to
carry his troops were reported ; that he feared even this
would cause great delay ; that Forster reports that Hardee
was not in communication with his Department by way of
Charleston ; that he (Sbermau) had two of his divisions out
breaking up the iailroad from the Ogeechee to the Altamaha ;
that he was satisfied thatifhedid not take Savannah thegun-
boats never would; that he was convinced when General
Babcock, the bearer of his letter of the 16th, reached him
(Grant) he would delay operations long enough to enable him
to succeed at Savannah ; then he continued, " With Savannah
in our possession, at some future time if not now, we can
punish South Carolina as she deserves, and as thousands of
people in Georgia hoped we would do. I do sincerely believe
that the whole United States, North and South, would rejoice

378 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
to have this army turned loose on South Carolina, and it
would have a direct and immediate bearing on your campaign
in Virginia."
As Halleck had intimated, Grant wrote Sherman on the
very date of his own letter, December 18th, saying in sub
stance, " I did think the best thing to do was to bring the
greater part of your army here and wipe out Lee. The turn
affairs appear now to be taking has shaken me in that opinion.
I doubt whether you may not accomplish more towards that
result where you are than if brought here, especially as I
am informed since my arrival in this city (Washington) that
it will take about two months to get you here, with all the
other calls for ocean transportation. I want to get your
views about what ought to be done. My own opinion is that
Lee is averse to going out of Virginia, and if the cause of the
South is lost, he wants Richmond to be the last place surren
dered. If he has such views it may be well to indulge him
till we get everything else in our hands. Congratulating you
aud the army again upon the results of your campaign, the
parallel of which is not read of in past history, I subscribe
myself more than ever, if possible, your friend."
Nothing remained to Sherman after the receipt of Hardee's
refusal to surrender Savannah but to assault. He had com
pletely invested the place, except on the East, where the
plank road leads to South Carolina and where Hardee could
easily throw a pontoon over the Savannah River. In order
to cover this road, Sherman ordered Foster to move down
from Port Royal. That the movement might be made sure,
Sherman went in person to Port Royal, leaving Slocum and
Howard with orders not to attack during his absence. He
took a boat on the Ogeechee and sailed for Hilton Head, where
he saw Foster. On the 20th he started back, but was caught
in the mud in the Romnev Marshes and detained for over

CAVALRY FIGHT.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. . 381
twenty-four hours. On the 21st he was met by despatches
to the effect that Savannah was in possession of the Union
forces, and that Hardee had laid his pontoons and made his
escape by the very route on which Sherman had expected to
intercept him. He had gotten off his men aud light artillery
had blown up the ironclads and navy yards, but had left be
hind all the heavy guns, stores, cotton, railway cars, steam
boats and public property. Sherman hastened to his right
on the Ogeechee to learn that his skirmishers had detected the
absence of the enemy on the morning of December 21st, and
that a forward movement had been ordered which resulted in
the simultaneous occupation of the entrenchments by these
troops. Sherman was disappointed at the escape of Hardee,
but Grant looked upon the situation more philosophically and
announced the fact to the Secretary of War thus : — " It is a
good thing as it stands, and the country may well rejoice at
it." Sherman's right and left wings remained encamped outside
ofthe city, but Slocum and Howard removed their headquar
ters within, and on December 22d Sherman followed them.
Here he had often visits from Admiral Dahlgren, and at
once set a heavy force to work removing the torpedoes from
the river and making way with the harbor obstructions.
Henceforth Savannah was free for the entry of the Union
gunboats and transports. It was Sherman's Christmas gift
to the nation.
In order to emphasize his triumph Sherman chose to
couple it with that which he regarded as an essential part,
viz : the victory of Thomas at Nashville. Without this he
.would have regarded his judgment as clouded aud his fame
as insecure. He therefore very justly combined the two in
his special field order of January 8th, 1865, which read :
" The general commanding announces to the troops compos-
22

382 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
ing the Military Division of the Mississippi, that he has re
ceived from the President of the United States and from
Lieutenant General Grant, letters conveying their high sense
and appreciation of the campaign just closed, resulting in the
capture of Savannah and the defeat of Hood's army in Ten-.
nessee. In order that all may understand the importance of
events it is proper to revert to the situation of affairs in Sep
tember last. We held Atlanta, a city of little advantage to
us, but so important to the enemy that Mr. Davis, the head
of the rebellious faction in the South, visited his army near
Palmetto, and commanded it to regain the place, and also
to ruin and destroy us, by a series of measures which he
thought to be effectual. That army by a rapid march, gained
our railroad near Big Shanty, and afterwards about Dalton.
We pursued it, but it moved so rapidly that we could not
overtake it, and General Hood led his army successfully far
over toward Mississippi, in hope to decoy us out of Georgia.
But we were not thus to be led away by him, and preferred to
lead and control events ourselves. Generals Thomas and
Schofield, commanding the Departments to our rear, returned
to their posts and prepared to decoy General Hood into their
meshes, while we came on to complete the original journey.
We quietly and deliberately destroyed Atlanta, and all the
railroads which the enemy had used to carry on war against
ns, occupied his State capital, and then captured his commer
cial capital, which had been so strongly fortified from the sea
as to defy approach from that quarter. Almost at the
moment of our victorious entry into Savannah, came the
welcome and expected news that our comrades in Tennessee
had also fulfilled nobly and well their part, had decoyed Gen- ¦
eral Hood to Nashville, and then had turned on him, defeat
ing his army thoroughly, capturing all his artillery, great
numbers of prisoners, aud were still pursuing the fragments

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 383
down to Alabama. So complete a success in military opera
tions, extending over half a continent, is an achievement that
entitles it to a place in the military history of (he world.
The armies serving in Georgia and Tennessee, as well as the
loeal garrisons of Detatur, Bridgeport, Chattanooga and
Murfreesboro, are alike entitled to the common honors, and
each regiment may inscribe on its colors, at pleasure, ' Savan
nah' or 'Nashville.' The general commanding embraces
in the same general success the cavalry under Stoneman
Burbridge and Gillen, that penetrated into Southwest Vir
ginia and paralyzed the efforts of the enemy to disturb the
peace of East Tennessee. Instead of being put on the defen
sive, we have at all points assumed the offensive and have
completely thwarted the designs of the enemies of our coun
try." Thus Sherman on January 8th 1865, supplemented his
" March to the Sea " with the defeat of Hood. Grant supple
mented it with the capture of Fort Fisher, January 17th
1865. This event closed the last important inlet of supplies
to the enemy from the ocean. Fort Fisher was, moreover, of
great moment at this juncture in a simply strategic sense.
Thomas held Tennessee in his hand ; Sherman held all the
southern coast ; Sheridan had driven the enemy out of the
Shenandoah Valley; Grant kept Lee in Richmond. The
control ofthe Cape Fear opened a new baseband enabled
Schofield to push an army inland to meet Sherman on his
northward march.
On the occupation of Savannah, Sherman, under date of
December 24th, wrote to Grant, the following letter in re
sponse to Grant's of the 1 8th already quoted . It is very val
uable in the respect that it foreshadows Sherman's future
plan of campaign, a matter in which he was left practically
free choice by both Halleck and Grant. The letter ran : —

384 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
"Your letter of the 18th is just received. I feel very much
gratified at receiving the handsome commendations you pay
my army. I will, in general orders, convey to the officers
aud men the substance of your note. I am also pleased that
you have modified your former ordem, for I feared that the
transportation by sea would very much disturb the unity
and morale of my army, now perfect,
"The occupation of Savannah, which I have heretofore re
ported completes the first part of our game, and fulfills a great
part of your instructions; and wc are now engaged in disman
tling therebel forts which bear upon the sea-channels, and trans
ferring the heavy ordnance and ammunition to Fort Pulaski
and Hilton Head, where they can be more easily guarded than
if left in the city.
"The rebel inner lines are well adapted to our purpose, and
with slight modifications can be held by a comparatively
small force ; and in about ten days I expect to be ready to
sally forth again. I feel no doubt whatever as to our future
plans. I have thought them over so long and well that they
appear as clear as daylight. I left Augusta untouched on
purpose, because the enemy will be in doubt as to my objec
tive point, after we cross the Savannah river, whether it be
Augusta or Charleston, and will naturally divide his forces.
I will then move cither on Branchville or Columbia, by any
curved line that gives us the best supplies, breaking up in
our course as much railroad as possible ; then ignoring Charles
ton and Augusta both, I will occupy Columbia and Camden,
pausing there long enough to observe the effect. I would
then strike for the Charleston & Wilmington railroad some
where between the Santee and Cape Fear rivers, and if pos
sible communicate with the fleet under Admiral Dahlgren.
Then I would favor an attack on Wilmington, in the belief
that Porter and Butler will fail in their "present undertaking.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 385
Charleston is now a mere desolated wreck, and is hardly
worth the time it would take to starve it out. Still, I am
aware that historically and politically, much importance ia
attached to the place, and it may be that, apart from its mili
tary importance, both you and the Administration may pre
fer I should give it attention and it would be well for you
to give me some general idea on the subject, for otherwise I
would treat it as I have expressed, as a point of little im
portance, after all the railroads leading into the interior have
been destroyed or occupied by us. But on the hypothesis of
ignoring Charleston and taking Wilmington, I would then
favor a movement direct on Raleigh. The game is then up
with Lee, unless he comes out of Richmond, avoids you and
fights me, in which case I should reckon on your being at his
heels. Now that Hood is used up by Thomas, I feel disposed
to bring the matter to an issue as quickly as possible. I feel
confident that I can break up the whole railroad system of
South and North Carolina, and be on the Roanoke, either at
Raleigh or Weldon, by the time Spring fairly opens ; and if
you feel confident that you can whip Lee outside of his en
trenchments, I feel equally confident that I can handle him in
the open country.
" One reason I would ignore Charleston is this : that I
believe Hardee will reduce the garrison to a small force, with
plenty of provisions ; I know that the neck back of Charles
ton can be made impregnable to assault, and Ave will hardly
have time for siege operations.
"I will have to leave in Savannah a garrison, and, if
Thomas can spare them, I would like to have all detachments^
convalescents, etc., belonging to these four corps, sent for
ward at once. I do not want to cripple Thomas, because I
regard his operations as all important, and I have ordered
him to pursue Hood down in Alabama, trusting to the coun
try for supplies.

386 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
" I reviewed one of my corps to-day, and shall continue to
review the whole army. I do not like to boast, but believe
this army has a confidence in itself that makes it almost in
vincible. I wish you could run down to see us. It would
have a good effect, and show to both armies that we are acting
on a common plan. The weather is now cool and pleasaut
and the general health very good."
On the same date, December 24, 1864, Sherman wrote also
in full to Halleck, going over the same ground as in his letter
to Grant, and mapping a possible route through the Carolinas.
He occupied the first days after the capture of Savannah in
getting off these letters foreshadowing future movements, and
sending telegrams announcing the fact and extent of his great
victory. His dispatch to President Lincoln, which was sent
by boat to Fortress Monroe, ran — " I beg to present you as
a Christmas gift the city of Savannah, with one hundred and
fifty heavy guns and plenty of ammunition, also about
twenty-five thousand bales of cotton."
He became the recipient of congratulatory dispatches from
the President, many members of his cabinet, all the leading
Generals, and countless private sources. On January 14,
1865, he published to the army the following joint resolution,
passed by the Congress : — "That the thanks of the people and
of the Congress of the United States are due and are hereby
tendered to Major-general William T. Sherman, and through
him to the officers and men under his command, for their
gallantry and good conduct in their late campaign from
Chattanooga to Atlanta, and the triumphal march thence
through Georgia to Savannah, ternainating in the capture and
occupation of that city ; and that the President cause a copy
of this joint resolution to be engrossed and forwarded to
Major-general Sherman. Approved January 10, 1865."
A recount of the guns captured with Savannah raised the

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 387
number to two hundred and fifty and the bales of cotton to
thirty-one thousand. Sherman posted his troops in and about
the city as follows : — Slocum took the Savannah River to the
seven mile post on the canal and Howard thence to the sea.
Kilpatrick held King's Bridge till Fort McAllister could be
dismantled, when he was to picket the roads to the north and
west of the city. He then laid down a code for the govern
ment of the city, which left the civil authorities in possession
but caused them to subscribe to the changed order of things.
A few of the inhabitants left, but the greater part remained,
and cast their lots in with the new regime. The city was ex
cellently policed under the military governorship, the impov
erished were supplied with food from the army stores, and
the situation was quite peaceful and safe. Sherman doubted
if it had ever had a better government than whilst under his
control. The campaign of Sherman which resulted in the capture of
Savannah has a most interesting outside phase. During
thirty days he and his army were cut off from all communica
tion with the authorities at Washington and with General
Grant, the directing spirit of all the armies. It can be im
agined with what anxiety all the avenues of information were
scanned in order to follow Sherman in his marches and to an
ticipate his intentions and wants. Grant may be said to have
marched with him in imagination, at least, to have scanned
every indication of progress and dwelt on every probability
of result. The confederate papers gave him the first inkling
of Sherman's whereabouts, and their consternation and appeal
told the weight of the blows the South was receiving. They
told how Bragg and Beauregard had been sumnionad to the
rescue. This meant that Wilmington had been stripped of
part of its garrison. Instantly Grant took advantage of its
weakness, by throwing 3 force against it, He would call

388 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
back the force which had been detached against Sherman, or
else see that any harm it might do Sherman was compensated
for in another direction.
So, as other news came, and Ossabaw Sound seemed likely
to become Sherman's destination, supplies were sent thither,
and Grant sent a messenger to the same spot with orders to
await his arrival and communicate with him at the earliest
possible moment. All this was building entirely on prob
ability, for as yet it was far from certain that Sherman
would not turn to the Gulf of Mexico. When word came, in
the form of Confederate news, that Sherman had captured
Millen and that Schofield had gained a victory over Hood at
Franklin, Tenn., Grant looked upon the situation as one fav
orable for starting Canby, then at Vicksburg, into Mississippi,
and thus preventing the gathering of a force in Sherman's
rear. He also forced his Wilmington expedition the harder,
for the objects already stated. On December 3d, 1864, his
letter to Sherman told of his preparations against Wilming
ton, and that Bragg had gone to Georgia. On December 4th,
his letter to Butler read: — "I feel great anxiety to see the
Wilmington expedition off, both on account of the present fine
weather, because Sherman may now be expected to strike the
sea coast at any day, leaving Bragg free to return," In the
above letter of December 3d, he sketched for -Sherman a gen
eral plan for future action, without giving minute instructions
and said : — "With your veteran army I hope to get control
of the only two through routes from East to West, possessed
by the enemy before the fall of Atlanta. This condition will
be filled by holding Savannah and Augusta, or by holding any
other part to the East of Savannah aucl Branchville, If Wil
mington falls a force from there will cooperate with you."
Again when the Richmond papers showed Sherman to be east
of the Qgeechee, he urged Butler to make all haste with the

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 389
Wilmington expedition, lest he should " lose the Chance of
surprise and a weak garrison." On December 17th Grant re
ceived a long despatch from Thomas announcing his victory
at Nashville aud on the same date one from Sherman to the
effect that he had captured Fort McAllister, opened commu
nication with the fleet and invested Savannah. He (Decem
ber 18th) congratulated both his generals. To Sherman he
said, " I congratulate you and the brave officers and men un
der your command, on the successful termination of your most
brilliant campaign. I never had a doubt of the result. When
apprehension for your safety was expressed by the President,
I assured him that with the army you had, and you in com
mand of it, there was no danger but that you would strike
bottom on salt water, some place ; that I would not feel the
same confidence and security — in fact, would not have trusted
the expedition to any other living commander."
When we consider the thoroughly cooperative spirit of these
two military masters, how it operated to the extent of intense
anxiety, even when the one could do no more than follow in
his imagination the track of the other, the above letter of con
gratulation contains a meed of praise worth more than all other
etters and resolutions combined.

CHAPTER XIV.
THROUGH THE CAROLINAS.
The end of the great rebellion was fast approaching. The
giant of secession which had for four years withstood the
blows of Union armies, was reeling iu the arena. Sherman
had reached the sea ; Hood had gone down before Thomas;
the supplies of foreign sympathizers had been stopped at
Wilmington ; every dangerous Confederate force had been
cut off outside of Virginia. The confederacy had not re
ceived one staggering blow, but a succession of blows which
carried dismay to its centre. Its generals were making the
sad confession of irretrievable calamities. Its soldiers wer
deserting. It even proposed, as a last resort, to arm the
slaves. Its leaders, from President down, were at daggers
points as to a final policy of salvation. On December 19th,
1864, Grant telegraphed to Sherman: "Jefferson Davis is
said to be very sick ; in fact, deserters report his death. I
credit no part of this, except that Davis is very sick, and do
not suppose that reflections on the military situation soothe
him any."
The correspondence between Grant and Sherman, after the
capture of Savannah, has been sufficiently set forth. Grant's
design was to have Sherman come to Richmond by water.
Sherman's suggestions and the impossibility of procuring
transports led to a modification of the plans of the general-
in-chief. Sherman had gone so far as to map a campaign by
land, through the Carolinas, more rapid in time than by
(39°)

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 391
water, and more fruitful of results in a military'point of
view. But as yet he had not received from Grant or Hal
leck such sanction of it as warranted his going ahead. The
necessary sanction came on January 2d, 1865, in the shape
of a letter from Grant, which read as follows: "Before
writing you definite instructions for the next campaign, I
wanted to receive your, answer to my^ letter written from
Washington. Your confidence in being able to march up
and join this army pleases me, and I believe it can be done.
The effect of such a campaign will be to disorganize the
South, and prevent the organization of new armies from
broken fragments. Hood is now retreating with his army
broken and demoralized. His loss in men has probably not
been far from 20,000, besides deserters. If time is given,
the fragments may be collected together, and many of the
deserters reassembled. If wo can we should act to prevent
this. Your spare army, as it were, moving as I proposed,
will do it.
In aidition to holding Savannah, it looks to me that an
entrenched camp ought to be held on the railroad betweeen
Savannah and Charleston. Your movement towards Branch
ville will probably enable Foster to reach this with his own
force. This will give us a position in theSouth from which
We can threaten the interior without marching over long nar
row causeways, easily defended, as we have heretofore been
compelled to do. Could not such a camp be established at
Pototaligo or Coosawhatehie?
" I have thought that Hood being so completely wiped out
for the present, I might bring A. J. Smith here with four
teen to fifteen thousand men. With this increase I could
hold my lines and move out with a greater force against Lee.
It would compel Lee to retain all his present force in the de
fence of Richmond, or abandon them entirely. This latter

392 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN
contingency is probably the only danger to the success of your
expedition. In the event you should meet Lee's army, you
would be compelled to beat it or find the sea-coast, of course.
I shall not let Lee's army escape if I can help it, and will
not let it go without following to the best of my ability.
" Without waiting further directions then, you may make
your preparations to start on your northern expedition with
out delay. Break up the railroads in North and South Car
olina, and join the armies now operating against Richmond
as soon as you can. I will leave out all suggestions about
the route you should take, knowing that your information,
gained daily in the course of events, will be better than any
that can be obtained now.
" It may not be possible for you to march to the rear of
Petersburg ; but failing in this, you could strike either of
the sea-coast ports in North Carolina now held by us. From
there you could take shipping. It would be decidedly pre
ferable, however, if you could march the whole distance.
From the best information I have, you will find no difficulty
in supplying your army until you cross the Roanoke. From
there here is but a few days' march, and supplies could be
collected South of the river to bring you through. I shall
establish communications with you there by steamboat and
gunboat. By this means your wants can be partially sup
plied. I shall hope to hear from you soon, and to hear your
plan and time of starting."
To this Sherman promptly replied, submitting a private
plan of campaign, which embodied all of Grant's ideas, and
those which he was at entire liberty to advance. It ran : —
1. Right whig to move men and artillery by transports to
head of Broad River and Beaufort ; reestablish Port Royal
ferry and mass the wing in the neighborhood of Pocotaligo.
Left wing and cavalry to work slowly across causeway to-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 393
ward Hardee ville, to open a road by which wagons can reach
their corps about Broad River ; also by a rapid movement of
the left to secure Sister's Ferry and Augusta road out to
Robertsville. In the meantime, all guns, shot, shell, cotton, etc., to be
moved to a safe place, easy to guard, and provisions and
wagons got ready for another swath, aiming to have our army
in hand about the head of Broad River, say Pocotaligo,
Robertsville and Coosawhatchie, by January 15th.
2, The whole army to move with loaded wagons by the
roads leading in the direction of Columbia, which afford the
best chance for forage, Howard to be at Pocotaligo by Jan
uary 15th, Slocum to be at Robertsville, and Kilpatrick at
Coosawhatchie about the same date. Foster .to occupy
Savannah, and gunboats to protect the rivers as soon as
Howard gets Pocotaligo.
It was therefore January 2d 1865, that Sherman felt
himself fully authorized by his chief to undertake that cam
paign which was to be known as his " March through the
Carolinas," a campaign far more arduous and dangerous than
that to the sea, though lost to the popular mind in the brilli
ancy of the latter. He made instant preparations for the start,
and sent his right wing, under Howard, by boa's to Beaufort,
and thence twenty-five miles inland to Pocotaligo. His left
wing, under Slocum, crossed the Savannah and occupied Har-
deeville. All this was accomplished by January 14th, and
thus the middle of the month found Sherman and his army
fully established on the soil of South Carolina.
Just at this time General Sherman was considerably annoyed
by the authorities at Washington, on account of his methods
of caring for captured cotton and dealing with the negroes
who had swarmed to his lines ever since leaving Atlanta.
As to cotton, he regarded it as a legitimate capture and subject

394 LIFE OF. GENERAL SHERMAN.
to the laws of war, despite the impression that it was of the
nature of private property which those who could establish
their loyalty should not lose entirely. As to the negroes, he
had not chosen to look upon them as entirely contraband of
war, but left them to come and go as they pleased, using them,
however, wherever their labor would spare his own troops.
He was also exercised about a proposition to make a second
grade of Lieutenant-general for his especial benefit. The
fact was, that the brilliancy of his late military efforts, con
nected with the differences between his methods of dealing
with certain problems and those of some members of the
cabinet, had excited such a feeling in his behalf as to give
rise to a favoritism which would have been exceedingly flat
tering, but for the fact that it was too decidedly political to
suit his tastes. Had he been ambitious of renown, other than
that of a strictly military character, he might easily have
headed a political party, so strong was sentiment in his favor
at this juncture. But he wisely steered clear of complications
of this nature, and kept his eye single on the cause to which
he was already committed. He wrote .to Grant, January 21,
1865, saying: — "I have been told that Congress meditates
a bill making another Lieutenant-general for me. I have
written to John Sherman to stop it, if it is designed for me.
It would be mischievous, for there are enough rascals who
would try to sow differences between us, whereas you and I
now are in perfect understanding. I would rather have you
in command than anybody else, for you are fair, honest, and
have at heart the same purpose that should animate all. I
should emphatically decline any commission calculated to
bring us into rivalry, aud I ask you to advise all your friends
in Congress to this effect, especially Mr. Washburne. I doubt
if men in Congress fairly realize that you and I are honest in
our professions of want of ambition. I know I feel none,

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 395
and to-day will gladly surrender my position and influence
to any other who is better able to wield the power. The
flurry attending my recent success will soon blow over and
give place to new developments."
History has never recorded such a warmth of disinterested
loyalty. It is only matched by the fraternal graciousness
of Grant's reply: "I have received your letter in which
you say you would decline, or are opposed to promotion.
No one would be more pleased with your advancement than
I ; and, if you should be placed in my position, aud I put
subordinate, it would not change our relations in the feast.
I would make the same exertions to support you that you
have ever done to support me, and I would do all in my
power to make our cause win."
Simultaneously with Grant's instructions to "herman to
move north by way of the Carolinas, he ordered Schofield's
army from the west to operate on Wilmington, and if possi
ble push into North Carolina to co-operate with Sherman.
Schofield was given command of all the North Carolina
forces, subject, however, to Sherman's orders. He was in
structed by Grant to keep two objects in view, one to give
Sherman material aid if needed, on his way north, the other
to- open a base of supplies for him on his line of march. Fol
lowing these instructions up, Grant further ordered that if he
(Schofield) should feel justified he should cut loose from his
base and strike for the interior to Sherman's aid. Thus
Sherman was to be provided for st all hazards, and nothing
should impair the triumph of his contemplated movement so
far as his chief was concerned. In additim, Stoneman was
ordertd to push a cavalry expedition down out of East Ten
nessee itito South Carolina, push toward Columbia and
destroy railroads and public property in a section of the
country where Sherman's forces would not be able to reach.

396 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
It was under these auspices that Sherman framed his last
instructions to his army and began his northward march.
His seizure of Pocotaligo, with the loss of only two officers
and eight men, interrupted all conimunications between
Charleston and the South. His army was officered, with a
few slight changes, as it had been during the march from
Atlanta. He was dispositioned as in the grand march, not
to waste time on unimportant places, nor to be distracted
from a central object, but to keep moving, carrying surprises
and destruction into hitherto unvisited places. He would
ignore both Charleston and Augusta, yet would feint on both
so as to keep the enemy's forces divided, and their garrisons
housed behind their entrenchments.
On January 19th, 1865, he gave final orders for a forward
movement. At once he was confronted with formidable ob
stacles. It had been raining incessantly and the roads were
nearly impassable. The rivers were high, and when a river
is high in that region it means the overflow of extensive
tracts, and the filling up of innumerable small bayous and
waterways. Almost, if not altogether, two weeks elapsed
before Sherman's forces were able to move according to orders.
His Savannah river pontoons had been swept away, nearly
drowning an entire division of the Fifteenth corps. But
eventually Slocum got his forces well in hand at Sister's
Ferry, forty miles above Savannah, aud Howard his. at Poco
taligo. Sherman was at Pocotaligo, and was giving out the
impression that his destination was Charleston, by keeping a
division active in attempts to cross the swollen waters of the
Salkiehatehie river.
It was now February 1st, 1865, aud the waters having
subsided somewhat, orders were re-issued for the start. The
delay had not been disappointing, for there were no combi
nations that depended directly on Sherman's move. On

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 397
the contrary, it had proved rather advantageous, for it gave
Schofield, Thomas, Canby and Stoneman opportunity to per
fect their co-operative movements. Sherman's army was
still 60,000 strong. He had along sixty pieces of artillery,
and 2,500 wagons carrying ammunition for one great battle,
forage for a week and provisions for twenty days. He drove
along a herd of cattle on the hoof, and for pork and vegetables
he designed to rely on the country. The army moved under
the same general orders as were published in Atlanta.
The movement was more directly co-operative than that
from Atlanta, in fact it was convergent, while others
now co-operated. Canby was under instructions to operate
from the Mississippi toward Montgomery and Selma, to keep
Hood's remnants engaged. Stoneman was to operate with
cavalry on Sherman's left in South Carolina. Thomas was
to fill the gap made by Stoneman in East Tennessee. Scho
field had already occupied Newbern, and Wilmington was
about to fall. At any rate he could reach Goldsboro. Word
had come from Grant that Lee had sent 16,000 men south,
and that Sherman might expect to meet them. He then con
tinued: — "All the troops you come in communication with
will be subject to your orders. From Richmond I will watch
Lee closely, and if he detaches many men, or attempts to
evacuate, I will pitch in. In the meantime, should you be
brought to a halt anywhere, I can send two corps of 30,000
men to your support, from the troops about Richmond."
To this letter Sherman replied, mapping all the possibilities
of his campaign. The substance of his reply is as follows : —
" I rejoice in the fall of Ft. Fisher because it gives me another
point of security on the sea-board  I withhold my
consent to Admiral Dahlgren's assault on Ft. Moultrie,
because the capture of all Sullivan's Island is not conclusive
to Charleston  I am moving for the railroad west of
23

398 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Branch ville, then will swing across to Orangeburg, which
will interpose my army between Charleston and the interior.
.... When I get to Columbia I think I will move straight
for Goldsboro. I feel sure of getting Wilmington and maybe
Charleston, and being at Goldsboro, with the railroads finished
back to Wilmington, I can easily take Raleigh, when it
seems Lee must come out. If Schofield comes to Beaufort
he should be pushed to Kingston  I have no doubt
Hood will come to Augusta  Canby and Thomas
should penetrate Alabama as far as possible, keeping Hood's
remnants employed  I find the enemy in our front,
but giving ground as fast as we approach.
The real strength of the enemy lay at Augusta and Charles
ton. Here they had quite formidable numbers, but not suf
ficient to meet Sherman on equal terms in the open field.
Wheeler's Confederate cavalry was still formidable, and
Wade Hampton had been dispatched to the scene to raise
additional troopers in his native State. Hood was clearly on
his way from the west, with a possible force of 25,000 men.
Estimating the combined forces of Hardee, Wheeler and
Hampton at 15,000, Sherman naturally expected to confront
a joint force of 40,000 men, quite enough to prove formidable,
if not upon the field, at least at the river crossings. He
therefore took all precautions, and made arrangements with
Admiral Dahlgren and General Foster to watch his progress
closely and provide for him a safe retreat to the coast should
he meet with unexpected obstacles.
Taking Goldsboro as his objective, Sherman had before
him a march of 425 miles, through an intensely hostile country,
and across the trend of deep streams. He was not marching
away from an enemy, whom a skillful general held in check,
but into the teeth of opposing columns, which might become
formidable armies should Lee escape from Richmond. Be-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 399
fore, he had reached the sea coast, marching through and out
of an enemy's country, now he was marching into an enemy's
country and away from a coast base. Of the difference be
tween this and his " March to the Sea," -Sherman said : —
" Were I to express my measure of the relative importance
of the 'March to the Sea,' and of that from Savannah
northward, I would place the former at one and the latter at
ten, or the maximum."
On January 29th, Sherman sent his last dispatch for a
fortnight to Grant. It read : — " You may rest assured I
will keep my troops well in hand, and if I get worsted, will
aim to make the enemy pay so dearly that you will have less
to do  I must risk Hood and trust to you to hold
Lee, or be on his heels if he comes South." Meanwhile
Grant was in precisely the same fix as when Sherman started
from Atlanta. He did not wish to do anything to start Lee
from his entrenchments till Schofield had taken Wilmington
and had gotten into a position to assist Sherman. Sherman's
army of 60,000 men, combined with Schofield's probable 40-
000, would make a field army which might well defy the
entire force of Lee, augmented by all the Confederate forces
then at large in the Carolinas.
Sherman ordered all his columns to move for a point on
the South Carolina railroad above Branch ville. They all
started on February 1st, under orders to make all the time
possible. They found, at the start, obstructions from
Wheeler's cavalry, but scarcely enough to consume much time.
By February 3d, two corps were at Beaufort Bridge, over the
Salkiehatchie, where the water was found very high, and a
formidable troop of infantry in front. A diversion was made
by one of Sherman's divisions through a swamp, where the
soldiers had to wade in water up to their armpits, and on
cuming in upon the enemy, they fled in disorder, abandoning

400 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
the whole line of the Salkiehatchie. By February 5th all
the corps were well together at Beaufort Bridge, and orders
were issued to march straight for Midway, upon the railroad
above Branchville. This point was reached on February
7th; and the work of destruction began. As this, road was
most important to the Confederacy, Sherman determined to
stop long enough to tear it up for fifty miles. . This also
would give Slocum time to come up, he having encountered
severe obstacles and being behind the right wing. On Feb
ruary 9th, Slocum struck the road at Blackville west of Mid
way, and so Sherman's army stretched along the line of road
for a great distance.
On February 10th, Sherman issued orders for his army to
move again on the 11th. The right wing was instructed to
strike Orangeburg en route to Columbia. Kilpatrick was or
dered to demonstrate toward Aiken, and keep up the. delusion
that Augusta, instead of Columbia, was the objective. Sher
man was most anxious to reach Columbia in advance of Hood's
forces, which were reported to be near the place. It was im
portant to reach Orangeburg also, as the breaking up of the
railroad there would sever the connection between Charleston
and Columbia. Near Orangeburg the Edisto was found im
passable and the opposite side guarded. Sherman ordered a
division to a point five miles below the town, where a cross
ing was effected on pontoons. This division marched up on the
north side of the river, and on their approach the enemy fled.
The town was occupied by the entire Seventeenth corps that
night. Now the heads of all the columns were directed towdar
Columbia, where the enemy had evidently concentrated, if
reports and hypotheses were tr.ue. But it turned out that
Sherman most effectually deceived the Confederate leaders.
Hardee was indulging in the thought that Charleston was a

MAJ. GEN'L O. O. HOWARD.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 403
sure objective. The commander at Augusta thought that
place was destined to a visit. Columbia had been left to the
keeping of a cavalry troop under Hampton.
By February 14th Wood's division of the Fifteenth corps
struck the Little Congaree, a few miles below Columbia.
The approach to the stream was over a wide extent of over
flowed cotton fields, and on the opposite side was a newly con
structed fort. The bridge across the river had been destroyed,
but by a slight deflection a crossing was made and the fort
was abandoned. Sherman was now behind the deep waters
of the stream, and he knew that the directions taken by his
other corps would soon place them on the same side. He
therefore issued his general- orders for the government of the
troops while in Columbia. They were dated February 16th,
1865, and ran: — " General Howard will cross the Saluda and
Broad Rivers as near their mouths as possible, occupy
Columbia, destroy the public buildings, railroad property,
manufacturing and machine shops ; but will spare libraries,
asylums and private buildings. He will then move to Winns-
boro, destroying en route utterly that section of the railroad.
He will also cause all bridges, trestles, water-tanks, and de
pots on the railroad back to the Wateree to be burned, switches
broken, and such other destruction as he can find time to ac
complish consistent with proper celerity."
On February 16th, the entire Fifteenth corps reached a
point opposite Columbia, marched up the Saluda and crossed
that stream at the ferry, and reached Broad river to find its
bridge in flames and Butler's confederate cavalry fleeing
toward Columbia. Slocum struck the Broad at Alston,
where he was expacted to cross. The cavalry were also
ordered to cross there. On the night of the 17th, Wood's
division of the Fifteenth corps was ferried across the Broad,
just above the city, and by morning were in position to cover

404 , LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
the laying of pontoons for the passage of the rest of the
corps. On this date Col. Stone came out of Columbia to
surrender the place and ask for orders. Sherman instructed
Howard to regard the orders already issued and none other,
and to march into the place. Many requests came to Sher
man to favor properties of certain kinds, but he had embraced
all in his general orders that he cared to. When the pontoon
was laid across the Broad, Sherman and his staff and the en
tire Fifteenth corps passed over, and entered the city, to find
that the cotton on hand and many of the warehouses had
been fired by the enemy. The Fifteenth corps hardly halted
in the city, but passed out on the Winnsbororoad. The Sev
enteenth passed above the city some four miles, and Slocum's
left wing crossed at Alston and passed on to the North. It
was at Columbia that Sherman was handed a paper by an es
caped Union prisoner. He placed it in his pocket, and on
opening it at night found it to be from Adjutant S. H .M. Byers,
of the Iowa 5th Regiment, who had been a prisoner of war at
Columbia. It contained the words of the celebrated " Sher.
man's March to the Sea," which he had composed while a
prisoner. Thegreatquantityofburningcottoninthecity was an
invitation to a general conflagration. A high wind, on the night
after Sherman's arrival, fanned the smouldering embers into
activity, and the fire spread and consumed quite an extensive
tract on the business portions. Sherman was blamed with in
cendiarism, but without just cause, for all the conditions of
general conflagration had been provided by the escaping
enemy. On the morning of February 18th, Sherman did all he
could to allay the suffering caused by the fire, even to the ex
tent of turning over a large part of his beef for the sustenance
of the people. He remained in Columbia over the 19th, his
troops making their destruction of the railroads complete in

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 405
all directions. On this date, Grant heard of the capture of
Columbia through the Confederate papers. With his usual
solicitude for Sherman's welfare, he immediately telegraphed
Schofield to turn his attention to Wilmington, saying, "you
will either capture the place or hold a considerable portion of
the enemy from Sherman's front." At this point Sherman
managed to get a despatch to the coast to Admiral Dahlgren,
who sent the same despatch to Grant. Grant instantly sent
it to Schofield both to encourage and direct him. Its gist
was that, " Sherman had been encountering bad roads
and might yet be turned to the coast at Charleston or
Bull's Bay, where supplies ought to be on hand. Rich
mond papers announce the capture of Columbia on the 17th.
As he (Sherman) was then above the Congaree, it is hardly
likely he will turn back. This success will probably force the
evacuation of Charleston. In that case Gillmore (who had
succeeded Foster) will have a loose force of 10,000 men,
which I have directed to report to you. Should you find the
capture of Wilmington impracticable, keep up a threatening
attitude so as to detain all the force of the enemy possible in
your front, and push your columns to Newbern."
On February 20th, the right wing of Sherman's army be
gan its march toward Winnsboro, where it arrived on the 21st,
to find that SlocumV left wing had already arrived. The
right then swung off toward Fayetteville, N. C, with orders
to cross the Catawba River at Peay's ferry. The cavalry was
ordered to follow the railroad to Chester and then swing
toward Rocky Mount, where the left wing was expected to
cross. Sherman was with his Twentieth corps, and arrived
at the river on the 23d, where a safe crossing was effected.
He then diverted his entire cavalry toward Charlotte as a
make-believe that his destination was thither, where he had
learned Beauregard had centered all his detachments together

406 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
with a corps of Hood's old army. The rain had been pour
ing down so persistently, the rivers had become so high and
the roads so bad that Sherman was compelled to halt his ad
vance at Hanging Rock for a few days in order to allow his
rearward corps to catch up.
At this date, Grant was in receipt of glorious news at Rich
mond. Fort Fisher had been captured ; Fort Anderson had
fallen ; Wilmington had been occupied and its 61 guns and
over 800 prisoners had fallen into Schofield's hands. He had
started Stoneman on his Carolina raid, and Sheridan eastward
to break up the Virginia Central, so as to prevent the feeding
aud the escape of Lee. A similar raid had been started from
Eastport, Miss., and Canby was moving for Tuscaloosa, Sehna
and Montgomery. " These," said Grant, " with Sherman
eating out the vitals of South Carolina, is all that will be
wanted to leave nothing for the rebellion to stand upon."
And still other good news came to both Grant and Sher
man. It was to the effect that Charleston had been evacuated
on February 18th, and taken possession of by a brigade of
Foster's troops. The moment Columbia had been occupied
by Sherman, Hardee, in Charleston, felt that the place was
doomed. There remained but one outlet and that was by the
North Eastern Railroad, whose terminus was Cheraw. As
soon as Sherman's march pointed toward this place, Hardee
made all haste to escape thence before Sherman could reach it.
He was not a moment too soon, for he barely got across the
Pedee before Sherman arrived.
These conquests were simplifying the situation for Grant.
His armies were now converging beautifully. He recom
mended Schofield for a brigadier generalcy in the regular army,
and urged him to " push out and form a connection with
Sherman at the earliest practical moment. If you reach
Goldsboro and have a fair -prospect of getting your road fin-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 407
ished soon, it may be unnecessary for Sherman to come down
to the coast. Make every effort to communicate with Sher
man at once  If you and Sherman are united,
you cau keep as far in the interior of North Carolina as you
may be able to supply yourselves. With the large force you
have, Raleigh may not be found too far off." Thus every energy
that Grant possessed was turned to the account of his great
lieutenant, and this, even though he had no official knowledge
of his whereabouts, yet an infinite trust that he was advancing
in accordance with the information furnished by the enemy's
papers. At this time his anxiety for Sherman's welfare be
came so intense as to be painful. On February 26th, he in
quired of Thomas as to Stoneman's expedition. He attached
great importance to this movement because it would throw
a force on the west of Sherman which would be likely to
detect any movement on the part of Lee to subtract from his
forces for the assistance of North Carolina. In this connec
tion he said, " The only hope of the enemy is now to fall on
Sherman before he can be supported by Schofield."
It was not until February 27th, that all of Sherman's
forces got across the Catawba and he was able to resume his
march, with full columns, for Cheraw and Fayetteville.
Kilpatrick was far to the left at Lancaster, keeping up the
feint on Charlotteville and Salisbury, and under orders to act
in close concert with the Fourteenth corps. Marching was
now most desperate. Roads were now impassable except as
they were corduroyed. Fortunately no enemy appeared to
obstruct operations. By March 2d, Chesterfield was entered,
after a brisk skirmish with Butler's cavalry. Howard entered
Cheraw the day before, with the Seventeenth corps, and with
the Fifteenth well in hand. Owing to the burning of the
bridge across the Pedee by Hardee, Sherman was forced to
deflect his left wing to Sneedsboro in order to effect a cross-

4o3 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
ing. At Cheraw, Sherman found great quantities of Con
federate stores, and at this point he felt that he had a com
paratively unobstructed march to the Cape Fear river, for the
enemy appeared to be wholly disconcerted by his movement
and unable to baffle him in any particular. Indeed at that
very moment Lee's dispatches to his government read as fol
lows: — " The accounts received from South and North Caro
lina are unfavorable. Beauregard reports from Charlotte
that four corps of the enemy are advancing on that place,
(observe Sherman had no intention of marching on Charlotte,)
another tearing up railroads, and they will probably reach
that place before he can concentrate his troops there. He
states Sherman will doubtless unite with Schofield at Raleigh
or Weldon. Bragg reports that Schofield is preparing "to
advance from Newbern to Goldsboro. He says no assistance
can be expected from the State of North Carolina. Sherman
seems to have everything his own way, which is calculated to
cause apprehension. Beauregard does not say what he pro
poses to do or what he can do. I do not know where his
troops are or on what line they are moving. General J. E.
Johnston is the only officer I know who has the confidence of
the army and the people, and if he is ordered to report to me
I would place him on duty. It is necessary to bring out all
our strength and, I fear, to unite our armies, as, separately,
they do not seem to make head against the enemy. Every
thing should be destroyed that cannot be moved out of the
way of Sherman and Schofield. Provisions must be ac
cumulated in Virginia, and every man in all the States must
be brought out. I fear it may be necessary to abandon all
our cities, and preparations should be made for this con
tingency." In the light of this dispatch, all of Grant's precaution and
anxiety are excusable. He well knew with whom he had to

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 409
deal ; better far than Lee, for he does not seem to have been
aware of the fact that Grant had made it impossible for him
to abandon Richmond without inevitable defeat and certain
capture. The dispatch is historically valuable as showing
how Sherman's advance was affecting the Southern situation,
and extremely valuable from a military standpoint as showing
how much his movements had contributed to the disconcert
of the enemy. He was truly " having everything his own
way," and was completing a far more scientific and valuable
march than when traversing the fruitful fields of Georgia.
Among the stores appropriated or destroyed in Cheraw
were twenty-four guns, two thousand muskets and thirty-six
hundred barrels of gunpowder. By March 6th, after a rest
in Cheraw, the line of march was headed for Fayetteville.
Sherman now knew that General Jos. Johnston, his old
antagonist, had been assigned to the command in the Caro
linas in place of Beauregard, and, knowing his organizing
ability, concluded that the rest of his march would be by no
means a walk-over. After all of his corps were across the
Pedee he arranged them so that his Seventeenth would be
well on the right ; his Fifteenth on fhe direct road; his. Four
teenth, also on the direct road road from Swedesboro ; his
Twentieth to follow the Fourteenth. Kilpatrick was to
skirt the left and keep interposed between Sherman's forces
and those of Hampton and Wheeler, which were hovering in
that direction. Pursuing this order of march, Laurel Hill
was reached on March 8th. Here Sherman became satisfied
that Wilmington had been captured by Schofield, and he
determined to communicate with him. So he sent off dis
patches by secret couriers to the effect that he might be
expected at Fayetteville in a few days ; that a boat ought to
be sent up the Cape Fear river ; that he expected to meet
Schofield at Goldsboro ; that he (Sherman) was progressing

410 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
finely, barring rains and difficult roads, which might detain
him about Fayetteville ; that in such case he would like to
have some bread, coffee and sugar ; that he expected to reach
Goldsboro by March 20th.
Every mile of Sherman's approach, and every possibility
of his union with Schofield rendered the situation more des
perate for the enemy. Most stringent orders had been issued
to destroy everything in the route of Sherman and Schofield.
Lee had worked out a situation which contemplated the evac
uation of Richmond and his escape, to join his forces with
those of Johnston. Breckenridge had inquired to what
point Lee wished to retire, and whither stores should be sent
in case he (Lee) deserted the Confederate capital, and Lee
had replied : " In the event of our abandoning our position
on the James R.iver, I shall endeavor to unite the army
about Burksville, so as to retain communications as long as
possible with the North and South, and also with the West.
I should think Lynchburg or some place West the most ad
vantageous to remove the Richmond stores." And now the
cry was beginning to go up to concentrate everything, " all
the available troops from ever.y quarter," to '' destroy Sher
man." "If," said Lee to Johnston, "it is possible to assem
ble a superior force to meet him, and that force could be
wrought into enthusiasm by your personal presence, great
results might be achieved ; and something of this sort must
be done at once, or the situation is lost." And on the same
day the enthusiastic Beauregard, disdaining Lee, but tele
graphing directly to President Davis, said, " Should the
enemy advance into North Carolina, towards Charlotte and
Salisbury, as is now almost certain, I earnestly urge in time
a concentration of at least twenty thousand infantry and
artillery at the latter point, if possible, to give him battle there
and crush him. Then to concentrate all forces against Grant,

GENERAL SLOCUM.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 413
and then to march to Washington and dictate peace. Hardee
and myself can collect fifteen thousand, and, if Lee could
furnish twenty thousand more, the fate of the Confederacy
would be sure." Poor fellow ! He had not only failed to
find out that Sherman had no intention of going to Charlotte
or Salisbury, but, after a month of opportunity, he was in
ignorance of the fact that he was moving along with sixty
thousand determined soldiers at his back, who were perfect in
discipline and without fear.
By March 11, Sherman reached Fayetteville, after one of
the most tedious and trying marches of the campaign. His
arrival there found Slocum in possession, with the Four
teenth Corps, and all the other corps well in hand. The
only episode of the march thither, aside from the fact that
the respective corps had literally to corduroy their ways,.
was a plunge made into Kilpatrick's divided forces by Hamp
ton's cavalry. The latter, in his anxiety to join Wheeler at
Fayetteville before Sherman's infantry came up, struck one
of Kilpatrick's brigades, and actually captured its camp and
artillery. But the defeated troopers rallied and drove off
Hampton's men, recovering camp, artillery, and all that had
been taken, except about two hundred prisoners. On his
retreat from Fayetteville, the enemy burned the bridge
across the Cape Fear River. This bridge Sherman substi
tuted by two pontoons, one opposite the town and one four
miles down the river; so that ample crossing was quickly
provided for.
Fayetteville was another rink in the chain which was grad
ually tightening around the vitals of the Confederacy. It
was a demonstration of Sherman's power, and ofthe import
ance of the part that had been assigned to him in the closing
of the stupendous drama. We hear of projects from the
enemy to foil him ; we hear of the anxious efforts of Grant

414 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
to assure his safe arrival at some co-operative point ; but we
hear also of desertions from the enemy, and a wail from Lee
to the effect that hundreds and thousands of his men were
" going over to the enemy." " Hundreds of the men," said
he, despairingly, "are deserting nightly, and I cannot keep
the army together unless examples are made of such cases.
.... I am convinced that it proceeds from the discouraging
sentiment out of the army, which, unless it can be changed,
will bring us to calamity  I regret to say that the
greatest number of desertions have taken place among the
North Carolina troops, who have fought as gallantly as any
soldiers in the army." Sherman's march was therefore having
its effect in more ways than one. It was not only carrying
dismay to the Carolinas and to the Confederacy, but it was
telling with fearful effect on the morale of Lee's army.
At Fayetteville Sherman was greeted with the sound of a
whistle, which betokened the arrival of a Federal steamboat.
His couriers had gotten through safely to Wilmington, and
the boat was the response to his messages. It was the first
contact he had had with the outer world for nearly six weeks,
and its effect was electrical on himself and his men. Sherman
took advantage of the arrival of the boat to send off dispatches
to Washington, and to place the families of fugitives who had
Bought his protection en voyage to a friendlier land. Under
date of March 12th, he said to Stanton, Secretary of War: —
Dear Sir : I know you will be pleased to hear that my
army has reached this point, and has opened communication
with Wilmington. A tug-boat came up this morning, and
will start back at 6 P. M.
I have written a letter to General Grant, the substance of
which he will doubtless communicate, and it must suffice for
me to tell you what I know will give you pleasure — that I
have done all that I proposed, and the fruits seem to me ample

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 415
for the time employed. Charleston, Georgetown, and Wil
mington are incidents, while the utter demolition of the rail
road system of South Carolina, and the utter destruction of
the enemy's arsenals of Columbia, Cheraw, and Fayetteville,
are the principals of the movement These points were re
garded as inaccessible to us, and now no place in the Confed
eracy is safe against the army of the West. Let Lee hold on
to Richmond, and we will destroy his country ; and then of
what use is Richmond ? He must come out and fight us on
open ground, and for that we must ever be ready. Let him
stick behind his parapets, and he will perish.
I remember well what you asked me, and I think I am on
the right road, though a long one. My army is as united and
cheerful as ever, and is full of confidence in itself and its
leaders. It is utterly impossible for me to enumerate what
we have done, but I enclose a slip just handed me, which is
but partial. At Columbia and Cheraw we destroyed nearly
all the gunpowder and cartridges which the Confederacy had
iii this part of the country. This arsenal is in fine order, and
has been much enlarged. I cannot leave a detatchment to
hold it, therefore shall burn it, blow it up with gunpowder>
and then with rams knock down its walls. I take it for
granted the United States will never again trust North Caro
lina with an arsenal to appropriate at her pleasure.
Hoping that good fortune may still attend my army, I re
main your servant, W. T. Sherman, Major- General
On the same date he sent to Grant a full and graphic dis
patch of his operations and intentions. It ran : —
Dear General : We reached this place yesterday at
noon, Hardee, as usual, retreating across the Cape Fear, burn
ing his bridges; but our pontoons will be up to-day, and,
with as little delay as possible, I will be after him toward
Goldsboro'.

4i 6 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
A tug has just come up from Wilmington, and before I
get off from here, I hope to get from Wilmington some shoes
and stockings, sugar, coffee, and flour. We are abundantly
supplied with all else, having in a measure lived off the
country. The army is in splendid health, condition, and spirits,
though we have had foul weather, and roads that would have
stopped travel to almost any other body of men I ever heard
of. Our march was substantially what I designed — straight on
Columbia, feigning on Branchville and Augusta. We
destroyed, in passing, the railroad from the Edisto nearly up
to Aiken ; again, from Orangeburg to the Congaree ; again,
from Columbia down to Kingsville on the Wateree, and up
toward Charlotte as far as the Chester line ; thence we turned
east on Cheraw and Fayetteville. At Columbia we destroyed
immense arsenals and railroad establishments, among which
were forty-three cannon. At Cheraw we found also
machinery and material of war sent from Charleston, among
which were twenty- five guns and thirty-six hundred barrels
of powder; and here we find about twenty guns and a
magnificent United States arsenal.
We cannot afford to leave detachments, and I shall there
fore destroy this valuable arsenal, so the enemy shall not
have its use ; and the United States should never again con
fide such aluable property to a people who have betrayed a
trust. I could leave here to-morrow, but want to clear my columns
of the vast crowd of refugees and negroes that encumber us.
Some I will send down the river in boats, and the rest to
Wilmington by land, under small escort, as soon as we are
across Cape Fear River.
I hope you have not been uneasy about us, and that the

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 417
fruits of this march will- be appreciated. It had to be made,
not only to destroy the valuable depots by the way, but for
its incidents in the necessary fall of Charleston, Georgetown,
and Wilmington. If I can now add Goldsboro' without too
must cost, I will be in a position to aid you materially in the
spring campaign.
Jos. Johnston may try to interpose between me here and
Schofield about Newbern ; but I think he will not try that,
but concentrate his scattered armies at Raleigh, and I will go
straight at him as soon as I get our men reclothed and our
wagons reloaded.
Keep everybody busy, and let Stoueman push toward
Greensboro' or Charlotte from Knoxville; even a feint in
that quarter will be most important.
The railroad from Charlotte to Danville is all that is left
to the enemy, and it will not do for me to go there, on ac
count of the red-clay hills which are impassable to wheels in
wet weather. •
I expect to make a junction with' General Schofield in ten
days. ,.
W. T. Sherman, Major- General.
And also on the same date he wrote fully to Terry, ex
plaining his situation, mapping his intentions, and instruct
ing Schofield how best to co-operate with him. His letter
ran thus :
General : I have just received your message by the tug
which left Wilmington at 2 P. M. yesterday, which arrived
here without trouble. The scout who brought me your
eipher-message started back last night with my answers,
which are superseded by the fact of your opening the river.
General Howard just reports that he has secured one of the
enemy's steamboats below the city, General Slocum will try
to secure two others known to be above, and we will load
24

418 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
them with refugees (white and black) who have clung to our
skirts, impeded our movements, and consumed our food.
We have swept the country well from Savannah to here,
and the men and animals are in fine condition. Had it not
been for the foul weather, I would have caught Hardee at
Cheraw or here ; but at Columbia, Cheraw, and here, we
have captured immense stores, and destroyed machinery,
guns, ammumition, and property, of inestimable value to our
enemy. At all points he has fled from us, " standing not on
the order of his going."
The people of South Carolina, instead of feeding Leo's
army, will now call on Lee to feed them.
I want you to send me all the shoes, stockings, drawers,
sugar, coffee, and flour, you can spare ; finish the load with
oats or corn. Have the boats escorted, and let them run at
night at any risk. We must not give time for Jos. Johns
ton to concentrate at Goldsboro'. We cannot prevent his
concentrating at Raleigh, but he shall have no rest. I want
General Schofield to go on with his railroad from Newbern
as far as he can, and you should do the same from Wilming
ton. If we can get the roads to, and secure, Goldsboro' by
April 10th, it will be soon enough ; but every day now is
worth a million of dollars. , I can whip Jos. Johnston pro
vided he does not catch one of my corps in flank, and I will
see that the army marches hence to Goldsboro' in compact
form. I must rid our army of from twenty to thirty thousand
useless mouths ; as many go down Cape Fear as possible, and
the rest to go in vehicles or on captured horses via Clinton to
Wilmington. I thank you for the energetic action that has marked your
course, and shall be most happy to meet you. I am, truly
your friend. W. T. Sherman, Major-General.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 419
Terry had already sent out a cavalry regiment to search
for Sherman's advance, one company of which struck him at
Fayetteville on March 12th. He now considered himself as
in full communication with the coast forces and the outside
world, and he learned that his old antagonist, General John
ston, was in command in the Carolinas, with a part of his wes
tern army, augmented by such reinforcements as he could gather
on the spot. Johnston was at Raleigh, and at the head of an
army which Sherman estimated at 35,000 men, including
8,000 cavalry under Butler, Hardee and Hampton. Sherman
felt that the day for feints and easy marches was over for
him, for Johnston was not to be outwitted by manoeuvre, as
his predecessor had been. Moreover, he possessed organiz
ing ability of a high order, and was fast cohering and mo
bilizing his army. This made Sherman the more anxious to
push a head to Goldsboro, and effect that anticipated junc
tion with Schofield which would render them invincible and
precipitate the last stage of the war.
On March 13th aud 14th, Sherman, therefore, issued or
ders for the destruction of the arsenal at Fayetteville, and for
the advance of his wings aeross the Cape Fear River and
toward Goldsboro, where he had instructed Schofield to join
him. The order of movement was with the Seventeenth and
Fifteenth corps on the right and the Fourteenth and Twen
tieth corps on the left, but with four divisions of each wing
lightly equipped ready for attack, and the wagon trains on
the central roads. All the refugees had been sent toward Wil
mington under escort. Almost from the start, Slocum's corps
was met by determined opposition from Hardee's infantry
and cavalry, which took advantage of the covers afforded by
the nature of the narrow strip of country between the Cape
Fear and North Rivers. Yet Sherman "determined to push
square in the front of Hardee, drive him back toward Averys-

42o LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
boro, and then suddenly wheel to the right toward Bentons-
ville. But as he approached Averysboro, Hardee was found
to bo in a strong position, and Slocum deployed his Twentieth
corps for battle. Kilpatrick wasswungwelltotherightwithhis
cavalry, and a strong brigade of infantry was tnrown out on
Hardee's left flank. It made a determined charge, carried
the enemy's first lines and captured an entire Confederate
brigade with a battery of three guns. Pursuit of Hardee was
begun and kept up well in the direction of Smithfield. In
this spirited engagement Sherman lost 77 killed and 477
wounded, while the enemy lost quite as many in killed and
wounded, besides 250 prisoners.
Sherman's opening of communications to Fayetteville had
made it possible for him to send dispatches to Grant and
receive word in turn. They were in active consultation re
specting the future. It was at Fayetteville that Sherman
learned from Grant of the success of Sheridan in cutting
Lee's western communications, and of the failure of Stone
man to reach the Carolinas in time to effect a diversion ofthe
enemy from Sherman's left. Through Sherman, Grant was
also now enabled to describe to the authorities his (Sherman's)
condition and set forth the results of his campaign. Says
Grant: "I am just in receipt of a letter from Sherman, from
Fayetteville. He describes his army as in fine health and
having met no serious opposition. Hardee keeps in his front,
at a respectable distance. At Columbia he destroyed im
mense arsenals and railroad establishments and forty- three
cannon. At Cheraw he found much machinery and war
materials, including seventy-five cannon and 3,600 barrels of
gunpowder. At Fayetteville he found twenty pieces of
artillery and much other material."
Again, and directly to Sherman, Grant said : "When I
hear that you and Schofield are together, with your back upon

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 421
the coast, I shall feel that you are entirely safe against any
thing the enemy can do. Lee may evacuate Richmond, and
he cannot get there with force enough to touch you. His
army is now demoralized and deserting very fast, both to us
and to their homes. A retrograde movement would cost him
thousands of men, even if we did not follow. My notion is
that you should get Raleigh as soon as possible, and hold the
railroad back from there. From that point all the North
Carolina roads can be made useless to the enemy without
keeping up communications with the rear."
As had been previously determined, Sherman swung his
left wing nearly due east from Averysboro and directly tow
ard Goldsboro, whither he knew Schofield was marching. By
March 18th, his left was within five miles of Bentonsville,
and twenty-seven of Goldsboro. His right was somewhat
nearer Goldsboro, and distant from his left about ten miles;
Sherman was traveling with Howard on his right. He
thought that he had driven the enemy sufficiently toward
Raleigh to clear his left entirely. But it seems Johnston,
knowing the danger of a junction between Sherman and Scho
field, and resolved to attack Sherman's left before such junc
tion could take place, had gathered all the forces he couldand
made a bold dash for Bentonsville. He had concentred them
under Bragg, Cheatham, Hardee and Hampton on the night
ofthe 18th, and when Slocum came into the neighborhood of
Bentonsville, he struck Johnston in force. On the morning
ufthe 19th, Johnston made a vigorous attack on Slocum,
driving two of his brigades back on the main army, and cap
turing three guns. Slocum saw he had a formidable foe to
contend with, and deployed his respective divisions in defen
sive line, with orders to throw up barricades. Sherman sent
him word to hold on the defensive, till he could send rein
forcements from the right. Hazen's division of the Fifteenth

422 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
corps was sent direct to Slocum, while the remainder of the
corps was turned for Bentonsville with the intention of strik
ing Johnston's rear. The Seventeenth corps was also ordered
to Slocum. Kilpatrick came in upon Slocum's left. In this
position Slocum received six heavy assaults from the enemy
under the personal direction of Johnston, but he held his
ground unflinchingly and parried them all with great loss
to the foe. These assaults constituted the battle of March
19th, in a difficult country, filled with bushy swamps. On
March 20th, the Fifteenth corps closed in on Bentonsville,
finding freshly made parapets. It was therefore ordered to
proceed with the greatest caution, till it could effect a junction
with Slocum on the left. During this day Sherman got his
forces in position, and found Jonnston occupying the two
sides of a triangle whose apex was on the direct road from
Averysboro to Goldsboro, which embraced Bentonsville, and
whose flanks, or wings, were protected by deep swamps. It
was in every sense a strong and commanding position, and
one which Sherman hesitated to attack. He had on hand but
a small supply of food ; he expected to hear daily of Scho-
field's arrival in Goldsboro ; he was uncertain as to the
strength of Johnston's forces. All things considered, he
deemed it wise to simply hold his ground for a day or two
and await developments, meanwhile sending his wagons to
Kinston for supplies.
March 21st opened rainy and no operations were possible.
But about noon Mower's command of Howard's wing broke
through the Confederate lines, and began a pursuit of the
troops in his front toward Bentonsville. Sherman checked
this rash move, which would have precipitated a general
engagement, and in order to secure Mower's safe retreat to his
corps, a skirmish fire was opened all along the Union front.
Sherman afterwards regretted he did not at once join general

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 423
battle in support of Mower's movement, for it proved to be
directly along the only available line of retreat the enemy
had. During that night the enemy beat a retreat in the
direction of Smithfield, leaving his pickets as prisoners, his
dead unburied and his wounded in the hospitals. The loss
to Sherman in the Bentonsville engagements was 191 killed,
1,117 wounded and 296 missing. Johnston's loss, including
prisoners, was 2,343.
On March 22d Sherman rode in the direction of Goldsboro,
and when at Cox's Bridge he met General Terry with two
divisions of the Tenth corps. The road was clear for his
army to enter Goldsboro, and it moved thither. Sherman
entered Goldsboro on March 23d to find Schofield in full pos
session with his Twenty-third corps. During the 23d and
24th his whole army came up, and entered the camps assigned
them. By March 25th the railroad to Newbern was open
and supplies began to pour in. Thus the long looked for
junction between Sherman and Schofield was effected, and
thus ended one of the longest and most important marches
ever made by an organized army. Four hundred and twenty-
five miles of hostile country had been traversed, and five large
rivers had been crossed, at any one of which a small force
could have offered serious impediments. The country was
rendered doubly difficult by reason of swamps, which the
rains had filled with water, and the roads were so impassable
that corduroying afforded the only means of advance. Three
important supply cities — Columbia, Cheraw and Fayetteville
— had been captured. The evacuation of Charleston had
been compelled. All the important railroads of South Caro
lina had been broken up, and an immense amount of military
property destroyed. A section of country equal to forty miles
in width had been devastated. Fifty days of midwinter had
been spent in marching and ten in resting. The army had

424 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
arrived in splendid order, with men and teams as fresh as
when they started from Atlanta or Savannah. Counting in
with Sherman's successes those of Schofield and Terry in cap
turing Ft. Fisher, Newbern, Wilmington, etc., and opening
the way to Goldsboro, the whole sea-coast from Savannah to
Newbern had fallen into the National hands in the short space
of sixty days, and an army of one hundred thousand disciplined
and victorious soldiers were in position for further operations.
March 23d was memorable in the annals of the war as a
consummation of those vast plans which for months had been
in operation, and which had brought within supporting dis
tance of Grant a force equal to any further emergency. The
very next day he ordered that celebrated move which was to
turn Lee's right and force him from his Richmond base.
After joining Schofield, Sherman felt strong enough to en
counter Johnston, even if it should happen that Lee made
his escape and effected a junction with him. He regarded
himself as virtual master of the situation.
On March 25th, Sherman went up to City Point, to com
municate in person with Grant. It happened that President
Lincoln was present, on a visit to the front. Sheridan had
come in from his eventful Virginia raid. There was, there
fore, a meeting of distinguished officials and a comparison of
views which were to have immediate bearing on the future.
On March 28th Sherman returned to his army, fully in
formed as to the part he was to play in the Spring campaign,
then about to begin.
A volume might be filled with the letters of congratulation
and information which awaited Sherman's arrival at Golds
boro, and with his replies to them. We can find room only
for the gist of one or two, which show how wide awake Sher
man was to his immediate surroundings, and to the possibili
ties of the near future. Under date of March 24th, he wrote

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 425
Grant : " I send you a copy of my orders of this morning,
the operation of which will, I think, soon complete our
roads. The telegraph is now done to Morehead City, and by
it I learn that stores have been sent to Kinston in boats, and
that our wagons are loading with rations and clothing. By
using the Neuse as high up as Kinston, hauling from there
twenty-six miles, and by equipping the two roads to More-
head City and Wilmington, I feel certain we can not only
feed and equip the army, but in a short time fill our wagons
for another start. I feel certain, from the character of the
fighting, that we have got Johnston's army afraid of us. He
himself acts with timidity and caution. His cavalry alone
manifests spirit, but limits its operations to our stragglers
and foraging parties. My marching columns of infantry do
not pay the cavalry any attention, hut walk right through it.
I think I see pretty clearly how, in one more move we can
checkmate Lee, forcing him to unite Johnston with him in the
defence of Richmond, or to abandon the cause. I feel cer
tain, if he leaves Richmond, Virginia leaves the Confed
eracy. I will study my maps a little more before giving my
positive views. I want all possible information of the Roan
oke as to navigability, how far up, and what draught."
Admiral Dahlgren concludes a letter to Sherman, dated
April 20th, and describing the coast operations in his (Sher
man's) behalf, thus : —
" No one can question the excellence of your judgment in
taking the track you did, and I never had any misgivings,
but it was natural to desire to go into the place with a strong
hand, for, if any one spot in the land was foremost in the
trouble, it was Charleston.
Your campaign was the final blow, grand in conception,
complete in execution ; and now it is yours to secure the last
army which rebeldom possesses. I hear of your being in

426 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
motion by the 9th, and hope that the result may be all that
you wish.
Tidings of the murder of the President have just come,
and shocked every mind. Can it be that such a resort finds
root in any stratum of American opinion ? Evidently it has
not been the act of one man, nor of a madman. Who have
prompted him ? "

CHAPTER XV.

Sherman's interview with Grant, at City Point, on March
28th, 1865, must have been a most interesting one. Imagine
the weighty subjects discussed there, and the suggestions and
plans for the future — a future which could not but be preg
nant with revelations. Grant foreshadowed what might take
place in view of Sheridan's successful raid and the despera
tion engendered by Sherman's union with Schofield at Golds
boro. He also made known his intention of forcing Lee's
right, and driving him to the alternative of starvation or cut
ting loose from Richmond. He was emphatic that a crisis
impended, and his only apprehension was that Lee might not
wait to catch the full effect of his intended blow. Sherman
supplemented the views of his chief with the encouragement
that he regarded his army as strong enough to fight both Lee
and Johnston, provided Grant could come up in the rear
within a day or two. He also pledged himself to be at Burks-
ville in a fortnight, which point would cut off Lee's commu
nication and force him into the open. Both Grantand Sherman
agreed that one more bloody battle would have to be fought.
Sherman supposed it would fall on him. Grant thought, that
if Lee tarried for a few days it would necessarily fall on him.
It turned out that Grant was right, for Five Forks settled
the fate of Lee.
It was agreed at this interview that Sherman should be
ready to move from Goldsboro by April 10th, and that then
(427)

428 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
he should start for the Roanoke River, and thence either
strike the Danville road or join Grant's forces. Grant's own
movement to Lee's right had been fixed for March 29th. He
was then confronting Lee's army of 70,000 effectives, with his
own of 111,000, and it would necessarily take him some days
to ascertain the effect of his intended move. This would give
Sherman ample time to get ready, and hence the 10th of April
was fixed for him. He had much to do in the way of re
shaping his organization and replenishing his stores. He ar
rived at Goldsboro, from City Point, on March 30th, and at
once went actively to work. His army assumed its old tri
partite shape, prior to the Atlanta campaign, and now
stood : —
Army of the Tennessee, Gen. O. O. Howard :
Fifteenth Corps  15,670 men.
Seventeenth Corps  13,164 "
Total  28,834 men.
This army constituted his right wing :
Army op Georgia, Gen. H. W. Slocum :
Fourteenth Corps  15, 098 men.
Twentieth Corps  12,965 "
Total  28, 063 men.
This army composed his left wing:
Army of the Ohio, Gen. J. M. Schofield :
Tenth Corps  13,099 men.
Twenty -third Corps  14,293 '*
Total  26,392 men.
Cavalry Division, Gen. J. Kilpatrick :
Aggregate  5,659 men.
A grand total of 88,948 men, with 91 pieces of artillery.
By March 5th, Sherman had things so well forward as to

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 420
warrant the publication of special field orders for the cam
paign. As they involve the entire scheme of operations on his
part, they must find a place here :
For Corps Commanders and Chiefs of Staff:
The next grand objective is to place this army (with its
full equipment) north of Roanoke River, facing west, with a
base for supplies at Norfolk, and at Winton or Murfreesboro
on the Chowan, and in full communication with the Army of
the Potomac about Petersburg, and also to do the enemy as
much harm as possible en route :
1. To accomplish this result the following general plan
will be followed, or modified only by written orders from
these headquarters, should events require a change :
(1.) On Monday, the 10th of April, all preparations aie
presumed to be complete, and the outlying detachments will
be called in or given directions to meet on the next march.
All preparations will also be complete to place the railroad
stock back of Kinston on the one road, and below the North
east Branch on the other.
(2.) On Tuesday, the 1 1th, the columns will draw out on
their lines of march, say about seven miles, and close up.
(3.) On Wednesday the march will begin in earnest, and
will be kept up at the rate, say, of about twelve miles a day,
or according to the amount of resistance. All the columns
will dress to the left (which is the exposed flank), and com
manders will study always to find roads by which they can,
if necessary, perform a general' left wheel, the wagons to be
escorted to some place of security on the direct routeof march.
Foraging and other details may continue as heretofore, only
more caution and prudence should be observed, and foragers
should not go in advance of the advance guard, but look
more to our right rear for corn, bacon and meal.
2. The left wing (Major-General Slocum commanding(

430 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
will aim straight for the railroad bridge near Smithfield;
thence along up the Neuse River to the railroad bridge over
Neuse River northeast of Raleigh (Powell's) ; thence to War
renton, the general point of concentration.
The centre (Major-General Schofield commanding) will
move to Whitley's Mill, ready to support the left until it is
past Smithfield, when it will follow up (substantially) Little
River to about Rolesville, ready at all times to move to the
support of the left ; after passing Tar River, to move to
Warrenton. ,
The right wing (Major-General Howard commanding),
preceded by the cavalry, will move rapidly on Pikeville and
Nahunta, then swing across to Bulah to Folk's Bridge,
ready to make junction with the other armies in case the
enemy offers battle this side of the Neuse River, about Smith-
field; thence, in case of ng serious opposition on the left,
will work up towards Earpsboro', Andrews, B  and War
renton, The cavalry (General Kilpatrick commanding), leaving its
encumbrances with the right wing, will push as though
straight for Weldon until the enemy is across Tar River and
that bridge burned ; then it will deflect toward Nashville and
Warrenton, keeping up communication with general head
quarters. 3. As soon as the army starts, the chief quartermaster and
commissary will prepare a resupply of stores at some point
on Pamlico or Albemarle oounds, ready to be conveyed to
Kinston or Winton and Murfreesboro', according to develop
ments. As soon as they have satisfactory information that
the army is north of the Roanoke, they will forthwith estab
lish a depot at Winton, with a sub-depot at Murfreesboro'.
Major-General Schofield will hold, as heretofore, Wilmington
(with the bridge across Northern Branch as an outpost).

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 431
Newbern (and Kinston as its outpost), and will be prepared
to hold Winton and Murfreesboro' as soon as the time arrives
for that move. The navy has instructions from Admiral
Porter to co-operate, and any commanding officer is author
ized to call on the navy for assistance and co-operation,
always in writing, setting forth the reasons, of which, neces
sarily the naval commander must be the judge.
4. The general-in-chief will be with the centre habitually,
but may in person shift to either flank where his presence may
be needed, leaving a staff officer to receive reports. He
requires, absolutely, a report of each army or grand detach
ment each night, whether anything material has occurred or
not, for often the absence of an enemy is a very important
fact in military prognostication.
By order of Major-General W. T. Sherman.
But now there happened an event which suddenly changed
Sherman's entire movement. As already indicated, Grant
was in the midst of that important and imposing move which
was to try the strength of Lee's right. If this failed, Sheri
dan was to move upon the Danville and Southside railroad,
and thence into North Carolina to join Sherman. This was
expected to enclose both Lee and Johnston at the same time,
and drive them to a common centre. If they attempted to
unite in order to fall on Sherman, Grant could pursue, or
vice versa. Respecting this move, Grant was most anxious,
for he felt that if it should become known, the enemy would
surely retreat. He was even convinced that without such
move the crossing of the Roanoke by Sherman wouldjbe the
signal for Lee to beat a retreat. Under no consideration did
he wish Lee and Johnston to unite, notwithstanding Sher
man's confidence in his ability to handle them both. The
great difficulty would be to get them to stand, and without
this a desultory war might be waged for another year. At

432 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN-
that very hour the Confederate Generals were known to be
conferring respecting a junction.
It is not our purpose to follow this bold movement of
Grant. Suffice it to say it was carried out according to origi
nal instructions, and amid manoeuvres and battles which
were hardly excelled for ingenuity and fierceness during the
war. Grant was constantly in the field giving his personal
supervision to all the details. He forced his lines westward
to Dinwiddie ; drew his right gradually after his left ; fought
the magnificent battle of Five Forks ; forced Lee to shift to
his right with his entire army ; ordered the general assault
on the entire Petersburg lines, which resulted in their capture;
poured his troops over the Confederate entrenchments, cap
turing men and guns promiscuously; forced the flight of
Davis and his cabinet from Richmond; drove on and cap
tured the Confederate capital ; doubled up Lee's left on his
right, and sent him whirling toward the Appomattox goal,
pursued, flanked, confronted.
These stirring and concluding events were sent by letter
from Sunderland, Grant's headquarters, as soon as they oc
curred, April 3d, 1865. As Lee's only hope now seemed
to be to make a westward escape and unite with Johnston,
Grant was more than ever anxious regarding Sherman's
movements, and after narrating the day's doings directed him
to shape his operations in North Carolina so as to bear
directly pn his own. The intervening distance of 150 miles
between the two Union armies now made no difference. In
the e\»nt of Lee's escape" the one would practically become a
wing ofthe other, and the grand battle field would be shifted
from Virginia to North Carolina, and from Richmond to
Raleigh, or thereabouts. Said Grant : " If Lee goes be
yond Danville you (Sherman) will have to take care of him
with the force you have for awhile. Should he do ¦ so you
will want to get on the railroad south of him, to hold it or

GENERAL KOBERT E. LEE.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 435
destroy it, so that it will take him a long time to repair
damages. Should he go to Lynchburg with his whole force
and I get to Burksville there will be no special use in your
going further into North Carolina. There is no con
tingency I can see, "except my failure to take Burksville,
that will make it necessary for you to move on to the Roan
oke as proposed when you were here."
Here then were startling events and wise suggestions which
changed the whole tenor of Sherman's previous orders.
Anticipating the worst, to wit, the escape of Lee and his
junction with Johnston, Sherman re-modeled his orders and
prepared to move on the appointed day, April 10th, direct for
Raleigh, so as to emperil the army of Johnston, known
to be at Smithfield, and fully 35,000 strong. Johnston was
well on his guard, and had strong forces of cavalry on his
right and left, under Wheeler and Hampton, watching any
movement Sherman might make. He replied to Grant's
letter that he would move promptly on the 10th, and would
be prepared to follow Johnston's army wherever it might go.
And with his usual promptitude he was ready, moving in
the direction of Smithfield by way of the Raleigh roads. He
reached Smithfield or the 11th to find it abandoned by
Johnston, who had beat a hasty retreat for Raleigh, burning
bridges behind him. Sherman immediately began the re
storation of bridges, and while at work on them, became the
recipient of the welcome news that Lee had surrendered at
Appomattox. He immediately incorporated the word into a
special field order under date of April 12 th, and promul
gated it to his army as follows :
The general commanding announces to the army that he has
official notice from General Grant that General Lee surren
dered to him his entire army, on the 9th inst., at Appomattox
Court-House, Virginia.
25

436 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Glory to God and our country, and all honor to our com
rades in arms, toward whom we are marching !
A little more labor, a little more toil on our part, the great
race is won, and our Government stands regenerated, after
four long years of war,
W. T. Sherman, Major- General commanding.
Grant had pushed his advantages so persistently, after suc
ceeding in getting Lee out of his fortifications, as to bring him
to terms at Appomattox Court-House, on April 9th 1865.
This event is so momentous, and so much a part of Sherman's
contributory endeavors as to be worthy of a place in his life.
We therefore give a place to the conditions of surrender and
to Badeau's narrative of the attendant incidents. In a spirit
of humanity and in order to appease the pride of a really
noble man, Grant had suggested by letter to Lee the propriety
of stopping further effusion of blood. In response to
this Lee asked for an interview. Grant consented, and
the interview was appointed for the McLean house, at the
village of Appomattox. Then says Badeau : —
" The two armies came together in a long valley at the foot
of a ridge, and Appomattox was on a knoll between the lines,
which could be seen for miles. The McLean house stood a
little apart — a plain building with a verandah in front.
Grant was met by Lee at the threshold. There was a narrow
hall and a naked little parlor, containing a table and two or
three chairs. Into this the generals entered, each at first ac
companied only by a single aide-de-camp, but as many as
twenty national officers shortly followed, among whom were
Sheridan, Ord, and the members of Grant's own staff. No
rebel entered the room but Lee and Colonel Marshall, who
acted as his secretary.
" The two chiefs shook hands, and Lee at once began a con
versation, for he appeared more unembarrassed than his vie-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 437
tor. He, as well as his aide-de-camp, was elaborately dressed.
Lee wore embroidered gauntlets and a burnished sword, the
gift, it was said, of the state of Virginia, while the uniforms
of Grant and those who accompanied him were soiled and
worn ; some had slept in their boots for days, and Grant when
he started for Farmville two days before, had been riding
around in camp without a sword. He had not since visited
his own head-quarters, and was therefore at this moment with
out side-arms. The contrast was singular, and Colonel Mar
shall was asked how it came about that his chief and he were
so fine, while the national officers had been unable to keep
themselves free from the stains of battle and the road. He
replied that Sheridan had come upon them suddenly a day or
two before, and they were obliged to sacrifice their head
quarters train ; and as they could save but one suit of clothes,
each hurriedly selected the best that he had, and so it was
that at this juncture Lee and his aide-de-camp were better
dressed than the men who pursued them.
" Lee was tall, large in form, fine in person, handsome in
feature, grave and dignified in bearing ; if anything, a little
too formal. There was a suggestion of effort in his deport
ment ; something that showed he was determined to die grace
fully; a hint of Caesar muffling himself in his mantle. But
apart from this there was nothing to criticise.
" Grant as usual was simple and composed, but with none
of the grand air about him. No elation was visible in his
manner or appearance. His voice was as calm as ever and his
eye betrayed no emotion. He spoke and acted as plainly as
if he were transacting an ordinary matter of business. No
one would have suspected that he was about to receive the
surrender of an army, or that one of the most terrible wars of
modern times had been brought to a triumphant close by the
quiet man without a sword who was conversing calmly, but

438 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
rather grimly, with the elaborate gentleman in grey and
gold. " The conversation at first related to the meeting of the two
soldiers in earlier yeans in Mexico, when Grant had been a
subaltern and Lee a staff officer of Scott. The rebel general,
however, soon adverted to the object of the interview. ' I asked
to see you, General Grant,' he said, ' to ascertain upon what
terms you would receive the surrender of my army.' Grant
replied that the officers and men must become prisoners Of
war, giving up of course all munitions, weapons and supplies,
butthata parole would be accepted, binding them to go to their
homes, and remain there until exchanged, or released by proper
- authority. Leesaid that he had expected somesuch termsas these
and made some other remark not exactly relevant. Whereupon
•Grant inquired : ' Do I understand, General Lee, that you ac
cept these terms?' 'Yes,' said Lee; 'and if you will put
them into writing, I will sign them.'
" Grant then sat down at the little table and wrote the fol
lowing letter :
"Appomattox Court House, Va., April 9, 1865.
" General : In accordance with the substance of my let
ter to you of the 8th instant, I propose to receive the surren
der of the acrny of Northern Virginia on the following terms,
to wit : Rolls of all the officers and men to be made in dupli
cate, one copy to be given to an officer to be designated by
me, the other to be retained by such officer or of
ficers as you may designate. The officers to give their
individual paroles not to take up arms against the
government of the United States until properly exchanged ;
and each company or regimental commander to sign a like
parole for the men of their commands. The arms, artillery,
and public property to be parked and stacked, and turned
over to tfee officers appointed by me to receive them. This

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 439
will not embrace the side-arms of the officers nor their private
horses or baggage. This done, each officer and man will be
allowed to return to his home, not to be disturbed by United
States authority so long as they observe their paroles and the
laws in force where they may reside.
"U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-General.
"General R. E. Lee."
" While Grant was writing he chanced to look up at Lee,
who sat nearly opposite, and at that moment noticed the
glitter of his sword. The sight suggested an alteration in the
terms, and he inserted the provision that officers should be
allowed to retain their side-arms, horses and personal property.
Lee had accepted Grant's conditions without this stipulation,
and doubtless expected to surrender his sword. But this
humiliation he and his gallant officers were spared. When
the terms were written out, Grant handed the paper to his
great antagonist, who put on his spectacles to read them. He
was evidently touched by their general clemency, and espe
cially by the interpolation which saved so much to the feelings
of a soldier. He said at once that the conditions were mag
nanimous, and would have a very good effect upon his army.
" He next attempted to gain a little more. The horses of
his cavalry and artillery, he said, were the property of the
soldiers. Could these men be permitted to retain their ani
mals ? Grant said the terms would not allow this. Lee took
the paper again, and, glancing over it, said: ''No. You
are right. The terms do not allow it.' Whereupon Grant
replied : ' I believe the war is now over, and that the sur
render of this army will be followed soon by that of alt the
others ; I know that the men, and indeed the whole South,
are impoverished. I will not change the terms of the sur
render, General Lee, but I will instruct my officers who
receive the paroles to allow the cavalry and artillery men to

440 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
retain their horses and take them home to work their little
farms.' Lee again expressed his acknowledgments, and said
this kindness would have the best possible effect.
" He then wrote out his letter of surrender in these words :
" ' Head-quarters, Army of Northern Virginia,
"'April 9, 1865.
" ' General : — I received your letter of this date contain
ing the terms of the surrender of the army of Northern Vir
ginia, as proposed by you. As they are substantially the
same as those expressed in your letter of the 8th instant, they
are accepted. I will proceed to designate the proper officers
to carry the stipulations into effect. " ' R. E. Lee, General.
" ' Lieutenant-general U, S. Grant.'
" While the conditions were being copied the various
national officers were presented to Lee. He was collected
and courteous, bowed to each, but offered none his hand.
One — General Seth Williams — who had served closely with
him in the old army, attempted to revive old memories, but
Lee repelled the advances coldly. He was in no mood to
remember ancient friendships, or to recall pleasantly his ser
vice in the army of which he was now a prisoner, or under
that flag which he had betrayed.
"He had, however, another request to make. His men
were starving ; they had lived, he said, on two ears of corn a
day for several days. Would Grant supply them with food ?
There was a train of cars at Lynchburg loaded with rations,
which had come from Danville for his army. Would Grant
allow these to be distributed among the prisoners? Grant,
however, informed him that this train had been captured the
day before by Sheridan. Thus, at the moment of his surren
der, Lee was absolutely dependent for supplies upon his con
queror. Grant of course acquiesced in the request, and asked

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 44i
how many rations Lee required. But the rebel general
declared that he could not answer the question. He had no
idea of his own strength. No return of a brigade had been
made for several days. Besides those lost in battle, killed,
captured, or wounded and left on the roadside, the men had
been deserting and straggling by thousands. He could not
tell what number he had left. All his public and private
papers had been destroyed, to prevent their falling into the
national hands. Grant finally inquired if twenty-five thous
and rations would suffice ; and Lee replied he thought that
number would be enough. Twenty-five thousand, therefore,
was Lee's estimate at Appomattox of the number he surren
dered. Grant turned to the officer of the commissariat on his
staff, and directed him to issue twenty-five thousand rations
that night to the army of Northern Virginia. The order was
obeyed, and before the rebels gave up their arms they were
fed by their enemies.
"Lee also requested Grant to notify Meade of the sur
render, so that no lives might be needlessly lost on that front ;
and, on account of the distance to Meade's head-quarters, two
national officers were again dispatched with a rebel escort
through the lines of the army of Northern Virginia, this
time carrying the news of the surrender of that army.
" The formal papers were now signed ; a few more words
were exchanged by the men who had opposed each other so
long; they again shook hands, and Lee went to the porch.
The national officers followed and saluted him ; and the
military leader of the rebellion mounted his horse and rode
off to his army, he and his soldiers prisoners of war.
"As the great rebel entered his own lines the men rushed
up in crowds to their chief,, breaking ranks, and struggling to
touch his hand. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he said :
1 Men, we have fought through the war together. I have

442 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
done the best I could for you.' They raised a few broken
cheers for the leader whom they had followed in so many a
fierce battle and arduous march ; and the career ©f the army
of North Virginia was ended.
" Grant also returned at once to his head-quarters' camp,
now pitched almost at the front of Sheridan's command. As
he approached the national lines the news had gone before
him, and the firing of salutes began ; but he sent at once to
stop them. ' The war is over,' he said ; ' the rebels are our
countrymen again, and the best sign of rejoicing after the
victory will be to abstain from all demonstrations in the
field.' But he had not yet reported the capitulation to the
government, and dismounting by the road-side, he sat on a
stone and called for paper and pencil. An aid-de-camp
offered his order book, and at 4.30 P. M. on Sunday, the 9th
of April, he announced the end of the rebellion in these
words :
"Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War, Washington. •
"General Lee surrendered the army of Northern Virginia
this afternoon on terms jproposed by myself. The accom
panying additional correspondence -will show the conditions
fully. "U. S. Grant, Lieutenant- General."
Of his announcement of the fact of Lee's surrender in his
special field order of April 12th, Sherman says : 
" Of course, this created a perfect furore of rejoicing, and
we all regarded the war as over, for I knew well that Gen
eral Johnston had no army with which to oppose mine. So
that the only questions that remained were, would he surren
der at Raleigh, or would ha allow his army to disperse into
guerrilla bands, to ' die in the last ditch,' and entail on his
country an indefinite and prolonged military occupation and
of consequent desolation ? I knew well that Johnston's army
could not be caught ; the country was too open ; and, without

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 443
wagons, the men could escape us, disperse and assemble again
at some place agreed on, and thus the war might be prolonged
indefinitely." On April 15th Sherman entered Raleigh, which had been
abandoned by the enemy, and instantly ordered his columns
to push on in the direction of Charlotte and Salisbury. On
the 14th he received a communication from General John
ston, which was said to have been dictated by Jefferson Davis,
then a refugee, and living on a box car at Greensboro, to the
following effect. It was dated April 13, 1865 : —
" The results of the recent campaign in Virginia have
changed the relative military condition of the belligerents. I
am, therefore, indueed to address you in this form the inquiry
whether to stop the further effusion of blood and devastation
of property, you are willing to make a temporary suspension
of active operations, and to communicate to Lieutenant-Gen-
eral Grant, commanding the armies of the United States, the
request that he will take like action in regard to other armies,
the object being to permit the civil authorities to enter into
the needful arrangements to terminate the existing war."
To this Sherman replied under date of April 14th, from
Raleigh : —
" General J. E. Johnston, commanding Confederate Army.
" General : I have this moment received your communi
cation of this date. I am fully empowered to arrange with
you any terms for the suspension of further hostilities between
the armies commanded by you and those commanded by my
self, and will be willing to confer with you to that end. I
will limit the advance of my main column, to-morrow, to
Morrisville, and the cavalry to the University, and expect that
you will also maintain the present position of your forces un
til each has a notice of failure to agree.
" That a basis of action may be had, I undertake to abide

444 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
by the same terms and conditions as were made by Generals
Grant and Lee at Appomattox Court House, on the 9th in
stant, relative to our two armies; and, furthermore, to obtain
from General Grant an order to suspend the movements of
any troops from the direction of Virginia. General Stoneman
is in my command, and my order will suspend any devastation
or destruction contemplated by him. I will add that I really
desire to save the people of North Carolina the damage they
would sustain by the march of this army through the centra]
or western parts of the State.
" I am, with respect, your obedient servant,
W. T. Sherman, Major-General."
On April 16th, Sherman received a dispatch from John
ston agreeing to meet him at a point midway between his
own forces then at Hillsboro and Sherman's advance, then at
Durham. As Sherman was entering the car to go to the
appointed spot he received the deplorable news of the assassina
tion of President Lincoln, on the night ofthe 14th. Though
perturbed by the sad announcement he kept on his way, and
after meeting Johnston, who was accompanied by Wade
Hampton, he made it his first business to announce the assassi
nation. Johnston was greatly distressed over the news, and
gave expression to the sentiment that the event could not fail
to be calamitous to the Confederacy.
The two generals then proceeded to discuss the object of the
meeting. Sherman took the ground that since Lee had sur
rendered, Johnston could do the same with honor and pro
priety. He, however, refused to accept any terms addressed •
to the government of the United States by those who claimed
to represent the civil power of the Confederacy. The matter
resolved itself, therefore, into such agreement as the two gen
erals, representing the respective armies, might conclude.
Sherman was in doubt about Johnston's authority to speak

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 445
for the Confederate armies, and the interview was Droken off
till he could prove himself s sufficient mouthpiece.
On Sherman's return to Raleigh he issued the following
field order to his army announcing the assassination of Lincoln,
under date of April 17th :
Headquarters Military Division of the Missis- "^
sippi, in the Field, Raleigh, North Caro- /¦
lina, April 17, 1865. J
The general commanding announces, with pain and sor
row, that on the evening of the 14th instant, at the theatre
in Washington city, his Excellency, the President of the
United States, Mr. Lincoln, was assassinated by one who
uttered the State motto of Virginia. At the same time, the
Secretary of State, Mr. Seward, while suffering from a broken
arm, was also stabbed by another murderer in his own house,
but still survives, aud his son was wounded, supposed fatally.
It is believed, by persons capable of judging, that other high
officers were designed to share the same fate. Thus it seems
that our enemy, despairing of meeting us in open, manly
warfare, begins to resort to the assassin's tools.
Your general does not wish you to infer that this is uni
versal, for he knows that the great mass of the Confederate
army would scorn to sanction such acts, but he believes it the
legitimat econsequence of rebellion against rightful author
ity. We have met every phase which this war has assumed,
and must now be prepared for it in its last and worst shape,
that of assassins and guerrillas ; but woe unto the people who
seek to expend their wild passions in such a manner, for
there is but one dread result !
By order of Major-General W. T. Sherman.
On the next day, April 18th, after consulting fully with
his generals, and agreeing that some terms of surrender

446 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
ought to be concluded, he started for his second interview
with Johnston, at the place of the former one. Johnston,
meanwhile had summoned Breckinridge, Confederate Secre
tary of War, and Reagan, Postmaster General, and they had
prepared terms which they thought would be satisfactory to
the authorities they represented. When they presented them,
Sherman objected to dealing with a member of the civic side
of the Confederacy, but on Johnston's representation that
Breckinridge was also a Major-general, and disposed to sink
his office of Secretary of War in his military title, Sherman
consented to hear his views. After discussion was exhausted
Sherman sat down and wrote his views, which ke said he
would first present to President Johnson for approval, pro
vided both armies would maintain the status quo till a reply
could be received. Both Johnston and Beckinridge assented
to Sherman's views and to the extensions of the truce. The
truce did not effect Sherman's railroad building in his rear,
and he took advantage of the time to complete his connections
back to Raleigh.
We here reach another period in Sherman's career when he
was subjected to severe criticism by the authorities at Wash
ington, and when he ran counter to a very pronounced senti
ment throughout the country. It is very difficult for a
historian to reflect the exact situation, for it was complicated
in the extreme and much clouded by the passions ofthe hour.
Perhaps the best way to treat it is to let the documents bear
ing on it speak for themselves. This much, however, can be
safely ventured in advance, that in all his acts relating to
Johnston's surrender and throughout the entire controversy, it
gave rise to, no reflection can be cast on Sherman's integrity
ability or loyalty. He acted along the line of high and
honorable conviction, and did what he conscientiously thought
best for the country. Here is his announcement to Grant, or

LIFE OP GENERAL SHERMAN. 447
Halleck, of his agreement with Johnston, together with a
memorandum of its terms :
Headquarters, Military Division of the Missis- ")
sippi, in the Field, Raleigh, N. C, April 18, V
1865. J
Lieutenant- General U. S. Grant,
or Maj or- General Halleck, Washington D.C.:
General : I enclose herewith a copy of an agreement
made this day between General Joseph E. Johnston and
myself, which, if approved by the President of the United
States, will produce peace from the Potomac to the Rio
Grande. Mr. Breckinridge was present at our conference, in
the capacity of major-general, and satisfied me of the ability
of General Johnston to carry out to their full extent the
terms of this agreement ; and if you will get the President
to simply endorse the copy, and commission me to carry out
the terms, I will follow them to the conclusion.
You will observe that it is an absolute submission of the
enemy to the lawful authority of the United States, and
disperses his armies absolutely; and the point to which I
attach most importance is that the dispersion and disband-
ment of these armies is done in such a manner as to prevent
their breaking up into guerrilla bands. On the other hand,
we can retain just as much of an army as we please. I
agreed to the mode and manner of the surrender of arms
set forth, as it gives the States the means of suppressing
guerrillas, which we could not expect themto do if we stripped
them of all arms.
Both Generals Johnston and Breckenridge admitted that
slavery was dead, and I could not insist on embracing it in
such a paper, because it can be made with the States in detail.
I know that all the men of substance South sincerely want

448 LIFE OP GENERAL SHERMAN.
peace, and I do not believe they will resort to war again
during this century, I have no doubt that they will in future
be perfectly subordinate to the laws of the United States.
The moment my action in this matter is approved, I can
spare five corps, and will ask for orders to leave Gen. Scho
field here with the Tenth corps, and to march myself with
the Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Seventeenth, Twentieth and Twen
ty-third corps via Burkesville and Gordonsville to Frederick
or Hagerstown, Maryland, there to be paid and mustered
out. The question of finance is now the chief one, and every
soldier and officer not needed should be got home at work.
I would like to be able to begin the march north by May 1st.
I urge, on the part of the President, speedy action, as it is
important to get the Confederate armies to their homes as
well as our own.
I am, with great respect, your obedient servant,
W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General commanding.
Memorandum, or Basis of Agreement, made this 18th day of
April, A. D. 1865, near Durham's Station, in the State
of North Carolina, by and between General Joseph E.
Johnston, commanding the Confederate Army, and Major-
General William T. Sherman, commanding the Army of
the United States in North Carolina, both present:
1. The contending armies now in the field to maintain the
statu quo un^il notice is given by the commanding general of
any one to its opponent, and reasonable time, say forty-eight
hours, allowed.
2. The Confederate armies now in existence to be disbanded
and conducted to their several State capitals, there to deposit
their arms and public property in the State arsenal ; and each
officer and man to execute and file an agreement to cease

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 449
from acts of war, and to abide the action of the State and
federal authority ; the number of arms and munitions of
war to be reported to the chief of ordinance at Washington
city, subject to the future action of the Congress of the
United States, and, in the meantime, to be used solely to
maintain peace and order within the borders of the States
respectively. 3. The recognition, by the Executive ofthe United States,
of the several State governments, on their officers and legis
latures taking the oaths prescribed by the Constitution of the
United States, and, where conflicting State governments have
resulted from the war, the legitimacy of all shall be sub
mitted to the Supreme Court of the United States.
4. The re-establishment of all the Federal courts in the
several States, with powers as defined by the Constitution of
the United States and of the States respectively.
5. The people and inhabitants of all the States to be guar
anteed, so far as the Excutive can, their political rights and
franchises, as well as their rights of person and property, as
defined by the Constitution of the United States and of the
States respectively.
6. The executive authority of the government of the United
States not to disturb any of the people by reason of the late
war, so long as they live in peace and quiet, and obey the
laws in existence at the place of their residence.
7. In general terms, the war to cease ; a general amnesty,
so- far as the Executive of the United States can command,
on condition of the disbandment of the Confederate armies,
the distribution of the arms, and the resumption of peaceful
pursuits by the officers and men hitherto composing said
armies. Not being fully empowered by our respeetive principals to
fulfill these terms, .we individually and officially pledge

4so LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
ourselves to promptly obtain the necessary authority, and to
carry out the above programme.
W. T. Sherman, Major. General,
Commanding Army of the United States in North Carolina.
J. E. Johntson, General,
Commanding Confederate States Army in North Carolina.
Grant promptly submitted Sherman's letter and memo
randum of agreement with Johnston to the President, and
immediately received the following from the Secretary of War :
War Department, Washington City, April 21, 1865.
Lieutenant- General Grant:
General : The memorandum or basis agreed upon between
General Sherman and General Johnston having been submit
ted to the President, they are disapproved. You will give
notice of the disapproval to General Sherman, and direct him
to resume hostilities at the earliest moment.
The instructions given to you by the late President, Abra
ham Lincoln, on the 3d of March, by my telegraph of that
date, addressed to you, express substantially the views of
President Andrew Johnson, and will be observed by General
Sherman. A copy is herewith appended.
The President desires that you proceed immediately to the
head-quarters of Major-General Sherman, and direct opera
tions against the enemy. Yours truly,
Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War.
On the same date, he sent the response of the Secretary of
War to Sherman, accompanied by the following letter : —
Headquarters, Armies of the United States, \
Washington, D. C, April 21, 1865. j
Major-General W. T. Sherman,
Commanding Military Division of the Mississippi :
General : The basis of agreement entered into between
yourself and General J. E. Johnston, for the disbandment of

PRESIDENT LINCOLN.

FIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 453
the Southern army, and the extension of the authority of the
general government over all the territory belonging to it, is
received. I read it carefully myself before submitting it to the Presi
dent and Secretary of War, and felt satisfied that it could
not possibly be approved. My reason for these views I will
give you at another time, in a more extended letter.
Your agreement touches upon questions of such vital im
portance that, as soon as read, I addressed a note to the Sec
retary of War, notifying him of their receipt, and the import
ance of immediate action by the President ; and suggested, in
view of their importance, that the entire cabinet be called
together, that all might give an expression of their opinions
upon the matter. The result was a disapproval by the Presi
dent of the basis laid down ; a disapproval of the negotiations
altogether — except for the surrender of the army commanded
by General Johnston, and directions to me to notify you of
this deeision. I cannot do so better than by sending you the
enclosed copy of a dispatch (penned by the late President,
though^signed by the Secretary of War) in answer to me, on
sending a letter received from General Lee, proposing to meet
me for the purpose of submitting the question of peace to a
convention of officers.
Please notify General Johnston immediately on receipt of
this and resume hostilities against his army at the earliest
moment you can, acting in good faith.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
. U. S. Grant, Lieutenant- General.
The War Department, in one of its official bulletins, which
were published at the time, made the following public an
nouncement : —
War Department, Washington, April 22, 1865.
Yesterday evening a bearer of dispatches arrived from
26

454 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
General Sherman. An agreement for the suspension of hos
tilities, and a memorandum of what is called a basis for peace,
had been entered into on the 18th inst., by General Sherman,
with the rebel General Johnston. Brigadier-General Breck
enridge was present at the conference.
A cabinet meeting was held at eight o'clock in the evening,
at which the action of General Sherman was disapproved by the
President, by the Secretary of War, by General Grant, and
by every member of the cabinet. General Sherman was
ordered to resume hostilities immediately, and was directed
that the instructions given by the late President, in the fol
lowing telegram which was penned by Mr. Lincoln himself
at the Capitol, on the night of the 3d of March, were approved
by President Andrew Johnson, and were reiterated to govern
the action of military commanders.
On the night of the 3d of March, while President Lincoln
and his cabinet were at the Capitol, a telegram from General
Grant was Drought to the Secretary of War, informing him
that General Lee had requested an interview or conference,
to make an arrangement for terms of peace. The letter of
General Lee was published in a letter to Davis and to the
rebel congress. General Grant's telegram was submitted to
Mr. Lincoln, who after pondering a few minutes, took up his
pen and wrote with his own hand the following reply, which
he submitted to the Secretary of State and the Secretary of
War. It was then dated, addressed, and signed by the Sec
retary of War, and telegraphed to General Grant.
The following is President Lincoln's dispatch to Grant,
which became the basis of the terms upon which Lee sur
rendered : —
Washington, March 3, 1865, 12 P. M.
" Lieutenant- General Grant :
" The President directs me to say to you that he wishes

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 455
you to have no conference with General Lee, unless it be for
the capitulation of General Lee's army, or on some minor or
purely military matter. He instructs me to say that you are
not to decide, discuss, or confer upon any political questions.
Such questions the President holds in his own hands, and will
submit them to no military conferences or conventions.
" Meantime, you are to press to the utmost your military
advantages.
Edward M. Stanton,
Secretary of War."
Meanwhile a second bulletin relating to the delicate
subject appeared from the War Department. It ran as
follows : —
The orders of General Sherman to General Stoneman to
withdraw from Salisbury and join him will probably open the
way for Davis to escape to Mexico or Eilrope with his plun
der, which is reported to be very large, including not only the
plunder from the Richmond banks, but previous accumula
tions. A dispatch received by this department from Richmond
says : " It is stated here, by respectable parties, that the
amount of specie taken south by Jeff Davis and his partisans
is very large, including not only the plunder ofthe Richmond
banks, but previous accumulations. They hope, it is said, to
make terms with General Sherman, or some other commander,
by which they will be permitted, with their effects, including
this gold plunder, to go to Mexico or Europe. Johnston's
negotiations look to this end."
After thecabinet meetinglastnight, General Grant started for
North Carolina, to direct operations against Johnson's
army.
Edward M. Stanton,
Secretary of War.

456 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Simultaneously with the appearance of the above bulletiny
the following reasons for rejecting Sherman's memorandum
of agreement was issued to the public, not as constituting an
official document, yet with the sanction of the authorities : —
1st. It was an exercise of authority not vested in General
Sherman, and on its face, shows that both he and Johnston
knew that General Sherman had no authority to enter into
any such arrangement.
2d. It was a practical acknowledgment of the rebel govern
ment. 3rd. It undertook to re-establish rebel State governments,
that had been overthrown at the sacrifice of many thousand
loyal lives and immense treasure, and placed arms and mu
nitions of war in the hands of rebels at their respective capi
tals, which might be used, as soon as the armies of the United
States were disbanded, and used to conquer and subdue loyal
States. 4th. By the restoration of rebel authority in these respective
States, they would be enabled to re-establish slavery.
5th. It might furnish a ground of responsibility on the part
of the Federal government to pay the rebel debt ; and cer
tainly subject loyal citizens of rebel States to debts contracted
by rebels in the name' of the Stale.
6th. It puts in dispute the existence of loyal State govern
ments, and the new State of West Virginia, which had been
recognized by every department of the United States govern
ment, 7th. It practically abolished confiscation laws, and released
rebels of every degree, who had slaughtered our people, from*
all pains and penalties for their crimes.
8th. It gave terms that had been deliberately, repeatedly,
and solemnly rejected by President Lincoln, and better terms
than the rebels had ever asked in their most prosperous con
dition.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 457
9th. It formed no basis of true and la-sting peace, but re
lieved rebels from the presence of our victorious armies, and
left them in a condition to renew their efforts to overthrow
the United States government and subdue the loyal states,
whenever their strength was recruited, and any opportunity
should offer.
On April 24, 1865, General Grant arrived in Raleigh,
where he met Sherman, who handed him the following
letter: —
Headquarters Military Division of the Missis
sippi, in the Field, Raleigh, North Caro
lina, April 25, 1865. j
" Lieutenant- General U. S. Grant, present :
" General : I had the honor to receive your letter of
April 21st, with enclosures yesterday, and was well pleased
that you came along-, as you must have observed that I held
the military control so as to adapt it to any phase the case
might assume. - ,
" It is but just I should record the fact, that I made my
terms with General Johnston under the influence of the liberal
terms you extended to the army of General Lee, at Appomat
tox Court House, on the 9th, and the seeming policy of our
government, as evinced by the call of the Virginia legislature
and Governor back to Richmond, under yours and President
Lincoln's very eyes.
" It now appears this last act was done, without any con
sultation with you or any knowledge of Mr. Lincoln, but
rather in opposition to a previous policy, well considered.
" I have not the lea-it desire to interfere in the civil policy
of our government, but would shun it as something not to my
liking; but occasions do arise when a prompt seizure of re
sults is forced on military commanders not in immediate com
munication with the proper authority. It is probable that the

458 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
terms signed by General Johnston and myself were not clear
enough on the point, well understood between us, that our ne
gotiations did not apply to any parties outside the officers and
men of the Confederate armies, which could easily have been
remedied. "No surrender of any army not actually at the mercy of an
antagonist was ever made without ' terms,' and these always
define the military status ofthe surrendered. Thus you stip
ulated that the officers and men of Lee's army should not be
molested at their homes so long as they obeyed the laws at the
place of their residence.
" I do not wish to discuss these points involved in our rec
ognition ofthe state governments in actual existence, but will
merely state my conclusions, to await the solution of the fu
ture. " Such action on our part in no manner recognizes for a
moment the so-called Confederate government, or makes us
liable for its debts or acts.
" The laws, and acts done by the several states during the
period are void, because done without the oath prescribed by
our Constitution of the United States, which is a 'condition
precedent.' " We have a right to use any sort of machinery to produce
military results ; and it is the commonest thing for military
commanders to use the civil governments in actual existence
as a means to an end. I do believe we could and can use the
present state governments lawfully, constitutionally, and as
the very best possible means to produce the object desired,
viz. : entire and complete submission to the lawful authority
of the United States.
" As to punishment for past crimes, that is for the judic
iary, and can in no manner of way be disturbed by our acts ;
and, so far as I can, I will use my influence that rebels shall

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 459
suffer all the personal punishment prescribed by the law, as
also the civil liabilities arising from their past acts.
" AVhat we now want is the new form of law by which
common men may regain the positions of industry, so long dis
turbed by the war.
" I now apprehend that the rebel armies will disperse, and,
instead of dealing with six or seven states, we will have to
deal with numberless bands of desperadoes, headed by such
men as Mosby, Forrest, Red Jackson and others, who know
not and care not for danger and its consequences.
" I am, with great respect, your obedient servant,
" W. T. SHERMAN,
" Major- General commanding."
As negotiations on the lines suggested by Sherman were
now practically off, he prepared the two following messages
to Johnston and submitted them to Grant for approval. On
receiving his approval, they were sent to Johnston by courier.
Headquarters, Military Division of the Mis-")
sissippi, in the Field, Raleigh, N. G, April V
24, 1865—6 a. m. )
General Johnston, eommanding Confederate Army, Greens
boro :
You will take notice that the truce or suspension of hos
tilities agreed to between us will cease in forty-eight hours
after this is received at your lines, under the first of the arti
cles of agreement. W. T. Sherman, Major- General.
The second and most important message ran: —
" I have replies from Washington to my communication of
April 18th. I am instructed to limit my operations to your
immediate command, and not to attempt civil negotiations. /
therefore demand the surrender of your army on the same terms
as were given to General Lee at Appomattox, April 9thinstant,
purely and simply."

460 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Not knowing what Johnston, who was evidently ably ad
vised and coached by the members of the Confederate cabi
net, might do under the .radically changed circumstauces,
Sherman issued orders to his army to resume the pursuit of
Johnston at the end of the forty-eight hours' truce. Gil-
more at Hilton Head was notified to the same effect, and
also Wilson, whose cavalry division was then at or near
Macon. On the next day Sherman sent the following dispatch to
the Secretary, of War :
Headquarters, Military Division of the MiSr"j
sissippi, in the Field, Raleigh, N. C, April Y
25, 1865. >
Son. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War, Washington:
Dear Sir: I have been furnished a copy of your letter
of April 21st to General Grant, signifying your disapproval
of the terms on which General Johnston proposed to disarm
and disperse the insurgents, on condition of amnesty, etc.
I admit my folly in embracing in a military convention any
civil matters; but, unfortunately, such is the nature of our
situation that they seem inextricably united, and I understood
from you at Savannah that the financial state of the country
demanded military success, and would warrant a little bend
ing to policy.
When I had my conference with General Johnston, I had
the public examples before me of General Grant's terms to
Lee's army, and General Weitzel's invitation to the Virginia
legislature to assemble at Richmond.
I still believe the general government ofthe United States
has made a mistake ; but that is none of my business — mine
is a different task; and I had flattered myself that, by four
years of patient, unremitting, and successful labor,, I deserved
no reminder such as is contained in the last paragraph of

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 461
your letter to General Grant. You may assure the President
that I heed nis suggestion. I am, truly etc.,
W. T. Sherman,
Major-General Commanding.
On this date, April 25, Sherman received word from
Johnston to the effect that he would meet him at Bennett's
house on the 26th. Grant advised Sherman to go and meet
him and to propose the same terms as Lee had acceded to at
Appomattox. Sherman went and found Johnston willing to
sign the terms, which were then duly acknowledged and pro
mulgated as follows : —
Terms of a Military Convention, entered into this 26th day of
April, 1865, at Bennett's House, near Durham's Station,
North Carolina, between General Joseph E. Johnston,
Commanding the Confederate Army, and Major-General
W. T. Sherman, Commanding the United States Army,
in North Carolina.
1. All acts of war on the part of the troops under Gen
eral Johnston's command shall cease.
2. All arms and public property to be deposited at Greens
boro' and delivered to an ordnance officer of the United
States army.
3. Rolls of all the officers and men to be made in duplicate;
one copy to be retained by the commander of the troops, and
the other to be given to an officer to be designated by Gen
eral Sherman. Each officer and man to give his individual
obligation in writing not to take up arms against the govern
ment ofthe United States, until properly released from this
obligation. The side-arms of officers, and their private horses and
baggage, to be retained by them.
5. This being done, all the officers and men will be per
mitted to return to their homes, not to be disturbed by the

46* LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
United States authorities so long as they observe their obliga
tion and the laws in force where they may reside.
W. T. Sherman, Major-General,
Commanding United States Forces in North Carolina.
J. E. Johnston, General,
Commanding Confederate States Forces in North Carolina.
Approved : — U. S. Grant, Lieutenant- General.
Immediate steps were taken to carry out the terms of the
above agreement of surrender. This work devolved upon
Schofield, while Sherman prepared to go to Savannah to pie-
pare a base of supplies for Wilson, who was pushing his
cavalry through Georgia. But on the eve of his departure
he was made acquainted, through the newspapers, with the
bulletin of the War Department and the ten reasons given
for rejecting his first memorandum of agreement with Johns
ton. Its appearance in print highly incensed Sherman, and
that especially since the War Department had failed to
notify him in advance of the purpose of the Administration
to limit all negotiations to purely military matters. Stung
by the seeming unfairness of the publication and by the in-
uendoes it contained, Sherman sat down and wrote the fol
lowing to Grant, under date of April 28th, 1865. It was
sent to his Chief with the demand that it also be made public,
so as to counteract the injurious effects of the War Depart
ment's bulletin :
Headquarters, Military Division of the Missis-"
sippi, in the Field, Raleigh, North Caro
lina, April 28, 1865.
Lieutenant- General U. S. Grant, General-in-Chief, Wash-
iugton, D. C:
General : Since you left me yesterday, I have seen the
"New York Times" of the 24th, containing a budget of
military news, authenticated by the signature of the Secre-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 463
tary of War, Hon. E. M. Stanton, which is grouped in such
a way as to give the public very erroneous impressions. It
embraces a copy of the basis of agreement between myself
and General Johnston, of April 18th, with comments, whiwh
it will be time enough to discuss two or three years hence,
after the Government has experimented a little more in the
machinery by which power reaches the scattered people ofthe
vast country known as the "South."
In' the mean time, however, I did think that my rank (if
not past services) entitled me at least to trust that the Secre
tary of War would keep secret what was communicated for
the use of none but the cabinet, until further inquiry could
be made, instead of giving publicity to it along with docu
ments which I never saw, and drawing therefrom inferences
wide of the truth. I never saw or had furnished me a copy
of President Lincoln's dispatch to you of the 3d of March,
nor did Mr. Stanton or any human being ever convey to me
its substance, or any thing like it. On the contrary, I had
seen General Weitzel's invitation to the Virginia Legislature,
made in Mr. Lincoln's very presence, and failed to discover
any other official hint of a plan of reconstruction, or any ideas
calculated to allay the fears of the people of the South, after
the destruction of their armies and civil authorities would
leave them without any government whatever.
We should not drive a people into anarchy, and it is simply
impossible for our military power to reach all the masses of
their unhappy country.
I confess I did not desire to drive General Johnston's army
into bands of armed men, going about without purpose, and
capable only of infinite mischief. But you saw, on your
arrival here, that I had my army so. disposed that his escape
was only possible in a disorganized shape ; and as you did
not choose to " direct military operations in this quarter," I

464 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
inferred that you were satisfied with the military situation ;
at all events, the instant I learned what was proper enough,
the disapproval of the Eresident, I acted in such a manner as
to compel the surrender of General Johnston's whole army on
the same terms which you had prescribed to General Lee's
army, when you had it surrounded and in your absolute
power. Mr. Stanton, in stating that my orders to General Stone
man were likely to result in the escape of " Mr. DaVis to
Mexico or Europe," is in deep error. General Stoneman was
not at " Salisbury," but had gone back to " Statesville."
Davis was between us, and therefore Stoneman was beyond
him. By turning toward me he was approaching Davis, and,
had he joined me as ordered, I would have had a mounted
force greatly needed for Davis's capture, and for other pur
poses. Even now I don't know that Mr. Stanton wants
Davis caught, and as my official papers, deemed sacred, are
hastily published to the world, it will be imprudent for me
to state what has been done in that regard.
As the editor of the Times has (it may be) logically and
fairly drawn from this singular document the conclusion that
I am insubordinate, I can only deny the intention.
I have never in my life questioned or disobeyed an order,
though many and many a time have I risked my life, health
and reputation in obeying orders, or even hints, to execute
plans and purposes, not to my liking. It is not fair to hold
fro:n me the plans and policy of government (if any there be)
and expect me to guess at them ; for facts and events appear
quite different from different standpoints. For four years I
have been in camp dealing with soldiers, and I can assure 3 ou
that the conclusion at which the cabinet arrived with such sin
gular unanimity differs from mine. I conferred freely with
the best officers in this army as to the points involved in this

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 465
controversy, and, strange to say, they were singularly unan
imous in the other conclusion. They will learn with pain and
amazement that I am deemed insubordinate, and wanting in
common sense ; that I, who for four years have labored day
and night, winter and summer ; who have brought an army
of seventy thousand men in magnificent condition across a
country hitherto deemed impassable, and placed it just where
it was wanted, on the day appointed, have brought discredit
on our government ! I do not wish to boast of this, but I do
say that it entitled me to the courtesy of being consulted be
fore publishing to the world a proposition rightfully submit
ted to higher authority for adjudication, and then accompan
ied by statements which invited the dogs of the press to be
let loose upon me. It is true that non-combatants, men who
sleep in comfort and security while we watch on the distant
lines, are better able to judge than we poor soldiers, who
rarely see a newspaper, hardly hear from our families, or stop
long enough to draw our pay. I envy not the task of " re
construction," and am delighted that the Secretary of War
has relieved me of it.
As you did not undertake to assume the management of the
affairs of this army, I infer that, on personal inspection, your
mind arrived at a different conclusion, from that of the Sec
retary of War. I will therefore go on to execute your orders
to the conclusion, and, when done, will with intense satisfac
tion leave to the civil authorities the execution of the task of
which they seem so jealous. But, as an honest man and a
soldier, I invite them to go back to Nashville, for they will
see some things and hear some things that may disturb their
philosophy. With sincere respect,
W. T. Sherman,
Major-General commanding.
We conclude the chapter of incidents which clustered

466 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
around Johnson's surrender with an extract from Captain
Badeau's Military History of Grant. He says : — " The coun
try and posterity will doubtless always hold that Sherman
erred in judgment at this crisis. But it was from the gener
ous impulse of a soldier, who sees his enemy defeated and in
his power, and would blush to strike a fallen foe. He doubt
less also felt a noble ambition to avert any further misery from
the land that had suffered so much, and to restore at once to
a united country the long absent benefits of peace. He had
the knowledge of Grant's clemency at Appomattox, and was
aware of the charity which had animated Lincoln's great
heart. Everything conspired to make him accede too readily
to the specious propositions by means of which the wily Con
federates sought still to secure all they had lost by war. The
frank and outspoken soldier was no match in diplomatic art
for those who had conspired to betray their country, and
piloted the sinking cause of the rebellion through desperate
and stormy years. He did not perceive the object of the
skilful machinations which first suggested the presence of a
cabinet officer, and then secured amnesty for the rebel
government. He was looking so intently to the respite from
war that the precautions of politicians and statesmen were
neglected. But the mistake outside of his profession left no
blot on his career as a soldier or reputation as a patriot, and
never for one moment disturbed his relations with his chief
and friend."
Sherman's own resentment was particularly intense at the
time, and it required all of Grant's tact to prevent an
open rupture between Sherman and Stanton. Indeed, years
passed before his sense of injustice was allayed. He wrote
several private letters to Grant, in which he expressed his
burning indignation at the Secretary of War. These letters
were not made public till long years afterward, and then

LIFE OP GENERAL SHERMAN. 4&7
only with Sherman's consent, and with his written endorse
ment upon them, in which he said the facts and his con
victions remained the same, and that the only change a lapse
of years had suggested was a less hasty and more cautious
expressions of his thoughts.
Some years after the end of the rebellion, Sherman pub
lished a chapter on the "Military Lessons of the War" as a
conclusion to his Memoirs. We make a few extracts from it,
as a fitting close to that field career whence those lessons
were drawn :
"That civil war, by reason ofthe existence of slavery, was
apprehended by most of the leading statesmen of the half
century preceding its outbreak, is a matter of notoriety.
General Scott told me on my arrival at New York, as early
as 1850, that the country was on the eve of civil war; and
the Southern politicians openly asserted that it was their pur
pose to accept as a casus belli the election of General Fremont
in 1856 ; but, fortunately or unfortunately, he was beaten by
Mr. Buchanan, which simply postponed its occurrence for
four years. Mr. Seward had also publicly declared that no
government could possibly exist half slave and half free; yet
the Government made no military preparation, and the North
ern people generally paid no attention, took no warning of its
coming, and would not realize its existence till Fort Sumter
was fired on by batteries of artillery, handled by declared
e'iemies, from the surrounding islands and from the city of
Charleston. "General Bragg, who certainly was a man of intelligence,
and who, in early life, ridiculed a thousand times, in my
hearing, the threats ofthe people of South Carolina to secede
from the Federal Union, said to me in New Orleans, in Feb
ruary, 1861, that he was convinced that the feeling between
the slave and free States had become so embittered that it was

468 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
better to part in peace ; better to part anyhow ; and, as a
separation was inevitable, that the South should begin at
once, because the possibility of a successful effort was yearly
lessened by the rapid and increasing inequality between the
two sections, from the fact that all the European immigrants
were coming to the Northern States and Territories, and none
to the Southern.
" The slave population in 1860 was near four millions, and
the money value thereof not far from twenty-five hundred
million dollars. Now, ignoring the moral side of the ques
tion, a cause that endangered so vast a moneyed interest was
an adequate cause of anxiety and preparation, and the North
ern leaders surely ought to have foreseen the danger and
prepared for it. After the election of Mr. Lincoln in 1860,
there was no concealment of the declaration and preparation
for war in the South. In Louisiana, as I have related, men
were openly enlisted, officers were appointed, and war was
actually begun, in January, 1861. The forts at the mouth of
the Mississippi were sc'zed, and occupied by garrisons that
hauled down the United States flag and hoisted that of the
State. The United States Arsenal at Baton Rouge was cap
tured by New Orleans militia, its garrison ignominiously
sent off, and the contents of the arsenal distributed. These
were as much acts of war as was the subsequent firing on
Fort Sumter, yet no public notice was taken thereof; and
when, months afteward, I came North, I found not one single
sign of preparation. It was for this reason, somewhat, that
the people of the South became convinced that those of the
North were pusillanimous and cowardly, and the Southern
leaders were thereby enabled to commit their people to the
war, nominally in defense of flieir slave property. Up to the
hour of the firing on Fort Sumter, in April, 1861, it does
seem to me that our public men, our politicians, were blamable
for not sounding the note of alarm.

GEN'L JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 471
" Then, when war was actually begun, it was by a call for
seventy-five thousand " ninety-day " men, I suppose to fulfill
Mr. Seward's prophecy that the war would last but ninety
days. " The earlier steps by our political government were ex
tremely wavering and weak, for which an excuse can be
found in the fact that many of the Southern representatives
remained in Congress, sharing in the public councils and in
fluencing legislation. But as soon as Mr. Lincoln was in
stalled, there was no longer any reason why Congress and
the cabinet should have hesitated. They should have meas
ured the cause, provided the means, and left the Executive
to apply the remedy.
"At the time of Mr. Lincoln's inauguration, viz., March 4,
1861, the Regular Army, by law, consisted of two regiments
of dragoons, two regiments of cavalry, one regiment of
mounted rifles, four regiments of artillery and ten regiments
of infantry, admitting of an aggregate strength of thirteen
thousand and twenty-four officers and men. On the sub
sequent 4th of May, the President, by his own orders (after
ward sanctioned by Congress), added a regiment of cavalry,
a regiment of artillery, and eight regiments of infantry,
which, with the former army, admitted of a strength of
thirty-nine thousand nine hundred and seventy-three ; but
at no time during the war did the Regular Army attain a
strength of twenty-five thousand men.
" To the new regiments of infantry was given an organiza
tion differing from any that had heretofore prevailed in this
country — of three battalions of eight companies each ; but at
no time' did more than one of these regiments attain its full
standard ; nor in the vast army of volunteers that was raised
during the war were any of the regiments of infantry formed
on the three battalion system, but these were universally
27

472 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
single battalions of ten companies : so that, on the reorgani
zation of the Regular Army at the close ofthe war, Congress
adopted the form of twelve companies for the regiments of
cavalry and artillery, and that of ten companies for the in
fantry, which is the present standard.
" The corps is the true unit for grand campaigns and bat
tle; should have a full and perfect staff, and everything
requisite for separate action, ready at all times to be detached
and sent off for any nature of service. The general in com
mand should have the rank of lieutenant-general, and should
be, by experience and education, equal to anything in war.
Habitually with us he was a major-general, specially selected
and assigned to the command by an order of the President
— constituting in fact a separate grade.
" The division is the unit of administration, and is the
legitimate command of a major-general.
" The brigade is the next subdivison, and is commanded
by a brigadier-general.
" The regiment is the family. The colonel, as the father,
should have a personal acquaintance with every officer and
man, aud should instill a feeling of pride and affection for
himself, so that his officers and men would naturally look to
him for personal advice and instruction. In war the regi
ment should never be subdivided, but should always be main
tained entire. In peace this is impossible.
" The company is the true unit of discipline, and the cap
tain is the company. A good captain makes a good com
pany, and he should have the power to reward as well as
punish. The fact that soldiers would naturally like to have
a good fellow for their captain is the best reason why he
should be appointed by the colonel or by some superior au
thority, instead of being elected by the men.
" No army can be efficient unless it be a unit for action ;

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 473
and the power must come from above, not from below : the
President usually delegates his power to the commander-in-
chief, and he to the next, and so on down to the lowest ac
tual commander of troops, however small the detachment.
No matter how troops come together, when once united, the
highest officer in rank is held responsible, and should be
consequently armed with the fullest power of the Execu
tive, subject only to law and existing orders.
" The Regular Army and the Military Academy at West
Point have in the past provided, and doubtless will in the
future provide an ample supply of good officers for future
wars; but should their numbers be insufficient, we can always
safely rely on the great number of young men of education
and force of character throughout the country, to supplement
them. At the close of our civil war, lasting four years, some
of our best corps and division generals, as well as staff offi
cers, were from civil life; but I cannot recall any of the
most successful who did not express a regret that he had not
received in early life instruction in the elementary principles
of the art of war, instead of being forced to acquire this
knowledge in the dangerous and expensive school of actual
war. But the real difficulty was, and will be again, to obtain
an adequate number of good soldiers. We tried almost
every system known to modern nations, all with more or less
success — voluntary enlistments, the draft, and bought substi
tutes — and I think that all officers of experience will confirm
my assertion that the men who voluntarily enlisted at the
outbreak of the war were the best, better than the conscript,
and far better than the bought substitute.
" The greatest mistake made in our civil war was in the
mode of recruitment and promotion. When a regiment be
came reduced by the necessary wear and tear of service, in-

474 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
stead of being filled up at the bottom, and the vacancies
among the officers filled from the best non-commissioned offi
cers and men, the habit was to raise new regiments, with new
colonels, captains, and men, leaving the old experienced bat-
tallions to dwindle away into mere skeleton organizations.
I believe with the volunteers this matter was left to the
States exclusively, and I remember that Wisconsin kept her
regiments filled with recruits, whereas other States generally
filled their quotas by new regiments, and the result was that
we estimated a Wisconsin regiment equal to an ordinary
brigade. " On a road, marching by the flank, it would be considered
" good order " to have five thousand men to a mile, so that a
full corps of thirty thousand men would extend six miles,
but with the average trains and batteries of artillery the
probabilities are that it would draw out to ten miles. On a
long and regular march the divisions and brigades should
alternate in the lead, the leading division should be on the
road by the earliest dawn, and march at the rate of about
two miles, or, at most, two and a-half miles an hour,
so as to reach camp by noon. Even then the rear divisions
and trains will hardly reach camp much before night.
" The ' feeding ' of an army is a matter of the most vital
importance, and demands the earliest attention of the general
intrusted with a campaign. To be strong, healthy and
capable of the largest measure of physical effort, the soldier
needs about three pounds gross of food per day, aud the horse
or mule about twenty pounds. When a general first estimates
the quantity of food and forage needed for an army of fifty or
one hundred thousand men, he is apt to be dismayed, and
here a good staff is indispensable, though the general cannot
throw off on them the responsibility. He must give the sub
ject his personal attention, for the army reposes in him alone,

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 475
and should never doubt the fact that their existence overrides
in importance all other considerations.
" On long marches the artillery and wagon-trains should
always have the right of way, and the troops should impro
vise roads to one side, unless forced to use a bridge in common,
and all trains should have escorts to protect them, and to
assist them in bad places. To this end, there is nothing like
actual experience, only, unless the officers in command give
the subject their personal attention, they will find their
wagon-trains loaded down with tents, personal baggage, and
even the arms and knapsacks of the escort. Each soldier
should, if not actually ' sick or wounded,' carry his musket
and equipments containing from forty to sixty rounds of am
munition, his shelter-tent, a blanket or overcoat, and an extra
pair of pants, socks and drawers, in the form of a scarf, worn
from the left shoulder to the right side in lieu of knapsack,
and in his haversack he should carry some bread, cooked
meat, salt and coffee.
" Where an army is near one of our many large navigable
rivers, or has the safe use of a railway, it can usually be sup
plied with the full army ration, which is by far the best fur
nished to any army in America or Europe ; but w.hen it is
compelled to operate away from such a base, and is dependent
on* its own train of wagons, the commanding officer must exer
cise a wise discretion in the selection of his stores. In my
opinion there is no better food for man than beef-cattle driven
on the hoof, issued liberally, with salt, bacon, and bread.
Coffee has also become almost indispensable, though many
substitutes were found for it, such as Indian-corn, roasted,
ground, and boiled as coffee ; the sweet-potato, and the seed
ofthe okraplant prepared in the same way.
" The sick, wounded, and dead of an army are the subjects
of the greatest possible anxiety, and add an immense amount

476 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
of labor to the well men. Each regiment in an active cam
paign should have a surgeon and two assistants always close
at hand, and each brigade and division should have an ex
perienced surgeon as a medical director. The great majority
of wounds and of sickness should be treated by the regi
mental surgeon, on the ground, under the eye of the colonel.
As few should be sent to the brigade or division hospital as
possible, for the men always receive better care with their
own regiment than with strangers, and as a rule the cure is
more certain; but when men receive disabling wounds, or
have sickness likely to become permanent, the sooner they go
far to the rear the better for all. The tent or the shelter of a
tree is a better hospital than a house, whose walls absorb
fetid and poisonous emanations, and then give them back to
the atmosphere. To men accustomed to the open air, who
live on the plainest food, wounds seem to give less pain, and
are attended with less danger to life than to ordinary soldiers
in barracks.
" Wonnds which, in 1861, would have sent a man to the
hospital for months, in 1865 were regarded as mere scratches,
rather the subject of a joke than of sorrow. To new soldiers
the sight, of blood and death always has a sickening effect,
but soon men become accustomed to it, and I have heard them
exclaim on seeing a dead comrade borne to the rear, J Well,
Bill has turned up his toes to the daises.' Of course,jduring
a skirmish or battle, armed men should never leave their ranks
to attend a dead or wounded comrade — this should be seen to
in advance by the colonel, who should designate his musicians
or company cooks as hospital attendants, with a white rag on
their arm to indicate their office. A wonnded man should go
himself (if able) to the surgeon near at hand, or, if he need
help, he should receive ir from one of the attendants and not
a comrade. It is wonderful how soon the men accustom

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 477
themselves to these simple rules. In great battles these mat
ters call for a more enlarged attention, and then it becomes
the duty of the division general to see that proper stretchers
and field-hospitals are ready for the wounded, and trenches are
dug for the dead. There should be no real neglect of the
dead, because it has a bad effect on the living ; for each sol
dier values himself and comrade as highly as though he were
living in a good house at home.
"The regimental chaplain, if any, usually attends the
burials from the hospital, should make notes and communi
cate details to the captain of the company, and to the family
at home. Of course it is usually impossible to mark the
grave with names, dates, etc., and consequently the names of
the ' unknown ' in our national cemeteries equal about one-
half of all the dead.
"Very few of the battles in which I have participated
were fought as described in European text-books, viz., iu
great masses, in perfect order, manoeuvring by corps, divisions,
and brigades. We were generally in a wooded country, and,
though our lines were deployed according to tactics, the men
generally fought in strong skirmish-lines, taking advantage
of the shape of ground, and of every cover. We were gen
erally the assailants, and in wooded and. broken countries the
' defensive ' had a positive advantage over us, for they were
always ready, had cover, and always knew the ground to
their immediate front ; whereas we, their assailants, had to
grope our way over unknown ground, and generally found a
cleared field or prepared entanglements that held us for a time
under a close and withering fire. Rarely did the opposing
lines in compact order come into actual contact, but when, as
at Peach-Tree Creek and Atlanta, the lines did become com
mingled', the men fought individually in every possible style,
more frequenty with the musket clubbed than with the

478 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
bayonet, and in some instances the men clinched like wrestlers,
and went to the ground together. Europeans frequently criti
cised our war, because we did not always take full advantage
of a victory ; the true reason was, that habitually the woods
served as a screen, and we often did not realize the fact that
our enemy had retreated till he was already miles away and
was again intrenched, having left a mere skirmish-line to cover
the movement, in turn to fall back to the new position.
"Our war was fought with the muzzle-loading rifle. Toward
the close I had one brigade (Walcutt's) armed with breech-
loading ' Spencer's ' ; the cavalry generally had breech-loading
carbines, ' Spencer's ' and ' Sharp's,' both of which were good
arms. " The only change that breech-loading arms will probably
make in the art and practice of war will be to increase the
amount of ammunition to be expended, and necessarily to be
carried along ; to still further ' thin out' the lines of attack,
and to reduce battles to short, quick, decisive conflicts. It
does not in the least affect the grand strategy, or the necessity
for perfect organization, drill and discipline. The companies
and battalions will be more dispersed, and the men will be
less under the immediate eye of their officers, and therefore a
higher order of intelligence and courage on the part of the
individual soldier will be an element of strength.
" When a regiment is deployed as skirmishers, and crosses
an open field or woods, under heavy fire, if each man runs
forward from tree to tree, or stump to stump, and yet preserves
a good general alignment, it gives great confidence to the
men themselves, for they always keep their eyes well to the
right and left, and watch their comrades ; but when some few
hold back, stick too close or too long to a comfortable log, it
often stops the line and defeats the whole object. Therefore,
the more we improve the fire-arm the more will be the ncces-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 479
sity for good organization, good discipline and intelligence on
the part of the individual soldier and officer. There is, of
course, such a thing as individual courage, which has a value
in war, but familiarity with danger, experience in war and its
common attendants, and personal habit, are equally valuable
traits, and these are the qualities with which we usually have
to deal in war.
" Modern wars have not materially changed the relative
values or proportions of the several arms of service ; infantry,
artillery, cavalry and engineers. If any thing, the infantry
has heen increased in value. The danger of cavalry attempt
ing to charge infantry armed with breech-loading rifles was
fully illustrated at Sedan, and with us very' frequently. So
improbable has such a thing become that we have omitted the
infantry-square from our recent tactics. Still, cavalry against
cavalry, and as auxiliary to infantry, will always be valuable,
while all great wars will, as heretofore, depend chiefly on the
infantry. Artillery is more valuable with new and inexpe
rienced troops than with veterans. In the early stages of the
war the field-guns often bore the proportion of six to a
thousand men ; but toward the close of the war one gun, or
at most two, to a thousand men, was deemed enough. Sieges,
such as characterized the wars of the last century, are too
slow for this period of the world, and the Prussians recently
almost ignored them altogether, penetrated France between
the forts, and left a superior force " in observation," to watch
the garrison and accept its surrender when the greater events
of the war ahead made further resistance useless : but earth-
forts, and especially field-works, will hereafter play an im
portant part in wars, because they enable a minor force to
hold a superior one in check for a time, and time is a most
valuable element in all wars. It was one of Prof. Mahan's
maxims that the spade was as useful in war as the musket,

480 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
and to this I will add the axe. The habit of intrenching
certainly does have the effect of making new troops timid.
When a line of battle is once covered by a good parapet,
made by the engineers or by the labor of the men themselves,
it does require an effort to make them leave it in the face of
danger; but when the enemy is intrenched, it becomes abso
lutely necessary to permit each brigade and division of the
troops immediately opposed to throw up a corresponding
trench for their own protection in case of a sudden sally.
" In camp, and especially in the presence of an active
enemy, it is much easier to maintain discipline than in bar
racks in time of peace. Crimes and breaches of discipline
are much less frequent, and the necessity for courts-martial
far less. The captain can usually inflict all the punishment
necessary, and the colonel should always. The field-officers'
court is the best form for war, viz., one of the field-officers —
the lieutenant-colonel or major — can examine the case and
report his verdict, and the colonel should execute it. Of
course, there are statutory offenses which demand a general
court-martial, and these must be ordered by the division or
corps commander ; but the presence of one of our regular
civilian judge advocates in an army in the field would be a
first-class nuisance, for technical courts always work mischief.
Too many courts-martial in any command are evidence of
poor discipline and inefficient officers.
" For the rapid transmission of orders in an army covering
a large space of ground, the magnetic telegraph is by far the
best, though habitually the paper and pencil, with good
mounted orderlies, answer every purpose. I have little faith
in the signal service by flags and torches, though we always
used them ; because, almost invariably when they were
most needed, the view was cut off by intervening trees, or by
mists and fogs. The value of the magnetic telegraph in war

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 481
cannot be exaggerated, as was illustrated by the perfect con
cert of action between the armies in Virginia and Georgia
during 1864. Hardly a day intervened when General Grant
did not know the exact state of facts with me, more than
fifteen hundred miles away as the wires ran. So on the field
a thin insulated wire may be run on improvised stakes or
from tree to tree for six or more miles in a couple of hours,
and I have seen operators so skillful, that by cutting the wire
they would receive a message with their tongues from a dis
tant station.
"The value of railways is also fully recognized in war
quite as much as, if not more so than, in peace. The Atlanta
campaign would simply have been impossible without the use
of the railroads from Louisville to Nashville— one hundred
and eighty-five miles — from Nashville to Chattanooga — one
hundred and fifty-one miles — and from Chattanooga to
Atlanta — one hundred and thirty-seven miles. Every mile
of this ' single track ' was so delicate, that one could in a
minute have broken or moved a fail, but our trains usually
carried along the tools and means to repair such a break.
We had, however, to maintain strong guards and garrison at
each important bridge or trestle — the destruction of which
would have necessitated time for rebuilding. For the pro
tection of a bridge, one or two log block-hoftses, two stories
high, with a piece of ordnance and a small infantry guard
usually sufficed. The block-house had a small parapet and
a ditch about it, and the roof was made shot-proof by earth
piled on.
"For the transfer of large armies by rail, from one theatre
of action to another by the rear — the cases of the tranfer of
the Eleventh and Twelfth Corps — General Hooker, twenty-
three thousand men — from the East to Chattanooga, eleven
hundred and ninty-two miles in seven days, in the fall of

482 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
1863 ; and that of the Army ofthe Ohio — Generald Schofield,
fifteen thousand men — from the valley of the Tennessee to
Washington, fourteen hundred miles in eleven days en
route to North Carolina in January, 1865, are the best ex
amples of which I have any knowledge, and reference to
these is made in the report of the Secretary of War, Mr.
Stanton, dated November 22, 1865.
"Engineer troops attached to an army are habitually em
ployed in supervising the construction of forts or field works
of a nature more permanent than the lines used by the troops
in motion, and in repairing roads and making bridges. I
had several regiments of this kind that were most useful, but
as a rule we used the infantry, or employed parties of freed-
mc ., who worked on the trenches at night while the soldiers
slept, and these in turn rested by day.
" For the passage of rivers, each army corps had a pontoon
train, with a detachment of engineers, and, on reaching a
river, the leading infantry division was charged with the labor
of putting it down. Generally the single pontoon train
could provide for nine hundred feet of bridge, which suf
ficed ; but when the rivers were very wide, two such trains
would be brought together, or the single train was supple
mented by a trestle bridge or bridges made on crib work, out
of timber found near the place. The pontoons in general
use were skeleton frames, made with a. hinge, so as to fold
back and constitute a wagon body. In this same wagon
were carried the cotton canvas cover, the anchor and chains,
and a due proportion of the balks, chesses, and lashings. All
the troops became very familiar with their mechanism and
use, and we were rarely delayed by reason of a river, how
ever broad.
" In relation to guards, pickets, and vedettes, I doubt if
any discoveries or improvements were made during our war,

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 483
or in any of the modern wars in Europe. These precautions
vary with the nature of the country and the situation of each
army. When advancing or retreating in line of battle, the
usual skirmish-line constitutes the picket-line, and may have
"reserves," but usually the main line of battle constitutes the
reserve. " For flank-guards and rear-guards, one or more compan
ies should be detached under their own officers, instead of
making up the guard by detailing men from the several com
panies. "For regimental or camp guards, the details should be
made according to existing army regulations; and all the
guards should be posted early in the evening, so as to afford
each sentinel or vedette a chance to study his ground before
it becomes too dark.
In like manner as to the staff. The more intimately it
comes into contact with the troops, the more useful and valu
able it becomes. The almost entire separation of the staff
from the line, as now practised by us, and hitherto by the
-French, has proved mischievous, and the great retinues of
staff-officers with which some of our earlier generals began
the war were simply ridiculous. A bulky staff implies a
division of responsibility, slowness of action, and indecision,
whereas a small staff implies activity and concentration of
purpose. The smallness of General Grant's staff throughout
the civil war forms the best model for future imitation. So
of tents, officers' furniture, etc., etc. In real war these
should all be discarded, and an army is efficient for action
and motion exactly in the inverse ratio of its impedimenta.
Tents should be ommitted altogether, save one to a regiment
for an office, and a few for the division hospital. Officers
should be content with a tent fly, improvising poles and
shelter out of bushes. The tente d'abri, or shelter-tent, car-

484 LIFE ®F GENERAL SHERMAN.
ried by the soldier himself, is all-sufficient. Officers should
never seek for houses, but share the condition of their men.
" In this country, as in France, Congress controls the great
questions of war and peace, makes all laws for the creation
and government of armies, and votes the necessary supplies,
leaving to the President to execute and apply these laws,
especially the harder task of limiting the expenditure of pub
lic money to the amount of the annual appropriations. The
executive power is further subdivided into seven great de
partments, and to the Secretary of War is confidecTthe gen
eral care of the military establishment, and his powers are
further subdivided into ten distinct and separate bureaus.
" The chiefs of these bureaus are under the immediate
orders of the Secretary of War, who, through them, in fact
commands the army from " his office," but cannot do so " in
the field " — an absurdity in military if not civil law.
" The subordinates of these staff corps and departments
are selected and chosen from the army itself, or fresh from
West Point, and too commonly construe themselves into the
elite, as made of better clay than the common soldier. Thus
they separate themselves more and more from their com
rades of the.line, and in process of time realize the condition
of that old officer of artillery who thought the army would
be a delightful place for a gentleman if it were not for the
d  d soldier; or, better still, the conclusion of the young
lord in "Henry IV.," who told Harry Percy (Hotspur) that
' but for those vile guns he would himself have been a sol
dier.' This is all wrong ; utterly at variance with our demo
cratic form of government and of universal experience ; and
now that the French, from whom we had copied the system,
have utterly " proscribed " it, I hope that our Congress will
follow suit. I admit, in the fullest force, the strength of the
maxim that the civil law should be superior to the military

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 485
in time of peace ; that the army should be at all times sub
ject to the direct control of Congress ; and I assert that, from
the formation of our government to the present day, the Reg
ular Army has set the highest example of obedience to law
and authority ; but, for the very reason that our army is
comparatively so very small, I hold that it should be the
best possible, organized and governed on true military prin
ciples, and that in time of peace we should preserve the
" habits and usages of war," so that, when war does come,
we may not again be compelled to suffer the disgrace) confu
sion and disorder of 1861.
" The commanding officers of divisions, departments and
posts should have the amplest powers, not only to command
their troops, but all the stores designed for their use, and the
officers of the staff nscessary to administer them within the
area of their command ; and then with fairness they could
be held to the most perfect responsibility. The President
and Secretary of War can command the army quite as well
through these generals as through the subordinate staff offi
cers. Of course, the Secretary would, as now, distribute
the funds according to the appropriation bills, and reserve to
himself the absolute control and supervision of the larger
arsenals and depots of supply. The error lies in the law, or
in the judicial interpretation thereof, and no code of army
regulations can be made that meets the case until Congress,
like the French Corps Legislatif, utterly annihilates and
' proscribes ' the old law and the system which has grown up
under it.
" I believe that every general who has handled armies in
battle must recall from his own experience the intensity of
thought on some similar occasion, when by a single command
he had given the finishing stroke to some complicated action;
but to me recurs another thought that is worthy of record,

486 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN
and may encourage others who are to follow us in our profes
sion. I never saw the rear of an army engaged in battle but
I feared that some calamity had happened at the front — ap
parent confusion, broken wagons, crippled horses, men lying
about dead and maimed, parties hastening to and fro in seem
ing disorder, and a general apprehension of something dread
ful about to ensue ; all these signs, however, lessened as I
neared the front, and there the contrast was complete — perfect
order, men and horses full of confidence, and it was not unusual
for general hilarity, laughing aud cheering. Although can
non might be firing, the musketry clattering, and the enemy's
shot hitting close, there reigned a general feeling of strength
and security that bore a marked contrast to the bloody signs
that had drifted rapidly to the rear ; therefore, for comfort
and safety, I surely would rather be at the front than the rear
line of battle. So also on the march, the head of a column
moves on steadily, while the rear is alternately halting and
then rushing forward to close up the gap ; and all sorts of
rumors, especially the worst, float back to the rear. Old
troops invariably deem it a special privilege to be in the front
— to be at the 'head of column' — because experience has
taught them that it is the easiest and most comfortable place,
and danger only adds zest and stimulus to this fact.
"The hardest task in war is to lie in support of some po
sition or battery, under fire, without the privilege of return
ing it ; or to guard some train left in the rear, within hearing
but out of danger ; or to provide for the wounded and dead
of some corps which is too busy ahead to care for its own.
" To be at the head of a strong column of troops, in the
execution of some task that requires brain, is the highest
pleasure of war — a grim one and terrible, but which leaves
on the mind and memory the strongest mark ; to detect the
weak point of an enemy's line ; to break through with vehe-

GENERAL WM. T. SHERMAN. (1890).

FIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 489
mence and thus lead to victory ; or to discover some key -point
and hold it with tenacity ; or to do some other distinct act
which is afterward recognized as the real cause of success.
These all become matters that are neve'r forgotten. Other
great difficulties, experienced by every general, are to measure
truly the thousand-and-one reports that come to him in the
midst of conflict ; to preserve a clear and well-defined purpose
at every instant of time, and to cause all efforts to converge
to that end.
" To do these things he must know perfectly the strength
and quality of each part of his own army, as well as that of
his oponent, and must be where he can personally see and ob
serve with his own eyes, and judge with his own mind. No
man can properly command an army from the rear, he must
be 'at its front ; " and when a detachment is made, the com
mander thereof should be informed of the object to be accom
plished, and left as free as possible to execute it in his own
way ; and when an army is divided up into several parts, the
tuperior should always attend that one which he regrads as
most important.
" Lastly, mail facilities should be kept up with an army if
possible, that officers and men may receive and send letters to
their friends, thus maintaining the home influence of infinite
assistance to discipline. Newspaper correspondents with an
army, as a rule, are mischievous. They are the world's gos
sips, pick up and retail the camp scandal, and gradually drift
to the headquarters of some general, who finds it easier to
make reputation at home than with his own corps or division.
They are also tempted to prophesy events and state facts
which, to an enemy reveal a purpose in time to guard against
it. Moreover, they are always bound to. see facts colored by
the partisan or political character of their own patrons, and
hus bri ng army officers into the political controversies of the
28

480 LIFE OP GENERAL SHERMAN.
day, which are always mischievous and wrong. Yet, so
greedy are the people at large for war news, that it is doubt
ful whether any army commander can exclude all reporters
without bringing down on himself a clamor that may imperil
his own safety. Time and moderation must bring a just solu
tion to this modern difficulty."

CHAPTER XVl.
IN TIME OF PEACE.
It is unnecessary to mention here the long line of surren
ders of Confederate forces which followed the surrender of
Lee to Grant and of Johnston to Sherman, and ushered in the
reign of peace. The aggregate of prisoners surrendered under
the capitulation of Johnston embraces his army of 36,81 7
men, at Greensboro, N. C, and 52,453 scattered in Georgia
and Florida— total, 89,270. On April 29th, Sherman started
on his Savannah trip, and saw to the preparations for the ar
rival of Wilson's troopers. On May 2d, he began his return
journey, and arrived at Fortress Monroe on May 8th, where
he telegraphed to Grant for orders. His army had arrived
at Manchester, on its northward march, and when orders
came, they were to the effect that the march should be con
tinued to Alexandria, Va. By May 20th, all of Sherman's army
was in camp about Alexandria. On the next day he visited
Washington and accepted an invitation to witness the grand
and final review of the Army of the Potomac which had been
appointed for May 23, 1865. The review of his own army
was appointed for the next day, May 24th. It was a mag
nificent day, and punctually at 9 A. M., Sherman and his
staff rode down Pennsylvania Avenue, followed by Logan at
the head of the Fifteenth corps. When the grand reviewing
stand was reached Sherman took his position by the side of
the President, and witnessed the passage of his veterans for
six hours and a half. His four corps, Fifteenth, Seven-
(49i)

492 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
teenth, Twentieth and Fourteenth, sixty-five thousand strong,
moved with the regularity of clock-work during all these
hours, and concluded their two-thousand miles' march in the
capital and amid the plaudits of the nation. Sherman was
justly proud ofthe appearance of his men, and pronounced
his army the best in existence.
After this fitting conclusion to his many and long cam
paigns, Sherman issued the following eloquent and character
istic order of dismissal to his troops, supplementing it with a
tabular statement of their marches : —
Headquarters Military Division of the Missis
sippi, in the Field, Washington, D. C, May
30, 1865.
The general commanding announces to the Armies of the
Tennessee and Georgia that the time has come for us to part.
Our work is done, and armed enemies no longer defy us.
Some of you will go to your homes, and others will be re
tained in military service till further orders.
And now that we are all about to separate, to mingle with
the civil world, it becomes a pleasing duty to recall to mind
the situation of national affairs when, but little more than a
year ago, we were gathered about the cliffs of Lookout
Mountain, and all the future was wrapped in doubt and uncer
tainty. Three armies had come together from distant fields, with
separate history, yet bound by one common cause — the union
of our country, and the perpetuation of the Government of
our inheritance. There is no need to recall to your memories
Tunnel Hill, with Rocky-Face Mountain and Buzzard-Roost
Gap, and the ugly forts of Dalton behind.
We were in earnest, and paused not for danger and diffi
culty, but dashed through Snake-Creek Gap and fell on
Resaca ; then on to the Etowah, to Dallas, Kenesaw ; and the

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 493
heats of summer found us on the banks of the Chattahoochee,
far from home, and dependent on a single road for supplies.
Again we were not to be held back by any obstacle, and
crossed over and fought four hard battles for the possession of
the citadel of Atlanta. That was the crisis of our history.
A doubt still clouded our future, but we solved the problem,
destroyed Atlanta, struck boldly across the State of Georgia,
severed all the main arteries of life to our enemy, and Christ
mas found us at Savannah.
Waiting there only long enough to fill our wagons, we
again began a march which, for peril, labor and results, will
compare with any ever made by an organized army. The
floods of the Savannah, the swamps of the Combahee and
Edisto, the " high hills " and rocks of the Santee, the flat
quagmires ofthe Pedee and Cape Fear Rivers, were all passed
in midwinter, w'th its floods and rains, in the face of an
accumulating enemy ; and, after the battles of Averysboro'
and Bentonville, we once more came out ofthe wilderness, to
meet our friends at Goldsboro. Even then we paused only
long enough to get new clothing, to reload our wagons, again
pushed on to Raleigh and beyond, until we met our enemy
suing for peace, instead of war, and offering to submit to the
injured laws of his and our country. As long as that enemy
was defiant, nor mountains, nor rivers, nor swamps, nor
hunger, nor cold, had checked us; but when he, who had
fought us hard and persistently, offered submission, your
general thought it wrong to pursue him farther, and negotia
tions followed, which resulted, as you all know, in his sur
render. How far the operations of this army contributed to the final
overthrow of the Confederacy and the peace which now dawns
upon lis, must be judged by others,, not by us; but that you
have done all that men could do has been admitted by those

494 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
in authority, and we have a right to join in the universla joy
that fills our land because the war is over, and our government
stands vindicated before the world by the joint action of the
volunteer armies and navy of the United States.
To- such as remain in the service, your general need only
remind you that success in the past was due to hard work
and discipline, and that the same work and discipline are
equally important in the future. To such as go home, he will
only say that our favored country is so grand, so extensive,
so diversified in clima e, soil and productions, that every man
may find a home and occupation suited to his taste ; none
should yield to the natural impatience sure to result from our
past life of excitement and adventure. You will be invited
to seek new adventures abroad ; do not yield to the tempta
tion, for it will lead only to death and disappointment.
Your general now bids you farewell, with the full belief
that, as in war you have been good soldiers, so in peace you
will make good citizens ; and if, unfortunately, new war
should arise in our country, "Sherman's army" will be the
first to buckle on its old armor, aud come forth to defend and
maintain the government of our inheritance.
By order of Major-General W. T. Sherman,
L. M. Dayton, Assistant Adjutant- General.
General Sherman continued in command of the Military.
Division of the Mississippi for nearly a year after the close
of the war with head-quarters at St. Louis. His duties were,
of course, not arduous, yet they were at times, manifold and
tantalizing, owing to the confusion of political and military
matters. On July 25th 1866 Lieutenant-General Grant was promo
ted to the grade of General of the Army, and Major-General
Sherman was promoted to the rank. of Lieutenant-General,
tlie place made vaaant by Grant's promotion. He still con-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 495
tinued to reside in St. Louis, in enjoyment of his honors, and
amid a life of comparative freedom from harassing details of
office. In 1869, when Grant was elected President, the specially
created rank of General was conferred on Sherman, who now
moved his head-quarters to Washington, where he added
the highest social distinction to his military fame, and devel
oped to the fullest those traits which may be said to have
rounded out and rendered unique his life in time of peace.
The intellectual advantage that he had over his associates was
in his readiness of expression. He was an easy aud elegant
writer upon almost any topic of the day. He was also a
ready speaker. He had a directness of style and a blunt elo
quence which always captivated an audience. He was so
direct and so honest as to produce with the simplest phrases
the profoundest impression. He was one of the most upright
men. He was patriotic to the verge of passion. No one -who
bas been in the public life in this country was ever more de
voted to its highest and best interests. Upon this subject he was
always eloquent. His character was noted forits strong quality
of common sense. At the height of his popularity as a Gen
eral of the Army he was never tempted for a moment by any
of the flattering offers of. the politicians to permit his great
name to be used in politics. He would often say i — ¦
" I am a soldier out and out. For that I am trained, and
for that career I am fitted. I have to-day arrived at the cli
max of my ambition. I am General of the Army, and at its
head. I desire nothing more. I do not propose to risk my
name and fame in the field of partisan politics. I want to
leave my reputation free fro^a tarnish to my children."
From this resolution General Sherman never swerved. He
was never more sorely tempted thau during the period of the
Chicago, Convention which nominated Mr. Blaine, The pol
iticians then came to him and said :

496 LIFE OF GENERAL SHEEMAN
" With your name we can carry the convention."
The combination which came to the General was a strong
one. It controlled certainly enough votes to have tempted
any man with Presidential ambitions, but General Sherman
said " No " from the first. The committee which called oh
him told him flatly and frankly that they should not consider
his refusal, but that they should go ahead and use their own
judgment. It was then that the General sat down and dic
tated that brusque letter which ex-Senator Henderson caused
to be read to the convention, and which showed clearly to
every one that no possible combination of circumstances could
force General Sherman to accept a nomination. The general
was hot-tempered. He despised petty technicalities. Whan
in the War Department, the bureau people fretted him with
the endless red tape, which of necessity came to him when he
took charge of the great army machine. But while he was
imperious and high-tempered, he was, withal, one of the kind-
«st-hearted and most just of men. He would apologize for
any hasty word with the earnest vigor of a manly man con
victed of having made a mistake. He ran into controversy
with the Secretary of War under Hayes, and when the Pres
ident sustained the Secretary, Sherman asked for permission
to move his headquarters to St. Louis. This, permission was
given him to the great despair of his staff officers. He packed
up the whole establishment, and for the first time since the
close of the war the headquarters ofthe army were in another
place than at the Capital. After several years of exile in St.
Louis, where he was unhappy and discontented, General Sher
man was persuaded to bring back the headquarters of the
army with him, but only after the offending Secretary of War,
Mr. McCreary, had retired.
At the War Department he was a close worker. He had
great energy -and great decision of character. He could

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 497
transact business rapidly. He had keen intuitions and formed
impressions as rapidly as a woman. He was a strange com
bination of iron self-control and passionate emotional capa
bilities. He rarely prepared himself for any speechmaking.
Nearly all of his remarks were off hand, the ideas of which
were suggested to him through the stimulus of the occasion.
He was fond of attending Grand Army gatherings. At
their meetings called camp-fires, he used to appear at his
best. Surrounded by his old associates, he would recount in
a most spirited and entertaining manner stories and experi
ences of his campaigns. He was a man of extreme simplicity
of manners, thoroughly devoid of any pretence. He was in
sympathetic touch with the plain people. He knew all parts
of this country well. He was especially interested in the
West and its development. His habits were good. He used
liquor and tobacco, but always in moderation.
The General had a broad forehead, dark eyes deeply set, a
large Roman nose, a face marked and seamed in its upper
part, and hidden in the lower part by a short gray beard and
mustache. He had a deep voice. Pie was fond of young
people. He loved to go to the theatre. He had the reputation
of being one of the most gallant men in the army. His gal
lantry, however, was kindly and commendable throughout
his whole long life. His great name was never touched by
scandal. He had a fatherly, kindly air, which made a wel
come for him in every house in Washington.
In November, 1871, General Sherman obtained a leave of
absence for twelve months, during which he made a trip to
the old world, visiting the courts and capitals of Europe, and
many of the countries bordering on the Mediterranean. He
was well received wherever he went, and became the subject
of special honors among those who had learned to appreciate
his genius as a soldier. The Khedive of Egypt showed his

498 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
admiration by a rich present to his daughter. He brought
back a rare fund of information, which not only supplemen
ted his former wide experience, but was frequently used to
point his many after-dinner speeches, and as a relish to his
charming anecdotes.
On his return from Europe he took up his residence tem
porarily in Washington, but soon went back to St. Louis
with the intention of remaining there. But a slight misunder
standing with the authorities, relative to taxes or rents, was
so magnified by the local and hostile newspapers that he de
termined to seek a more congenial atmosphere in which to
spend the balance of his days. He courted peace more than
ever, and obeyed his own predilection and a pressing family
influence, in taking up his residence in New York, in 1886,
where he continued to reside till his death, the centre of, a
gradually expanding host of friends and the most courted of
all modern men at fetes, amusements, reunions, anniversar
ies and all social events.
A few months before attaining his sixty-fourth year, the
legal date of retiracy, and at his own request, he retired from
the active list as General, in order to make way for General
Sheridan. His retiracy dated from November 1, 1883, and
he was then entirely in private life. He had not accumulated
much means, but as the full pay of his position — $ 1 3,000 a
year and allowances — followed him into retirement, he had
ample to live upon.
Upon Sherman's retirement from the active list, President
Arthur issued an order in which he said : " The announce
ment of the severance from the command of the army of one
who has been for so many years its distinguished chief can
but awaken in the minds, not only of the army, but of the
people of the United States, mingled emotions of regret and
gratitude — regret at the withdrawal from active military ser-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 499
vice of an officer, whose lofty sense of duty has been a model
for all soldiers since he first entered the army in July, 1840 ;
and gratitude, freshly awakened, for the services of incalcu
lable value rendered by him in the war for the Union, which
his great military genius and daring did so much to end.
The President deems this a fitting occasion to give expression
to the gratitude felt toward General Sherman by his fellow-
citizens, and to hope that Providence, may grant him many
years of health and happiness in the relief from the active
duties of his profession."
He received the title of LL.D. from Dartmouth, Yale,
Harvard, Princeton, and other colleges, and sat as a member
of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institute from
1871 to 1888.
Sherman's family relations were of the most amiable and
devoted type, and this, notwithstanding the fact that much
has been said of their religious discrepancies. He reared six
children, four daughters and two sons, all of whom typed
their father in regard for the domestic estate. In November,
1888, he lost his wife, which was a severe blow. At that
time, as well as on the occasion of his own death, the obse
quious and diminutive minded reporters injected the privacy
of his religion into the publicity of his career, and, it is to be
supposed, reaped the harvest of their sensationalism. There
was really no mystery about this phase of his domestic life.
There could be no mystery about any phase of a life like
Sherman's. As to his son becoming a priest in the Catholic
Church, he settled the matter once for all in an article in the
North American Review of December, 1888 : " I here record
that my immediate family are Catholic; I am not, and can
not be. That is all the public has a right to know." They
had no right to know this, but Sherman, in his usual frank
way so willed it. And as to his own faith, what can the

500 LIFE OP GENERAL SHERMAN.
world wish to learn more than in his reply to the question
respecting his religion : " I believe in God Almighty ; that is
as far as I have got."
A man endowed and circumstanced as Sherman was, natur
ally entered upon serene old age with comfort and pleasure.
He was hale at seventy, and young in spirit even when death
entered its grim appearance. Age modified many of his views
and softened the intensities of a lofty nature. Leisure com
ported with his later tastes and extended the opportunity for
refreshing ancient memories and cultivating kindly surround
ings. But leisure must not be construed as cessation. He
was a worker still, but in the lines of choice, not compulsion.
He surrounded himself with works of art and virtu. He de
lighted in life, especially young life. His delightful New
York home contained paintings and photographs of his great
battles, and of the distinguished actors in the war of the Re
bellion, Plis library was hung with maps of his own draw
ing and of his generals, and these were a subject of constant
reference, either for his own delectation or for the purpose of
imparting answers to inquiries respecting his movements
during the war. Pie was most methodical in his habits, rising
at stated hours, and consuming the day amid surroundings
which contributed to his mental and physical delight. A
looker in upon the old General just before his fatal sickness
thus describes the situation.
"General Sherman is quite gray now. Both his hair and
beard are white. But he is still a very hard-working man.
He lives very quietly with his family at his house on Seventy-
first street, west of Central Park. He is as accessible as any
man in New York, but he has a most direct and positive way
of dealing with bores. It has been stated that the General is
irascible, and so he is to persons who annoy him. To persons
who have some real reasen for calling upon him, he is always

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 501
courteous. A ring at the door-bell of the General's hand
some brownstone residence, brings a pleasant-faced servant
girl to answer the call.
" The old fighter is peculiar in one respect. The girl that
opens his door for visitors never has to go and ask him if he
is in. At the first she tells one that ' the General is in,' or he
is not. That settles it. If he is in he will see you. If you
are a bore, as a good many of his callers are, look out for
squalls, and under any circumstances it is not well to be pro
lix. General Sherman likes one to get to the point at once.
If the visitor is not able to do. this he is likely to be inter
rupted. " There is one sort of a caller who is always received with
warmth, and that is one of General Sherman's old soldiers,
or his ' boys,' as he calls them. Just how much assistance
General Sherman gives to old and unfortunate soldiers it
would be hard to say. No one but himself knows, and he
won't tell. But these are among the more numerous of the
visitors at his house. Besides them there are all sorts and
conditions of callers at his house.
" General Sherman is methodical in his habits and in his
work. He is an early riser. He eats an early and light
breakfast, and afterward is to be seen in his library at the end
of the hall on the parlor floor of his house. He has a com
paratively large library, not entirely made up of military books
either. He has alv/ays had a keen literary taste, and there
are few men who are better posted on the literary and histori
cal records of this and other lands."
Thus glided the hero through the hours of peace and re
tirement toward the inevitable end, which came all unex
pected and too soon, considering his rugged physique and
methodical habits. But disease and death are inexorable.
The office ofthe historian might well conclude here; but

502 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
there is that about our American life, our interchangeability
of ideas, our intercommunication of thoughts, our wide
friendships aud personal minglings, our freedom of expres
sion, our ready wit and anecdotal turn, which may really be
of more service hi the illustration of character than simple
historic analysis, This light we now propose to turn on. If
it is the light of generality, it is no less the light of impar
tiality. Wherein it fails in strict fact, it makes up in dis
interestedness, and if so highly illuminative as to reveal
flaws, it thereby but intensifies virtues. Nearly every advent
of Sherman was the occasion of an anecdote or reminiscence.
These grew more frequent when his mortal sickness was an
nounced. His death awakened a still further spirit of re
calling the past, and entering upon eulogistic mention. We
throw these in as concluding etchings of a grand character,
and without any attempt at plan.
General G. C. Kniffin, who served with Sherman in his
Atlanta campaign narrates the following : —
There had been some brisk skirmishing with General
Johnston's rear guard during the previous day, and an oc
casional ambulance passed up on its way to the hospital at
Marietta. Belated supply trains, and groups of stragglers,
disabled horses and broken-down wagons were scattered
along the road.
Wishing to light my pipe and having no matches, I rode
out into the woods, near the road, where I saw a fire. As I
approached it I found two soldiers holding candles, the light
of which fell upon a map spread upon the ground. Lying
prone upon his breast, with his chin resting upon his left
hand, and with the index finger of his right tracing the lines
upon the map, was General Sherman.
I immediately alighted, and, touching him upon the
shoulder, said : —

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 503
"General, do you know how far you are from head
quarters? It is fully three miles."
He arose at once, and, accepting the offer of my horse,
mounted him and rode away toward the front. Knowing
the habits of the Chief, and that regaining possession of the
animal depended upon keeping him in sight, I promptly dis
mounted my orderly and followed the General to head
quarters. He had not been missed. There was nothing un
usual in the occurrence. He had started out alone for a
walk, and his stout legs had borne him three miles away.
His mind filled with the great problem of the campaign, he
had need to consult a map of the country, and, calling up
two straggling soldiers, bade them light their candles, that he
might then and there settle some doubt as to the trend of a
mountain range, or the direction of a road or water course.
This is not much of a story, but it may serve to show to
people who never served under his leadership how readily he
adapted the material at hand to immediate use.
A reminiscence by General Cyrus Bussey, Assistant Secre
tary of the Interior : —
" I first met General Sherman at Benton Barracks, Mo., in
November, 1861. I had reported there with a full regiment
of cavalry. During the siege of Vicksburg I was chief of
cavalry, and served immediately under General Sherman's
command. I saw much of him during the siege, and led the
advance of his army in the campaign to Jackson against Joe
Johnston's army immediately after the fall of Vicksburg.
After the enemy was routed and driven out of the country
my command occupied the rear, and General Sherman accom
panied me both on the advance and on the return to our
camps in the rear of Vicksburg. So I had an excellent
opportunity of becoming intimately acquainted with him, and
there I formed a great admiration for him as a man and a
general.

504 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
" One circumstance I wish to mention. While waiting at
Jackson after the retreat of Johnston, the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of Mississippi tendered to General Sherman
and his staff a banquet, at which General Frank P. Blair
proposed a toast to General Grant. General Sherman rose
and said : ' I want to respond to that toast. I see that many
newspapers of the country have credited me with originating
the plan adopted by General Grant for the capture of Vicks
burg. I want to say that I am not entitled to this credit.
General Grant alone originated that plan and carried it to
successful completion without the co-operation of any of his
subordinate officers, and in the face of my protest as well as
that of many of the officers.'
" Much more which he said convinced me and every other
officer that he was as loyal to his chief as he was to his
country. It caused us all to have implicit faith in him.
While a rigid disciplinarian, I have witnessed on his part
many kind acts toward private soldiers, who were frequently
found disabled, straggling behind their commands. A con
versation I had with General Sherman, in November, 1861,
shows his insight into the magnitude ofthe struggle that was
just beginning. General Sherman asked me how long I sup
posed the war would last. I answered, having in mind Mr.
Seward's proclamation that ninety days would be sufficient,
that it would require eighteen months. General Sherman
replied: " ' The war will last between four and five years. All the
volunteers now in the array, and all who can be induced to
enlist, will serve their three years ; those who survive will
re-enlist as veteran volunteers, and then the Government will
have to resort to the draft in order to raise enough men to
restore the Union. We will have to abandon the great
wagon trains now being supplied to regiments, and as far as

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 505
possible live off of the country. By this policy the South
will become exhausted and we shall triumph.'
" The history of the next four years proves how true a
prophecy Sherman uttered." '
General Horatio King contributes the following reminis
cence of character and history : General Sherman has felt of
late years that his strength was too strongly taxed by the in
cessant social demands upon him. He never could refuse his
old western associates, but I had some difficulty to persuade
him that he had as many friends in the Army of the Poto
mac, and that he really belonged, not to a section of the Grand
Army, but the whole army. But he almost always acceded
to my request, but at Saratoga Springs, in 1887, he gave me
a most laughable scoring for my persistence. I cannot do
better than give the entire extract from his speech at the ban
quet. He said : " By the law of our land, which is the only
king we \ worship (applause), I was turned out to grass
(laughter), and I was told that I could spend the rest of my
days in peace and retirement. I sought refuge in the city of
St. Louis, where I have many, many friends, and which city
I love very much. I found but little peace there. But I
read, I think, in Dr. Johnson, that peace and quiet could only
be had in a great city or in the forest — in Nature's wilder
ness. I therefore sought it in New York City. (Laughter.)
I then read in Wilhelm Meister, by Goethe, that on the
heights lies repose. I have chosen Cceur de Lion Lake in
Idaho ; and you don't know where it is. But a friend here,
your secretary, Horatio C. King, initiates a new doctrine, that
because I happen to be a survivor, I suppose of the fittest, I
must fulfill all the offices of all my dead comrades ; therefore,
I must come to the reunion of the Army of the Potomac. I
must go to West Point. I must go to Chicago. I must go
to Detroit. I must go wherever au armv band meets, be-
29

506 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
cause I am the only survivor. Where comes the peace ? My
friends, I come with a full heart, God knows. I love you all
because you fought for the common flag. (Applause.) Some
years ago there was a little captain in the army called Bonne
ville ; he got peace and quiet. He asked for two years' leave
of absence and got it ; and he went out to the mountains
where Salt Lake now is ; nobody knew where it was then.
That was about fifty years ago. Bonneville was a little fel
low. God knows when he was born ; I don't. It was be
fore the age of man. He was aide-de-camp with Lafayette
in 1824. He went off and caught beavers and otter, and
fished, and the crows came and cleaned him out, and he kept
out of the way for two years more. He was reported dead.
He went to the adjutant-general and reported, but the adju
tant says, ' Bonneville is dead.' He says, ' I am not dead.'
' Oh, yes,' said the adjutant, ' you are dead ; you are as dead
as a mackerel. Go away from here and don't disturb the
record.' (Laughter.) Bonneville insisted that he was not
dead, and he insisted upon going back on the army register
so that he could get his pay. I fell in with Washington Ir
ving, one of the sweetest men that ever lived and one of your
citizens. (Applause.) He painted the tale of Bonneville so
that his name will pass to history. God bless him and his
memory — Washington Irving ! Now I want your secretary,
Horatio C. King, to just mark me dead (laughter) and I won't
turn up ; I won't bother him as my old friend Bonneville
disturbed Jones. Let me alone, and I will have some peace
the rest of my days."
His last appearance at the Army of the Potomac reunion
was in Portland in July last, and I never saw him in better
spirits. I had really executed a flank movement upon him,
for I had half-promised him that if he would go to the Sara
toga reunion I wouldn't urge him again. So I had quietly

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 507
run on to Portland, explained the situation to Mayor Mel-
cher, and told him if they wanted to secure Sherman's pres
ence the best way was to make him the guest of the city.
This the Common Council immediately did. The very day
the resolution passed that body I met the General at the
meeting ofthe Loyal Legion at Delmonico's. His first greet
ing to me was: "King I'm not going; it's no use. I
can't go. I am getting worn out." I laughingly replied :
"Well, General, I promised you that I wouldn't ask you
again, and I have kept it. But how in the world are you
going to refuse the unanimous request of 35,000 people?"
Well, he went and everything was provided for his comfort
and convenience. Of course he was the central figure, and at
the great meeting in the City Hall was called up as soon as
General F. A. Walker had concluded his oration, which was
a masterly recital of the grand review at Washington at the
close ofthe war. . Naturally, as Walker was addressing the
Army of the Potomac, he confined his description to the re
view of that army with which he was connected. Sherman
noted the omission of any reference to the review of the
second day and touched upon it in his customary mixture of
fun and criticism. He said: "Now, my friends, I have had
a great deal of experience in my life, and I have learned since
I have been upon this stage the grand review in Washing
ton terminated when the Army of the Potomac passed. It
reminds me of a story which General Taylor is said to have
told once to an applicant in Washington who urged his claims
on the ground of having been a hero of the first water at the
battle of Buena Vista. General Taylor said that he had
heard of so many things that had occurred there while he
thought he was there himself, he had come to the conclusion
that he was not there at all. I have heard so much of that
review that I think I was there, and I think that review oc-

508 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
cupied two full days. The first day the Army of the Poto
mac had the floor and I was upon the stage at that time, as I
am now, taking notes and observations that I might profit by
them, for, if you remember, my young friend, and old friends,
too, the Army of the West did not have a very fair standing
in your eyes for discipline and order. 5Tou got your opinion
of us from rebel soldiers, and we chased them 1,800 miles
into your camp. And we found that even the authorities in
Washington had not a very good opinion of our armies.
They thought we were rather liable to disorder. Now I
assure you, my friends, we were a better drilled army than
you were. I ought to know, for I was their commanding
general. "Now, the intervals between divisions were too large and
I kept my eye on them, and watched them all the while.
But the worst mistake was that you Army ot the Potomac
men had two bands right opposite our reviewing stand;
loaned you by the stay-at-homes in Washington. They were
those pampered and well-fed bands that are taught to play
the very latest operas. You men did not understand it, and
did not keep step. A great many of your men turned their eyes
around like country gawks to look at the big people on the
stand. Those are little things. You know there are tricks
in every trade, my friend, tricks in war as well as as in peace.
While I was on the stand Meade came to me, and I said,
'Meade, I'm afraid my poor tatterdemalion corps will make
a poor appearance to-morrow when contrasted with yours.'
Meade said, 'Sherman, the people in Washington are now
so well disposed to the army they will make all allowances,
you needn't be afraid.'
" That evening I got a note from General Auger, saying
that if I wanted those two magnificent bands I could have
them. I said, ' Thank you, but I will stick to my old

LIFE OP GENERAL SHERMAN. 509
bands,' and I sent word to my men, ' Be careful about your
intervals and your tactics. Don't let your men be looking
back over their shoulders. I will give you plenty of time to
go to the Capitol and see everything afterward ; but let them
keep their eyes fifteen feet to the front and march by in the
old customary way.' And they did so. When the review
was over, the two constituted a thing of magnificent propor
tions. As to the patriotism within our hearts, and the prin
ciples that moved those great masses of men to a common
purpose we need not speak, for history has done so, and the
most eloquent tongues in the country have spoken of it, and
nothing more can be said on that point. But on the simple
question of tactics, instruction and discipline, we can take
lessons to the very last days of our life."
General Meigs narrates that " The first time I met General
Sherman was on the return of McDowell's army. I called
on him at his headquarters across the river from Bull Run.
Sherman at that time was in the prime of life, and the meas
ure I then took of him has been fully justified. His nature
was naturally genial and democratic, notwithstanding his
West Point training.
" While we were talking, an enlisted man — an Irish sol
dier — approached, and in rich Irish brogue asked the General
to put his finger in the muzzle of his gun to see that it was
clean. Sherman tried to put him off, but the Irishman in
sisted; when, to get rid of him, Sherman complied, and
laughingly remarked, ' Now go off and mind your business.'
Previous to the war he had served on the Cherokee Com
mission, and his experience at that time he afterward told me
was valuable, as the Cherokee reservation was located in a
large portion of the country through which he subsequently
traveled with his army. Even while in Washington, he was
continually exploring the country, and m a very short time

510 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
had its topography thoroughly mapped in his mind. I may
say that there never was a great general — and Sherman cer
tainly ranks among the greatest — who did not possess this
invaluable faculty, which Marmont, in his treatise on the ser
vice of war, says enables a man not only to see what lies
directly before him, but what lies far beyend the scope of his
vision. Another valuable trait he possessed was that he
reached his conclusions promptly, and then acted upon them.
More than one general failed to achieve greatness in the Union
army because he hesitated when he should have acted.
" General Sherman socially was one of the most charming
of men. If he was brilliant on the field of battle, in the so
cial circle he was the prince of entertainers. His manhood
was symmetrical, his talents as a general .of the first rank,
and his fame immortal."
General Rosecrans says: "I recall a telegram received
from General Sherman one November day in 1864, while I
was in the Department of the Missouri. The telegram read,
' I start to-day for Atlanta, and will make Rome howl.'
"And he did it, too. I had known General Sherman since
1838, although I was not thrown much with him in service.
In 1850 he was paying court to Miss Ewing, and after their
engagement he came all the way to Newport to invite me to
the wedding.
" I had always been a great admirer of General Sherman.
His character as a man was one to command admiration. Of
course, it is difficult to select for comment thereon any partic
ular passage of a life that was so busy and so full of great
deeds." Says another Army officer : —
" General Sherman was^-as everybody knows, a great diner-
out. He loved company, and was a delightful companion at
a banquet. During his fife in Washington he was in great

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 511
demand, and was constantly receiving invitations to luncheons,
dinners and receptions. One afternoon the General was
dressed and ready to go out for a dinner, when he suddenly
stopped and bowed his head in thought. Then, turning to
Mrs. Sherman, he said: 'Emily, I have an invitation to
dinner somewhere this afternoon, but for the life of me I can
not remember where it is.' ' Oh, we can soon remedy that,'
said Mrs. Sherman. ' You stand at the front window until
you see General Van Vliet coming down the street. Go out
and join him, and you will get to the right place.'
" The General followed Mrs. Sherman's advice and reached
the dinner."
Colonel Linn Hartranft, son of ex-Governor Hartranft,
tells the following : —
" The Grand Army of the Republic held its annual encamp
ment in Harrisburg in 1874. Generals Sherman, Sheridan,
Hancock, and others, prominent in the army, were there.
During the encampment, father, who was then Governor,
gave a reception at the Executive Mansion, and the country
people were invited to attend to see the great warriors.
General Sherman was, of course, the central figure. He had
a pleasant word for everybody, and particularly for the
farmers. But I remember the feature of the reception was
the delight- the General took in kissing the pretty, rosy-
cheeked country girls. - By his cheerfulness and his wit he
kept the entire company in good spirits."
General C. H. T. Collis said :
" General Sherman had a presentiment of his approaching
end two weeks before he was taken ill at all. We met on
our way to an affair at ex- Judge Dillon's house. I mentioned
the approaching anniversary of General Grant's birthday,
which occurs April 27th. ' I'll be dead and gone by that
time,' said Sherman, earnestly, with a foreboding look in his

512 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
eye. I laughed at the remark, and tried to cheer him up, as
he seemed a bit blue, but he only answered my jokes with a
more serious manner, saying : ' I feel it coming. Sometimes
when I get home from an entertainment or banquet, especially
these wintry nights, I feel death reaching for me, as it were.
I suppose I'll take cold some night and go to bed, never to
rise again.' The words were prophetic."
The last birthday spent by General Sherman at Washington
was that on which he became 63 years of age — February 8,
1883. In one year more he -would have been retired by
statute, but he anticipated the date by several months in clos
ing his active connection with the army. Knowing of his
purpose to do this, Colonel George B. Corkhill, then District
Attorney, made the General's sixty-third birthday the occa
sion of tendering him an elaborate dinner, which was given
at the host's apartment in the Portland. Twenty-nine gen
tlemen surrounded the table. The menu card of that occasion
now forms an historic souvenir. It is six large leaves of card
board tied in book form with bows of red, white and blue,
and embellished on the outer leaves with a fine portrait oi
General Sherman and scenes from his march to the sea.
Inside the first leaf are these lines, printed in blue with a
red line border to the page, as is the entire menu : —
Fill up the glass ! We drink to-night
To the dark days of the nation.
We drink to days we can't forget,
Of camp and gun and ration.
Fill up ! We drink to Sherman's years,
And we drink to the march he led us ;
To the hard work done, and the victories won,
When fortune illy served us.
We drink to twenty years ago,
When Sherman led our banner;
His mistresses were fortresses,

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 513
Here is a Sherman anecdote which has the double merit of
being true and of having special significance as to the dispo
sition of his body. About two years before his death, Gen
eral Sherman asked Ex-Governor Cornell, then chairman of
the Grant Memorial Committee, what were the prospects of
he memorial. " It will be built, General," answered Cor
nell. " It will be a splendid mausoleum, and a place shall be
reserved for you in it beside Grant." " No, no," responded
Sherman, very decidedly. " No mausoleum for me. I want
no such thing. When I die, give me a grave and a $75
tombstone, that's all."
General Sherman was a great admirer of the Grand Army
ofthe Republic, and wherever veterans ofthe war gathered,
reminiscences flowed fast and freely of the great commander's
visits to the Grand army camp-fires, and of his tender regard
and affection for the soldier boys. It has been truthfully said
that General Sherman preferred a camp-fire with the rank
and file of his men about him, to any other public gather
ing. " You see, a camp-fire with his boys," says a war veteran,
" was not a public affair to him. It was like a gathering at
home. He was with his family, for he, in his great big
heart, always called his soldiers his ' boys,' and every man
who fought under him was proud to be one of his boys.
That feeling of affection between him and his men always
made the camp-fires which he attended a great treat."
At a meeting of the Loyal Legion in Philadelphia, General
Patterson remarked in a reminiscent way that General Sherman
for many years loathed the song " Marching Thro' Georgia."
" Did he manifest his dislike of it ? "
"Often," said the General. "For a number of years,
whenever he heard that song, he would express his hatred, for
his feeling almost amounted to hatred, of the song. ' I do

5i4 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
wish they would stop singing that song. It makes me sick,'
was his usual expression."
" Why did it affect him in that way ? "
" It never meant anything to Sherman. In the first place
he never regarded his march to the sea as a great achievement.
He looked upon it as merely a pleasure tramp across a vast
country. He had no opposing forces to contend with, and the
march was merely a means to an end. Then this song was
written after the war. It was never sung in the war, so there
was nothing about it to make it appeal to the soldier's heart.
There were no memories associated with it as there were with
' John Brown's Body.-' Now, that is a song which the Gen
eral loved, because of the memories which it awakened. He
never tired of hearing the ' boys ' singing ' John Brown's
Body ' at a camp-fire, and he would even join in the singing
himself with great spirit."
When the above reminiscence appeared in print it was re
plied to by an old soldier at Hampton, Va., as follows : —
Sir : — In a recent issue of your paper I notice an article
which tends to take from the old soldier one of his greatest
enjoyments, and does the memory of General Sherman great
injustice. The article was in regard to General Sherman's
utter dislike for camp-fire songs. In the "Memoirs of Gen
eral Sherman," Vol. II, he says : " When I read Byer's song,
' Sherman's March to the Sea,' I sent for him, and appointed
him on my staff. When we reached Savannah I sent him to
Washington as a bearer of dispatches."
"Again, on May 30, 1881, on board the steamer Ohio, No.
3, General Sherman requested the Future City Glee Club,
of which the writer was a member, to sing " Sherman's March
to the Sea," and expressed himself as highly delighted, and
stated to several ladies and gentlemen that he would never
forget the day Byers handed him that song at Columbia,

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 515
South Carolina. At a camp-fire of the Ransom Post, G. A. R.,
held at St. Louis, " Sherman's March' to the Sea " was sung
and was heartily applauded, and by no one more so than by
"Uncle Billy." The members ofthe Department ofthe
Potomac will bear me out in the statement that at all camp-
fires General Sherman was the jolliest of the jolly, and dearly
loved the old songs sung at our camp-fires. God bless the
old hero. We shall never see his like again."
. " I don't know," said an old army officer who was with
Sherman from Atlanta to Savannah, " that I ever saw him
angry but once. It was at a campfire before Richmond.
He had just come in from his march from Raleigh and had
received the Northern papers containing the bitter letters of
Halleck and Stanton criticizing him for allowing Jeff Davis
to get out of Richmond. When Sherman read these letters
his indignation was furious. Afterward when he had calmed
down he unbosomed himself in his free, frank style to his
staff as follows : ' I went down to City Point with Grant and
met the President. After we had concluded our council of
war I said to the President : " Mr. President, what about
Jeff Davis? Do you want him captured?" ' Now, General,'
replied Lincoln. ' That reminds me of a story. Some years
ago there was a temperance lecturer in Central Illinois. He
had, agreed to deliver a lecture in a village near Springfield.
The night of the leoture he had to drive about five miles in a
drenching rainstorm, and when he reached the inn which the
village boasted he was wet to the skin. The hour set for his
lecture was near. Some friends advised him in view of his
condition to postpone it. He would not listen to the advice,
but said the lecture must go on. ' Then you must take some
stimulant, or you will- make yourself ill.' ' Do you think I
need a stimulant?' asked the temperance lecturer. 'You
certainly do, and a strong one,' remarked a friend. ' Then

516 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
make me a hot lemonade,' said the shivering lecturer. 'A
hot lemonade will do you no good, you want whiskey,' said
his adviser. ' But you forget I am a temperance lecturer.'
No, you forget your health is in danger,' was the reply.
' Well,' said the lecturer, as he cautiously surveyed his sur
roundings, ' I suppose if some whiskey were to get into that
her lemonade without me seeing it, I would not be held
responsible for it.' " ' Now,' said Sherman, with consider
able force, ' what inference was I to take from this story ?
I believe that President Lincoln did not care whether Jeff
Davis was captured, and that I was carrying out his implicit
wish in making no effort to prevent his escape.' "
Mrs. Janet Chase Hoyt, daughter of Chief Justice Chase,
contributes the following account of her father's interview
with Sherman, just after Johnston's surrender : —
" Shortly after Mr. Johnson's inauguration, Chief Justice
Chase decided to visit the Southern States, including particu
larly his proposed circuit (as he had concluded to take Chief
Justice Taney's court duties as his own). He wished also to
see for himself the condition of the South, and to judge of the
feeling and disposition of the people after the close of the war.
In order to facilitate the plans, a revenue cutter was put at
his disposal by the Secretary of the Treasury. I accompanied
my father, and when we arrived at Beaufort, N. C, General
Sherman was there, on board his vessel, detained by stress of
weather. He asked Mr. Chase for an interview. He granted
it, and took me along in a gig over to the General's vessel.
The General was waiting for us eagerly at the gangway, and
with hardly a greeting to the others, so anxious was he to
' have his say,' he took my father's arm and hurried him over
to the cabin, while I followed, simply because I did not know
where else to go. ' Now, Governor,' he said excitedly, using
the old Ohio title, ' what does all this mean ! ' On his table

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 517
lay a whole file of Northern papers, full of criticisms and
irritating comments on his arrangement with General John
ston. ' If Mr. Lincoln had lived I should never have been
insulted in this fashion ! We neither of us are the kind to
kick an enemy after he is conquered,' he went on, becoming
more and more excited. His face was red with indignation
as he strode up and down the cabin like an enraged lion,
stopping now and then to pound the table as he emphasised
some point, and then resuming his hurried walk again.
" ' Do you know what they call me here?' he said, bring
ing his fist down with a thump on the pile of papers, which
sent them flying. ' They almost dub me a traitor because I
have tried to bring peace into the country — I, who have
brought a victorious army "through the very heart of the
South ! I tell you, Governor, there are some things that hit
a man hard ! What do they know in Washington ? How
can they tell, shut up in their rooms and offices ? The people
here want peace, and, for Heaven's sake, let them have it !
Do they want to keep on fighting there in Washington now
that the war is over ? '
My father tried to put in a calming word or two in the
midst of this burst of fiery indignation : but he was too
Saxon and generous himself not to sympathize with the Gen
eral's position — "fight your enemy, and, after conquering let
the reconciliation be prompt and without reservation," was
the feeling of both men, and Mr. Chase later on was also
despite his life's record, judged hardly, and greatly misunder
stood for almost identical causes.
"'I will tell you,' went on the General, 'just what, Mr,
Lincoln said to me when I asked him point blank if he
wished me to capture Jeff Davis or let him escape, and you
will see by this what his feeling about keeping up anknosity
was. 'Well,' said the President, ' I will tell you how I feel

518 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
about it. I knew an old temperance lecturer once who, ac
cording to his conviction, enjoined total abstinence and never
touched liquor himself. Once after a long ride, in which he
had been exposed to great cold and fatigue, he stopped at a
friend's house for a cup of hot coffee. 'Let me put in just a
drop of brandy,' said the host, 'it might save you an illness.'
'No,' said the teetotaler, 'I couldn't think of it — but,' he
added rather softly, ' if you can put in a drop unbeknownst
to me I might feel grateful.' Of course, General, we must
oppose the escape of Jeff Davis ; but if he could slip off un
beknownst it would not hurt the country.'
"'So you see,' went on the General, 'that is all I had to
go by, and the only directions I received ; the South may
well rue the day when those fanatics murdered the President,
for they killed their best friend.'
'"And so,' said General Sherman, after an interval of
calm in which he had been telling Mr. Lincoln's story, ris
ing from his seat, again flushing red with wrath and striding
up and down again in his impetuosity and excitement;
' when I have no letter and try to follow out the spirit of my
instructions this is what I get from Stanton and Halleck,
and those fellows in Washington ! '
"After awhile he remembered me, sitting in my corner.
'[Why, child, I forgot you,' he said, in his kindly, beaming
fashion ; ' let me see what I can get for you,' but our boat had
been waiting for a long while and the men had to get back to
their dinner and we had to leave.
"I have seen General Sherman a number of times since
then, but when I remember him it will always be as he ap
peared on that day — flushed with victory, wounded by too
hasty judgment, eager for the best interests of the whole
country, South as well as North ; chafed and sore beyond all
endurance, and proud beyond everything of his army and its

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 519
prowess. It is a very vital figure and lives in one's
memory. " Of course it was Mr. Lincoln's assassination that had so
aroused public feeling just at this juncture. Johnston's let-
,, ter to Sherman and their subsequent correspondence arrang
ing a truce occurred on April 14-16, both leaders being in
ignorance of the terrible calamity at Washington. General
Sherman's manly spirit, which wished to 'let by-gones be by
gones,' would have undoubtedly been the sentiment of a gen
erous country if it had not been for the terrible tragedy,
which naturally aroused the vindicative spirit of the entire
North. That the disastrous event was deplored almost
unanimously in the South had received abundant evidence
during this very journey, but the Northern people were slow
to believe this, and the wanton and wicked act paralyzed good
feeling toward the South for many a long year."
The General's fondness for kissing pretty girls has been
the subject for stories innumerable. How that fondness,
which may have been latent in his earlier career for all we
know, developed with him into a fad is not generally known.
Here are the facts as related by himself :
" Some time after Grant was elected. President, I went to
call on him at the White House. I had been struck with the
number and speed of his horses, and with the delight it '
seemed to give him to be in their company. So I said to him,
~" General, fine horses seem to have become a fad with you."
" ' Well, Sherman,' said he, ' we all must have our fads
these days. It seems to be becoming the fashionable thing.
I have all my life been intensely fond of good horseflesh.
In my youth I hadn't the means to indulge this fancy. Later
in life I had not. the time. Now, when for the first time I
have both the money and the leisure, I am indulging it and
enjoying it to the full.'

520 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
" ' Well, General,' said I, " I suppose I'll have to be get
ting a fad myself. I never have had one, and if I have one
now I don't know it. Let me see, let me see ; what shall it
be ? I have it ! You may drive your fast horses, and I will
kiss all the pretty girls. Ha ! ha ! that shall be my fad.' "
" My ! how I hate to be photographed," the General ex
claimed one day, " because in pictures by that process I always
look stern ; don't like to look stern. My mood is pleasant
and friendly to all, though I have been told that, when I'm
in a fight, I look like the very devil. That is because my
nature is one that concentrates itself, heart and soul, fire and
will, into one terrible focus. No half measures for me. I
take after my mother in that."
To those who appreciated General Sherman's genial nature,
it is superfluous to say that he regarded his extensive acquaint
ance with the " Ladies of the White House " with peculiar
gratification. This he specially referred to on one occasion
when he had been introduced to Mrs. Cleveland, then but a
short time a bride. The General said :
"The other day when I was in Washington, I received a
note from Mrs. Endicott, telling me that the President and
Mrs. Cleveland were to dine at her house that evening, and
begging me to join them. I wrote her a very polite reply ;
said I had two or three engagements I must keep, but if Mrs.
Endicott would reserve me a place, I would slip in quietly
and take up my dinner at the point at which I arrived.
" When I got there they were at table, and I found that
the seat at Mr. Endicott's left had been reserved for me,
Mrs. Cleveland being on his right. Well, we just shoved
Endicott to one side, and railed in and' had a good time.
After a while the ladies left us, and then after a little we
went into Endicott's room for a smoke. Then, about 11.30
we went up to the ladies. It was rather late, and very soon

PRESIDENT GRANT.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 523
Mrs. Cleveland made a move to. go, and of course several
gentlemen surrounded her, helping her with her wraps, and
said very quietly : 'General, I am very glad to have met
you, and I want you to come and see me.' I smiled and
said: 'You know that such an invitation is a command.'
And she smiled back and said: 'When will you come?
To-morrow ? Shall we say 1 o'clock ? ' Well, I went, and
she came in to .meet me, plainly and simply dressed, and was
just sweet and girlish — but bright! — and shrewd !
" She wanted to know all about the ladies that have pre
sided in the White House. I have known 'em all since
Jackson's time, and she made me tell her about them. I
consider Harriet Lane, Buchanan's niece, the finest lady that
ever did the honors of the White House, though she was cold
and impassive; but her tact and suavity of manner were per
fect. I believe Mrs. Cleveland has taken Harriet Lane for
her model, and she is as clever and sweet a lady as Miss Lane
was. "The sweetest woman I ever met presiding there was
Kitty Taylor, General Taylor's daughter, afterwards Mrs.
Dr. Dandridge. But none of them was brighter and more
beautiful than Mrs. Cleveland."
The following characteristic anecdote of General Grant
was told, and illustrated with exquisite humor, by General
Sherman at a little dinner:
" Grant and I were at Nashville, Tenn., after the battle of
Chattanooga. Our quarters were in the same building.
" One day Grant came into the room that I used for an
office. I was very busy, surrounded with papers, muster-
rolls, plans, specifications, etc., etc. When I looked up from
my work I saw he seemed a good deal bothered, and, after
awhile, with his shoulders thrown up and his hands deep
down in his trousers pockets, he said :
30

524 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. t
" ' Look here, there are some men here from Galena.'
"'Well?' I said.
" Looking more uncomfortable every minute, he went on :
" ' They've got a sword they want to give me,' and, look
ing over his shoulder, and jerking his thumb in the same direc
tion, he added :
" ' Will you come in ? '
" He looked quite frightened at the idea of going to face
them alone, so I put some weights on my several piles of
papers to keep them from blowing around, and went into
the next room, followed by Grant, who by this time looked
as he might if he'd been going to be court-martialed. There
was found the Mayor and some [members of the Board of
Councilmen of Galena. On a table in the middle of the room
was a handsome rosewood box containing a magnificent gold-
hilted sword with all the appointments equally splendid.
" The Mayor stepped forward and delivered what was evi
dently a carefully-prepared speech, setting forth that the citi
zens of Galena had sent him to present to General Grant the
accompanying sword, not as a testimonial to his greatness as
a soldier, but as a slight proof of their love and esteem for
him as a man, and their pride in him as a fellow-citizen.
" After delivering the speech the Mayor produced a large
parchment scroll, to which was. attached by a long blue
ribbon a red seal as big as a pancake and on which was
inscribed a set of complimentary resolutions. These he pro
ceeded to read to us, not omitting a single 'whereas' or
' hereunto.' And after finishing the reading he rolled it up
and with great solemnity and ceremony handed it to
Grant. " Gen. Grant took it, looked ruefully at it and held it as if
it burnt him. Mrs. Grant, who had been standing beside
her husband, quietly took it from him, and there was dead

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 525
silence for several minutes. Then Grant, sinking his head
lower on his chest and hunching his shoulders up higher and
looking thoroughly miserable, began hunting in his pockets,
diving first in one and then in another, and at last said:
'Gentlemen, I knew you were coming here to give me this
sword, and so I prepared a short speech,' and with a look of
relief he drew from his trousers pocket a crooked, crumpled
piece of paper and handed it to the Mayor of Galena, adding,
'and, gentlemen, here it is !'
Youth and beauty General Sherman loved. One day he
remarked, " Ah ! how I envy the young their hopes and
dreams and aspirations, I envy the beggar on the street if
he is young — who can tell what lies before him. Yes, yes, I
know, but there's no fun in looking back ; it's an old story,
you've heard it over and over again, but the future may hold
all sorts of surprises. I went into my club the other night
and a young fellow came over to me and said, ' General, T
am very proud and happy to meet you ; you've been a land
mark to me all my life. I've read about you in history!'
Lord ! he looked at me with reverence and bowed down
before me, and it was all I could do to be civil to him. Read
about me in his history, indeed ! as if I were Moses !"
At the time ofthe death of General Sheridan he was lament
ing the rapid thinning of the ranks of his contemporaries
and, shaking his head, said sadly : " There we go, one after
another. Grant and Sheridan, and soon, I suppose, I shall
join the procession. Well, that will be the last of the race —
there will be no Generals left when I'm gone."
On one occasion, when visiting Mrs. Ewing, Gen. Sherman
met four or five Presbyterian clergymen, and his patience was
rather severely tried by their religions discussions, and what
seemed to him their intolerant and one-sided views. One of
them challenged him to offer any excuse for swearing, meet-

526 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
ing him with the clinching statemant that there should be no
redemption for blasphemers.
" Were you," inquired the young soldier, " ever at sea in a
heavy gale, with spars creaking and sails flapping, and the
crew cowardly and incompetent?" '
" No."
"Did you ever," he continued gravely, "try to drive a
five-team ox-cart across the prairie ?"
"No."
" Then," said Capt. Sherman, " you Know nothing of the
temptations to blasphemy — you know nothing about extenu
ating circumstances for blasphemy — you are not competent
to judge ! "
General Sherman was proud of tracing his powers of
endurance to his mother, to whom he also frequently ascribed
the heritage of other soldierly characteristics.
" She married very young," said the General — " her hus
band, who was not very much older, being a lawyer with hope
and ambition for his patrimony, and all the world before him
where to choose. He chose Ohio, leaving his young wife in
Jersey City while he made a home for her in what was then
a far country.
" Soon as he had made a home for her she went to him.
She rode on horseback, with her young baby in her arms,
from Jersey City to Ohio, the journey occupying twenty-three
days ! What would a New York bride say to such a journey
as that ? I'm afraid she'd want to wait until her husband
had made money enough to have^a railroad built for her."
"Curious," said the General one day, "to notice the differ
ence in the families. I've got a brother out in Wisconsin —
cashier in a bank — most methodical man that ever lived —
eats and sleeps by rule. He couldn't live in one of these
New York palaces. He lives in a nice frame house, and

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 527
has for twenty years and more come and gone from his office
every day at precisely the same hour. The people in the
town set their watches by him, and if he were five minutes
late, there wouldn't be a correct timepiece within a mile. He
has sat on one seat in his office and hung his coat on one peg
for twenty years, and if anybody gets in before him and gets
off a joke on him by using the peg, it sours his temper for
the whole day."
Reminiscence of Ex-President Hayes : — ¦
"General Sherman was once asked why he had always
shown so little disposition to question General Grant's position
or his judgment in military matters. The answer was : 'I
could always plan a dozen different ways of accomplishing a
military object, and Phil Sheridan would declare that he could
fight any one of them out to victory; but neither of us could
tell which was really the best plan. Then we would go to
Grant, lay the whole of them before him, and he would tell
us which plan was the best, and why ; and then we could see
it, too. Grant's place was where he was, at the head.' Ex-
President Hayes forcibly alludes to the tender side of his char
acter. " He knew what war was, and he expressed it in the
most terrible words in the English language. ' War,' said
he, ' is hell.' I suppose that he would unflinchingly and
with little hesitation do the worst possible things that man
can do. There was no fluttering, sinking or softening of the
heart. He was able to do what the war required him to do,
although it might be cruel ; yet he was as tender as a woman.
No manly man was ever more kind than he."
Reminiscence of Chauncey M. Depew : —
" He told me an interesting story about a prominent citizen
of Savannah who came to his headquarters after he had cap
tured that city. The gentleman was in great trepidation and
informed the General that he had some valuable pictures in

528 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
his house. The General said they were entirely safe. He
said he also had a collection of family plate of great intrinsic
value, and on account of its associations, very precious to
himself and family. The General told him he would put a
guard about the house if necessary. Then, in a burst of frank
confidence, produced by this generous response to his fears, he
revealed to General Sherman that he had buried in his back
yard a large quantity of priceless Madeira, of the oldest and
rarest vintages, and estimated to be worth over $40,000 before
the war. The General responded at once : ' That is medicine,
and confiscated to the hospital.' What the hospital did not
need he distributed among the troops.
"I heard General Sherman once narrate a very striking
battle incident. He had rallied his troops and led them to a
charge which was everywhere successful. As he rode into
the enemy's camp he saw a soldier lying on a barrow and an
officer standing over him with an uplifted knife. He shouted
to the officer not to strike, and spurred up to the group to
discover that the men were both dead ; the only solution being
that the officer, who was a surgeon, was in the act of perform
ing an operation, for the extraction of a bullet upon the
soldier when the concussion of a cannon ball passing near
them had killed them both, and they had stiffened in the at
titude they occupied at the moment when their lives went out."
Tribute of General O. O. Howard " When I first knew
General Sherman, he was as well formed as a model cadet at
West Point or Annapolis. Hi3 head was more noticeable
than the rest of his body. His high forehead, clear eye, with
sandy hair and ruddy complexion, allied him at once to the
Anglo-Saxon type. His step was strong and quick, and an
energy of action marked him in a high degree, even up to
his last sickness at seventy-one years of age."
" He once remarked that he preserved his health by simple

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 529
living, eating principally meat and bread, never trusting to
condiments and dressings for an appetite. Though he at
tended many festivities and participated in hundreds of pub
lic dinners, yet he was always careful in his diet ; he evi
dently had taken pains all his life to preserve a strong and
vigorous body, which he might well do, building as he did
upon a superb constitution, the inheritance of a grand pa
rentage. "As illustrating his powers of endurance, we now call to
mind the bloody and prolonged work on the field of Shiloh;
the almost unending toil and reconnoisances, marching,
watching and fighting of Vicksburg; the rapid fall cam
paign, gathering his army in the Mississippi Valley and
pushing it thence through a series of untold hardships and
exposure on to Chattanooga ; the struggle for the rocky, in
accessible heights at the north end of Missionary Ridge ; the
immediate day and night exposure and toil of a hundred
miles to Knoxville and back ; and, while others were resting,
the return to Vicksburg, and the conducting of a winter
campaign to Meridian, Miss., and back to Vicksburg Bluffs ;
the regathering of his hosts; the assuming of a new com
mand near Chattanooga: the combining of the three armies,
or parts of them, in front of Dalton ; and the more than a
hundred days' marching hither and thither, with battle after
battle in close conjunction with his enterprising enemy, Jo
seph E. Johnston ; his taking of Atlanta ; his pursuit ot
Hood, who partially turned him back for another hundred
miles ; his march from Atlanta to Savannah, and his almost
immediate march — a campaign much mora, trying, much
harder of execution, and more prolonged — through the
swamps of the Carolinas on to the final consummation at
Bentonville. These works, of which he was the head, re
quired on his part tremendous physical strength. No rail-

53o LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
way coach, steamer, ambulance or easy carriage ever w;*
used by him to relieve the physical work. Rough riding,
and long continued, on the back of horse or mule, carried
him through those remarkable days. Who connot see that
he had a constitution, a development, a physical structure^ full
of health and unflagging energy.
"As to perception, so far as externals are concerned, I
never knew an officer in the field who more quickly took in
the topography of a country, and when once mastered it
always remained in his mind as a precise and detailed mapping
of the situation. In studies, whether you tried him on the
subject of finance, mathematics, the camp and garrison equip
age, or rations for an army, scientific studies, like geology
and mineralogy, his observation was clear and keen. His
perception of differences and contrasts never failed him. I
hardly think that as a cadet at West Point, a business man in
California, an instructor in Louisiana, an officer of the old
army, a general of volunteers, or. as the head of the regular
establishment, or when aiding the projection of the Pacific
Railway, any problem was ever presented to his ardent mind
that was not sooner or later properly and completely solved,
and generally, unless there was extraordinary detail, solved
with unusual celerity.
" Once I was near Gen. Sherman at Atlanta. He had a
great many plans for different objects and different bodies of
troops, and which he was just then about to put into execution,
when suddenly they were all interrupted by an unexpected
flank movement of the Confederate General Hood. I found
that he anticipated what was unexpected by others, and he said
to me at once, ' I will wait. If Hood passes a certain point,
I turn my whole army back upon him, except one corps,
under Gen. Slocum, shall be left to hold Atlanta.'
"If we confine ourselves for a moment to the mental

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 531
application of this man, there is perhaps no better illustration
of it than that given in Gen. Grant's phrase — 'Sherman
bones all day on his horse.' Yes, for hours on that Caro
lina campaign, I have noticed him with his horse going
almost at will, diminishing or increasing his speed according
to his fancy, while his master would lean his head forward
and be silent for long periods of time, evidently intensely
applying himself to some problem steadily held before his
mental gaze.
" When we remark the organizing power, we can best test
it by results. I do not think that Gen. Sherman, keen as he
was in observation, always read men who were near at hand
so well as Napoleon did; but his confidence in those that he
chose, his strong personal magnetism and his ability to im
part quickly and accurately his ideas, often in graphic form,
illumined other minds, and lifted some men that would have
been mediocre, into places of comparative success. No one
excelled him in energizing those whom he chose to aid him.
" Perhaps the most remarkable quality of his mental make
up was his marvellous memory. Probably at the close ofthe
war he could call 5,000 officers by name. He had learned
rapidly from youth to manhood, and he appeared to have
forgotten nothing that he had ever learned. His quarter
master, Easton, went to him for-the solution of transportation
problems as to a written authority. In ten minutes he wouid
demonstrate to his Chief Commissary the number of rations
that would support his different armies for a week or a month.
He was apparently abreast of the great engineer, Granville
M. Dodge, in train running, bridge building and railroad
construction. He was a little ahead of the Confederate Hood
in all his quick correspondence involving the laws of war and
of rations, and whenever General Blair and myself came to
him to decide between us upon some historical point awakened

532 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
by our proximity in the Carolinas to an old Revolutionary
battlefield, Sherman had it at his tongue's end, and, whatever
the difference, we happily bowed to his decision. This indi
cates fundamental acquirement and extraordinary memory.
" General Sherman manifested ' prophetic vision ' early in
his career. He saw the conflict before it came, and he meas
ured its proportions and predicted what came to pass. It
was that wonderful vividness in trumping up things to come,
what would succeed and what would fail, and telling it with
plainness, that caused the Cincinnati Commercial to call him
crazy. It was a great shame; but when his prophecies began
to be realized and prove themselves true, the minor prophets '
became like those of Baal and disappeared. Sherman tri
umphed over them, for he foretold the simple truth.
" His power of expression has always stood him well in
hand. From the President to the humblest companion in
arms who was associated with him, there has been joy and
refreshment. Sometimes, as with almost all men who are'
frank and free in speech, he would doubtless say things that
might better have been left unsaid. Many times newspaper
correspondents who worried him by publishing what he wished
to withhold, would meet him and receive rebuffs. But it
should be remembered that during the war a leader like
Sherman often received the most unspairing criticism, and his
sensitive soul was stung to the quick, so that it was not won
derful that he became a little pugnacious and resentful. At
such times he was often lashed into fever heat, so that it took
time and will power to make abatement. Then for a time
everybody about him realized that something was wrong.
But these chafings were never frequent and never long con
tinued. Combative, resentful to wrong, he was never unkind
nor malicious.
" His countrymen will undoubtedly recall his exhibition of

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 533
feeling toward Halleck and Stanton and others who had any
hand in attempts to humiliate him after the Johnston sur
render. Sherman's high soul resented it all. Little things
will often irritate a lion, but he is a lion still. I may say a
word in regard to his judgment. Certainly it was good and
sound whenever he took time for reflection upon matters
submitted which required the exercise.
"Still, with so brilliant a mind, one so full of suggestions, I
do not think that he could, like Grant, always call up the
best word, nor like Thomas, settle down upon a given course,
as altogether the wisest. He excelled in strategic combina
tions, in anticipating and controverting his enemies' projects.
But I do not think that in the conduction of a battle, with its
details and changes, his judgment was as good as that of
Sheridan, Thomas or Grant.
" My memory reverts to operations about Atlanta, to the
terrible field of the Kenesaw, and to the last operations at
Bentonville, where, I think, Sheridan might have been more
effective and successful in immediate results. But who can
tell? All these men are the nation's children. In brilliant
campaigns and great results surely Grant himself is not far
ahead. "But a word now with regard to Sherman's moral and
spiritual make-up. I will simply say from a long and close
observation of one who allowed me to be his friend, I do not
think that General Sherman ever meditated the doing of a
wrong thing. Whether he knew it or not, he owed much of
his soul illumination to the presence and direction of the In
finite Spirit. How far he took the living and divine Helper
into fellowship, no man can tell. While he abominated
quackery and hypocrisy, he had great admiration of genuine
great men.
" Loyalty to family, loyalty to society about him, loyalty to

534 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
duty and country, he quickly observed in another, and it was
a quality of the mental characteristics of his own great soul."
A correspondent recalls an interview with Grant a short
time before his death, in which Sherman was the subject of
conversation, and Grant's striking language was: — "Sher
man is not only a great soldier but a great man — one of the
very greatest in our country's history. He is a many sided
man — a writer and orator. As a general I- know of no man
I would put above him. Then his character is fine — so
frank, sincere, outspoken genuine. I know what he was be
fore Vicksburg. I set him to watching Johnston in my rear,
and never had a moments anxiety when Sherman was there,
I don't;think he ever went to bed with his clothes off, or
without visiting his pickets nightly during that campaign.
His industry was prodigious. There is no man living for
whose character I have a higher respect."
Sherman, in a recently published letter, thus describes his
interview with President Lincoln, on board the Ocean Queen,
at City Point, during his visit to the Army of the Potomac,
March 27th, 1865. After telling how and where he found
General Grant, General Sherman says : —
" We had quite a long and friendly talk, when he remarked
that the President, Mr. Lincoln, was near by, on a steamer
lying at the dock, and he proposed that we should call at once.
We did so, and found Mr. Lincoln on board the Ocean Queen.
We had met in the early part of the war, and he recognized
me, and received me with a warmth of manner and expression
that was most grateful. We then sat 6ome time in the after
cabin, and Mr. Lincoln made many inquiries about the events
which attended the march from Savannah to Goldsboro, and
seemed to enjoy the numerous stories about 'our bummers,'
of which he had heard so much. When in lively conversa
tion, his face brightened wonderfully; but if the conversation

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 535
flagged, his face assumed a sad and sorrowful expression.
General Grant and I explained to him that my next move
from Goldsboro would bring my army — increased to 80,000
men by Schofifld's and Terry's reinforcements — in close com
munication with General Grant's army, then investing Lee in
Richmond, and that, unless Lee could effect his escape and
make junction with Johnston in North Carolina, he would
soon be shut up in Richmond, with no possibility of supply,
and would have to surrender.
"Mr. Lincoln was extremely interested in this view of the
case, and when we explained that Lee's only chance was to
escape, join Johnston and, being then between me in North
Carolina and Grant in Virginia, he could choose which to
fight. Mr. Lincoln seemed unusually impressed with this,
but General Grant explained that at the very moment of our
conversation General Sheridan was passing his cavalry
across the James' River from the north to the south ; that he
would with this cavalry so extend his left below Petersburg
as to reach the South Shore Road, and that if Lee should 'let
go' his fortified lines, he, Grant, would follow him so close
that he c'ould not possibly fall on me alone in North Caro
lina. I, in like manner, expressed the fullest confidence that
my army in North Carolina was willing to cope with Lee
and Johnston combined till Grant could come up, but we
both agreed that one more bloody battle was likely to occur
before the close of the war.
" Mr. Lincoln repeatedly inquired as to General Schofield's
ability in my absence, and seemed anxious that I should re
turn to North Carolina, and more than once exclaimed:
' Must more blood be shed ? Cannot this last bloody battle
be avoided?' We explained that we had to presume that
General Lee was a real general ; that he must see that Johns
ton alone was no barrier to my progress ; and that, if my

536 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
army of 80,000 veterans should reach Burkesville, he in
Richmond was lost, and that we were forced to believe he
would not wait that inevitable conclusion, but make one more
desperate effort. I think we were with Mr. Lincoln au hour
or more, and then returned to General Grant's quarters,
where Mrs. Grant had prepared for us some coffee or tea.
During this meal Mrs. Grant inquired if we had seen Mrs.
Lincoln. I answered ' No ; I did not know she was on
board.' ' Now,' said Mrs. Grant, 'you are a pretty pair,' etc.,
and went on to explain that we had been guilty of a piece of
unpardonable rudeness. But the General said : ' Never
mind, we will repeat the visit to-morrow, and can then see
Mrs. Lincoln.'"
The two following letters exemplify Sherman's patriotio
spirit. They were originally strictly confidential communi
cations addressed to President Johnson at a time when he
was in conflict with his Secretary of War, Stanton, and when
he (Stanton) was, in fact, under suspension. The veil of
confidence was not lifted till after Sherman's death, when all
the parties interested had passed away. Johnson had deter
mined to establish an Eastern Military Department, with
Sherman at the head, who was also to act as Secretary of
War ad interim. This project, whose ultimate design was
the substitution of Stanton by another pending the settlement
of the dispute then existing between Johnson and Stanton,
drew forth the letters from Sherman, the first of which ran : — ¦
("'Confidential)
'"Library Room, War Department.
'"Washington, D. G, Jan. 31, 1868.
" 'To the President :—
"'My personal preferences, as expressed, were to be
allowed to return to St. Louis, resume my present command,
because my command was important, large, and suited to my

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 537
rank and inclination, and, because my family was well pro
vided for there in house, facilities of schools, living and-
agreeable society ; while on the other hand, Washington was
for many (to me) good reasons highly objectionable, especially
because it is the political capital of the country, and the focus
of intrigue, gossip and slander.
" Your personal preferences were, as expressed, to make a
ne,w department East, adequates to my rank, with head quar
ters at Washington, and to assign me to its command ; to re
move my family here, and to avail myself of its schools ; to
remove Mr. Stanton from his office as Secretary of War, and
have me discharge the duties.
"To effect this removal two modes were indicated; to
simply cause him to quit the War Office building, and notify
the Treasury Department and the army staff departments no
longer to respect him as Secretary of War, or to remove him
and s.ubmit my name to the Senate for confirmation.
"'Permit me to discuss these points a little, and I will
premise by saying that I have spoken to no one on the sub
ject, and have not even seen Mr. Ewing, Mr. Stanbery or
General Grant since I was with you.
" ' It has been the rule and custom of our army, since the
organization ofthe Government, that the second officer ofthe
army should be at the second important command, and re
mote from general headquarters. To bring me to Washing
ton would put three heads to our army — yourself, General
Grant and myself — and we would be more than human if
we were not to differ. In my judgment it would ruin the
army, and would be fatal to one or two of us.
'"This state of things that centered here defeated every
army that had its head hero from 1861 to 1865, and would
have overwhelmed General Grant at Spottsylvania and
Petersburg, had he not been fortified by a strong reputation,

538 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN,
already hard earned, and because no one then living coveted
the place. Whereas, in the West we made progress from
the start, because there was no political capital, nor enough to
poison our mind and kindle into life that craving, itching for
fame which has killed more good men than bullets.
" ' I have been with General Grant in the midst of death
and slaughter, when the howls of people reached him after
Shiloh; when messengers were speeding to and from his
army to Washington, bearing slanders to induce his removal
before he took Vicksburg ; in Chattanooga, when the soldiers
were stealing the corn of the starving mules to satisfy their
own hunger; at Nashville, when he was ordered to the 'for
lorn hope,' to command the Army of the Potomac, so often
defeated ; and yet I never saw him more troubled than since
he has been in Washington and been compelled to read him
self a 'sneak' and 'deceiver,' based on reports of four of the
Cabinet, and apparently with your knowledge. If this
political atmosphere can disturb the equanimity of one so
guarded and so prudent as he is, what will be the result with
one so careless and so outspoken as I am ?
" ' Therefore, with my consent, Washington never !
" ' With great respect, yours truly,
(Signed) W. T. Sherman,
Lieutenant- General.
The second letter relating to the same subject was sent to
the President through General Grant. The President did
not understand Sherman's caution in this respect, and clung
to the idea that he (Sherman) would prefer Washington to
St. Louis. The letter read : —
" Headquarters Military DrvisioN of Missouri,
"St. Louis, Mo., February 14, 1868.
"TothePresedent.— " Dear Sir : — It is hard for me to conceive you would

GENERAL PHILIP H. SHERIDAN.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 54!
purposely do me an unkindness, unless under the pressure of
public duty or because you don't believe me sincere.
" I was in hopes since my letter to you of the 31st of Jan
uary, that you had concluded to pass over that purpose of
yours, expressed more than once in conversation, to organize
a new command for me in the East, with headquarters in
Washington ; but a telegram from General Grant of yester
day says that 'the order was issued ordering you (me) to
Atlantic division,' and the newspapers of that morning con
tained the same information, with the addition that I had
been named as ' brevet general.'
" I have telegraphed to my own brother in the Senate to
oppose my confirmation on the grounds that the two higher
grades in the army ought not to be complicated with brevets,
and I trust you will conceive my motives aright.
"If I could see my way clear to maintain my family I
should not hesitate a moment to resign my present commis
sion, and seek some business wherein I would be free from
these unhappy complications that seem to be closing about
me, spite of my earnest efforts to avoid them, but necessity
ties my hands, and I must submit with the best grace I can
till I make other arrangements.
" In Washington are already the headqnarters of a dapart-
ment and of the army itself, and it is hard for me to see
wherein I can render any military service there. Any staff
officer, with rank of major, coukl assuredly fill any gap left
between these two military officers; and by being placed, in
Washington, I will be universally construed as a rival to the
General in Chief, a position damaging to me in the highest
degree. " Our relations have always been most confidential and
friendly, and if, unhappily, any cloud of difficulty should '
arise between us, my sense of personal dignity* and duty
31

542 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
would leave me no alternative but resignation. For this I
am not yet prepared, but I shall proceed to arrange for it as
rapidly as possble, that when the time does come (as it surely
will if this plan is carried into effect), I may act promptly.
"Inasmuch as the order is now issued, I cannot expect a
full revocation of it, but I beg the privilege of taking post at
New York, or any point you may name, within the new
military division other than "Washington. This privilege is
generally granted to all military commanders, and I see no
good reason why I, too, may not ask for it, and this simple
concession, involving no public interest, will much soften the
blow, which right or wrong I construe as one of the hardest :
I have sustained in a life somewhat checkered with adversity.
With great respect, yours truly,
(Signed) W. T. Sherman."
General Sherman was counted by that numerous and
ingenious class known as newspaper correspondents as a hard
man to interview. In early times they had been his worst
enemies, but he had lived down their aspersions and outlived
.the terms of their natural lives — at least, the lives of most of
them. A new generation "has sprung up capable of appre
ciating him, and disposed to be kindly. They are a know
ing set, and not always accurate, yet in their way they help
to elucidate character ; if not by rational analysis, at least by
sketches of peculiarities.
As an illustration of Sherman's remarkable memory, one
of these correspondents narrates the following : . '
" General Sherman had a wonderful memory. This was
illustrated by an incident that occurred in Philadelphia three
years ago. He was visiting his daughter, and while sitting
at the open window smoking one midsummer night he saw
the policeman pass, and as the patrolman halted for a moment
the General was noticed to give him a keen glance and utter
an exclamation.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 543
"The next evening he told some one that when the police
man on the beat passed again to say that he wanted to speak
to him. When the officer entered he straightened up arid
and gave General Sherman the regular military salute.
"'Ah, ha,' said the General. 'I thought so. Now,
where was it I saw you before ? Do you 'know me?'
"'Oh, yes,' said the bearded patrolman. 'I knew you
Avhen you were a lieutenant. I was your drummer in Cali
fornia.' * '
" ' Ha, ha, I thought so ; and wait a bit. So you were
that little drummer boy, and your name — your name's Hut
chinson.' "Sure enough, the General of the United States army, who
had seen thousands of drummers, had recognized in a passing
policeman the drummer boy who was Avith his company in
the Mexican war.
Another, writing from New York, says : "A t any great
theatrical entertainment in New York, especially on first
nights, he usually occupied a box, and it was the custom for
. thetleading actor and actress to be introduced to him. Early
in his residence in that city the orchestra would play ' Hail to
the Chief when he entered his box, and the audience would
cheer him ; but he soon wearied of what he called 'that flumi
mery,' and in recent years it was discontinued by his own
Wish. " He has not been free from controversies in the days of
peace. Not long before the death of Jefferson Davis he had
a momorablc one with that veteran spitfire over Davis' rela
tions to the founding of the Confederacy, and on several other
occasions he has become involved in personal disputations.
In these wordy battles he showed his irascibility of temper
when aroused, but otherwise his nature was thoroughly genial.
In New York he has been considered a raconteur and manj

544" JLIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
about-town in the best sense of the word, ranking with
Chauncey M. Depew and General Horace Porter. His asso
ciation with his friends and comrades has always been exceed
ingly cordial. In May, 1888, when he presided for the last
time at a dinner of the Loyal Legion, he declined a re-election
to the position of commander, and when he arose at 2 o'clock
in the morning to say good-bye an almost death-like stillness
prevailed."
TWO MARCHES.
("Sherman is dying." February 14, 1891).
When the wild war strife was fiercest
And brave hearts at home grew faint,
When every man was a hero,
And every woman a saint,
When our land with graves was holy —
The slain must sleep where they fell,
And the shots fired in their honor
Must avenge their death as well —
When each thought was a consecration,
Each new drawn breath a prayer,
And the moaning heart of the nation
Sought a leader to do and dare.
Then one warrior, wisdom-thoughted,
Discerned how the only way
1 To reclaim our erring brothers
In cruelest kindness lay,
And the scourging march led onward
By Ohio's noble son,
Ceased not till the sea before him
Told his hard, right task was done/
No word from his columns reached us :
In strained uncertainty,
We murmured a prayer: "God help Mm,
As he marches to the sea ! " -

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 545
Once more, though the Southern roses
Bloom fragrant through peace-filled air,
Ascends from his anxious country
That selfsame fervent prayer.
By viewless hosts attended,
Slow, solemn-paced, silently,
His last march he is taking,
To the shores of the Unknown Sea,
But we fear not, though come no tidings
O'er the pathway already trod,
For a heart to its country loyal
Will be loyal, too, to its God.
And the tale of his great death-victory
Will be told to his soldiers true,
To his friends gone home before him,
The army of boys in blue.
We know not the life beyond us,
The thoughts in freed souls that rise,
• Nor what of the dear world-meni'ries
Survive in the happy skies,
But I think a great shout of welcome
Will rend the celestial dome,
When they see from the hills of heaven
Their old commander come:
And swelling the strain of triumph
By glad angels borne along,
The blue and the gray intermingled
Will join in the greeting song.
And our union on earth unbroken,
A symbol to them shall be,
Of their union with peace eternal
And love everlastingly. Mary Lisbeth Macabtkey.

CHAPTER XVIL
death and the grave.
"\ With the death of Sherman the title of "General"
completely disappears from our military system.
It has been held by three men ornly. It was created in
1866 by act of Congress, and conferred upon Grant.
Sherman then succeeded Grant as Lieutenant General,
and when the latter took his seat as President in March,
1869, the former became General of the Army.
In 1S84 Sherman was put on the retired list with the
title which he held to the time of his death, In the
active service the office by provision of law became vacant,
and the title extinct, Sheridan being commander of the
army with the rank of Lieutenant General.
In 1SS8, just befone Sheridan's death, the rank* of Lieu
tenant-General was abolished, and that of General re
vived, with the understanding that Sheridan should be
made General, and the express, provision that the title
should continue only during his life.
Since that time the head of the army has been a Major-
General. General Sherman's illness was of little more than a
week's duration. Following a taste, natural and culti
vated, which he loved to gratify, the General attended
the performance of " Poor Jonathan," at the Casino, on
Wednesday night, February 4. ft was, in fact, a special .
performance. Invitations had been sent to the military
officers ofthe city, and General Sherman occupied one of
the proscenium boxes with a party of friends. He seemed
546

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 547
to be in "the best of health and spirits, and gave every
evidence of keen enjoyment ofthe opera.
He returned to his home immediately after the per
formance, and, although the weather was clear and cold,
in some way the General caught a severe cold. Its first
effects were noticed on the following morning. His con
dition, however, did not prevent his attendance at the
wedding of Miss Shepard on that afternoon. He coughed
a little and complained of the cold while in the church..
On Friday morning his condition had become more un
comfortable, but excited no alarm. His throat, however,
had become affected in the mean time, and he was obliged
to give up a dinner with Lawrence Barrett that evening
at the Union League Club. When he began to show
signs of facial erysipelas, accompanied by fever, he felt
some anxiety, and sent for Dr. Alexander, who had been
his family physician for a number of years. Un Sunday
the disease began to get a firm hold upon the old warrior."
His face and neck became much swollen and inflamed,
and conversation became difficult and painful. His con
dition was such that Dr. Alexander sent for Dr. Janeway
for the purpose of holding a consultation. - The General
was then confined to liis bed, and it was found that" the
ordinary treatment applied in cases of erysipelas would
not answer the purpose; in part owing to the General's
advanced age.
His physician, Dr. C. T. Alexanderrgives the following
history of his fatal illness: —
"The General caught cold Wednesday a week, ago,
February 4th, 1891. The next day he attended a wed
ding against the urgent advice of the members of his
family. On Friday I was called in and found the Gen-,
eral suffering from a cold and a sore throat. On

S48 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Saturday he felt so much better that he wanted to keep
an appointment he had made for that day. On my
advice, however, he desisted, and spent the day playing
cards, I believe, with hi3 family. Erysipelas set in on
Sunday. He was flighty that day, and on Monday
he became delirious. The erysipelas spread over his
face, and the lymphatic glands in his neck became
swollen. I applied treatment for the erysipelas. Wednes
day came and there was no change for the better, but
General Sherman slightly rallied on Thursday morning.
His rally was not such to insure even faint hope of the
Generals recovery, and I so informed Surgeon General
Moore at Washington. Friday was the turning point,
for the patient. The erysipelas had almost completely
disappeared, but the attack had left the General very
much weakened. His old complaint, bronchial trouble
and asthma, I think, killed General Sherman. In his
weakened condition lie was unable to throw off the
mucus which gathered on his lungs. The mucus accu
mulated, and the General was slowly strangled to death.
" I think he suffered greatly. There was always the
quick respiration, the gasp for breath, but he bore every
thing without a murmur, and no one could have been
more heroic.
" Since Tuesday we had practically abandoned all hope
of General Sherman's recovery."
Lieutenant Fitch, authorized the following account of
scenes at the death bed of the General : —
" General Sherman lay in bed from Friday morning
until he died at 1.50 P. M. February 14th without speak
ing a word. He made the attempt to do so several times,
but was unable to utter a sound other than a hoarse
gasp.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 549
He apparently recognized those about him by a look
of the eye. His tongue wa3 swollen and his jaws were
stiff some hours before he died.
Signs of death were noticed half an hour before he
died, in the icy coldness ofthe finger tips. This coldness
gradually extended to his hands and arms. He was un
conscious for the last two hours he was alive. At the
bedside were his son, P. T. Sherman; his daughters
Rachel and Lizzie ; Lieutenant and Mrs. Fitch, Lieuten
ant and Mrs. Thackara, Senator John Sherman, Dr.
Alexander and General Thomas Ewing. The tw6„
daughters remained kneeling, one at each side of the bed
during the last hour of the life of their father. Neither
priest nor clergyman was present ; neither was any sent
for. The General did not suffer any pain for the last two
days. All night long he lay in bed with his head high, but
toward morning lie worked his head down until at last,
he lay perfectly flat. Death came so quietly that those
at the bedside did n'ot realize that the GeQeral was dead
until Dr. Alexander said " All is over." Death came
with one long sigh.
Suffocation, due to the lungs filling with mucus, was
the cause. '
Immediately after his death Generals Howard and
Slocum, who were on General Sherman's staff, were sent
for. Some two weeks before, the General had made known
his wishes as to his burial. He particularly requested;
that his body shbuld,not lie in state anywhere
He also requested that the funeral be a strictly mili
tary one. He said he did not care particularly for any
military observances in New York, but that he did want
a military burial in St. Louis, which would be participa-

55° LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
ted in by his old comrades in arms. He also requested
that the funeral rites be not. in conformity with any par-,
ticular form of religion. He wanted a soldier's burial.
The body was embalmed and laid out in the room in
which he died. The features were natural, with the ex
ception of a slight swelling on the right jaw and under
both eyes. The eyes were closed and his arms folded
across his breast. ,
. Under the starry folds of the flag he loved so well the
honored form of the dead chieftain lay at rest.
It was a rest well earned. Ripe in his years and full
sheathed in his honors, the rancors of the past faded out
by the kindly hand of time and the comradeship and
friendship of men whom he had once waged fierce but
honest warfare with. He had lived a life plethoric with
the best blessings that attend humanity, and died hon
ored and mourned by the millions of the united nation.
An unstained name, a deathless fame, a vault into the
great unknown after a silent and heroic battle with
disease that added to the lustre of his renown, who could
die more happily than William Tecumseh Sherman, the
man who, with prophetic eye, saw death coining afar off,
and blanched not at the dreadful apparition? Let drums
be muffled and flags float low, but let the hearts of the
American people rejoice that they can claim such men as
he, last, but not least, ofthe war's great triumvirate.
A formal announcement of the General's death was
sent to President Harrison, Vice-President Morton, Secre
tary of War Proctor, Secretary of State Blaine, Secretary
Noble and General Schofield.
The wires flashed the sorrowful intelligence over the
country, and to Europe. Flags fell to half mast on. all
the capitols, national buildings, and in the commercial

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 551
centres. Thousands of private residences on .the wealthy
avenues of Nevy York, thousands of humble tenements in
the squalid streets, added their colors to tlie symbolic
grief. Across the street from the plain four-storied bouse
in which the General died, two silken banners bordered
with crape hung down. Oa the house itself the sombre
drapingsof the doorbell were the only tokens that this
was the place toward which the nation's eyes were turned.
A sorrow-stricken nation showed the depth of its loss* by
resolutions of condolence, by touching eulogiums, by tele
graphic sympathy. Admiral Porter had passed away
but a day before, and Secretary Windom had preceded
him to the spirit land by but a few days, both loved and
respected in the highest degree,and yet there were deeper
depths in the national heart to be moved by the passing
Of the martial chieftain. Old soldiers crowded the streets
about his home, and begged for a last look at their
general's pallid face. The Grand Army Posts everywhere
met in solemn session, and made tearful minute of their
grief. It would be impossible here to record the many
expressions- of sorrow called forth by the sad event. A
few samples must suffice for the whole.
GENERAL SHERMAN DIED,
FEBRUAKY 14, 1891, AT 1.50 r. M.
'He is not dead I To-night he sits among
Tlie -wariiors in Valuall.i. At their board
About his seat tbo mightipst captains throng ;
F >rhim song vises. The strong wines are poured.
Csssar doth welcome him. Great Frederiok's head
Bows in his honor. Gustav, he the bold,
Gives him iron hanri-cl.tsp. Stately in their tread,
The two great Dukes, great England's greatest two,
Recount their Ramflies aud Waterloo.
And the fierce Corsican his impatience chains.

552 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Hearkening the story of his vast campaigns.
Yea, and without the armies, fires are lit —
The flics of all our armies. Glad their cheer.
Ghost bugles blow and shadowy guidons flit
By troop aud squadron, as the soldiers hear
That to their camp, 'neatli Heaven's highest dome,
The last of their Commanders Three comes home,
lie is not dead 1 Nay, ho doth more than live.
He finds companionship earth can no longer give.
" P, T. Sherman, New York : — The members of the
Merchants' Exchange of St. Louis deeply deplore the
death of your distinguished father, the gallant soldier,
the renowned general, and eminent citizen, and extend
to the family their warmest sympathy in the irreparable
loss sustained, not only by the home circle, but by the
whole nation.
Boston. — Announcement of General Sherman's death
was generally made to the citizens by the tolling ofthe
fire-alarm bells. The flags on State, Municipal, and
Federal buildings was ordered at half mast.
Cincinnati. — Upon receipt of the news of General Sher
man's death, the bells in the fire tower of the city hall
began tolling and continued for fifteen minutes. Flags
at the city and Government buildings, patrol, and engine
houses were at once lowered to half mast. .
".Hotel Mjetropole, New York, February 14. — To Mr
and the Misses Sherman : — Let me express to you my
profound sympathy in your great sorrow, which is shared
by one who recalls in a quarter of a century of friendship
such continual acts of kindness as cannot be forgotten.
I suffer with so many others a deep personal loss in Gen
eral Sherman's death. " Lawrence Barrett."
Detroit, Michigan, February, 14. — To the Misses Sher
man : — Our already overburdened hearts throb with the

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 553
great sorrow that overwhelms and darkens your home.
"Lights Out " on earth is " Reveille " to the dear general
in heaven, where so many of his old command await him.
R. A. Alger.
One of the despatches was received by the family with
great feeling. It was from General Sherman's foe of the
Atlanta campaign, who himself had just passed his 82d
birthday : —
" Washington, February, 14.— To the Misses Sherman .
— Intelligence of General Sherman's death grieves me
much. I sympathize deeply with you in 'your great
bereavement. — J. E. Johnston."
" To the Hon. John Sherman : — Convey to your brother's
bereaved family our tenderest sympathy. A very great
man has gone.— James G. Blaine."
To Miss. Rachel Sherman : — The nation mourns and
sympathizes with you all in your great sorrow. Your
illustrious father's death is to Mrs. Morton, our children,
and myself the loss of a personal friend to whom we were
devotedly attached. — Levi P. Morton."
" To the Hon. John Sherman : — Please accept for j'our-
self and all the members ofthe family, sympathy in the
bereavement you suffer in the loss of the General Com
mander, who was my dearest friend. — J. M. Schofield."
"To P. T. Sherman: — In this hour of affliction you
have my deepest sympathy. The memory of General
Sherman will be forever cherished by the American
people as one of their most valued possessions. — B. F.
Tracy." " To the Misses Sherman : — The death of my old Com-~
mander causes deep sorrow to myself and household.
Our sympathies are with his family in their great affliction.
— JohnM. Harlan."

554 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
" To Hon. John Sherman : — Permit me to express to
you, and through you to fhe family of General Sherman,
my -deep sorrow et the loss of my old commander, com
rade, and friend. No words will express my grief at this
irreparable loss. I can only join with his family and Iiis
eountry in mourning one of our nation's greatest leaders
and strongest defenders in war and in peace. — J. M. Rusk."
"To Hon. John Sherman: — The heartfelt sympathy of
rm-selfand Mrs. Noble goes forth to. the family of dear
General Sherman and to you. Our countrymen mourn
one of ours and the world's greatest heroes; but yours is
the deeper grief for the loss of the father, brother, friend.
Heaven bless you all. — John W. Noble."
Rev. DeWitt Talmage paid the following tribute: — ¦
" The century had no grander soul to surrender into the
,eternities than the one just passed away from us. Frank,
honest, brilliant, gallant, patriotic, William T. Sherman.'
I thank God that I even knew that I ever felt the hearty
grasp of his right hand, and had the friendship of his
great, big lieart.
" I have no part in the question which is being agitated
as to whether ho was a Catholic or a Protestant. I heard
Lis confession of faith on a memorable occasion and
under peculiar circumstances. In New York, at the
New England dinner three years ago, I sat with him four
hours. He on one side and the immortal Henry W.
Grady on the other. When in conversation lie expressed
to me his respect for the religion embraced by his wife,
and his own faith in God aud his confidence in the future.
Simple as a child, brave as a lion, sympathetic as a
woman, firm as a rock, wrathful, as a tempest when
aroused against a great wrong, lovely as a June morning
among his friends. "

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 555
" Chicago, February 14.— Miss Rachel Sherman :—
Our sincere sympathy is with you all. — Melville W.Fuller."
^ "Chicago,. February 14 — Miss Sherman: — Deep and
heartfelt sympathy for the irreparable loss both to you
and to America. II. M. Stanley. "
: The Archbishop of St. Louis wired : —
"St. Louis, February 14.— To Mr. P. T. Sherman:—
Accept my heartfelt sympathy with yourself and sisters.
Peter R. Kendrick."
"Chicago, February 14. — To P. T, Sherman: — I am
shocked and distressed. When I saw your father three
weeks ago he was cheerful and well. During and since
the war he was my faithful friend. His sorrowing chil
dren have my profound sympathy. — \V. O. Gresham. "
"Cleveland, Ohio, February 14. — To the Hon. John
Sherman. — We mourn with the family and kindred of
General Sherman. He was beloved by me and my fam
ily with the warmest personal affection. I expect to
"reach the Fifth Avenue Hotel Monday. — R. B- Hayes."
On the afternoon of February 14th, the President sent
the following message to Congress : —
The death of Win. Tecumseh Sherman, which took
place to-day, nt his residence iti the city of New-York, at
1 o'clock and 50 minutes P. M ,is an event that will bring
sorrow to the heart of every patriotic citizen. No living
. American was so loved and venerated as he. To look
Upon his face, to hear his name, was to have one's love
of country intensified. He served his country, not for
fame, not out of a sen«e of professional duty, but for love
of the flag and of the beneficent civil institutions of
which it was the emblem.
He was an ideal soldier and shared to the fullest the
esprit du corps of the army, but he cherished the civil

556 LIFE OP GENERAL SHERMAN.
institutions organized under the Constitution, and was
only a soldier that these might be perpetuated in undi
minished usefulness and honor. He was not an imitator.
A profound student of military science and precedent, he
drew from them principles and suggestions, and so
adapted them to novel conditions that his campaigns will
continue to be the profitable study of the military profes
sion throughout the world. His genial nature made him
comrade to every soldier of the great Union army. No
presence was so welcome and inspiring at the camp firte
or commandery as his. His career was complete; his
honors were full. He had received from the Government
the highest rank known to our military establishment,
and from the people unstinted gratitude and love.
No word of mine can add to his fame. His death
has followed in startling quickness that of the Admi
ral of the Navy, and it is a sadly notable incident
that wheii the department under which he served shall
have put on the usual emblem of mourning, four of the
Eight Executive Departments will be simultaneously
draped in black, and 6ne has but to-day removed the
crape from its walls. Benjamin Harrison.
Executive Mansion, Feb. 14, 1891.
EXECUTIVE ORDERS.
It is my painful duty to announce to the country that
General William Tecumseh Sherman died this day at 1.
o'clock and 50 minutes P. M., at his residence,in tlie city
of New York. The Secretary of War will cause the highest
milifary honors to be paid to the memory of this distin
guished officer. The national flag will be floated at half-
mast over all public buildings until after the burial; and
the public business will be suspended" in the Executive

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 557
Departments of the city of Washington, and in the city
where the interment takes place, on the day of the funeral
and in all places where public expression is given to
the national sorrow, during such hours as will enable
every officer and employer to participate therein with
their fellow-citizens. Benjamin Harrison.
Executive Mansion, Washington, D. C, Feb. 14, 1891.
The following is the President's message to the family
of General Sherman : —
Executive Mansion, Washington, D. C, Feb. 14,
1891. — To Hon. John Sherman, New York : — I loved and
venerated General Sherman, and would stand very near
to the more deeply afflicted members of his family in this
hour of bereavement. It will be as if there were one
dead in every loyal household in the land. I suggest
the body be borne through Washington and lie in state
for one day in the rotunda of the Capitol. Please advise
me of any arrangements made. Benjamin Harrison.
The Acting Secretary of War promptly issued a gen
eral order to the army announcing the death of General
Sherman. It included the President's message to Con
gress and the executive order issued by him to the execu
tive departments, and closed as follows :-
The Major-General commanding will issue the neces
sary orders to the army.
It is ordered that the War Department be draped in
mourning for the period of thirty days, and that all
business be suspended therein on the day of the funeral.
L. A. Grant,
Acting Secretary of War.
This was accompanied by another order issued by
Adjutant-General Kelton, by command of Major-General
Schofield, as follows: —
32

558 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
On the day of the funeral the troops at every military
post will be paraded and this order read to them, after
which all labors for the day will cease. The national
flag will be displayed at half-mast from the time of the
receipt of this order until the close of the funeral. On
the day of the funeral a salute of seventeen guns will be
fired at half-hour intervals, commencing at 8 o'clock A.
M. The officers of the army will wear the usual badges
of mourning, and the colors of the several regiments
and battalions will be draped in mourning for a period
of six months.
The day and hour of the funeral will be communicated
to Department Commanders by telegraph, and by them
to their subordinate commanders. Other necessary or
ders win be issued hereafter relative to the appropriate
funeral services.
There was a full attendance in the Senate of the United
States when the President's touching and appropriate
message was read. Senator Hawley arose in his place
and offered the following : —
Resolved, That the Senate receives with profound sor
row the announcement of the death of William Tecumseh
Sherman, late General of the Armies of the United
States. Resolved, That the Senate renews its acknowledgment
of the inestimable services which he rendered to his
country in the days of its extreme peril, laments the great
loss which the country has sustained, and deeply sympa
thizes with his family in its bereavement.
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded
to the family of the deceased.
Mr. Hawley said : —
Mr. President : At this hour the Senate, the Congress,

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 559
and the people of the United States are one family.
What we have been daily expecting has happened — Gen
eral Sherman has received and obeyed his last order. He
was a great soldier, by the judgment of the great soldiers
of the world. In time of peace he has been a great
citizen, glowing and abounding with love of country and
of all humanity. His glorious soul appeared in every
look, gesture and word.
The history of our country is rich in soldiers who have
set examples of simple soldiery, obedience to the civil law
and of self-abnegation. Washington, Grant, Sheridan,
and Sherman lead the list. Sherman was the last of the
illustrious trio who were, by universal consent, the fore
most figures in the armies of the Union in the late war.
Among the precious traditions to pass into our history
for the admiration of the old and the instruction of the
young, was their friendship, their most harmonious co
operation without a shadow of ambition or pride. When
General Grant was called to Washington to take com
mand of the armies of the Union, his great heart did
not forget the men who stood by him.
Here Mr. Hawley read the letter from Grant to Sher
man (written at that time) expressing thanks to him and
McPherson as the men, above all others, to whom he owed
his success ; and Sherman's letter in reply, saying that
General Grant did himself injustice and them too much
honor. Mr. Hawley closed his remarks (his voice fre
quently giving way from grief and emotion) by reading
the following pages from Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress : —
After this it was noised about that Mr. Valiant — for
truth was taken with a summons. When he understood
it he called for his friends and told them of it. Then,
said he, " I am going to my Fathers ; and though with

560 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
great difficulty I got hither, yet now I do not repent me
of all the trouble I have been at to arrive where I am.
My sword I give to him that shall succeed me in my pil
grimage, and my courage and skill to him that can get
them. My marks and scars I carry with me, to be a wit
ness for me that I have fought His battles who will now
be a rewarder." When the day that he must go hence
was come many accompanied him to the river side into
which as he went he said : " Death, where is thy sting?"
and as he went down deeper he said : " Grave, where is
thy victory?" So he passed oVer and all the trumpets
sounded for him on the other side.
He was followed by Senator Morgan, of Alabama, who
remarked : —
On this occasion of national solemnity I would lead the
thoughts and sympathies of the American Senate back
to those days in our history when General Sherman
was, by a choice greatly honorable to his nature,
a citizen of the State of Louisiana, and presided
over a college for the instruction of Southern youths
in the arts of war and the arts of peace. These
were not worse days than some we have seen dur
ing the last half of this century. In those days, notwith
standing the then conditions of the South in view of its
institutions, inherited from the older States of the East,
every American was as welcome in Louisiana and the
South as he was elsewhere in the Union. We are
gradually and surely returning to that cordial state of
feeling which was unhappily interrupted by the civil
war. Our fathers taught us that it was the highest patriotism
to defend the Constitution of the country. But they had
left within its body guarantees of an institution that the

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 561
will of the majority finally determined should no longer
exist, and which put the conscience of the people to the
severest test. Looking back now to the beginning of this
century, and to the conflict of opinion, and of material
interests engendered by those guarantees, we can see that
they never could have been stricken out of the organic
law except by a conflict of arms. The conflict came, as '
it was bound to come, and Americans became enemies, as
they were bound to be, in the settlement of issues that
involved so much money, such radical political results,
and the pride of a great and illustrious race of people.
The power rested with the victors at the close of the
conflict, but not all the honors of the desperate warfare.
Indeed, the survivors are now winning honors, enriched
with justice and magnanimity, not less worthy than those
won on the battle-fields in their labors to restore the
country to its former feeling of fraternal regard and to
unity of sentiment and action, and to promote its wel
fare. The fidelity of the great general who has just
departed in the ripeness of age and with a history
marked by devotion to his flag was the true and simple
faith of an American to his convictions of duty. We
differed with him and contested campaigns and battle
fields with him ; but we welcomed the history of the
great soldier as the proud inheritance of our country.
We do this as cordially and as sincerely as we gave him
welcome in the South, as one of our people, when our
sons were confided to his care in a relation that, next to
paternity, had its influence upon the young men of the
country. The great military leaders on both sides of our civil
war are rapidly marching across the border to a land
where history and truth and justice must decide upon

562 ufe OP GENERAL SHERMAN.
every man's career. When they meet there they will be
happy to find that the honor of human actions is not
always measured by their wisdom, but by the motives in
which they had their origin. I cherish the proud belief
that the heroes of the civil war will find that, measured
by this standard, none of them on either side were
delinquent, and they will be happy in an association
that will never end, and will never be disturbed by any
evil thought, jealously or distrust. When a line so
narrow divides us from those high courts in which our
actions are to be judged by their motives, and when so
many millions now living, and increasing millions to
follow, are to be affected by the wisdom of our enact
ments, we will do well to give up this day to reflection
upon our duties and in sympathy with this great country
to dedicate the day to his memory. In such a retrospect
we shall find an admonition that an American Senate
should meet on this side of the fatal line of death as the.
American generals meet on the other side to render justice
to each other and to make our beloved country as happy
comparatively as we should wish the great beyond to be
to those great spirits.
Senator Manderson, of Nebraska, said : — That as the
hours of the last two or three days passed away he had
not had the heart to make the preparation for the event
which all feared and dreaded, as might seem to be meet
and appropriate. He had been afraid to prepare any
thing that might be in the nature of a post-mortem
tribute. It seemed like a surrender to the enemy. The
death of General Sherman came, although one might
have been prepared for it, as the unexpected. It was a
day of mourning and grief. Here, at the Capitol of the
Nation, lay the body of the great Admiral, the Chief of

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 563
the Navy, and in New York was being prepared for the
last sad rites the corpse of the greatest military genius
which the nation had produced. General Sherman had
been not only great as a military leader, but he had been
great as a civilian. Who was there that had heard him
tell of the events of his wonderful career who had not
been filled with admiration and respect for his abilities ?
It seemed to him that General Sherman was perhaps the
only man in the North who, in the early days of the
war, seemed to appreciate what the terrible conflict
meant. It was recollected how it was said in 1861 that
he must be insane to make the suggestion which he
made. These suggestions were so starting to the
country that he (Mr. Manderson) did not wonder that
men doubted General Sherman's sanity. Like men of
great genius, he seemed to have lived in that debatable
ground existing between the line of perfect sanity and
insanity. After a review of General Sherman's military career,
opening at Shiloh and closing at Atlanta, Mr. Manderson
read General Sherman's letter to the Mayor and Com
mon Council of Atlanta, beginning: —
" We must have peace, not only at Atlanta, but in all
America." In conclusion Mr. Manderson said : —
General Sherman was as estimable as a citizen and as
fully appreciated the duties of a civilian as he was
admirable as a soldier. But this strife, which we have
watched for the past few days, has ceased.
The conflict has ended. The nation has witnessed it.
Sixty millions of people have stood in silence watching
for the supreme result. Death, ever victorious, is again
a victor. A great conqueror is himself conquered. Our

5^4 1,1 PE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Captain lies dead. The pale lips sayeth to the sunken
eye : " Where is thy kindly glance ? and where is thy
winning smile ? "
Senator Edmunds said: — " I have not the time to recall
reminiscences of General Sherman. He has so long
been the cynosure of all eyes that anything I may say in
regard to his character as a man and soldier would, I
fear, be mere repetition. I knew him personally. He
was a man of kindly feelings, generous instincts and had
all the elements of greatness. This is in brief my estimate
of him. In a social sense he was exceedingly entertain
ing, and he possessed more warmth of character than his
brusque manner at times indicated. It is not necessary
for me to dwell upon his military genius, for it is
conceded that he stands in the front rank of generals.
" His lofty courage, patriotism and devotion to duty
ought and will no doubt be an inspiration to the youth
of America. The lesson of his life can never be too well
learned by the generations that are to come after him.
He was a typical American, and to my mind that is the
highest glory to which any man may attain."
Senator Davis said that he could hardly trust himself to
speak. He had been a soldier under General Sherman, and
had received acts of kindness from him when he was a sub
altern. As the years had gone by, and the widening ave
nues of life had opened up ways' of promotion, that'acquain-
tance had ripened into friendship, and, he might say, into
intimacy. He had first seen General Sherman at the siege
of Vicksburg, twenty-eight years ago, when he was the very
incarnation of war ; but to-day that spirit had taken up its
rest in the everlasting tabernacle of death. It was fit that
the clangor of the great city should be hushed in silence,
and that the functions of government should be suspended

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 565
while the soul of the great commander was passing to Him
who gives and Him who takes away. No more were heard
the thunders of the captains, and the shouting. The soul
of the great warrior had passed, and was standing in judg
ment before Him who was the God of Battles, and was also
the God of Love.
Mr. Pierce, as one of the soldiers who had served under
General Sherman in the Army of the Tennessee, gave some
reminiscences of the war and paid a glowing eulogy to his
old commander.
Senator Evarts said that the afflicting intelligence of the
death of General Sherman had touched the Senate with the
deepest 'sensibilities ; that that grief was not a private grief ;
nor was it limited by any narrower bounds than those of
the whole country. The affections of the people toward
its honorable and honored men did not always find a warm
effusion, because circumstances might not; have brought the
personal career, the personal traits, the personal affectionate
disposition of great men to the close and general observa
tion of the people at large. But of General Sherman no
such observation could be truly made. Whatever of affec
tion and of grief Senators might feel, was felt, perhaps, more
intensely in the hearts of the whole people. Observers of
his death, as they had. been of his life, General Sherman had
been yesterday the most celebrated living American. He
was now added to that longer and more illustrious list of
the celebrated men of the country for the hundred years of
national life.
One star differed from another star in glory, but yet all
of those stars had a glory to which nothing could be added
by eulogy, and from which nothing could be taken away
by detraction. They shone in their own effulgence, and
borrowed no fight from honor or respect. It had been said

566 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
already that General Sherman was the last of the great com
manders. If those who had passed out of life still watched
over and took interest in what transpired in this world (and
no one doubted it), what great shades must have surrounded
the death-bed of General Sherman ! And who could im
agine a greater death-bed for a great life than that which
had been watched over in a neighboring city during the
week j It had been reserved for him (Mr. Evarts), at the
declining hour of the day, as a Senator from the State which
General Sherman had honored by his late residence, and in
which he had died, to move, out of respect to his memory,
that the Senate do now adjourn.
In the National House of Representatives, the Speaker
announced the message of the President relating to the
death of General Sherman. It was referred to the Com
mittee on Military Affairs, which promptly reported as
follows : —
Resolved, That the House of Representatives has
heard with profound sorrow of the death of William
Tucumseh Sherman, the last of the Generals of the Arm
ies of the United States.
Resolved, That we mourn him as the greatest soldier
remaining to the Republic, and the last of the illustrious
trio of generals who commanded the Armies of the
United States, Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan, who shed
imperishable glory upon American arms and were the
idolized leaders of the Union Army.
Resolved, That we hereby record the high appreciation
in which the American people hold the character and ser
vices of General Sherman as one of the greatest soldiers
of his generation, as one of the grandest patriots that our
country has produced, and a noble man in the broadest
and fullest meaning of the word. We mingle our grief

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 567
with that of the nation mourning the departure of her great
son, and of the battle-scarred veterans whom he led to vic
tory and to peace, and we especially tender our sympathy
and condolence to those who were bound to him by ties of
blood and strong personal affection.
Resolved, That the Speaker appoint a committee of nine
members of the House to attend the funeral of the late gen
eral as representatives of this body.
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded
by the Clerk of the House to the family of General Sher
man. Mr. Cutcheon said that after the touching tribute ren
dered to General Sherman by the Chief Executive there
was little left to say. The last ofthe great trio of generals
had left us, and his death marks an epoch in the history of
the Republic. It admonished us that the period so prolific
of great men was receding into history. In his opinion
General Sherman was the greatest strategist that the war
had produced.
Mr. Grosvenor, of Ohio, added his tribute to the charac
ter and ability of the dead General. There was no man,
he said, so beloved by the soldier as was General Sherman.
Sherman was above all other men the idol of the old sol
diers. There had passed away from, earth to the reward of
the just (and if there was no reward for Sherman on the
other shore he would doubt the whole system — and he did
not) the greatest character, who a few days ago had been
alive, connected with the Rebellion on either side.
Mr. Outhwaite, of Ohio ; Mr. Henderson, of Illinois ; Mr.
Cogswell of Massachusetts ; Mr. Wheeler, of Alabama, and
Mr. Williams, of Ohio, spoke in a similar strain, and then
the resolutions were unanimously adopted.
In accordance therewith, the Speaker appointed the fol-

568 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
lowing committee: Messrs. Cutcheon, Spinola, Cogswell,
Cummings, Grosvenor, Kansey, Tarsney, Henderson, of Illi
nois, and Outhwaite.
In the Senate, Vice-President Morton appointed this com
mittee to attend the funeral : Messrs. Evarts, Hawley, Man
derson, Price, Sockrell, and Walthall.
The cabinet officers, and the people in general, about the
capital, paid glowing tributes to the last of the great trium
virate of the Civil war. Said General Sickels : —
Millions of people have been praying earnestly that the
old warrior might recover, and I had hoped that his great
vitality and will-power might have pulled him through.
Could he have known how the popular heart throbbed with
his, how much of sympathy there was for him, it would
have soothed his last moments on earth. What of him as
a soldier? The whole world can answer that question
As to his greatness as a leader, I can add no tribute that
would brighten the record. The name of Sherman will
always be prominent in the military annals and American
history. Senator Reagan, who was the Postmaster-General of
Jefferson Davis' Confederate Cabinet, said : —
I knew him well, and esteemed him very highly, both as
a man and as a general. He was a very able military lea
der and a good friend. ' Personally, I did not know him
prior to the war, but I knew of him. His brother and I
were in the House when William Tecumseh was in Cali
fornia, and his brother frequently read some of his very in
teresting letters to me. I regret the General's death exceed
ingly. Such men are not numerous.
Said Senator Cockrell : —
General Sherman and I heard of each other for a long
time before we became personally acquainted. We worried

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 569
each other a good deal during the war, and were often in
close proximity, but we never got near enough to clasp
hands until I came to the Senate. Since that time General
Sherman and I have been warm friends. You know he
lived in St. Louis for quite a while, and he frequently re
ferred to himself as my constituent. Our relations were of
the most pleasant character, and I regret his death with all
sincerity. We were conscientious enemies and warm friends.
Secretary Blaine said that he could remember General
Sherman personally from the time he graduated at West
Point fifty years ago, when he was himself a school boy of
10 years. " For more than thirty years, " continues Mr.
Blaine, " by reasons of family connections, I had known
him very intimately. Of his many and great qualities on
his public side I do not care to speak. General Sherman's
military history is part, and a large part, of the proudest
annals of the nation. He did not grow less in the intimacy
of private life or by the fireside in his own home. He had
the kindest of hearts and the most chivalric devotion to
those he loved. He was one of the warmest friends to those
for whom he professed friendship. He was frank, just and,
magnanimous. He spoke and wrote with a freedom that
almost seemed reckless and oftentimes was misunderstood,
as when he wrote his own memoirs. His death seemed
premature. Seeing him very often, I had discovered no
decay in the acuteness of his senses except in a slight loss
of hearing. I saw him last Summer at Bar Harbor for a
considerable period, and his brightness of talk and his en
joyment of life, especially with the young, seemed as natural
and marked as ever, but at the same time I had in some
way gained the impression in talking with him that he had
no expectations of a long life. "
Secretary Noble said : I feel a great personal grief at

570 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
the loss of General Sherman, my friend for many years. I
was born in Lancaster, where he was. His father was my
father's friend, and while I retain for him the admiration
that all Americans and the whole world must, I feel that
one has gone from me by whose approval my personal ac
tion in life has been greatly influenced. I served under him
in the war and had been honored by his friendship and per
sonal intercourse, both in St. Louis, New York, and Wash
ington since. His military achievements in the service of
the Republic are a part of the history of our country, but
great as his talents as a commander were, they were equaled
by the beautiful trait of his character that made him the
instructive companion, the genial friend, and wise counselor
that he was. He was as tender and kind in private life as
he was great and successful in war. His literary tact was
most wonderful, and his memory not only of events and
facts, but even of figures and statistics, was unfailing. His
love for his comrades in arms was like that of a father for
his children. His love embraced all our people. Among
the first events in my official life here was a visit from Gene
ral Sherman, voluntarily made in behalf of General Joseph
Johnston, of whom he spoke in the highest terms. He was
ready to support any man when friendly to the Government,
as he was uncompromising to all its enemies. He was as
grand a patriot as ever lived, and I believe his services,
speeches, and . example will have a happy influence upon
our country through its history. "
Postmaster-General Wanamaker said: * I had nearly ten
years personal acquaintanceship with General Sherman, but
even a much shorter time would have drawn me to him
closely. He has never seemed to me like an old man,, and
always waked up in me all the boy that was in me. I was
never where he was, that I could get near to him, that we

LIFE OP GENERAL SHERMAN. 571
did not put our arms around each other. The ring of his
words aud ways showed that he was made of pure gold.
No man that I ever knew combined in such a degree the
courage of a lion, the loving gentleness of a woman, and
the simplicity of a child. The sunset of his career has
been as gorgeous . and beautiful as the glory of his great
campaign." Attorney-General Miller said: "In General Sherman's
death the world has lost the first of its military men. At
least there is no one surviving at all comparable to him
unless it be the great German marshal, Von Moltke. He
was not only a great soldier, but he was wise in all public
affairs. One thing especially struck me in the great centen
nial review in New York. There he stood by the side of
the President. No matter what else might be claiming his
attention, did he ever fail to take off his hat and salute the
flag. He might let the men pass wixhout recognition, but
never the flag. "
At a family meeting held on the afternoon of the 16th,
it was agreed to deny the many requests for opportunity to
do honors to the dead chieftain, which had come in from
all the leading cities on the route to St. Louis. The body
of the deceased was dressed in full uniform and placed in
a casket swathed with silken flags. It bore on a silver
plate the following plain inscription : " William Tecumseh
Sherman, born February 8th, 1820. Died February 14th,
1891." The casket was then placed in the parlor of his
home, under charge of a military guard from Governor's
Island. In obedience to the General's wishes, there was to
be no lying in state of his body, and no public view of his
remains. Only a few of those who had been intimate with
him were permitted to enter their parlor and take a last look
at the face of the dead one.

572 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN!
The New York Commandery of the Loyal Legion met
on the 16th, at 202 Broadway, and resolved : —
"In common with the entire country we lament the
loss of a great military chieftain whose loyal spirit rightly
placed the love of county higher than all earthly obliga
tions, and who was individually a distinct and glorious
element in the triumphant stauggle of that country for
its own survival and for the rights of man .
"As once his fellow soldiers we mourn universally for
the dead commander, whose great heart made us all his
own and made his own virtues seem to us like personal
benefactions. "As members of this military order we deplore the loss
of a companion whoso honors added to the value of those
ties which his fellowship helped to endear, and whose
frequent and cordial visits to the New York Commandery
will be cherished in our memories as so many occasions
to be often and affectionately recalled.
"To his children and relatives, to whom his great re
nown, his honors, and his tenderness do but enhance their
loss, we tender all that sympathy may, and by that a
place in our regard henceforth may be accepted by them
as a little heritage from him."
Touching eulogies were delivered by Generals How
ard, Slocum, Swayne, Carleton and others.
Meanwhile the newspaper press of the country was
giving editorial estimate of General Sherman's character
and measurement of the national loss in his death. The
consensus was universal that no death had removed a
more exalted commander nor a higher type of American
citizen. However analyzed his character shone with a
resplendence that marked it for exalted and imperishable
history. A few of these analyses must answer, for all.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 573
The New York Tribune wrote : — . ¦
"A nation mourns the last of the three great captains
who, side by side, achieved imperishable fame by leading
to crowning victory the armies that saved their country;
from destruction and its enemies from ruin. By the
death of Sherman America loses an illustrious general,
one of the foremost of its citizens, a gentleman without
reproach, a man among men, and a patriot among
patriots. "The survivor of a generation of great men, his was a
figure unique in many respects. The popularity that in
all times so many men have stooped to court, often per
haps without stooping low enough to achieve, his rugged ;
but translucent nature disdained yet won easily, and se
curely kept without so much as an effort. Grant, though
universally regarded not more for his incomparable deeds
than for the steadfastness of his character, and though
twice rewarded with the highest honor in the power of
his countrymen to bestow, never really awakened the
highest enthusiasm of soldiers and citizens ; while Sher
man, in all the armies while the War lasted, and among
all the people since, had only to let his familiar form be
seen to carry away the hearts of all men as Sheridan car
ried away those of his immediate followers. As the years ,
passed not only did the early asperities of his high-strung
nervous temperament disappear or lose their jagged
edges, but his very character seemed to soften and grow
richer and -more mellow, like some rare fruit ripening
under the frosts of winter. He mixed more and more
with his old soldiers and with the people, young and old,
drew nearer to them, understood them better, and was
better understood by them. Like John Quincy Adams,
for example, he began to talk freely at an age when.
So

574 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
most reserved men become taciturn, but unlike men of
the classic type, his speech was gentle as well as gpldeli.
"In almost every large gathering of late years his inde
fatigable social zeal caused him to be looked for, and
always as a welcome presence and an honored guest.
Not since Polonius counselled Laertes has any son re
ceived from any father advice sounder, sager or»more
sympathetic than that contained in the few short, quaint,
characteristic sentences he was wont to address off hand
to those he loved 'to call his " boys," at annual reunions
like those of the Army of the Potomac, the Army of the
Tennessee and the Loyal Legion. If the inevitable
strains of " Marching Through Georgia " disturbed his
serenity and eclipsed the gayety of his evenings out, he
bore the ordeal with fortitude; it pleased the "boys," and
nothing they cared for ever failed to exeite his liveliest
interest. A good father, a good husband, a good son, a
pure man, a soldier without vices, no less than a strat
egist well-nigh beyond comparison, his death removes a
historic landmark. The grief that is felt to-day will be
less bitter for the remembrance that no private default
ever dimmed the. lustre of his public career.
"Alert, quick, untiring, taking small thought of glory
and none of fine feathers or idle parade, but doing all
things for the sake of duty and his country, Sherman
may well stand for the type and model of the American
soldier at his best. Some of his highest qualities were
indeed, so strongly marked as to rise into defects. Thus
in his early career as a general he lost for a time the con
fidence of his superiors by seeing too far and too clearly
into the future. At Vicksburg he saw both side with
such distinctness, and had so keen a perception, of the
ruin he would have wrought had he commanded the

LIFE OP GENERAL SHERMAN. 575
Confederate forces, that he was led to protest, at the out
set, against the plan of tbe remarkable campaign that
opened the Mississippi and proved the making of Grant.
"As a tactician Sherman was not always above criticism ;
witness Chickasaw Bluffs, Tunnel Hill, and Bloody Ken
esaw. But as a master of strategy, whether in principle
or, harder still, in practice, he has had no equal on this
continent, nor during the seventy years of his lifetime
has he had his superior anywhere, unless in Von Moltke.
In this and in Sherman's daily and hourly control of
every one of the numberless and troublesome details on
which depend the movement and even the very life of
an. army, lay the secret of his success. From first to last
he was his own chief of staff. No army ever had a better.
Thus it was that the dramatic march from Atlanta to the
Sea was made possible; yet this was far from being his
greatest work, for then he was unopposed, whereas his
movement from Chattanooga into the heart of Georgia
was one long trial of skill and strength with Johnston at
his best — a leader only inferior, if inferior, to Lee him
self — at the head of an army second only to Lee's.
The Philadelphia Press said : — "The last great figure in
the greatest war of our history disappears with General W.
T. Sherman. In the great cycle of war which began with,
the Crimea and ended with the treaty of San Stefano, which.
for a quarter of a century kept the civilized world aflame,
and in which every great nation played its part and paid
its reckoning — in which our own great struggle fell between
the war which created Italy and- the wars which welded
Germany and left Russia foiled — but two figures were left
while Sherman lived, and but one now that he is gone — >
Von Moltke. To us the old man who died so lately,
with such years as no mihtary hero has ever had in our

576 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
history, and such honors as but two others beside him have
won, stands as the best loved leader of the war, : a man
flawless in the regard he won and held from soldier, army,
and nation. To the wider world, as to history, he is one of
that mighty group whom the wars of a quarter of a century
raised to war's higher level and fame's highest lists.
He knew his trade. No man better. For 40 years in
peace he failed in all to which he put his hand-^an average
cadet, a dissatisfied, disheartened officer, an unskilful specu
lator, a poor lawyer, at the last the head of a local military
school. Through it all he was a man who rooted nowhere,
who won neither pelf nor position, and who rolled uneasily
about along all the unsettled frontier from Louisiana to
Oregon, finding nowhere the place that wanted him or that
he wanted.
The war came. He was 41 before the first gun was fired.
The first year he was discredited. The second he was dis
trusted. In the last two he rose to a rank not a score of
men in history equal. At a step he took his place among
the great captains of all time. One single campaign which
began at Nashville and ended at Goldsboro — which lasted
for a year, unmarred by defeat and unsullied by retreat,
in which more than one corps doubled the longest marches
of history, and an army of 60,000 men was launched through
space like a new planet swinging in its appointed round,
unchecked and unhurried — created, completed, and crowned
his reputation. It found him a man whom Grant trusted I
it left him a man all the world knew, an actor on its greater
stage, a familiar figure for all time to come.
Twenty-five years after he had held his last great review
ofthe army — of which he justly and proudly said in his
memoirs, "it was the most magnificent army in existence, "
— it is not easy to realize how slowly he, grew on his coun-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 577
try, now long he struggled for recognition, through how
many weary months he was misconceived and misapprecia-
ted. The strongest, sheer, sharp, intellectual force enlisted
in the service of his country, he gauged the struggle from
the start, and he alone. He implored an earlier call for
troops. Hp protested at the small size of the first levy.
He refused to enter Kentucky until a force was gathered
such as marched to victory six months later, and lost his
command for his plain speech. Every prediction for which
he was deemed insane was fulfilled to the letter. Every de
mand that he made for men and supplies was met thrice
over before early victory was won, and the later triumphs
ofthe war, which he ruled, and on which he rode to death
less fame, followed his prescient prediction. From Atlanta
to the sea he scored his great march on his maps months
before it began, and victory followed his pencil-line as his
pencil followed the ruler he laid across Georgia.
The glories which kindle about such fame blind men to
the marvelous powers which took a bond of Fate by pro
viding for every fateful risk. Of his two great peers, Grant
leaves on all who know his great story the impression of
resistless force which crushed all obstacles and Sheridan the
conviction of powers second to none in the annals of war,
which surmounted all barriers with the swift, sudden over
leap of genius. Sherman was the finished soldier in profes
sion and practice, who knew all, foresaw all, and worked
out the problems of war to the final mate. He knew maps,
topography, roads, country, and all the endless details'
which are the success or failure of a great march as no man
ever before mastered them. It was said of him in sober
earnestness that if the maps of the continent were lost he
could draw them again, county by county. From the abor
tive assault on Vicksburg, in which he manfully bore the

578 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
blame of others, to his last operations in North Carolina,
his eye was studying and scrutinizing and his hand correct
ing the duplicate maps he was dealing to his commanders.
The details of war were all his. He knew and tells how
a fail should be twisted in destroying a railroad, and how
the line could be quickest rebuilt and best used in war.
From rifle-pit up, all the work and detail. of defence had his
patient study, and no form of formation, manoeuvre, or
march in assault or attack escaped him. His campaigns
and memoirs teem with mihtary. comment and suggestion/
He showed at every page that joy and pride in every detail
of his great task which have always and everywhere been
the work of the true soldier, who is always both born and
made. This marvelous mastery in the arts of war, in which he
ranks even with the great commanders of any age and
soldiers of any staff, service, or training, was accompanied
by supreme command of the art of war. Twice in the
operations about Vicksburg he retreated from defeat with
the skill only great commanders show. The series of
operations by which Atlanta was occupied were models for
an advance in superior force along a single line of railroad.
The march to the sea was one of those great strokes of
genius which add a new chapter to the art of war, and
change the possibilities of all future invasions. For centu
ries no civilized commander had before dared what all sav
age leaders have always attempted, an unsupported march
in which an army is its own base.
He had great advantages. So had others. He came
late. So did others. Others fought battles and won them,
carried campaigns to victory, and proved their power to end
both campaigns and the enemy at a blow. But no other
man in, the closing year of the war so combined and con-

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. ' 579
noted the factors of the situation, and worked out the prob
lem to such triumphant success. The great march, which
popular enthusiasm has hung with all the greenest laurels
of the struggle, was the easiest of the greater operations of
the war, and was the easiest because of the skill which
guided every operation to Atlanta, the prescient care which
had prepared for it, and the wondrous and marvelous judg
ment which divined the plans of his opponent, and decided.
the nice instant, neither too quick nor too late, when his
great army should be launched across Georgia.
These things history will love to record, and it will love
also to remember of this great soldier that through twenty-
five years of peace he deepened the devotion, the pride, and
the tender love of a great people in a great soldier. No
ambition ever warped his splendid purpose, and no tempta
tion ever swayed him. From all the pitfalls of life, high
honor and a high devotion to the nobler ideals of a soldier's
life saved him. American as Lincoln, he was passionately
loved like the great President, and he lived to know the
overmastering, embracing love of a great people. For years,
it is pleasant to know, and remember, now that he is dead
and Cold, he never walked a street, sat in a theatre, rose at
a dinner, or entered a crowded room — and how often he did
all — that he did not feel and tingle to feel that to all Ameri
cans he was the one man whom all his land and people
rejoiced to love. Republics are held now and then to be
awkward in their honors and chilly in their gratitude ; but
here, at least, great hero and great people met, eaeh equal
to the duty of each. He saved his land in war, and in
peace his land loved him. More no mortal can ask, and
this William Tecumseh Sherman had. With the laurels
of war, history will twine for him the tender blue forget-me-
not of a people's tender love.

,58o LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
From New York World : — The heroic but unequal struggle
of General Sherman with the final conquerer of all men has
ended. The brave soldier who has faced death" without
fear on a hundred battlefields, and who resisted the final
" attack with characteristic grim determination, succumbed
at last.
General Sherman was the last of the great leaders of the
war of the Rebellion. In some respects he was the most
.popular soldier of his day. In every fibre of his character
he was an American. His geniu3 was of that quick and
ready kind that characterizes his countrymen, and his sim
plicity and straightforwardness appealed strongly to the
democratic mind And heart.
In the early days of the War he was thought by slower
and, more conservative men to be. erratic. His brilliancy
dazzled them. They could not grasp his large conceptions.
His plans and his talk were far above the heads of the plod
ders. He saw the vastness ofthe undertaking, the immen
sity of the task with which he" and his fellow-soldiers were
charged. Men shook- their heads, when he proclaimed his
opinions, but when he faced" Joe Johnston he played the
game of grand strategy with the skill and coolness of the
scientific soldier that he was. <
In peace he was a simple, undemonstrative, patriotic citi
zen. He wore his military honors modestly. He never
reached after the civic crown. He was one ofthe most
-.. charming and interesting men of his time. He never shrank
from : expressing his opinion, and if he seemed to seek con
troversy it was to vindicate the truth.
His death removes a familiar and much-loved figure.
His memory will linger as long as military genius, rugged
honesty and high patriotism hold their place in the world.
The New York Herald said : — Sad tidings these, that

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 581
General William Tecumseh Sherman has for the first tima
been forced to surrender.
His strategy has heretofore been that of attack, but on
this occasion the first blow was delivered by the enemy.
He resisted with such vigor as old age provides, made a
brave fight against the odds of Death, yielded to the only foe
of mortality who never lost a battle and now " sleeps 4n
fame." But death has . bestowed upon him a double mortality.
He will live forever in the " mansions not made with
hands " and live forever in the hearts of a grateful people.
His name is written on this lower firmament — together with
those of Grant and Sheridan, his comrades on the fields — in
" tracings of eternal light," and his place in the Hereafter is
assured by the fact that the jewel, honor, which he has worn
on. his breast for the space of two generations has never
lost its lustre.
Sherman's rank in the long list of historic soldiers may be
safely left to the future. For the present, discussion must
give way to eulogy. We lift no curious eyes to discover
the height of his greatness, have no desire to compare him
with any but himself, and are satisfied with the tender mem
ories which cluster about the house of mourning. He will
be numbered with the nation's most illustrious dead, to be
honored as a leader of our hosts on the perilous field, a de
fender, of the people's cause, a valiant contributor to that
great victory which made republics stronger and thrones
weaker. For the present, therefore, we leave'the task of
criticism to the indifferent or the stranger, and speak only.
in the whisper of sorrow and confidence.
Sherman was in many respects a unique character. 'He
was a man of simple manners, a product of our peculiar in
stitutions, as pure minded and honest as Coriolanus. " He

582 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
was blunt, brusque and wore his heart npon his sleeve.
Had there been no war he might have found no opportun
ity — would have kept the even tenor of his way along the
ordinary level, as a merchant or the president of a military
a'cademy. But when the nation trembled for its fate he
gravitated to leadership with the irrepressible impulse of
commanding ability. His sword was forged in fire and
tempered in blood. He rose from Lieutenant to General by
hard service in front ofthe enemy. Without ambition ex
cept to save the country, always master of the position to
which he was assigned, he disdained to ask preferment and
waited for preferment to seek for him. We have had many
brave soldiers, but few of whom it may be said, as we are
proud to say of Sherman, that " There are no tricks in plain
and simple faith."
He was pre-eminently a fighter, the man for the time.
In his judgment war is always war and should be conducted
without " dangerous lenity. " With every fibre he believed
in the righteousness of our cause, and when the first rum
blings Of secession was heard in the Louisiana sky, he wrote
to Governor Moore : — On no earthly account will I do any
act or think any thought hostile to the old government of
the United States."
When in the field, therefore, he smote with all the might
of arm and conscience, dreamed of nothing except to rout
the enemy at any cost and if possible to exterminate him.
To his soldiers he said : "Put your shields before your hearts
and fight with hearts more proof than shields." He never
followed, was always at the front, a hard rider, a hard
fighter, not reckless but bold. , His army loved him as his
army loved Napoleon, but the Corsican looked with " soar
ing insolence" upon a throne as his reward, while Sher
man refused everything which politics would have gladly

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 583
'/
offered, saying with Marcius : — " I cannot make my heart
consent to take a bribe to pay my sword."
With Sherman we lose the last of that historic group in
which he stood by the side of Lincoln, Grant and Sheridan.
If it be true that the dead may by some subtle metempsy
chosis become the inspiration of the living, the memory of
these four will keep the fires of patriotism alive and help'
our children's children to make the future of the Republic
as glorious as its past.
The pulpit, too, intoned the universal sentiment, and
among its many striking eulogies we find that of Rev.
Duncan MacGregor, D. D., Pastor of Broad St., Baptist
Church, Philadelphia, delivered in a sermon to Post No. 2,
G. A. R., the text being "Tribute to whom tribute is due."
"One of the most brilliant and summitless military forms
of the -age has fallen He had grown so tall that in his fall
he threw a shadow over all lands and across the thresh
olds of all nations, and as it swept through the Christian
civilizations of earth, enthroned powers reversed their seep-.
tres, lifted their crowns and bowed in reverence. Fallen, —
a form so great — he divides his compartments and his',
martial shroud in the halls of death with Joshua, Cyrus,
Constantine, Pompey, Hannibal, Cromwell, . Wellington,
Napoleon, Washington and Grant. He was so historic
that in the flight of a thousand years to come the angel
of history, dropping ber weary wings and resting on the
battlements of time, and looking backward, will find the
genius of W. T. Sherman shining as the brightest light in
the military galaxy of the nineteenth century. His sword
help to cut a channel through the black Alps, where liber
ty might find a pass. So manly was he that above the
highest sweep of his ambition could be seen that rare
picture of a full-fledged manhood, poised serenely above all

584 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
rivalry. He was so patriotic that the pattern of his patri
otism will hang in the archives ofthe military and chival-
, rie world, unchallenged by the ghost of the past or the
angel of the- future. And, be it remembered in the cent
uries to come, he never used his gallant blade to hew a
stairway to rank, office or fame. His is the purest patriot
ism >fbund in the annals of warriors. He was ready to
halt, and unharness and crawl down by the wayside and
stoop and place his hand under the blood-matted head of
a comrade, lift him up, tear a piece of lining from his own
coat, wipe off the blood and tie up the wound. At the
same time he knew no safe, secluded spot in all this
Union land where treason might make a den. Not a
foot of ground, by the permission of his army, between
the laky chain of the North and the ocean wall of the
South, or between the golden gates of the West and the
sea-sprinkled rocks of the East, could treason find to squat
on and make her rendezvous. He had a tender, brotherly
regard for his fellow-man, whether clad in the gray or the
blue. He hated treason, and hunted her in her iron dens
and breastwork caverns. He knocked at her garrisons till
the whole world heard his raps, He pried open' the abut
ments of her forts till the whole world felt the pressure of
his levers. He was death on treason ; winged, tireless, re
lentless on her trail.
"The picture of manhood that Sherman exhibited was a
man among men, as a soldier among soldiers, as a fellow
among fellows, as an officer among officers, as a rival
among rivals, as envied and not envying, as hated and not
hating, as slandered and not slandering, as abused and not
abusing, as sought and not seeking, as glorified and not
glorying. > Sherman's cranium was the house where work
ed the mightiest energy of the war — a silent, relentless,

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 585
potent energy. The Government will put him in bronze
and marble and make the mould the most perfect blossom
in some city garden, but the spirit of Sherman will walk
with progress and liberty along the shining avenues of the
ages, when bronze and marble have crumbled to dust."
While the illustrious dead lay in his coffin, the letters of
condolence and tributes of respect continued to pour in upon
tbe family from at home and abroad. Those from the Old
World, came from statesmen and soldiers alike. We make
record of a few.
"The Princ of Wales condoles with the American nation
on the loss of so distinguished an officer as General Sher
man." Count Von Moltke's condolence was accompanied by the
following : — "Calm and deliberate while considering dicisive
measures, unerring in carrying them into execution, Gen
eral Sherman stood brilliantly to the front as a strategist.
His march to the sea is a standard to be followed."
Dom Pedro, Ex-Emperor of Brazil, cabled regrets from
Cannes, and added : — " I most highly estimate General
Sherman's military genius. I consider him as the hero to
whom is due the great Union of the United States, by the
victory obtained in consequence of his great military march.
I had the satisfaction of making his valuable acquaintance
during my voyage to your country, and of knowing him as a
perfect man and an obliging friend."
Lord Wolseley : — " I join the people of the United States
in their regret at General Sherman's death, for his loss is
not confined to America, but is shared by all .military peo
ple." It was the characteristic request of General Sherman that
when his time came to die his body should not be permitted
to lie in state for the general public to gaze upon.' For sev-

586 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
eral days this modest wliL. was wholly respected by those
who had the sole power to act in the matter ; but so great
was the -manifest desire of the people to pay a humble tri
bute of respect to the dead soldier and eminent citizen, that
on the day before the funeral the door was thrown open, and
for seven hours a steady stream of men, women and children
passed silently and sorrowfully by, taking a last look at the
face ofthe last ofthe great Generals 01 the Union Army in
the civil war. An observer might have noted many sugges
tive, things as the procession wended its way during the
long hours. It was composed of all classes, with preference for
none. The rich and the poor followed each other. Men of
national renown and kings in the business world stepped
closely behind the humblest workers. Little children were
led by veterans who followed Sherman in his wonderful
march. Young soldiers and soldiers in embryo from the
Military Academy were there to receive fresh inspiration
for the performace ofthe duties that might come to them in
the distant future. Professional men and laborers kept step to
gether — all simply Americans, glad of the privilege of the
hour, one to which they could look back with profound
gratitude1. So it would have been, if opportunity had offered,
in every great city, every town, every hamlet of all this
broad land.
WHOM WE MAY MOURN.
And thus to live ! — And thus to die !
Dead hero, — Sherman, would that I
Might, from the patterns of thy life.
Learn how to conquer in the strife
The rough world wages 'gainst all men
From birth, until they're "boru again,"
Thy walk thro' life, as all men kuow,
Was steady, sturdy—pure as snow ;

LIJfE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 587
Armies of men rejoiced to be
With Sherman, " Marching to the Sea."
A mighty nation wept with joy
O'er victories of her soldier boy,
And would have given thee, warrior grand,
The greatest gift within the land ;
Rut thou — more modest, e'en, than brave,
Desired naught save a soldier's grave. '
Peacemaker, thou : and God hath said
Such "shall be blessed" and comforted,"
Ergo, we mourn, but do not weep ;
Sleep with thy God, in comfort sleep.
Men grown great thro' labors grand,
Are jewels polish'd by th' master's hand ;
And thou, dead hero of renown,
Art jewel worthy any crown.
On February 17th, the official programme for General
Sherman's funeral was announced by Generals Slocum and
Howard from their headquarters on Governor's Island.
It provided as follows : The regulation escort,, under
command of Colonel Loomis L. Langdon, First Artillery,
will consist of one regiment, as infantry, to be composed of
a battalion of U. S. Marines, four companies of U. S. engi
neers and six companies (foot batteries) of artillery, of a
batalion of light artillery from the army," and the National
Guard of New York and two troop3 of cavalry from the
National Guard of New York.
The remains to be received by the escort at the late resi
dence of the General, No. 75 West Seventy-first street, at 2
o'clock P. M. on Thursday, February the 19th. The body
to be borne on a caisson, preceded by the following named
pall-bearers in carriages : Major-General J. M. Schofield,
Major General O. 0. Howard, Rear Admiral D. L. Braihe,
Rear Admiral J. A. Greer, Professor H. L. Kendrick. Gen
eral Joseph E. Johnson, Major General H. W. Slocum,

588 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. ' .
Major General D. E. Sickles, Major General G. M. Dodge.
Major General J. M. Corse, Major General Wagner Swayne,
Major General Stewart L, Woodford.
These pall -bearers to accompany the remains as far as
the train at Jersey City.
Six sergeants detailed as bearers will proceed to St.
Louis. The special escort ot honor from the Grand Army,
Lafayette Post, to form on the right and left of the caisson.
The order of column, following the family and relatives,. to
be as follows :
1. The President , and Vice President of the United
States. 2. The members of the Cabinet.
3, The Ex-Presidents, of the United States.
4. Committees of the Senate and House of Representa
tives. • -
5, The Governor ofthe State and the Mayor ofthe City
of New York.
These officials to follow the family and relatives as rep
resentative mourners.
6. The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United
States and officers of the Army and Navy.
7. The Grand Army ofthe Republic.
8. The Corps of Cadets, United States Military Acad
emy, Lieutenant Colonel Hawkins commanding.
9. The National Guard, under Brigadier General Louis
Fitzgerald. 10. Delegations and representatives from veterans, Sons
of Veterans and other organizations, unassigned, under
charge of General David Morrison.
The fine of march to be as follows :
Eight avenue to Fifty-ninth street, east side of circle ;
Broadway to Fifty-seventh street, to Fifth avenue, to

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 589
Washington Square, where the column, excepting the regu
lation military escort, will be dismissed. •
The escort to continue its march by Waverly place to
to Macdougal street, to King street, to Hudson street, to
Watts street, at corner of Canal, through Watts street to
junction with West street.
Veteran organizations not moving with column, to form
across Watts .street, to the ferry landing, foot of Desbrosses
street. The carriages in the procession to be restricted to the
pall-bearers, family and relatives and invited qfficials. The'
column to be commanded by Major General O. 0. Howard.
U. S. A. Major General Daniel Butterfield is designated as
senior aide to the General commanding, and as Marshal.
The following aids are announced: General Horace
Porter, to. accompany the President of the United States ;
General George D. Ruggles, Assistant Adjutant General, to
accompany the Vice President of the United States ; Gen-
M. D. Leggett, to accompany the Cabinet; Hon. Joshua^
Choate, to accompany ex-President Hayes; Hon.Chauncey
M. Depew, to accompany ex-President Cleveland ; General
Floyd Clarkson, in charge of Grand Army ; General Robert
Nugent, formerly of General Sherman's Regiment, to take
charge of Veterans at Desbrosses street; General Daniel
Morrison, 79th Veterans, in charge of Veteran . organiza
tions in column other than Grand Army. Mr. Killian Van
Rensselaer, to accompany carriages of relatives; Major
General H. A. Barnum. to accompany the Superintendent of
the Military Academy; Colonel Finley Anderson, Mr.
Loyall Farragut, Captain H. P. Kingsbury, Sixth Cavalry;
Captain A. M. Wetherill, Sixth Infantry ; First Lieuten
ant R. H. Patterson, First Artillery; First Lieutenant L. A.
Craig, Sixty Cavalry ; First Lieutenant, Guy Howard, Aide-
de-Camp ; First Lieutenant, Harry C. Benson, Fourth Cav-
34

59° - LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
airy; First Lieutenant, David, Price, First Artillery; First
Lieutenant, Charles G. Treat, Aide-de-Camp, Fifth Artil
lery ; First Lieutenant, W. W. Forsyth, Sixth Cavalry;
Second Lieutenant, Samuel Rodman, Jr., First Artillery ;
, Additional Second Lieutenant, Colden L. H. Ruggles, First
Artillery. The churches of New York( city are requested to have
their bells tolled at half-minute intervals during the move
ment of the column, from 2 until 4 P. M., and the churches^
of Jersey City are requested to toll their bells in like man
ner, from 5 to 6 P. M-> on Thursday.
On Thurday, February 19th, the obsequies began in ac
cordance with the programme laid down. But once before
had the city seen a greater funeral pageant, and that was
when General Grant was borne to his tomb in Riverside
/ Park. Twenty thousand men followed the remains of Gen
eral Sherman as they were carried through the .streets, -
decorated with emblems of mourning, and thronged with
mourners eager to participate in the last honors to the
hero ofthe " March to the Sea."
The clay was well nigh perfect, and from first to last no
serious accident, no untoward incident, detracted from the
(heauty and impressiveness of the pageant. The bright sun-
' shine, which made the metal helmets of soldiers glitter as
they marched and sent the light flashing from swords and
guns, relieved the sombreness of the funeral cavalcade, and
gave the procession the appearance of bravery which befit
ted a great soldier's funeral. Everything seemed suited to
the occassion and to the man, and nature and the Nation join
ed in doing honor to the great Union captain.
The broken family circle had been augmented by the
timely arrival from abroad ofthe General's son, Rev. T. E.
Sherman, and now they gathered about the taper-lit coffin f°r

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 591
a quiet service. Prayers were held,. " Rest in the Lord"
was sung, and. then after a last long, sad look, the coffin lid
was screwed down for the last time, and the imprisoned dust-
was ready for the pageant.
The first official move toward the formation of the proces.
sion was at 1. 08: General Howard came out onths front
steps of the General's residence and ordered the caisson,
which' had been withrawn, to come up. At that instant a
cavalry squad ofthe Sixth Cavalry, formed to the left of the
house in the middle of the street. The caisson came up in
.front of the house at exactly 2 o'clock. Generals Howardf
Slocum, Johnston and other military dignitaries formed two
lines on the walk and made a passageway to the caisson.
As the pall-bearers left the house, an army band out toward
Central Park began playing a funeral march.
The six sergeants, under the command of Lieutenant
Rodman, appeared in the door- way, bearing on their should
ers the casket, of the General. Slowly they bore their bur
den to the awaiting funeral carriage. All heads were then
bared, and silence reigned from one end of the street to the
other. This was at 2 P. M. A marching order was given,
and the caisson moved out toward Eighth avenue- The
private carriaga of General Butterfield was then driven to
the door, and Generals Schofield, Howard, Slocum and Scho-
field's aide entered. The pall-bearers were then seated in
their respective carriages in quick succession. , When the
coaches containing the pall-bearers had driven away from
the door, Lafayette Post marched up to the caisson, one-
half of the command taking a position on one side of the
caisson and the balance on the other side.
The members of the family then entered their carriages ,
and the friends, Governors, Senators -and other notables, fol
lowed in the order previously announced in the programme.

532 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.'
The procession at 2. 45 had moved down Eighth avenue for
some distance, but the movement was very slow. Out on
the side streets were hundreds of carriages waiting for a
place in the immense procession.
Thousands of people lined either side of Eighth avenue
as far down as the eye could reach, when the fuiieral
cortege moved out of, Seventy-first street in the following
order: Platoon of mountedv police, commanded by Sergeant
Revelle. » Major General Daniel Butterfield, senior aide to General
0. 0. Howard,
Staff -of ten officers.
1 Mounted band of First Cavalry..
Escort of Honor, under command of Colonel Loomis L. ,
Langdon, First Artillery, U. S. A. — One regiment, composed,
of troop A, N. G. S.N. Y., Capt. Roe; Light Battery K, U.
S. A. Capt. John W. Dillenbeck; Second Battery, First Bri
gade, N. G. S. N. Y., Capt. Wilson ; First Battery, N. Gf S.
N. Y., Capt, Wendell; Battery A, U. S. A., .Capt. E Van
A An(huss i Battery G, U. S. A., Lieut. John T. Hunneycutt.
Marine Band.
Battalion United States Marines, Major Huntington; four
companies United States Engineers, Lieut.-Col. King. '
Pall-bearers, in carriages.
Lafayette Guard, Gen. Egbert L. Viele.
CAISSION BEARING BODY.
The mourning charger.
Killian Van Rensselaer, accompanying carriages of family
and relatives.
t President Harrison, Vice-President Morton and members
ofthe Cabinet, in Carriages.
Ex/Presidents Hayes and Cleveland, in carriages.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 593
Committee of the United States Senate and House of Rep
resentatives, in carriages.
Lieut.-Gov. Jones and Mayor Grant, in carriages.
^ Gov. Pattison, of Pennsylvania, and staff.
Loyal Legion, under Gen. Carlton.
Carriages containing Committee ofthe Legislature.
Vice-Commander Creamer, of Maryland, commanding
Grand Army of the Republic.
Vice-Commander's staff.
Geiii Floyd Clarkson, Commander Department of New
Fork, and Staff.
Comrade George.Chapell, Chief Marshal New York Memo
rial Committee, and staff.
Sub-divisions of the G. A. R., comprising Posts Nos. 8, 13,
24,29,32,38,42,44. Group of tattered flags.
Posts Nos. 58, 62, 67, 69. 75, 77, 79, 80, 96, 100, 103, 113,
128, 135, 136, 143, 182. 186, 233, 234, 255, 259, 264, 307,
313, 330, 394, 192, 402.
Group of tattered flags.
Posts Nos, 408, 427, 436, 452, 458, 459, 516, 520, 552,
557, 559, 567, 577, 578, 600, 607, 638, 3, 10, 16, 84, 148,
149, 197, 207, 231, 286, 327, 355, 399, 443, 499, 500, 534,
614, 620, 636, 11, 21, 35, 89, 122, 152, 161, 189, 206, 562,
435, 623, 50, 283, 365, 368, 451, 527, 544, 560, 628, 112;
163, 524, 60, 95, 117, 120. 144, 1*70, 378, 466, 496, 509. 590. *
Brooklyn Division, G. A. R.
Department of Connecticut, G. A. R., Comrade Henry N.
' ;Fauton, Commanding.
-,"¦¦ Department of New Jersey, G. A. R., Comrade J. R.
. Mullikin, Commanding.
1 Corps of Cadets, United States Mihtary Academy, Lieut.-
.'• Colonel Hawkins,

594 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
Colonel Hawkins's staff.
Brig. -Gen. Louis Fitzgerald, commanding First Brigade
National Guard of the State of New York, and <staff.
Sixty-ninth Regiment, Col. James Cavanagh.
Eighth Regiment, Col. Geo. D. Scott."
Ninth Regiment, Col. William Seward Jr.
Twenty-second Regiment, Col. John T. Camp.
Seventy-first Regiment, Col. Frederick Kopper.
¦" Seventh Regiment, Col. Daniel Appleton.
Twelfth Regiment, Col. Herman Dowd.
Veteran organizations, Gen. H. E. Tremain, Commandant,
and staff.
Old Guard, Major McLean.
Officers representing Connecticut Militia (in carriages,).
Ex-Confederate Veterans (in carriages.)
Seventy-ninth Regiment, Highlanders.
Seventy-third Regiment, New York Veterans (New
York Fire Zouaves), Col. Theodore H. Ruble.
' Seventh Regiment, New York Veterans, Lieut E. ,G.
Arthur. Fourtheenth Regiment, Brooklyn Veterans, Gen. E. B.
Towles. Sixty-Ninth Regiment, New York Veterans, Col. T. M.
Canton Phil. H. Sheridan Command No. 1 of United States Reg
ular Army and Navy Veterans, under W. E. Morris.
, Delegation of the Union League Club.
New York Division, Sons of Veterans, sixteen camps,
Col. W. H. Wyker.
Berkeley Military School Battalion of Cadets, Capt. Town- 1
send Morgan.
Columbia Military School Battalion of Cadets, Capt. J.
B. Dudley.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 595
Hebrew Orphan Asylum Cadet Band.
Hebrew Orphan Asylum Battalion of Cadets, Maj. Cohen.
Peekskill Military Academy Cadets, Capt. John M. Til-
den. Bernard School Cadets, Capt. T. C. McDonald.
Riverside Military Academy, Principal Bisbee, command
ing. Confederate Veterans, Camp of City of New York.
Representatives of the Chamber of Commerce (in car
riages.) Representatives of the New York Historical Society (in
carriages.) Squad of Police.
The whole line of the long route was thronged on side
walks, on house steps and in every window, with reverent
spectators who stood in silence with bare heads as the body
of the dead General was borne past them. The route was
lined with 1700 policeman, and the most perfect order was
maintained. As the procession moved slowly along, the
church bells began to toll, and along the whole route the.
mournful sound of the bells continued as it wended its way
to its destination. There were many funeral dirges played,
but none struck with keener force on the listening ears
than " Marching Through Georgia," played in half time-, as
arranged for the occasion by P. S. Gilmore.
At 4:57, the funeral procession reached Desbrosses' Street
Ferry. - At 5:22 o'clock the ferry boat started across the river,
the masts carrying flags at half mast and the ferry-bells
tolling. The Presidential party and members of the Sher
man family left their coaches and took seats "in the ladies'
cabin, while the guards of honor and United States officers
edugkt the other cabin. The outside of the boat was

596 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
painted black. The trip across occupied ten minutes.
The funeral train left Jersey City for its far western desi-
nation at precisely 12 minutes to 7 o'clock.
It seemed as if all the residents of Jersey City had gath
ered, at the station of the Pennsylvania Railroad and along
the tracks, to pay their last respects to one of the country's
greatest Generals. They stood for several hours before the
time set for the departure ofthe train, patiently waiting for
the funeral cortege to arrive from New York. The train
was made up of eight cars. The first was a composite car,
and was intended solely for the conveyance of the remains .
Next were the sleeping cars " Liverpool " and " Danville."
Then the dining room car No. 704. The sleeping cars
"Obigo " and " Cadi " came next ; then President Robert's
private car, which was for the use ofthe family of the
dead General and, last, Vice President Thomson's private
1 car for the use of President Harrison and the members of
the Cabinet. All of the cars were draped in mourning. The
interior of the composite car was entirely covered with
black cloth,. and on the floor was a handsome carpet. In
'the centre stood a catafalque, on which the casket, covered
with a silk flag, rested. By the side of the casket, on a
stand, was placed the saddle, bridle, boots and other riding
equipments of the dead soldier.
As the train neared Trenton, N. J., the sound of can
non, fired as a farewell salute to the great commander, was
heard. The train slowed up as it passed the depot, where
a great throng was gathered, and the strains of a band play
ing the hymn " Nearer My God To Thee," greeted the
ears of the travelers.
Arrangements had been made at Philadelphia by a num
ber of the Grand Army of the Republic posts to fire a salute
as the train arrived at the city station, and it was not un-

HEAD dP THE PROCESSION COMING DOWN BROADWAY, NEW YORK

THE CATAFALQUE PASSING FIFTY-SEVENTH STREET AND BROADWAY, NEW YORK.

LIFE GF GENERAL SHERMAN. t 601
til late in the day that the officers of the posts learned that
the the train would pass around the city.
Hurried notices were despatched to the posts,, and about
one hundred and fifty representatives of different posts as
sembled at Germantown Junction station, in the northern
part of the city, and presented dress front as the train sped
by the station at 9:10 P. M. A few hundred citizens also
awaited the arrival of the train, and all reverently raised
-their hats as it passed the station. A mile or so beyOnd
Germantown Junction, at Mantua, the train stopped to
change engines and to detach Vice President Thomson's
private car containing President Harrison and party, which
was taken on to Washington.
And sot at all the railroad towns in Pennsylvania, assem
bled veterans, Grand Army men and citizens, paid honors
to the dead as the solemn train moved by.
At Edgewood the train stopped long enough for three
Of Lieutenant Fitch's children, grandchildren of General
Sherman, to get on. A Grand Army post of veterans was
drawn up in line on the platform, standing with bared heads
in the pouring rain.until the train moved away.
* As the funeral train neared Pittsburg, and the road
crossings became more numerous, group after group of
people , were to be seen, standing there unmindful of th?.
rain, only intent on honoring, in their humble way, the re
mains, of the hero of "The March to the Sea."
A touching scene was witnessed at Steubenville, where
the veterans of Stanton Post, G. A. R., were drawn up in
fine on the depot platform. • They were all old men, many
of them cripples, and as they marched by the car Contain
ing the remains of him who had shared their trials and
dangers in war, more than half of them were crying like
children.

602 LIFE OF. GENERAL SHERMAN.
At Dennison, a large crowd was gathered at the station,
and the comrades of Welch Post, , No. 422, G, A. R., of
Uhrichsville, Ohio, were there also to pay a final tribute to
the remains of their former commander. The door of the
funeral car was opened and they were allowed to take a
look at the casket. After a short stop .here, the train re
sumed its westward journey, passing many small way stations
where were gathered the residents of the place and gen
erally several old soldiers. At some of these small towns
the local band was at the' depot, and played a dirge as
the train passed.
At , Newcomerstown,. all the public school children
stood in a line at the street crossing, with heads uncovered,
and carrying small flags edged with black. As the train
passed by they could be heard singing, "Nearer My God To
Thee." A Grand Army Post and a company of Sons of
Veterans were also at the depot to do honor to the de
parted soldier.
General Howard said that the members of the family
were very much touched by the manifestations of re
spect and love for General Sherman on the part of the
Grand Army men all along the route, *
, At Coshocton over 500 school children stood in one
fine on the street running parallel with the track while
the train passed through the place. The church and fire
bells of the town were tolled also. A similar demonstra
tion was made at Trinway and Newark, at which last place
Lemert Post, G. A. R., had about 100 men in line on the
platform, and their fife and drum corps played "In the
Sweet Bye and Bye" as the train came to a stop. The.
doors of the car in which the body was were opened
and the veterans took a look at the casket. The entire
trip from Pittsburg to this point had been interspersed with

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 603
demonstrations1 of sorrow at the death of a,universally be
loved soldier and citizen, by all classes of the people. The
family of General Sherman themselves became, as the day,
passed and these sighs of sorrow multiplied, more and
more impressed with the great love the people* bore for
their lost one.
The train made an hour's stop at Indianapolis. Fully
15,000 people followed the parade of 2,000 soldiers and civ
ilians down to the station, where they awaited its arrival.
As it went slowly by, the thousands of people stood with
uncovered heads.
St. Louis was now about to receive back the body of one
of her adopted and most illustrious citizens. By 6.30 o'clock
on the morning of February 21st, the Union Depot was
thronged with people, awaiting the arrival of the funeral
train. As the morning advanced the crowd became larger,
and each train, as it entered the depot, deposited load after
load of human freight, which added to the throng until the
depot became almost impassable.
It was within a few minutes of 8.30 o'clock when the fir
ing of a gun by Battery A of the St. Louis Artillery, which
was stationed at the east of the depot, announced that the
funeral train was on the other side of the bridge. The train
was brought over the bridge to the Union Depot by two
Vandalia locomotives draped in mourning, and was shunted,
on to a special track. Meanwhile a seventeen-gun salute
was fired by the battery at ten-second intervals. When the
train had come to a standstill, it was boarded/by a deputa
tion of old comrades of Ransom Post, G. A. R., under the
commkad of Commander H. L. Ripley, and which, after re
lieving the guard, received the body and mounted guard.
Meanwhile the occupants of thecars were waited upon by
a v.-oui<nittee of citizens, twenty-live in number, who ex-

604 LIFE OP GENERAL SHERMAN.
tended the freedom of the city, and expressed a desire to-do
anything that would contribute to their comfort and con
venience. Shortly after the arrival of the train the partici
pants in the various divisions of the ' parade, military, fra
ternal and civic, who had been pouring into the city on all
trains from daybreak, began to form, the cavalry and artill
ery of the first division taking possession of several blocks
Contiguous to Twelfth and Pine Sts., and the other division
forming on the streets running east and.west of Eleventh
and Twelfth, for a distance of considerably over a mile. '
General Sherman's desire that the obsequies should be of
a military character was obeyed to the most extreme par
ticular. But at the same time it was found impossible to
draw a, line that would prohibit the great mass of the people
of the city from paying a last tribute of respect to his mem
ory. So, something almost without "precedent in a strictly
military funeral, two civic divisions were added to the pro
cession and formed not the least impressive feature, of the
occasion. A few minutes before 11 o'clock the caisson — one that
had been specially brought from Fort Leavenworth — drawn
by four coal-black horses, was drawn up in front ofthe main
entrance to the station and, amid the roar of artillery, the
coffin was borne from the train by eight members of Ran
som Post and placed on the carriage. Its head was draped
with the Stars and Stripes, its feet with the Union Jack that
had covered the caisson that had borne the bodies of Gen
eral Joseph Hooker and General George H. Thomas. Under .
escort of the infantry, the caisson was then driven to the
point at which it was to take its place in the parade, while
the relatives and other members of the funeral party were
assisted to carriages, which followed the caisson at a dis
tance of a few blocks. General Merritt gave the signal,

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. .605
there was a double salute of artillery and, at 11.15, tne head
of the column began to move west on Pine street. Chief of
Police Harrigan, with a body of policemen, led the way.
Then came Brigadier- General Merritt, chief marshal, and
staff, followed by Brevet Brigadier-General Forsythe, in
command of the military escort. This was composed of
Troops B, D, E, G, J and K, of the 7th Cavalry. Next to
the caisson itself, these troops, fresh from the scenes of the
Indian troubles, attracted the greatest attention. Immedi
ately in the rear came Batteries F, of the 2d Artillery, and
A, of the 4th, under the command of Major Edward H. Wil-
liston, and companies from the 7th, 10th, 12th, 13th and
14th Infahtry, commanded by Edward F. Townsend. Be
hind the infantry came the caisson. On either side of the
caisson, as well as before and behind, forming a complete
square, marched twenty-four members of the Ransom Grand
Army Post. The caisson was followed by a number of
local clergy of all denominations in carriages, and after them
came the pall-bearers that had accompanied the body from
New York, and the honorary pall-bearers selected in St,
Louis. Close behind these were the surviving members of
the personal staff of the dead General. Then in carriages
followed the family and the New York party, while the
Army Committee — Generals Schofield, Miles, Slocum, , An
drews, Howard and Randolph, Lieutenant Kinsbury, Cap
tain Andrews and Captain Barrett — brought up the rear.
There were 1,000 troops in the division, with the band, and
290 cavalry horses.
, There was a slight break before this in the second divis
ion, which was composed of commanderies and army soeie:
ties,, anddieaded by ex-President Rutherford B. Hayes, as
commander-iii-chief, and staff'. The Illinois contingent of
the, Grand Army, headed by Department Commander Destin

606 LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN. i
and staff, had the right of line in the third division, and
were followed by G. A. R. delegations from many States, and
Sons of Veterans, led by Colonel J. Rassieur. The fourth
division was commanded by Governor D. R. Francis, and
was headed by the National Guard troops from St. Louis,
Carthage and Kansas City, and the cadets of the State Uni
versity of Columbia. About 4,000 State troops and 900
regulars made up the first half of the division. The
second half was led by Chief Justice Thomas H. Sherwood
and his associates of the State t Supreme Court. The fifth
division was strong in numbers and representative in char
acter. It was commanded by Major Charles C. Rainwater,
iind consisted of civic societies, mercantile, historical and
quasi-military organizations. Two hundred members 'of
the. Ex-Confederate Association of Missouri, wearing mourn
ing badges and crape armlets, marched behind the chief of
staff. They wore their old Confederate uniforms and at
tracted general attention. In the sixth and last division
were the city officials, headed by Mayor Noonan, the Mer
chants' and Mechanics' exchanges, and citizens in carriages.
And so the procession slowly wended its way to Calvary.
The route — west on Pine to Grand avenue, thence north to
Florissant avenue, thence west to the cemetery — was fully
five and a half miles long. Minute guns were fired by the
battery ; church bells were tolled as the caisson passed by, and
the bands alternated dirges and the old familiar " Marching
Through Georgia " to slow time. It was nearly 2 o'clock
when the head of the procession reached Cavalry.
An immense crowd had already passed through, but a
large force of police had kept, open the route to the grave.
The veterans of the 13th lifted the coffin from the caisson,
and with slow and measured tread, they bore it. to the
grave.

LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.1 607
The services at the grave were of the simplest character
and were conducted by Rev. Thomas Ewing Sherman. All
assembled at the grave, standing with uncovered heads. As
the casket was being lowered, the regimental -band played
Pleyel's hymn. Father Sherman read the Catholic service,
one 'of the selections being " I am the Resurrection and the
Life," offered a fervent prayer, and the services were at an
end. As the services progressed, many about thegrave were
visibly ' affected, and when the flags surrounding the casket
were removed the sounds of low sobbing were heard. At
3 o'clock the closing of the grave took place, and the buglers
ofthe Seventh Cavalry sounded "taps," "lights out." Sa
lutes' were fired by the Thirteenth Infantry, followed by
three salvos of artillery, which was stationed some distance-
to the east. Wreaths and branches of evergreens were then
placed upon the grave by loving hands. The funeral party
and troops returned- to the station, and the many thousands
of citzens dispersed to their homes.
Thus was laid to rest by the side of his wife and two sons,
one of whom was his "soldier boy," General William Te-
cumseh Sherman.
' One of the first acts of the family of General Sherman on
their return from the funeral at St. Louis, was to express in
the following letter to the public the appreciation of the
honors paicLtothe nation's dead. The letter is as follows: —
No. 75 West Seventy-First Street, .
New York, February 23, 1891. •
" It is fitting that some public acknowledgment should be
made by the family of General Sherman of the very many
heartfelt tokens of sympathy which they have received in
their bereavement. We can only say that such universal and
such evidently profound sorrow, manifested, as it has been,

6o8. , LIFE OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
in a thousand ways, sustains and comforts us in our desola
tion. The entire nation, by its generous expression of con
dolence, has lightened the burden of our grief and helped us
to bear Our irreparable loss; The friends of the family are
asked to accept this slight token of our grateful appreciation.;
in lieu of any more direct personal communication, which,
while it would be more gratifying to us, we have not now
the strength or courage to offer to each and all.
In behalf of the family,
" Thomas E. Sherman."
One of the last acts of the gallant old General — who al
readyhad a monument more enduring than granite, in the
affections of his countrymen— was to prescribe the monu
ment he wished over his grave, and provide for its pay
ment. On this he wanted no epitaph except his name and
the simple inscription,
TRUE AND HONEST.

YALE UNIVERSITY

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