The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-08-19
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT
ShER MAN.
The Most Striking Features OF hts
Charaeter-.AnecdO
Correspondence of the New York Herald.

u
SheIman's character is peculiar nervous
energy that knows no cessation, and which
is resistless and inspiring, It gives energy
to others. He is untiring in his efforts,
and hesitates at no amount of detail.
Matters great and small receive his atten-
ton, and his decisions are given with the
utmost promptitude, and seldom or never
reversed. When Sherman was in COM
mand at Memphis, little over year ago,
Mr.. Duncan, of Louisville, and his part
ner, having permit to purchase cotton,
called on General Sherman, asking to be
allowed to exchange salt for cotton with
citizens beyond the limits of the city, but
within our lines. Sherman replied very
promptly, "No." Arguments were tried
in vain, when Duncan's partner thought he
would try the "old acquaintance dodge
on the General, and began by recalling
recollections of the time when Sherman
was banker in California. 81 knew
you. General" he said, "when you were
banking in California" eyes," said
Sherman; "there's where l learned to
say mo- 1t is good school.
A hard, earnest worker, Sherman de-
votes but little time to sleep When
Sherman assumed command at Louisville
in 1861 the writer was engaged in the as
ISOLATED press Office in that city. At that
time the government was using the cy-
pliers of the associated press, and it's
agents were employed by the government
in Transporting and translating dispatches,
and hence Sherman spent goodly part of
his time in the press Office. He would
often be in the Office from O'Clock P. M.
to 8 o'clock A. NJ, and then retire to his
room at the Gait House only because the
Office was closed. During these hours he
would pace up and down the floor of his
room, smoking cigar after cigar, appar-
emily in deep thought and needless of the
conversation going on around him.
This popularity of absence of mind
found an excellent illustration in circum-
stance which occurred at Lebanon juno
ton, Ky. Sherman, with two regiments
under Colonel Lowell II. Rousseau (now
Major GeneraD, and a detachment under
Lieut.. Colonel R. W. Johnston, (who is
now Brigadier, and who ought long ago
to have been made Major General,)
occupied Lebanon Junction on Septem-
Der II, 1861. While walking up and
down the platform at that place,
awaiting the repair of the tele-
graph line, Gen. Shermans cigar gave
out. He Immediately took another from
his pocket and asked the orderly sergeant
of the marine Zouaves for a light. The
home guard sergeant had only moment
before lighted his cigar and, with bow,
handedit to the General-probably the
first Brigadier he had seen during the war.
Sherman lighted his cigar carefully, took
puff or two to assure himself, and alb
stractedly threw the sergeant's cigar
away. A short time since, General ROus-
seau, who saw this scene, mentioned the
matter to General Sherman. He could
not recollect it, but said, 81 was thinking
of something else It won't do to let to-
morrow take care of itself Your good
merchant don't think of the ships that are
in, but the ships that are to come in. The
evil of to-day is irreparable. Look ahead
to avoid breakers You can't when your
ship is on them. All you can then do is
to save yourself and retrieve the disaster.
l was thinking of something else when 1
threw the sergeant's cigar away" And
then he added, laughing, "Did l do that,
really ?"
A short time ago, while regiment was
moving by Sher1nan's headquarters-a
tent fly and fence corner near Kenesaw
Mountains-one of the soldiers discovered
a major general lying asleep by the road
side. He spoke very loudly to his COM
rades, saying" There's the way we are
commanded-officered by men who get
drunk and lie in fence corners" Sherman
heard him and sprang to his feet "Not
drunk, boys" he said, "but I've been up
all night and am very tired and sleepy"
He got on his horse, and followed by his
staff, rode away.
I am forcibly reminded by this incident
of seeing Gen. Thomas lying in a fence
corner near John Ross house, at Rossville,
on the night our forces retired from Chick
amauga to Rossville, his features hand
some in their repose, but looking old from
the WEAKNESS of two days. sleepless fight
ing, aglow with the light of great fire
which had been built near by. General,
lie down on my blanket, Maj. F. II. Gross
had said to him; "you must be weary"
81 am tired" said the old man, lying
down and falling asleep in few moments.
For two days and three nights he had not
slept; but during that sleepless labor he
had saved great army and won undying
renOwn as the hero of Ohickamauga, and
he had doubly earned his right to sleep.
1t is fact in regard to Sherman, which
l have never seen published, that General
Anderson, of Sumter VIGOROUSLY accepted
the command of the Department of Ohio
only on the condition that General Sher-
man were sent with him to command in
the field. It will be remembered that
Sherman shortly succeeded him, and in a
month or so after was relieved at his own
request. His reasons for asking to be re-
ieved were because the War Department
was in favor of making two departments
out of that of the Ohio, and prosecuting
two campaigns-one from Cincinnati, as
bar against Knoxville, and the other from
Louisville, as a bar against Nashville.
The former was to have been under COM
mand of Gen. O. M. Mitchell, and the
other under Sherman. The latter prefer
red being sent. elsewhere, and was succeed
ed by Buell..