The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-09

his plans were, to which Sheridan replied
finally expressing the opinion that his eventual
lot would probably be to return TO his company
81 am going up the Tennessee TO headquarters
at once; come along with me. and l will find
work for you until something better turns up
order, but. Thorn said: I'm fix tina, with Kelton
all right" and to this sheridan assemtcd. .,
there was some little difficulty about tho
matter; kelto9 hesitated to assume the re-
However, Thorn pressed him. guaranteeing to
! shoulder whatever Of blame followed, finally
assuring ,Kelton that he wanted Sheridan. on his
own work in Tennessee, and would ask HallcCk
TO 80 assign him. Upon that understanding
kelton Reluctantly male the order for Sheridan
Thorn informed me that kelton, Sheridan, and
himself arrived at Pittsburg Landing at about
together, though Sheridan does not mention il.
Thom said hat he presented the matter Of
S she dmndniiss"Sss assignment TO the General Gom IN m me
been brought up to the front, but eventually
thought better OF i, and ordered him to duty
had come up without horse or equipments, all Of
which he gcner9psly loaned him. And now"
ignores mo in the whole business. and showers
his gratitude wholly upon keiton. II II hadn't
single stcptoward getting Sheridan to Pittsburg
by this timo Kclton had become Adjutant
volume of Sheridan's Memoirs" under his
arm, rushed of TO sec what Kelton remembered
OF the circumstance. He afterward told me that
Gen. Kelton pretty we'll corroborated his own
memory OF the event. y few weeks later, having
occasion to meet Gen. Kclton. / brought the
matter up and recountcd to him Gen. Thorn $
version OF tho episode. He said at once that
Sheridan was undoubtedly under very great
obligation to Thorn in that matter. but seemed
10 have the impression that Sheridan had talked
the matter over with him at ST. Louis personally
before Thorn appeared upon The scene.
Altogether from Thorn and Kclton / gathered
that ihom was. probably very etiicacious In
the fact would have been a very graceful thing.
But as the getting 10 the front at the moment
turned on kelton's decision. Sheridan probably
"Memoirs y all the means employed 10 induce
kelton TO take the, action he did. Thom's rela-
cmy. upon whose stan he was serving with
high. rank, certainly gives color to his claims;
and he is also corroborated by the circumstance
that Sheridan was assigned after some delay
rs Sheridan himself admits. to duty under
Thorn. Asa matter Of fact there is no essential
difference between them, except In Sheridans
failure to mention Thom's good offices.
Shsrtdan,s oversight In this particular re-
where he was the victim OF another lapse. OF
memory which exaspcrated him, and of which
ton. L. was in this wise: In 1853 Thorn was
sent to the Pacific coast TO supcrintcnd the con.
str9ctlon OF military roads IN OREGON, Landing
a. san Francisco he soon, fell in with Col. Joe
Hooker, a West Point graduate. who had served
will, distinction In the Mexican war, and after.
culture in California. Thorn and Hooker had
been cadets together for two years, and were
old friends. He found Hooker in worse than
straitened circumstances, pcnnilcss and almost
stranded, ragged, even dirty, and absolutely
toms Of Hooker's " EniiforPn fS''iHi f S0i H M'I ,ol ,r@ his
pltiful story TO Thorn, who at once proposed that
Hooker should accompany him 10 Oregon and
good salary. which, as engineer in charge, ho
was empowered TO offer. Hooker joyfully &C.
copied, and to Oregon they went.
During his service under Thorn, running
through nearly. two years, the future com
m ma der Of the Army Of the PotomGc braeed up
broke out soon aftcrward. Hooker Immediately
SCI out for Washington. and quickly got into
tho service again. Thorn came on Etsit some
tho West. as stated above. He had not seen
when just after the latter was relieved
from the command OF the Army of tho
Rosccrans in tho West. the two met in one
OF the great hotels OF New York, or perhaps
Philadelphia. Hooker asked Thorn to dine with
him. While they were dining and winning, Hook
alternately painting the glorious deeds he was
ate, impressive manner which was his chief
charm. But suddenly he changed direction:
lying manner which .ncttlcd his old classmate,
we met. BY the way. old fellow where was it
VIC were last associated together p
Thorn told me, with the emphasis peculiar to
him, that he was fairly chokod with aston
ering his faculties and setting down his glass.
while looking Hooker straight in the eye, he
blurted out: You ought to remember, without
very much difficulty. Hooker. id wildly
where we were last associated together. / re-
member that | pulled you out Of the gutter in
San Francisco in ls5S;Tou hadn't n cent TO your
name, nor q friend IN the town. ] gave you en-
ploymcnt. loaned you money; il was likely the
turning point Of your life. Your memory of past
fayors seems TO bc BANKED blanked weak"
Thorn says Hooker replied to this onslaught
with a hcsltnting, "Oh, ycs!' MS Of surprise. but
without much indication OF pleasure al his re-
frGshed memory. They soon after parted, and, l
think the General told me, never met again.
WASHINGTON, May 1. LESLIE j. PERRY.