memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第34章
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he took up the debate； which went on； for an hour or more； on both sides with ability and fairness。 Of course； I was glad to be thus relieved； because at the time all men in Louisiana were dreadfully excited on questions affecting their slaves； who constituted the bulk of their wealth； and without whom they honestly believed that sugar； cotton； and rice； could not possibly be cultivated。
On the 30th and 31st of July； 1860； we had an examination at the seminary； winding up with a ball； and as much publicity as possible to attract general notice； and immediately thereafter we all scatteredthe cadets to their homes； and the professors wherever they pleasedall to meet again on the 1st day of the next November。 Major Smith and I agreed to meet in New York on a certain day in August； to purchase books； models； etc。 I went directly to my family in Lancaster； and after a few days proceeded to Washington； to endeavor to procure from the General Government the necessary muskets and equipments for our cadets by the beginning of the next term。 I was in Washington on the 17th day of August； and hunted up my friend Major Buell； of the Adjutant… General's Department； who was on duty with the Secretary of War； Floyd。 I had with me a letter of Governor Moore's； authorizing me to act in his name。 Major Buell took me into Floyd's room at the War Department； to whom I explained my business； and I was agreeably surprised to meet with such easy success。 Although the State of Louisiana had already drawn her full quota of arms； Floyd promptly promised to order my requisition to be filled； and I procured the necessary blanks at the Ordnance…Office； filled them with two hundred cadet muskets； and all equipments complete； and was assured that all these articles would be shipped to Louisiana in season for our use that fall。 These assurances were faithfully carried out。
I then went on to New York； there met Major Smith according to appointment； and together we selected and purchased a good supply of uniforms； clothing； and text books； as well as a fair number of books of history and fiction； to commence a library。
When this business was completed； I returned to Lancaster； and remained with my family till the time approached for me to return to Louisiana。 I again left my family at Lancaster； until assured of the completion of the two buildings designed for the married professors for which I had contracted that spring with Mr。 Mills； of Alexandria； and which were well under progress when I left in August。 One of these was designed for me and the other for Vallas。 Mr。 Ewing presented me with a horse； which I took down the river with me； and en route I ordered from Grimsley & Co。 a full equipment of saddle； bridle； etc。； the same that I used in the war； and which I lost with my horse； shot under me at Shiloh。
Reaching Alexandria early in October； I pushed forward the construction of the two buildings； some fences； gates； and all other work； with the object of a more perfect start at the opening of the regular term November 1； 1860。
About this time Dr。 Powhatan Clark was elected Assistant Professor of Chemistry； etc。； and acted as secretary of the Board of Supervisors； but no other changes were made in our small circle of professors。
November came； and with it nearly if not quite all our first set of cadets； and others； to the number of about one hundred and thirty。 We divided them into two companies； issued arms and clothing； and began a regular system of drills and instruction； as well as the regular recitations。 I had moved into my new house； but prudently had not sent for my family； nominally on the ground of waiting until the season was further advanced； but really because of the storm that was lowering heavy on the political horizon。 The presidential election was to occur in November； and the nominations had already been made in stormy debates by the usual conventions。 Lincoln and Hamlin （to the South utterly unknown） were the nominees of the Republican party； and for the first time both these candidates were from Northern States。 The Democratic party dividedone set nominating a ticket at Charleston； and the other at Baltimore。 Breckenridge and Lane were the nominees of the Southern or Democratic party； and Bell and Everett； a kind of compromise； mostly in favor in Louisiana。 Political excitement was at its very height； and it was constantly asserted that Mr。 Lincoln's election would imperil the Union。 I purposely kept aloof from politics； would take no part； and remember that on the day of the election in November I was notified that it would be advisable for me to vote for Bell and Everett； but I openly said I would not； and I did not。 The election of Mr。 Lincoln fell upon us all like a clap of thunder。 People saw and felt that the South had threatened so long that； if she quietly submitted； the question of slavery in the Territories was at an end forever。 I mingled freely with the members of the Board of Supervisors； and with the people of Rapides Parish generally； keeping aloof from all cliques and parties； and I certainly hoped that the threatened storm would blow over； as had so often occurred before； after similar threats。 At our seminary the order of exercises went along with the regularity of the seasons。 Once a week； I had the older cadets to practise reading； reciting； and elocution； and noticed that their selections were from Calhoun； Yancey； and other Southern speakers； all treating of the defense of their slaves and their home institutions as the very highest duty of the patriot。 Among boys this was to be expected； and among the members of our board； though most of them declaimed against politicians generally； and especially abolitionists； as pests； yet there was a growing feeling that danger was in the wind。 I recall the visit of a young gentleman who had been sent from Jackson； by the Governor of Mississippi； to confer with Governor Moore； then on his plantation at Bayou Robert； and who had come over to see our college。 He spoke to me openly of secession as a fixed fact； and that its details were only left open for discussion。 I also recall the visit of some man who was said to be a high officer in the order of 〃Knights of the Golden Circle；〃 of the existence of which order I was even ignorant； until explained to me by Major Smith and Dr。 Clark。 But in November； 1860； no man ever approached me offensively； to ascertain my views； or my proposed course of action in case of secession； and no man in or out of authority ever tried to induce me to take part in steps designed to lead toward disunion。 I think my general opinions were well known and understood； viz。； that 〃secession was treason； was war；〃 and that in no event would the North and West permit the Mississippi River to pass out of their control。 But some men at the South actually supposed at the time that the Northwestern States； in case of a disruption of the General Government； would be drawn in self…interest to an alliance with the South。 What I now write I do not offer as any thing like a history of the important events of that time； but rather as my memory of them； the effect they had on me personally； and to what extent they influenced my personal conduct。
South Carolina seceded December 20； 1860； and Mississippi soon after。 Emissaries came to Louisiana to influence the Governor； Legislature； and people； and it was the common assertion that； if all the Cotton States would follow the lead of South Carolina； it would diminish the chances of civil war； because a bold and determined front would deter the General Government from any measures of coercion。 About this time also； viz。； early in December； we received Mr。 Buchanan's annual message to Congress； in which he publicly announced that the General Government had no constitutional power to 〃coerce a State。〃 I confess this staggered me； and I feared that the prophecies and assertions of Alison and other European commentators on our form of government were right； and that our Constitution was a mere rope of sand； that would break with the first pressure。
The Legislature of Louisiana met on the 10th of December； and passed an act calling a convention of delegates from the people； to meet at Baton Rouge； on the 8th of January； to take into consideration the state of the Union； and； although it was universally admitted that a large majority of the voters of the State were opposed to secession； disunion； and all the steps of the South Carolinians； yet we saw that they were powerless； and that the politicians would sweep them along rapidly to the end； prearranged by their leaders in Washington。 Before the ordinance of secession was passed； or the convention had assembled； on the faith of a telegraphic dispatch sent by the two Senators； Benjamin and Slidell； from their seats in the United States Senate at Washington； Governor Moore ordered the seizure of all the United States forts at the mouth of the Mississippi and Lake Pontchartrain； and of the United States arsenal at Baton Rouge。 The forts had no garrisons； but the arsenal was held by a small company of artillery； commanded by Major Haskins； a most worthy and excellent officer； who had lost an arm in Mexico。 I remember well that I was strongly and bitterly impressed by the seizure of the arsenal； which occurred on January 10； 1861。
When I went first to Baton Rouge； in 1859； en route to Alexandria； I found Captain Rickett's company of artillery stationed in the arsenal； but soon after there was somewhat of a clamor on the Texas frontier about Brownsville； which induced the War Department to order Rickett's company to that frontier。 I remember that Governor Moore remonstrated with the Secretary of War because so much dangerous property； composed of muskets； powder； etc。； had been left by the United States unguarded； in a parish where the slave population was as five or six to one of whites； and it was on his official demand that the United States Government ordered Haskinss company to replace Rickett's。 This company did not number forty men。 In the night of January 9th； about five hundred New Orleans militia； under command of a Colonel Wheat； went up from New Orleans by boat； landed； surrounded the arsenal； and demanded its surrender。 Haskins was of course unprepared for such a step； yet he at first resolved to defend the post as he best could with his small force。 But Bragg； who was an old army acquaintance of his； had a parley with him； exhibited to him the vastly superior force of his assailants； embracing two field…batteries； and offered to procure for him honorable terms； to march out with drums and colors； and to take unmolested passage in a boat up to St。 Louis； alleging； further； that the old Union was at an end； and that a just settlement would be made between the two new fragments for all the property stored in the arsenal。 Of course it was Haskins's duty to have defended his post to the death； but up to that time the national authorities in Washington had shown such pusillanimity； that the officers of the army knew not what to do。 The result； anyhow； was that Haskins surrendered his post； and at once embarked for St。 Louis。 The arms and munitions stored in the arsenal were scatteredsome to Mississippi； some to New Orleans； some
