The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-08-14


seh. "a he enri ured uAln with rhe stole
ism Of the old Indian warrior Tor whom
| ho was named.
After speaking briefly Of the great
| sIubition Of her brother 90 enter west
Point and his great JOY ht r-relflns an
| appointment 10 that Institution through
senator Thomas Ewing. Mrs Reese spoke
nr length If his army service and then
SAID al one critical period ~ her hrothef :
career he yielded TO ber solicifEtiODS and
after listening 20 the clfcuMstAnces "a
| she related them one cOuld Dui rem a "a
from sJsecRintfnc On -ftre results. q DIS
after 3lie... had. he DOS t.sen SslaeS Ds
this sistsrly advlce Iho circumstances are
already familiar. lt wns ~ October, 1901.
Gen Sherman Was WITH The Ariny pi the
4 Cum teriand in keutursy COMMANDED
hy Gen. Robert AndeIsS1. The heroic de-
fender Of Fun sumter. Oh NctOber D
Gen. Anderson resguc1 his command py
/ reason Of ill beBltll., ana Nseh. SAerIaan'
being The seDl0r bf8aGoi9f general, sac-
I cseded 20 ihe COMMAND Ct the army,
much against his desire. ana contrary 30
4 his understanding with President Ian
4 coin. Then caTne that iueXcusabie anc
/ iBtxpiiGable neclect or The HuthDr1tics al
Washington 60 give any attention what
ever o. the army n Kentucky, ali tshe en-
srRy of the government being devoted 10
assisting Mcclellan and Fremont Late
& . October came that trip Of Simon Cam
orou, scrCtgry OF war. al LoulsvillA &c
c0Inpanisd by several newspaper CORES T.
poEoents. General sherman talked 10 the
secretary. in his usual Ilain. blunt man
ner. insisting that al the new troops
a. fast ns recruited were SEM ID McNlel-
Ian or Fremont, and nnne 10 him, and thEf
the force uDder bis command was totally
inBnequaie 10 cops y it1 the eDeIDy; that
The arms furnished were not only insuf-
flcisnt, bli Of very inferior quality; that
he had but IL. O0) men 10 guard over 800
miles when be required fully TO 0oa and
for aggressive purposes De would require
zoo 600. Secretary Cameron then return
ed 10 Washington and made tnat Dnior-
tuDste ard III sdN iseu remark that "cher-
man was either drunk or crazy, aud 1t
was flashed over the wires. In Deceln Der,
1851 Cincinnati paper which had a.
WAYS heen considered friendly 10 Gen.
sherman, contained an editorial stsilng
thEt information froil reliable sources
forced the belief that he was insane
At this time Gen. Sherman was at bis
old home in Lsnc aster on furlough. and
his dcep feeling On the subject when the
repOrt became current Is well remem bered
by many OF his old friends IN Lancaster,
and was recalled by Mrs. Reese with an
earnesrness almost dramatic in its iDtens-
ity. :She said that her brother told her
in speaking op this question Of insanity.
which was being discussed all over the
country. that II the pspers dia not cease
such lies and his frierds cease speaking
OF him on the subject ha believed be
would certainly lose bis mind.
Mrs Reese stated that at times her
brother became so terribly depressed over
the terrible statements being published
about him, she became very much alarmed
over his condition. and feared he wouid
take summary action with several OF the
general officers of the nrmy whom her
brother named 10 her was responsible for
the report But she watched over him
with sisterly love and care and helped him
10 bear up. A day or two before his fur
Tough was 70 expire ste observed that be
was not making the nsual preparations
for departure, and suspecting that be
was Iva doubt as TO returning she asked
him IL he was going hack. ana then all the
rent-up bitterness in his heart burst forth
in fierce denunciation CT the men who.
from motives of jealousy. Were trying 10
ruin him. and he then told his sister that
re had about made up his mind thEt he
would not return: that his men might
credit the lying statements ana be would
be unable 10 retain their contdence or
respect, and. under such circumstances.
be would not be a proper commander FOR
the army. Then his sister ,enrfuliy pleaded
with him reminding him of his duty to
bis country, aud urged bin 10 return and
live down the calumnia.ing statements
and after holding out for awhile he
finally yielded TO her entreaties and went
back 10 win victories and renown, and TO
humiliate his tradrccrs
Some years after the Gloss of the war,
Mrs Reese snid an opportunity was pre-
scented TO her To resent this great wrong
10 ncr brother. and remembering how
near his enemies had succeeded in blast
ing his life. she was quick 20 avail herself
Of the same Ii was OF the marriage cf
y niece in Cleveland aud among the dis
finguisted guests present was cS SeCre-
tary Cameron. The ceremony was over,
and the escorts were being selected TO
conduct the ladies' To tre banquet table.
Mr.. Cameron was assigned as the escort
to Mrs Reese. When she ascertained this
fact she refused point-blank 20 accom-
pany him, remarking in the presence Of
seye,al ladies and gentlemen. among the
latter Don Cameron, the son OF the ex-
secretary and afterward senator from
Pennsylvania, that she would not walk
beside man who had tried 20 ruin bar
brother. The younger Cameron was
astounded. and made haste 10 appraisc his
distinguished sire of tho situation. Inc
latter came at once to Mrs Reese who
frankly stated to him IN theIpresence OF
the entire company that lie had attempted
the ruin of her nrotber Gen. sherman.
and thnt she would accept no attention
from a man whu would ho guilty OF So
unjust aud cruel an act MT. Cameron,
while greatly embarrassed, replied gal
lsntly: My dear madam, IL was we who
were crazy at that time, and not your
brother. the general" Mrs Reese. how
ever. refused TO accept the APOLOGY, and
another escort had TO he provided tor her
As she related the circumstance her ewes
flashed angrily and her words came out
sharp and incisiyo
Referring TO the movement under way
10 erect monument Co Gen. Sherman in
his native place Mrs. Reese said:
lit would most certainly be great
qualification 70 me and TO nay children 10
have the citizens of Lancaster. in co-opera-
tion with the old soldiers who served
under my brother, and all who know and
loved him, erect here iu his birthplace
tltting memorial OF s0no nature. and
know that this feeling of qualification
would DO shared by tho entire family.
And IL is eminently fitting that it should
bo doue. / only hope that my life may he
spared 20 see the wark oombleted although
feel that the end for me IL near at hand.
But YOU may say In al tic iIiends and
comrndes of my brother that their efforts
to do him homer In bis old home touches
a responsive chord In my heart and de-
voutly pray | may ho here when the time
OF dedication Games"