The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1915-01-08


tributaries, the Feather, Yuba, Bear,
etc., were all under heavy food.
One. evening tall, 1.-THE man got
off the boat at Marysville, went to a
livery stable and asked for a buggy
and driver to go to Downieville. He
was assured that the roads were i'm
passable. very WE'LL" was his reply,
Give me your best saddle horse!"
He was told that the trip could not
be undertaken without great risk of
both horse and rider being drowned.
well, l will guarantee you the
value of your horse and take the
other risk myself" was the answer.
He got through all right, tried the
case, employing Col. Harry | Thorn
ton to help him and won the suit.
1t was the only time he ever saw
Thornton, until one day in front of
Atlanta, Thornton, hearing that the
flag of truce was to be sent to Sher-
man, asked and obained permission
to join the squad that was to bear
it. Thornton was colonel on Gen
eral Cleborne's staff and was in full
uniform, but Sherman recognized
him at glance and greeted him with
these words: II had the honor of
trying a suit with you against the
Langton Express company in Downie
Vile, California, in 1856. It began
ON the .. of March and lasted six
days and we licked 'em. / am glad
to see you, Colonel Thornton" Then,
hesitating a second, he added, "Col.
Harry I. Thornton"
When Sherman began to be often
named in connection with the war,
an old Californian said: keep that
Sherman in mind! You will hear
from him. l was with him on. the
ship that brought him to California.
One day the cry of fire sounded and
the passengers were panic-stricken,
Sherman rushed on deck and his
voice, sharp and decisive, called upon
the men to stop their foolishness and
to do as he babe them.
Then he ordered each one to sieze
a bucket, in moment organized
bucket brigade, and in few minutes
the fire was quenched. He was the
one man who knew what to do and
how to control the rest and make
them obey him. You will hear from
| him."
After leaving California he was
next heard of as a teacher in mill
tary school and later as the engineer
and manager of the street car sys-
tenn of st. Louis, Mo-, where he was
engaged when the war came on. All
that winter when the leading men of
the south were making their final
preparation for the war, Sherman
was fierce in his denunciations of
them and while others thought it was
but a temporary upheaval which
would grow calm after the inaugra-
ton of Mr. Lincoln, Sherman instinc-
lively knew it meant war and ragged
like lion that steps were not being
taken to throttle the rebellion in it's
cradle. When Sumpter was finally
fired upon, he declared that an army
of at least 100000 men would be
necessary to meet and turn back the
storm. The press of the country call
ed him crazy, but not for long.
He first became conspicuous as a
soldier at Shiloh. He and Grant both
made the mistake of not better pre-
pairing for possible assault from
the army at Corinth, commanded by
General Albert Sidney Johnston,
whom they both knew was most ac-
complished soldier, but they never
made the mistake a second time and
they made up for 1t when the crisis
came with magnificent skill and cour-
age. The storm of war on that day
broke with especial violence upon
Serman's command. Except for him
and Grant the slow retreat back to-
ward the river, would have become
rout.
AS it was, it was far the bloodiest
battle that had ever been fought on
the continent.
When Grant won the battle of
Champion Hills and little later in
vested Vicksburg, Sherman was his
closest friend and most trusted lieu
tenant.
Sherman did not believe that
Vicksburg could be taken after two
plans had failed, though his loyalty
to Grant never wavered. When
Grant made his final plans and NOV
ed from below the city with the river
to protect his left flank, as he neared
the city he detached Sherman with
his corps to drive back General Joe