memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第43部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

ng　this　property；　and　acquiring　a　knowledge　which　will　be　useful　to　your　State　in　after…times。

When　I　leave；　which　I　now　regard　as　certain；　the　present　professors　can　manage　well　enough；　to　afford　you　leisure　time　to　find　a　suitable　successor　to　me。　　You　might　order　Major　Smith　to　receipt　for　the　arms；　and　to　exercise　military　command；　while　the　academic　exercises　could　go　on　under　the　board。　　In　time；　some　gentleman　will　turn　up；　better　qualified　than　I　am；　to　carry　on　the　seminary　to　its　ultimate　point　of　success。　　I　entertain　the　kindest　feelings　toward　all；　and　would　leave　the　State　with　much　regret；　only　in　great　events　we　must　choose；　one　way　or　the　other。

Truly；　your　friend；

W。　T。　SHERMAN



January　19；　1881Saturday。

Dr。　S。　A。　Smith；　President　Board　of　Supervisors；　Baton　Rouge；　Louisiana。

Dear　Sir　：　I　have　just　finished　my　quarterly　reports　to　the　parents　of　all　the　cadets　here；　or　who　have　been　here。　　All　my　books　of　account　are　written　up　to　date。　　All　bills　for　the　houses；　fences；　etc。；　are　settled；　and　nothing　now　remains　but　the　daily　tontine　of　recitations　and　drills。　　I　have　written　officially　and　unofficially　to　Governor　Moore；　that　with　my　opinions　of　the　claimed　right　of　accession；　of　the　seizure　of　public　forts；　arsenals；　etc。；　and　the　ignominious　capture　of　a　United　States　garrison；　stationed　in　your　midst；　as　a　guard　to　the　arsenal　and　for　the　protection　of　your　own　people；　it　would　be　highly　improper　for　me　longer　to　remain。　　No　great　inconvenience　can　result　to　the　seminary。　　I　will　be　the　chief　loser。　　I　came　down　two　months　before　my　pay　commenced。　　I　made　sacrifices　in　Kansas　to　enable　me　thus　to　obey　the　call　of　Governor　Wickliffe；　and　you　know　that　last　winter　I　declined　a　most　advantageous　offer　of　employment　abroad；　and　thus　far　I　have　received　nothing　as　superintendent　of　the　arsenal；　though　I　went　to　Washington　and　New　York　（at　my　own　expense）　on　the　faith　of　the　five　hundred　dollars　salary　promised。

These　are　all　small　matters　in　comparison　with　those　involved　in　the　present　state　of　the　country；　which　will　cause　sacrifices　by　millions；　instead　of　by　hundreds。　　The　more　I　think　of　it；　the　more　I　think　I　should　be　away；　the　sooner　the　better；　and　therefore　I　hope　you　will　join　with　Governor　Moors　in　authorizing　me　to　turn　over　to　Major　Smith　the　military　command　here；　and　to　the　academic　board　the　control　of　the　daily　exercises　and　recitations。

There　will　be　no　necessity　of　your　coming　up。　　You　can　let　Major　Smith　receive　the　few　hundreds　of　cash　I　have　on　hand；　and　I　can　meet　you　on　a　day　certain　in　New　Orleans；　when　we　can　settle　the　bank　account。　　Before　I　leave；　I　can　pay　the　steward　Jarrean　his　account　for　the　month；　and　there　would　be　no　necessity　for　other　payments　till　about　the　close　of　March；　by　which　time　the　board　can　meet；　and　elect　a　treasurer　and　superintendent　also。

At　present　I　have　no　class；　and　there　will　be　none　ready　till　about　the　month　of　May；　when　there　will　be　a　class　in　〃surveying。〃　　Even　if　you　do　not　elect　a　superintendent　in　the　mean　time；　Major　Smith　could　easily　teach　this　class；　as　he　is　very　familiar　with　the　subject…matter：　Indeed；　I　think　you　will　do　well　to　leave　the　subject　of　a　new　superintendent　until　one　perfectly　satisfactory　turns　up。

There　is　only　one　favor　I　would　ask。　　The　seminary　has　plenty　of　money　in　bank。　　The　Legislature　will　surely　appropriate　for　my　salary　as　superintendent　of　this　arsenal。　　Would　you　not　let　me　make　my　drafts　on　the　State　Treasury；　send　them　to　you；　let　the　Treasurer　note　them　for　payment　when　the　appropriation　is　made；　and　then　pay　them　out　of　the　seminary　fund？　　The　drafts　will　be　paid　in　March；　and　the　seminary　will　lose　nothing。　　This　would　be　just　to　me；　for　I　actually　spent　two　hundred　dollars　and　more　in　going　to　Washington　and　New　York；　thereby　securing　from　the　United　States；　in　advance；　three　thousand　dollars'　worth　of　the　very　best　arms；　and　clothing　and　books；　at　a　clear　profit　to　the　seminary　of　over　eight　hundred　dollars。　　I　may　be　some　time　in　finding　new　employment；　and　will　stand　in　need　of　this　money　（five　hundred　dollars）；　otherwise　I　would　abandon　it。

I　will　not　ask　you　to　put　the　Board　of　Supervisors　to　the　trouble　of　meeting；　unless　you　can　get　a　quorum　at　Baton　Rouge。

With　great　respect；　your　friend；

W。　T。　SHERMAN。


By　course　of　mail；　I　received　the　following　answer　from　Governor　Moore；　the　original　of　which　I　still　possess。　　It　is　all　in　General　Braggs　handwriting；　with　which　I　am　familiar


Executive　Office；

BATON　ROUGE；　LOUISIANA；　January　23；　1861

MY　DEAR　SIR：　It　is　with　the　deepest　regret　I　acknowledge　receipt　of　your　communication　of　the　18th　inst。　　In　the　pressure　of　official　business；　I　can　now　only　request　you　to　transfer　to　Prof。　Smith　the　arms；　munitions；　and　funds　in　your　hands；　whenever　you　conclude　to　withdraw　from　the　position　you　have　filled　with　so　much　distinction。　　You　cannot　regret　more　than　I　do　the　necessity　which　deprives　us　of　your　services；　and　you　will　bear　with　you　the　respect；　confidence；　and　admiration；　of　all　who　have　been　associated　with　you。　　Very　truly；　your　friend；

Thomas　O。　Moore。

Colonel　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Superintendent　Military　Academy；　Alexandria。


I　must　have　received　several　letters　from　Bragg；　about　this　time；　which　have　not　been　preserved；　for　I　find　that；　on　the　1st　of　February；　1861；　I　wrote　him　thus：

Seminary　of　Learning　Alexandria；　LOUISIANA；　February　1；　1881。

Colonel　Braxton　BRAGG；　Baton；　Rouge；　Louisiana。

Dear　Sir：　Yours　of　January　23d　and　27th　are　received。　　I　thank　you　most　kindly；　and　Governor　Moors　through　you；　for　the　kind　manner　in　which　you　have　met　my　wishes。

Now　that　I　cannot　be　compromised　by　political　events；　I　will　so　shape　my　course　as　best　to　serve　the　institution；　which　has　a　strong　hold　on　my　affections　and　respect。

The　Board　of　Supervisors　will　be　called　for　the　9th　instant；　and　I　will　cooperate　with　them　in　their　measures　to　place　matters　here　on　a　safe　and　secure　basis。　　I　expect　to　be　here　two　weeks；　and　will　make　you　full　returns　of　money　and　property　belonging　to　the　State　Central　Arsenal。　　All　the　arms　and　ammunition　are　safely　stored　here。　　Then　I　will　write　you　more　at　length。　　With　sincere　respect；　your　friend；

W。　T。　SHERMAN。


Major　Smith's　receipt　to　me；　for　the　arms　and　property　belonging　both　to　the　seminary　and　to　the　arsenal；　is　dated　February　19；　1861。　　I　subjoin　also；　in　this　connection；　copies　of　one　or　two　papers　that　may　prove　of　interest


BATON　ROUGE；　January　28；　1881。　To　Major　SHERMAN；　Superintendent；　Alexandria。

My　DEAR　SIR：　Your　letter　was　duly　receive；　and　would　have　been　answered　ere　this　time　could　I　have　arranged　sooner　the　matter　of　the　five　hundred　dollars。　　I　shall　go　from　here　to　New　Orleans　to…day　or　tomorrow；　and　will　remain　there　till　Saturday　after　next；　perhaps。　　I　shall　expect　to　meet　you　there；　as　indicated　in　your　note　to　me。

I　need　not　tell　you　that　it　is　with　no　ordinary　regret　that　I　view　your　determination　to　leave　us；　for　really　I　believe　that　the　success　of　our　institution；　now　almost　assured；　is　jeopardized　thereby。　　I　am　sore　that　we　will　never　have　a　superintendent　with　whom　I　shall　have　more　pleasant　relations　than　those　which　have　existed　between　yourself　and　me。

I　fully　appreciate　the　motives　which　have　induced　you　to　give　up　a　position　presenting　so　many　advantages　to　yourself；　and　sincerely　hope　that　you　may；　in　any　future　enterprise；　enjoy　the　success　which　your　character　and　ability　merit　and　deserve。

Should　you　come　down　on　the　Rapides　（steamer）；　please　look　after　my　wife；　who　will；　I　hope；　accompany　you　on　said　boat；　or　some　other　good　one。

Colonel　Bragg　informs　me　that　the　necessary　orders　have　been　given　for　the　transfer　and　receipt　by　Major　Smith　of　the　public　property。

I　herewith　transmit　a　request　to　the　secretary　to　convene　the　Board　of　Supervisors；　that　they　may　act　as　seems　best　to　them　in　the　premises。

In　the　mean　time；　Major　Smith　will　command　by　seniority　the　cadets；　and　the　Academic　Board　will　be　able　to　conduct　the　scientific　exercises　of　the　institution　until　the　Board　of　Supervisors　can　have　time　to　act。　　Hoping　to　meet　you　soon　at　the　St。　Charles；　I　am；

Most　truly；　your　friend　and　servant；　　　　S。　A。　Smith

P。　S。　Governor　Moors　desires　me　to　express　his　profound　regret　that　the　State　is　about　to　lose　one　who　we　all　fondly　hoped　had　cast　his　destinies　for　weal　or　for　woe　among　us；　and　that　he　is　sensible　that　we　lose　thereby　an　officer　whom　it　will　be　difficult；　if　not　impossible；　to　replace。

S。　A。　S。


BATON　ROUGE；　February　11；　1881。　To　Major　Sherman；　Alexandria。

Dear　Sir：　I　have　been　in　New　Orleans　for　ten　days；　and　on　returning　here　find　two　letters　from　you；　also　your　prompt　answer　to　the　resolution　of　the　House　of　Representatives；　for　which　I　am　much　obliged。

The　resolution　passed　the　last　day　before　adjournment。　　I　was　purposing　to　respond；　when　your　welcome　reports　came　to　hand。　　I　have　arranged　to　pay　you　your　five　hundred　dollars。

I　will　say　nothing　of　general　politics；　except　to　give　my　opinion　that　there　is　not　to　be　any　war。

In　that　event；　would　it　not　be　possible　for　you　to　become　a　citizen　of　our　State？　Everyone　deplores　your　determination　to