The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-07-21
TWO SHERMAN ANECDOTES.

|
| said the captain. Il saw Uncle Billy
| in a great act down at Big Shanty in
| June, 1864 The army was working its
way toward Atlanta, and it was raining
| as only southern clouds could rain on
| Uncle Sans soldiers when wagons were
| behind and there was no shelter. Cen
eraI Sherman'S tent had been pitched
| near the road, and the general had lust
| taken off his heavy boots and put on a
! pair of snow white stockings and loose
slippers and otherwise made himself
| comfortable, when there was an uproar
on the road near his headquarters.
"A teamster who had been whipping
the mules of his team to make them
pull became eXaSperated beyond endur-
ance, and, using the butt end of his
heavy whip, began to club the mules
over the head. He was so brutal that
some of the soldiers passing protested,
and this increased his rage The
screams of the belabOred mules, the
curses of the enraged teamster and the
shouts of the soldiers made a din like a
riot, but the brutal beating went on.
Suddenly the flap of General Sher-
mans tent was thrown aside, and the
figure of tall, bare headed officer in
fatigue dress, white stockings and Slip
pers was projected through the rain in
to the center of the melee. This was
General Sherman, and without a word
he seized the irate teamster by the ear
and fairly lifted him from his feet.
There was instant quiet. The mules
down in the mud waited for the next
blow The teamSter, recognizing the ear
puller, was limp as a rag. The boys
in the road stopped to see what Uncle
Billy would do next.
For a minute you could hear nothing
but the patter of the rain. Then Sher-
man. still holding the Transfers ear in
a. way to make the fellow stand on his
toes turned and marched his prisoner
to the rear, called the officer in charge
of the guard and ordered that the beater
of mules be properly punished and never
be given charge of another team. AS
the general turned toward his tent af-
ter this exploit the passing regiment
gave him a cheer, and the philosopher
of our company remarked: That's bet
ter than any cussin' ever heard.
Uncle Billy is a master hand at ear
pullin'.'
ION another occasion I saw Sherman
in a different mood. We were making
a night march, swinging to the right
around Kenesaw- The night was as
dark as they make them down in
Georgia. and we marched all night
without talking, under whispered or
ders, the men being guided in the line
of march by punches of white raw cot
ton pinned on the shoulders of those
in front. CanteenS and haverSacks were
tied close so there would be no rafting,
and hour after hour we moved through
the dreary dark, dropping down in the
road to rest whenever there was a stop.
This is the most exasperating sort of
march, and the men were in no pleasant
mood when it began to grow light.
ANY night march is very trying. The
rapidly as possible. The men who set
the pace in front are suddenly halted,
and the men following crowd upon them
expecting that there will be a delay OF
an hour which to the men in the rear
seems without reason or excuse. Then
suddenly there will be a forward move
ment at a breakneck pace, then another
halt without explanation, and a tire
some standing in ranks. In this case
there was the added bewilderment OF
following silently the cotton pods on the
shoulders of the file leaders, the exaS-
peratiOn of sudden stops, and the FUR
Their evaporation of being compelled to
keep quiet, so when daylight came the
men were in a swearing mood, and they
SWOre.
TT was the habit with all men, partic-
ularly if they were themselves inclined
to excuses, to be very severe upon OF
fcers who became intoxicated. Nothing
gave them so much satisfaction as 10
find an officer drunk along the line OF
march and to indulge in severe COM |
ments. With the coming of daylight the |
rule as to silence was suspended, as the |
divisions We're then going into position. |
AS our regiment marched rapidly to Its |
appointed place we passed occasionally |
a sleeping officer. Every time the boys |
would remark: Another officer drunk. |
AS we approached the main line we |
passed an officer asleep in fence cor |
ner. Some fellow in our company |
shouted There's another officer drunk |
1.-THE men were greatly surprised to |
Sc the Sleping figure assume a sitting |
posture and to hear the voice of General |
William T. Sherman say, not unkindly: |
No, boys, not drunk. but terribly tired |
and sleepy Instantly came the reply, |
Bully for your and the men went for |
ward into line feeling a kinship with |
their commander general He had not |
resented the remark, he had not sworn |
at the men who made it, but he offered |
the excuse which they would have Of
fered, that they were tired and sleepy. |
These two anecdotes explain why Sher- |
man was so near to his men, He would |
not see a man or a mule abused, and he |
held himself as a commanding general |
to close sympathy with the men in the |
ranks who were to fight his battles"
Papa" said the boy, when you say in |
your advertisements that your goods are /
acknowledged by connoisseurs to be the |
best, what do you mean by connoisseurs?' p
"A connoisseur, my boy, answered the |
great r1a01Ifo f.+,4rer eminent