Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-12-17
SAID "olO TecUMP" WAS CRAZY.
Mufat Halstead's Story or the Late Gen
Sherman's Alleged Insanity.

There has recently been discovered
and published a letter written in the
last month of 1861 By Gen. Halleck to
Gen. Mcclellan concerning the mental
condition of Gen. William Tecumseh
Sherman. whom Halleck had Just re-
moved from command in Missouri and
sent home to Ohio. Il am satisfied"
said Halleck. THAT Gen. Sherman's
physical and mental system is so COM
pletely broken by labor and care as to
render him for the present entirely un-
ut for duty. am satisfied that in his
present condition it would be danger
Gus to give him command here"
This incident occurred few weeks
after the Louisville episode in Gen.
Sherman's career, and while the Gen.
erai was in Ohio the Cincinnati Com.
naerctal. edited by Field Marshal Hal
stead, published the assertion that
Sherman had gone insane. He was
known as Crazy Sherman" for some
time after that.
In one of his characteristic elucida-
tions of the exact truth" of secret
history Field Marshal Murat Halstead
explains in the Brooklyn Standard
Union how he came to denounce Gen.
Sherman as lunatic in December,
1861. The Field Marshal defends him.
self against the charge of levity, reck-
lessness, or Indifference 10 human in
trinity. by alleging that he published
Gen. Sherman as maniac with great
reluctance and only when implored to
do so by a messenger sent to him bv
''the most influential men in Louis
WILLIE" 1T was stated" he explains.
IN the the most impressive terms. as
fact OF the grayest and most painful
and alarming nature, that the insanity
OF zen. Sherman was unquestionable
and the editor was implored to say so,
that the army might be no longer in
peril from the freaks of lunatic."
Far from Selling upon the ridiculous
story with eagerness. as a sensational
piece of news for the Commercial, The
Field Marshal undertook the un-
pleasant duty solely from motives of
the loftiest patriotism. Indeed, The
was warned that he had to perform
duty that was not unattended with
danger. Gen. Sherman might have
the Field Marshal seized and shot; a
crazy man would be capable of that. if
he had the chance. Besides, Gen.
Sherman was the brother of Senator
John Sherman, IAN old friend of the
Field Marshafs. The natural dictates
of personal friendship forbade the pub
lication, yet the Field Marshal wrote
and printed his celebrated editorial
article pronouncing Sherman insane.
mot as Il sensation or in terms hat
were frivolous or exaggerated. but as
the solemn statement of Il public calam-
it. Never was an editor more sur
prised." adds the Field Marshal, than
the writer when Gen. Ewing called. and
in half dozen sentences declared the
truth, that is. that Sherman was as
sane as the Field Marshal himself.
But, like most of Mr.. Hastead's ex-
plantations. this is superfinous. No
body regards any of his masterpieces of
thought and action as inspired bv
motives less noble than a patriotic and
profound sense of his RESPONSE bility to
the American public: Nor does any
body suppose that when he had once
made up his mind to perform an I'M
pleasant but patriotic dnty he could be
deferred by considerations of personal
friendship.-N. I. San.