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memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第40部分

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he institution should not be damaged by my withdrawal。  About the 20th of February; having turned over all property;。  records; and money; on hand; to Major Smith; and taking with me the necessary documents to make the final settlement with Dr。 S。 A。 Smith; at the bank in New Orleans; where the funds of the institution were deposited to my credit; I took passage from Alexandria for that city; and arrived there; I think; on the 23d。  Dr。 Smith met me; and we went to the bank; where I turned over to him the balance; got him to audit all my accounts; certify that they were correct and just; and that there remained not one cent of balance in my hands。  I charged in my account current for my salary up to the end of February; at the rate of four thousand dollars a year; and for the five hundred dollars due me as superintendent of the Central Arsenal; all of which was due and had been fairly earned; and then I stood free and discharged of any and every obligation; honorary or business; that was due by me to the State of Louisiana; or to any corporation or individual in that State。

This business occupied two or three days; during which I staid at the St。 Louis Hotel。  I usually sat at table with Colonel and Mrs。 Bragg; and an officer who wore the uniform of the State of Louisiana; and was addressed as captain。  Bragg wore a colonel's uniform; and explained to me that he was a colonel in the State service; a colonel of artillery; and that some companies of his regiment garrisoned Forts Jackson and St。 Philip; and the arsenal at Baton Rouge。

Beauregard at the time had two sons at the Seminary of Learning。  I had given them some of my personal care at the father's request; and; wanting to tell him of their condition and progress; I went to his usual office in the Custom…House Building; and found him in the act of starting for Montgomery; Alabama。  Bragg said afterward that Beauregard had been sent for by Jefferson Davis; and that it was rumored that he had been made a brigadier…general; of which fact he seemed jealous; because in the old army Bragg was the senior。

Davis and Stephens had been inaugurated President and Vice…President of the Confederate States of America; February 18; 1860; at Montgomery; and those States only embraced the seven cotton States。  I recall a conversation at the tea…table; one evening; at the St。 Louis。  Hotel。  When Bragg was speaking of Beanregard's promotion; Mrs。 Bragg; turning to me; said; 〃You know that my husband is not a favorite with the new President。〃  My mind was resting on Mr。 Lincoln as the new President; and I said I did not know that Bragg had ever met Mr。 Lincoln; when Mrs。 Bragg said; quite pointedly; 〃I didn't mean your President; but our President。〃 I knew that Bragg hated Davis bitterly; and that he had resigned from the army in 1855; or 1856; because Davis; as Secretary of War; had ordered him; with his battery; from Jefferson Barracks; Missouri; to Fort Smith or Fort Washita; in the Indian country; as Bragg expressed it; 〃to chase Indians with six…pounders。〃

I visited the quartermaster; Colonel A。 C。 Myers; who had resigned from the army; January 28; 1861; and had accepted service under the new regime。  His office was in the same old room in the Lafayette Square building; which he had in 1853; when I was there a commissary; with the same pictures on the wall; and the letters 〃U。 S。〃  on every thing; including his desk; papers; etc。  I asked him if he did not feel funny。  〃No; not at all。  The thing was inevitable; secession was a complete success; there would be no war; but the two Governments would settle all matters of business in a friendly spirit; and each would go on in its allotted sphere; without further confusion。〃  About this date; February 16th; General Twiggs; Myers's father…in…law; had surrendered his entire command; in the Department of Texas; to some State troops; with all the Government property; thus consummating the first serious step in the drama of the conspiracy; which was to form a confederacy of the cotton States; before working upon the other slave or border States; and before the 4th of March; the day for the inauguration of President Lincoln。

I walked the streets of New Orleans; and found business going along as usual。  Ships were strung for miles along the lower levee; and steamboats above; all discharging or receiving cargo。  The Pelican flag of Louisiana was flying over the Custom House; Mint; City Hall; and everywhere。  At the levee ships carried every flag on earth except that of the United States; and I was told that during a procession on the 22d of February; celebrating their emancipation from the despotism of the United States Government; only one national flag was shown from a house; and that the houses of Cuthbert Bullitt; on Lafayette Square。  He was commanded to take it down; but he refused; and defended it with his pistol。


The only officer of the army that I can recall; as being there at the time; who was faithful; was Colonel C。 L。 Kilburn; of the Commissary Department; and he was preparing to escape North。

Everybody regarded the change of Government as final; that Louisiana; by a mere declaration; was a free and independent State; and could enter into any new alliance or combination she chose。

Men were being enlisted and armed; to defend the State; and there was not the least evidence that the national Administration designed to make any effort; by force; to vindicate the national authority。  I therefore bade adieu to all my friends; and about the 25th of February took my departure by railroad; for Lancaster; via Cairo and Cincinnati。

Before leaving this subject; I will simply record the fate of some of my associates。  The seminary was dispersed by the war; and all the professors and cadets took service in the Confederacy; except Yallas; St。 Ange; and Cadet Taliaferro。  The latter joined a Union regiment; as a lieutenant; after New Orleans was retaken by the United States fleet under Farragut。  I think that both Yallas and St。 Ange have died in poverty since the war。  Major Smith joined the rebel army in Virginia; and was killed in April; 1865; as he was withdrawing his garrison; by night; from the batteries at Drury's Bluff; at the time General Lee began his final retreat from Richmond。  Boyd became a captain of engineers on the staff of General Richard Taylor; was captured; and was in jail at Natchez; Mississippi; when I was on my Meridian expedition。  He succeeded in getting a letter to me on my arrival at Vicksburg; and; on my way down to New Orleans; I stopped at Natchez; took him along; and enabled him to effect an exchange through General Banks。  As soon as the war was over; he returned to Alexandria; and reorganized the old institution; where I visited him in 1867; but; the next winter; the building took fire end burned to the ground。  The students; library; apparatus; etc。; were transferred to Baton Rouge; where the same institution now is; under the title of the Louisiana University。  I have been able to do them many acts of kindness; and am still in correspondence; with Colonel Boyd; its president。

General G。 Mason Graham is still living on his plantation; on Bayou Rapides; old and much respected。

Dr。 S。 A。 Smith became a surgeon in the rebel army; and at the close of the war was medical director of the trans…Mississippi Department; with General Kirby Smith。  I have seen him since the war; at New Orleans; where he died about a year ago。

Dr。 Clark was in Washington recently; applying for a place as United States consul abroad。  I assisted him; but with no success; and he is now at Baltimore; Maryland。

After the battle of Shiloh; I found among the prisoners Cadet Barrow; fitted him out with some clean clothing; of which he was in need; and from him learned that Cadet Workman was killed in that battle。

Governor Moore's plantation was devastated by General Banks's troops。  After the war he appealed to me; and through the Attorney…General; Henry Stanbery; I aided in having his land restored to him; and I think he is now living there。

Bragg; Beauregard; and Taylor; enacted high parts in the succeeding war; and now reside in Louisiana or Texas




CHAPTER VIII。

MISSOURI

APRIL AND MAY; 1861。

During the time of these events in Louisiana; I was in constant correspondence with my brother; John Sherman; at Washington; Mr。 Ewing; at Lancaster; Ohio; and Major H。 S。 Turner; at St。 Louis。  I had managed to maintain my family comfortably at Lancaster; but was extremely anxious about the future。  It looked like the end of my career; for I did not suppose that 〃civil war〃 could give me an employment that would provide for the family。  I thought; and may have said; that the national crisis had been brought about by the politicians; and; as it was upon us; they 〃might fight it out〃 Therefore; when I turned North from New Orleans; I felt more disposed to look to St。 Louis for a home; and to Major。  Turner to find me employment; than to the public service。

I left New Orleans about the 1st of March; 1861; by rail to Jackson and Clinton; Mississippi; Jackson; Tennessee; and Columbus; Kentucky; where we took a boat to Cairo; and thence; by rail; to Cincinnati and Lancaster。  All the way; I heard; in the cars and boats; warm discussions about polities; to the effect that; if Mr。 Lincoln should attempt coercion of the seceded States; the other slave or border States would make common cause; when; it was believed; it would be madness to attempt to reduce them to subjection。  In the South; the people were earnest; fierce and angry; and were evidently organizing for action; whereas; in Illinois; Indiana; and Ohio; I saw not the least sign of preparation。  It certainly looked to me as though the people of the North would tamely submit to a disruption of the Union; and the orators of the South used; openly and constantly; the expressions that there would be no war; and that a lady's thimble would hold all the blood to be shed。  On reaching Lancaster; I found letters from my brother John; inviting me to come to Washington; as he wanted to see me; and from Major Tamer; at St。 Louis; that he was trying to secure for me the office of president of the Fifth Street Railroad; with a salary of twenty…five hundred dollars; that Mr
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