THE CRISIS OF A CAREER.
SHERMAN IN THE PRIME OR MANHOOD--GREAT EVENTS APPROACHING--HOW
HE CAME TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER--ORGANIZATION OF THE SEMINARY--
POLITICAL TALK--HIS VIEW ON SLAVERY--THE CAMPAIGN OF 1860 AND
ELECTION OF LINCOLN--SECESSION--SHERMAN'S PROMPT DECISION TO
STAND BY THE UNION--RESIGNATION OF HIS PRINCIPALSHIP--DEPARTURE
FOR THE NORTH--FATE OF THE SEMINARY.
Sherman's real history begins with 1859. Up to that time, as we have
seen, his life was one of preparation, checkered, adventurous, often
picturesque, always earnest. Yet it comprised no word or act of vital
import or permanent value to the world. Whether hunting in Florida, or
mingling in gay society at Charleston, or watching the rush for gold
and the rise of a new State in California, or banking in New York,
or practicing law in Kansas, he did nothing that unfolded his own
character to the fullest extent, or seriously impressed the history
of the nation. The most interesting personal feature of those years
was his long courtship and happy marriage; the incident of most public
value, undreamed of at the time, was his horseback journeys through
Northern Georgia. Neither of these, however, had his career been ended
at that time, would have secured him more than a local and a transient
fame. The work of his life yet lay before him.
It is interesting to observe, in passing, as significant of his
general character, that he was admitted to practice law at the Kansas
bar, not on the strength of his legal attainments nor because he
had successfully passed the required examination, but simply on the
score of his general intelligence. He did not, in fact, profess to be
a lawyer in the technical sense of the term. He had indeed studied
a few of the ordinary law books, but he could hardly have passed a
satisfactory examination. He arranged, therefore, to enter partnership
with Thomas Ewing, Jr., on this basis: Ewing, who was a thorough
lawyer, was to manage all the business in the Courts, and Sherman was
to look after collections, agency work, etc., such as his business
experience had qualified him to attend to. It was necessary even under
these circumstances for him to obtain a lawyer's license, so he went
one day to Judge Lecompte, of the United States Court, and mentioned
the matter to him. The Judge told him to go to the Clerk and get a
license. "But," said Sherman, "shall I have to be examined?" "No,"
said the Judge, "we will admit you on the strength of your general
intelligence."
Behold our hero, then, in the midsummer of 1859; a tall, slender man
in the prime of life, who had never known a day's ill health, and
whose mind and body were brimming with ambition and energy that had
not yet found scope for full expansion. He had weighed many things in
the balance of practical achievement, but had found them all wanting.
His heart was set upon a soldier's life, but as yet he had been
compelled to remain amid scenes of inglorious peace. He had missed the
opportunities of the Mexican war, and the sanguinary prophecies of
General Scott had lacked fulfilment.
But now the shadows of great events began to fall thickly all about
him. He had already witnessed the Free State Struggle in California,
and had seen Fremont triumphantly elected Senator. The same conflict
was now rapidly assuming national dimensions. The old Whig party had
melted away, and a new and stronger party had arisen in its place.
Already the new organization had fought a great presidential campaign
with Fremont as its leader, and had shown a strength that promised
success when next it should measure forces with its opponent. In
Congress the new party was an important factor, and there Sherman's
brother, John, was one of its most conspicuous leaders. Although in
his cadet days Sherman had not been in full sympathy with the Whig
partisanship of his foster father, the whole bent of his nature was now
strongly toward freedom as against slavery, and toward nationalism as
against sectionalism and secession. But not yet did he even dream of
the nearness and the magnitude of the coming struggle, and the mighty
part that he was destined to play therein.
He was invited, in July, 1859, to become the head of a new military
school at Alexandria, Louisiana. The national government sometime
before had given to that State a considerable tract of public land,
the proceeds from the sale of which were to be used in founding "a
seminary of learning." For some time the authorities of Louisiana
discussed the name and scope of the proposed institution, and finally
adopted the title of "Louisiana Seminary of Learning," to which
Sherman afterward added "and Military Academy." Sherman appears to
have obtained the principalship of this seminary through the influence
of Major Don Carlos Buell and General G. M. Graham, and not, as has
been alleged, through the personal friendship of General Bragg and
General Beauregard. Indeed, the latter two gentlemen had nothing to
do with it, and did not know of his appointment until it was actually
made. Sherman had written to Buell, who was on duty in the War
Department at Washington, applying for a place as army paymaster. Buell
replied by sending him a prospectus of the Louisiana Seminary and
advising him to apply for the principalship. Sherman did so, and soon
after was informed by Governor Wickliffe that he had been appointed
to the desired position. Sherman was made principal and professor
of engineering; Anthony Vallas was professor of mathematics and
philosophy; Francis W. Smith was professor of chemistry; David F. Boyd
was professor of languages, English and Ancient; and E. Berti St. Ange
was professor of French and Modern languages.
Sherman went to Louisiana in the autumn of 1859 and reported for duty
to Governor Moore, who had succeeded Governor Wickliffe. Governor
Moore sent him in his own carriage to Alexandria, and there Sherman
and General Graham looked over the ground and made plans for the
Seminary. The college building stood on a tract of four hundred acres
of pine land, and was under the charge of a carpenter named James. It
was a large and handsome house, but did not contain a chair or table
or blackboard, or indeed any of the essentials of school work. Sherman
accordingly set to work at once to supply the deficiencies. He engaged
James and three other carpenters, and set them to work making furniture
out of some of the fencing of the place and a lot of boards that were
piled near the house.
The Governor issued a notice on November 17th, announcing that the
seminary would be open on January 1st, 1860. On the latter date some
sixty students reported to the principal. Sherman organized the
school as nearly as possible on the basis of West Point, with roll
calls, etc., but without uniforms or muskets. He himself attended to
the business of the institution and gave but little actual class
instruction. There were seventy-three students during the first term,
and fifty-nine of them passed the examination on July 30th, 1860.
Meantime Sherman had secured new legislation, granting the school
a larger fund for its maintenance, and generally increasing its
efficiency and scope.
While advocating the cause of the school before the legislature he
necessarily spent much time at Baton Rouge, and there was drawn into
the political discussions that were then rife. His brother, John
Sherman, was the Republican candidate for the Speakership of the
House of Representatives at Washington, and was regarded through the
South as an "Abolitionist"--a synonym for all that was monstrous
and devilish. For this reason W. T. Sherman was looked upon with
suspicion in Louisiana, and many people openly expressed their doubt
of the propriety of retaining him at the head of an important State
institution. One evening Sherman took dinner at the Governor's, and
there met General Bragg and a number of leading politicians. After the
ladies had left the table, the gentlemen took to talking politics,
and General Moore, referring to John Sherman's candidacy for the
Speakership, asked Colonel Sherman to speak his own mind frankly on the
subject of slavery and the political conflict between the North and the
South.
Sherman responded frankly and fully. He declared that his brother
was not an Abolitionist in the radical sense of the term. He was,
of course, opposed to slavery, but did not advocate any forcible
interference with existing institutions at the South, although he would
resist their extension into other parts of the country. As for himself,
Sherman declared that if he were a citizen of Louisiana and a member
of the legislature, he would earnestly strive for the amelioration
of the condition of the negroes; he would forbid the separation of
families in the sale of slaves; and he would abolish the laws which
forbade slaves to learn to read and write. He talked in this strain
at some length and with his characteristic earnestness and vigor, and
supported his views by citing illustrations from his own experience and
observation. His remarks deeply impressed the whole country, and when
he stopped speaking the Attorney-General of the State, who was present,
struck the table a tremendous blow with his fist and exclaimed:
"By ----, he is right!" After that there were no complaints of Sherman's
political unfitness for his place.
There was a vacation from August 1st to November 1st, and Sherman went
North, to New York, to purchase additional supplies for the school, and
then to Lancaster to visit his family, who had remained there pending
the construction of a suitable house at Alexandria. He also went to
Washington and influenced the War Department to grant to the school
a supply of muskets and other accoutrements for the military drill.
Returning to Alexandria in October he went to work with great energy to
get the new buildings ready for the opening of the school on November
1st. On the latter date about one hundred and thirty cadets were
present, and the work of the school was resumed.
Sherman's house was now ready, and he moved into it. He did not,
however, send for his family because serious storms were visible
in the political skies. The presidential campaign then closing had
been unprecedentedly bitter, and it was evident that the election of
the Republican candidate would immediately be followed by the most
extreme measures on the part of the South. Sherman took no part in the
political discussion, although his associates tried to force him into
it. On election day he was openly told that it would be advisable for
him to vote for Bell and Everett, that being the Presidential ticket
most in favor in Louisiana. "I openly said I would not," says Sherman,
"and I did not."
Lincoln was elected and the event startled the South. It was recognized
there at once that extension of the slave power into the territories
was impossible in the future, and that therefore the future growth of
the nation would be in the direction of free soil and free men. The
most incendiary and revolutionary talk was heard everywhere. Sherman
kept quietly at his work, but he noticed that his cadets began taking
their declamations from the speeches of Calhoun, Yancey and other
Southern extremists, selecting especially passages in defence of
slavery and in praise of State rights.
No one ventured, however, to approach him upon the subject, although
his opinions were pretty generally understood, namely, that secession
was treason and treason meant war. When President Buchanan announced
in his annual message to Congress, in December, 1860, that the General
Government had no power to prevent a State from seceding, Sherman was
startled and began to fear the dissolution of the Union.
South Carolina soon passed acts of secession, and agents came to
Louisiana to persuade the Government of that State to do likewise.
Sherman saw that the mass of the people were opposed to it, but that
the politicians would certainly force them into it. Such was the case.
But before the formal act of secession was passed, Governor Moore,
in the name of the State, seized upon all the United States forts at
the mouth of the Mississippi and the Federal arsenal at Baton Rouge.
He was prompted to do this by Benjamin and Slidell, the two Senators
from Louisiana. Sherman was strongly and bitterly impressed by the
seizure of the arsenal. The arsenal was commanded by Major Haskins, an
excellent and loyal officer, who, however, feared to resist the State's
demand, because he knew that the cowardly administration at Washington
would not support him in such a refusal; so he surrendered to General
Bragg.
Some of the arms stored in the arsenal were sent up to Alexandria, and
Sherman was ordered by the Governor to receipt for them and take care
of them. Thus, he says, he was made the receiver of stolen goods, goods
that were the property of the United States; and this grated terribly
on his loyal feelings. Indeed it was this event that brought affairs,
with him, to a crisis, and immediately, a week before the actual
ordinance of secession was passed, he wrote as follows:
"LOUISIANA STATE SEMINARY OF LEARNING
"AND MILITARY ACADEMY,
"JANUARY 18TH, 1861.
"Governor THOMAS O. MOORE, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
"SIR: As I occupy a quasi-military position under this State, I
deem it proper to acquaint you that I accepted such position when
Louisiana was a State in the Union, and when the motto of the
Seminary was inserted in the marble over the main door: 'By the
liberality of the General Government of the United States. The
Union--esto perpetua.'
"Recent events foreshadow a great change, and it becomes all
men to choose. If Louisiana withdraws from the Federal Union, I
prefer to maintain my allegiance to the old Constitution as long
as a fragment of it survives, and my longer stay here would be
wrong in every sense of the word. In that event, I beg you will
send or appoint some authorized agent to take charge of the arms
and munitions of war here belonging to the State or direct me
what disposition should be made of them.
"And, furthermore, as President of the Board of Supervisors, I
beg you to take immediate steps to relieve me as superintendent
the moment the State determines to secede; for on no earthly
account will I do any act, or think any thought, hostile to or in
defiance of the old Government of the United States. With great
respect, etc.,
"W. T. SHERMAN."
Accompanying this, he sent a private letter to the Governor, in which
he said: "I take it for granted that you have been expecting for some
days the accompanying paper from me. I have repeatedly and again made
known to General Graham and Dr. Smith that, in the event of a severance
of the relations hitherto existing between the Confederated States
of this Union, I would be forced to choose the old Union.... I have
never been a politician, and therefore undervalue the excited feelings
and opinions of present rulers, but I do think if this people cannot
execute a form of Government like the present, that a worse one will
result.... 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."
To Dr. S. A. Smith, president of the Board of Supervisors, he wrote a
long letter, relating what he had written to the Governor, and saying
that under the circumstances he felt it would be highly improper for
him longer to remain at the head of the school. "The more I think of
it, the more I think I should be away, the sooner the better."
A few days later he received a reply from Governor Moore, in General
Bragg's hand-writing, expressing much regret at the loss of his
services, and assurances of respect, confidence and admiration. Dr.
Smith also wrote to him in a similar strain on January 28th, and added
in a postscript: "Governor Moore 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." The Board of
Supervisors and the Academic Board also adopted resolutions expressing
deep regret at his departure and the highest appreciation of the value
of his services.
In the latter part of February, 1861, Sherman turned over all the
Seminary property to his successor and then went down to New Orleans
to draw the salary due him and close up all his business relations
with the State. During the few days he spent at New Orleans, he lived
at the St. Louis Hotel, and usually sat at the same table with General
and Mrs. Bragg, with whom he was on most friendly terms. He also met
General Beauregard, two of whose sons had been at the Alexandria
Seminary. Beauregard was at that time sent for by Jefferson Davis to
be made Brigadier-General, and this made Bragg jealous, because in the
United States army Bragg had been Beauregard's senior officer. Talking
about this one day at the hotel table, Mrs. Bragg remarked to Sherman:
"You know that my husband is not a favorite with the new President."
"Why," said Sherman, "I did not know that he had ever met Mr. Lincoln."
"I didn't mean your President," replied Mrs. Bragg with emphasis, "but
our President."
Business was going on in New Orleans as usual. The Louisiana State flag
was flying over all the Federal buildings and elsewhere throughout
the city, and along the river ships displayed every flag on earth
except the Stars and Stripes. Everybody seemed to regard the change of
government as complete and final, and believed that secession would be
quietly acquiesced in by the nation, although men were steadily being
enlisted and armed to defend the State. Amid such scenes, on February
25th, Sherman bade farewell to his friends, and set out for his old
home at Lancaster.
The Alexandria Seminary was broken up by the war. All the faculty
and students joined the Rebel army excepting two professors and one
student. Sherman met several of his former associates during the war,
and for many years after the war maintained a friendly acquaintance
with them. The Seminary was re-organized in 1865, but a few years later
was totally destroyed by fire. Governor Moore's plantation was laid
waste during the war, and Sherman was afterward of great service to him
in regaining possession of his property.
[Illustration: HON. JOHN SHERMAN]