General William T. Sherman to Senator John Sherman, October 14, 1871

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES,        

WASHINGTON, D. C., Oct. 14, 1871.

Dear Brother: The Ohio election is now over, and you have a clear working majority in the Legislature. So I infer you are safe for another six years in the Senate. I hope so, and was told by Mr. Delano, in the cars coming East, a few days since, that you were sure of reelection.

I understood from one of his revenue officers along, that Delano was not even a candidate for the Senate.

Some time ago Admiral Alden invited me to go out to the Mediterranean with him in the Wabash Frigate, to sail in November. I have pretty much made up my mind to go, and President and Secretary have promptly consented. . . .

I made the condition myself, that, though I shall arrange to be gone five months, I would hold myself prepared to come back within thirty days of notice by telegram.

Yours affectionately,

W. T. SHERMAN.

SOURCE: Rachel Sherman Thorndike, Editor, The Sherman Letters: Correspondence Between General and Senator Sherman from 1837 to 1891, p. 333

General William T. Sherman to Senator John Sherman, December 21, 1871

U. S. FRIGATE WABASH,        

CADIZ, Dec. 21, 1871.

Dear Brother:

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

I have had a good chance to visit Madeira, Cadiz, Xeres, and Seville, and now we proceed to Gibraltar, where I shall leave the ship and go to Malaga, Granada, Cordova, Toledo, Madrid, Saragossa, and Barcelona. Thence we shall cross the Pyrenees into France at Pepignan, Marseilles, and Nice, to rejoin the ship. I can then learn if Admiral Alden can in the ordinary course of his duty go to Naples, Syracuse, Malta, and Alexandria, in which case I can see the Valley of the Po, the Mont Cenis tunnel, etc., to Rome and Naples in time to join the ship at, say, Naples. . . .

Truly, etc.,

W. T. SHERMAN.

SOURCE: Rachel Sherman Thorndike, Editor, The Sherman Letters: Correspondence Between General and Senator Sherman from 1837 to 1891, p. 334

Diary of Gideon Welles: Thursday, August 10, 1865

Seward tells me there are rising troubles between Spain and Peru, and perhaps Chili, and thinks our naval force may need strengthening in that quarter.

Am in a state of uncertainty as to whom to select to fill the place of Chief of the Navigation Bureau. My own first thoughts turn to Alden, who has some good, pleasant qualities. Jenkins, though unlike Alden in many traits, has good points, is faithful and industrious, but is better fitted for another bureau. Melancthon Smith and John Worden have each been named. Yet neither, in all respects, can make Drayton's place good.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 — December 31, 1866, p. 357

Diary of Gideon Welles: Thursday, August 17, 1865

Alden came to-day. Said he was sent for by Porter in relation to the place made vacant by Drayton's death. In many respects I like Alden, who is, however, a sycophant and courtier, but the very steps taken by Porter must, for the present, exclude him. Porter is Superintendent of the Naval Academy and reports to the Navigation Bureau made vacant by Drayton's death. It will not do to have the Chief of that Bureau subordinate to Porter or an instrument in his hands. I apprehend that such would be the case were Alden selected. He is particularly intimate with Porter and would defer greatly to him, — be, in fact, a mere instrument to him. I shall, I think, take Jenkins for this place, though he is really, from his industry, better adapted to and must ultimately have another Bureau, either Yards and Docks or Equipment and Recruiting.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 — December 31, 1866, p. 362