memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第42章
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t is not military； and I guess we had better defer to his opinion。〃 In winding up； he explained that； as President； he was commander…in…chief； that he was resolved that the soldiers should have every thing that the law allowed； and he called on one and all to appeal to him personally in case they were wronged。 The effect of this speech was excellent。
We passed along in the same manner to all the camps of my brigade； and Mr。 Lincoln complimented me highly for the order； cleanliness； and discipline； that he observed。 Indeed； he and Mr。 Seward both assured me that it was the first bright moment they had experienced since the battle。
At last we reached Fort Corcoran。 The carriage could not enter； so I ordered the regiment； without arms； to come outside； and gather about Mr。 Lincoln； who would speak to them。 He made to them the same feeling address； with more personal allusions； because of their special gallantry in the battle under Corcoran； who was still a prisoner in the hands of the enemy； and he concluded with the same general offer of redress in case of grievances。 In the crowd I saw the officer with whom I had had the passage at reveille that morning。 His face was pale； and lips compressed。 I foresaw a scene； but sat on the front seat of the carriage as quiet as a lamb。 This officer forced his way through the crowd to the carriage； and said： 〃Mr。 President； I have a cause of grievance。 This morning I went to speak to Colonel Sherman； and he threatened to shoot me。〃 Mr。 Lincoln； who was still standing； said； 〃Threatened to shoot you？〃 〃Yes； sir； he threatened to shoot me。〃 Mr。 Lincoln looked at him； then at me； and stooping his tall； spare form toward the officer； said to him in a loud stage…whisper； easily heard for some yards around： 〃Well； if I were you； and he threatened to shoot； I would not trust him； for I believe he would do it。〃 The officer turned about and disappeared； and the men laughed at him。 Soon the carriage drove on； and； as we descended the hill； I explained the facts to the President； who answered； 〃Of course I didn't know any thing about it； but I thought you knew your own business best。〃 I thanked him for his confidence； and assured him that what he had done would go far to enable me to maintain good discipline； and it did。
By this time the day was well spent。 I asked to take my leave； and the President and Mr。 Seward drove back to Washington。 This spirit of mutiny was common to the whole army； and was not subdued till several regiments or parts of regiments had been ordered to Fort Jefferson； Florida； as punishment。
General McDowell had resumed his headquarters at the Arlington House； and was busily engaged in restoring order to his army； sending off the ninety…days men； and replacing them by regiments which had come under the three…years call。 We were all trembling lest we should be held personally accountable for the disastrous result of the battle。 General McClellan had been summoned from the West to Washington； and changes in the subordinate commands were announced almost daily。 I remember； as a group of officers were talking in the large room of the Arlington House； used as the adjutant…general's office； one evening； some young officer came in with a list of the new brigadiers just announced at the War Department； which…embraced the names of Heintzehvan； Keyes； Franklin； Andrew Porter； W。 T。 Sherman； and others； who had been colonels in the battle； and all of whom had shared the common stampede。 Of course； we discredited the truth of the list； and Heintzehvan broke out in his nasal voice； 〃Boys； it's all a lie！ every mother's son of you will be cashiered。〃 We all felt he was right； but； nevertheless； it was true； and we were all announced in general orders as brigadier…generals of volunteers。
General McClellan arrived； and； on assuming command； confirmed McDowell's organization。 Instead of coming over the river； as we expected； he took a house in Washington； and only came over from time to time to have a review or inspection。
I had received several new regiments； and had begun two new forts on the hill or plateau； above and farther out than Fort Corcoran； and I organized a system of drills； embracing the evolutions of the line； all of which was new to me； and I had to learn the tactics from books； but I was convinced that we had a long； hard war before us； and made up my mind to begin at the very beginning to prepare for it。
August was passing； and troops were pouring in from all quarters； General McClellan told me he intended to organize an army of a hundred thousand men； with one hundred field…batteries； and I still hoped he would come on our side of the Potomac； pitch his tent； and prepare for real hard work； but his headquarters still remained in a house in Washington City。 I then thought； and still think； that was a fatal mistake。 His choice as general…in…chief at the time was fully justified by his high reputation in the army and country； and； if he then had any political views or ambition； I surely did not suspect it。
About the middle of August I got a note from Brigadier…General Robert Anderson； asking me to come and see him at his room at Willard's Hotel。 I rode over and found him in conversation with several gentlemen； and he explained to me that events in Kentucky were approaching a crisis； that the Legislature was in session； and ready； as soon as properly backed by the General Government； to take open sides for the Union cause； that he was offered the command of the Department of the Cumberland； to embrace Kentucky； Tennessee； etc。； and that he wanted help； and that the President had offered to allow him to select out of the new brigadiers four of his own choice。 I had been a lieutenant in Captain Anderson's company； at Fort Moultrie； from 1843 to 1846； and he explained that he wanted me as his right hand。 He also indicated George H。 Thomas； D。 C。 Buell； and Burnside； as the other three。 Of course； I always wanted to go West； and was perfectly willing to go with Anderson； especially in a subordinate capacity： We agreed to call on the President on a subsequent day； to talk with him about it； and we did。 It hardly seems probable that Mr。 Lincoln should have come to Willard's Hotel to meet us； but my impression is that he did； and that General Anderson had some difficulty in prevailing on him to appoint George H。 Thomas； a native of Virginia； to be brigadier…general； because so many Southern officers； had already played false； but I was still more emphatic in my indorsement of him by reason of my talk with him at the time he crossed the Potomac with Patterson's army； when Mr。 Lincoln promised to appoint him and to assign him to duty with General Anderson。 In this interview with Mr。 Lincoln； I also explained to him my extreme desire to serve in a subordinate capacity； and in no event to be left in a superior command。 He promised me this with promptness； making the jocular remark that his chief trouble was to find places for the too many generals who wanted to be at the head of affairs； to command armies； etc。
The official order is dated：
＇Special Order No。 114。＇ HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY Washington； August 24； 1881。
The following assignment is made of the general officers of the volunteer service； whose appointment was announced in General Orders No。 82； from the War Department
To the Department of the Cumberland； Brigadier…General Robert Anderson commanding：
Brigadier…General W。 T。 Sherman； Brigadier…General George H。 Thomas。
By command of Lieutenant…General Scott： E。 D。 TOWNSEND； Assistant adjutant…General。
After some days； I was relieved in command of my brigade and post by Brigadier General Fitz…John Porter； and at once took my departure for Cincinnati； Ohio； via Cresson； Pennsylvania； where General Anderson was with his family； and he； Thomas； and I； met by appointment at the house of his brother； Larz Anderson； Esq。； in Cincinnati。 We were there on the 1st and 2d of September； when several prominent gentlemen of Kentucky met us； to discuss the situation； among whom were Jackson； Harlan； Speed； and others。 At that time； William Nelson； an officer of the navy； had been commissioned a brigadier…general of volunteers； and had his camp at Dick Robinson； a few miles beyond the Kentucky River； south of Nicholasville； and Brigadier…General L。 H。 Rousseau had another camp at Jeffersonville； opposite Louisville。 The State Legislature was in session at Frankfort； and was ready to take definite action as soon as General Anderson was prepared； for the State was threatened with invasion from Tennessee； by two forces： one from the direction of Nashville； commanded by Generals Albert Sidney Johnston and Buckner； and the other from the direction of Cumberland Gap； commanded by Generals Crittenden and Zollicoffer。 General Anderson saw that he had not force enough to resist these two columns； and concluded to send me in person for help to Indianapolis and Springfield； to confer with the Governors of Indiana； and Illinois； and to General Fremont； who commanded in St。 Louis。
McClellan and Fremont were the two men toward whom the country looked as the great Union leaders； and toward them were streaming the newly…raised regiments of infantry and cavalry； and batteries of artillery； nobody seeming to think of the intervening link covered by Kentucky。 While I was to make this tour； Generals Anderson and Thomas were to go to Louisville and initiate the department。 None of us had a staff； or any of the machinery for organizing an army； and； indeed； we had no army to organize。 Anderson was empowered to raise regiments in Kentucky； and to commission a few brigadier…generals。
At Indianapolis I found Governor Morton and all the State officials busy in equipping and providing for the new regiments； and my object was to divert some of them toward Kentucky； but they were called for as fast as they were mustered in； either for the army of McClellan or Fremont。 At Springfield also I found the same general activity and zeal； Governor Yates busy in providing for his men； but these men also had been promised to Fremont。 I then went on to St。 Louis； where all was seeming activity； bustle； and preparation。 Meeting R。 M。 Renick at the Planters' House （where I stopped）； I inquired where I could find General Fremont。 Renick said； 〃What do you want with General Fremont？〃 I said I had come to see him on business； and he added； 〃You don't suppose that he will see such as you？ and went on to retail all the scandal of the day： that Fremont was a great potentate； surrounded by sentries and guards； that he had a more showy court than any real king； that he kept senators； governors； and the first citizens； dancing attendance for days and weeks before granting an audience； etc。； that if I expected to see him on business； I would have to make my application in writing； and submit to a close scrutiny by his chief of staff and by his civil surroundings。 Of course I laughed at all this； and renewed my simple inquiry as to where was his office； and was informed that he resided and had his office at Major Brant's new house on Chouteau Avenue。 It was then late in the afternoon； and I concluded to wait till the next morning； but that night I received a dispatch from Genera
