* * * * * * * * * *
Grant and I at
Chicago had one or two stolen interviews in which he said he would leave me, as
I wished, at St. Louis till the last minute, viz., March 4, and he assured me
that he would oppose, if it came to him, any change as to the law in the matter
of the office of General, or the diminution of salary. The only trouble is in
my successor. Halleck is out of the question. Meade comes next on the list, but
is not a favorite. Sheridan comes next in order and is Grant's preference, I
think. Thomas could not be passed over if by the accidents of war Sheridan had
not already got over him.
Thomas is
universally esteemed, but was not made a regular Major General till his battle
of Nashville. Whereas Sheridan, at least 13 years younger in service, was made
a Major General for his Winchester battle the summer previous. So I think
Sheridan will be chosen by Grant as Lt. Genl. Say not a word of this, as Grant
will not wish to act till the last minute of time.
We had the most
enthusiastic meeting at Chicago possible, and on the whole it was the best
meeting we ever had or ever will have again. All persons, Grant included,
volunteered the most fulsome eulogies of my short address of welcome, which is
badly reported in the telegraphic despatches, but it was carefully written out
and will be correctly printed when the whole proceedings are booked.
SOURCE: Rachel
Sherman Thorndike, Editor, The Sherman Letters: Correspondence Between
General and Senator Sherman from 1837 to 1891, p. 324-5
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