Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1871-09-14

A Noble Revenge of Sherman.
From the Lawrencev lille Herald
MEMPHIS, Tenn, 1877


liessrs. Editors;-I have read with deep
interest the series Of articles by "Geor-
gia Lady" under the caption of: Gin
and out of the lines" The last number
in which she de4cribes the destruction OF
Cassville, reca lis fore ID y to my mind
the feeling / had in Septem beT,} 1861
when I saw the thousands Of help lie IS
sick women and children at Loyeioy' S
who had been driven out of Atlanta, and
tumbled out Of the cars, without any
friendly face to appeal to. l was dcscrib-
ing the scene to an old army friend whom
| had not seen for many years, and he too
had his story 10 relate about the barbara
ty of Sherman, and the sweet revenge
that came to him lot long after the war
was over. SAID he.
| was a surgeon in the Con fedcratc
army. When I left Memphis to joi in the
army I was obliged, Of course, 10 leave
my wife al two little boys, whoever aged
respectively five and seven, to take care
of themselves. I devoted myself earnest
ly to the cause, and my wife. like other
Southern women, sympathiscd With NE.
gained. suppose, some prominence.
as my y fe aud children were singled out
by Sherman, when he occupied Memphis,
for his specia hate. He sent them over
the Mississippi river, and turned them
adrift in the woods of Arkansas, without
food and without any clothing except
what they had on, and issued an order
that any boat which should dare to take
them down the river would be conGsca-
ted. There they remained in that state
ofanxiety you we Il can imagine, until
they were found by an old family negro.
who had managed to eude tie sentinels
in order to go to their relief BY this
old negro's efforts they were conveyed
down the river to another landing, and
at one o'clock the next morning were ia
ken on board of steamer whose captain
had neen appraised of their situa ton. You
can imagine my feelings when I heard
my wife describe her sufferings, and then
| decided, if ever Sherman came in my
way, to be reVeDgod.
Not long after the war, was travelling
to St. Louis. About two o'clock in the
morning heard some one ask, in loud
voice, if there was doctor on the train?
I replied that | was physician, and de
sired to know what was the matter. He
said that Mrs. Gen. Sherman was very
i'll in the sleeping coarh, and unless re-
lieved, he feared she would die. Said l,
now my time has come, and went at
once to her relief. [ never waited on a
lady with such tenderness and attention
in MY life, and although she had a yio-
lent attack of cholera morbus, of eating
imprudently of oysters the night before,
| succeeded in giving her rcllefand sleep.
When we reached St. Louis, she and her
attendants and my sops and self happened
in the same omnibus. Mis-. Sherman be.
gan conversation nSiiI erness
that still fingered i, heart
and the people had eiently
humbled. One of m niue sons, who
was about twelve years Id, replied
Madame, how can you expect any.
| thing but bitterness, when we remember
how we have been treated When | think
alb ut heir Sending my mother and tr tlel
here, aud turning us loose in the swamps
of Arkansas, | hate them, and always
shall! The Yankees sent US out Of Mem
phs without any clothing or food, away
from any house, for no reason except thai
father was in the army.
Mrs. Sherman looked up in surprise
and remarked Sonny, who could have
been SO cruel p
WHY. General Sherman he is the
very man who did it, shall always hate
him for it,
If she'll had burst, it could not have
created more CONSERVATION and confusion
did not say word. and in fact not
another word was spoken until we reach
ed the hotel. When [ had gone to my
room | said Son, did you know that
lady to whom you we're talking in the
omnibus ?
'Ne, sir
well, l suppose you didn't for that
was Mrs. Sherman. Gen. Sherman's wife
He replied Father. | only told her
the truth, and Pm glad did it,
/ In short time afterwards, an officer in
Federal uniform called at my room ane
stated that General Sherman desired me
to render my bill. Ireplied, | have &c
bill. He insisted replied, | declined
Gen. Sherman then called in person, anc
insisted in very peremptory manner
| still declined, stating to him. Gen
II have no bill. and am only too glad Il
be revenged for the manner in which yol
treated my wife and Oh ;ldren. When.