Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-05-25
Private and confidential.

NEAR MEMPHIS, March 10, 1864.
DEAR GENERAL | have your more than
kind and characteristic letter of the 4th. |
will send "a copy to General Mcpherson at
once. You do yourself injustice, and us too
much honor, in assigning to us so large a
share of the merits which have led to your
high advancement. l know you approve
the friendship have ever confessed to you,
and will permit me to continue, as hereto
fore, to manifest it on all proper occasions.
You are now Washington's legitimate sue
cessor and occupy position of almost dan
gerous elevation But if you continue, as
heretofore, to be yourself, simple, honest
and unpretcnding, you will enjoy through
life the respect and love of friends, and the
homage of millions of human beings that
will award you large share in securing to
them and their descendants a government
OF law and stability. repeat, you do Gen
eral Mcpherson and myself too much honor.
At Belmont you manifested your traits, nei-
ther of US being near. At Fort Donelson,
also, you illustrated your whole character.
| was not near, and General Mcpherson was
in too subordinate capacity to influence
You. Until you had won Donelson / con-
TESS | was almost cowed by the terrible array
of anarchial elements that presented them
selves at every point; bu: that admitted the
ray OF light winch | have followed since.
believe you are as brave, patriotic, and just
as the great prototype, Washington as un-
selfish, kind-hearted, and honest, as a man
should be; but yoar chief characteristic is
the simple faith i'll success you have always
manifested, which can liken to nothing
else than the faith u Christian has in a Sa-
viour This faith gave yoa victory at Shi-
loh and Vicksburg. Also, when you have
completed your best preparations, you go
Into battle without hesitation, as at Chat
tanooga-no doubts, no reserves; and tell
you it was this that made us act with con-
tidence. knew, wherever was, that you
thought of me, and if got in tight place,
you would come, if alive. My only points
of doubt were in your knowledge of grand
strategy and of books of science and his
tory; but | confess your common sense
seems to have supplied all these. Now, as
to the future. Don't stay in Washington.
HaIleck is better qualified than you to stand
the bullets OF intrigue and policy. Come
West. Take to yourself the whole Missis-
sippi valley. Let us make 1t dead sure, and
tell you the Atlantic slopes and Pacific
shores will follow its destiny as sure as the
limbs of tree live or die with the main
lluuh' we nave uone mucn Out stlli inucu
remains. Time and Times influences are
with us. We could almost afford to sit still
and let these influences work. Even in the
seeded States your word now would &c
further than Presidents proclamation oi
an act of Congress. For Gods sake, and
your country's sake, come out of Washing
ton. foretold to General Halleck, before
he left Corinth, the inevitable result and
now exhort you to come out West. Here
lies the seat of the coming empire and from
the West, when our task is done, We will
make short work of Charleston and Rich
mond and the impoverished coast of tn,
Atlantic. Your sincere friend,
w. Il. SHERMAN.
General GRANT.