Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-02-16
A SHINING MARK FOR DEATH
The Soldier Nation Mourns-Sherman'
Career One to Glory in.

SaTecT one 10 Diory IN
With the death of William Tecumseh
Sherman the last of the three great sol
diers whose memory will be most revered
by Americans has passed to the reward
provided for the heroes of earth His life
was longer one than either that of the
odd Commander or of the dashing and
ever victorious Little Phil" and the
longer he lived the deeper grew the love
Tor him III the hearts of his comrades, no ~
ever great or humble.
A Brief Summary of His Life.
He was born in Lancaster, o. His
father was judge of the supreme court of
| Ohio, and on his death left his widow in
very straitened circumstances When
10 years old young Sherman became a
| cadet at West Point, not because of any
fondness ne manifested for military life.
but as means of obtaining a good educa-
| ton at no expense At his graduation in
| $40 Sherman was sent to Florida as sec
/ ond lieutenant in command of a company
| of recruits, reporting TO Gen. Zachary
| Taylor, who was then in command there
| The war with the Seminoles was practic-
| ally over, but there were still savapes
enough i'll the everglades to keen the
troops busy hunting them out for removal
TO Indian territory.
Did No Fighting in Mexico
After two winter campaigns in Florida
. Sherman was transferred to Fort Moul-
trie, near Charleston, : c.. and fretted
away four years of garrison life. During
the Mexican war Sherman had no oppor-
tunity for fighting. His company was
sent out u California 10 hold a strin of
territory just wrested from Mexico. but as
adjutant ID Col. Mason he gained valuable
experience. At the age of 80 he returned
20 Washington City and married Ellen
Boyd Ewing, the daughter of his former
guardian, Senator Thomas Ewing Among
che guests at the wedding were CLAW.
Webster, Benton, and Zachary Taylor and
his cabinet. He was then promoted TO the
rank OF captain and acting commissary of
subsistence and was stationed at St LOUIS,
whence two years later he was trans
ferTed TO New Orleans
Tires of Life in the Army.
But he became tired of soldier life and
after year in New Orleans he accepted.
in 1858, a proposition to go TO California
and start 8. bank with some capital fur
| nished by "A St. Louis capitalist But in
1888, after the close of the flush times in
California, the capitalist wished to close
| out the business and have his money near.
er at home and the business WAS rounded
| up, Sherman returning to his home in
| Lancaster, o. He had read a little of
! Blackstone and Kent, and went to Leav-
| enworth. Kan, and opened law and real
| estate Office. \ few months later he re-
| ceived an appointment from the governor
| OF Louisiana as superintendent of an edu-
1rIflrnl - i
| grant OF land from congress and called
| the Louisiana Seminary of Learning and
| Military Academy" established at Alex
! andria.
| stood by the Old Flag.
He was made colonel by the state and
| his energy was rewarded within a few
months with good attendance of cadets.
| He had won the confidence and respect of
| the people, when the campaign of 1860
/ made his position very uncomfortable He
| avowed his intention to stick by the
! Union, and leaving Louisiana went to St.
! Louis, where he became president of a
| street railway company His proffer of
! services to the government in 1860 was
met with an offer of a clerkship in the W ar
department, which he declined But in
1851 he was given command of the Thi-
| teenth regiment of regular infantry. His
services were chiefly in the west until he
undertook his famous march to the sea
Not an Ambitious Man.
When Grant began his campaign against
! Forts Henry and Donelson, Sherman and
Grant were brigadiers, Sherman outrank-
ing Grant II virtue of his regular army
rank of colonel. But Sherman made no
demand for command, though frequent
ly urged by Grant, who offered to come
and serve under him at any time Soon
after Grant was made major general on
account of his victory at Donelson, and
! Sherman joined him with fresh troops
| Step by step the two advanced till Grant
| became president
The Great March to the Sea.
OF Sherma ans march to the sea the world
is familiar. In it he showed the qualities of
mind which had characterized his whole
career. Quick of perception he fol-
lowed his own counsels and gave the fin
ishing coup TO the Confederacy by cutting
hisway through the enemy's country, sub
sisting his army as he advanced upon the
country through which he passed. This
was not the result of a council af war, but
was planned and executed with dash and
brilliancy which has given its author his
high rank as soldier. The latter years
of his life were passed in comfortable re-
UlreEnenb, DlI Win a neNer-IalllnE attach
ment for his old associations of the army
and the survivors of the war
Major Taken Aback.
When Sherman went to Washington
City at the beginning of the war he was
placed in command of lot of new three
months men. Shortly thereafter the
term of enlistment of several regiment:
ran out, bus they were not regularly dis
charged and until they were had no right
to leave camp. One morning as Col
Sherman was cross Long Bridge he met
major under his command in full uniform
walking toward the city. He asked hin
why he was absent from his post, and tn,
major replied that the time for which h,
had enlisted had expired, and that b,
meant to 60 home. Sherman saw thai
strong measures were necessary, and said
, IF you dom at once go back to your reg
iment will shoot you" The major stood
not on the order of his going, but retired
l wit