The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-02
GRANT AND SHERMAN.
Important Historical Letters just Brought
co Light
North American Review for July.

co Light
North American Review for July
Through Captain s. Fl. NJ Byers. Of Iowa,
author of the song, Marching Through Geor-
gia," and favored friend of General Sherman,
some moro interesting and suggestive CORE
spondence between Grant and Sherman sees the
light, for the first time in the July number of
the North American Review. 1t relates largely
to Andrew Johnson's reconstruction ''conspir-
acy." as it has sometimes been called, and Hon.
George S. Boutwell,, who is very familiar with
that historical episode, has contributed pref
atory explanation of the letters Altogether
the article makes an exceedingly readable pa
per- and very valuable one to the student of
our recent annals.
The first of the letters is from General Sher-
man to General Ord, and. in tho light of snbse-
quent history, is remarkable bit of reading.
The date 10 March 49, 1870 General Sherman
says:
1.-THE truth is politics have again gradually
but surely drawn the whole country into situ-
aJion of as much danger as before the civil war.
The army left the South subdued broken and
humbled. The party then in power, forgetful of
the fact that sooner or later, the people of the
South must VOTE labored hard to create votes
out of negroes and Indifferent material, and
when at last these States became reconstructed,
as was to be expected, the prejudices of the past
resumed control. and now the negro governments,
aided by weak force of Republican whites,
have been swept aside, and the Union people
there are hustled branded and even killed.
Such IS the nature of our government that the
Nation is powerless to apply a remedy. All
crimes must be tried by juries on the spot who,
of course, protect their comrades aud condemn
their opponents. So that any Southern citizen
may kill or abuse negro or Union man with
much safety as one of our frontiersmen may kill
an Indian.
''The memories of the war are fading fast, and
even our own men are dividing, not upon old is
sues, but the new probabilities of the strength
of parties. General Grants personal popularity
seems to be waning, and the opposition TO his
administration is such that, If they can unite,
they will surely prevail"
A year later General Sherman, in a letter to
General Augur, said this:
'It is notorious that no Southern man can be
punished for murder aud violence to Union
family, for the juries acquit them, even if they
are indicted. Unless Congress can and
will give the President power to declare and exc
cute martial law our government is simply ridi-
culous. The rebels whom we defeated
in war will beat us in politics. Our
duty is to keep the army, rs far as we can, well
ordered, well disciplined, and as well content as
possible On its submission to discipline. its
love of order and respect for authority this Ma
ton yet may have to depend, for things now
point. as IN 1861, toward anarchy"
This appears in a letter from General Grant to
General Sherman, under date of Jan. 49, 1867:
Whilst you were absent your Mexican
mission did not write to, you, because did not
know how TO address you, except through the
Secretary OF State and / have nothing to do
with that functionary when 1t can be avoided"
Here is the first reference to Andrew Johnson's
schemes
There was unqucstionably great desire to
commit you TO a support of the present admins
tration, against Congress- right wrong,
there has been me. In this respect there is lit
tie difference between parties No matter how
close keep my tongue each tries to interpret
from the little let drop that am with them"
And here is something more from Grant:
WASHINGTON. D. g., Sept 1S. 1867.
"IPrivate My Dear General received
your very kind letter written from Omaha, which
gave assurances OF your sympathy for me at the
very unpleasant position | am now called to
occupy 1t Is truly an unenviable one and /
wish had never been In it. Ali the romance of
feeling that men in high places are above per-
sonai considerations, AID act only from motives
OF pure patriotism, and for the general good of
the public, has been destroyed. An inside view
proves, too truly. very much the reverse. am
afraid to say paper all fear and apprehendn
President johnson seems to have desired to
bring Grant and Sherman together at Washing
ton, and 30 break up Their friendly personal re-
lations and mutual confidence for his own poit-
ical purposes. The following lively letter speaks
on that point.
"WAsHNGToN, D. c., JAN 81, 1868.
ITO the President:
To bring me to Washington would
put three heads to an army-yourself, General
Grant and myself, and we would be more than
human if we were not TO differ. In my iudg-
ment it would ruin the army, aud would be fatal
to one or two of u.s.
Generals Scott and Taylor proved them
selves soldiers and patriots on the field, bat
Washington was fatal to both. This city, and
the influences that conferred here defeated every
army that had itu headquarters here from 1861
to 1865, and would have overwhelmed General
Grant at Spottsylvauia and Petersburg had
he not been fortified by a strong reputa-
ton already hardened, and because no one
then living coveted the place. Whereas in the
West we made progress from the start, because
there was no political capital near enough to
poison our minds and kindie into life that crav-
ing itching for fame which has killed more good
men than bullets. have beea with General
Grant In the midst of death and slaughter, when
the howis of people reached him after Shiloh
when messengers were speeding to and from his
army to Washington, bearing ISLANDERS to induce
his removal before he took Vicksburg: in
Chattanooga, when the soldiers were steal
ing the corn of the starving mules to satisfy
their own hunger; at Nashville, when ne
was ordered TO the .forlorn hope to
command the Army of the Potomac, 80 often
defeated and yet / never saw him more
troubled than since he has been in WASHINGTON
and compelled TO read himself sneak and de-
ceiver. based on reports of four of the Cabinet
and apparently with your knowledge. If this
political atmosphere can disturb the community
of SO guarded and prudent as he is what
will be the result with me, so careless, so out
spoken as | amt Therefore, with my consent
Washington never With great re-
spect, yours truly, ". T. SHERMAN"
The last letter of the present series is long
one from Sherman to Grant, in which Sherman
states his relation to Grants connection with the
position of Secretary of War ad interim, and
throws new light upon the point of personal
veracity which arose between Grant and John
son at the close OF Grants service in the War