The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-07-27
Gen. Sherman's Speech at Dart
mouth.


After William Tecumseh Sherman
had been made Doctor of Laws at
Hanover n. II he delivered the fol-
lowing address, according to the re-
port of the Boston JoWaa'.
Mr.. President: 1t is beyond my
power, or that Of any other living crea-
ture, to fill one half of the picture that
has been drawn of me. fear you are
reacting what was done SO often in the
early part of our war-lifting men up
far above their abilities and letting
them down pretty hard. daughter
and applause. Nevertheless, in this
case, as in the former part of my life,
! will cndeavor to do whatever duty
is assigned me, humbly and to the best
of my ability. | turn with pleasure
toward these young men to whom we
have all listened to-day with grati6-
cation and with pride. You see for
yourselves, young gentlemen, the eyes
Of the people here, your fathers and
brothers. mothers, sisters and friends
all turned upon you, and why is it?
They have come to welcome you, and
to say also farewell; for you are now
TO pass from these teachers, who have
been imparting to you the fruits Of
their experience, drawn from the study
Of books and the experience of other
men, and fitting yourself for the life
THAI is before you. Unfortunately l
was not so favored in my youth; and
regret now-and shall regret to the
end of my life-that / was compelled
to pick up what little knowledge l
possess by grasping it through BRAN
bles, and pricking my hands pretty
sharply too. (Laughter) You have
had instructors here whose minds
have been stored with all the knowl-
edge of the past and of the present,
and who have gladly told you every
thing you have desired to know
Now, young men, you must look out
for yourselves.
Your ship is about to sail upon an
unknown sea. You have your chart
and your compass. See that you steer
your course properly. Do not let
your minds be turned aside from your
course by the scud of the sea or the
wind across your sail. Follow
that compass and it will lead you just
as surely to your destination as homes
ty will produce good man. My
young friends, remember that TWEEN
ty-six years ago stood as you stand
now-about to go forth to do what
ever fell to my share. ! now find my
self here before men who were gradu-
ates before l was born; and it appears
to me almost like sacrilege to stand
here in the presence of these old gen
tlemen and attempt to give you any
advice or instruction. | would not
presume to say one word further
were it not that your honored Presi-
dent has asked me to do it-for some
reason unknown to me. daughter. J
At that time | was told in plain Eng
lish-not Latin loud laughter) that /
had finished my studies, and was quail
fled in natural philosophy, chemistry,
mathematics, and so forth; and to
prove | was so qualified, was sent
down to Florida to catch Indians. l
did not see the logic OF it at that time,
nor do l now; but l had to go and did,
go.
Subsequently l was sent to various
places, and finally brought mp in
Charleston, South Carolina, and while
in that section / wandered through
the marshes of the Santee and the Ed
isto, and obtained q knowledge that
afterward became of value to the ma
ton. (Applause) AT a later period
l was providentially, us it would now
seem, sent to take testimony about
some lost saddles and brides, value
nothing: nevertheless those lost sad
dies and brides led me to region, q
knowledge of which afterward proved
to be of great importance to you here
in New Hampshire, and to the whole
civilized world. | went to Altoona,
to Chattanooga and to Bellefonte, on
the Tennessee river, and think that
in the short period l was there
gained knowledge which paid the
Government back all they paid me fol
transportation ten times over. Laugh
ter and applause) About twenty
years ago | remember sitting at the
dinner table of Hon. JAS. Il. Pettigru
with many young officers, of whom
Braxton Bragg was one, | believe the
Union men here will not say that
was in any other than good and loya
hands when l sat at Mr.. Pettigru's ia
BILE, for he was loyal in 1921, and 10y
al when the war broke out, and was
deemed, / believe, the only intelligen
loyal man in Charleston. applause
Mr. Pettrigu listened to our boyisl
complaints that our future looked yer,
poor-for the only thing open to on
ambition was that in progress of tim'
we might become Breyet Major Gen
erals and command some small force
on the frontier. Finally he said
Gentlemen, do not be alarmed. Their
is Providence that guides this world
; and there will be occasion for all youn!
: men of our country" 1t gave us al
g encouragement-not of the right kind
+ perhaps before we were aware
4 the Mexican war broke upon us and
was sent to California, where, following