The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-01-01
ARNOLD AND SHERMAN,
What the Funny Old General Told the
Noted English Editor.

From letter by Sir Edwin in the
London Telegraph: 1t was my good
fortune to make at New York the close
acquaintance of another and hardly
less renowned soldier of the republic,
Gen Sherman, nor could any converse
tions have been more interesting 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
ierced the confederate states like the
thrust of rapier and helped largely
to bring about the collapse of "seces-
SION" The general was evidently and
Justly discontented with certain criti-
cisms which have appeared in England,
from high military source, upon the
conduct of the campaign. 1--WE had"
he said, "to create armies before 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
trained and seasoned troops. In the
third year we had regiments to lead as
good and skilled as commanding Off
GERS ask for, and to the movements
then made the rules of military science
may be properly applied" Gen. Sher-
man spoke of the quality of courage in
soldiers and men generally, distin-
gushing it impatiently from british
and irrational recklessness. True
courage" he said, lis founded on pres
ence of mind. The man who in the
face of imminent peril can hold up his
hand and count the fingers on it quite
calmly is the brave, ,self-possessed, relia-
BILE individual. Moreover, true cour-
age goes with unselfishness. 1 have
seen an officer fight on unfinchingly
in my presence bleeding from many
wounds, of which he was disdainfully
needless, and in later life have wit
messed the gentleman turn deadly white
while he held the hand of his child that
surgeon might operate for some
trifiing abscess.
Many were the thrilling episodes and
adventures of the great war which fell
in fascinating recital from the lips of
Gen. Sherman, but they are either re-
corded in the pages of his autobiogra-
phy or are too long and discursive to
set down here. One little flash of
humor is perhaps worth preserving
from all the war talk which we enjoy
ed "Gen. Thomas" said he, Junior
| IL,
was stern disciplinarian. He had re-
ceived many complaints about the pill
fering and plundering committed by
one of his brigades, and being resolv-
ed to put this offense down, he issued
some very strict orders, menacing with
death any who should trespass. The
brigade in question wore for its badge
an acorn, in silver or gold, and the
men were inordinately proud ofthis dis
tinctive sign. Several cases of disc.
bedience had been reported to the gen
eral, but the evidence was never strong
enough for decisive action, until one
day, riding with an orderly down a
by-lane outside the posts, Thomas
came full upon an Irishman who, hav
ing laid aside his rifle, with which he
had killed hog, was busily engaged
in skinning the animal with his sword
bayonet so as to make easy work with
pork-chops. .Ah, cried the general
you rascal! at last have caught one
of you in the act. There is no mistak,
about it this time and 1 VIII make al
example of you, sir!'
''Bedad, general, honeyr said tn
Irishman, Strengthening himself up ant
coming to the salute, it's not shooting
me that you ought to be at, but re
wardin' me-
'"What do you mean, sirP' exclaim
ed Gen. Thomas.
"'Why, your honor the soldier re
piled, this bad baste here had jus
been disicratin' the regimental badg
and so l was forced to dispatch him
It's 'atin' the acorns that l found hir
n IL
to laugh at this and the soldier save
| his life by his wit -