New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-13

mand in Kentucky he was sent 10 Missouri and placed
fact that he was mndman was developed b. orders that
subordlnates knew to be preposerous ana relsea
ron command The harsh criticisms which have been
avshed upon this gentleman. provoked by his strange
conduct will now give way feelings of the deepes.
| sympathy for him in his great calamity. II seems
proydena that the country has not TO mourn the los;
into whose hand, were committed the response
bilitics of the command in Kentucky" .no.o
The facts on which " The Commercials" article Were
based were furnished by Henry Willard, then connected
with the Eastern press and The Commercial" ne
considered them of much importance that ne made
In person to Mr. Talstead. When General sherman
first saw the article he was visiting his family at
Lancaster lie laid down the paper, and, in his quick
nervous way, exclaimed Well. now shouldn't be
surprised If they would fastcn that on me rs me
hardest thing the world for man 10 prove himself
sane especially when many people think ms IDEAS
wild His family and friends. who were greatly en-
ragged. at attributed The Commercials state,
ment to General George b. Mcclellan, and no amount
Of reasoning the part Of Mr. aSead could convince
them that the General then at the head of the Army
had nothing to do with the origin of the article. some
other facts known or suspected. Doubtless ny ihe
sherman family will 10 show the basis OF their
suspicious. Colonel Thomas NJ. Kew, the well known
judge advocate and confidential adviser on McClrllns
Staf. was actually sent to Sheman's condition.
lie reported that far he could judge, sherman
not sufficiently master OF his Judgment to lie m
trusted with the command of an army or great de-
partment. Colonel Key long continued 10 entertain tain
the same opinion. and many gentlemen who rld seen
much Of sherman during his stay in Louisville agreed
with him. ~
The country at once accepted The Commercials
explanation and. though General Shcrman's relatives
promptly conradicted it. his actual insanity was wa
him. until General Iallcck decided in the spring OF
1852. TO try him on more active duty than Benton
Barracks afforded.
THE BATTLE OF SHILOH
When Grant went up to Fort DOnelsOn II was
important that there should be instructed officer
Paducah KY to supervise the Forwarding Of troops
and supplies sherman intrlsted with this task
| on February II. 1-G2. His boundless ac ivity
found scope. lie proved energetic and useful that
| llalcck, who had known nm in California and had a
strong penchant for West Pointers determined to
try him further. The expedition mp the Tennessee
was soon on foot. and Sherman WAS assigned 10 the
command of the Fifth Division. He was boiling
with energy. and his wide theoretical acquaintance
| with military matters found TO be rein
| forced by Il remarkable capacity for learning from
every day, experience. In short he so handled his
troops that in little time General Charles F. smith
came To rely chiefly ON sherman and to give him
| m" lead ON Grants arrival 10 take command in
at tn Fl ctl encampment at Pttoburg Landing.
~ General sherman, part in the battle of shiloh
| vunced, undiscovered from COrinth Thursday 81
| April. All DAY Friday they marched. or ioundcref
| I'm motion on ~hcrman'- front. But. though there
had been cavalry ,lrmi-h or two; the army lay
| tion tn enemy that then lying silent In the
woods at il picket line and Ii, cnug 10 its tattoo
easy oifcer,. Who reported what thew thought sills
of on impending attack, Int he was ncreduou,. anc
1
! the storm burst. With three o. hi, brigedes .
sherman held the right of the irregular. illdefned
| main cncamped miles away. on thu extreme left Of
| the National army. and with this there was no pos
first sound Of attack sherman prompt In ordering
! ont hi, command sending for aid, and notifying the
| hin In force. The enemy, however made that an
| nDunccucnt before him. Sherman'S left soon broke
houses battery was lost. The flank was threatened,
and presently the whole line fell back 10 new posi-
ton. II hardly taken til another battery was
lost The flank was again exposed and the DIVISION
reduced to the fragments of two hrigades-again
| NcCIcuand', right Here sherman held his ground
TIN sometime I'm the afternoon, when he once more
| the snake Creek bridge. by which Lew Wallace was
expected "a arrive. and here the shattered remnants
! ~ h- division byouackod IN line OF battle, while
! luci's fresh army marching I'm 70 reform and
extend the front. on the day sherman gah cred
durG ~ 'nrb pm cItenf that +. no longer formed
| considerable element in the contest
I9roashou, The battle bur pec2lly on the hT nd
-et the cNample-thcn much ne"dcd-of the closest
his conduct did much 10 check the un-eemy panic and
his unycldng tcuacity went largely TO prevent an
abandonment Of the field under the shock Of the iSt
disaster and to brace MP the falering purpose Of
officer, and through all the misfortune of that
gloomy daV. He slightly wounded in ne hand
and beforo The action ended three horses hsd been
the field considered to have aided In the final sue
cess that General IIaeck reported II TO the Govern
meut the unanimous opinion Of the officers con,
cerned that General sherman saved the fortunes OF
| the day N" 9Th and contributed largely To Tie
! cloriOu, victory Of the 1th.'
MADE \ MAJOR GENERAL.
e. He accordingly recommended his promotion 10
Major Gcnrralslip OF Volunteers and the commission
was speedily issued" MAY l. 1-Go). For most of the
buudcr- Of Ptt,bure Landing" continue, Mr.. Reid.
sherman coud not have been held responsible. had
he not chosen 70 make himself lie was ONLY a
subordinate officer. greatly trusted indeed by his
chief but at no time in command Of the camp. lie
should certainly have kept his division together. and
must ever seem nconceiyabc TO those not actual wit
nc-,cs TO the fact that officer with military cduc-
ton. and protesting understand and wars
dtou,. should have lain for weeks I'm the vicinity Of
| an enemy he believed - Ontnumber him. without
.padcfu Of earth thrown mp for defence. without even
an obstruction of fallen timber, and, finally, without
picket, a mile hey Oud his own tents These. however,
we're matters which the commanding General should
have cnJoincd. Iut, with mat disposition . !:
10 accept unnecessary responsibilities, and 10 deny that
he ever made blunder General sherman ha> since
the battle Ills true friends cannot but regret 20
uuwi,r a step and degree Of admiration for tho
brilliant gcnius which he subsequently displayed can
blind impartial Observers to the criminal foOlhadneSs
and laundering which made th" first day OF lft,hnre
| Landin, slaughter and Wcll-nlgh an lrrcpaaDlc
General shermau's division lost eo3i men. In his
official rcEOrt General Grant said g feel il duty
10 a gallant and able officer. Brgadier General " T.
sherman, to make mention lie was not only win ms
command during the entire two DAYS ~ the acuon but
dlsIlaycl great Judgment and skin In the MANAGEMENT
Of his men Although severely wounded In the hand
on the frat day. his place never vacant Ana
again: ITO his Individual efforts am indebted for
the success Of that battle
COMMANDS THE RIGHT WING At CORlNTlL
Under General Iallcck's personal management the
army now passed from the extreme Of rashneSs and
neglect TO the extreme Of mid overcautlOn. 1t ad-
vanccd upon Cornth at a snail's pace, stopping to
construct long lines Of Notifications after every trivial
movement General sherman, awakened from
hi, contempt Of the enemy, was now fully ready To
second all the advices Of the commander
sherman was given an important place, the right Of
the army, and his fore had the only skirmshes OF
importance that married the peaceful monotony Of the
metLodical advance lie drove the enemy from Rus
SELF, House and his demonstration before COrlnth
caused the enemy to retire from the town. Through
ont sherman was active, cautious and energetic, and
hi, services were highly appreciated by IIalleck.
sherman was now (Juuc - ordered westward along
the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, and was TO
guard and repair that road and the Mississippi Central
When Grant was appointed July 80 TO succeed
InlIrck who had been made Gcneral In Chlcf OF the