memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第41部分

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ice　of　president　of　the　Fifth　Street　Railroad；　with　a　salary　of　twenty…five　hundred　dollars；　that　Mr。　Lucas　and　D。　A。　January　held　a　controlling　interest　of　stock；　would　vote　for　me；　and　the　election　would　occur　in　March。　　This　suited　me　exactly；　and　I　answered　Turner　that　I　would　accept；　with　thanks。　But　I　also　thought　it　right　and　proper　that　I　should　first　go　to　Washington；　to　talk　with　my　brother；　Senator　Sherman。

Mr。　Lincoln　had　just　been　installed；　and　the　newspapers　were　filled　with　rumors　of　every　kind　indicative　of　war；　the　chief　act　of　interest　was　that　Major　Robert　Anderson　had　taken　by　night　into　Fort　Sumter　all　the　troops　garrisoning　Charleston　Harbor；　and　that　he　was　determined　to　defend　it　against　the　demands　of　the　State　of　South　Carolina　and　of　the　Confederate　States。　　I　must　have　reached　Washington　about　the　10th　of　March。　　I　found　my　brother　there；　just　appointed　Senator；　in　place　of　Mr。　Chase；　who　was　in　the　cabinet；　and　I　have　no　doubt　my　opinions；　thoughts；　and　feelings；　wrought　up　by　the　events　in　Louisiana；　seemed　to　him　gloomy　and　extravagant。　About　Washington　I　saw　but　few　signs　of　preparation；　though　the　Southern　Senators　and　Representatives　were　daily　sounding　their　threats　on　the　floors　of　Congress；　and　were　publicly　withdrawing　to　join　the　Confederate　Congress　at　Montgomery。　　Even　in　the　War　Department　and　about　the　public　offices　there　was　open；　unconcealed　talk；　amounting　to　high…treason。

One　day；　John　Sherman　took　me　with　him　to　see　Mr。　Lincoln。　　He　walked　into　the　room　where　the　secretary　to　the　President　now　sits；　we　found　the　room　full　of　people；　and　Mr。　Lincoln　sat　at　the　end　of　the　table；　talking　with　three　or　four　gentlemen；　who　soon　left。　John　walked　up；　shook　hands；　and　took　a　chair　near　him；　holding　in　his　hand　some　papers　referring　to；　minor　appointments　in　the　State　of　Ohio；　which　formed　the　subject　of　conversation。　　Mr。　Lincoln　took　the　papers；　said　he　would　refer　them　to　the　proper　heads　of　departments；　and　would　be　glad　to　make　the　appointments　asked　for；　if　not　already　promised。　　John　then　turned　to　me；　and　said；　〃Mr。　President；　this　is　my　brother；　Colonel　Sherman；　who　is　just　up　from　Louisiana；　he　may　give　you　some　information　you　want。〃　　〃Ah！〃　said　Mr。　Lincoln；　〃how　are　they　getting　along　down　there？〃　I　said；　〃They　think　they　are　getting　along　swimminglythey　are　preparing　for　war。〃　　〃Oh；　well！〃　said　he；　〃I　guess　we'll　manage　to　keep　house。〃　I　was　silenced；　said　no　more　to　him；　and　we　soon　left。　　I　was　sadly　disappointed；　and　remember　that　I　broke　out　on　John；　dning　the　politicians　generally；　saying；　〃You　have　got　things　in　a　hell　of　a　fig；　and　you　may　get　them　out　as　you　best　can；〃　adding　that　the　country　was　sleeping　on　a　volcano　that　might　burst　forth　at　any　minute；　but　that　I　was　going　to　St。　Louis　to　take　care　of　my　family；　and　would　have　no　more　to　do　with　it。　　John　begged　me　to　be　more　patient；　but　I　said　I　would　not；　that　I　had　no　time　to　wait；　that　I　was　off　for　St。　Louis；　and　off　I　went。　　At　Lancaster　I　found　letters　from　Major　Turner；　inviting　me　to　St。　Louis；　as　the　place　in　the　Fifth　Street　Railroad　was　a　sure　thing；　and　that　Mr。　Lucas　would　rent　me　a　good　house　on　Locust　Street；　suitable　for　my　family；　for　six　hundred　dollars　a　year。

Mrs。　Sherman　and　I　gathered　our　family　and　effects　together；　started　for　St。　Louis　March　27th；　where　we　rented　of　Mr。　Lucas　the　house　on　Locust　Street；　between　Tenth　and　Eleventh；　and　occupied　it　on　the　1st　of　April。　　Charles　Ewing　and　John　Hunter　had　formed　a　law…partnership　in　St。　Louis；　and　agreed　to　board　with　us；　taking　rooms　on　the　third　floor　In　the　latter　part　of　March；　I　was　duly　elected　president　of　the　Fifth　Street　Railroad；　and　entered　on　the　discharge　of　my　duties　April　1；　1861。　　We　had　a　central　office　on　the　corner　of　Fifth　and　Locust；　and　also　another　up　at　the　stables　in　Bremen。　　The　road　was　well　stocked　and　in　full　operation；　and　all　I　had　to　do　was　to　watch　the　economical　administration　of　existing　affairs；　which　I　endeavored　to　do　with　fidelity　and　zeal。　But　the　whole　air　was　fall　of　wars　and　rumors　of　wars。　　The　struggle　was　going　on　politically　for　the　border　States。　　Even　in　Missouri；　which　was　a　slave　State；　it　was　manifest　that　the　Governor　of　the　State；　Claiborne　Jackson；　and　all　the　leading　politicians；　were　for　the　South　in　case　of　a　war。　　The　house　on　the　northwest　corner　of　Fifth　and　Pine　was　the　rebel　headquarters；　where　the　rebel　flag　was　hung　publicly；　and　the　crowds　about　the　Planters'　House　were　all　more　or　less　rebel。　　There　was　also　a　camp　in　Lindell's　Grove；　at　the　end　of　Olive；　Street；　under　command　of　General　D。　M。　Frost；　a　Northern　man；　a　graduate　of　Pest　Point；　in　open　sympathy　with　the　Southern　leaders。　　This　camp　was　nominally　a　State　camp　of　instruction；　but；　beyond　doubt；　was　in　the　interest　of　the　Southern　cause；　designed　to　be　used　against　the　national　authority　in　the　event　of　the　General　Government's　attempting　to　coerce　the　Southern　Confederacy。　　General　William　S。　Harvey　was　in　command　of　the　Department　of　Missouri；　and　resided　in　his　own　house；　on　Fourth　Street；　below　Market；　and　there　were　five　or　six　companies　of　United　States　troops　in　the　arsenal；　commanded　by　Captain　N。　Lyon；　throughout　the　city；　there　had　been　organized；　almost　exclusively　out　of　the　German　part　of　the　population；　four　or　five　regiments　of　〃Home　Guards；〃　with　which　movement　Frank　Blair；　B。　Gratz　Brown；　John　M。　Schofield；　Clinton　B。　Fisk；　and　others；　were　most　active　on　the　part　of　the　national　authorities。　Frank　Blair's　brother　Montgomery　was　in　the　cabinet　of　Mr。　Lincoln　at　Washington；　and　to　him　seemed　committed　the　general　management　of　affairs　in　Missouri。

The　newspapers　fanned　the　public　excitement　to　the　highest　pitch；　and　threats　of　attacking　the　arsenal　on　the　one　hand；　and　the　mob　of　dd　rebels　in　Camp　Jackson　on　the　other；　were　bandied　about。　　I　tried　my　best　to　keep　out　of　the　current；　and　only　talked　freely　with　a　few　men；　among　them　Colonel　John　O'Fallon；　a　wealthy　gentleman　who　resided　above　St。　Louis。　　He　daily　came　down　to　my　office　in　Bremen；　and　we　walked　up　and　down　the　pavement　by　the　hour；　deploring　the　sad　condition　of　our　country；　and　the　seeming　drift　toward　dissolution　and　anarchy。　　I　used　also　to　go　down　to　the　arsenal　occasionally　to　see　Lyon；　Totten；　and　other　of　my　army　acquaintance；　and　was　glad　to　see　them　making　preparations　to　defend　their　post；　if　not　to　assume　the　offensive。

The　bombardment　of　Fort　Sumter；　which　was　announced　by　telegraph；　began　April　12th；　and　ended　on　the　14th。　　We　then　knew　that　the　war　was　actually　begun；　and　though　the　South　was　openly；　manifestly　the　aggressor；　yet　her　friends　and　apologists　insisted　that　she　was　simply　acting　on　a　justifiable　defensive；　and　that　in　the　forcible　seizure　of；　the　public　forts　within　her　limits　the　people　were　acting　with　reasonable　prudence　and　foresight。　　Yet　neither　party　seemed　willing　to　invade；　or　cross　the　border。　　Davis；　who　ordered　the　bombardment　of　Sumter；　knew　the　temper　of　his　people　well；　and　foresaw　that　it　would　precipitate　the　action　of　the　border　States；　for　almost　immediately　Virginia；　North　Carolina；　Arkansas；　and　Tennessee；　followed　the　lead　of　the　cotton　States；　and　conventions　were　deliberating　in　Kentucky　and　Missouri。

On　the　night　of　Saturday；　April　6th；　I　received　the　following；　dispatch：


Washington；　　April　6；1861。

Major　W。　T。　Sherman：

Will　you　accept　the　chief　clerkship　of　the　War　Department？　We　will　make　you　assistant　Secretary　of　War　when　Congress　meets。

M。　Blair；　Postmaster…General。


To　which　I　replied　by　telegraph；　Monday　morning；　〃I　cannot　accept；〃　and　by　mail　as　follows：


Monday；　Apil　8；　1861。　Office　of　the　St。　Louis　Railroad　Company

Hon。　M。　Blair；　Washington；　D。　C。

I　received；　about　nine　o'clock　Saturday　night；　your　telegraph　dispatch；　which　I　have　this　moment　answered；　〃I　cannot　accept。〃

I　have　quite　a　large　family；　and　when　I　resigned　my　place　in　Louisiana；　on　account　of　secession；　I　had　no　time　to　lose；　and；　therefore；　after　my　hasty　visit　to　Washington；　where　I　saw　no　chance　of　employment；　I　came　to　St。　Louis；　have　accepted　a　place　in　this　company；　have　rented　a　house；　and　incurred　other　obligations；　so　that　I　am　not　at　liberty　to　change。

I　thank　you　for　the　compliment　contained　in　your　offer；　and　assure　you　that　I　wish　the　Administration　all　success　in　its　almost　impossible　task　of　governing　this　distracted　and　anarchical　people。

Yours　truly；

W。T。　SHERMAN


I　was　afterward　told　that　this　letter　gave　offense；　and　that　some　of　Mr。　Lincoln's　cabinet　concluded　that　I　too　would　prove　false　to　the　country。

Later　in　that　month；　after　the　capture　of　Fort　Sumter　by　the　Confederate　authorities；　a　Dr。　Cornyn　came　to　our　house　on　Locust　Street；　one　night　after　I　had　gone　to　bed；　and　told　me　he　had　been　sent　by　Frank　Blair；　who　was　not　well；　and　wanted　to　see　me　that　night　at　his　house。　　I　dressed　and　walked　over　to　his　house　on　Washington　Avenue；　near　Fourteenth；　and　found　there；　in　the　front…room；　several　gentlemen；　among　whom　I　recall　Henry　T。　Blow。　Blair　was　in　the　back…room；　closeted　with　some　gentleman；　who　soon　left；　and　I　was　called　in。　　He　there　told　me　that　the　Government　was　mistrustful　of　General　Harvey；　that　a　change　in　the　command　of　the　department　was　to　be　made；　that　he　held　it　in　his　power　to　appoint　a　brigadier…general；　and　put　him　in　command　of　the　department；　and　he　offered　me　the　place。　　I　told　him　I　had　once　offered　my　services；　and　they　were　declined；　that　I　had　made　business　engagements　in　St。　Louis；　which　I　could　not　throw　off　at　pleasure；　that　I　had　long　deliberated　on　my　course　of　action；　and　must　decline　his　offer；　however　tempting　and　complimentary。　　He　reasoned　with　me；　but　I　persisted。　　He　told　me；　in　that　event；　he　should　appoint　Lyon；　and　he　did　so。

Finding　that　even　my　best　friends　were　uneasy　as　to　my　political　status；　on　the　8th　of　May　I　addressed　the　following　official　letter　to　the　Secretary　of　War：


Office　of　the　St。　Louis　Railroad　Company；　May　8；1881。

Hon。　S。　Cameron；　Secretary　of　War；　Washington；　D。　C。

Dear　Sir：　I　hold　myself　now；　as　always；　prepared　to　serve　my　country　in　the　capacity　for　which　I　was　trained。　　I　did　not　and　will　not　volunteer　for　three　months；　because　I　cannot　throw　my　family　on　t