The Washington times., 1903-10-15

had 'front.' seats in the balcony. The
house was filled with soldiers, going to
and returning from veteran furlough.
No one observed us. The play was
Hamlet" which was simply being muir
dered.
General Sherman was a fine Shake
spearean scholar, and he criticised the
play severely and loudly AS I sat
next to him ! cautioned him that we
would be recognized and that there
would be a scene. The grave-digger
scene was on and the actor was soliIo-
quizing on Yorick's skull when a SOL
der way back called out so that the
whole audience could hear:
Say, pard. what is it. Yank or Reb?'
Hunting an Oyster House.
The whole house was in an uproar. and
Grant said we had better get out, so
we left undiscovered. Sherman then
said we had better get some oysters. and
put General Rawlins forward to find a
place He took US to a very fair sa-
loon. We went in and found that all
the tables were occupied but one. and
that very large table with only one
man sitting at II. RawIins, who was a
very retiring man. asked this person if
he would not take a table nearby. and
did not mention who was in his party.
and the man replied that the table was
good enough for him and that he guess
ed he would keep ii. So Rawlins said
we had better hunt another place. and
we went out
Sherman told Rawlins we would never
get anything under his guidance, so he
stopped some one and asked for an oyster
saloon. The man pointed out one kept
by widow, and we sent in and ordered
our oysters. Naturally, all hands got
TO discussing matters until the hour
was late. when the woman came in and
told us we must leave. as the rules Of
the city required that every place must
be closed by midnight. So we turned
out, with our meal only about half fin
ished, and then we went UP TO General
Grants headquarters, which was in a
large house presided over by Colonel
Bowers. We camped there overnight
some in beds, and some on the floor.
Apologies From Everybody.
Our experience Of the evening was dis
cussed, of course. The aides heard it. and
before breakfast the next morning Grant
and Sherman were overrun with callers
who came 10 apologize-the theater pro-
prietor. the saloonkeeper. and the
widow-all expecting TO be summarily
disposed Of for their inhospitality Sher-
man laughingly told them 1t was all
right; that IT was what he might ex-
pect from a lot OF rebels, and that they
would not be hurt
The next evening we were invited to
dine at the house Of the commanding
officer. We were in the Department Of
the Cumberland. and at the dinner there
was a lady who had known Grant and
Sherman in the old army. and was still
of that army; but she was very critical
and found fault with the way Sherman
made war. especially the treatment
which his troops gave the East Tennes-
seeans in the march TO Knoxville.
Sherman tried to fend of and change
the conversation. but the lady stuck to
him, and finally Sherman turned on her
and said:
Madam, my soldiers were without
food, blankets, or shoes. and no doubt
they took what they could find Ny
men had 20 subsist even If the whole
OF Tennessee was ruined to sustain
them. There are two armies here, one
in rebellion against the other fighting
for the Union. If either must starve TO
death 1 propose il shall not be the one
fighting for the Union. There is moth
ing too good for them War is cruelty;
there is no use trying to define it: the
crueier. the sooner ended" That ended
the talk about the Army OF the Ten
nessee. and the dinner was a very cool
one from that moment on.
Grant Outlining His Plans.
When we parted at Nashville Sher-
man accompanied General Grant as far
east as Cincinnati. When the Society
OF the Army of the Tennessee had its
meeting in Cincinnati in 1889 Sherman
pointed out 20 me the room in which
Grant developed his plan for the grand
movement OF our army on May l. 1864
They pored over their maps and
agreed that all armies should move at
once and Grant told Sherman he must
press Johnston so that he could not send
any troops TO help Lee, and Grant said
he would give Lee all he wanted TO do
10 take care OF the Army OF the Poto-
mac.
The result Of these brilliantly con-
ceived and energetically executed cam
paigns. that closed out all the rebel
armies within one year after that time,
Is so we'll known that ! will not follow
Sherman from Chattanooga to Atlanta,
and from Atlanta 10 the sea. and in
his strategic movement from Savannah
70 the time of Johnston's surrender. In
my opinion that movement alone is all
sherman needs to fix for all time his
place in history as one Of the greatest
masters of the art of war
After the battle OF Chattanooga, the
Government had been issuing and SELL
ing rations to the citizens Of Tennes-
see. When General Sherman prepared
for his Atlanta campaign, he knew that
its success depended upon his ability
to feed his men and animals. and he
therefore issued order No. s, stopping
this issue TO citizens. In a few days
he received the following dispatch from
President Lincoln, dated May e. 1864:
Il have an imploring appeal from the
citizens. who say your order No. S will
compel them to go north to Nashville
This is in no sense an order. nor is il
even a request that you will do any
thing which in the least shall be a draw
back upon your military operations. but
anything you can do consistently with
the appeals of these suffering people, |
should be glad Of
Cbarr, ne Raplu fo Ti1roIr