The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-08-26

Interesting sketch OF HIS Life and
~ services. fatM

a. NJ ServJceS. &. fitW
From an interesting sketch of Gen.
SHERMAN, by Col. J. NJ. Bowman, in the
United States Service Magazine for Au-
gust, we take the following:
William T. Sherman was born in Ian.
caster, Ohio, on the 9Th day of February,
1920. His father was the Hon. Charles
r. Sherman, one of the Judges of the Su-
preme Court of that State. In 1886, at
the age of sixteen, he entered West Point
as cadet, and was graduated on the SOth
of June, 1910, sixth in his class. Young
Sherman at once entered the service, on
graduation, as second lieutenant in the
Third artillery, and served in Florida
through the winters of 1910 and 1S41. In
November, 1871, he was promoted to a
first lieutenancy. He was afterwards sta
toned at Fort Moultrie, South Carolina.
In 1916 he was sent to California, and re-
manned there in service all through the
Mexican war, having reached the grade of
captain.
In 1850 he was married to the eldest
daughter OF Hon. Thomas Ewing, of Ohio.
In 1853 he resigned his commission in the
army, and took charge of the banking
house of Lucas, Turner & Co. at San Fran
cisco. In 1860 he was the president OF
the State Military Academy of Louisiana,
and remained in that position until the out
break of the present war. He had evil
dence satisfactory to his own mind long
before the first shot was fired at Sumter
that war was inevitable, and thereupon,
taking prompt counsel of honor and patri-
otism, wrote and despatched the following
keen but honest, straightforward and loyal
letter:
JANUARY Is, 1861.
Goce,nor Thomas D. Moore, Eaton Rouge, La !:
SIR: AS occupy quas;-military position
under this State, deem it proper to acquant
you that I accepted such position when Louis
lana was State in the Union, and when the
motto of the seminary was inserted in marble
over the main door. "By the liberality Of the
government of the United States: The Union.
Este Perpetual"
Recent events foreshadOw a great change,
and it becomes all men to choose. If LOuisi-
ana withdraws from the Federal Union, I pre-
fer to maintain my allegiance to the old Con-
stitution as long as a fragment of it survives,
and NV longer Stay here would be wrong in
every sense OF the word. In that event I beg
| you would send or appoint some authorized
| agent to take charge of the arms and NUM-
tions of war here belonging to the State. OF
! direct me what disposition should be made OF
/ them o--
And furthermore as President of the Board
of Supervisors, beg You to take immediate
steps to relieve me as Superintendent the mo-
F, ment the State determines to secede; for on no
earthly account will do any act, or think any
| thought, hostile to OF in defiance Of the old
government of the United States.
With great respect, &c.
His resignation being accepted, he re-
moved to st. Louis, and shortly before
| the attack on Fort Sumter repaired to
Washington He was astonished at the
apparent ignorance and incredulity of the
government in regard to the real condition
of the Southern States. He declared
that the men in authority were sleeping
on volcano, which would surely burst on
them unprepared. Filled with this idea he
addressed letter to the Secretary of War,
stating that as he was educated at the ex-
pense of the United States and owed ev-
erything to his country, he had come to
tender his military services. He warned
Mr.. Cameron, in earnest language, that
war was imminent, and that we were not
prepared. He also called upon the Presi-
dent, and in like manner stated his views
and rendered his services. The President
,iocularly replied, "We shall not need many
men like you; the whole affair will soon
blow over" He was then urged by his
friends to go to Ohio and take charge of
the organization of the three-months' reg
iments. This he declined, as he did not
believe in such trifiiDg expedients. He
declared it would be as wise to undertake
to extinguish the flames of a burning
building with squirt-gun as to put down
the rebellion with three months troops.
His plan was to organize for gigantic
war, to call out the whole military power
of the country at once, and by the exer7
else of irresistible force to crush the re-
belliOn in its incipiency. These views
were in advance of the times.
On the 18th of June, 1861, Sherman
was appointed colonel in the regular army,
his appointment dating May IA, 1861, and
was assigned to the command of the Thir-
teenth infantry. On the 21st of July oc-
Cured the unfortunate affair of Manassas
in which Sherman was charged and took
an important part.
When Gen. Anderson was assigned to
the department south OF the Ohio, Gen.
Sherman was attached thereto as second
in command, and was soon afterwards dis
patched with a force of seven thousand
men, comp sed of volunteers and Ken
lucky home guards, to occupy Muldraugh's
Hill, strategic point, south of the Roll
ing Fork of Salt River. There his home
guards left him, the reinforcements de-
signed to strengthen his command were
sent elsewhere, and he found himself with
scarcely five thousand troops, in an un-
friendly part of the country, controntinga
rebel army of twenty-five thousand men
under Gen. Buckner. While affairs were
in this position, Gen. Anderson was re-
lieved, and Gen. Sherman succeeded to
the very unenviable position of command
er of the department.. = *
On the Sd of November he telegraphed
to Gen. Mcclellan, detailing the position
and number of his several forces, showing
them to be everywhere, except at one sin.
gle point, outnumbered, and concluding
his dispatch with the emphatic remark: ,