The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-25
Independence Of Character
Shown Even In Boyhood.
RosEcRAns ON CADET DAYS.
How Grant PLANNED the March to the
ses-Capt. Sherman In CALI
fornia In 18A0.

ne was one OF the most popular OF our pubic
men, and be was one of the hardest workers
who ever presided over our military affairs in
the war department. He was at the department
at IN the morning and he spent about six hours
there daily. He was accessible to ALL There was
no red tape about his Office, and in dress and
manner he was less ostentatious than any leu
tenant who served under him. He was great
man for doing his own work. He did not use an
amanuensis, but wrote all of his letters himself,
and Mr.. Tweedale who has for years been chief
clerk Of the war department, tells me that all Of
his Endorsements were autograph ones, and that
they fairly sparkled with bright expressions.
General sherman was the personifcation OF
mental and physical activity. He did every
thing with rush, and he was on the 60 eighteen
hours out of every twenty-four During his
stay here he found six hours sleep enough for
him. He rose at daybreak and worked away in
his Office until breakfast, and then again until
It was time for him to leave his house for the
department. He had workshop in the base
ment OF his house on Fifteenth street, below
Chamberlain's restaurant, and just next to that
OF his Fides Achates, General Van Vliet. He
spent such evenings as were not taken up by his
social engagements here, and he often worked
and read here until midnight He was great
smoker, and one of his favorite methods of us
ing tobacco was In what is known as the "dry
smoke" This consisted OF chewing q cigar
without lighting 1t, and the faster the general
q great walker, ana he was frequently seen on
the streets. He always walked TO- the depart
ment and he was q democrat In all his ways.
GENERAL sHERMAN's FIRST FIGHT
One Of the strongest points in General Sher-
mans character was his absolute independence
Of action. From his boyhood until his death he
was himself, and he never hesitated to stand up
for what he thought to be right. His first fight,
a. far Is can learn, took place at the time he
~ ~hon dalfh NJ ~.
tied without blows, young Sherman gained his
point The story was told me by the Rev. DR..
Bronson, who was for years the pastor of John
Sherman's church, at Mansfield, O., and who
Yves at one time an Episcopal minister at Lam
caster. General sherman's father and mother
were both church members, but for some reason
or other the boy was not baptized until he was
9years old. His father had named him William
Tecumseh, through an admiration which he had
for the great Indian chief, Tecumseh, and the
young boy had gone by the nickname OF "Cump'
up to the time of his baptism. His father had
died before this time, and, when the boy was
brought before the preacher and the assembled
congregation for the performance of the cere-
mony, the name, William Tecumseh. was
handed into the preacher. As the divine read
1t, frown came over his austere features, and
he objected decidedly to sending the boy outs
INTO the world with such name. "Tecumseh,"
said he, sis the name Of q heather, of an un-
baptize the young man simply William" Here
upon the 9-year-old boy raised his hand and
said: ~ am not going te be baptized by any
called me Tecumseh, and Tecumseh will be
called. If you want to baptize me so all right.
If You don't, won't have any baptism" The
ceremony went on. The name Of Tecumseh
stuck to the future general, and his name of
"Cump' was. General Rosecrans tells me,
changed into that of "Old Cump" at West Point.
CADET SHERMAN AS A HAsHMAKER.
General Rosecrans entered West Point two
years after General sherman, in 1898, and he re-
members Sherman very well as cadet. Said he
to me yesterday: "Sherman was two classes
above me, but he was one of the most popular
and brightest fellows in the academy. remem-
Der him as a bright-eyed, red-headed fellow,
who was always prepared for q lark Of any kind,
and who usually had greasespots on his pants
These spots came from our clandestine mid
night feasts, at which sherman usually made
the hash. He was considered the best hash
maker at West Point, and this in our day was q
great honor. The food given the cadets then
was furnished by contract It was cheap and
poor and sometimes think that the only meals
We reiished were our midnight hash, lunches.
toes into our handkerchiefs when at the table
and hiding these away inside our vests. One of
us would nd steal s sgmolsr o. butter during the
fasten it by means of fork driven into the I'M
der part of the table and keep it there until we
steal little bit of bread, and some of the boys
had in some way or another gotten hold of stew
pans. After the materials were gotten one of
the boys who had q retired room where there
was least danger of discovery would whisper in
vitations to the rest to meet him that night for
hash feast. When we got there Sherman would
mash the potatoes and mix them with pepper,
salt and butter in such way as to make most
appetising dish. This he would cook in the
stew-pan over the fire. We had CRATES in those
days. and when it was done we would eat it
sizzling hot on our bread, which we had toasted.
As we did SO we would tell stories and have
jolly good time, and Sherman was one OF the
best story-tellers of the lot He was by no means
a goody-goo boy, and he was one of those fell
lows who used to go down to Benny Ravens of
a dark night at the risk OF expulsion to eat oys-
Not long ago. while general of the army, he
went to West Point and in company with the
commandant of cadets made an inspection tour
OF the barracks He wasn't looking for contra
band goods, but he got to talking about our old
school days at West Point. and he said: when
was cadet one OF the considerations was as
to what We were to do with our cooking utensils
and other things during our summer vacations,
and We used to hide our things in the chimneys
during the summer months l wonder il the
boys do so STILL This visit was made during
the month Of June and as Sherman said this he
was in one OF the cadets room; as he spoke he
went to the fireplace and stuck his cane up the
chimney. As he did SO frying pan, an empty
bottle, suit of citizens clothes, and q board
which had been stretched across the chimney
came flying down, and cadets who occupied the
laughed, and telling the commandant not to re-
port the young men he went on to- another
room"
..sherman," continued General Rosecrans,
"stood sixth in his class at West Point
and he was very high in mathemat-
les. He could have taken the hon
ors, but he did not care for study, and he
was blunt in his ways. He had no policy or dip
lomacy about him and If one of the professors
asked him to do problem he would blurt out
at times. Il cant do it, why? the professor
would ask. Well, sir, to be frank with you,
hayn't studied it, Nevertheless he stood SO
Well as an honest, bright student that he was
never punished for such remarks but his care
iessness, of course, cut down his average"
RosEcRASs, SHERMAN AND GRANT.
81 saw Sherman again after he returned from
the Florida war;" continued General Rose
Grams, land when he came back from California
he came to see me at Newport to invite me to
his wedding. After l was relieved of the COM
mand of the Army of the Cumberland, in the
fall OF the year 1853, went to Cincinnati and
stopped at the Gibson house. General sherman
had gotten leave of absence in order to go North
to see his fatherin-law, who was then supposed
TO be lying at the point of death He called to
see me, and the first topic we discussed was nv
dismissal and asked him il il were trIIe that
not. said be: Il asked Grant as 10 this as soon
as met him few days ago / said general.
what does this change in the Army OF the Cum
beTland mean, You Know that Rosecrans is
don't understand it. ~ don't know what IL
means, replied Grant. II had nothing to do
with IT," These were the words of Sherman
sun, only a short time after this General Hal
leek official report came out stating that had
been removed at Grants request"
well, General Rosecrans." said l. ahow was
that? Where was the mistaken
III is easily explained, replied General Rose
a rsa TAIL -.