The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-06-03

y
character. was not neal
and General Mcpherson in too subordinate
a capacity to influence you. Until you
won Donelson confess was almost cowed
by the array of anarchical elements that
presented themselves at every point; but
that victory admitted the ray OF lightwhich
have followed ever since. believe you
are as brave, patriotic and just as the great
| prototype Washington; as unselfish,
kind hearted, and honest as man
should be; but the chief characteristic OF
you have always manifested, which can
'liken to nothing else than thefaith a Chris
itisn has in his Savior. This faith gave you
victory at Shiloh and Vicksburg. Also,
when you have completed your best prepa-
rations, you go into battle without hesitation,
as at Chattanooga-no doubts, no reserve:
and 1 tell you it was this that made
us act with confidence. l knew wherever
Il was that you thought of me, and if got
into tight place you would come-if alive
MY only doubts were as to your knowledge
'of grand strategy and of the works of sci
'ence and history; but confess your com
mon sense seems TO have supplied
'all this" 1t is no wonder that
two mature, cold, cynical and self-contsined
soldiers who talked TO each other in tbs
style trusted one another implicitly ever
after. They had conferences together before
Grants departure for the East, and the
conmander-in-c chiefs dispatch from Wash
ington detailing plans for the great cam
his subordinate. In it he says: 81 do not pro-
pose to lay down for you plan Of cam
paigD, but simply to lay down the work il
is desirable to have done, and leave you
free to execute it in your own way"
Sherman's work was the destruction of
Johnson's army. The opening OF his reply
exhibits his usual hearty enthusiasm. He
says, under date of Nashville, April 10, 1864:
Your two letters of April 4 are now before
me, and afford me infinite satisfaction. That
I'VE are all now tosaet on a common plan.
converging on common center, looks like
enlightened war. Like yourself, you take
the biggest load, and from me
you shall have thorough and hearty
cooperation" After Sherman, fighting
a series Of battles, had reached his first OBJ
iective point, Atlanta, and received the |
formal thanks of the president, Grant sent /
an officer of bis staff to consult VITA him,
carrying long letter, dated Sept y, 1864, |
which closed with this remarkable passage:
'In conclusion it is hardly necessary for
me to say that you have accomplished |
the most gigantic undertaking given to
any general in the war, and with
skill and ability that will be acknowledged
in history as unsurpassed if net unequaled.
1t gives me as much pleasure to record this
in your favor as it would in favor OF any
living man, myself included" In the re-
ply, dated week later, came the suggestion,
with many favorable considerations in de-
all, of the famous march 10 the sea. The
ester closed as follows: ''In the meantime,
know that I admire your logged perssver-
and pluck more than ever. II you can
whip Lee and i can march to the Atlantic,
L think Uncle Abe will give us a twenty
days leave of absence TO see the young
folks" Then following the thanking move
nent of Hood, came a discussion between
irant and Sherman, during which
he former gradually relinquished
his own opinions as to the
proper method of pursuing the cam
,aign and yielded his judgment to that
VI his comrsde. On the 9TH of Novem-
Der he gave in his final adhe-
ion TO the march on Savannah,
With his usual good grace: II see no reason
for changing your present plan. Should
any arise you will see it, or if | do will
inform you. 1 think everything here is IA
vorable now. Great good fortune attend
you. L believe you will be eminently sue
cessful and at most can only make a march
less fruitful of results than hoped for" On
ne Sd of the next month when Sherman
lad reached the coast, but before the capture
4 Savannah Grant wrote, giving general
etails of how things were pro-
ressing all along the line, and
aid 'Not liking TO rejoice
before the victory Is assured, 1 abstain
from congratulating you and those under
your command, until bottom has been !
struck. have never had fear, however,
for the result. = Az
ter all becomes quiet and roads become
so bad up here that there is likely to
be week or two when nothing can be
done, 1 will come down the coast to see
you. If you desire it, will ask Mrs. Sher-
man to go with me.' Three days later
rant proposed shifting part of Sherman's
my by sea to Richmond, with the charac-
ristic remark: "Select yourself the Off :.
er to leave ia command, but you
want in person." On the :,
tn, Grant confessed that his faith in the
movsl to Richmond by sea was shaken ;,
I'd wanted Sherman's opinions. Among ;
any strong terms of praise he said: 'I :,
you and the brave
,fficers and men under your COM :
nand in the successful termination
If your most brilliant campaign. never =