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memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第90章

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I therefore hope the Government of the United States will continue; as heretofore; to collect; in well…organized armies; the physical strength of the nation; applying it; as heretofore; in asserting the national authority; and in persevering; without relaxation; to the end。  This; whether near or far off; is not for us to say; but; fortunately; we have no choice。  We must succeedno other choice is left us except degradation。  The South must be ruled by us; or she will rule us。  We must conquer them; or ourselves be conquered。 There is no middle course。  They ask; and will have; nothing else; and talk of compromise is bosh; for we know they would even scorn the offer。

I wish the war could have been deferred for twenty years; till the superabundant population of the North could flow in and replace the losses sustained by war; but this could not be; and we are forced to take things as they are。

All therefore I can now venture to advise is to raise the draft to its maximum; fill the present regiments to as large a standard as possible; and push the war; pure and simple。  Great attention should be paid to the discipline of our armies; for on them may be founded the future stability of the Government。

The cost of the war is; of course; to be considered; but finances will adjust themselves to the actual state of affairs; and; even if we would; we could not change the cost。  Indeed; the larger the cost now; the less will it be in the end; for the end must be attained somehow; regardless of loss of life and treasure; and is merely a question of time。

Excuse so long a letter。  With great respect; etc。;

W。 T。 SHERMAN; Major…General。


General Halleck; on receipt of this letter; telegraphed me that Mr。 Lincoln had read it carefully; and had instructed him to obtain my consent to have it published。  At the time; I preferred not to be drawn into any newspaper controversy; and so wrote to General Halleck; and the above letter has never been; to my knowledge; published; though Mr。 Lincoln more than once referred to it with marks of approval。



HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS CAMP ON BIG BLACK; September 17; 1863

Brigadier…General J。 A。 RAWLINS; Acting Assistant Adjutant…General; Vicksburg。

DEAR GENERAL: I inclose for your perusal; and for you to read to General Grant such parts as you deem interesting; letters received by me from Prof。 Mahan and General Halleck; with my answers。  After you have read my answer to General Halleck; I beg you to inclose it to its address; and return me the others。

I think Prof。 Mahan's very marked encomium upon the campaign of Vicksburg is so flattering to General Grant; that you may offer to let him keep the letter; if he values such a testimonial。  I have never written a word to General Halleck since my report of last December; after the affair at Chickasaw; except a short letter a few days ago; thanking him for the kind manner of his transmitting to me the appointment of brigadier…general。  I know that in Washington I am incomprehensible; because at the outset of the war I would not go it blind and rush headlong into a war unprepared and with an utter ignorance of its extent and purpose。  I was then construed unsound; and now that I insist on war pure and simple; with no admixture of civil compromises; I am supposed vindictive。 You remember what Polonius said to his son Laertes: 〃Beware of entrance to a quarrel; but; being in; bear it; that the opposed may beware of thee。〃  What is true of the single man; is equally true of a nation。  Our leaders seemed at first to thirst for the quarrel; willing; even anxious; to array against us all possible elements of opposition; and now; being in; they would hasten to quit long before the 〃opposed〃 has received that lesson which he needs。  I would make this war as severe as possible; and show no symptoms of tiring till the South begs for mercy; indeed; I know; and you know; that the end would be reached quicker by such a course than by any seeming yielding on our part。  I don't want our Government to be bothered by patching up local governments; or by trying to reconcile any class of men。  The South has done her worst; and now is the time for us to pile on our blows thick and fast。

Instead of postponing the draft till after the elections; we ought now to have our ranks full of drafted men; and; at best; if they come at all; they will reach us when we should be in motion。

I think General Halleck would like to have the honest; candid opinions of all of us; viz。; Grant; McPherson; and Sherman。  I have given mine; and would prefer; of course; that it should coincide with the others。  Still; no matter what my opinion may be; I can easily adapt my conduct to the plane of others; and am only too happy when I find theirs better; than mine。

If no trouble; please show Halleck's letter to McPherson; and ask him to write also。  I know his regiments are like mine (mere squads); and need filling up。  Yours truly;

W。 T。 SHERMAN; Major…General。





CHAPTER XIV。

CHATTANOOGA AND KNOXVILLE。

JULY TO DECEMBER; 1863。


After the fall of Vicksburg; and its corollary; Port Hudson; the Mississippi River was wholly in the possession of the Union forces; and formed a perfect line of separation in the territories of our opponents。  Thenceforth; they could not cross it save by stealth; and the military affairs on its west bank became unimportant。 Grant's army had seemingly completed its share of the work of war; and lay; as it were; idle for a time。  In person General Grant went to New Orleans to confer with General Banks; and his victorious army was somewhat dispersed。  Parke's corps (Ninth) returned to Kentucky; and afterward formed part of the Army of the Ohio; under General Burnside; Ord's corps (Thirteenth) was sent down to Natchez; and gradually drifted to New Orleans and Texas; McPhersons (Seventeenth) remained in and near Vicksburg; Hurlbut's (Sixteenth) was at Memphis; and mine (Fifteenth) was encamped along the Big Black; about twenty miles east of Vicksburg。  This corps was composed of four divisions: Steele's (the First) was posted at and near the railroad…bridge; Blair's (the Second); next in order; near Parson Fox's; the Third Division (Tuttle's) was on the ridge about the head of Bear Creek; and the Fourth (Ewing's) was at Messinger's Ford。  My own headquarters were in tents in a fine grove of old oaks near Parson Fox's house; and the battalion of the Thirteenth Regulars was the headquarters guard。

All the camps were arranged for health; comfort; rest; and drill。 It being midsummer; we did not expect any change till the autumn months; and accordingly made ourselves as comfortable as possible。 There was a short railroad in operation from Vicksburg to the bridge across the Big Black; whence supplies in abundance were hauled to our respective camps。  With a knowledge of this fact Mrs。 Sherman came down from Ohio with Minnie; Lizzie; Willie; and Tom; to pay us a visit in our camp at Parson Fog's。  Willie was then nine years old; was well advanced for his years; and took the most intense interest in the affairs of the army。  He was a great favorite with the soldiers; and used to ride with me on horseback in the numerous drills and reviews of the time。  He then had the promise of as long a life as any of my children; and displayed more interest in the war than any of them。  He was called a 〃sergeant〃 in the regular battalion; learned the manual of arms; and regularly attended the parade and guard…mounting of the Thirteenth; back of my camp。  We made frequent visits to Vicksburg; and always stopped with General McPherson; who had a large house; and boarded with a family (Mrs。 Edwards'a) in which were several interesting young ladies。  General Grant occupied another house (Mrs。 Lum's) in Vicksburg during that summer; and also had his family with him。 The time passed very agreeably; diversified only by little events of not much significance; among which I will recount only one。

While; we occupied the west bank of the Big Black; the east bank was watched by a rebel cavalry…division; commanded by General Armstrong。  He had four brigades; commanded by Generals Whitfield; Stark; Cosby; and Wirt Adams。  Quite frequently they communicated with us by flags of truce on trivial matters; and we reciprocated; merely to observe them。  One day a flag of truce; borne by a Captain B。。。。; of Louisville; Kentucky; escorted by about twenty…five men; was reported at Messinger's Ferry; and I sent orders to let them come right into my tent。  This brought them through the camps of the Fourth Division; and part of the Second; and as they drew up in front of my tent; I invited Captain B。。。。 and another officer with him (a major from Mobile) to dismount; to enter my tent; and to make themselves at home。  Their escort was sent to join mine; with orders to furnish them forage and every thing they wanted。  B。。。。  had brought a sealed letter for General Grant at Vicksburg; which was dispatched to him。  In the evening we had a good supper; with wine and cigars; and; as we sat talking; B。。。。  spoke of his father and mother; in Louisville; got leave to write them a long letter without its being read by any one; and then we talked about the war。  He said: 〃What is the u
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