Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-10-24
AlGreat Soldier.

William Tecumseh Sherman retires mex
Hnek from the command OF the United
States army. This is owing TO a bill thai
Ictires officers when they arrive at the age
of six,y-four years. OF course Gen. Sher
man has good many years more of good
work in him but he did not care to insis
on staying thinking as he did that as a
rule it is better that when that age is
reached officers had better give way 10
their juniors.
S''crman was West Point cadet, and
after graduating at the military academy,
served some years in the army and then
resigned. intending to practice law out
west. He tried it as partner in thriv-
ing firm of western attorneys. but one day
went out to try little case in which he
met pettifogger who travelled all around
him and so disguised him that he took up
another kind of work. AS the war ap
preached he was down in Louisiana
teaching sort of military school.
He came north and took service in The
Union army after time being ordered to
Kentucky. He thought the war was
going TO be quite big thing and with his
usual positiveness he advocated the as
sembling in Kentucky of an army of great
size. His idea of the number of troops
needed, seemed so preposterous to some OF
the wise men of that time that he was
thought to be crazy.
But as time went on this man whose
sanity had been doubted began to com.
nand larger and larger bodies of men and
his success was such that when Gen
Grant left the west to take command of
the army of the Potomac Sherman was
left as the real chief in the west. In the
spring of 1864 be began his famous
Atlanta campaign. When he succeeded
in driving the rebels to and ont OF tina,
city he had lively correspondence with
the mayor of Atlanta which made the
south very angry and showed Shermans
positive character in way that the north
liked.
After few months at Atlanta leaving
Hood and his army 10 "invade Tennessee"
Sherman cut loose from everything to the
rear and became lost to sight. That was
from atlanta to the sea-" the most
famous of all the enterprises of the war.
He gave Savannah as Christmas present
to the country and after a few weeks
started by way of the rest of the confeder
acy for Richmond. While on his way
Richmond fell and the southern army
thought best to surrender. Sherman
"pil ched i'm again and made arran cc
ment that there was great howl about
in the north. Luckily Gen. Grant was on
hand to go down and fix things and new
terms were made. Con. Sherman was
very angry at some of his critics
When Grant became president Sherman
was made general and has for nearly ff.
teen years held that high office He has
been about the country a great deal and
freed his mind on good many occasions
He has written his memoirs. and mighty
interesting reading" they are.
General Sherman, unlike Grant is
lively public speaker. and when he sets
out to make things uncomfortable for any.
body, whether it is an Atlanta mayor or
an indignant secretary Stanton, the result
is that his antagonists are uncomfortable.
But with all his sharp speech he has about
him sturdy common sense that makes
men believe in his judgment as well as
he pleased at his blunt language.
1t is said that the most brilliant general
of the war proposes to keep in The walks
of private life that he retires to. He has
been often talked about for the presidency
but says he does not want anything of the
sort and acts as though he means what be
srys. No matter where he is he will be
honored and respected. And as the war
becomes historical his will be the most
brilliant figure of it.