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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
W。 T。 SHERMAN
I did return about October 15th； saw President Grant； who said nothing had been done in the premises； but that he would bring General Belknap and me together and settle this matter。 Matters went along pretty mach as usual till the month of August； 1871； when I dined at the Arlington with Admiral Alder and General Belknap。 The former said he had been promoted to rear…admiral and appointed to command the European squadron； then at Villa Franca； near Nice； and that he was going out in the frigate Wabash； inviting me to go along。 I had never been to Europe； and the opportunity was too tempting to refuse。 After some preliminaries I agreed to go along； taking with me as aides…de…camp Colonel Audenried and Lieutenant Fred Grant。 The Wabash was being overhauled at the Navy…Yard at Boston； and was not ready to sail till November； when she came to New…York； where we all embarked Saturday； November 11th。
I have very full notes of the whole trip； and here need only state that we went out to the Island of Madeira； and thence to Cadiz and Gibraltar。 Here my party landed； and the Wabash went on to Villa Franca。 From Gibraltar we made the general tour of Spain to Bordeaux； through the south of France to Marseilles； Toulon； etc。； to Nice； from which place we rejoined the Wabash and brought ashore our baggage。
》From Nice we went to Genoa； Turin； the Mont Cenis Tunnel； Milan； Venice； etc。； to Rome。 Thence to Naples； Messina； and Syracuse； where we took a steamer to Malta。 From Malta to Egypt and Constantinople； to Sebastopol； Poti； and Tiflis。 At Constantinople and Sebastopol my party was increased by Governor Curtin； his son； and Mr。 McGahan。
It was my purpose to have reached the Caspian； and taken boats to the Volga； and up that river as far as navigation would permit； but we were dissuaded by the Grand…Duke Michael； Governor…General of the Caucasas； and took carriages six hundred miles to Taganrog； on the Sea of Azof； to which point the railroad system of Russia was completed。 From Taganrog we took cars to Moscow and St。 Petersburg。 Here Mr。 Curtin and party remained； he being our Minister at that court； also Fred Grant left us to visit his aunt at Copenhagen。 Colonel Audenried and I then completed the tour of interior Europe； taking in Warsaw； Berlin； Vienna； Switzerland； France； England； Scotland； and Ireland； embarking for home in the good steamer Baltic； Saturday； September 7； 1872； reaching Washington； D。 C。； September 22d。 I refrain from dwelling on this trip； because it would swell this chapter beyoud my purpose。
When I regained my office I found matters unchanged since my departure； the Secretary of War exercising all the functions of commanderin…chief； and I determined to allow things to run to their necessary conclusion。 In 1873 my daughter Minnie also made a trip to Europe； and I resolved as soon as she returned that I would simply move back to St。 Louis to execute my office there as best I could。 But I was embarrassed by being the possessor of a large piece of property in Washington on I Street； near the corner of Third； which I could at the time neither sell nor give away。 It came into my possession as a gift from friends in New York and Boston； who had purchased it of General Grant and transferred to me at the price of 65；000。
The house was very large； costly to light； heat； and maintain； and Congress had reduced my pay four or five thousand dollars a year； so that I was gradually being impoverished。 Taxes； too； grew annually； from about four hundred dollars a year to fifteen hundred； besides all sorts of special taxes。
Finding myself caught in a dilemma； I added a new hall； and made out of it two houses； one of which I occupied； and the other I rented； and thus matters stood in 1873'74。 By the agency of Mr。 Hall； a neighbor and broker； I effected a sale of the property to the present owner； Mr。 Emory； at a fair price； accepting about half payment in notes； and the other half in a piece of property on E Street； which I afterward exchanged for a place in Cite Brilliante； a suburb of St。 Louis； which I still own。 Being thus foot…loose； and having repeatedly notified President Grant of my purpose； I wrote the Secretary of War on the 8th day of May； 1874； asking the authority of the President and the War Department to remove my headquarters to St。 Louis。
On the 11th day of May General Belknap replied that I had the assent of the President and himself； inclosing the rough draft of an order to accomplish this result； which I answered on the 15th； expressing my entire satisfaction； only requesting delay in the publication of the orders till August or September； as I preferred to make the changes in the month of October。
On the 3d of September these orders were made：
WAR DEPARTMENT； ADJUTANT…GENERAL'S OFFICE； WASHINGTON； September 8； 1874。
General Orders No。 108。
With the assent of the President； and at the request of the General； the headquarters of the armies of the United States will be established at St。 Louis； Missouri； in the month of October next。
The regulations and orders now governing the functions of the General of the Army； and those in relation to transactions of business with the War Department and its bureaus； will continue in force。
By order of the Secretary of War：
E。 D。 TOWNSEND； Adjutant…General。
Our daughter Minnie was married October 1； 1874； to Thomas W。 Fitch； United States Navy； and we all forthwith packed up and regained our own house at St。 Louis； taking an office on the corner of Tenth and Locust Streets。 The only staff I brought with me were the aides allowed by law； and； though we went through the forms of 〃command；〃 I realized that it was a farce； and it did not need a prophet to foretell it would end in a tragedy。 We made ourselves very comfortable； made many pleasant excursions into the interior； had a large correspondence； and escaped the mortification of being slighted by men in Washington who were using their temporary power for selfish ends。
Early in March； 1676； appeared in all the newspapers of the day the sensational report from Washington that Secretary of War Belknap had been detected in selling sutlerships in the army； that he had confessed it to Representative Blackburn； of Kentucky； that he had tendered his resignation； which had been accepted by the President； and that he was still subject to impeachment；would be impeached and tried by the Senate。 I was surprised to learn that General Belknap was dishonest in money matters； for I believed him a brave soldier； and I sorely thought him honest； but the truth was soon revealed from Washington； and very soon after I received from Judge Alphonso Taft； of Cincinnati； a letter informing me that he had been appointed Secretary of War； and should insist on my immediate return to Washington。 I answered that I was ready to go to Washington； or anywhere； if assured of decent treatment。
I proceeded to Washington； when； on the 6th of April； were published these orders：
General Orders No。 28。
The following orders of the President of the United States are hereby promulgated for the information and guidance of all concerned：
The headquarters of the army