Sistersville oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1896-1901, 1898-01-26
SHERMAN WAS KIND.
4 SOUTHERN POETS REcoLLEcTloNs
or THE GENERAL

of the Closing Days Of the Warden
eraI sherman's Goodness TO the Elder
stanton, who Was Very Ill In Savannah.
Frank L. Stanton, the popular Georgia
poet, always speaks up for General Sher-
man when he hears any severe criticism
Of that famous commanders methods.
The story told by Stanton has never
found its way into print, but it deserves
a place among the minor incidents and
"reminiscences of the war period.
"When Savannah fell, . said Stanton,
'sI was a little chap about 8 years old.
The confusion and tumult in the streets
frightened me, and I was afraid to 60
very far from the house.
"Young as was, understood that
something very serious had occurred
Instead of seeing Confederate soldiers
parading the streets with few Federal
prisoners I saw thousands of Federals
swarming through the town, and they
had a great many Confederates under
guard.
"The situation had been reversed.
That was plain, even to child.
"My father was very ill, in the last
stages of consumption, and my mother
was worn out with anxiety and the
cares of the household. Our neighbors
were panic stricken, and everybody
seemed to be expecting some awful ca
lamity.
"Penned up there as we had been for "a
long time, without supplies and with
out any money except worthless Confed-
crate currency, the outlook was gloomy
enough. How was my sick father to get
the things he needed? That was the
problem with my mother.
Somebody told General Sherman
about my father and mentioned the fact
that he was kinsman of very distin-
guiShed and powerful officer on the Un-
ion side.
Zone day when entered my father S
room found three Federal officers sit
ting there in pleasant conversation with
the invalid and my mother.
II was scared and started to run, but
one of the strangers, middle aged man
with roughly trimmed brown beard,
called me back He asked my name, and
before knew it had me on his knee,
and he said so many nice things to me
that | took quite fancy to him.
"He was Genera, Sherman, and he
had called with two of his staff officers
to see my father. When the visitors
left, the general told my mother at the
door that he knew all about the incon-
yeniences of a siege and insisted upon
sending from the army stores something
that would suit sick man.
"Under the circumstances such al
offer could not be declined. 1t was q
picnic for the children of the family, J
can tell you.
"After that, while the general was in
the city, something was sent to the
house every day. Brandy, wine, loaf
sugar, lemons, beef, chickens, coffee,
vegetables and don't know what else
came in generous quantities. We had
plenty for the family and for our near
est nighbors.
"Nor was that all. The general sent
one of the best physicians in the hos
pital service, and the last days of my
father were made far more comfortable
than we had hoped for under the adj
verse conditions Of those dark days.
General Sherman came to the house
once more before he left Savannah.
cannot remember what he said, but he
was sympathetic and he said something
about the pleasure it gave him to aid
relative of his distinguished friend at
Washington.
cat that time I was very fond of a
snowy uniform, and it vexed my child
ish mind to see my friend the general
always dressed so shabbily. His staff
officers presented better appearance,
and some of them were really gorgeous
in their spectacular rig.
"The other boys and the negroes
agreed with me that the commander
must be in very hard luck or he would
certainly dress better. Still, was then
convinced that he was a wonderfully
wise man. With my pockets full of his
loaf sugar, which / had surreptitiously
distracted from the pantry, I would
have been ungrateful if l had formed
any other opinion.
Sherman left the city and marched
onward through the Carolinas, and that
ended the war.
"No, / never saw him again. My ia
Their died, and l lived in different places,
my work keeping me SO busy that / had
no time to think of the general or any
body else not connected with my imme-
date business. / wish now that l had
seen him before he passed away. AS it
is, can only recall him as he appeared
to my boyish and wondering eyes, I'M
der circumstances which did not give
me an opportunity to study him. No
matter what may be said of his conduct
in war, / cannot help liking him. He
was a good friend Just when we most