memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第102部分

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　refers；　and　quotes　as　from　me。

ST。　Louis；　Missouri；　1895。　　　　W。　T。　S。




MAYWOOD；　ILLINOIS；　July　14；　1875。

General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Commander…in…Chief；　etc。

DEAR　GENERAL　：　Your　letter　of　the　11th　of　July　reaches　me　just　as　I　am　starting　to　spend　the　first　vacation　I　have　ever　allowed　myself…　…in　the　Territories；　with　my　wife　and　son。

It　indicates　a　spirit　of　fairness　from　which　we　have　better　things　than　an　arbitration　to　hope　for。　　Though；　if　we　should　reach　such　a　necessity；　there　is　no　one　living　to　whom　our　differences　might　more　properly　be　referred　than　to　General　Webster。　　I　make　no　objection　to　your　writing　your　〃Memoirs；〃　and；　as　long　as　they　refer　to　your　own　conduct；　you　are　at　liberty　to　write　them　as　you　like；　but；　when　they　refer　to　mine；　and　deal　unjustly　with　my　reputation；　I；　of　right；　object。

Neither　do　I　wish　to　write　my　〃Memoirs；〃　unless　compelled　to　do　so　to　vindicate　my　good　name。　　There　were　certain　commands　which　were　to　make　up　mine。　　These；　Waring's　brigade　included；　were　spoken　of　by　us　in　the　long　conversation　to　which　you　refer。　　This　brigade　we　knew　was　having　a　hard　time　of　it　in　its　movement　from　Columbus　to　Memphis。　　I　asked　you　if　I　should　move　without　it　if　it　did　not　arrive；　and　you　answered　me　as　stated　in　my　last　letter　to　you。　Those　who　immediately　surrounded　me　during　the　painful　delay　that　occurred　will　inform　you　how　sorely　I　chafed　under　the　restraint　of　that　peremptory　order。

In　the　conversation　that　occurred　between　us　at　Nashville；　while　all　the　orders；　written　and　verbal；　were　still　fresh　in　your　memory；　you　did　not　censure　me　for　waiting　for　Waring；　but　for　allowing　myself　to　be　encumbered　with　fugitive　negroes　to　such　an　extent　that　my　command　was　measurably　unfit　for　active　movement　or　easy　handling；　and　for　turning　bank　from　West　Point；　instead　of　pressing　on　toward　Meridian。　　Invitations　had　been　industriously　circulated；　by　printed　circulars　and　otherwise；　to　the　negroes　to　come　into　our　lines；　and　to　seek　our　protection　wherever　they　could　find　it；　and　I　considered　ourselves　pledged　to　receive　and　protect　them。　　Your　censure　for　so　doing；　and　your　remarks　on　that　subject　to　me　in　Nashville；　are　still　fresh　in　my　memory；　and　of　a　character　which　you　would　now　doubtless　gladly　disavow。

But　we　must　meet　and　talk　the　whole　matter　over；　and　I　will　be　at　any　trouble　to　see　you　when　I　return。

Meantime　I　will　not　let　go　the　hope　that　I　will　convince　you　absolutely　of　your　error；　for　the　facts　are　entirely　on　my　side。　Yours　truly；

WILLIAM　SOOY　SMITH





End　of　Volume　One