memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第84章

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　and　the　politicians；　who　flatter　themselves　they　are　saving　the　country；　cannot　and　will　not　understand。　　My　opinion　is；　the　country　is　doctored　to　death；　and　if　President　and　Congress　would　go　to　sleep　like　Rip　Van　Winkle；　the　country　would　go　on　under　natural　influences；　and　recover　far　faster　than　under　their　joint　and　several　treatment。　　This　doctrine　would　be　accounted　by　Congress；　and　by　the　President　too；　as　high　treason；　and　therefore　I　don't　care　about　saying　so　to　either　of　them；　but　I　know　you　can　hear　anything；　and　give　it　just　what　thought　or　action　it　merits。

Excuse　this　long　letter；　and　telegraph　me　the　result　of　my　letter　to　the　President　as　early　as　you　can。　　If　he　holds　my　letter　so　long　as　to　make　it　improper　for　me　to　await　his　answer；　also　telegraph　me。

The　order；　when　received；　will；　I　suppose；　direct　me　as　to　whom　and　how　I　am　to　turn　over　this　command；　which　should；　in　my　judgment；　not　be　broken　up；　as　the　three　departments　composing　the　division　should　be　under　one　head。

I　expect　my　staff…officers　to　be　making　for　me　within　the　hour　to　learn　their　fate；　so　advise　me　all　you　can　as　quick　as　possible。

With　great　respect；　yours　truly；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Lieutenant…General。



To　the　President。

DEAR　SIR：　It　is　hard　for　me　to　conceive　you　would　purposely　do　me　an　unkindness　unless　under　the　pressure　of　a　sense　of　public　duty；　or　because　you　do　not　believe　me　sincere。　　I　was　in　hopes；　since　my　letter　to　you　of　the　31st　of　January；　that　you　had　concluded　to　pass　over　that　purpose　of　yours　expressed　more　than　once　in　conversationto　organize　a　new　command　for　me　in　the　East；　with　headquarters　in　Washington；　but　a　telegram　from　General　Grant　of　yesterday　says　that　〃the　order　was　issued　ordering　you〃　（me）　〃to　Atlantic　Division〃；　and　the　newspapers　of　this　morning　contain　the　same　information；　with　the　addition　that　I　have　been　nominated　as　brevet　general。　　I　have　telegraphed　my　own　brother　in　the　Senate　to　oppose　my　confirmation；　on　the　ground　that　the　two　higher　grades　in　the　army　ought　not　to　be　complicated　with　brevets；　and　I　trust　you　will　conceive　my　motives　aright。　　If　I　could　see　my　way　clear　to　maintain　my　family；　I　should　not　hesitate　a　moment　to　resign　my　present　commission；　and　seek　some　business　wherein　I　would　be　free　from　these　unhappy　complications　that　seem　to　be　closing　about　me；　spite　of　my　earnest　efforts　to　avoid　them；　but　necessity　ties　my　hands；　and　I　must　submit　with　the　best　grace　I　can　till　I　make　other　arrangements。

In　Washington　are　already　the　headquarters　of　a　department；　and　of　the　army　itself；　and　it　is　hard　for　me　to　see　wherein　I　can　render　military　service　there。　　Any　staff…officer　with　the　rank　of　major　could　surely　fill　any　gap　left　between　these　two　military　officers；　and；　by　being　placed　in　Washington；　I　will　be　universally　construed　as　a　rival　to　the　General…in…Chief；　a　position　damaging　to　me　in　the　highest　degree。　　Our　relations　have　always　been　most　confidential　and　friendly；　and　if；　unhappily；　any　cloud　of　differences　should　arise　between　us；　my　sense　of　personal　dignity　and　duty　would　leave　me　no　alternative　but　resignation。　　For　this　I　am　not　yet　prepared；　but　I　shall　proceed　to　arrange　for　it　as　rapidly　as　possible；　so　that　when　the　time　does　come　（as　it　surely　will　if　this　plan　is　carried　into　effect）　I　may　act　promptly。

Inasmuch　as　the　order　is　now　issued；　I　cannot　expect　a　full　revocation　of　it；　but　I　beg　the　privilege　of　taking　post　at　New　York；　or　any　point　you　may　name　within　the　new　military　division　other　than　Washington。　　This　privilege　is　generally　granted　to　all　military　commanders；　and　I　see　no　good　reason　why　I　too　may　not　ask　for　it；　and　this　simple　concession；　involving　no　public　interest；　will　much　soften　the　blow；　which；　right　or　wrong；　I　construe　as　one　of　the　hardest　I　have　sustained　in　a　life　somewhat　checkered　with　adversity。　　With　great　respects　yours　truly；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Lieutenant…General。



WASHINGTON；　D。　　C。；　2　p。m。；　February　19；　1888。　Lieutenant…General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　St。　Louis；　Missouri：

I　have　just　received；　with　General　Grant's　indorsement　of　reference；　your　letter　to　me　of　the　fourteenth　（14th）　inst。

The　order　to　which　you　refer　was　made　in　good　faith；　and　with　a　view　to　the　best　interests　of　the　country　and　the　service；　as；　however；　your　assignment　to　a　new　military　division　seems　so　objectionable；　you　will　retain　your　present　command。

ANDREW　JOHNSON。


On　that　same　19th　of　February　he　appointed　Adjutant；　General　Lorenzo　Thomas　to　be　Secretary　of　War　ad　intemim；　which　finally　resulted　in　the　articles　of　impeachment　and　trial　of　President　Johnson　before　the　Senate。　　I　was　a　witness　on　that　trial；　but　of　course　the　lawyers　would　not　allow　me　to　express　any　opinion　of　the　President's　motives　or　intentions；　and　restricted　me　to　the　facts　set　forth　in　the　articles　of　impeachment；　of　which　I　was　glad　to　know　nothing。　　The　final　test　vote　revealed　less　than　two　thirds；　and　the　President　was　consequently　acquitted。　　Mr。　Stanton　resigned。　　General　Schofield；　previously　nominated；　was　confirmed　as　Secretary　of　War；　thus　putting　an　end　to　what　ought　never　to　have　happened　at　all。



INDIAN　PEACE　COMMISSION。

On　the　20th　of　July；　1867；　President　Johnson　approved　an　act　to　establish　peace　with　certain　hostile　Indian　tribes；　the　first　section　of　which　reads　as　follows：　〃Be　it　enacted；　etc。；　that　the　President　of　the　United　States　be　and　is　hereby　authorized　to　appoint　a　commission　to　consist　of　three　（3）　officers　of　the　army　not　below　the　rank　of　brigadier…general；　who；　together　with　N。　G。　Taylor；　Commissioner　of　Indian　Affairs；　John　B。　　Henderson；　chairman　of　the　Committee　of　Indian　Affairs　of　the　Senate；　S。　F。　Tappan；　and　John　B。　　Sanborn；　shall　have　power　and　authority　to　call　together　the　chiefs　and　head　men　of　such　bands　or　tribes　of　Indians　as　are　now　waging　war　against　the　United　States；　or　committing　depredations　on　the　people　thereof；　to　ascertain　the　alleged　reasons　for　their　acts　of　hostility；　and　in　their　discretion；　under　the　direction　of　the　President；　to　make　and　conclude　with　said　bands　or　tribes　such　treaty　stipulations；　subject　to　the　action　of　the　Senate；　as　may　remove　all　just　causes　of　complaint　on　their　part；　and　at　the　same　time　establish　security　for　person　and　property　along　the　lines　of　railroad　now　being　constructed　to　the　Pacific　and　other　thoroughfares　of　travel　to　the　Western　Territories；　and　such　as　will　most　likely　insure　civilization　for　the　Indians；　and　peace　and　safety　for　the　whites。〃

The　President　named　as　the　military　members　Lieutenant…General　Sherman；　Brigadier…Generals　A。　H。　Terry　and　W。　S。　Harney。　Subsequently；　to　insure　a　full　attendance；　Brigadier…General　C。　C。　Augur　was　added　to　the　commission；　and　his　name　will　be　found　on　most　of　the　treaties。　　The　commissioners　met　at　St。　Louis　and　elected　N。　G。　Taylor；　the　Commissioner　of　Indian　Affairs；　president；　J。　B。　Sanborn；　treasurer；　and　A。　S。　H。　White；　Esq。；　of　Washington；　D。　C。；　secretary。　　The　year　1867　was　too　far　advanced　to　complete　the　task　assigned　during　that　season；　and　it　was　agreed　that　a　steamboat　（St。　John's）　should　be　chartered　to　convey　the　commission　up　the　Missouri　River；　and　we　adjourned　to　meet　at　Omaha。　　In　the　St。　John's　the　commission　proceeded　up　the　Missouri　River；　holding　informal　〃talks〃　with　the　Santees　at　their　agency　near　the　Niobrara；　the　Yanktonnais　at　Fort　Thompson；　and　the　Ogallallas；　Minneconjous；　Sans　Arcs；　etc。；　at　Fort　Sully。　　From　this　point　runners　were　sent　out　to　the　Sioux　occupying　the　country　west　of　the　Missouri　River；　to　meet　us　in　council　at　the　Forks　of　the　Platte　that　fall；　and　to　Sitting　Bull's　band　of　outlaw　Sioux；　and　the　Crows　on　the　upper　Yellowstone；　to　meet　us　in　May；　1868；　at　Fort　Laramie。　　We　proceeded　up　the　river　to　the　mouth　of　the　Cheyenne　and　turned　back　to　Omaha；　having　ample　time　on　this　steamboat　to　discuss　and　deliberate　on　the　problems　submitted　to　our　charge。

We　all　agreed　that　the　nomad　Indians　should　be　removed　from　the　vicinity　of　the　two　great　railroads　then　in　rapid　construction；　and　be　localized　on　one　or　other　of　the　two　great　reservations　south　of　Kansas　and　north　of　Nebraska；　that　agreements　not　treaties；　should　be　made　for　their　liberal　maintenance　as　to　food；　clothing；　schools；　and　farming　implements　for　ten　years；　during　which　time　we　believed　that　these　Indians　should　become　self…supporting。　　To　the　north　we　proposed　to　remove　the　various　bands　of　Sioux；　with　such　others　as　could　be　induced　to　locate　near　them；　and　to　the　south；　on　the　Indian　Territory　already　established；　we　proposed　to　remove　the　Cheyennes；　Arapahoes；　Kiowas；　Comanches；　and　such　others　as　we　could　prevail　on　to　move　thither。

At　that　date　the　Union　Pacific　construction　had　reached　the　Rocky　Mountains　at　Cheyenne；　and　the　Kansas　Pacific　to　about　Fort　Wallace。　　We　held　council　with　the　Ogallallas　at　the　Forks　of　the　Platte；　and　arranged　to　meet　them　all　the　next　spring；　1868。　　In　the　spring　of　1868　we　met　the　Crows　in　council　at　Fort　Laramie；　the　Sioux　at　the　North　Platte；　the　Shoshones　or　Snakes　at　Fort　Hall；　the　Navajos　at　Fort　Sumner；　on　the　Pecos；　and　the　Cheyennes　and　Arapahoes　at　Medicine　Lodge。　　To　accomplish　these　results　the　commission　divided　up　into　committees；　General　Augur　going　to　the　Shoshones；　Mr。　Tappan　and　I　to　the　Navajos；　and　the　remainder　to　Medicine　Lodge。　　In　that　year　we　made　treaties　or　arrangements　with　all　the　tribes　which　before　had　followed　the　buffalo　in　their　annual　migrations；　and　which　brought　them　into　constant　conflict　with　the　whites。

Mr。　Tappan　and　I　found　it　impossible　to　prevail　on　the　Navajos　to　remove　to　the　Indian　Territory；　and　had　to　consent　to　their　return　to　their　former　home；　restricted　to　a　limited　reservation　west　of　Santa　Fe；　about　old　Fort　Defiance；　and　there　they　continue　unto　this　day；　rich　in　the　possession　of　herds　of　sheep　and　goats；　with　some　cattle　and　horses；　and　they　have　remained　at　peace　ever　since。

A　part　of　our　general　plan　was　to　organize　the　two　great　reservations　into　regular　Territorial　governments；　with　Governor；　Council；　courts；　and　civil　officers。　　General　Harney　was　temporarily　assigned　to　that　of　the　Sioux　at　the　north；　and　General　Hazen　to　that　of　the　Kiowas；　Comanches；　Cheyennes；　Arapahoes；　etc。；　etc。；　at　the　south；　but　the　patronage　of　the　Indian　Bureau　was　too　strong　for　us；　and　that　part　of　our　labor　failed。　　Still；　the　Indian　Peace　Commission　of　1867…'68　did　prepare　the　way　for　the　great　Pacific　Railroads；　which；　for　better　or　worse；　have　settled　the　fate　of　the　buffalo　and　Indian　forever。　　There　have　been　wars　and　conflicts　since　with　these　Indians　up　to　a　recent　period　too　numerous　and　complicated　in　their　detail　for　me　to　unravel　and　record；　but　they　have　been　the　dying　struggles　of　a　singular　race　of　brave　men　fighting　against　destiny；　each　less　and　less　violent；　till　now　the　wild　game　is　gone；　the　whites　too　numerous　and　powerful；　so　that　the　Indian　question　has　become　one　of　sentiment　and　charity；　but　not　of　war。

The　peace；　or　〃Quaker〃　policy；　of　which　so　much　has　been　said；　originated　about　thus：　By　the　act　of　Congress；　approved　March　3；1869；　the　forty…five　regiments　of　infantry　were　reduced　to　twenty…five；　and　provision　was　made　for　the　〃muster　out〃　of　many　of　the　surplus　officers；