Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-11-21
ARNOLD AND SHERMAN.
What the Funny Old General Told the
Noted English Editor.

Noted English Editor.
A letter by Sir Edwin Arnold In the Lon
don Telegraph: 1t was my good fortune
to make at New York the close acquaint-
ance of another and herdly less renowned
soldier of the republic, Gen. Sherman, nor
could any conversations have been more in
teresting than those in which he did me
the honor to describe and discuss, among
many other matters, that wonderful and
memorable march led by him, which
pierced the confederate states like the
thrust of d rapier and helped largely to
bring about the collapse of secession.
The general was evidently and Justly dis
contented with certain criticisms which have
appeared In England, from high military
source, upon the conduct of the campaign.
'We had, " he said, ''to create armies be-
fore we could use them in the established
and scientific way, and it is unfair and IL
logical to judge the first two years of our
war as if we had been commanding train
ed and seasoned troops. In the third year
we had regiments to lead as good and
skilled as command officers could ask for,
and to the movements then made the rules
of military science may be properly appl-
ed. Gen. Sherman spoke of quality of
courage in soldiers and men generally,
and irrational recklessness True cour-
age, he said, sis founded on presence of
of mind. The man who in the face of i'm
minent peril can hold up his hand and
count the fingers ON it quite calmly is the
brave, self-possessed, reliable individual.
Moreover, true courage goes with unself-
ishness. | have seen an officer fight on I'M
finchingly In my presence bleeding from
many wounds, of which he was disdainful-
ly needless, and in later life have witness
ed the gentleman turn deadly white while
he held the hand of his child that a sur
geon might operate for some trifing alb
scess.
Many were the thrilling esisodes and adj
ventures of the great war which fell in
fascinating recital from the lips of Gen.
Sherman, but they are either recorded in
the pages of his autobiography or too long
and discursive to set down here. One lit
tie fash Ofhumor is perhaps worth preserv-
ing from all the war talk which we enj oy
ed. ''Gen. Thomas, said he, Junior to
me IN rank, but senior In service, was a
stern dlsclpllnarian He has received
many complaints about the pilfering and
plundering committed by one of his brig
AIDES, and, being resolvdd to put this Of
Tense down, he issued some very strict
orders. menacing with death any one who
should transgress. The brigade in ques-
ton wore for its badge an acorn, in silver
or gold, and the men were Unfortunately
proud of this distinctive sign Several
| cases of disobedience had been reported to
the general, but the evidence was never
strong enough for decisive action, until
one day, riding with an orderly down by
lane outside the posts, Thomas come full
upon an Irishman who, had
laid aside his rife. with
which he had killed a hog, was bust
ly engaged in skinning the animal with
his sword-bayonet so as to make easy work
with the bristles, etc, before cooking some
pork-chops. All, cried the general,
you rascal! at last I have caught one of
you in the act. There is no mistake about
it this time and will make an example of
YOU sir!
- 'Bedad! general, honey said the
Irishman, Strengthening himself up and
coming to the salute, it's not shooting me
that you ought to be at, but rewardin
me.
. What do you mean, sir?' exclaimed
Gen. Thomas.
9 Why, your honor, the soldier replied,
this bad haste here had just been disicra-
tin the rigimental badge and so | was
forced to dispatch him. It's attn the
acorns that found him att Even Gen.
Thomas was obliged to laugh at this and
the soldier saved his life by his wit.