Monday, February 28, 2022

William T. Sherman to George Mason Graham, April 17, 1860

LOUISIANA STATE SEMINARY of Learning and Military Academy,        
Alexandria, April 17, 1860.

DEAR SIR: . . . The reason I am particular about this (payment) is that I sent the order for clothing through a friend of mine in New York to the most responsible clothiers, utter strangers to me, and directed him to guarantee payment on the receipt of the goods. I know that New Yorkers are punctilious on such points, and when this bill is paid our credit must stand on its own bottom. It would be better to have clothing come from New Orleans, but as you remarked an order sent to New Orleans would be sent to New York and we might as well do that ourselves.

On the supposition that the first bill of books will be paid I will send them the measures of our un-uniformed cadets and limit our efforts at uniform and military instruction to that number.

I went to town this morning and put into the hands of the printer, a circular letter,1 embodying the resolution of the Board with other parts by myself which substantially covers the points of your letter. These circular letters will be ready Thursday and mailed by me in town. I have a list of parishes and will prepare the envelopes before I go in. I think I had better withhold such circular letters from the police juries to which I have already written, urging them to confirm the appointees by Governor Wickliffe now here, lest it produce confusion.

Madame Delahoussaye has already sent the enclosed paper, which, though informal, evidently is a committal on the part of the members of the police jury of St. Mary's. I think I must consider him [her son] as a beneficiary till the Board act. I will write to her to get the Board formally to vote in June for her son, to have the resolution authenticated by president and secretary and their signatures certified by the parish clerk under seal.

If the session be as now fixed, and I don't wish to disturb it, we will need summer clothing — white jackets, vests, and pants with straw hats would be neat and becoming, but a well fitting unbleached linen sack would be better, and more appropriate, but not as becoming. Still I will not presume to order anything more without positive approval beforehand of the Board of Supervisors. I do think that part of the cadets' money, not specially set apart for tuition, board, washing, and medical attendance should be absolutely under my control, and a margin left over for a surplus which we must have on hand. I see Colonel Smith2 has on hand eight thousand dollars of stores, and he is within two or three days of a market whereas we are months off.

I think I had better wait till after your meeting of the 28th, before I estimate for funds needed to carry them through August, but I will see that all know the present resolution that they may write home about it. Robertson assailed me furiously about it in town to-day, and I had to ward off his blow by telling him that the matter was absolutely beyond my control, and the act of his own townsmen. I shall expect you out with the ladies on Saturday.

_______________

1 See page 206. - Ed.

2 Of the Virginia Military Institute. - Ed.

SOURCE: Walter L. Fleming, General W.T. Sherman as College President, p. 202-4

No comments: