WASHINGTON, May 27,
1865.
Maj. Gen. W. T. SHERMAN,
Commanding Military Division of the Mississippi:
General Augur has just been to see me on the matter of the
conduct of men and officers of your command since coming north of the Potomac.
He says that a deep feeling is exhibited by them, especially when a little in
liquor, on account of the difficulties between yourself and Secretary Stanton
He has purposely avoided arresting them for fear of leading to violence and the
charge that it is a hostility on the part of the Secretary to them and to
yourself. Yesterday many of the officers were at Willard's, drinking and
discussing violently the conduct of Mr. Stanton, and occasionally would jump on
the counter and give three groans for Mr. Stanton, then get down and take
another drink. Without giving any order in the matter, I think it will be
advisable for you either to direct guards to be placed around the camps and
prohibit officers and men from coming out except with passes from their
division commanders or such other officers as you may direct, or move to the
south side of the river. You can manage this without any order from me. What we
want is to preserve quiet and decorum and without apparently making any distinction
between the different armies. General Augur says that when the men of the
different armies meet in town, if drinking, they are sure to fight, and both
your army and Meade's pitch into the Veteran Reserves indiscriminately. The
Army of the Potomac, being on the south side of the river, can be kept out of
the city, except when they come with proper passes.
U. S. GRANT,
Lieutenant-General.
SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume
47, Part 3 (Serial No. 100), p. 576
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