memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第88节
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The bankers here have information to…day that Jeff。 Davis's specie is moving south from Goldsboro'； in wagons； as fast as possible。
I suggest that orders be telegraphed； through General Thomas； that Wilson obey no orders from Sherman； and notifying him and Canby； and all commanders on the Mississippi； to take measures to intercept the rebel chiefs and their plunder。
The specie taken with them is estimated here at from six to thirteen million dollars。
H。 W。 HALLECK； Major…General commanding。
Subsequently； before the Committee on the Conduct of the War； in Washington； on the 22d of May； I testified fully on this whole matter； and will abide the judgment of the country on the patriotism and wisdom of my public conduct in this connection。 General Halleck's measures to capture General Johnston's army； actually surrendered to me at the time； at Greensboro'； on the 26th of April； simply excited my contempt for a judgment such as he was supposed to possess。 The assertion that Jeff。 Davis's specie… train； of six to thirteen million dollars； was reported to be moving south from Goldsboro' in wagons as fast as possible； found plenty of willing ears； though my army of eighty thousand men had been at Goldsboro' from March 22d to the date of his dispatch； April 26th； and such a train would have been composed of from fifteen to thirty…two six…mule teams to have hauled this specie； even if it all were in gold。 I suppose the exact amount of treasure which Davis had with him is now known to a cent； some of it was paid to his escort； when it disbanded at and near Washington； Georgia； and at the time of his capture he had a small parcel of gold and silver coin； not to exceed ten thousand dollars； which is now retained in the United States Treasury…vault at Washington； and shown to the curious。
The thirteen millions of treasure； with which Jeff。 Davis was to corrupt our armies and buy his escape； dwindled down to the contents of a hand…valise！
To say that I was merely angry at the tone and substance of these published bulletins of the War Department； would hardly express the state of my feelings。 I was outraged beyoud measure； and was resolved to resent the insult； cost what it might。 I went to the Wayanda and showed them to Mr。 Chase； with whom I had a long and frank conversation； during which he explained to me the confusion caused in Washington by the assassination of Mr。 Lincoln； the sudden accession to power of Mr。 Johnson； who was then supposed to be bitter and vindictive in his feelings toward the South； and the wild pressure of every class of politicians to enforce on the new President their pet schemes。 He showed me a letter of his own； which was in print； dated Baltimore； April 11th； and another of April 12th； addressed to the President； urging him to recognize the freedmen as equal in all respects to the whites。 He was the first man； of any authority or station； who ever informed me that the Government of the United States would insist on extending to the former slaves of the South the elective franchise； and he gave as a reason the fact that the slaves； grateful for their freedom； for which they were indebted to the armies and Government of the North； would； by their votes； offset the disaffected and rebel element of the white population of the South。 At that time quite a storm was prevailing at sea； outside； and our two vessels lay snug at the wharf at Morehead City。 I saw a good deal of Mr。 Chase； and several notes passed between us； of which I have the originals yet。 Always claiming that the South had herself freed all her slaves by rebellion； and that Mr。 Lincoln's proclamation of freedom （of September 22； 1862） was binding on all officers of the General Government； I doubted the wisdom of at once clothing them with the elective franchise； without some previous preparation and qualification； and then realized the national loss in the death at that critical moment of Mr。 Lincoln； who had long pondered over the difficult questions involved； who； at all events； would have been honest and frank； and would not have withheld from his army commanders at least a hint that would have been to them a guide。 It was plain to me； therefore； that the manner of his assassination had stampeded the civil authorities in Washington； had unnerved them； and that they were then undecided as to the measures indispensably necessary to prevent anarchy at the South。
On the 7th of May the storm subsided； and we put to sea； Mr。 Chase to the south； on his proposed tour as far as New Orleans； and I for James River。 I reached Fortress Monroe on the 8th； and thence telegraphed my arrival to General Grant； asking for orders。 I found at Fortress Monroe a dispatch from General Halleck； professing great friendship； and inviting me to accept his hospitality at Richmond。 I answered by a cipher…dispatch that I had seen his dispatch to Mr。 Stanton； of April 26th； embraced in the second bulletin； which I regarded as insulting； declined his hospitality； and added that I preferred we should not meet as I passed through Richmond。 I thence proceeded to City Point in the Russia； and on to Manchester； opposite Richmond； via Petersburg； by rail。 I found that both wings of the army had arrived from Raleigh； and were in camp in and around Manchester； whence I again telegraphed General Grant； an the 9th of May； for orders； and also reported my arrival to General Halleck by letter。 I found that General Halleck had ordered General Davis's corps （the Fourteenth） for review by himself。 This I forbade。 All the army knew of the insult that had been made me by the Secretary of War and General Halleck； and watched me closely to see if I would tamely submit。 During the 9th I made a full and complete report of all these events； from the last report made at Goldsboro' up to date； and the next day received orders to continue the march to Alexandria； near Washington。
On the morning of the 11th we crossed the pontoon…bridge at Richmond； marched through that city； and out on the Han over CourtHouse road； General Slocum's left wing leading。 The right wing （General Logan） followed the next day； viz。； the 12th。 Meantime； General O。 O。 Howard had been summoned to Washington to take charge of the new Bureau of Refugees； Freedmen； and Abandoned Lands； and； from that time till the army was finally disbanded； General John A。 Logan was in command of the right wing； and of the Army of the Tennessee。 The left wing marched through Hanover Court House； and thence took roads well to the left by Chilesburg； the Fourteenth Corps by New Market and Culpepper； Manassas； etc。； the Twentieth Corps by Spotsylvania Court…House and Chancellorsville。 The right wing followed the more direct road by Fredericksburg。 On my way north I endeavored to see as much of the battle…fields of the Army of the Potomac as I could； and therefore shifted from one column to the other； visiting en route Hanover Court…House； Spotsylvania； Fredericksburg； Dumfries； etc。； reaching Alexandria during the afternoon of May 19th； and pitched my camp by the road side； about half…way between Alexandria and the Long Bridge。 During the same and next day the whole army reached Alexandria； and camped round about it； General Meade's Army of the Potomac had possession of the camps above； opposite Washington and Georgetown。 The next day （by invitation） I went over to Washington and met many friendsamong them General Grant and President Johnson。 The latter occupied rooms in the house on the corner of Fifteenth and H Streets； belonging to Mr。 Hooper。 He was extremely cordial to me； and knowing that I was chafing under the censures of the War Department； especially of the two war bulletins of Mr。 Stanton； he volunteered to say that he knew of neither of them till seen in the newspapers； and that Mr。 Stanton had shown neither to him nor to any of his associates in the cabinet till they were published。 Nearly all the members of the cabinet made similar assurances to me afterward； and； as Mr。 Stanton made no friendly advances； and offered no word of explanation or apology； I declined General Grant's friendly offices for a reconciliation； but； on the contrary； resolved to resent what I considered an insult； as publicly as it was made。 My brother； Senator Sherman； who was Mr。 Stanton's neighbor； always insisted that Mr。 Stanton had been frightened by the intended assassination of himself； and had become embittered thereby。 At all events； I found strong military guards around his house； as well as all the houses occupied by the cabinet and by the principal officers of Government； and a sense of insecurity pervaded Washington； for which no reason existed。
On the 19th I received a copy of War Department Special Order No。 239； Adjutant…General's office； of May 18th； ordering a grand review； by the President and cabinet； of all the armies then near Washington； General Meade's to occur on Tuesday； May 23d； mine on Wednesday； the 24th； and on the 20th I made the necessary orders for my part。 Meantime I had also arranged （with General Grant's approval） to remove after the review； my armies from the south side of the Potomac to the north； both for convenience and because our men had found that the grounds assigned them had been
