Monday, January 31, 2022

William T. Sherman to George Mason Graham, March 15, 1860

LANCASTER, OHIO, March 15, 1860.
DEAR GENERAL:

At 5 p.m. of Wednesday, I was seated in the car, and soon whirled along Pontchartrain marshes, out into the pine woods and about 4 a.m. was at Canton, Miss. Then transferring to another train we again whirled along through Mississippi and at 8 p.m. Thursday we reached Jackson, Tenn., just three minutes too late for the cars — a failure caused, the conductor stated, by the watch of the other conductor; but my solution was that he wanted us to spend some money at a friend's hotel there. Next morning, Friday, we again started at noon were on board the steamboat which ferries the twenty miles from Columbus, Ky. to Cairo. By comparing the various railroad programmes we found our delay at Jackson, Mississippi would cause us a further delay on the Ohio and Mississippi, but by going round by Indianapolis I found we could save time, so I adopted that route, and reached Cincinnati at 11 a.m. One hour too late — but at 4:40 p.m. I took a freight train and reached home Sunday morning by daylight. So in spite of interruptions I made good time.

I find Mr. Ewing is in Washington and Roelofson has gone to Europe — thus confusing me somewhat – but as I had made up my mind to treat with one Gibson of Cincinnati a man of real wealth and business quality, I went down to Cincinnati on Tuesday, and saw Mr. Gibson. I found him disinclined to assume any personal responsibility and anxious to put me off till Roelofson's return. This I would not do, and put the point to him, clear of all secondary matters, that I would not vacate my place in Louisiana [unless] he, Gibson, would pay me $3,750 cash and secure me the remainder of the $15,000. I could sell the 1/10 share put to me for $5,000, thus making $20,000 for two years' work. Although Gibson was willing to bear his proportion, I am not willing to treat the affair as a corporation and not a partnership, by which each partner is liable personally for all contracts and liabilities. Therefore I notified Gibson that I would return to Louisiana.

Mr. Ewing telegraphs me he will be here to-morrow, Friday, when I will telegraph Governor Moore. My family are all in good health, living comfortably in a house which I hired for them last summer; the lease will not expire till September, and as I have no place fit for them in Louisiana I think I will let them remain here and I will come back myself next week, reaching the Seminary nearly as soon as this letter, provided it be as long on the road as letters usually are.

You may therefore drop the idea of my successor. I will return and will no longer entertain this London proposition — only for Mr. Ewing's sake I want to see him, before I finally speak positively — but as soon as he comes I will so telegraph to Governor Moore and tell him to write you. By leaving here next Monday or Tuesday I will be at the Seminary several days before the close of March, in time to make up all accounts and make the first quarterly report. . . .

SOURCE: Walter L. Fleming, General W.T. Sherman as College President, p. 190-2

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