Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-07-31
A WEST POINT INCIDENT.
The Early Life Of the Late Major Gen
eral 7. W. Sherman.

By kentucky Friend.
My first acquaintance with General
Sherman was made at West Point in
the summer of 1882. We had then
just received our appointments as
cadets in the military academy, he
having travelled all the way TO New
York on foot in order to appear before
tue examining board. Failing here,
for some cause, he determined to con-
tinue his steps to Washington and lay
his case in person before the then
President, General Andrew jackson,
who, with his characteristic insight
into human character, sent him at
once to the secretary Of war to receive
his appointment.
1t was my good fortune to be as
signed to the same tent with him for
the summer encampment, where
we soon formed for each other strong
and lasting attachment. 1t did not
take me long to find he was worthy
the distinguished revolutionary name
he bore, and that even at this early
stage Of his career he understood well
the first duty of soldier, never to
disobey orders. To illustrate this
point allow me to relate the following
incident:
His first tour of guard duty was
performed on one Of the most terrible
nights | ever witnessed. A storm of
wind and rain arose soon after night
fall that ragged during the greater part
of the night with unabated fury.
while frequent flashes of lightning
disclosed the old forts and other pic
turesque surroundings of the Point
only to render the darkness more
appalling. Add to this frequent peals
of thunder echoing among the sur
rounding peaks as if the world we're
coming to an end, and you can form
some idea of the scene that comes up
so vividly to my memory after the
lapse of nearly half a century. In
the midst of this terrible war of ele-
ments it occurred to three cadets
one Of them, perhaps, the corporal of
the guard--that this would be a
favorable time to test the mettle of the
young" pleb from Newport.
| shall never forget Sherman's ap-
pearance as he entered our tent the
next morning; his gun cut and
Scared in various places; his clothes
wet and dripping and covered with
mud. Whithorn (also from Newport)
and myself eagerly inquired for the
cause of his plight, and were informed
| that three men or devils-he did not
know nor care which-had approached
his post in the midst Of the storm.
covered with white Sheets and en-
deavored to pass without giving the
cOuntersign. One of them, armed
with musket and fixed bayonet, at
tempted to force his way; but, "
said he, " | stood my ground and
would have run him through, but for
his superior skillin using his weapon. :"
As soon as this THO found that
young Sherman meant business they
disappeared under the cover of the
darkness, leaving him master of the
situation, and, | doubt not, have kept
their defeat to this day a profound
secret. The incident, however, is too
good to be lost, and [ now put it on
record because | am probably the
only living man, Whithorn having
died early, that knows anything about
lit; aud, also, because it gave unmis-
taxable promise of the brilliant career
now part of our national history.
l cannot close this brief reference
to my lamented friend General Sher-
man without adding that he was one
Of the few men of our time whose acts
were not the result of policy, his
motto through life being, "Do right if
the heavens fall. " In writing to me
a few years ago he said The best
thing that could be done for humanity
would be to erase the word policy
from the English vocabulary yes, to
eradicate it from the universal
tongue.
| He was a man of too large heart
to be governed by sectional prejudice !;
though a New Englander to the manor
born, the whole country was his; like
| Webster, he knew no North, no South,
no East, no West. S. NJ. GAINES.
Morganfeld, Ky.