The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-27
PHOTOGRAPH OF SHERMAN
characteristics, Tastes and Habits of
the General of the Army.
His Uneven Temper and His Contempt for
Diplomacy-His FOndness for the
Theater and Society.
Washington Letter in New York World.

Washington Letter in New York World.
General Sherman's life at present is one
round of social festivlty. Breakfasts lunches
and dinners pursue him each day, so that
the General, if he were an ordinary man,
would be distracted by the multiplicity OF
his engagements. But he is veteran in
social campaigns, and stands the society de-
mands as few young men could. Now that
it is officially determined his residence here
is so near at an end, there appears to be a
rush to see who can pay the General the
most honor. The coal-black eyes of the
seamy-faced and grizzly old soldier sparkle
with pleasure at the compliments thrown
with such profusion in his fower-strewn
pathway toward honorable retirement. The
General was never younger than now, when
he is about to give up his life-work. His
ready wit, caustic tongue and blunt demo-
cratic manners are brought out in their
strongest coors in these closing days under
the spur of friendly hattery and the marked
attention of those about him. His record
as a soldier is established in history. There
is no use at this day in discussing that, but
there are certain phases of his intellectual
makeup we'll worthy of study and record.
In the last five or six years l have made
many visits to the War Department, and
have seen a good deal of General Sherman s
methods, and have heard many stories of his
peculiarities. A slight sketch of some OF his
office ways may help correct estimate OF
his character.
General Sherman has most uneven tenn
perament the exact opposite of the judicial.
He is driven by his feelings much after the
fashion of passionate women. He is at times
as hard-hearted and unjust as the greatest
h., L. I'LL H.
as tender as the most mercifu man ever
born. He will in his latter mood do kind
ness with a generous touch that sometimes
brings tears to the eyes of the recipient
But when he is in his severe moods he has a
hard laugh and roughness of manner pain
full to endure When in the height of one
of these moods no one has any influence
with him. In his cruel moods he will do
and say the most severe and unju st things
He has most nimble wit and wide vocab-
ulary. He possesses the fine art of crushing
in sentence or two, and enjoys the
process of occasionally mangling people with
all the rapture OF a DahOmey king. In
matters of any detail his severity is often
shown. He does not know how to express a
refusal or an adverse decision in mild terms.
To some modest request of a timid lieuten-
ant, he returns refusal that is at times pos
itively crushing to the ambition of an aspir-
ing officer. His Endorsements put upon let
tiers abound in expletives. Damned fool"
idiot" 'howling imbecle" occur very often
in his Endorsements When ne has written a
particularly savage Endorsement, or ripped
into some officer with some new insult, he
delights i'm telling of it, so that it is nearly
always widely circulated, and sometimes
reaches the newspapers for publication. Yet
there does not appear to be any malice in his
ugliness. When his unkind temper has
passed, he will acknowledge his injustice and
thank the friend who can help him remedy
his mistake.
HIS DIPLOMATIC ADJUTANT-GENERAL-
Acknowledgement Drum is one of the most
diplomatic men in the army. He is very
Rind-hearted man, with great judicial and
executive ability. A needless injury or a
gratuitous insult is regarded by him as a
most grievous blunder, almost a social
crime. AS all of the orders relating to the
army pass through his hands, he always
takes great care to translate the orders and
comments OF the General of the army into
language that, while it clearly outlines the
will of the General, leaves the order clothed
III terms that can wound no one. General
Sherman perfectly understands this, and is
grateful to General Drum every time the lat
ter suppresses his unkind expressions. The
proof of this is shown in the following Incl
dent:
One day General Drum was absent from
Washington on official business. During
his absence major upon the retired list of
the army preferred some request to the
War Department 1t was referred to Gen
eral Sherman. He happened to be in an
evil humor and refused the request in the
most severe terms. His Endorsement was
referred back to the officer in question, who
made an indignant appeal to the Secretary of
War 10 protect him from the gratutous in
suits of the General of the army. General
had n w q W.
summoned to the Secretary's rooms, where
he was shown the indignant officers letter.
General Drum laughed when he read it, and
then said: ut won't do to try to take this
matter seriously Ask the General about
itn General Sherman was then sent for.
He came in high good humor He was
shown the maj Ors letter He looked vexed,
and then be said: BLESS me- if Drum had
been here ne would never have let my letter
go out" The feelings of the exasperated
Major were Modified in some diplomatic
way, but not by the hand of General Sher-
man.
Atanother time General Sherman, in one
OF his annual reports in differing from the
recommendation of the chief of engineers,
made terrific onslaught upon the engineer
corps. He said, in substance, that engineers
were the poorest and least trustworthy OF
soldiers, because they did all their fighting
from behind earthworks or stone walls. This
reflection was repeated by Sherman in the
hearing of one of the reporters of the local
papers, and so reached publication in adj
vance of the report. The engineers were very
indignant and made great uproar about the
needless injustice shown them. General
Drum heard OF this trouble while absent al
Fort Leavenworth upon inspection duty.
When he came home he examined General
Sherman's report. He then rewrote the
paragraph relating to the engineers. emitting
all the personal reflections, and so modify
ing the language OF criticism as to leave out
all ground for just otfense He then went
and called on the General. After talking
ever the Western trip, General Drum said
II see by the papers you have been going fol
the engineers"
General Sherman laughed with delight a!