RECOLLECTIONS OF A GREAT GENERAL.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 2956, 29 April 1898, Page 3

RECOLLECTIONS OF A GREAT GENERAL.

A trivia action may announce the coming of an importanb event. The staff officers of a commander-in-chief soon learn to watch tbeir general's slightest movements, that they may discover signs of what is likely bo happen nexb. Thej' act upon John SeUlen's suggestion : " Take a straw and throw ib up inbo the air — you may see by that which way the wind blows." General Sherman paid small atbenbion bo appearances ;to dre=s, almost none. When he did, his staff knew that something was going to happen. " There is going to be a batble bo-day, sure," said Golonel Audenreid, of the staff, one morning before daylight. " How Jo you know ?" asked a comrade. " Why, don't you see '! The general's up there by the lire putting on a clear collar. The sign's dead sure." A battle did take place that day, and Uheraw, with forty cannon, fell into bhe hands of Sherman's " bummers." Mr. Byers, who relabes that anecdote, narrates in " Human Documents " other personal recollections of "Sherman's March bo the Sea " bhrough swamps and woods, and over bridgeless sbreams. The general shared all the privabions and hardships of his soldiers — sleeping under a tent " fly,'' and in his uniform. One night Sherman and his stafflodged in a little deserted church they found in the woods. The general himself would not sleep on bhe bit of carpet on the pulpit platfotm. " Keep thab for some of you young fellows who are not well," he said laughingly, as he strebched himself oub on a long hard bench. When the army reached Goldsborough half the men were in rags. One day a division was ordered to march past the general in review. The men were barelegged, ragged, and some of them were al- : most hatless. " Only look at the poor fellows with their bare legs," said an , officer. I " Splendid lees !" retorted the general, ! with a twinkle in his eye. " Splendid legs ! Would give both mine for any one of them." Every man in the army knev tlie general's ; face, and thousands spoke with him pe*-- ! son-ally, and at times with amusing familiari ity. " Don't ride too fast, general !" they j would cry out, seeing his horse plunging in I the mire at bhe roadside, as he tried to pass j some division. " Pretty slippery Koinir, 1 Uncle Billy, pretty slippery going." " Say, i general, kin you tell us is this the road to I Richmond ?" The general's simple style of living, which meant army rations and such chickens as his cook could forage, with e'eepine: under a " fly " pitched in the woods, showed the men bhab bheir privations were shared by tho commander, and made them ready to go anywhere and do anything he mij^ht order. There is official record that one division waded bhrough swamps and forded bhirby-five rivers, where bhe cold water often reached bo bhe men's waists. While thus floundering through swamps this division builb fifbeen miles of corduroy waggon-road and one hundred and twentytwo miles of side road for bhe troops. The horses and mules of ben floundered in the bottomlesß roads, became discouraged, gave out and died. Then bhe men took their places, and dragged ben thousand waggons, besides ambulances and batteries, for miles. The soldiers had caught the enthusiasm of their general.