memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第58章

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een　the　effect　in　the　interior；　I　ordered　（only　as　to　my　own　command）　that　gold；　silver；　and　Treasury　notes；　were　contraband　of　war；　and　should　not　go　into　the　interior；　where　all　were　hostile。　　It　is　idle　to　talk　about　Union　men　here：　many　want　peace；　and　fear　war　and　its　results；　but　all　prefer　a　Southern；　independent　government；　and　are　fighting　or　working　for　it。　　Every　gold　dollar　that　was　spent　for　cotton；　was　sent　to　the　seaboard；　to　be　exchanged　for　bank…notes　and　Confederate　scrip；　which　will　buy　goods　here；　and　are　taken　in　ordinary　transactions。　　I　therefore　required　cotton　to　be　paid　for　in　such　notes；　by　an　obligation　to　pay　at　the　end　of　the　war；　or　by　a　deposit　of　the　price　in　the　hands　of　a　trustee；　viz。；　the　United　States　Quartermaster。　　Under　these　rules　cotton　is　being　obtained　about　as　fast　as　by　any　other　process；　and　yet　the　enemy　receives　no　〃aid　or　comfort。〃　　Under　the　〃gold〃　rule；　the　country　people　who　had　concealed　their　cotton　from　the　burners；　and　who　openly　scorned　our　greenbacks；　were　willing　enough　to　take　Tennessee　money；　which　will　buy　their　groceries；　but　now　that　the　trade　is　to　be　encouraged；　and　gold　paid　out；　I　admit　that　cotton　will　be　sent　in　by　our　open　enemies；　who　can　make　better　use　of　gold　than　they　can　of　their　hidden　bales　of　cotton。

I　may　not　appreciate　the　foreign　aspect　of　the　question；　but　my　views　on　this　may　be　ventured。　　If　England　ever　threatens　war　because　we　don't　furnish　her　cotton；　tell　her　plainly　if　she　can't　employ　and　feed　her　own　people；　to　send　them　here；　where　they　cannot　only　earn　an　honest　living；　but　soon　secure　independence　by　moderate　labor。　　We　are　not　bound　to　furnish　her　cotton。　　She　has　more　reason　to　fight　the　South　for　burning　that　cotton；　than　us　for　not　shipping　it。　　To　aid　the　South　on　this　ground　would　be　hypocrisy　which　the　world　would　detect　at　once。　　Let　her　make　her　ultimatum；　and　there　are　enough　generous　minds　in　Europe　that　will　counteract　her　in　the　balance。　　Of　course　her　motive　is　to　cripple　a　power　that　rivals　her　in　commerce　and　manufactures；　that　threatenes　even　to　usurp　her　history。　　In　twenty　more　years　of　prosperity；　it　will　require　a　close　calculation　to　determine　whether　England；　her　laws　and　history；　claim　for　a　home　the　Continent　of　America　or　the　Isle　of　Britain。　　Therefore；　finding　us　in　a　death…struggle　for　existence；　she　seems　to　seek　a　quarrel　to　destroy　both　parts　in　detail。

Southern　people　know　this　full　well；　and　will　only　accept　the　alliance　of　England　in　order　to　get　arms　and　manufactures　in　exchange　for　their　cotton。　　The　Southern　Confederacy　will　accept　no　other　mediation；　because　she　knows　full　well　that　in　Old　England　her　slaves　and　slavery　will　receive　no　more　encouragement　than　in　New　England。

France　certainly　does　not　need　our　cotton　enough　to　disturb　her　equilibrium；　and　her　mediation　would　be　entitled　to　a　more　respect　consideration　than　on　the　part　of　her　present　ally。　　But　I　feel　assured　the　French　will　not　encourage　rebellion　and　secession　anywhere　as　a　political　doctrine。　　Certainly　all　the　German　states　must　be　our　ardent　friends；　and；　in　case　of　European　intervention；　they　could　not　be　kept　down。

With　great　respect；　your　obedient　servant；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General。



HEADQUARTERS　FIFTH　DIVISION；　ARMY　OF　THE　TENNESSEE；　Memphis；　July　23；　1862

Dr。　E。　S。　PLUMMER　and　others；　Physician　　in　Memphis；　Signers　to　a　Petition。

GENTLEMEN　：　I　have　this　moment　received　your　communication；　and　assure　you　that　it　grieves　my　heart　thus　to　be　the　instrument　of　adding　to　the　seeming　cruelty　and　hardship　of　this　unnatural　war。

On　my　arrival　here；　I　found　my　predecessor　（General　Hovey）　had　issued　an　order　permitting　the　departure　south　of　all　persons　subject　to　the　conscript　law　of　the　Southern　Confederacy。　　Many　applications　have　been　made　to　me　to　modify　this　order；　but　I　regarded　it　as　a　condition　precedent　by　which　I　was　bound　in　honor；　and　therefore　I　have　made　no　changes　or　modifications；　nor　shall　I　determine　what　action　I　shall　adopt　in　relation　to　persons　unfriendly　to　our　cause　who　remain　after　the　time　limited　by　General　Hovey's　order　had　expired。　　It　is　now　sunset；　and　all　who　have　not　availed　themselves　of　General　Hovey's　authority；　and　who　remain　in　Memphis；　are　supposed　to　be　loyal　and　true　men。

I　will　only　say　that　I　cannot　allow　the　personal　convenience　of　even　a　large　class　of　ladies　to　influence　me　in　my　determination　to　make　Memphis　a　safe　place　of　operations　for　an　army；　and　all　people　who　are　unfriendly　should　forthwith　prepare　to　depart　in　such　direction　as　I　may　hereafter　indicate。

Surgeons　are　not　liable　to　be　made　prisoners　of　war；　but　they　should　not　reside　within　the　lines　of　an　army　which　they　regard　as　hostile。　　The　situation　would　be　too　delicate。

I　am；　with　great　respect；　your　obedient　servant；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General。


HEADQUARTERS；　MEMPHIS；　July　24；　1862

SAMUEL　SAWYER；　Esq。；　Editor　Union　Appeal；　Memphis。

DEAR　SIR　：　It　is　well　I　should　come　to　an　understanding　at　once　with　the　press　as　well　as　the　people　of　Memphis；　which　I　am　ordered　to　command；　which　means；　to　control　for　the　interest；　welfare；　and　glory　of　the　whole　Government　of　the　United　States。

Personalities　in　a　newspaper　are　wrong　and　criminal。　　Thus；　though　you　meant　to　be　complimentary　in　your　sketch　of　my　career；　you　make　more　than　a　dozen　mistakes　of　fact；　which　I　need　not　correct；　as　I　don't　desire　my　biography　to　be　written　till　I　am　dead。　　It　is　enough　for　the　world　to　know　that　I　live　and　am　a　soldier；　bound　to　obey　the　orders　of　my　superiors；　the　laws　of　my　country；　and　to　venerate　its　Constitution；　and　that；　when　discretion　is　given　me；　I　shall　exercise　it　wisely　and　account　to　my　superiors。

I　regard　your　article　headed　〃City　CouncilGeneral　Sherman　and　Colonel　Slack；〃　as　highly　indiscreet。　　Of　course；　no　person　who　can　jeopardize　the　safety　of　Memphis　can　remain　here；　much　less　exercise　public　authority；　but　I　must　take　time；　and　be　satisfied　that　injustice　be　not　done。

If　the　parties　named　be　the　men　you　describe；　the　fact　should　not　be　published；　to　put　them　on　their　guard　and　thus　to　encourage　their　escape。　　The　evidence　should　be　carefully　collected；　authenticated；　and　then　placed　in　my　hands。　　But　your　statement　of　facts　is　entirely　qualified；　in　my　mind；　and　loses　its　force　by　your　negligence　of　the　very　simple　facts　within　your　reach　as　to　myself：　I　had　been　in　the　army　six　years　in　1846；　am　not　related　by　blood　to　any　member　of　Lucas；　Turner　&　Co。；　was　associated　with　them　in　business　six　years　（instead　of　two）；　am　not　colonel　of　the　Fifteenth　Infantry；　but　of　the　Thirteenth。　　Your　correction；　this　morning；　of　the　acknowledged　error　as　to　General　Denver　and　others；　is　still　erroneous。　　General　Morgan　L。　Smith　did　not　belong　to　my　command　at　the　battle　of　Shiloh　at　all；　but　he　was　transferred　to　my　division　just　before　reaching　Corinth。　　I　mention　these　facts　in　kindness；　to　show　you　how　wrong　it　is　to　speak　of　persons。

I　will　attend　to　the　judge；　mayor；　Boards　of　Aldermen；　and　policemen；　all　in　good　time。

Use　your　influence　to　reestablish　system；　order；　government。　　You　may　rest　easy　that　no　military　commander　is　going　to　neglect　internal　safety；　or　to　guard　against　external　danger；　but　to　do　right　requires　time；　and　more　patience　than　I　usually　possess。　　If　I　find　the　press　of　Memphis　actuated　by　high　principle　and　a　sole　devotion　to　their　country；　I　will　be　their　best　friend；　but；　if　I　find　them　personal；　abusive；　dealing　in　innuendoes　and　hints　at　a　blind　venture；　and　looking　to　their　own　selfish　aggrandizement　and　fame；　then　they　had　better　look　out；　for　I　regard　such　persons　as　greater　enemies　to　their　country　and　to　mankind　than　the　men　who；　from　a　mistaken　sense　of　State　pride；　have　taken　up　muskets；　and　fight　us　about　as　hard　as　we　care　about。　　In　haste；　but　in　kindness；　yours；　etc。；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General。




HEADQUARTERS　FIFTH　DIVISION；　MEMPHIS；　TENNESSEE；　July　27；　1882。

JOHN　PARK；　Mayor　of　Memphis；　present。

Sir：　Yours　of　July　24th　is　before　me；　and　has　received；　as　all　similar　papers　ever　will；　my　careful　and　most　respectful　consideration。　　I　have　the　most　unbounded　respect　for　the　civil　law；　courts；　and　authorities；　and　shall　do　all　in　my　power　to　restore　them　to　their　proper　use；　viz。；　the　protection　of　life；　liberty；　and　property。

Unfortunately；　at　this　time；　civil　war　prevails　in　the　land；　and　necessarily　the　military；　for　the　time　being；　must　be　superior　to　the　civil　authority；　but　it　does　not　therefore　destroy　it。　　Civil　courts　and　executive　officers　should　still　exist　and　perform　duties；　without　which　civil　or　municipal　bodies　would　soon　pass　into　disrespectan　end　to　be　avoided。　　I　am　glad　to　find　in　Memphis　a　mayor　and　municipal　authorities　not　only　in　existence；　but　in　the　co…exercise　of　important　functions；　and　I　shall　endeavor　to　restore　one　or　more　civil　tribunals　for　the　arbitration　of　contracts　and　punishment　of　crimes；　which　the　military　have　neither　time　nor　inclination　to　interfere　with。　　Among　these；　first　in　importance　is　the　maintenance　of　order；　peace；　and　quiet；　within　the　jurisdiction　of　Memphis。　　To　insure　this；　I　will　keep　a　strong　provost　guard　in　the　city；　but　will　limit　their　duty　to　guarding　public　property　held　or　claimed　by　the　United　States；　and　for　the　arrest　and　confinement　of　State　prisoners　and　soldiers　who　are　disorderly　or　improperly　away　from　their　regiments。　　This　guard　ought　not　to　arrest　citizens　for　disorder　or　minor　crimes。　　This　should　be　done　by　the　city　police。　　I　understand　that　the　city　police　is　too　weak　in　numbers　to　accomplish　this　perfectly；　and　I　therefore　recommend　that　the　City　Council　at　once　take　steps　to　increase　this　force　to　a　number　which；　in　their　judgment；　day　and　night　can　enforce　your　ordinances　as　to　peace；　quiet；　and　order；　so　that　any　change　in　our　military　dispositions　will　not　have　a　tendency　to　leave　your　people　unguarded。　　I　am　willing　to　instruct　the　provost　guard　to　assist　the　police　force　when　any　combination　is　made　too　strong　for　them　to　overcome；　but　the　city　police　should　be　strong　enough　for　any　probable　contingency。　　The　cost　of　maintaining　this　police　force　must　necessarily　fall　upon　all　citizens　equitably。　　I　am　not　wilting；　nor　do　I　think　it　good　policy；　for　the　city　authorities　to　collect　the　taxes　belonging　to　the　State　and　County；　as　you　recommend；　for　these　would　have　to　be　refunded。　　Better　meet　the　expenses　at　once　by　a　new　tax　on　all　interested。　　Therefore；　if　you；　on　consultation　with　the　proper　municipal　body；　will　frame　a　good　bill　for　the　increase　of　your　police　force；　and　for　raising　the　necessary　means　for　their　support　and　maintenance；　I　will　approve　it　and　aid　you　in　the　collection　of　the　tax。　　Of　course；　I　cannot　suggest　how　this　tax　should　be　laid；　but　I　think　that　it　should　be　made　uniform　on　all　interests；　real　estate；　and　personal　property；　including　money；　and　merchandise。

All　who　are　protected　should　share　the　expenses　in　proportion　to　the　interests　involved。　　I　am；　with　respect；　your　obedient　servant；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General　commanding。



HEADQUARTERS　FIFTH　DIVISION；　MEMPHIS；　August　7；　1862。

Captain　FITCH；　Assistant　Quartermaster；　Memphis；　Tennessee。

SIR　：　The　duties　devolving　on　the　quartermaster　of