Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-03-05
WILLIAM TEoUMsEH SHERMAN.

WILLIAM TEOUMSEH SHERMAN.
Address of Sam'l. ]. Day. Delivered on the
Occasion Of Memorial Services,
February 20, 1891.
Half-mast the fag--fire the minute
gun-sOlemn tone the Freedom-bell-
fall in, the sorrowing ranks-pnt on the
sable badges--mOurnfully drape the Lib
erty emblem-muff1e the drum-soften
the bugle-tone--step slowly to the DEATH
dirge-let flow the falling tear -stifie,
AS best you can. the yelling heart-thrOb,
as, with bowed head and sorrowing
mien, you mourn the Nations and hu-
manity's loss, and pay your last sad re-
spects to the memory of the man you
50 revered. and the commander you
loved SD well.
Yes. Sherman is dead!
Never again will his noble form move
so modestly, vet king-like, among SOL
diers or citizens. Never again will his
voice be heard kindly soothing. scoun-
selling, strengthening and cheering
around the campfire and along the
weary march, the sometimes sick, or
tired or Respondent, but ever brave
boys in blue. No more will that voice
be heard paterDally, yet firmly, advis-
ing what he deemed for the best, or,
ringing clariOn-like, above the sitting
thunder on the nations battle-felds,
urging the duty and commanding the
victory.
Never more will his great heart we'll
up with love for his country, his SOL
diers and his fellow citizens, or soften
with human sympathy for brave, but
fallen, and beaten. and surrendered
foe. That form is motionless, that
voice is hushed, that heart is still in
the repOse Of death.
"In toll he lived; in peace he died;
When life's full i-cie was complete,
Put of his robes of power and pride,
And laid them at his Masters feet"
William Tecumseh Sherman was born
:, at Lancaster; Ohio, February 9Th, 1920.
His father died poor, leaving large
family. William Tecumseh was adopt
for him the appointment to the Military
Academy at West Point, which he en-
tered in 1885 Here his grave and ser
lous nature was developed and the
great responsibilities of a soldier deeply
impressed hn his mind. He gradu-
ated in ls46-sixth in q class of forty
two when he was made second lieuten-
ant i'm the third artillery and stationed
in Florida.
In the spring of 1o4s ne was first
lieutenant Of company G.. Third Artil-
lery, stationed at Fort Moultrie, South
Carolina. In the latter part of April
he received the regular detail for re-
cruiting service, and reported to the
general superintendent. Colonel r. B.
Mason, First Dragons at New York.
on the first of May. He was assigned
to the Pittsburg rendezvous. He soon
received authority to open another sub
rendezvous az GAINESVILLE, Ohio. which
he did. While at Wheeling, Virginia,
in the latter part of May, he learned of
the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de
la Palma, and became intensely excited
because he was only on recruiting SER
vice while his comrades were actually
fighting.
He hurried on to his post at Pitts
burg. wrote at once to the Adjutant
General at Washington making his ap-
plicatiOn for active service. Here his
intense desire for activity caused him
to commit an indiscretiOn that amount
ed not only to disObedience Of orders,
but to an abandonment of his post of
daty. He left a corporal in charge OF
the rendezvous, took the recruits he
had made to Cincinnati, turned them
over to the commander at Newport
Barricks and reported to Colonel Fan.
ming. the superintendent of the western
recruiting service, an old officer, who
demanded by what authority he had
left his post at Pittsburg. and after
severely repremanjing him, ordered
him back to his post snd at first refused
him an order for transportation, but to
Sherman's relief he finally gave it, and
he went back a wiser but not less i'm
patient and restive man. He reached
Pittsburg late in June, and found to
his great joy An order relieving him
from the recruiting service and assign
ing him to company F. then under
orders for California. He left the next
morning for New York and found his
company at Governors Island, and on
the l4th of July set sail in the Lexlng-
ton for California, rounding Cape Horn
in October. which he records as as the
most CHASTITY experience of his life. 1t
was during this voyage while in the
throes of sea-sickness and thinking of
the naval officers he had left safe and
snug ON The solid shore that he said:
Il now wish had Joined the navy in