memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第26节

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　Pennsylvania　Avenue；　opposite　the　War　Department。　　We　made　a　wedding　tour　to　Baltimore；　New　York；　Niagara；　and　Ohio；　and　returned　to　Washington　by　the　1st　of　July。　　General　Taylor　participated　in　the　celebration　of　the　Fourth　of　July；　a　very　hot　day；　by　hearing　a　long　speech　from　the　Hon。　Henry　S。　Foote；　at　the　base　of　the　Washington　Monument。　　Returning　from　the　celebration　much　heated　and　fatigued；　he　partook　too　freely　of　his　favorite　iced　milk　with　cherries；　and　during　that　night　was　seized　with　a　severe　colic；　which　by　morning　had　quite　prostrated　him。　　It　was　said　that　he　sent　for　his　son…in…law；　Surgeon　Wood；　United　States　Army；　stationed　in　Baltimore；　and　declined　medical　assistance　from　anybody　else。　　Mr。　Ewing　visited　him　several　times；　and　was　manifestly　uneasy　and　anxious；　as　was　also　his　son…in…law；　Major　Bliss；　then　of　the　army；　and　his　confidential　secretary。　　He　rapidly　grew　worse；　and　died　in　about　four　days。


At　that　time　there　was　a　high　state　of　political　feeling　pervading　the　country；　on　account　of　the　questions　growing　out　of　the　new　Territories　just　acquired　from　Mexico　by　the　war。　　Congress　was　in　session；　and　General　Taylor's　sudden　death　evidently　created　great　alarm。　　I　was　present　in　the　Senate…gallery；　and　saw　the　oath　of　office　administered　to　the　Vice…President；　Mr。　Fillmore；　a　man　of　splendid　physical　proportions　and　commanding　appearance；　but　on　the　faces　of　Senators　　and　people　could　easily　be　read　the　feelings　of　doubt　and　uncertainty　that　prevailed。　　All　knew　that　a　change　in　the　cabinet　and　general　policy　was　likely　to　result；　but　at　the　time　it　was　supposed　that　Mr。　Fillmore；　whose　home　was　in　Buffalo；　would　be　less　liberal　than　General　Taylor　to　the　politicians　of　the　South；　who　feared；　or　pretended　to　fear；　a　crusade　against　slavery；　or；　as　was　the　political　cry　of　the　day；　that　slavery　would　be　prohibited　in　the　Territories　and　in　the　places　exclusively　under　the　jurisdiction　of　the　United　States。　　Events；　however；　proved　the　contrary。

I　attended　General　Taylor's　funeral　as　a　sort　of　aide…decamp；　at　the　request　of　the　Adjutant…General　of　the　army；　Roger　Jones；　whose　brother；　a　militia…general；　commanded　the　escort；　composed　of　militia　and　some　regulars。　　Among　the　regulars　I　recall　the　names　of　Captains　John　Sedgwick　and　W。　F。　Barry。

Hardly　was　General　Taylor　decently　buried　in　the　Congressional　Cemetery　when　the　political　struggle　recommenced；　and　it　became　manifest　that　Mr。　Fillmore　favored　the　general　compromise　then　known　as　Henry　Clay's　〃Omnibus　Bill；〃　and　that　a　general　change　of　cabinet　would　at　once　occur：　Webster　was　to　succeed　Mr。　Clayton　as　Secretary　of　State；　Corwin　to　succeed　Mr。　Meredith　as　Secretary　of　the　Treasury；　and　A。　H。　H。　Stuart　to　succeed　Mr。　Ewing　as　Secretary　of　the　Interior。　　Mr。　Ewing；　however；　was　immediately　appointed　by　the　Governor　of　the　State　to　succeed　Corwin　in　the　Senate。　　These　changes　made　it　necessary　for　Mr。　Ewing　to　discontinue　house…　keeping；　and　Mr。　Corwin　took　his　home　and　furniture　off　his　hands。　I　escorted　the　family　out　to　their　home　in　Lancaster；　Ohio；　but；　before　this　had　occurred；　some　most　interesting　debates　took　place　in　the　Senate；　which　I　regularly　attended；　and　heard　Clay；　Benton；　Foots；　King　of　Alabama；　Dayton；　and　the　many　real　orators　of　that　day。　　Mr。　Calhoun　was　in　his　seat；　but　he　was　evidently　approaching　his　end；　for　he　was　pale　and　feeble　in　the　extreme。　　I　heard　Mr。　Webster's　last　speech　on　the　floor　of　the　Senate；　under　circumstances　that　warrant　a　description。　　It　was　publicly　known　that　he　was　to　leave　the　Senate；　and　enter　the　new　cabinet　of　Mr。　Fillmore；　as　his　Secretary　of　State；　and　that　prior　to　leaving　he　was　to　make　a　great　speech　on　the　〃Omnibus　Bill。〃　　Resolved　to　hear　it；　I　went　up　to　the　Capitol　on　the　day　named；　an　hour　or　so　earlier　than　usual。　　The　speech　was　to　be　delivered　in　the　old　Senate…chamber；　now　used　by　the　Supreme　Court。　　The　galleries　were　much　smaller　than　at　present；　and　I　found　them　full　to　overflowing；　with　a　dense　crowd　about　the　door；　struggling　to　reach　the　stairs。　I　could　not　get　near；　and　then　tried　the　reporters'　gallery；　but　found　it　equally　crowded；　so　I　feared　I　should　lose　the　only　possible　opportunity　to　hear　Mr。　Webster。

I　had　only　a　limited　personal　acquaintance　with　any　of　the　Senators；　but　had　met　Mr。　Corwin　quite　often　at　Mr。　Ewing's　house；　and　I　also　knew　that　he　had　been　extremely　friendly　to　my　father　in　his　lifetime；　so　I　ventured　to　send　in　to　him　my　card；　〃W。　T。　S。；　First…Lieutenant；　Third　Artillery。〃　　He　came　to　the　door　promptly；　when　I　said；　〃Mr。　Corwin；　I　believe　Mr。　Webster　is　to　speak　to…day。〃　　His　answer　was；　〃Yes；　he　has　the　floor　at　one　o'clock。〃　I　then　added　that　I　was　extremely　anxious　to　hear　him。　　〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃why　don't　you　go　into　the　gallery？〃　　I　explained　that　it　was　full；　and　I　had　tried　every　access；　but　found　all　jammed　with　people。　　〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃what　do　you　want　of　me？〃　　I　explained　that　I　would　like　him　to　take　me　on　the　floor　of　the　Senate；　that　I　had　often　seen　from　the　gallery　persons　on　the　floor；　no　better　entitled　to　it　than　I。　　He　then　asked　in　his　quizzical　way；　〃Are　you　a　foreign　embassador？〃　　〃No。〃　　〃Are　you　the　Governor　of　a　State？〃　　〃No。〃　　〃Are　you　a　member　of　the　other　House？〃　　Certainly　not〃　　〃Have　you　ever　had　a　vote　of　thanks　by　name？〃　　〃No！〃　　〃Well；　these　are　the　only　privileged　members。〃　　I　then　told　him　he　knew　well　enough　who　I　was；　and　that　if　he　chose　he　could　take　me　in。　He　then　said；　〃Have　you　any　impudence？〃　　I　told　him；　　〃A　reasonable　amount　if　occasion　called　for　it。〃　　〃Do　you　think　you　could　become　so　interested　in　my　conversation　as　not　to　notice　the　door…keeper？〃　（pointing　to　him）。　　I　told　him　that　there　was　not　the　least　doubt　of　it；　if　he　would　tell　me　one　of　his　funny　stories。　　He　then　took　my　arm；　and　led　me　a　turn　in　the　vestibule；　talking　about　some　indifferent　matter；　but　all　the　time　directing　my　looks　to　his　left　hand；　toward　which　he　was　gesticulating　with　his　right；　and　thus　we　approached　the　door…keeper；　who　began　asking　me；　〃Foreign　ambassador？　　Governor　of　a　State？　　Member　of　Congress？〃　etc。；　but　I　caught　Corwin's　eye；　which　said　plainly；　〃Don't　mind　him；　pay　attention　to　me；〃　and　in　this　way　we　entered　the　Senate…chamber　by　a　side…door。　　Once　in；　Corwin　said；　〃Now　you　can　take　care　of　yourself；〃　and　I　thanked　him　cordially。

I　found　a　seat　close　behind　Mr。　Webster；　and　near　General　Scott；　and　heard　the　whole　of　the　speech。　　It　was　heavy　in　the　extreme；　and　I　confess　that　I　was　disappointed　and　tired　long　before　it　was　finished。　　No　doubt　the　speech　was　full　of　fact　and　argument；　but　it　had　none　of　the　fire　of　oratory；　or　intensity　of　feeling；　that　marked　all　of　Mr。　Clay's　efforts。

Toward　the　end　of　July；　as　before　stated；　all　the　family　went　home　to　Lancaster。　　Congress　was　still　in　session；　and　the　bill　adding　four　captains　to　the　Commissary　Department　had　not　passed；　but　was　reasonably　certain　to；　and　I　was　equally　sure　of　being　one　of　them。　At　that　time　my　name　was　on　the　muster…roll　of　（Light）　Company　C；　Third　Artillery　（Bragg's）；　stationed　at　Jefferson　Barracks；　near　St。　Louis。　　But；　as　there　was　cholera　at　St。　Louis；　on　application；　I　was　permitted　to　delay　joining　my　company　until　September。　　Early　in　that　month；　I　proceeded　to　Cincinnati；　and　thence　by　steamboat　to　St。　Louis；　and　then　to　Jefferson　Barracks；　where　I　reported　for　duty　to　Captain　and　Brevet…Colonel　Braxton　Bragg；　commanding　（Light）　Company　C；　Third　Artillery。　　The　other　officers　of　the　company　were　First…Lieutenant　James　A。　Hardie；　and　afterward　Haekaliah　Brown。　　New　horses　had　just　been　purchased　for　the　battery；　and　we　were　preparing　for　work；　when　the　mail　brought　the　orders　announcing　the　passage　of　the　bill　increasing　the　Commissary　Department　by　four　captains；　to　which　were　promoted　Captains　Shiras；　Blair；　Sherman；　and　Bowen。　　I　was　ordered　to　take　post　at　St。　Louis；　and　to　relieve　Captain　A。　J。　Smith；　First　Dragoons；　who　had　been　acting　in　that　capacity　for　some　months。　　My　commission　bore　date　September　27；1850。　　I　proceeded　forthwith　to　the　city；　relieved　Captain　Smith；　and　entered　on　the　discharge　of　the　duties　of　the　office。

Colonel　N。　S。　Clarke；　Sixth　Infantry；　commanded　the　department；　Major　D。　C。　Buell　was　adjutant…general；　and　Captain　W。　S。　Hancock　was　regimental　quartermaster；　Colonel　Thomas　Swords　was　the　depot　quartermaster；　and　we　had　our　offices　in　the　same　building；　on　the　corner　of　Washington　Avenue　and　Second。　　Subsequently　Major　S。　Van　Vliet　relieved　Colonel　Swords。　　I　remained　at　the　Planters'　House　until　my　family　arrived；　when　we　occupied　a　house　on　Chouteau　Avenue；　near　Twelfth。

During　the　spring　and　summer　of　1851；　Mr。　Ewing　and　Mr。　Henry　Stoddard；　of　Dayton；　Ohio；　a　cousin　of　my　father；　were　much　in　St。　Louis；　on　business　connected　with　the　estate　of　Major　Amos　Stoddard；　who　was　of　the　old　army；　as　early　as　the　beginning　of　this　century。　　He　was　stationed　at　the　village　of　St。　Louis　at　the　time　of　the　Louisiana　purchase；　and　when　Lewis　and　Clarke　made　their　famous　expedition　across　the　continent　to　the　Columbia　River。　Major　Stoddard　at　that　early　day　had　purchased　a　small　farm　back　of　the　village；　of　some　Spaniard　or　Frenchman；　but；　as　he　was　a　bachelor；　and　was　killed　at　Fort　Me