memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第94部分

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would　　〃veteranize　〃viz。；　reenlist　for　the　rest　of　the　war。　This　was　a　judicious　and　wise　measure；　because　it　doubtless　secured　the　services　of　a　very　large　portion　of　the　men　who　had　almost　completed　a　three…years　enlistment；　and　were　therefore　veteran　soldiers　in　feeling　and　in　habit。　　But　to　furlough　so　many　of　our　men　at　that　instant　of　time　was　like　disbanding　an　army　in　the　very　midst　of　battle。

In　order　to　come　to　a　perfect　understanding　with　General　Banks；　I　took　the　steamer　Diana　and　ran　down　to　New　Orleans　to　see　him。　Among　the　many　letters　which　I　found　in　Vicksburg　on　my　return　from　Meridian　was　one　from　Captain　D。　F。　Boyd；　of　Louisiana；　written　from　the　jail　in　Natchez；　telling　me　that　he　was　a　prisoner　of　war　in　our　hands；　had　been　captured　in　Louisiana　by　some　of　our　scouts；　and　he　bespoke　my　friendly　assistance。　　Boyd　was　Professor　of　Ancient　Languages　at　the　Louisiana　Seminary　of　Learning　during　my　administration；　in　1859…'60；　was　an　accomplished　scholar；　of　moderate　views　in　politics；　but；　being　a　Virginian；　was　drawn；　like　all　others　of　his　kind；　into　the　vortex　of　the　rebellion　by　the　events　of　1861；　which　broke　up　colleges　and　every　thing　at　the　South。　　Natchez；　at　this　time；　was　in　my　command；　and　was　held　by　a　strong　division；　commanded　by　Brigadier…General　J。　W。　Davidson。　　In　the　Diana　we　stopped　at　Natchez；　and　I　made　a　hasty　inspection　of　the　place。　　I　sent　for　Boyd；　who　was　in　good　health；　but　quite　dirty；　and　begged　me　to　take　him　out　of　prison；　and　to　effect　his　exchange。　　I　receipted　for　him；　took　him　along　with　me　to　New　Orleans；　offered　him　money；　which　he　declined；　allowed　him　to　go　free　in　the　city；　and　obtained　from　General　Banks　a　promise　to　effect　his　exchange；　which　was　afterward　done。　　Boyd　is　now　my　legitimate　successor　in　Louisiana；　viz。；　President　of　the　Louisiana　University；　which　is　the　present　title　of　what　had　been　the　Seminary　of　Learning。　　After　the　war　was　over；　Boyd　went　back　to　Alexandria；　reorganized　the　old　institution；　which　I　visited　in　1866　but　the　building　was　burnt　down　by　an　accident　or　by　an　incendiary　about　1868；　and　the　institution　was　then　removed　to　Baton　Rouge；　where　it　now　is；　under　its　new　title　of　the　University　of　Louisiana。

We　reached　New　Orleans　on　the　2d　of　March。　　I　found　General　Banks；　with　his　wife　and　daughter；　living　in　a　good　house；　and　he　explained　to　me　fully　the　position　and　strength　of　his　troops；　and　his　plans　of　action　for　the　approaching　campaign。　　I　dined　with　him；　and；　rough　as　I　wasjust　out　of　the　woodsattended；　that　night；　a　very　pleasant　party　at　the　house　of　a　lady；　whose　name　I　cannot　recall；　but　who　is　now　the　wife　of　Captain　Arnold；　Fifth　United　States　Artillery。　　At　this　party　were　also　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Frank　Howe。　　I　found　New　Orleans　mach　changed　since　I　had　been　familiar　with　it　in　1853　and　in　1860…'61。　　It　was　full　of　officers　and　soldiers。　　Among　the　former　were　General　T。　W。　Sherman；　who　had　lost　a　leg　at　Port　Hudson；　and　General　Charles　P：　Stone；　whom　I　knew　so　well　in　California；　and　who　is　now　in　the　Egyptian　service　as　chief　of　staff。　　The　bulk　of　General　Banks's　army　was　about　Opelousas；　under　command　of　General　Franklin；　ready　to　move　on　Alexandria。　　General　Banks　seemed　to　be　all　ready；　but　intended　to　delay　his　departure　a　few　days　to　assist　in　the　inauguration　of　a　civil　government　for　Louisiana；　under　Governor　Hahn。　　In　Lafayette　Square　I　saw　the　arrangements　of　scaffolding　for　the　fireworks　and　benches　for　the　audience。　　General　Banks　urged　me　to　remain　over　the　4th　of　March；　to　participate　in　the　ceremonies；　which　he　explained　would　include　the　performance　of　the　〃Anvil　Chorus〃　by　all　the　bands　of　his　army；　and　during　the　performance　the　church…bells　were　to　be　rung；　and　cannons　were　to　be　fired　by　electricity。　　I　regarded　all　such　ceremonies　as　out　of　place　at　a　time　when　it　seemed　to　me　every　hour　and　every　minute　were　due　to　the　war。　　General　Banks's　movement；　however；　contemplated　my　sending　a　force　of　ten　thousand　men　in　boats　up　Red　River　from　Vicksburg；　and　that　a　junction　should　occur　at　Alexandria　by　March　17th。　　I　therefore　had　no　time　to　wait　for　the　grand　pageant　of　the　4th　of　March；　but　took　my　departure　from　New　Orleans　in　the　Diana　the　evening　of　March　3d。

On　the　next　day；　March　4th；　I　wrote　to　General　Banks　a　letter；　which　was　extremely　minute　in　conveying　to　him　how　far　I　felt　authorized　to　go　under　my　orders　from　General　Grant。　　At　that　time　General　Grant　commanded　the　Military　Division　of　the　Mississippi；　embracing　my　own　Department　of　the　　Tennessee　and　that　of　General　Steele　in　Arkansas；　but　not　that　of　General　Banks　in　Louisiana。　General　Banks　was　acting　on　his　own　powers；　or　under　the　instructions　of　General　Halleck　in　Washington；　and　our；　assistance　to　him　was　designed　as　a　loan　of　ten　thousand　men　for　a　period　of　thirty　days。　　The　instructions　of　March　6th　to　General　A。　J。　Smith；　who　commanded　this　detachment；　were　full　and　explicit　on　this　point。　　The　Diana　reached　Vicksburg　on　the　6th；　where　I　found　that　the　expeditionary　army　had　come　in　from　Canton。　　One　division　of　five　thousand　men　was　made　up　out　of　Hurlbut's　command；　and　placed　under　Brigadier…General　T。　Kilby　Smith；　and　a　similar　division　was　made　out　of　McPherson's　and　Hurlbut's　troops；　and　placed　under　Brigadier…General　Joseph　A。　Mower；　the　whole　commanded　by　Brigadier…General　A。　J。　Smith。　　General　Hurlbut；　with　the　rest　of　his　command；　returned　to　Memphis；　and　General　McPherson　remained　at　Vicksburg。　　General　A。　J。　Smith's　command　was　in　due　season　embarked；　and　proceeded　to　Red　River；　which　it　ascended；　convoyed　by　Admiral　Porter's　fleet。　　General　Mower's　division　was　landed　near　the　outlet　of　the　Atchafalaya；　marched　up　by　land　and　captured　the　fort　below　Alexandria　known　as　Fort　De　Russy；　and　the　whole　fleet　then　proceeded　up　to　Alexandria；　reaching　it　on　the　day　appointed；　viz。；　March　17th；　where　it　waited　for　the　arrival　of　General　Banks；　who；　however；　did　not　come　till　some　days　after。　These　two　divisions　participated　in　the　whole　of　General　Banks's　unfortunate　Red　River　expedition；　and　were　delayed　so　long　up　Red　River；　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　themselve