memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第87章

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nd　provided　that　the　general；　when　commissioned；　may　be　authorized　under　the　direction　and　during　the　pleasure　of　the　President　to　command　the　armies　of　the　United　States；　and　a　few　days　after；　viz。；　July　28；　1866；　was　enacted　the　law　which　defined　the　military　peace　establishment。　　The　enacting　clause　reads：　〃That　the　military　peace　establishment　of　the　United。　States　shall　hereafter　consist　of　five　regiments　of　artillery；　ten　regiments　of　cavalry；　forty…five　regiments　of　infantry；　the　professors　and　Corps　of　Cadets　of　the　United　States　Military　Academy；　and　such　other　forces　as　shall　be　provided　for　by　this　act；　to　be　known　as　the　army　of　the　United　States。〃

The　act　then　recites　in　great　detail　all　the　parts　of　the　army；　making　no　distinction　between　the　line　and　staff；　but　clearly　makes　each　and　every　part　an　element　of　the　whole。

Section　37　provides　for　a　board　to　revise　the　army　regulations　and　report；　and　declares　that　the　regulations　then　in　force；　viz。；　those　of　1863；　should　remain　until　Congress　〃shall　act　on　said　report；〃　and　section　38　and　last　enacts　that　all　laws　and　parts　of　laws　inconsistent　with　the　provisions　of　this　act　be　and　the　same　are　hereby　repealed。

Under　the　provisions　of　this　law　my　predecessor；　General　Grant；　did　not　hesitate　to　command　and　make　orders　to　all　parts　of　the　army；　the　Military　Academy；　and　staff；　and　it　was　under　his　advice　that　the　new　regulations　were　compiled　in　1868　that　drew　the　line　more　clearly　between　the　high　and　responsible　duties　of　the　Secretary　of　War　and　the　general　of　the　army。　　He　assured　me　many　a　time　before　I　was　called　here　to　succeed　him　that　he　wanted　me　to　perfect　the　distinction；　and　it　was　by　his　express　orders　that　on　assuming　the　command　of　the　army　I　specifically　placed　the　heads　of　the　staff　corps　here　in　Washington　in　the　exact　relation　to　the　army　which　they　would　bear　to　an　army　in　the　field。

I　am　aware　that　subsequently；　in　his　orders　of　March　26th；　he　modified　his　former　orders　of　March　5th；　but　only　as　to　the　heads　of　bureaus　in　Washington；　who　have；　he　told　me；　certain　functions　of　office　imposed　on　them　by　special　laws　of　Congress；　which　laws；　of　course；　override　all　orders　and　regulations；　but　I　did　not　either　understand　from　him　in　person；　or　from　General　Rawlins；　at　whose　instance　this　order　was　made；　that　it　was　designed　in　any　way　to　modify；　alter；　or　change　his　purposes　that　division　and　department　commanders；　as　well　as　the　general　of　the　army；　should　exercise　the　same　command　of　the　staff　as　they　did　of　the　line　of　the　army。

I　need　not　remind　the　Secretary　that　orders　and　reports　are　made　to　and　from　the　Military　Academy　which　the　general　does　not　even　see；　though　the　Military　Academy　is　specifically　named　as　a　part　of　that　army　which　he　is　required　to　command。　　Leaves　of　absence　are　granted；　the　stations　of　officers　are　changed；　and　other　orders　are　now　made　directly　to　the　army；　not　through　the　general；　but　direct　through　other　officials　and　the　adjutant…general。

So　long　as　this　is　the　case　I　surely　do　not　command　the　army　of　the　United　States；　and　am　not　responsible　for　it。

I　am　aware　that　the　confusion　results　from　the　fact　that　the　thirty…seventh　section　of　the　act　of　July　28；　1866；　clothes　the　army　regulations　of　1863　with　the　sanction　of　law；　but　the　next　section　repeals　all　laws　and　parts　of　laws　inconsistent　with　the　provisions　of　this　act。　　The　regulations　of　1863　are　but　a　compilation　of　orders　made　prior　to　the　war；　when　such　men　as　Davis　and　Floyd　took　pleasure　in　stripping　General　Scott　of　even　the　semblance　of　power；　and　purposely　reduced　him　to　a　cipher　in　the　command　of　the　army。

Not　one　word　can　be　found　in　those　regulations　speaking　of　the　duties　of　the　lieutenant…general　commanding　the　army；　or　defining　a　single　act　of　authority　rightfully　devolving　on　him。　　Not　a　single　mention　is　made　of　the　rights　and　duties　of　a　commander…in…chief　of　the　army。　　He　is　ignored；　and　purposely；　too；　as　a　part　of　the　programme　resulting　in　the　rebellion；　that　the　army　without　a　legitimate　head　should　pass　into　the　anarchy　which　these　men　were　shaping　for　the　whole　country。

I　invite　your　attention　to　the　army　regulations　of　1847；　when　our　best　soldiers　lived；　among　whom　was　your　own　father；　and　see　paragraphs　48　and　49；　page　8；　and　they　are　so　important　that　I　quote　them　entire：

〃48。　　The　military　establishment　is　placed　under　the　orders　of　the　major…general　commanding　in　chief　in　all　that　regards　its　discipline　and　military　control。　　Its　fiscal　arrangements　properly　belong　to　the　administrative　departments　of　the　staff　and　to　the　Treasury　Department　under　the　direction　of　the　Secretary　of　War。

〃49。　　The　general　of　the　army　will　watch　over　the　economy　of　the　service　in　all　that　relates　to　the　expenditure　of　money；　supply　of　arms；　ordnance　and　ordnance　stores；　clothing；　equipments；　camp…equipage；　medical　and　hospital　stores；　barracks；　quarters；　transportation；　Military　Academy；　pay；　and　subsistence：　in　short；　everything　which　enters　into　the　expenses　of　the　military　establishment；　whether　personal　or　material。　　He　will　also　see　that　the　estimates　for　the　military　service　are　based　on　proper　data；　and　made　for　the　objects　contemplated　by　law；　and　necessary　to　the　due　support　and　useful　employment　of　the　army。　　In　carrying　into　effect　these　important　duties；　he　will　call　to　his　counsel　and　assistance　the　staff；　and　those　officers　proper；　in　his　opinion；　to　be　employed　in　verifying　and　inspecting　all　the　objects　which　may　require　attention。　　The　rules　and　regulations　established　for　the　government　of　the　army；　and　the　laws　relating　to　the　military　establishment；　are　the　guides　to　the　commanding　general　in　the　performance　of　his　duties。〃

Why　was　this；　or　why　was　all　mention　of　any　field　of　duty　for　the　head　of　the　army　left　out　of　the　army　regulations？　　Simply　because　Jefferson　Davis　had　a　purpose；　and　absorbed　to　himself；　as　Secretary　of　War；　as　General　Grant　well　says；　all　the　powers　of　commander…in…chief。　　Floyd　succeeded　him；　and　the　last　regulations　of　1863　were　but　a　new　compilation　of　their　orders；　hastily　collected　and　published　to　supply　a　vast　army　with　a　new　edition。

I　contend　that　all　parts　of　these　regulations　inconsistent　with　the　law　of　July　28；　1866；　are　repealed。

I　surely　do　not　ask　for　any　power　myself；　but　I　hope　and　trust；　now　when　we　have　a　military　President　and　a　military　Secretary　of　War；　that　in　the　new　regulations　to　be　laid　before　Congress　next　session　the　functions　and　duties　of　the　commander…in…chief　will　be　so　clearly　marked　out　and　defined　that　they　may　be　understood　by　himself　and　the　army　at　large。

I　am；　with　great　respect；　your　obedient　servant；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　General。

＇Inclosure。＇

WASHINGTON；　January　29；　1866。

Hon。　E。　M。　STANTON；　Secretary　of　War：

》From　the　period　of　the　difficulties　between　Major…General　（now　Lieutenant…General）　Scott　with　Secretary　Marcy；　during　the　administration　of　President　Polk；　the　command　of　the　army　virtually　passed　into　the　hands　of　the　Secretary　of　War。

》From　that　day　to　the　breaking　out　of　the　rebellion　the　general…　in…chief　never　kept　his　headquarters　in　Washington；　and　could　not；　consequently；　with　propriety　resume　his　proper　functions。　　To　administer　the　affairs　of　the　army　properly；　headquarters　and　the　adjutant…general's　office　must　be　in　the　same　place。

During　the　war；　while　in　the　field；　my　functions　as　commander　of　all　the　armies　was　never　impaired；　but　were　facilitated　in　all　essential　matters　by　the　Administration　and　by　the　War　Department。　Now；　however；　that　the　war　is　over；　and　I　have　brought　my　head…　quarters　to　the　city；　I　find　my　present　position　embarrassing　and；　I　think；　out　of　place。　　I　have　been　intending；　or　did　intend；　to　make　the　beginning　of　the　New　Year　the　time　to　bring　this　matter　before　you；　with　the　view　of　asking　to　have　the　old　condition　of　affairs　restored；　but　from　diffidence　about　mentioning　the　matter　have　delayed。　　In　a　few　words　I　will　state　what　I　conceive　to　be　my　duties　and　my　place；　and　ask　respectfully　to　be　restored　to　them　and　it。

The　entire　adjutant…general's　office　should　be　under　the　entire　control　of　the　general…in…chief　of　the　army。　　No　orders　should　go　to　the　army；　or　the　adjutant…general；　except　through　the　general…　in…chief。　　Such　as　require　the　action　of　the　President　would　be　laid　before　the　Secretary　of　War；　whose　actions　would　be　regarded　as　those　of　the　President。　　In　short；　in　my　opinion；　the　general…　in…chief　stands　between　the　President　and　the　army　in　all　official　matters；　and　the　Secretary　of　War　is　between　the　army　（through　the　general…in…chief）　and　the　President。

I　can　very　well　conceive　that　a　rule　so　long　disregarded　could　not；　or　would　not；　be　restored　without　the　subject　being　presented；　and　I　now　do　so　respectfully　for　your　consideration。

U。　S。　GRANT；　Lieutenant…General。


General　Belknap　never　answered　that　letter。

In　August；　1870；　was　held　at　Des　Moines；　Iowa；　an　encampment　of　old　soldiers　which　I　attended；　en　route　to　the　Pacific；　and　at　Omaha　received　this　letter：


LONG　BRANCH；　New　Jersey；　August　18；1870。

General　W。　T。　SHERMAN。

DEAR　GENERAL：　Your　letter　of　the　7th　inst。　did　not　reach　Long　Branch　until　after　I　had　left　for　St。　Louis；　and　consequently　is　just　before　me　for　the　first　time。　　I　do　not　know　what　changes　recent　laws；　particularly　the　last　army　bill　passed；　make　in　the　relations　between　the　general　of　the　army　and　the　Secretary　of　War。

Not　having　this　law　or　other　statutes　here；　I　cannot　examine　the　subject　now；　nor　would　I　want　to　without　consultation　with　the　Secretary　of　War。　　On　our　return　to　Washington　I　have　no　doubt　but　that　the　relations　between　the　Secretary　and　yourself　can　be　made　pleasant；　and　the　duties　of　each　be　so　clearly　defined　as　to　leave　no　doubt　where　the　authority　of　one　leaves　off　and　the　other　commences。

My　own　views；　when　commanding　the　army；　were　that　orders　to　the　army　should　go　through　the　general。　　No　changes　should　be　made；　however；　either　of　the　location　of　troops　or　officers；　without　the　knowledge　of　the　Secretary　of　War。

In　peace；　the　general　commanded　them　without　reporting　to　the　Secretary　farther　than　he　chose　the　specific　orders　he　gave　from　time　to　time；　but　subjected　himself　to　orders　from　the　Secretary；　the　latter　deriving　his　authority　to　give　orders　from　the　President。　　As　Congress　has　the　right；　however；　to　make　rules　and　regalations　for　the　government　of　the　army；　rules　made　by　them　whether　they　are　as　they　should　be　or　not；　will　have　to　govern。　　As　before　stated；　I　have　not　examined　the　recent　law。

Yours　truly；

U。　S。　GRANT。


To　which　I　replied：

OMAHA；　NEBRASKA；　September　2；1870。

General　U。　S。　GRANT；　Washington；　D。　　C。

DEAR　GENERAL：　I　have　received　your　most　acceptable　letter　of　August　18th；　and　assure　you　that　I　am　perfectly　willing　to　abide　by　any　decision　you　may　make。　　We　had　a　most　enthusiastic　meeting　at　Des　Moines；　and　General　Bellknap　gave　us　a　fine；　finished　address。　　I　have　concluded　to　go　over　to　San　Francisco　to　attend　the　annual　celebration　of　the　Pioneers；　to　be　held　on　the　9th　instant；　from　there　I　will　make　a　short　tour；　aiming　to　get　back　to　St。　Louis　by　the　1st　of　October；　and　so　on　to　Washington　without　unnecessary　delay。

Conscious　of　the　he