CAMP AT VICKSBURG, April
10, 1863.
. . . I was really amused at a circumstance to-day that may
be serious. Grant has been secretly working by night to place some 30 pound
rifle guns as close up to Vicksburg as the water will permit, about 2,300
yards, and to cover them against the enemies’ cross batteries, but to-day got
the Memphis papers of the 7th giving a minute and full account of them and
their location. Now he knows as we all do that the Secesh mail leaves Memphis
before day, as soon as the morning papers are printed, reaches Hernando about
11 A. M., and the telegraph carries to Vicksburg the news in a few minutes.
This explains a remark which Major Watts of the Confederate Army made to me at
parting day before yesterday. We met per appointment on a steamboat just above
Vicksburg, and after a long conference relating to exchange of prisoners,
Watts, who is a very clever man, remarked: “don’t open those batteries to-morrow
(last) night, for I am to give a party and don't want to be interrupted.” Of
course the newspaper correspondents, encouraged by the political generals and
even President Lincoln, having full swing in this and all camps, report all
news secret and otherwise. Indeed with a gossiping world a secret is worth more
than common news. Grant was furious, and I believe he ordered the suppression
of all the Memphis papers. But that won't do. All persons who don't have to
fight must be kept out of camp, else secrecy, a great element of military success,
is an impossibility. I may not, but you will live to see the day when the
people of the United States will mob the man who thinks otherwise. I am too
fast, but there are principles of government as sure to result from war as in
law, religion or any moral science. Some prefer to jump to the conclusion by
reason. Others prefer to follow developments by the slower and surer road of
experience. In like manner Grant has three thousand men at work daily to clear
out Willow Bayou, by which he proposes to move a large part of the army to
Carthage and Grand Gulf: also a secret, but I'll bet my life it is at this
moment in all the Northern papers, and is known through them to the Secesh from
Richmond to Vicksburg. Can you feel astonished that I should grow angry at the
toleration of such suicidal weakness, that we strong, intelligent men must bend
to a silly proclivity for early news that should advise our enemy days in
advance? Look out! We are not going to attack Haines' Bluff or Greenwood or
Vicksburg direct, but are going to come round below by Grand Gulf! All the
enemy wants is a day or two notice of such intention and Grand Gulf becomes
like a second Vicksburg! But this is a secret, remember, and though it is the
plan it is not a good plan. We commit a great mistake, but I am not going to
advise one way or the other. The government has here plenty of representatives,
and they must make the plans, and I will fill my part, no more, no less.
The only true plan was the one we started with. The Grand
Army should be on the main land moving south along the road and roads from
Memphis, Holly Springs and Corinth, concentrating on Grenada; thence towards
Canton where the Central Road crosses Big Black and then on Vicksburg. The
gun-boats and a small army should be here, and on the first sign of the
presence of the main force inland we should attack here violently.
This was our plan at Oxford in December last, is my plan now
and Grant knows it is my opinion. I shall communicate it to none else save you
or your father. . . . It is my opinion
that we shall never take Vicksburg by operations by river alone.
The armies on the Rappahannock and in Kentucky pause for us
at Vicksburg. That is folly; all ought to press at the same instant, for the
enemy has the centre or inside track, can concentrate on any one point and
return to the others in time. Their position is very strong, and they have
skill, courage and intelligence enough to avail themselves of all advantages.
Their country is suffering terribly by the devastations of our armies and the
escapes of their slaves, but nothing seems to shake their constancy or
confidence in ultimate success. Could the North only turn out her strength,
fill promptly our thinned ranks, keep their counsels, hold their tongues, and
stop their infernal pens and press we could make things crash, and either
submission or utter horrible ruin would be their fate.
It may be, however, that God in his wisdom wants to take
down the conceit of our people and make them feel that they are of the same
frail materials of mortality as the other thousand millions of human beings
that spin their short webs and die all over earth. In all former wars virtues
lost sight of in time of peace have revived, and to any one who looked it is
unnecessary to say that our governments, national, state, county and town, had
been corrupt, foul and disgraceful. If war will change this, it will be cheaply
bought. . . .
The last flag of truce brought me from Vicksburg a beautiful
bouquet with compliments of Major Hoadley and Major Watts, the same who wanted
me not to fire last night to interrupt his party. The trees are now in full
leaf, the black and blue-birds sing sweetly, and the mocking bird is frantic
with joy. The rose and violet, the beds of verbena and mignonette, planted by fair
hands now in exile from their homes occupied by the rude barbarian, bloom as
fair as though grim war had not torn with violent hands all the vestiges of
what a few short months ago were the homes of people as good as ourselves. You
may well pray that a good God in His mercy will spare the home of your youth
the tread of an hostile army. . . .
SOURCES: M. A. DeWolfe Howe, Editor, Home Letters of
General Sherman, p. 246-9. A full copy of this letter can
be found in the William
T Sherman Family papers (SHR), University of Notre Dame Archives
(UNDA), Notre Dame, IN 46556, Folder CSHR 2/03.
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