Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-15

| that year
January IS. 1861. Sherman wrote to the
| governor of Louisiana. announcing his in
| tention of remaining loyal to the Union, and
| requesting to be relieved of his duties at
| the academy. He received a flattering let
ter in reply, accepting his resignation. and
| went TO st. Louis. where. on April /, 1861,
| he became president of a street railway
| company. Five DAYS later he was offered 4
position as chief clerk in the War Depart
! ment, with the promise that he would
! made assistant secretary of war He de-
| clined
Offered His Services Promptly.
When the war of the rebellion broke out
he offered his services and was appointed
colonel of the 18th Infantry Knowing
! we'll from his residence in Louisiana OF
| more than year. the sentiment of the
| southern people. he drew criticism him
! self by declaring it foolish to expect to put
! down the rebellion in three months. and
refused absolutely to go to Ohio for the
| purpose of raising three months troops
| He was placed in charge Of the Sd Brigade
| of Tylers division in McDowelrs army.
and with his brigade took an active part
| IN the battle of Bull Run. So well did he
| behave that he was promoted to the rank OF
brigadier general of volunteers. and
assigned to the Department of the Ohio.
1t was while in command of this depar.-
ment sherman again drew attention 10
himself by declaring that 1t would take
6O,Goo men to drive the enemy out of Ken
lucky alone, and 100000 to finish the war.
This declaration was SO opposite from the
general opinion that Sherman was relieved
of his command soon afterward and put in
charge of a camp of instruction at ST.
Louis.
In 1862 Grant was assigned to the COM
mand of a division in the Army Of Jte Ien-
nessee AS such he fought at Pittshurg
Landing, Shiloh and Corinth In May. 1852,
he was made major general of volunteers,
and it was then that he began the vigorous
measures which finally led to the campaign
against Vicksburg and the march To the
sea. BY this time he was in command of
an amy corps, and his services We're SO
| greatly appreciated that he was made a
brlgadleT general in the regular army.
| When Grant was assigned to the command
of the military division of the Mississippi
| Sherman succeeded to the command of the
Army Of the Tennessee.
Succeeded Gen. Grant
In 1864 Sherman succeeded Grant to the
command of the division Of the Mississippi
and was then in charge of three of the four
great armies then in the field. the armies
| OF the Tennessee, Cumberland and Ohio.
His work from that point on was a matter
of history. He received the thanks of Con-
gress after the capitulation of Savannah.
| Sherman's army was the most picturesque
body that took part in the grand review
after the
March to the Sea.
The plans for the campaign in Georgia
} We're made at the Burnet House in Cincin-
natl in 1864, and after arranging for sup
| plies, the most serious problem of the pro-
posed invasion, the armies of the Ohio,
Tennessee and Cumberland were ordered to
| rendezvous at Chattanooga. May &, 1864,
the movement was inaugurated, General
Sherman's force numbering 3S,797 men and
2J4 guns.
August 70 of that year General Sherman
received the promotion of major general of
regulars. and after indefinite diminishing
for a month it was at this time that
the famous march to the sea" was decid-
ed upon, not alone as a means of supporting
the troops, but as expressed in General
Shermans own words las a direct attack
upon the rebel army at the rebel capital at
Richmond though fun thousand miles of
| hostile country intervened,' and from No
vember ii until December 10 he was ac-
cordinely buried in the enemys country,
severed from all communication in the
rear. He crossed the three rivers of Georgia,
passing through her capital in his trium-
phal progress of 300 miles and during that
time lost but 567 men.
, Il was on December % that he tele-
graphed to President Lincoln. Il beg TO
present you, as Christmas gift, the city OF
| Savannah with one hundred and fifty
| heavy guns ard plenty of ammunition. and
also about twenty-five thousand bales Of
cotton" In reply to this message he re-
| ceived the assurance that to him alone the
honor of his undertaking was due, as
quiesence only had been accorded him, and
anxiety, if not fear. had been felt for his
| success.
The original plan of transportating the
army by to Virginia having been aban-
doned the march northward through the
|
| surrender of Johnston made at Dur
| ham station April ., and May ~. 1869 a.
year after it had started on its march of
Zoo miles, 'Sherman's army was re-
| viewed in this city.
Head of the Army.
| In 1866 when Grant promoted to be
general of the army, Sherman became lieu
| tenant general and three years later when
4 Grant became President, Sherman was his
successor as general in chief of the army
l of the United States. While holding this
| rank he visited Europe, where he was
| ceved with distinguished honors. He was
one of the most hard working and PAINS
! taking commanding officers the army ever
had. Through his efforts great improve
ments We're made in the personnel of the
army Schools for advanced studies in mill
itary science We're opened for the benefit
of the officers. He remained on the active
list until 1884. when he retired with full
| pay and emoluments.
| In 1883 his wife died. Shortly before her
| death he moved TO New York and lived
there until his own death, February IA.
1891. He was buried in st. Louis, where
his body now rests.