memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第80章
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sure that without the courage and activity of the department commanders with the small bodies of regular troops on the plains during the years 1866'69； the Pacific Railroads could not have been built； but once built and in full operation the fate of the buffalo and Indian was settled for all time to come。
At the close of the civil war there were one million five hundred and sixteen names on the muster…rolls； of which seven hundred and ninetyseven thousand eight hundred and seven were present； and two hundred and two thousand seven hundred and nine absent； of which twenty…two thousand nine hundred and twenty…nine were regulars； the others were volunteers； colored troops； and veteran reserves。 The regulars consisted of six regiments of cavalry； five of artillery； and nineteen of infantry。 By the act of July 28； 1866； the peace establishment was fixed at one general （Grant）； one lieutenant… general （Sherman）； five major…generals （Halleck； Meade； Sheridan； Thomas； and Hancock）； ten brigadiers （McDowell； Cooke； Pope； Hooker； Schofield； Howard； Terry； Ord； Canby； and Rousseau）； ten regiments of cavalry； five of artillery； and forty…five of infantry； admitting of an aggregate force of fifty…four thousand six hundred and forty…one men。
All others were mustered out； and thus were remanded to their homes nearly a million of strong； vigorous men who had imbibed the somewhat erratic habits of the soldier； these were of every profession and trade in life； who； on regaining their homes； found their places occupied by others； that their friends and neighbors were different； and that they themselves had changed。 They naturally looked for new homes to the great West； to the new Territories and States as far as the Pacific coast； and we realize to…day that the vigorous men who control Kansas； Nebraska； Dakota； Montana； Colorado； etc。； etc。； were soldiers of the civil war。 These men flocked to the plains； and were rather stimulated than retarded by the danger of an Indian war。 This was another potent agency in producing the result we enjoy to…day； in having in so short a time replaced the wild buffaloes by more numerous herds of tame cattle； and by substituting for the useless Indians the intelligent owners of productive farms and cattle…ranches。
While these great changes were being wrought at the West； in the East politics had resumed full sway； and all the methods of anti…war times had been renewed。 President Johnson had differed with his party as to the best method of reconstructing the State governments of the South； which had been destroyed and impoverished by the war； and the press began to agitate the question of the next President。 Of course； all Union men naturally turned to General Grant； and the result was jealousy of him by the personal friends of President Johnson and some of his cabinet。 Mr。 Johnson always seemed very patriotic and friendly； and I believed him honest and sincere in his declared purpose to follow strictly the Constitution of the United States in restoring the Southern States to their normal place in the Union； but the same cordial friendship subsisted between General Grant and myself； which was the outgrowth of personal relations dating back to 1839。 So I resolved to keep out of this conflict。 In September； 1866； I was in the mountains of New Mexico； when a message reached me that I was wanted at Washington。 I had with me a couple of officers and half a dozen soldiers as escort； and traveled down the Arkansas； through the Kiowas； Comanches； Cheyennes； and Arapahoes； all more or less disaffected； but reached St。 Louis in safety； and proceeded to Washington； where I reported to General Grant。
He explained to me that President Johnson wanted to see me。 He did not know the why or wherefore； but supposed it had some connection with an order he （General Grant） had received to escort the newly appointed Minister； Hon。 Lew Campbell； of Ohio； to the court of Juarez； the President…elect of Mexico； which country was still in possession of the Emperor Maximilian； supported by a corps of French troops commanded by General Bazaine。 General Grant denied the right of the President to order him on a diplomatic mission unattended by troops； said that he had thought the matter over； world disobey the order； and stand the consequences。 He manifested much feeling； and said it was a plot to get rid of him。 I then went to President Johnson； who treated me with great cordiality； and said that he was very glad I had come； that General Grant was about to go to Mexico on business of importance； and he wanted me at Washington to command the army in General Grant's absence。 I then informed him that General Grant would not go； and he seemed amazed； said that it was generally understood that General Grant construed the occupation of the territories of our neighbor； Mexico； by French troops； and the establishment of an empire therein； with an Austrian prince at its head； as hostile to republican America； and that the Administration had arranged with the French Government for the withdrawal of Bazaine's troops； which would leave the country free for the President…elect Juarez to reoccupy the city of Mexico； etc。； etc。； that Mr。 Campbell had been accredited to Juarez； and the fact that he was accompanied by so distinguished a soldier as General Grant would emphasize the act of the United States。 I simply reiterated that General Grant would not go； and that he； Mr。 Johnson； could not afford to quarrel with him at that time。 I further argued that General Grant was at the moment engaged on the most delicate and difficult task of reorganizing the army under the act of July 28； 1866； that if the real object was to put Mr。 Campbell in official communication with President Juarez； supposed to be at El Paso or Monterey； either General Hancock； whose command embraced New Mexico； or General Sheridan； whose command included Texas； could fulfil the object perfectly； or； in the event of neither of these alternates proving satisfactory to the Secretary of State； that I could be easier spared than General Grant。 〃Certainly；〃 answered the President； 〃if you will go； that will answer perfectly。〃
The instructions of the Secretary of State； W。 H。 Seward； to Hon。 Lewis D。 Campbell； Minister to Mexico； dated October 25； 1866； a letter from President Johnson to Secretary of War Stanton； dated October 26； 1866； and the letter of Edwin M。 Stanton； Secretary of War； to General Grant； dated October 27th； had been already prepared and printed； and the originals or copies were furnished me； but on the 30th of October； 1866； the following letter passed
EXECUTIVE MANSION
WASHINGTON； D。 C。； October 30；1866。
SIR： General Ulysses S。 Grant having found it inconvenient to assume the duties specified in my letter to you of the 26th inst。； you will please relieve him； and assign them in all respects to William T。 Sherman； Lieutenant…General of the Army of the United States。 By way of guiding General Sherman in the performance of his duties； you will furnish him with a copy of your special orders to General Grant made in compliance with my letter of the 26th inst。； together with a copy of the instructions of the Secretary of State to Lewis D。 Campbell； Esq。； therein mentioned。
The lieutenant…general will proceed to the execution of his duties without delay。
Very respectfully yours；
ANDREW JOHNSON To the Hon。 EDWIN M。 STANTON； Secretary of War。
At the Navy Department I learned that the United States ship Susquehanna； Captain Alden； was fitting out in New York for the use of this mission； and that there would be time for me to return to St。 Louis to make arrangements for a prolonged absence； as also to communicate with Mr。 Campbell； who was still at his home in Hamilton； Ohio。 By correspondence we agreed to meet in New York； November 8th； he accompanied by Mr。 Plumb； secretary of legation； and I by my aide； Colonel Audenried。
We embarked November 10th； and went to sea next day； making for Havana and Vera Cruz； and； as soon as we were outside of Sandy Hook； I explained to Captain Alden that my mission was ended； because I believed by substituting myself for General Grant I had prevented a serious quarrel between him and the Administration； which was unnecessary。 We reached Havana on the 18th； with nothing to vary the monotony of an ordinary sea…voyage； except off Hatteras we picked up one woman and twenty men from open boats； who had just abandoned a propeller bound from Baltimore to Charleston which foundered。 The sea was very rough； but by the personal skill and supervision of Captain Alden every soul reached our deck safely； and was carried to our consul at Havana。 At Havana we were very handsomely entertained； especially by Senor Aldama； who took us by rail to his sugar…estates at Santa Ross； and back by Matanzas。
We took our departure thence on the 25th； and anchored under Isla Verde； off Vera Cruz； on the 29th。
Everything about Vera Cruz indicated the purpose of the French to withdraw； and also that the Emperor Maximilian would precede them； for the Austrian frigate Dandolo was in port； and an Austrian bark； on which were received； according to the report of our consul； Mr。 Lane； as many as eleven hundred packages of private furniture to be transferred to Miramar； Maximilian's home； and Lieutenant Clarin； of the French navy； who visited the Susquehanna from the French commodore； Clouet； told me； without reserve； that； if we had delayed eight days more； we would have found Maximilian gone。 General Bazaine was reported to be in the city of Mexico with about twenty…eight thousand French troops； but instead of leaving Mexico in three detachments； viz。； November； 1866； March； 1867； and November； 1867； as described in Mr。 Seward'a letter to Mr。 Campbell； of October 25； 1866； it looked to me that； as a soldier； he would evacuate at some time before November； 1867； all at once； and not by detachments。 Lieutenant Clarin telegraphed Bazaine at the city of Mexico the fact of our arrival； and he sent me a most courteous and pressing invitation to come up to the city； but； as we were accredited to the government of Juarez； it was considered undiplomatic to establish friendly relations with the existing authorities。 Meantime we could not hear a word of Juarez； and concluded to search for him along the coast northward。 （When I was in Versailles； France； July； 1872； learning that General Bazaine was in arrest for the surrender of his army and post at Metz； in 1870； I wanted to call on him to thank him for his courteous invitation to me at Vera Cruz in 1866。 I inquired of President Thiera if I could with propriety call on the marshal。 He answered that it would be very acceptable； no doubt； but suggested for form's sake that I should consult the Minister of War； General de Cissey； which I did； and he promptly assented。 Accordingly； I called with my aide； Colonel Audenried； on Marshal Bazaine； who occupied a small； two…story stone house at Versailles； in an inclosure with a high garden wall； at the front gate or door of which was a lodge； in which was a military guard。 We were shown to a good room on the second floor； where was seated the marshal in military half…dress； with large head； full face； short neck； and evidently a man of strong physi
