The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-05-20

man. 1t was during the progress OF sally
suddenly made by Hood for the purpose OF
turning Sherman's rear that the noble young
Mcpherson lost his life. 1t was in the morn
ing, about ii O'Clock. Mcpherson had called
on Sherman 70 talk about the prospects for
the day. They wake ed to a road, short
distance, and sat down at the foot Of tree
to study a map. There was an occasional
musketry firing and artillery, but suddenly
in one part of the line an occasional shot
began 20 be heard. Sherman asked McPher-
son what it meant. ave took my pocket
compass" says Sherman, (which L always
carried with me, and by noting the direction
of the sound we became satisfied that the
firing was too far to our left rear to
he hastily called for his horse, his
staff and his orderlies. McPher-
son was then in his prime, about thirty four
years OLD, over six feet high. and very
handsome man in every way, universally
liked. and had MANY noble qualities. de
had on his boots outside his pantaloons,
g3untlets on his hands, had on his major
generals uniform and wore a sword belt
but no sword. He hastily gathered MS pa
pers, save one, which / now possess, into
pocket book, and jumped on his horse. say
ing he would hurry down his line and send
me back word 'what this sound MEANT In
few minutes Sherman. who in the mean
time had gone back to the house, alarmed
by the increase of the mysterious hiring met
one of McPherson's staff, his horse covered
with sweat, who reported that the general
was either killed or prisoner. Mcpherson
had ridden ahead, giving an order 10 some
troops to hurry forward, and disappeared In
the woods, doubtless with a sense of abso
lutte security. The sound of musketry was
there heard, and McPheIson'S horse came
back bleeding, wounded and riderless. An
hour afterwards the body Of Mcpherson was
| found. A bullet had entered his body near
1 II u -
few seconds after being hit. The remains
were sent back 70 Marietta, and from thence
to his home in Clyde, Ohio, where they were
received with great honor, and are now
buried in a small cemetery close by bis
mothers house, which cemetery Ia composed
in part of the orchard in which he used to
play when boy.
THE FALL OF ATLANTA.
Atlanta fell, as all men will remember who
recall the anxiety that pervaded the country
during that trying time of 1864. Mcclellan
had been nominated for the presidency
against Lincoln, and the summer had al
most passed before the anticipated successes
of Grant had been realized. The oonfsder-
ate armies were making a gallant resistance
in Virginia and tho West. Grant was stead
| ily '.pegging away" througn the wilderness
| and Sherman was slowly forcing his arm
I
try had almost despsired of victory, wheI
suddenly the confederate troons sban
doned Atlanta, which town was occu
pied by General Slocum. When steady
serious old Thomas beard the news b,
snapped his fingers, whistled and almost
danced" ''As the news spread through
the army the shouts that arose from th'
army" says Sherman, "the wild hallO0in,
and glorious laughter were to us full
recon pense for the labor and toll and hard
ships through which we had passed in TIT
previous three months" Letters OF con
graduation were sent by Lincoln and Gran
| and a salute of shotted guns was fred from
the batteries around Richmond. Sherman
became the most popular soldier of the war
! His campaign defeated Mcclellan and de
| cded the reelection of President Lincoln
| Sherman took possession sof Atlanta anC
| carried out a severe measure, for which hi
was criticised at the time. He ordered sl
| the inhabitants to leave. General Hood
who commanded the conf derates, an
swered that the measure "tTansceDds il
studied and Ingenious cruelty all acts tina
| ever before were brought to my attention il
the dark history of war" The cOrrespon
! dence was angry and eloquent. Sherman
arraigned Hood and the whole South in for
vent and not always wise rhetoric. HooC
replied that the course of General Butler IL
| New Orleans was even more humane anC
c)nsideraie than that of Sherman, and "bst
tar thousand deaths than to live unde
Sherman and his negro allies" But Sher
man was imperative in his resolution. "If,
he said TO HalIeck at the time, "the peopl,
raise howl against my barbarity and cru
city, will answer that wa
ia war and not popularity seeking
II they want peace, they and thei
relatives must stop the war" But If Sher
mans course was severe it was justified by
the orders from Washington. Hslleck's let
ter to Sherman, commenting upon the con
tIOversy with Hood, shows the angry feel
ing WHICH animated even calm officers o
the regular army. 81 would, )" says Halle ok
''destroy every mill and factory within reacl
which l did not want for my own use. Thi
the rebels have done, not only IN Marvian'
and Pennsylvania, but also in Virginia anC
other rebel states, when compelled to fal
back before our arms. In many sections o
the country they have not left mill t.
grind corn for their own suffering families
lest we might use them to supply on
armies. We must do the same.
WHO PLANNED THE MARCH TO THE SEA?
The general opinion has been that, Will
Gen. Sherman commanded the army whic
marched from Atlanta to Savannah an
from thence to Richmond, the conception
of the plan belongs to Gen. Grant. 1t /
we'll that this question should be decided
In many respects the march to the sc
STAMPS oCL from tD0 r6O6lltOn as ID6 M
brilliant achievement of the war. On tn
18TH OF September, 1864, Gen. Grant wrote 4
Sherman from City Point that he did no
know exactly what to do with Sherman'
army, and was disturbed by the dfficultie
? of supplying it, and intimated that IL Nigh
be we'll to threaten Macon and Augusta. Il
this letter Gen. Sherman replied, saying b
would not hesitate to cross the state o
Georgia with 90, 900 men, hauling some store
and depending on the country for the bal
ance; that where a million of peopl
find subsistence my army wont starve." III
did not believe in penetrating Georgia with
out an objective beyond. alt would be pro
ductive of much good. can start east anC
make a circuit south and back, doing vas
damage to the state but resulting in ~
permanent g cd, and by threatening TO d.
so hold rod over the Georgians, who ar
not over loyal to the South" He conclude
by advising that Grants and Canby's ar
mics should be reinforced, and that b
! | shnnld kaan Hood am rlnuad and mt hi