memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第73章

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n　used　so　long　for　camps　that　they　were　foul　and　unfit。

By　invitation　I　was　on　the　reviewing…stand；　and　witnessed　the　review　of　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　（on　the　23d）；　commanded　by　General　Meade　in　person。　　The　day　was　beautiful；　and　the　pageant　was　superb。　　Washington　was　full　of　strangers；　who　filled　the　streets　in　holiday…dress；　and　every　house　was　decorated　with　flags。　The　army　marched　by　divisions　in　close　column　around　the　Capitol；　down　Pennsylvania　Avenue；　past　the　President　and　cabinet；　who　occupied　a　large　stand　prepared　for　the　occasion；　directly　in　front　of　the　White　House。

I　had　telegraphed　to　Lancaster　for　Mrs。　Sherman；　who　arrived　that　day；　accompanied　by　her　father；　the　Hon。　Thomas　Ewing；　and　my　son　Tom；　then　eight　years　old。

During　the　afternoon　and　night　of　the　23d；　the　Fifteenth；　Seven…　teenth；　and　Twentieth　Corps；　crossed　Long　Bridge；　bivouacked　in　the　streets　about　the　Capitol；　and　the　Fourteenth　Corps　closed　up　to　the　bridge。　　The　morning　of　the　24th　was　extremely　beautiful；　and　the　ground　was　in　splendid　order　for　our　review。　　The　streets　were　filled　with　people　to　see　the　pageant；　armed　with　bouquets　of　flowers　for　their　favorite　regiments　or　heroes；　and　every　thing　was　propitious。　　Punctually　at　9　A。M。　the　signal…gun　was　fired；　when　in　person；　attended　by　General　Howard　and　all　my　staff；　I　rode　slowly　down　Pennsylvania　Avenue；　the　crowds　of　men；　women；　and　children；　densely　lining　the　sidewalks；　and　almost　obstructing　the　way。　　We　were　followed　close　by　General　Logan　and　the　head　of　the　Fifteenth　Corps。　　When　I　reached　the　Treasury…building；　and　looked　back；　the　sight　was　simply　magnificent。　　The　column　was　compact；　and　the　glittering　muskets　looked　like　a　solid　mass　of　steel；　moving　with　the　regularity　of　a　pendulum。　　We　passed　the　Treasury　building；　in　front　of　which　and　of　the　White　House　was　an　immense　throng　of　people；　for　whom　extensive　stands　had　been　prepared　on　both　sides　of　the　avenue。　　As　I　neared　the　brick…house　opposite　the　lower　corner　of　Lafayette　Square；　some　one　asked　me　to　notice　Mr。　Seward；　who；　still　feeble　and　bandaged　for　his　wounds；　had　been　removed　there　that　he　might　behold　the　troops。　　I　moved　in　that　direction　and　took　off　my　hat　to　Mr。　Seward；　who　sat　at　an　upper　window。　　He　recognized　the　salute；　returned　it；　and　then　we　rode　on　steadily　past　the　President；　saluting　with　our　swords。　　All　on　his　stand　arose　and　acknowledged　the　salute。　　Then；　turning　into　the　gate　of　the　presidential　grounds；　we　left　our　horses　with　orderlies；　and　went　upon　the　stand；　where　I　found　Mrs。　Sherman；　with　her　father　and　son。　　Passing　them；　I　shook　hands　with　the　President；　General　Grant；　and　each　member　of　the　cabinet。　　As　I　approached　Mr。　Stanton；　he　offered　me　his　hand；　but　I　declined　it　publicly；　and　the　fact　was　universally　noticed。　I　then　took　my　post　on　the　left　of　the　President；　and　for　six　hours　and　a　half　stood；　while　the　army　passed　in　the　order　of　the　Fifteenth；　Seventeenth；　Twentieth；　and　Fourteenth　Corps。　It　was；　in　my　judgment；　the　most　magnificent　army　in　existencesixty…five　thousand　men；　in　splendid　physique；　who　had　just　completed　a　march　of　nearly　two　thousand　miles　in　a　hostile　country；　in　good　drill；　and　who　realized　that　they　were　being　closely　scrutinized　by　thousands　of　their　fellow…countrymen　and　by　foreigners。　　Division　after　division　passed；　each　commander　of　an　army　corps　or　division　coming　on　the　stand　during　the　passage　of　his　command；　to　be　presented　to　the　President；　cabinet；　and　spectators。　　The　steadiness　and　firmness　of　the　tread；　the　careful　dress　on　the　guides；　the　uniform　intervals　between　the　companies；　all　eyes　directly　to　the　front；　and　the　tattered　and　bullet…riden　flags；　festooned　with　flowers；　all　attracted　universal　notice。　Many　good　people；　up　to　that　time；　had　looked　upon　our　Western　army　as　a　sort　of　mob；　but　the　world　then　saw；　and　recognized　the　fact；　that　it　was　an　army　in　the　proper　sense；　well　organized；　well　commanded　and　disciplined；　and　there　was　no　wonder　that　it　had　swept　through　the　South　like　a　tornado。　　For　six　hours　and　a　half　that　strong　tread　of　the　Army　of　the　West　resounded　along　Pennsylvania　Avenue；　not　a　soul　of　that　vast　crowd　of　spectators　left　his　place；　and；　when　the　rear　of　the　column　had　passed　by；　thousands　of　the　spectators　still　lingered　to　express　their　sense　of　confidence　in　the　strength　of　a　Government　which　could　claim　such　an　army。

Some　little　scenes　enlivened　the　day；　and　called　for　the　laughter　and　cheers　of　the　crowd。　　Each　division　was　followed　by　six　ambulances；　as　a　representative　of　its　baggage…train。　　Some　of　the　division　commanders　had　added；　by　way　of　variety；　goats；　milch…　cows；　and　pack…mules；　whose　loads　consisted　of　game…cocks；　poultry；　hams；　etc。；　and　some　of　them　had　the　families　of　freed　slaves　along；　with　the　women　leading　their　children。　　Each　division　was　preceded　by　its　corps　of　black　pioneers；　armed　with　picks　and　spades。　　These　marched　abreast　in　double　ranks；　keeping　perfect　dress　and　step；　and　added　much　to　the　interest　of　the　occasion。　　On　the　whole；　the　grand　review　was　a　splendid　success；　and　was　a　fitting　conclusion　to　the　campaign　and　the　war。

I　will　now　conclude　by　a　copy　of　my　general　orders　taking　leave　of　the　army；　which　ended　my　connection　with　the　war；　though　I　afterward　visited　and　took　a　more　formal　leave　of　the　officers　and　men　on　July　4；　1865；　at　Louisville；　Kentucky：




＇SPECIAL　FIELD　ORDERS　NO。　76＇

HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OF　THE　MISSISSIPPI；　IN　THE　FIELD；　WASHINGTON；　D。C。　May　30；　1865

The　general　commanding　announces　to　the　Armies　of　the　Tennessee　and　Georgia　that　the　time　has　come　for　us　to　part。　　Our　work　is　done；　and　armed　enemies　no　longer　defy　us。　　Some　of　you　will　go　to　your　homes；　and　others　will　be　retained　in　military　service　till　further　orders。

And　now　that　we　are　all　about　to　separate；　to　mingle　with　the　civil　world；　it　becomes　a　pleasing　duty　to　recall　to　mind　the　situation　of　national　affairs　when；　but　little　more　than　a　year　ago；　we　were　gathered　about　the　cliffs　of　Lookout　Mountain；　and　all　the　future　was　wrapped　in　doubt　and　uncertainty。

Three　armies　had　come　together　from　distant　fields；　with　separate　histories；　yet　bound　by　one　common　causethe　union　of　our　country；　and　the　perpetuation　of　the　Government　of　our　inheritance。　　There　is　no　need　to　recall　to　your　memories　Tunnel　Hill；　with　Rocky…Face　Mountain　and　Buzzard…Roost　Gap；　and　the　ugly　forts　of　Dalton　behind。

We　were　in　earnest；　and　paused　not　for　danger　and　diffculty；　but　dashed　through　Snake…Creek　Gap　and　fell　on　Resaca；　then　on　to　the　Etowah；　to　Dallas；　Kenesaw；　and　the　heats　of　summer　found　us　on　the　banks　of　the　Chattahoochee；　far　from　home；　and　dependent　on　a　single　road　for　supplies。　　Again　we　were　not　to　be　held　back　by　any　obstacle；　and　crossed　over　and　fought　four　hard　battles　for　the　possession　of　the　citadel　of　Atlanta。　　That　was　the　crisis　of　our　history。　　A　doubt　still　clouded　our　future；　but　we　solved　the　problem；　destroyed　Atlanta；　struck　boldly　across　the　State　of　Georgia；　severed　all　the　main　arteries　of　life　to　our　enemy；　and　Christmas　found　us　at　Savannah。

Waiting　there　only　long　enough　to　fill　our　wagons；　we　again　began　a　march　which；　for　peril；　labor；　and　results；　will　compare　with　any　ever　made　by　an　organized　army。　　The　floods　of　the　Savannah；　the　swamps　of　the　Combahee　and　Edisto；　the　〃high　hills〃　and　rocks　of　the　Santee；　the　flat　quagmires　of　the　Pedee　and　Cape　Fear　Rivers；　were　all　passed　in　midwinter；　with　its　floods　and　rains；　in　the　face　of　an　accumulating　enemy；　and；　after　the　battles　of　Averysboro'　and　Bentonsville；　we　once　more　came　out　of　the　wilderness；　to　meet　our　friends　at　Goldsboro'。　　Even　then　we　paused　only　long　enough　to　get　new　clothing；　to　reload　our　wagons；　again　pushed　on　to　Raleigh　and　beyond；　until　we　met　our　enemy　suing　for　peace；　instead　of　war；　and　offering　to　submit　to　the　injured　laws　of　his　and　our　country。　　As　long　as　that　enemy　was　defiant；　nor　mountains　nor　rivers；　nor　swamps；　nor　hunger；　nor　cold；　had　checked　us；　but　when　he；　who　had　fought　us　hard　and　persistently；　offered　submission；　your　general　thought　it　wrong　to　pursue　him　farther；　and　negotiations　followed；　which　resulted；　as　you　all　know；　in　his　surrender。

How　far　the　operations　of　this　army　contributed　to　the　final　overthrow　of　the　Confederacy　and　the　peace　which　now　dawns　upon　us；　must　be　judged　by　others；　not　by　us；　but　that　you　have　done　all　that　men　could　do　has　been　admitted　by　those　in　authority；　and　we　have　a　right　to　join　in　the　universal　joy　that　fills　our　land　because　the　war　is　over；　and　our　Government　stands　vindicated　before　the　world　by　the　joint　action　of　the　volunteer　armies　and　navy　of　the　United　States。

To　such　as　remain　in　the　service；　your　general　need　only　remind　you　that　success　in　the　past　was　due　to　hard　work　and　discipline；　and　that　the　same　work　and　discipline　are　equally　important　in　the　future。　　To　such　as　go　home；　he　will　only　say　that　our　favored　country　is　so　grand；　so　extensive；　so　diversified　in　climate；　soil；　and　productions；　that　every　man　may　find　a　home　and　occupation　suited　to　his　taste；　none　should　yield　to　the　natural　impatience　sure　to　result　from　our　past　life　of　excitement　and　adventure。　　You　will　be　invited　to　seek　new　adventures　abroad；　do　not　yield　to　the　temptation；　for　it　will　lead　only　to　death　and　disappointment。

Your　general　now　bids　you　farewell；　with　the　full　belief　that；　as　in　war　you　have　been　good　soldiers；　so　in　peace　you　will　make　good　citizens；　and　if；　unfortunately；　new　war　should　arise　in　our　country；　〃Sherman's　army〃　will　be　the　first　to　buckle　on　its　old　armor；　and　come　forth　to　defend　and　maintain　the　Government　of　our　inheritance。

By　order　of　Major…General　W。　T。　Sherman；

L。　　M。　　DAYTON；　Assistant　Adjutant…General。



List　of　the　Average　Number　of　Miles　marched　by　the　Different　Army　Corps　of　the　United　States　Forces　under　Command　of　Major…General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　United　States　Army；　during　his　Campaigns：　1863…'64…'65。

　　　　　　　　　4th　　　　　　　14th　　　　　　15th　　　　　　16th　　　　　　17th　　　　　　　20th　　　　　　　　　Corps。　　　Corps。　　　　Corps。　　　Corps　　　　Corps。　　　　Corps。

Miles：　　　110　　　　　1；586　　　　　2；289　　　　　508　　　　　2；076　　　　　1；525




CHAPTER　XXV。

CONCLUSIONMILITARY　LESSONS　OF　THE　WAR。

Having　thus　recorded　a　summary　of　events；　mostly　under　my　own　personal　supervision；　during　the　years　from　1846　to　1865；　it　seems　proper　that　I　should　add　an　opinion　of　some　of　the　useful　military　lessons　to　be　derived　therefrom。

That　civil　war；　by　reason　of　the　existence　of　slavery；　was　apprehended　by　most　of　the　leading　statesmen　of　the　half…century　preceding　its　outbreak；　is　a　matter　of　notoriety。　　General　Scott　told　me　on　my　arrival　at　New　York；　as　early　as　1850；　that　the　country　was　on　the　eve　of　civil　war；　and　the　Southern　politicians　openly　asserted　that　it　was　their。　　purpose　to　accept　as　a　casus　belli　the　election　of　General　Fremont　in　1856；　but；　fortunately　or　unfortunately；　he　was　beaten　by　Mr。　Buchanan；　which　simply　postponed　its　occurrence　for　four　years。　　Mr。　Seward　had　also　publicly　declared　that　no　government　could　possibly　exist　half　slave　and　half　free；　yet　the　Government　made　no　military　preparation；　and　the　Northern　people　generally　paid　no　attention；　took　no　warning　of　its　coming；　and　would　no