Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-03-28
REcoLLEcTIoNs OF SHERMAN.
He Shared All the Hardships and
Privations Of the Common Soldier.

He Shared All the Hardships and
Privations Of the Common Soldier.
On tlo march and In the camp Sher'
mans life was simplicity itself. lie
had few brilliantly uniformed and use-
less aides about him. The simple tent
"hy" was his usual headquarters, and
under 1t all his military family ate to-
gether. His dispatches he wrote most
ly with his own hand. He had little
use for clerks. But Dayton his Adju-
tant General. was better than regi-
mcnt OF clerks. When we halted some
where In the woods for the night the
General was the busiest man In the
army. While others slept his little
campfire was burning, and often In
the long yigils of the night have seen
tall form walking up and down by
that fire. : - sherman himself slept
but little. He did not seem to need
sleep. and ! have known him to stay
but two hours In bed many q night.
In later years slight asthma made
much sleep impossible for him. After
the war, when l was at his home In
~. i<ouiS, uc Sciuoh iSehSu esA -
or l O'clock.
1t was singularly impressive sight
to see this solitary figure walking there
by the Pickering campfire, while the
army slept. If gun went OF some
where In the distance, or II an unusual
noise were heard, he would instantly
call out one of us to go and find out
what it meant He paid small atten-
ton to appearances; to dress almost
none.
'There is going to be a battle to-day
sure" said Col. Audenreid of the staff,
one morning before daylight.
"How do you known" asked COM
rade
"Why, don't you see? The Generals
up there by the fire putting on a clean
collar. The signs dead sure"
A battle did take place that day, and
Cheraw, with forty cannon, fell into
our hands. 1t was more run than a
battle.
He shared all the privations and
hardships OF the common soldier. He
slept In his uniform every night Of the
whole campaign. Sometimes we did
not get into camp till midnight.
think every nan in the army Knew the
Generals face, anu thousands spoke
with him personally. The familiarity
Of the troops mt times was amusing.
Don't ride too fast, General" they
would cry out, seeing his horse plung-
ing along in the mire at the roadside,
as lie tried to pass some division. "Pret-
ty slippery going, Uncle Billy; pretty
slippery going" Or, "Say, General,
kin you tell us is this the road to Rich
mond"
Every soldier in his army bad taken
on the enthusiasm Of the General HIM
self. They would go anywhere that
he might point to. Often, as he APP
preached some regiment, wild huzza
would be given and taken mp and re-
peated by the troops a mile ahead. In
stinct seemed to tell the boys when
there was any loud shouting any where
whatever that Uncle Billy was coming,
and they joined in the cheers till the
woods rang. 1t was a common thing
for the General to stop his horse and
speak words of encouragement or
praise to some subordinate officer or
private soldier struggling at the road
side. - He had his humorous side
with them too. When the army reach
ed Goldsborough half the men were in
rags One day division was ordered
to march past him in review. The men
were bare-legged and ragged. some of
them almost hatless.
''Only look at the poor fellows with
their bare legs" said an officer at the
Generals side, sympathizingly.
Splendid legs" cried the General,
with a twinkle in his eye, splendid
legs Would give two Of mine for any
one Of them."-McClure's Magazine.