Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-01-17
SoLplLkS DEPARTMENT.
GENERAL SHERMAN TALKS.


Burning of AtIanta-A Good Story.
The General always had a good story
/. to tell and the ladies liked to hear hin
talk But as he grows older he talks
less. He was quite communicative
however, when / met him the Other
Gay IN New York, and as he talked o.
the perils of war his face and move
ments were full of animation which
would do credit to younger man.
There is only one thing l ever fear.
ed in battle" he said, land that is q
rife ball
'You can see shell or cannon ball
from a distance. They always give
warning in some way; but rifle ball is
steaithy, and does its work in a flash,
without warning"
''How about a cross ire?"
''Oh, then one has to take his chances.
have been where shells, cannon balls
and bullets fell all around me, but was
never injured. You must remember, "
he added smiling, that by careful COM
putatlon, it takes, on the average, a ton
of lead to kill one man in battle When
we were in a building examining the
wounds of General Mcpherson, several
shell and cannon balls struck it, some
passing through its sides.
General Mcpherson was one of the
bravest of men and a great loss to the
country. | saw him fall from his
horse, and soon had him taken into the
house. Wrenching off a door from the
building, and placing one end on the
window sill, the other end being sup
ported by chair, we laid his body
Upon it | saw at first glance at his
face the unmistakable pallor of death,
and the unfailing sign in the fixed,
glazed eyes and set jaws. He had then
ceased to breathe, and there was no
pulse or perceptive motion of the heart.
We looked for the wound and found
that the ball had entered low down,
above the hip, not far from the spine,
a clean cut wound that ball always
makes when entering. The blood was
flowing from it profusely. We then
looked for the wound of exit, which is
generally a ragged one, but could find
none. i placed my hand on his breast
and felt carefully over the surface in
the region of the heart. finally felt
something hard under the skin, and /
told the surgeon / believed the bullet
had lodged there. A slight incision
through the skin with the surgeons
knife and the ball dropped out. 1t had
traversed diagonally entirely through
the body, and must have gone directly
through his heart, killing him instantly"
lis it true, General, as have been
told in Atlanta, that you entirely de-
stroyed that city during the warp"
cit was not true" he replied with
considerable emphasis and feeling, Il
did not destroy that city, although l
had it in my power TO do so; but have
heard it reported many times that did.
We, of course, destroyed the railroad
depot; we did this by undermining it
and tearing it down, and then setting
fire to the debris, to get it out of the
way. The Confederates had buried
some shells in close proximity unknown
toa us). which, in consequence of the
fire, soon began to explode, making |
things very lively for time. The |
Kimball House and few other build !
ings were consumed in consequence. !
There were not in all more than two |
blocks of the city burnt"
'.How did the Southern soldier compare |
with those of the North?" | asked.
The Southern soldiers were brave;
in that respect, l think they compare
favorably with our boys" he continued.
But the majority of the common SOL
diers of the South in the time of the war |
were not as well educated as ours, ;" he
argued.
do you not think that education |
makes men more brave?" l asked.
81 scarcely think So" he smilingly |
replied. I'm fact, l am inclined to
think that the less one knows the more
courageous he will be, other things be-
ing equal"
AS / arose to 60, the General said: |
Let me relate to you a little episode of
my famous march to the sea- One day |
l halted with my staff at house on
large plantation, and asked the gray
haired old planter sitting on the piazza
for drink of water. He called to some
of his colored men, then slaves, and |
ordered bucket of water which was
soon brought, with a gourd to drink
from. While l and my officers were
drinking from the gourd. the old planter
sat and eyed us inquisitively. He. of
course, knew that l was an officer from
my dress and staff, but did not know
my rank of Office or name.
Hearing one of my staff address me
as General he turned quickly with a
look of surprise and said:
:" Are you General?'" F
''Yes. sir, was my reply.
'''What is your name?"
Sherman"
- Sherman; you General Sherman""
al suppose / am"
How many men have you got?'"
"a million"
"'Now I'd just like to have you an
swer me one question more-Where are
you going from here?"
well, now, that is considerable to
request of an entire stranger, and I'M
der the circumstances
81 promise to keep it secret"
''Are you sure that you can keep the
secret if | impart it to you?"
Certainly, certainly Will; on my
honor as a gentleman.
'.But there is a risk. You know.