IN THE FIELD,
GOLDSBORO, N. C.,
March 23, 1865.
I wrote you from Fayetteville. On our way thence the enemy
struck our left flank and I turned on him and after three days maneuvering and
fighting defeated him and drove him off towards Raleigh. The fight was near
Bentonsville, 20 miles from here on the south side of the Neuse in the
direction of Smithfield. I got here to-day and all the army will be in by
to-morrow. Thus have I brought the army from Savannah in good order, beaten the
enemy wherever he attempted to oppose our progress, and made junction with
Schofield and Terry from Newbern and Wilmington on the 21st, one day later than
I had appointed before leaving Savannah. It is far more difficult and important
than the Savannah march. Besides the immediate results we have forced the
Rebels to abandon the whole sea coast.
I almost fear the consequences of the reputation this will
give me among military men. I have received one letter from you and one from
Minnie, also a vast package from everybody. I now have a staff officer, Maj.
Hitchcock,1 to answer them. I only have time to make general orders,
and to write special letters. I must be more careful, as I find silly people to
claim my acquaintance publish my letters or extracts. You know how hurriedly I
always write and that I might be falsely placed by such things. I will be here
some weeks. I should see Grant before assuming the offensive and I think he will
come down. I could have time to run to Washington, but prefer to stay with my
troops. It gives me great power with them to share the days and nights. I
always encamp and am now in a shaky fly, open, with houses all round occupied
by Rebels or staff officers. Soldiers have a wonderful idea of my knowledge and
attach much of our continued success to it . And I really do think they would
miss me, if I were to go away even for a week. I notice that you propose to
take part in a Sanitary Fair at Chicago. I don't much approve of ladies selling
things at a table. So far as superintending the management of such things, I
don't object, but it merely looks unbecoming for a lady to stand behind a table
to sell things. Still do as you please. I have nothing that would engross the
profits — my saddlebags, a few old traps, etc. I could collect plenty of
trophies but have always refrained and think it best I should. Others do
collect trophies and send home, but I prefer not to do it.
I have no doubt that you will be sufficiently gratified to
know that I have eminently succeeded in this last venture, and will trust to
luck that in the next still more hazardous I will be again favored. I don't
believe anything has tended more to break the pride of the South than my steady
persistent progress. My army is dirty, ragged and saucy. I have promised them
rest, clothing and food, but the railroads have not been completed as I
expected and I fear we may be troubled thereby. I am just informed that the
telegraph line is finished from the sea to this place, so our lines of
communication will be shortened. Strange to say we are all in fine health and
condition, only a little blackened by the pine smoke of our camp fires. I would
like to march this army through New York just as it appears today, with its
wagons, pack mules, cattle, niggers and bummers, and I think they would make a
more attractive show than your fair. . . .
__________
1 Major Henry Hitchcock, judge-advocate on
Sherman's staff.
SOURCES: M. A. DeWolfe Howe, Editor, Home Letters of
General Sherman, p. 334-6. 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 2/21
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