Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-04-04
GEN. SHERMAN.

GEN. SHERMAN.
official History of tie Worthfngton Case--
1 The Generals Opinion Of Don, Piatt--
[ Gen. B05assisag and the Arnsu Bill
To the Editor of the Washington Post.
I Some gentlemen have called on me, offer
ing to take up the cudgel in the matter of
the infamous article in last Sundays Capital,
headed "National Disgrace" I first advised
against any notice of the article, because its
motive was apparent, and there are here in
Washington many living witnesses of the
events it purposes to describe.
In the first place, the scene described on
Pennsylvania avenue, of Gen. Sherman rid
ing in his carriage with folded arms, while
poor Tom Worthington was on foot telling
his piteous tale to the editor of the CapitaI,
is pure fiction. did not ride down the
avenue at all in my carriage last week or the
week before, and it is extremely rare that I
go down the avenue, except on foot or in
the street cars. Ny horses are not bay. And
I pronounce this part of the article as man
ufactured for the express purpose of laying
the foundation for the tale of conspiracy by
West Point against Col. Thomas Worthing-
ton, of Ohio. now in Washington, who is
pushing some claims before Congress.
Col. Thomas Worthington belongs to one
of the most honored families in Ohio. En-
tered West Point as cadet in 1923; gradual
ed in 1927, and resigned in 1928. He served
IN the Mexican war as adjutant of the Sec
ond Ohio from June 90, 1876, to Oct. 81,
1S46. In the civil war he raised company
IN 1861, was commissioned lieutenant-colonel
of the Forty-sixth Ohio, Oct. 20, 1861, and
colonel Jan. 80, 1862. AS colonel of the
Forty-sixth Ohio he was at the battle of Shi-
lob, April and 7, 1862, his regiment being
one of three, viz: his own, the Fortieth ILL
nois, Col. Hicks, and the Sixth Iowa, Col.
John Adair Mcdowell, who being the senior
colonel, commanded the brigade. At the be-
ginning of the battle this brigade held the
extreme right of our line: next on
its loft was Buckland's brigade;
and next to it Hildebrand's s.
These three brigades constituted the
right of the Union forces, and are the troops
to which Gen. Beauregard refers in his let
ter, and not the single regiment commanded
by Col. Worthington. The key-point was
the causeway across Owl Creek at Shiloh
meeting house, covered by the left of Buck
lsnd's brigade and right of Hildebrand's,
and not the bridge nearly a mile below,
which was covered by Col. McDowell's bri-
gade. including Worthington's regiment.
Col. Worthington continued in command
OF the same regiment and was in the same
brigade at Corinth and Memphis, Tenn.
Here in August he was tried by general
court martial on three charges:
o. Drunkenness on duty; two specifca-
lions. (2) Habitual drunkenness, one spec
ification. (3) Conduct unbecoming an of
ticer and gentleman; three specifications.
He was found guilty of the first charge and
first specification and part Of the second
specification; not guilty of the second charge,
though guilty on six of the dates enumerat-
ed; guilty of the third charge and of the sec
ond specification; not guilty of the first and
third specifications; and was sentenced to be
''cashiered." The members of the court
were Gen. S. A. Hurlbut, president, now
here; Gen. J. w. Denver, now here; Gen. j.
Q. Veatch, of Indiana; Col. John Williams,
Third Iowa 1nfantry Col.John Logan, Thir-
ty-second Illinois infantry; Col. VIM. Mum
gen; fifty-seventh Ohio infantry; Col. w. A.
Gresham, fifty third Indiana infantry, now
judge of the United States district court;
Col Peter Sullivan, forty-eigth Ohio in
fantry: Col. B. Fl. Grierson, sixth Illinois
cavalry, now Colonel of the tenth United
States cavalry; Capt. J. c. Mccoy, aide-de-
camp, judge advocate. Most of these of
ticers are now living, and occupy important
positions in civil life. Not one of them was
a graduate of West Point. The record of
this court is now in the Office of the Judge
accessible to all, with the
orders, charges, specifications, pleading,
testimony, and findings of the court.
This terminated Col. Worthington's con-
nection with the service, and his regiment
passed under the command of Colonel, after
wards Brig-Gen. G. G. Wolcutt, now living
in Columbus, O., and remained under his
orders to the last day of the war, earning the
largest fame. l have never met Col. Worth
lngton since, but he has written me many
letters, all of which I have answered in a
positive but kindly spirit, and he is at lib
erty to publish any or all OF them. I have
his original letters, which may also be seen
by parties who desire to inspect them. He
has published much in the newspapers and
in pamphlets, and in one of these occurs a
letter from Mr.. Lincoln which covers the
whole case, pretty much in these words:
To-day I verbally told Col. Worthington
that did not think him fit for a Colonel,
and now, upon his urgent request, put it in
writing. A. LINCOLN.
Col. Worthington is now an old man, in
trouble and affection, and think ths editor
of the Capital should not expose. his weak
ness and foibles. If he has any claim for
compensation for services of any nature on
the part of the government have not and
will not interpose an objection, but I under
stand he was paid in full in the same manner
and to the same extent as all other officers
Now, as to Col. Dom Piatt: I have never
known him, -or do want to. During the
war never heard of him at Shiloh, Vicks-
burg, Chattanooga, Atlanta, or elsewhere
where there was fighting and danger. 1 un-
derstand he belonged to that noble army Of
martyrs who suffered as provost -marshals
judge advocates, and suffers at the rear. His
prudence is to be commended, but as his.
torian he should be more modest. We have
his word for it that he was in youth trained
by Christian parents not to swear, but We
have daily and weekly proof that he violates
all the other nine commandments. seThor
shalt not bear false witness against thy neigh.
Dor, is one of the commandments which
surely he does not even profess to obey. His
trade, occupation, and livelihood are baseG
on personal defamation. Honest men pit,
Col. Thomas Worthington, but simply de
spise Dom Piatt. He quotes me as calline
his brother in-law, Gen. Banning, s'damnee
idiot. : He must have invented the express:
sion, for it does not convey my meaning
The first army bill reported by Gen. Ban.
ming contained the proviso that in case Of
the failure of the House to make the usua
appropriation for the army it should be dis
banded. declared this absolute folly, anc
may have used the word ssdamned,'' which il
good word when appropriately used, for this
clause has since been damned by the mill
tary committee, of which he is chairman