The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-16
AN INTRODUCTION TO TECUMP'.
Gen. McGinnis Relates an Incident of His
First Meeting with Gen. Sherman.

Ter. george L. McOlnnlS IN an arLlcle IN the
Veterans Review, tells the following story of
his first meeting with Gen. W. T. Sherman:
'About o'clock A. NJ. April s, 1862, the morn
Inc after the second days fight at Shiloh. while
quietly seated at my headquarters, which was
the butt end of tree close to the road and
abont 300 yards in advance of Shiloh meeting
house, my attention was attracted by solitary
horSeman coming In my direction. He was
dressed in citizens clothes which would not i'm
properly have been called 'misft.' He
was lean and lank, with sandy complexion,
hair and beard, the latter looking as though
is had not been cut for a week or ten days
concluded from his general appearance that he
was an honest old farmer who had a son in the
army, and, being anxious about him, had left
home, without preparation, as soon as ne got
news of the battle to look after and care for that
son 10 case he should find him killed or wounGed
AS soon as my supposed farmer came within
speaking distance the following conversation
took place:
'I-'Good morning, SIR
'He-'Good morning. What regiment is
thisq
1.-THE Eleventh Indiana, sir
'He-'Who is the coloneW
"I-'McGinnis.'
"He-'Where is McGinnisP
'I-Tm the man, sir.
.He-(Looklng at me with establishment, and
apparently amazed that such a looking chap as
was should be intrusted with the command of a
regiment of men) L am General Sherman
'I-tMy turn to be astonished, and for the
moment dumbfounded, and without thinking of
the enormity of the offense) The -(revised
edition) you arep
'tHe-Seeing the point and taking in the
situation smllingy, Yes
There had been an alarm in camp that
morning; the men picket duty in front of our
biyouac had deserted their posts and come
tearing through our quarters as though the
whole rebel army was at their heels
1 succeeded in persuadlng a. strapplng big
+n orc IN fall
that they had been driven in by the rebels. and
he went on. | couldn't get another word out of
him. He was the worst scared man ever saw.
There was not word of truth in his story, as
:he whole rebel army was miles away from US
ana making the best of their way to Corinth.
Tho alarm was caused by several of our own
regiments THAT had arrived on the field too late
30 take part in the battle of the 7th) discharg-
jng their pieces This was done without
authority from headquarters, and without
notice to any one, and for a few minutes created
great excitement, leading many to believe that
another battle was This affair ried General
Sherman terribly. He put on his war paint and
started out to give out orders in person After
our introduction the General asked for informa
ton in relation to any disturbance trouble in
our front, and received all l could give him.
He then delivered short Grafton on the breach
of discipline and the enormity of the
offense of the indiscriminate discharge
of firearms under such circumstances and
closed with positive order to me to arrest any
mar, no matter who or what he was, who was
caught in the act of firing gun pistol send
him, under guard, to his headquarters, when he,
Sherman would have him shot | assured Gen
eral Sherman his order should be obeyed. He
was further assured that no man in the eleventh
regiment had discharged gun that morning, that
on the contrary all our guns had been discharged
In a parting shot at the Johnnes late in the after
noon of the day before, and that all the men were
then engaged in cleaning their arms.
THE General apparently satisfied that his
orders would be obeyed with pleasant good
morning, passed up the road, and reoccupied
my Headquarters. verbal message was imme
diately sent to company officers to caution their
men in regard to firing, and informing them of
Shermans orders Sherman had certainly not
gone more than 100 yards, when bang went
a musket right on the left of my regiment.
knew it was in company X looked up the
road saw Sherman stop and look back, jumped
TO my feet and started toward the left just as
Sherman turned his horse to come back got
10 * quarters but minute after my message
had been delivered, and asked. Who fired that
gum The answer came back from dozen
Threats 1t was in that regiment on the
left, Colonel o, but the private soldiers were
sharp.
Said l. Are you sure it was not fired by a
Company K manP Every man was sure.
said |: There is General Sherman ready to
have the man who fired that gun shot, if he
be found. Are you still sure as to where that
shot was fredF Every man was willing to swear
and stick to it that the shot was fired by the
regiment on our left and they were so earnest
about it, that | wanted to believe them.
'In fact was so anxious and determined to
save one Of my boys from being shot, that did
believe them, and reported to Sherman, who
was waiting for me, that had thought at first
tke shot was fired in my regiment, but after
basty investigation, was fully satisfied that it
was in the next regiment beyond, and doubtless
accidental.
He looked little queer, asked some very
direct questions, acted as though he didn't be-
lieve me any more than / believed the boys, and
with the caution tell the boys to be careful or
somebody will get hurt rode away.
This was my first introduction to General
Sherman"