The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-08-23
TWO STORIES OF GEN. SHERMAN
Ways Which Endeared Him to His Sol

Ways Which Endeared Him to His Sol l dlers
 "Yes, Sherman was very impulsive, '' said the captain. II saw Uncle Billy in
 a great act down at Big Shanty ir
 June, 1864, The army was working its
 way toward Atlantaand it was raining
 as only southern clouds could rain on
 Uncie Sam's soldiers when wagons
 were behind and there was no shelter.
 General Sherman's tent had been lpitchcd near the road, and the general
 had just taken off his heavy boots and
 put or q pair of snow-white stockings
 and loose slippers, and otherwise made
 himself comfortable, when there was an
 uproar on the road near his headquar-
 ters.
 "A teamster who had been whipping
 the mules of his team 10 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 ol the enraged teamster and the shouts of the soldiers made din like a riot but the brutal beating went.
 "Suddenly the flap of General Sher- mans tent was thrown aside, and the figure of q tall, bare-headed officer in
 fatigue dress, white stockings and
 slippers, was projected through the
 rain into the center of the melee. This was General Sherman, and without a word he seized the irate -eamster by the ear ana 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 rag. The boys in the road stopped to see what
 Uncle Billy would do next"
 For minute you could hear noth- ing but the batter of the rain. Then ! Sherman, still holding the teamstera { ear in q 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 heater of mules be properly punished and never be given charge cf another team As the general turned toward his tent after this exploit the passing regiment gave him cheer, and the philosopher of our company, re- marked: That's better than any cus- sin ever Leard. Uncle Billy is mas 1 ter hand hand at ear-pullin'
 "On another occasion I saw sherman l in different mood We were making a night march, swinging to the right around Keresaw. The night was as dark as they make them down in Ge orgia, 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 ratting, 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 a march, and the men were in no pleas ant mood when it began to grow light
 Any night march is very trying. The natural inclination is to go for ward as 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 only a minute. Instead, there will be a delay of an hour, which to the men in the rear seems without req son or excuse. Then suddenly there will be a forward movement at breakv neck pace, then another halt without explanation and a tiresome standing in ranks. Tn this case there was the add ed bewilderment of following silently the cotton pods on the shoulders of the file leaders, the exasperaton of sudden stops and tie further exasperation of being compelled to keep quiet, so when daylight came the men were in swear ing mood, and they swore.
 Tt was the habit with all men, par ticularly if they were themselves in- clined to excesses, to be very severe Nothing gave so much satisfaction as to 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 were then going into posi- tion. As our regiment marched rapidly to it's appointed place we passed occa- sionaly 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 corner Some fellow in our com pany shouted: There's another officer drunk
 "The men were greatly surprised to see the sleeping figure assume sit l ting posture and to hear the voice of General William T. Sherman say, not | No, boys, not drunk, but terribly tired and sleepy. Instantly came the reply, Bully for you." and | the men went forward into line feeling a kinsh'p with their commanding gen eral. 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 offered, that they were tir- ed and sleepy. These two anecdotes ex- plain why Sherman was so near to his men. He would not see man or a | mule abused and he held himself as a general to a close sympa- thy with the men in the ranks who were to fight his battles. ."-Chicago lnter-O Ocean.