memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第83章
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with your knowledge。 If this political atmosphere can disturb the equanimity of one so guarded and so prudent as he is； what will be the result with me； so careless； so outspoken as I am？ Therefore； with my consent； Washington never。
As to the Secretary of War； his office is twofold。 As a Cabinet officer he should not be there without your hearty； cheerful assent； and I believe that is the judgment and opinion of every fair…minded man。 As the holder of a civil office； having the supervision of moneys appropriated by Congress and of contracts for army supplies； I do think Congress； or the Senate by delegation from Congress； has a lawful right to be consulted。 At all events； I would not risk a suit or contest on that phase of the question。 The law of Congress； of March 2； 1867； prescribing the manner in which orders and instructions relating to 〃military movements〃 shall reach the army； gives you as constitutional Commander…in… Chief the very power you want to exercise； and enables you to prevent the Secretary from making any such orders and instructions； and consequently he cannot control the army； but is limited and restricted to a duty that an Auditor of the Treasury could perform。 You certainly can afford to await the result。 The Executive power is not weakened； but rather strengthened。 Surely he is not such an obstruction as would warrant violence； or even s show of force； which would produce the very reaction and clamor that he hopes for to save him from the absurdity of holding an empty office 〃for the safety of the country。〃
This is se much as I ought to say； and more too； but if it produces the result I will be more than satisfied； viz。； that I be simply allowed to resume my proper poet and duties in St。 Louis。 With great respect； yours truly；
W。 T。 SHERMAN； Lieutenant…General。
On the 1st of February； the board of which I was the president submitted to the adjutant…general our draft of the 〃Articles of War and Army Regulations；〃 condensed to a small compass； the result of our war experience。 But they did not suit the powers that were； and have ever since slept the sleep that knows no waking； to make room for the ponderous document now in vogue； which will not stand the strain of a week's campaign in real war。
I hurried back to St。 Louis to escape the political storm I saw brewing。 The President repeatedly said to me that he wanted me in Washington； and I as often answered that nothing could tempt me to live in that center of intrigue and excitement； but soon came the following：
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES； WASHINGTON； February 10； 1868。
DEAR GENERAL： I have received at last the President's reply to my last； letter。 He attempts to substantiate his statements by his Cabinet。 In this view it is important that I should have a letter from you； if you are willing to give it； of what I said to you about the effect of the 〃Tenure…of…Office Bill；〃 and my object in going to see the President on Saturday before the installment of Mr。 Stanton。 What occurred after the meeting of the Cabinet on the Tuesday following is not a subject under controversy now； therefore； if you choose to write down your recollection （and I would like to have it） on Wednesday； when you and I called on the President； and your conversation with him the last time you saw him； make that a separate communication。
Your order to come East was received several days ago； but the President withdrew it； I supposed to make some alteration； but it has not been returned。 Yours truly；
U。 S。 GRANT。
＇TELEGRAM。＇
WASHINGTON； D。 C。； February 18； 1868。
Lieutenant…General W。 T。 SHERMAN； St。 Louis。
The order is issued ordering you to Atlantic Division。
U。 S。 GRANT； General。
＇TELEGRAM＇
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI； St。 Louis； February 14； 1868。
General U。 S。 GRANT； Washington； D。 C。
Your dispatch is received informing me that the order for the Atlantic Division has been issued； and that I am assigned to its command。 I was in hopes I had escaped the danger； and now were I prepared I should resign on the spot； as it requires no foresight to predict such must be the inevitable result in the end。 I will make one more desperate effort by mail； which please await。
W。 T。 SHERMAN； Lieutenant…General。
＇TELEGRAM。＇
WASHINGTON； February 14； 1868。 Lieutenant…General W。 T。 SHERMAN； St。 Louis。
I think it due to you that your letter of January 31St to the President of the United States should be published； to correct misapprehension in the public mind about your willingness to come to Washington。 It will not be published against your will。
（Sent in cipher。）
＇TELEGRAM。＇
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI； St。 Louis； MISSOURI； February 14； 1868。
General U。 S。 GRANT； Washington； D。 C。
Dispatch of to…day received。 Please await a letter I address this day through you to the President； which will in due time reach the public； covering the very point you make。
I don't want to come to Washington at all。
W。 T。 SHERMAN； Lieutenant…General。
＇TELEGRAM。＇
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI； St。 Loins； MISSOURI； February 14； 1868。
Hon。 John SHERMAN； United States Senate； Washington； D。 C。
Oppose confirmation of myself as brevet general； on ground that it is unprecedented； and that it is better not to extend the system of brevets above major…general。 If I can't avoid coming to Washington； I may have to resign。
W。 T。 SHERMAN； Lieutenant…General。
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY； WASHINGTON； D。 C。； February 12； 1868。
The following orders are published for the information and guidance of all concerned：
U。 S。 GRANT； General。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON； D。 C。； February 12； 1868。
GENERAL： You will please issue an order creating a military division to be styled the Military Division of the Atlantic； to be composed of the Department of the Lakes； the Department of the East； and the Department of Washington； to be commanded by Lieutenant…General W。 T。 Sherman； with his headquarters at Washington。 Until further orders from the President； you will assign no officer to the permanent command of the Military Division of the Missouri。
Respectfully yours；
ANDREW JOHNSON。
GENERAL U。 S。 GRANT； Commanding Armies of The United States； Washington； D。 C。
Major…General P。 H。 Sheridan； the senior officer in the Military Division of the Missouri； will temporarily perform the duties of commander of the Military Division of the Missouri in addition to his duties of department commander。 By command of General Grant：
E。 D。 TOWNSEND； Assistant Adjutant…General。
This order； if carried into effect； would have grouped in Washington：
1。 The President； constitutional Commander…in…Chief。
2。 The Secretary of War； congressional Commander…in…Chief。
3。 The General of the Armies of the United States。
4。 The Lieutenant…General of the Army。
5。 The Commanding General of the Department of Washington。
6。 The commander of the post…of Washington。
At that date the garrison of Washington was a brigade of infantry and a battery of artillery。 I never doubted Mr。 Johnson's sincerity in wishing to befriend me； but this was the broadest kind of a farce； or meant mischief。 I therefore appealed to him by letter to allow me to remain where I was； and where I could do service； real service； and received his most satisfactory answer。
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI； St。 Louis； MISSOURI； February 14； 1868。
General U。 S。 GRANT； Washington； D。 C。
DEAR GENERAL： Last evening； just before leaving my office； I received your note of the 10th； and had intended answering it according to your request； but； after I got home； I got your dispatch of yesterday； announcing that the order I dreaded so much was issued。 I never felt so troubled in my life。 Were it an order to go to Sitka； to the devil； to battle with rebels or Indians； I think you would not hear a whimper from me； but it comes in such a questionable form that； like Hamlet's ghost； it curdles my blood and mars my judgment。 My first thoughts were of resignation； and I had almost made up my mind to ask Dodge for some place on the Pacific road； or on one of the Iowa roads； and then again various colleges ran through my memory； but hard times and an expensive family have brought me back to staring the proposition square in the face； and I have just written a letter to the President； which I herewith transmit through you； on which I will hang a hope of respite till you telegraph me its effect。 The uncertainties ahead are too great to warrant my incurring the expense of breaking up my house and family here； and therefore in no event will I do this till I can be assured of some permanence elsewhere。 If it were at all certain that you would accept the nomination of President in May； I would try and kill the intervening time； and then judge of the chances； but I do not want you to reveal your plans to me till you choose to do so。
I have telegraphed to John Sherman to oppose the nomination which the papers announce has been made of me for brevet general。
I have this minute received your cipher dispatch of to…day； which I have just answered and sent down to the telegraph…office； and the clerk is just engaged in copying my letter to the President to go with this。 If the President or his friends pretend that I seek to go to Washington； it will be fully rebutted by letters I have written to the President； to you； to John Sherman； to Mr。 Ewing； and to Mr。 Stanbery。 You remember that in our last talk you suggested I should write again to the President。 I thought of it； and concluded my letter of January 31st； already delivered； was full and emphatic。 Still； I did write again to Mr。 Stanbery； asking him as a friend to interpose in my behalf。 There are plenty of people who know my wishes； and I would avoid； if possible； the publication of a letter so confidential as that of January 31st； in which I notice I allude to the Preaident's purpose of removing Mr。 Stanton by force； a fact that ought not to be drawn out through me if it be possible to avoid it。 In the letter herewith I confine myself to purely private matters； and will not object if it reaches the public in any proper way。 My opinion is； the President thinks Mrs。 Sherman would like to come to Washington by reason of her father and brothers being there。 This is true； for Mrs。 Sherman has an idea that St。 Louis is unhealthy for our children； and because moat of the Catholics here are tainted with the old secesh feeling。 But I know better what is to our common interest； and prefer to judge of the proprieties myself。 What I do object to is the false position I would occupy as between you and the President。 Were there an actual army at or near Washington； I could be withdrawn from the most unpleasant attitude of a 〃go…between；〃 but there is no army there； nor any military duties which you with a host of subordinates can not perform。 Therefore I would be there with naked； informal； and sinecure duties； and utterly out of place。 This you understand well enough； and the army too； but the President and the politicians； who flatter themselves they are saving the country； cannot and will not unders
