The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-07
" of the situation. When he left he said
TO me- Those men are sleeping on vol
cano, but have done my duty


TO me. Those men are sleeping on vol
cano. but have done my duty
HIS SERVICES ONCE REFUSED.
HE went to Sc. Louis. and became presi-
dent OF q street railroad. His letters at
this period exhibit the excited state of his
mind. The rapid drift of events. the firing
on Fort Sumter. the defense of that post by
his old friend. Colonel Anderson. the ordi-
nanees of secession of State after State.
the call for three-months regiments which
he denounced as imbecility, and the con-
temptuous refusal of his offer of service left
him like Achilles in MS wrath. or Corio-
lanns in his banishment. An effort was
made by Gen. Frank Blair to have him
raise regiment. i appealed to him TO
come 10 Ohio and accept a command. but
he wrote The would not act with three
months.vOluntecTs; he would not identify
himself with partisan government The
first movements OF our government Will
fail, and the leaders will be cast
aside He did not stipulate for
rank or pay. bat he wanted assurance of
an army and not military muster. No
doubt be was impatient anG irritable. he
had q clearer and better view of tho great
task before this country than any OF US,
and he was violent anu intolerant with the
politicians. and especially with the news
papers of tho day with their on to Rich-
monP cry. But there was not the slight
the Union or his determination to uphold
it ana TO fight for it.
Nv hen the call for three-years regiments
was made. and especially when the new
regular regiments were proposed, the
doubts of General Sherman disappeared.
On the Sth OF May, 1861. he wrote TO Cam
eroD. Secretary of War, rendering his serv-
ices in the capacity where he was trained.
closing with the words: Should my serv-
ices be needed the records of the War De-
partmenr Will enable you to designate the
station IN which can render best service
lie was soon after appointed Colonel of the
Thirteenth Infantry one of tho new three
battalion regiments. and ordered 20 wash
ingto. Pending the recruitment OF his
regiment he was attached TO General
SCOTS stan as inspector general.
81 was then with General Patterson on
his way TO HagerstOvD- General Sherman
wrote me that there was with US an A l
man. George III. Thomas, colonel Of the
success be asDires 10. and If in the varying
changes of war the opportunity offers L
would name bim for high place. He
adds But Thomas is Virginian. from
must feel un pleasant az leading an invading
army. but if he says he will do it he will
do it we'll
SAW THE STRATEGIC POINTS AT A GLANCE.
"Soon after General Sherman visited me
at q village on the banks of the Potomac,
and he and General Thomas his class mate
and friend. with a large map of the United
States spread before them on the floor. dis.
cussed in my presence the PROBABILITIES of
the war. and they agreed that Richmond,
Chattanooga and Nashville were the great
strategic points. The saRacity with which
these two soldiers pointed out the theaters
of future operations in hich they were to
take so important part Is worthy of no.
tice. His part In the battle of Bull Run
was creditable. and the general result
proved that his estimate of raw troops was
correct.
HE was soon after transferred as second
to Gen. Robert Anderson in the Kentucky
campaigns. There again he encountered
the hostility of the newspaper press and
the civil authorities. who could not COM
prehend the gravity OF the war In which he
was engaged. They regarded his demand
Tor tfty thousand troops to Justify an ad
vance through Kentucky into Tennessee
as ridiculous, and denounced him as crazy
when he said that two hundred Thousand
troops would be required to open up the
Mississippi from it's source TO it's mouth. /
knew full well that this charge was false.
and understood better than any one else
his strong opinions as to the nature of the
war and how his frank and open but true
declarations could be used as an evidence
of his tImIdity or even insanity. Though
then engaged In recruiting brigade l
went 10 Louisville and found him cool and
sell possessed, out very Wiling TO be re-
lieved from that command and TO turn over
his forces to General Buell..
'In letter TO Hon. Thomas Ewing coon
after he wrote: Among the keenest feel
ings OF my life Is that arising from a con-
seriousness that you will be mortified be-
yOnd measure at the disgrace which has be-
fallen me by the announcement in the Cln-
cinpati Commercial tina: AIN insane You
can appreciate how keenly he felt this IN
suit when it wrung from him such Ian
guage as this. Then follows a clear and
very in teresting statement of the situation
In Kentucky and the ground of his opinion,
which. though scotfed at at the time. was
promptly acted upon by the speedy collec-
tlOn along the line of the Ohio river of
larger force under Grant and Buell than
General sherman claimed to be necessary.
The GRIT OF events soon gave General
Sherman an opportunity TO demonstrate
his sanity. The battle of Shiloh gave the
country assurance of his fighting qualities.
It was one of the most severely contested
attack fell upon his division on the first
day. but he held the front line of the Union
forces facing the enemy until the night
closed upon that gloomy day and was the
nrss 10 Advance IVA upon the enemy Sf "a IN the
aud led the pursuit OF the retreoting foe.
HIS part in this battle is thus stated by
General Halleck in a dispatch TO Secretary
Stanton. dated Pittsburg. Tenn:
1T IL the unanimous opinion here that Brig
Gen. w. t. Sherman saved the fortune OF the day
on the 9th, and contributed largely 10 the glOri-
Gus victory or the 9TH. He was in the thickcst
OF the fight on both days. having three horses
killed under him and being wounded twice.
respectfully request that he be made a major
general or volunteers TO date from the 9th inst.
HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH GRANT.
Here commenced his friendship with
Grant, which, like that of Damon and
PyIhias, has been made the inject of story
and song. 1t was one of the most interest
Ing incidents OF the War. and continued un-
broken while both lived. The campaign at
Fieksburg was the work of General Grant.
TO whom General Sherman awarded all the
credit. In letter dated May %, 1865, he
says: General Grant is emitted TO all the
merit OF Its conception aud execution
But General Grant with chivalrols kind
ness. insisted that he was indebte TO Gen.
Sherman. General Mcpherson and other
leading officers for the success of that CAM
paIgn.
I'm letter on March "A, 1864. at about
the time General Grant was ordered to
Washington, General sherman wrote me:
''Give General Grant all the support you can.
IL De can escape the tolls OF the schemers he
may do some goOd. lie will tight, and the Army
OF the Potomac VIII have all the fighting they
want lie viii expect your friendship We are
close friends. His simplicity and modesty are
natural and not affected.
General Sherman always regarded his
march from Memphis TO Chattanooga and
the battle of Chattanooga as among the
most important incIdcnts of his life The
general public have regarded the march
from Atlanta TO the sea with great inter
est. from the novelty of the movement, but
IN fact, 1t was an easy task. with little TO-