memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第47章

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t　the　Secretary　of　War。　　Twenty　responded；　and　were　received　in　my　room　up…stairs　in　Mr。　Green's　house；　where　Mr。　Stanton　and　Adjutant…General　Townsend　took　down　the　conversation　in　the　form　of　questions　and　answers。　　Each　of　the　twenty　gave　his　name　and　partial　history；　and　then　selected　Garrison　Frazier　as　their　spokesman：

First　Question。　　State　what　your　understanding　is　in　regard　to　the　acts　of　Congress　and　President　Lincoln's　proclamation　touching　the　colored　people　in　the　rebel　States？

Answer。　　So　far　as　I　understand　President　Lincoln's　proclamation　to　the　rebel　States；　it　is；　that　if　they　will　lay　down　their　arms　and　submit　to　the　laws　of　the　United　States；　before　the　1st　of　January；　1863；　all　should　be　well；　but　if　they　did　not；　then　all　the　slaves　in　the　Southern　States　should　be　free；　henceforth　and　forever。　That　is　what　I　understood。

Second　Question。　　State　what　you　understand　by　slavery；　and　the　freedom　that　was　to　be　given　by　the　President's　proclamation？

Answer。　　Slavery　is　receiving　by　irresistible　power　the　work　of　another　man；　and　not　by　his　consent。　　The　freedom；　as　I　understand　it；　promised　by　the　proclamation；　is　taking　us　from　under　the　yoke　of　bondage　and　placing　us　where　we　can　reap　the　fruit　of　our　own　labor；　and　take　care　of　ourselves　and　assist　the　Government　in　maintaining　our　freedom。

Fourth　Question。　　State　in　what　manner　you　would　rather　live…　…whether　scattered　among　the　whites；　or　in　colonies　by　yourselves？

Answer。　　I　would　prefer　to　live　by　ourselves；　for　there　is　a　prejudice　against　us　in　the　South　that　will　take　years　to　get　over；　but　I　do　not　know　that　I　can　answer　for　my　brethren。

（All　but　Mr。　Lynch；　a　missionary　from　the　North；　agreed　with　Frazier；　but　he　thought　they　ought　to　live　together；　along　with　the　whites。）

Eighth　Question。　　If　the　rebel　leaders　were　to　arm　the　slaves；　what　would　be　its　effect？

Answer。　　I　think　they　would　fight　as　long　as　they　were　before　the　〃bayonet；〃　and　just　as　soon　as　they　could　get　away　they　would　desert；　in　my　opinion。

Tenth　Question。　　Do　you　understand　the　mode　of　enlistment　of　colored　persons　in　the　rebel　States　by　State　agents；　under　the　act　of　Congress；　if　yea；　what　is　your　understanding？

Answer。　　My　understanding　is；　that　colored　persons　enlisted　by　State　agents　are　enlisted　as　substitutes；　and　give　credit　to　the　State　and　do　not　swell　the　army；　because　every　black　man　enlisted　by　a　State　agent　leaves　a　white　man　at　home；　and　also　that　larger　bounties　are　given；　or　promised；　by　the　State　agents　than　are　given　by　the　United　States。　　The　great　object　should　be　to　push　through　this　rebellion　the　shortest　way；　and　there　seems　to　be　something　wanting　in　the　enlistment　by　State　agents；　for　it　don't　strengthen　the　army；　but　takes　one　away　for　every　colored　man　enlisted。

Eleventh　Question。　　State　what；　in　your　opinion；　is　the　best　way　to　enlist　colored　men　as　soldiers？

Answer。　　I　think；　sir；　that　all　compulsory　operations　should　be　put　a　stop　to。　　The　ministers　would　talk　to　them；　and　the　young　men　would　enliSt。　It　is　my　opinion　that　it　world　be　far　better　for　the　State　agents　to　stay　at　home　and　the　enlistments　be　made　for　the　United　States　under　the　direction　of　General　Sherman。

Up　to　this　time　I　was　present；　and；　on　Mr。　Stanton's　intimating　that　he　wanted　to　ask　some　questions　affecting　me；　I　withdrew；　and　then　he　put　the　twelfth　and　last　question

Twelfth　Question。　　State　what　is　the　feeling　of　the　colored　people　toward　General　Sherman；　and　how　far　do　they　regard　his　sentiments　and　actions　as　friendly　to　their　rights　and　interests；　or　otherwise。

Answer。　　We　looked　upon　General　Sherman；　prior　to　his　arrival；　as　a　man；　in　the　providence　of　God；　specially　set　apart　to　accomplish　this　work；　and　we　unanimously　felt　inexpressible　gratitude　to　him；　looking　upon　him　as　a　man　who　should　be　honored　for　the　faithful　performance　of　his　duty。　　Some　of　us　called　upon　him　immediately　upon　his　arrival；　and　it　is　probable　he　did　not　meet　the　secretary　with　more　courtesy　than　he　did　us。　　His　conduct　and　deportment　toward　us　characterized　him　as　a　friend　and　gentleman。　　We　have　confidence　in　General　Sherman；　and　think　what　concerns　us　could　not　be　in　better　hands。　　This　is　our　opinion　now；　from　the　short　acquaintance　and　intercourse　we　have　had。


It　certainly　was　a　strange　fact　that　the　great　War　Secretary　should　have　catechized　negroes　concerning　the　character　of　a　general　who　had　commanded　a　hundred　thousand　men　in　battle；　had　captured　cities　conducted　sixty…five　thousand　men　successfully　across　four　hundred　miles　of　hostile　territory；　and　had　just　brought　tens　of　thousands　of　freedmen　to　a　place　of　security；　but　because　I　had　not　loaded　down　my　army　by　other　hundreds　of　thousands　of　poor　negroes；　I　was　construed　by　others　as　hostile　to　the　black　race。　　I　had　received　from　General　Halleck；　at　Washington；　a　letter　warning　me　that　there　were　certain　influential　parties　near　the　President　who　were　torturing　him　with　suspicions　of　my　fidelity　to　him　and　his　negro　policy；　but　I　shall　always　believe　that　Mr。　Lincoln；　though　a　civilian；　knew　better；　and　appreciated　my　motives　and　character。　Though　this　letter　of　General　Halleck　has　always　been　treated　by　me　as　confidential；　I　now　insert　it　here　at　length：



HEADQUARTERS　OF　THE　ARMY　WASHINGTON；　D。C。；　December　30；　1864。

Major…General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Savannah。


MY　DEAR　GENERAL：　I　take　the　liberty　of　calling　your　attention；　in　this　private　and　friendly　way；　to　a　matter　which　may　possibly　hereafter　be　of　more　importance　to　you　than　either　of　us　may　now　anticipate。

While　almost　every　one　is　praising　your　great　march　through　Georgia；　and　the　capture　of　Savannah；　there　is　a　certain　class　having　now　great　influence　with　the　President；　and　very　probably　anticipating　still　more　on　a　change　of　cabinet；　who　are　decidedly　disposed　to　make　a　point　against　you。　　I　mean　in　regard　to　〃inevitable　Sambo。〃　　They　say　that　you　have　manifested　an　almost　criminal　dislike　to　the　negro；　and　that　you　are　not　willing　to　carry　out　the　wishes　of　the　Government　in　regard　to　him；　but　repulse　him　with　contempt！　They　say　you　might　have　brought　with　you　to　Savannah　more　than　fifty　thousand；　thus　stripping　Georgia　of　that　number　of　laborers；　and　opening　a　road　by　which　as　many　more　could　have　escaped　from　their　masters；　but　that；　instead　of　this；　you　drove　them　from　your　ranks；　prevented　their　following　you　by　cutting　the　bridges　in　your　rear；　and　thus　caused　the　massacre　of　large　numbers　by　Wheeler's　cavalry。

To　those　who　know　you　as　I　do；　such　accusation　will　pass　as　the　idle　winds；　for　we　presume　that　you　discouraged　the　negroes　from　following　you　because　you　had　not　the　means　of　supporting　them；　and　feared　they　might　seriously　embarrass　your　march。　　But　there　are　others；　and　among　them　some　in　high　authority；　who　think　or　pretend　to　think　otherwise；　and　they　are　decidedly　disposed　to　make　a　point　against　you。

I　do　not　write　this　to　induce　you　to　conciliate　this　class　of　men　by　doing　any　thing　which　you　do　not　deem　right　and　proper；　and　for　the　interest　of　the　Government　and　the　country；　but　simply　to　call　your　attention　to　certain　things　which　are　viewed　here　somewhat　differently　than　from　your　stand…point。　　I　will　explain　as　briefly　as　possible：

Some　here　think　that；　in　view　of　the　scarcity　of　labor　in　the　South；　and　the　probability　that　a　part；　at　least；　of　the　able…　bodied　slaves　will　be　called　into　the　military　service　of　the　rebels；　it　is　of　the　greatest　importance　to　open　outlets　by　which　these　slaves　can　escape　into　our　lines；　and　they　say　that　the　route　you　have　passed　over　should　be　made　the　route　of　escape；　and　Savannah　the　great　plane　of　refuge。　　These；　I　know；　are　the　views　of　some　of　the　leading　men　in　the　Administration；　and　they　now　express　dissatisfaction　that　you　did　not　carry　them　out　in　your　great　raid。

Now　that　you　are　in　possession　of　Savannah；　and　there　can　be　no　further　fears　about　supplies；　would　it　not　be　possible　for　you　to　reopen　these　avenues　of　escape　for　the　negroes；　without　interfering　with　your　military　operations？　Could　not　such　escaped　slaves　find　at　least　a　partial　supply　of　food　in　the　rice…fields　about　Savannah；　and　cotton　plantations　on　the　coast？

I　merely　throw　out　these　suggestions。　　I　know　that　such　a　course　would　be　approved　by　the　Government；　and　I　believe　that　a　manifestation　on　your　part　of　a　desire　to　bring　the　slaves　within　our　lines　will　do　much　to　silence　your　opponents。　　You　will　appreciate　my　motives　in　writing　this　private　letter。　Yours　truly；

H。　W。　HALLECK。




There　is　no　doubt　that　Mr。　Stanton；　when　he　reached　Savannah；　shared　these　thoughts；　but　luckily　the　negroes　themselves　convinced　him　that　he　was　in　error；　and　that　they　understood　their　own　interests　far　better　than　did　the　men　in　Washington；　who　tried　to　make　political　capital　out　of　this　negro　question。　　The　idea　that　such　men　should　have　been　permitted　to　hang　around　Mr。　Lincoln；　to　torture　his　life　by　suspicions　of　the　officers　who　were　toiling　with　the　single　purpose　to　bring　the　war　to　a　successful　end；　and　thereby　to　liberate　all　slaves；　is　a　fair　illustration　of　the　influences　that　poison　a　political　capital。

My　aim　then　was；　to　whip　the　rebels；　to　humble　their　pride；　to　follow　them　to　their　inmost　recesses；　and　make　them　fear　and　dread　us。　　〃Fear　of　the　Lord　is　the　beginning　of　wisdom。〃　　I　did　not　want　them　to　cast　in　our　teeth　what　General　Hood　had　once　done　in　Atlanta；　that　we　had　to　call　on　their　slaves　to　help　us　to　subdue　them。　　But；　as　regards　kindness　to　the　race；　encouraging　them　to　patience　and　forbearance；　procuring　them　food　and　clothing；　and　providing　them　with　land　whereon　to　labor；　I　assert　that　no　army　ever　did　more　for　that　race　than　the　one　I　commanded　in　Savannah。　When　we　reached　Savannah；　we　were　beset　by　ravenous　State　agents　from　Hilton　Head；　who　enticed　and　carried　away　our　servants；　and　the　corps　of　pioneers　which　we　had　organized；　and　which　had　done　such　excellent　service。　　On　one　occasion；　my　own　aide…de…camp；　Colonel　Audenried；　found　at　least　a　hundred　poor　negroes　shut　up　in　a　house　and　pen；　waiting　for　the　night；　to　be　conveyed　stealthily　to　Hilton　Head。　　They　appealed　to　him　for　protection；　alleging　that　they　had　been　told　that　they　must　be　soldiers；　that　〃Massa　Lincoln〃　wanted　them；　etc。　　I　never　denied　the　slaves　a　full　opportunity　for　voluntary　enlistment；　but　I　did　prohibit　force　to　be　used；　for　I　knew　that　the　State　agents　were　more　influenced　by　the　profit　they　derived　from　the　large　bounties　then　being　paid　than　by　any　love　of　country　or　of　the　colored　race。　　In　the　language　of　Mr。　Frazier；　the　enlistment　of　every　black　man　〃did　not　strengthen　the　army；　but　took　away　one　white　man　from　the　ranks。〃

During　Mr。　Stanton's　stay　in　Savannah　we　discussed　this　negro　question　very　fully；　he　asked　me　to　draft　an　order　on　the　subject；　in　accordance　with　my　own　views；　that　would　meet　the　pressing　necessities　of　the　case；　and　I　did　so。　　We　went　over　this　order；　No。　15；　of　January　16；　1865；　very　carefully。　　The　secretary　made　some　verbal　modifications；　when　it　was　approved　by　him　in　all　its　details；　I　published　it；　and　it　went　into　operation　at　once。　　It　provided　fully　for　the　enlistment　of　colored　troops；　and　gave　the　freedmen　certain　possessory　rig