Evening star., 1927-10-09
OBSCURE PHASES OF CIVIL WAR
REVEALED IN OLD-TIME LETTERS
Story Told of How U. S. Army
Nearly Lost Services of
Gen. w. T. Sherman.
Array of Incidents Found in
Manuscript Left by One
Time Senator.

The United States Army barely
missed losing the services of Gen. Will.
liam T. Sherman in 1S49. when the
future Civil War hero caught the gold
fever in California and wanted to quit
the service at once.
This is revealed in a letter dis
covered this week by DR.. Charles
| Moore. head of the manuscript diyi-
sion in the Library of Congress, in a
recently received collection of the cor.
rospondence of Thomas Ewing, Civil
War Senator from Ohio. The letter
was written by Sherman from San
| Francisco and gives vivid picture of
the early gold rush days.
Text of the Letter.
The letter reads: Gen. Riley has
just arrived with five companies OF his
regiment, also three companies of Ar
tillery. I am Still Gen. Smiths ad.
jatant, and fear I'll find it harder to
get off than l expected, but am still
determined to do something rash
rather than continue here in the serv-
ice much longer. I have had my share
and now want to look after my private
interests. I shall therefore in a few
furlough, and feel little doubt that
Gen. Smith will not refuse me. II an
adjutant had been sent on from Wash.
ington, as should have been done, 1
would have been in the mines before
this, but / do not think myself at
liberty to leave until am told that
can be spared without detriment to
the public interest.
Finds Gold Specimens.
But it is not of this wish to write.
Last Fall when at the mines l col.
lected some interesting specimens of
gold-some gold earth "a busheD and
specimens Of quartz that abound in
the gold district. 1 fiattered myself
that l should be the bearer of this to
the United States, but / have been
mistaken and have concluded to send
them to Washington by Col. Mason,
who starts next week. Col. Mason
will leave them with Gen. Gibson. who
will keep them until you call or send
for them. The gold is worth between
ounces heavy. The earth contains, I
think. about two ounces of gold.
IF you do not go to Washington
please send for the gold alone and let
Gen. G. have the pebbles. I have
written to him that he is at liberty to
show them to his friends and to wash
out half the earth, II he is curiously
inclined, leaving the rest for you. I
hope these will be interesting objects
of curiosity to yourself and your
friends. Keep such of the gold as you
wish. especially the big pieces. until
come home.
by simply surveying and drawing
map last week, made $1,000. and
think l can easily make eight this.
Summer, if / can get off. Money has
no value here and is flying about
labor $40 day, a meal from 81 to $40
Everything eXOrbitant1y high, and
though thousands have come into the
country prices are still high.
IF l find my commission stands
much in my way shall throw it up
this Summer, but should l do so,
will send you word in time. I should
have don't it last Fall had it not been
for Col Mason"
Diary of Edward Bates.
New light is thrown on obscure
phases of the Civil War by other man.
uscripts received during the past few
weeks. Among these is the diary of
Edward Bates, Attorney General in
Lincoln's cabinet, which has been de-
posted by Miss Helen Nicolay, daugh-
ter of John G. Nicolay. Lincoln's sec
retary. This diary, which gives a
.day-by-day account Of events in Wash
inSton during the war from the view
point of a cabinet officer, remains
available only to students with Miss
Nlcolay'S permission, since negotia-
tons are under way for it's publica-
ton.
Other valuable material is contained
In collection Of personal letters from
governors of several Confederate
States to each other, giving their own
views Of how the war should be con.
Quoted and, curiously enough, their
fear of a strong. arrogant centralized
government developing at Richmond
which, even If the South won the war,
would defeat the cause Of State rights |
for which the Confederacy was
fighting.
Gov. Brown in Protest.
One letter is from Gov. Joseph f. |
Brown of Georgia to Gov. John Letch- |
ner of Virginia, written in 1864. ask |
ing for the loan OF State artillery SO |
coast defense, Independent of the |
Richmond government. Brown also |
protests against the demand of the |
Richmond government that one.half |
tonnage Of the ships which managed |
to get by the blockade Of Georgia |
ports be allotted to the Confederacy |
for the transport of war supplies.
Proflteering, to judge from these |
letters. is the inevitable companion |
of war. Even in the darkest days Of |
the Confederacy the profiteers Of the |
South were emulating their brothers
OF the North and milking the poverty
stricken public Of all they possibly !
could get away with.
Brown writes to Gov. Vance Of
North Carolina asking what steps
that State has taken against extor.
ton and the foreclosing Of mort.
cages on families all Of whose bread |
winners were in the service. mo
doubt the spectators in our midst"