The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-25
THE MARCH TO THE SEA.
General Howard's Tribute to the Great
American Leader, Sherman.

BosroS, March 26-An audience OF
about 800 welcomed Major General o. o.
Howard in Faneun hall last night and
heartily applauded the hope expressed by
Ma yor Quincy In his opening remarks
that the.next time General Howard came
to Boston 1t would bo as lieutenant gen.
eral.
Those who occupied seats on the plat
form besides the Mayor and General How
ard were: General A. p. Martin, Colonel
A. A. Pope, T.. Moody Boynton, Hon.
Francis W. Breed, Col. 5. 5. Blanchard
and l.. Edwin Dudley.
The meeting was called TO order. by
Mayor Quincy who, called away, by an
important engagement, only spoke briefly
and then introduced Col A. A. Pope as
the presiding officer.
al the close OF the generals address,
resolutions were adopted expressing APP
probation OF Gen. Howard's services in
the army and calling. upon the President
and Congress TO confer upon him the title
of lieutenant general.
l. Edwin Dudley, who introduced the
resolutions. spoke- in favor OF them, as
did also General Martin and Hon. Il.
Moody Boynton.
A bill Is now pending before Con-
gress TO promote General Howard to a
lieutensnt generalship on the retired list
of the United States army In recognition
OF his gallant services. The bill Is In
charge of a Senator Hale, in the Senate,
and Congressman Dingley Ia the ii House.
Colonel Pope, In his Introductory re-
marks, paid high tribute to the soldier
ly ability and bravery OF General Howard.
AS General Howard stepped to the
front, erect, .soldieriy, his empty sleeve
pinned at his side, great cheer went up
from the audiepce. -
General Howard said that he would
take as the nucleus OF his "reminiscences
the name Of one whom he loven, beside
whom he once marched as corps com
mander and whom lie afterward followed
--Geuerai Sherman.
The speaker first gave brief explana-
tion OF the way an army Is organized and
officered. lie went on TO speak OF the
early military career of General Sherman.
He told of Shermsp's securing a coon q
coionePs commission in the army and
of his being made brigadier general in
the armv OF the Potomac In the fall OF '6l.
Soon after be succeeded. General Ander-
son in command of what was then known
as the army of. Ohio. Soon after this
General Sherman was under a cloud, 1t
being thought by many because of his
extreme views tnat he was insane.
But" said the speaker, ''it was not
bis insanity, but his premature sanity
that was the salvation of the country" !,
The speaker told OF Sherman's unset
fish services in sending soldiers and sup
plies to Grant when the great comman-
der was beginning to ascend the ladder
of fame
Grant saw this and recognized the SER
vices. 1t was then that the army OF Tennes-
see was born, of which General Howari i
was the last commander and General Nc
Pherson was the first.
: sherman then bad command OF the 5th
division. The first battle in which his
to.o - lxk
said of this battle that as he went from
point 10 point in the field that he had to
spend little time with Sherman.
On that day Sherman was shot twice,
once in the hand and once In the
shoulder. Several horses We're shot under
him.
The speaker said that the friendship
between Grant and Sherman was like
the love of Jonathan and David.
March IL, '64, Grant and Sherman had
a very important conference with the far
reaching result OF the march to the sea.
1t was determined then that as soon as
spring should open all the armies should
assume the bold offensive and finish up
the war in one campaign IL possible. with
the Confederate armies commanded by
Generals Lee and johnson as the main
detectives.
Shortly after this, at Chattanooga.
General Sherman had a conference With
MS OlN1Slona commanders, 1enerdlS NC
Pherson, Thomas and Schotfeld, and at
this time the details OF coming campaigns
were laid ont. schofield was to bring
into the field IA, 900 men, Mcpherson 25,
600 and Thomas 10000.
The speaker then told In detail of the
long march TO the sea, making vivid
word pictures of many of the battles
with the armies OF Johnston and Hood.
He read Quotation from General
Johnston's account of the hattie of Pick
ett's mills, in which the Confederate
leader praises the bravery of General
Howard's soldiers. He told how General
Mop was killed at the battle OF
Atlanta, and how he, General Howard,
was appointed to the command of the
Army of Tennessee in his place on July "a,
1864.
He told of the occupation of Atlanta by
Union troops sept. 2, 1864, at which time
General Sherman sent the famous message
TO the President: "Atlanta Is ours, and
fairly won.' Then he passed on to men,
tion briefly the final battles of the cam
paign, the coming Of peace finally. and
the final greater view of the army at
Washington, at which time he was privi-
legged to ride beside General sherman past
the Presidents reviewing stand.
AT the close of the address an informal
reception was held. Nearly everyone pres
ent took the opportunity OF shaking the
generals hand.