Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-02-23
GRAND ARMY GRIEF.
Memorial Services in Honor of G en-.
Sherman.
An Inter- sting Sermon by Rev o. W.
cue at the First M. Z. Church
Last Evening-Bufsrd
Post Present

services were held in honor of Gen. W.
T. Sherman at the First NJ. E. church
last evening. Buford Post 243. G. A. R.,
attended in a body accompanied by
numer OF the Sons of Veterans of John
Morris camp. The pews in the centre of
the church were reserved for the veterans
who marched together from their hsll TO
the church with the draped flag of the
post at the head of the column.
The sermon was preached by Rev. G.
W. Cue, pastor of the church whose
text was from Second Samuel, 3:3S:
Know ye not that there is prince and great
man fallen"
Once more, said the pastor, the asg of
our country is at half mast. Gen. w.
T. Sherman is dead. The great conqueror
Is conquered. He was vanquished and
beaten only because he was human.
Comrades will meet. but they will miss
him, and this fact spreads q gloom over
our whole nation. The last of our greats
est military chieftains has been called
away, gone to join the great majority and
answer to the final roll call. Those who
lead our armies and guided our nation
through the greatest storm and peril of
her existence ara gone. Sherman wss q
great commander, but greater COM
msnder, one who commands nations as
well as armies. has given the command
and hafoya hio, Ghar-a. ~
greatest generals must appear.
Although gone from earth they have
left their characters stamped upon the
world and their patriotism glory for our
nation. Grant was great in pertinacity.
always meeting and Sighting the enemy
with caution that never left his engage
ments IN doubt or his success to chance
Sheridan was our dsshing hero whose en-
terprise had never been excelled and
whose brillisncy and alertness had no
superior in the wars of mankind. But
Sherman was
THE GREATEST SCIENTIFIC WARRIOR
ard the greatest tsctician. He will stand
as peer of the great generals of the
world, and will always be loved for his hon.
est sincerity. From the day he entered the
service of our country until he received
the surrender of Johnston he was every
where adequate to the possibilities of the
situation in which the circumstances of
war placed him. General Grant in many
ways and upon many occasions expressed
his implicit confidence in General Sher-
man ssuficiency for any of the emergencies
he was called to face. When General
Sherman cut loose from Atlanta ON his
famous march to the sea- and the north
was filed with dishesrtening rumors OF
the uncertainty of his whe -esbouts Gen.
Grant never wavered in his trust He as.
sured President Lincoln that in good
time General Sherman would reach his
objective point Oh the coast. It is i'm
possible TO oYerestimste the military i'm
pOrtsnce OF that march to the sea and the
subsequent march north. Through four
hostile and rebellious states Sherman's
army carried the ensign of q VIC
torious and inseparable union. Not
only did it strike the base o. the con-
federate supplies, but it awakened the
people Of the south 10 the fact that they
were being deceived by false reports
made to them of the wasting condition of
the federal armies. 1t demonstrated to
their deceived senses the truth that the
as their own resources were gradually
disappearing. 1t paralyzed the heart of
the confederacy, and left Richmond at
the mercy of the army of the Potomac.
Shermsn's success depended upon no one
thing, but on a great many sterling traits
requisite in military commander He
was wonderful organizer, an unerring
judge of men and their capabilities. He
imDrpscpd his NTH ha ru;,1or,
and honesty of his purpose and inspired
them with fortitude. Although strlc,
disciDlinarian and rigid in his determine
tions, he always had the love
and admiration of those who fought with
him. He was great in his achievements,
great in character and was without a
blot upon his life record His raid through
Mississippi and his famous
MARCH TO THE SEA
will forever rank with the most brilliant
and effective military operations of the
world. When all is said that can be said
the fact looms up that this man was one
of the greatest soldiers of the age. He
knew little and cared nothing about poll
tics and diplomacy. His way of settling
difficulty was to cut the gordian knot
with the sword. He was hard fighter
eDce of bloodshe! and death. But when
the business OF war was over, when he
had accomplished his mission. he showed
softer side, and men and women, even
among his enemies, found him a very
lovable man.
The tears and acclaim of a reunited
people follow him as obediently and fear
lessly as he marched out unattended into
the unknown. 1t was no earthly COM
msnder this time who gave the order that
summoned HIM to cut loose from his base
of supplies and march forth upon his last
campaign We who rejoiced in his glor-
ious achievements as soldier, in his
sterling character as a man and citizen,
have faith to believe that the final order
found him prepared and ready to obey.
Profitable lessons can be gathered from
the closing scenes of every life, but espec