The Indianapolis journal., 1892-03-30

There were few West Point officers avail
able. and Captain sherman was COM
missioned colonel and given com.
mand of q brigade at Bull Run. He was
the one earnest man among the crowd of
trifiers IN uniform and citizens dress who
Hooked TO the field. Congress adjourned
to see the rebels run and Con ressmen led
the tumultuous flight from the battle to
Washington, Holding in hand ali there
stainpeded. exposing himself with reck-
less courage. and keeping senl-
blance of discipline which did much to
prevent pursuit by the victorious enemy.
Colonel Sherman rode into Washington 10
SO freely acknowledge the faults on the
field, and so vigorously denounce tho ut
tcrly Inadequate preparations for civil
war. that he again fell into Cisrepute. was
again assailed as madman and banished
to the West. But Ohio never lost conf
dence in him. and demanded and secured
his appointments in the long list of brig
adler generals.
The senseiess clamor which frightened
the Cabinet aud War Office by shouting.
On to Richmond was not appeased by the
disgrace and slaughter of Bull Bun and
Manassas. The frightful recoil which had
followed obedience TO the popular cry, only
infuriated the politicians. IL they could
not put down the rebellion in day, they
could at least punish those who had in-
sisted upon the power of the Confederacy.
There was significant display of that
singular quality Of human nature which
leads people who have been warned against
rash act to turn In defeat and disappolnt-
ment aud rend the prophet who foretold
the result. Sherman. from the more COM
manding position of his superior rank. was
once more announcing the strength. power
and resources of the rebels in Kentucky
and Tennessee. He boldly proclaimed that
the forces collected. to hold those States
We're so absurdly inadequate that another
and more fatal Bull Run was sure to fol-
low. unless the means were equal TO the
emergency. The government. the press
and tho people united in condemning his
terrorIzing utterances. and for the third
time ne was sent into retirement as q luna
tic. Accumulating perils and providen-
tial escapes from hopeless disasters speed
lily demonstrated that this madman was o
seer, and this Rlarmist general.
I SAVED THE DAY AT SHILOH.
Then, for the glory Of the American
army and the incalculable advantage of
the Union cause. came the opportunity for
the most brilliant soldier aud magnetic
commander in our annals The control of
the Mississippi. the allegiance of the border
States and the existence of the Western
army, were in gravest peril at Shiloh.
Sherman was at the front on those two
desperate days, holding his mon by his
personal example and presence. He was
as much the inspiration of the fight as the
white plume of Henry. of Navarro, at
Ivry. Though wounded, he still led. and
though three horses were shot under him he
mounted the fourth. General Halleck, then
commander-in-chief of all the national
forces. reported TO the government that
General Sherman saved the fortunes of the
day on the 9th, and contributed largely to
the glorious victory of the 1th.'
Critics and historians will forever dis
cuss the men and the movements Of the
civil war. AS time passcs. and future
events crowd the record. most of the figures
Of that bloody drama. now SO we'll known
to us, Will disappear. 1t requires, even
after the lapse of only quarter of cent
ury. an effort and history TO recall
many names which were then house
hold words But Shermans march to the
sea. like the retreat of Zenophon and his
ten thousand Greeks will. through all
ages. arouse the enthusiasm of the school
boy. the fervor of the orator and the ad-
with a picked army of sixty thousand
veterans. Sherman was encamped at At
lanta, he had grasped and materialIZpd the
factors of success In the dream of his
youth. He bombarded the President and
the commanding-general with letters and
kilograms. Il can divide the Confederacy,
desSs deyastate '' it's fertile regions and
starve its armies Give me the
the the dispatch hoxes. The Cabinet SAID:
Your army will be lost floundering in the
heart of the enemy's country. and cut OFT
from your base of supplies The head
quarters staff said: 'Turn back upon the
Hoods army. which threatens your com.
munlcation and your rear. and then we will
discuss the question with you Sherman
detached that most remarkable general,
Judgment. to take care of Hood. and that
superb officer vindicated the trust reposed
in him by pulverizing the rebel army.
CUT THE WIRES TO WASHINGTON.
''At last tho President gave an approved
80 reluctant that 1t threw the responsibility
upon General Sherman, and Grant gave HE
assent. Said General Sherman to NO. In
one Of the condolences so characteristic Of
his candid mind: I believed that this
permission would be withdrawn, and
and sont immediately a detachment to
destroy the wires for sixty miles. never
felt so sure as when the officer returned
and reported the work done. Years after
wards discovered an official memorandum
that, lowing to the sudden interruption by
the rebels of communications with Atlanta,
q message countermanding the assent 30
General sherman to march across the
country to Savannah could not be de-
livercd."' Upon such slender threads hang
the fate of campaigns and the fame of Ii
lustrlOus men.
1.-The armies of Tennessee and of Georgia
had the dash and daring. the free and
breezy swing and ways. and the familiari-
ty with their Off GERS character OF the
West They ldolized their fatberly but
cyclonic commander This superb speci-
men of the pure Puritan stock. born and
bred in the West, careful of every detail
which promoted their comfort and etfi-
cheney. and careless of the form and dig
nifty which hedges in authority, won their
love and admiration. Most veteran armies.
with their lines of communication and sup
Plies abandoned, and marching into the
enemy's country, ignorant OF the food and
forage which might be found. or the forces
which might cross their path. would have
murmured or hesitated. But tho soldier.
who with only days rations In his
haversack, called out to his grim
and thoughtful general as he rode by,
Uncle Billy, / suppose We are going TO
meet Grant in Richmond expressed the
faith of his comrades. If Richmond was
their objective point. nor mountains. nor
rivers, nor hostile peoples. nor opposing
armies could prevent Sherman from taking
them there trinmphantly. The capture of
Atlanta had aroused the Widest enthusi-
asm among the people. For the thirty
| DAYS during which the victors were lost In
the interior of the Confederacy the North
listened with gravest apprehension and
bat-d breath. Then the conquer.ng host
were oil the shores of the sea, Savannah
was laid at the feet of President Lincoln
by their general as Christmas present,
| the Confedsracy WAS divided and It's re-
sources DESTROYED. and William Tccumseh
Sherman became 'one OF The few, the I'M