Evening journal., 1888-07-20
GEN. SHERMAN.
PERSONAL GOSSIP AND STORY
ABOUT OLD TEcUMSEH.
How He Looks. Acts and TalIss--The Story
of His Insanity and How II Arose-IIis
Trouble with Andrew johnson = His
First Command.


William Tecumseh Sherman here in Wash
ington not long ago. What lively, kind
hearted old fellow he is, and how tho peo-
pie like him He was. while he was com.
mander of tho army, the most popular
man in Washington, as well us ono Of the
most active He moved about the Capitol
with n short. quick, nervous step, always
had a cigar in his mouth and always
another IN his pocket for a friend When
Gen. Sherman smokes he smokes all over,
so to speak. He seems to be disgusted
with his cigar, and sucks IN its nicotine
as though il was the hardest thing in the
world to ret it TO draw He brushes of
the ashes with quick, nervous gesture,
and throws away the cigar when * Is only
half smoked. He uses the weed fully as
much as any man in the army.
lie is not at first glance an cxtraordl-
nary looking man, this greatest of the
war generals now living. In a crowd, if
you did not know him you might find
many finer looking and many better
dressed than he. AS to dress. he seems
to care nothing for it. He always wears
good clothes, but there is no pomposity
about him, and his SLOUGH hat is always
pulled ont, not In and he never wears it
on the side of his head, as do some Of the
younger officers.
It is said that he has an aversion to new
clothes, and that he has never been seen
In q complete new suit He has an ex-
traordinary head. 1t is big and full ut
the top, and seems TO slope too quickly to-
ward the neck. His brain is too big for
his body, at least it would be so if the lat
ter had not been developed into a bundle
of iron tissues by the hardest Of physical
exertions. During his march TO the sen
he generally slept on tn. ground without
a tent, and the earlier part Of his
military career gave him a consti-
tuition which lasts him well in his
old age His face is rough and it has an
expression something like that Of his
brother Johns. His mouth is firm and
decisive and be has a pair of restless blue
eyes The shape of his head was much
discussed at the time it was alleged he
was q lunatie. This was when he told
Simon Cameron and Lorenzo Thomas that
it would take 100000 men to drive the
rebels ont OF Kentucky. These two gem
tlemen laughed al the idea, and would
not accept his advice concerning ken
tucly Sherman then asked to be re-
leved. lie was ordered elsewhere and
Buell. took Lis place This was en- Nov.
30, 1861, and on the same night the re-
port that he was crazy was sent ont by d
correspondent Of one Of the New York
papers, l think his namo was Knox. 1t
was d kind of spite work on tho part Of
this correspondent. While Sherman was
| still iii a bad humor over the above inter
view Knox came 10 him and said that he
belonged to the press and that he wanted
q pass to the south. Sherman was not
| fond Of newspaper men in those days and
he told Knox he could not pass. Knox
| grew angry and replied that Segetary
Cameron was in the city and that he could
| get a pass from him. Sherman was natu-
| rally enraged. He ordered Knox out of
| the country. He told him he would give
him Just two hourg to leave and if he
/ found him in his lines after that he would
hang him as q spy. Knox left at once
and went to Cincinnati and there circu-
lated the report that the general was
/ crazy. 1t was first printed, | think in
! Cincinnati and from thence went broad
cast over the country. The correspond
4 emit afterward wanted TO be admitted to
/ the army, but | am told Sherman posi-
/ lively refused to sanction il. He was not
4 fond Of having outsiders ia his ranks at any
/ time, and | remember hearing the story
how he sat down, 50 to speak, on one of
/ the struggling congressman who went out
/ from Washington to see the engagement
! at Bull Run. Sherman was in command
OF a brigade Mt that time. lie was look
| ing over the field without q glass when a
man in q citizens dress stepped up and
offered him his field glass. Sherman
/ turned and eyed the man over 'Who
are You, sirg' said he.
MY name is owen Lovoioy," replied
the clerical looking man. Il am a NOM
! Der Of congress from Illinois"
"A member Of congress- retorted Sher-
man, witheringly. "A member of con
1 gress? Well, ] should like to know what q
member Of congress Is doing here Get
out of my lines, sirl get out Of my linesl'
And he made him get out and sent him
ct once to the rear. This incident illus
trates how little regard sherman had
for public opinion. In those days CON
I gressnen had much to do with making
generals, and Loyejoy, for eight years a
congressman, had considerable influence.
Gen. Sherman's family is missed here
In social way, and the general was the
life Of many q dinner table. He lived
very nicely here ia three story brick on
Fifteenth street Il little below Chamber
lain's club rooms and very near the White
House, Wornley's hotel and tho Riggs.
Here he had an Office in the basement
where you could find him at odd hours
working away. AT tho war department
he was, perhaps, the most busy man in
the great building. EIo seemed to be
always going at lightning speed. IN
Sherman's eyes the department clerk was
as good as the long winded United States
senator, and if he were in good humor the
clerk would be just as well received. If he
were in a bad humor-and this was by
no means uncommon-both had better
keep away. This quality Of Sherman 8
has tended much to the good Of the army.
Military men. especially Of the lower
orders, are inclined to pomp and snobbcry.
Sherman's blunt, off hand ways his plain.
practical ideas, and his bold way of call
ing q spade spade has done much to
foster common sense among tho military
men here.
Sherman's habit Of sometimes letting
his feelings carry him away came near
being his ruin in tbs days following the
accession of Andrew johnson. Johnson,
you know. repudiGteS his agreement with
Joe Johnston at Sic time, though be
afterwards practically adopted it. Mr.. W.
+. &. Shanks, one os the leading war CDR
respondents at the time, tells the story.
He says: -
''Sulen at the Reputation Of his agree
ment with Johnston, angry at the inter.
ference of Cen. Hal.eck with the cooper.
alive movements Of himself and Sheridan
and furious at the countcrmanding Of his
orders by tho secretary Of war. he marched
to Wellington Will LIS army, DrC.-t-...-lsg
vengeance upon Halleck and hate and