Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-06-08
COLUMBUS OHIO MORNING. sa~o
0RlloI. !. Statesman. atle.'j)laI a;a5|)t
sherman nncosnito.


There is hardly a distinguished General Of
whom more or less has not been related of
adventures incognito. 1t is generally sup
posed that this is practiced either for the
purpose. OF espionage or idle amusement.
Such it undoubtedly is In many instances.
i have hardly ever read an account OF MAJ
poleon's dOings in that way that II did not
appear that he was prompted to 1t by his
vanity-of which, great as he was, he un-
doubtdly had a liberal share-Aand that real
meanness often stuck out in some of those
tricks he was in the habit ofplaying. They
might have been justified by the times, but
it often looked as though he took unfair ad-
vantages. AS for Geneal Sherman itisc
stitutionally impossible for him to- keep
still. l think no one can really and truly
say that he ever saw him in state OF actual
quiescence during his waking hours !; and
when he sleeps is uncertain. 1t isdeclared
by those who have closely observed his
habits that he does sometime forget to 60 to
bed and spends the night in travelling back
and forth in front of his quarters. j.. oi r5l
Ireally believe he travels on foot while
In camp further in some instances than the
loot soldiers had done on the days march
preceding. But this, after all, is not re-
markable.' What isealled capacity for ply
sical endurance is altogetger relative
term. Ten miles travel may be performed
with ease by one man, while another win
be completely broken down by it. One
man may sustain incessant activity of brain
and muscle with four to six hours sleep out
of twenty -four, while another would sue
cumb at that rate. With an extreme pre-
ponderance of brain and nervous system,
his frame is fashioned decidedly on the
greyhound model mot, an ounce OF super
or. ntI tI,nn In,, 4.
nothing but what Is wanted for Immediate
use. Leah and nervous as he is, action is a
necessity of his existence. You often hear
"nervous" men spoken of in a tone OF pity
and reproach, and they are disparaged in
comparing them with those slow, stolid
creatures who never feel and never dO.any-
thing, but are so cool. Yet we know there
is peculiar restlessness which belongs to-
true genius wholly different from the fidget-
iness exhibited by weak natures. There
is great deal of methodin Sherman's ner-
vousness, as well as in the madness once at
tributed to him. He accomplishes what he
undertakes.
1t is absolutely necessary for him to see
what is going on; and he takes a minute
personal interest in all the important move
ments going forward under his command.
When the force is engaged in breaking up
IdllIOduS HC WdIlIS UO see UOW bney uO IL,
In order to indulge in this inclination with
out attracting special attention, as he would
by wearing his full insignia, he is in the
habit of fixing himself up in semi-mili-
tary costume, and strolling about among
the men to enjoy the advantage of direct
personal observation without the occasion
of interruption by his presence being
known. A single instance will show how
he does it: i.jLI I.a p. .> %
/ While the work of ''improving the rail-
road was going on at Barton, noticed
him moving about with his ordinary slouch
hat on, and brown coat with two rows OF
buttons on the breast, like Major's-and
no straps. He appeard merely, like myself,
to be killing time in seeing the work go on.
After he had passed q group of men, who
were ripping away at the rails ''with will" !"
one Of them observed: - l"t Ha s!itait
"Do you know what that was, Ben ?" sH,
"No; guess he's nobody particular. One
of them officer chaps loafin" round"
'Don't be so sure of that. That's old
Billy t. himself" nib a1i = a..a., iI
"You can tell that ter the hoss marines.
Won't nobody b'leve it round here" .,
| But don't | know him, though? Didn't
see him at Shiloh, before Corinth, and
Arkansas Post and Vicksburg, and on the
Meridian raid? Why, know him as easy
as a boy knows his father. He said a lot of
pretty things to me one day when he was
looking around among the boys, cause 1
had the brightest gun OF any of theli, and
had all my fiXins' lookin' slick" ..... .. ....
"rll bet you ten-dollar greenback," put
in third party, "that that feller yer talk
ing about amt General Sherman. You
wouldn't see him loatin' about so, with no
such cloze as them on" ,..... .....
The discussion was further maintained in
this strain for considerable time, with Of
fers of wagers in sums to suit, but, being
unable to come to decision, all parties sub
sided into general doubt on the subject,
and lapsed into other topics of remark.