Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-03-18
M'PHERSON'S DEATH.

One of the Most Dramatic Episodes of
the War as Told by Gen. Sherman.
At the breakfast given to the General
at the Victoria Hotel about year ago
by Wilson Barrett, the actor, Mr.. Bron-
son Howard, the playwright, induced
the General to repeat the story of the
killing of Gen. Mcpherson in the battle
of Atlanta Howard had proposed to
introduce this dramatic feature in a war
play, but had afterwards selected the
incident of the reading of the signal
lights on the mountains in the Shenan-
doah Valley as the chief point in his
play of Shenandoah"
The General then told with remark
able pathos the story of McPherson's
death, how on that fateful July day be-
fore Atlanta he was suddenly assaulted
crate army, and how when he had first
heard the firing he sent Mcpherson to
ascertain the cause of it.
"In a short time" he said. "news
was brought in that Mcpherson had
ridden too far outside of our lines and
had been killed, his horse had returned
rlderless, and it was believed that his
body had been secured by the enemy"
The General said that this not only
gave him the greatest shock of his life,
but the greatest alarm, for he remem-
bered that Mcpherson had in his inside
pocket complete notes OF his plan of
campaign, and he knew if the enemy
secured these papers that all his plans
would be thwarted and his strength and
position exposed.
He Immediately ordered Gen. Dodge
to take the first available troops he had
and charge that portion of the Confeder-
ate line IN front of which Mcpherson
had been killed While he was passing
up and down in front of little
house where he had his headquarters,
listening to the roar of the battle,
he saw some one emerge from
the woods near by carrying the
body of the slain General. 1t was
taken into the little house, and the Cen
eral said that he knelt down beside the
body, unbuttoned the uniform coat and
began to search for the papers in the
pocket. Suddenly his hand was COW
cred with blood, and the shock was so
great to him that he could no longer
pursue his inquiry. He called to the
chief of his medical staff and asked him
to ascertain whether any papers were
on the body. Alter brief search the
reply came that there was nothing TO be
found.
The General said that his agitation at
this time was overwhelming. Although
the enemy's shells were flying all about
the house he was totally oblivious of his
personal danger, thinking only of the
safety of his army.
A few minutes later two men came to
the house leading a Confederate prison
er. One of them said: General, we
captured this man near where we re-
covered the body of Mcpherson.
every good [ said, continued Gen.
Sherman as he told the story, search
him and turn him over to the head
quarters guard The prisoners coat
was pulled open, and in the first peck
ct in which our guard searched was
found McPherson's pocket-book intact.
It was handed to me, and / hastily
opened it and found all the papers just
as they had been left by Gen. McPher-
son. The Confederate who had plum
dered his body, had not had time even
to examine his find before he was cap
tured by our impetuous troops. You
can rest assured that [ felt very much
better after that turn of the incident,
and / am satisfied that no more dra-
matte episode ever occurred upon q
battlefield"