Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-09-14
A STORY or SHERMAN.
General Halleck Once Reported
Him Unfit for Duty.
HOW THE INSANE TALE STARTED.


Secretary Of War Cameron Thought 'soid
Tecumseh" Was DAFT when He Said
900. 900 Men Would BE Needed to Clear
Certain states Of Oonfederatss.
WASHINGTON, Sept i4--A hitherto un-
published letter throws an altogether new
light on the source OF the stories Of Gem
eral Sherman's insanity started at the out
break of the war It has been unearthed
from the archives Of the war departments
in the search for material for forthcoming
memoirs II Is given 60 the public ina
communication from Leslie J. Perry,
member Of the board OF publication Of war
records. General Sherman assumed com.
mand in Kentucky on Oct 8, 1861 Ha
found things In a dangerous condition, tho
confederates were active and aggressiva
and to oppose them only handful Of un-
disciplined and diaorganized Union troops
The general naturally OF an excitable,
irascihle disposition, was harassed by this
state Of affairs
Called 1t an Insane View.
He was visited at Louisville on Oct ld-
by the secretary Of war Secretary Cam.
eron found General Sherman in gloomy
frame Of mind, and personal observation
seems 70 have given him an unfavorabie
/ impression Of the generals capacity
Among other things the general informed
the secretary that it would require 200,0U
\ men to clear the Confederates out Of Ken
I tucky and the Mississippi Valley. At that
period this was deemed a wild exaggera
I tion, and it WAS said the secretary pro
nounced IL an INSANE view OF the Con
federate power in the west. This inter
| view and Sherman's estimate of the force
required are generally referred TO in relia.
BILE histories and newspapers as the pro
logue to a fiction Of sensational proper.
tions, which for few months had great
run.
sherman Was Alarmed.
The true story as told by Mr. Perry and
based upon newly discovered documents
IS substantially as follows; On NOV. Is
Sherman was relieved by General Don
Carlos Buell., and, shaking the dust Of
Kentucky from his feet, on the 29d he re
ported for duty to General Halleck in st.
Louis. Halleck had known sherman IN
Califoin MIA previous to the war, and at
once sent him on an inspection tour tc
western Missouri. lie had orders to take
command in case there was danger Of an
| attack. and did so.
On ths both be began telegraphing tc
headquarters that the Confederates in
force, under Sterling Price, were rapidly
advancing. None OF the other officers az
the front, however, were alarmed. In fact
they sent news Of an entirely different pur.
/ port TO Halleck.
HAfleck's Remarkable Letter.
On false information Sherman had be.
gun to move the troops Of Pope and other
generals into position 20 meet the enemy,
but Pope's protests and more correct re-
ports caused Halleck to order Sherman
back to ST. Louis. This episode was de-
scribed In the following remarkable letter
from Halleck to the general in chief az
Washington.
CONFIDENTIAL
81 LouIs, No. Dec. 2 1861.
Major General George B Mcclellan, Com
mander-in- Chief, Washington.
GENErAL-As stated In a former communica
ton Brigader General w. n sherman, on ro
porting here for duty, was ordered TO inspect
troops tthree divisions at Sedalia and vicinity
aud Il, in the absence Of General Pope, he
deemed there was danger Of an immediate At
tack he was authorized 20 assume command
He did So and commenced the movement -
the troops in a manner which did not approve
and countefmsnded. also received Informs
| tion from officers that General sherman WAS
completely ''stampeded" and was "stampeding
the army.
Unht for DUTY.
therefore Immediately ordered him to this
| place, and yesterday gave him a leave of ab-
sence FOR twenty days 10 visit his family ID
| Ohio. ! am satisfied that General Sherman's
| physical and mental system il completely
broken by labor and care as TO render him for
the present entirely unfit for duty. Perhaps q
few weeks rest may restore him / am satisfied
that IN his present condition il would be dan.
| gerons 10 give him a command here. Very re-
| spectfnlly your obedient servant,
a. W. HALLEcK. Major General
How lt Injured sherman.
The original Of this letter, bedy and sig
nature all in General Hallecke handwril-
ing, is now on ale in the war records otfics
IL appears from the official records thai
/ General Halleck was at this time really
General Sherman's friend Yet his letter
manifestly worked Sherman a serious, al
most irremediable, injury.
Six weeks after the Cameron interview
| in Louisville Sherman was assailed fur
| insanity in the Cincinnati Commercial by
/ Murat Halstead. The Commercials ut
| tack was vigorously sustained by other
newspapers whose correspondents had been
harshly treated by General Sherman ia
1 Kentucky. The charge Of insanity was
| persisted in and rung upon so many
| changes that soon the general was com
monty spoken Of throughout the army and
country as Crazy sherman