memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第50章
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; 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