Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-03-13
GENERAL VT. SHERMAN.
Gen. Willard Warner Gives Some
Interesting "Reminiscences
The March TO the Sea-
General Mcpherson.


Extract from an interview in N. Y. Tribue
"Do you regard General Sherman as
a man of original ability?" "a very
able man." said Mr.. Warner, land an
original thinker. You may have seen
some discussion as to who conceived
the March to the Sea. Now, you know
1 was with Sherman, and close to his
person all the time. As early as May,
1864, when we were about Chattanooga, i
said to him one day: General what do
you want to get to Atlanta for? You
will be 500 miles from your general
base of supplies at Louisville; for Nash
will and Chattanooga are only seconds
~ bases. and Louisville is your real
base. Won't you get away out there
in the middle of Georgia, with long
line and nothing to eat? What are you
going to do when you get to Atlanta?'
Sherman, in bis rapid way, brushed
the ashes from the end of his cigar and
said: Salt water! salt waterp Thought
about that a little while, and finally
said: DO you mean the sea?' That's
it, said Sherman"
MIR. Warner continued In a moment:
"When we got into Atlanta, the Gen
eral went into room and spread out a
map before his chief of staff, and get
ting down on bis hands and knees,
e.,l &c
General asked the other, how are
you going to live on that march?'
There are one million Of people in
Georgia. said the General. Where
they can live We can't starve. We
shall has twenty to forty days rations
and coffee and hard tack, and find the
rest when we reach the coast never
had any doubt that Sherman saw that
march to the sea In his eye away back
in 1868.
81 will tell you another curious
thing" Mr.. Warner added. Sherman
was very fond Of Mcpherson. They
were in close intellectual and social
friendship. l went out to McPherson's
headquarters about 2 O'Clock on the
mornig before he was killed. l woke
him up, and We took a drink and had
breakfast together, and then started to-
get information as to the enemy in from
that Sherman wanted. / went back to
Sherman's house; it was what Was
called the Howard House, now the
Hurt House. Mcpherson came there
and Was there when the attack was
opened on his command by Hood, and
then he gsll ped off from thai house.
News came alter some time that Hood
was repulsed, but Mcpherson was
killed. Sherman said to me: Warner
you have been ell over the ground to-
day. ] want you to go back and find
how things are from personal inspec-
tion, and come to me-" On nv Wav.
/ met MrPhersoB's dead body; he was
shot in the side, the ball going upward
When got back the body was living
on the porch, and Sherman was going
up and down with slippers on his feet
and bareheaded, crying. Every time
he passed the body he would look
down, and his eyes ill up again. ALI
that time officers and orderlies were
riding up for orders, and he would ar
swer them, and then continue his rapid
walk, and look down at the body. 1t
was a very affecting scene. That night
was riding from the front with Sher-
man, and we had several miles to 90
over. All the way back be talked in
cessanuy of Mcpherson, and he told
me this: Warner he said, i thought
Mcpherson would be the man to close
out this war. Grant and / are pretty
sure to be knocked over before it is done,
either by the enemy or public opinion;
we will both make some mistake, or
be accused of some mistake, which
will set us aside, and l had looked on
Mcpherson as the man to conduct our
armies to the end of the war. He is
great, great loss.'"
"Was sherman always cool in tight
places?" "Yes, he was instant and
snappy, but perfectly cool for all that. I"
Il have heard criticisms on Sherman
for disparsging Hooker so many years
after the war, when Hooker was para
lyzed?" "Well, even if one is para
alZed," said Mr.. Warner, mot even
the dead escape his blame. General
Hooker bad AN important command
under Sherman, and Sherman had to
rely on him for the truth. II he told
Hooker TO feel the enemy before him,
snd to report whether he could hold
bis ground or was oyermalched. Sher-
man expected the very best Judgment.
Hooker almost always exaggerated the
force opposed to him, and this might
compel Sherman to weaken his line at
some other point to give Hooker more
strength. | think that was Hooker's
fault in the war-too much imagina-
ton, weak Judgment"