memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第118章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　and　subsequently　on　the　Mississippi；　that　they　did　not　share　with　their　comrades　the　successes　and　glories　of　the　Atlanta　campaign；　for　which　I　had　designed　them；　and；　indeed；　they；　did　not　join　our　army　till　jest　in　time　to　assist　General　George　H。　Thomas　to　defeat　General　Hood　before　Nashville；　on　the　15th　and　16th　of　December；　1864。

General　Grant's　letter　of　instructions；　which　was　brought　me　by　General　Butterfield；　who　had　followed　me　to　New　Orleans；　enjoined　on　me；　after　concluding　with　General　Banks　the　details　for　his　Red　River　expedition；　to　make　all　necessary　arrangements　for　furloughing　the　men　entitled　to　that　privilege；　and　to　hurry　back　to　the　army　at　Huntsville；　Alabama。　　I　accordingly　gave　the　necessary　orders　to　General　McPherson；　at　Vicksburg；　and　continued　up　the　river　toward　Memphis。　　On　our　way　we　met　Captain　Badeau；　of　General　Grant's　staff；　bearing　the　following　letter；　of　March　4th；　which　I　answered　on　the　10th；　and　sent　the　answer　by　General　Butterfield；　who　had　accompanied　me　up　from　New　Orleans。　　Copies　of　both　were　also　sent　to　General　McPherson；　at　Vicksburg：

＇Private。＇

NASHVILLE；　TENNESEE；　March　4；　1864

DEAR　SHERMAN：　The　bill　reviving　the　grade　of　lieutenant…general　in　the　army　has　become　a　law；　and　my　name　has　been　sent　to　the　Senate　for　the　place。

I　now　receive　orders　to　report　at　Washington　immediately；　in　person；　which　indicates　either　a　confirmation　or　a　likelihood　of　confirmation。　　I　start　in　the　morning　to　comply　with　the　order；　but　I　shall　say　very　distinctly　on　my　arrival　there　that　I　shall　accept　no　appointment　which　will　require　me　to　make　that　city　my　headquarters。　　This；　however；　is　not　what　I　started　out　to　write　about。

While　I　have　been　eminently　successful　in　this　war；　in　at　least　gaining　the　confidence　of　the　public；　no　one　feels　more　than　I　how　much　of　this　success　is　due　to　the　energy；　skill；　and　the　harmonious　putting　forth　of　that　energy　and　skill；　of　those　whom　it　has　been　my　good　fortune　to　have　occupying　subordinate　positions　under　me。

There　are　many　officers　to　whom　these　remarks　are　applicable　to　a　greater　or　less　degree；　proportionate　to　their　ability　as　soldiers；　but　what　I　want　is　to　express　my　thanks　to　you　and　McPherson；　as　the　men　to　whom；　above　all　others；　I　feel　indebted　for　whatever　I　have　had　of　success。　　How　far　your　advice　and　suggestions　have　been　of　assistance；　you　know。　　How　far　your　execution　of　whatever　has　been　given　you　to　do　entitles　you　to　the　reward　I　am　receiving；　you　cannot　know　as　well　as　I　do。　　I　feel　all　the　gratitude　this　letter　would　express；　giving　it　the　most　flattering　construction。

The　word　you　I　use　in　the　plural；　intending　it　for　McPherson　also。　I　should　write　to　him；　and　will　some　day；　but；　starting　in　the　morning；　I　do　not　know　that　I　will　find　time　just　now。　　Your　friend；

U。　S。　GRANT；　Major…General。



＇PRIVATE　AND　CONFIDENTIAL＇

NEAR　MEMPHIS；　March　10；　1864

General　GRANT。

DEAR　GENERAL：　I　have　your　more　than　kind　and　characteristic　letter　of　the　4th；　and　will　send　a　copy　of　it　to　General　McPherson　at　once。

You　do　yourself　injustice　and　us　too　much　honor　in　assigning　to　us　so　large　a　share　of　the　merits　which　have　led　to　your　high　advancement。　　I　know　you　approve　the　friendship　I　have　ever　professed　to　you；　and　will　permit　me　to　continue　as　heretofore　to　manifest　it　on　all　proper　occasions。

You　are　now　Washington's　legitimate　successor；　and　occupy　a　position　of　almost　dangerous　elevation；　but　if　you　can　continue　as　heretofore　to　be　yourself；　simple；　honest；　and　unpretending；　you　will　enjoy　through　life　the　respect　and　love　of　friends；　and　the　homage　of　millions　of　human　beings　who　will　award　to　you　a　large　share　for　securing　to　them　and　their　descendants　a　government　of　law　and　stability。

I　repeat；　you　do　General　McPherson　and　myself　too　much　honor。　　At　Belmont　you　manifested　your　traits；　neither　of　us　being　near；　at　Donelson　also　you　illustrated　your　whole　character。　　I　was　not　near；　and　General　McPherson　in　too　subordinate　a　capacity　to　influence　you。

Until　you　had　won　Donelson；　I　confess　I　was　almost　cowed　by　the　terrible　array　of　anarchical　elements　that　presented　themselves　at　every　point；　but　that　victory　admitted　the　ray　of　light　which　I　have　followed　ever　since。

I　believe　you　are　as　brave；　patriotic；　and　just；　as　the　great　prototype　Washington；　as　unselfish；　kind…hearted；　and　honest；　as　a　man　should　be；　but　the　chief　characteristic　in　your　nature　is　the　simple　faith　in　success　you　have　always　manifested；　which　I　can　liken　to　nothing　else　than　the　faith　a　Christian　has　in　his　Saviour。

This　faith　gave　you　victory　at　Shiloh　and　Vicksburg。　　Also；　when　you　have　completed　your　best　preparations；　you　go　into　battle　without　hesitation；　as　at　Chattanoogano　doubts；　no　reserve；　and　I　tell　you　that　it　was　this　that　made　us　act　with　confidence。　　I　knew　wherever　I　was　that　you　thought　of　me；　and　if　I　got　in　a　tight　place　you　would　comeif　alive。

My　only　points　of　doubt　were　as　to　your　knowledge　of　grand　strategy；　and　of　books　of　science　and　history；　but　I　confess　your　common…sense　seems　to　have　supplied　all　this。

Now　as　to　the　future。　　Do　not　stay　in　Washington。　　Halleck　is　better　qualified　than　you　are　to　stand　the　buffets　of　intrigue　and　policy。　　Come　out　West；　take　to　yourself　the　whole　Mississippi　Valley；　let　us　make　it　dead…sure；　and　I　tell　you　the　Atlantic　slope　and　Pacific　shores　will　follow　its　destiny　as　sure　as　the　limbs　of　a　tree　live　or　die　with　the　main　trunk！　　We　have　done　much；　still　much　remains　to　be　done。　　Time　and　time's　influences　are　all　with　us；　we　could　almost　afford　to　sit　still　and　let　these　influences　work。　　Even　in　the　seceded　States　your　word　now　would　go　further　than　a　President's　proclamation；　or　an　act　of　Congress。

For　God's　sake　and　for　your　country's　sake；　come　out　of　Washington！　I　foretold　to　General　Halleck；　before　he　left　Corinth；　the　inevitable　result　to　him；　and　I　now　exhort　you　to　come　out　West。　Here　lies　the　seat　of　the　coming　empire；　and　from　the　West；　when　our　task　is　done；　we　will　make　short　work　of　Charleston　and　Richmond；　and　the　impoverished　coast　of　the　Atlantic。　　Your　sincere　friend；

W。　T。　SHERMAN


We　reached　Memphis　on　the　13th；　where　I　remained　some　days；　but　on　the　14th　of　March　received　from　General　Grant　a　dispatch　to　hurry　to　Nashville　in　person　by　the　17th；　if　possible。　　Disposing　of　all　matters　then　pending；　I　took　a　steamboat　to　Cairo；　the　cars　thence　to　Louisville　and　Nashville；　reaching　that　place　on　the　17th　of　March；　1864。

I　found　General　Grant　there。　　He　had　been　to　Washington　and　back；　and　was　ordered　to　return　East　to　command　all　the　armies　of　the　United　States；　and　personally　the　Army　of　the　Potomac。　　I　was　to　succeed　him　in　command　of　the　Military　Division　of　the　Mississippi；　embracing　the　Departments　of　the　Ohio；　Cumberland；　Tennessee；　and　Arkansas。　　General　Grant　was　of　course　very　busy　in　winding　up　all　matters　of　business；　in　transferring　his　command　to　me；　and　in　preparing　for　what　was　manifest　would　be　the　great　and　closing　campaign　of　our　civil　war。　　Mrs。　Grant　and　some　of　their　children　were　with　him；　and　occupied　a　large　house　in　Nashville；　which　was　used　as　an　office；　dwelling；　and　every　thing　combined。

On　the　18th　of　March　I　had　issued　orders　assuming　command　of　the　Military　Division　of　the　Mississippi；　and　was　seated　in　the　office；　when　the　general　came　in　and　said　they　were　about　to　present　him　a　sword；　inviting　me　to　come　and　see　the　ceremony。　　I　went　back　into　what　was　the　dining…room　of　the　house；　on　the　table　lay　a　rose…wood　box；　containing　a　sword；　sash；　spurs；　etc。；　and　round　about　the　table　were　grouped　Mrs。　Grant；　Nelly；　and　one　or　two　of　the　boys。　I　was　introduced　to　a　large；　corpulent　gentleman；　as　the　mayor；　and　another　citizen；　who　had　come　down　from　Galena　to　make　this　presentation　of　a　sword　to　their　fellow…townsman。　　I　think　that　Rawlins；　Bowers；　Badeau；　and　one　or　more　of　General　Grant's　personal　staff；　were　present。　　The　mayor　rose　and　in　the　most　dignified　way　read　a　finished　speech　to　General　Grant；　who　stood；　as　usual；　very　awkwardly；　and　the　mayor　closed　his　speech　by　handing　him　the　resolutions　of　the　City　Council　engrossed　on　parchment；　with　a　broad　ribbon　and　large　seal　a