Captain William M. Duncan to Mary Morgan Duncan, September 7, 1862

Springfield, Sept. 7th.  I never had better health in my life, though we had a hard time[.] While marching from Sedalia to this place—a distance of One Hundred and twenty five miles, which we marched in six days over the most hilly and dusty roads I ever say.  This is doubtless to the poorest country in the west.  The drought has nearly ruined the crops, and it looks little like subsisting a large army here through the winter.

Our troops nearly famished for water on their march, and the roads were so dusty that none could scarcely tell the color of our cloths or even the color of the men.  After crossing the Osage River, we commenced climbing the Ozark Mountains, and had nothing but hills, hollows and rocks from their to Springfield.

Take it, all in all, it is one of the most God-forsaken countries I ever saw.  War has destroyed every thing in its way, houses [tenantless], fences burned, and orchards destroyed.  You can scarcely see a man in a day’s travel, unless it is some old man unable to do any thing.

– Published in The Union Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa, Saturday, October 18, 1862, p. 2

Major-General Henry W. Halleck to Major-General George B. McClellan, December 2, 1861

CONFIDENTIAL.]

SAINT LOUIS, MO., [December 2,] 1861.

Maj. Gen. GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN,

Commander-in- Chief, Washington, D.C.:

GENERAL: As stated in a former communication, Brig. Gen. W. T. Sherman, on reporting here for duty, was ordered to inspect troops (three divisions) at Sedalia and vicinity, and if, in the absence of General Pope, he deemed there was danger of an immediate attack, he was authorized to assume the command. He did so, and commenced the movements of the troops in a manner which I did not approve, and countermanded. I also received information from officers there that General S[herman] was completely "stampeded" and was "stampeding" the army. I therefore immediately ordered him to this place, and yesterday gave him a leave of absence for twenty days to visit his family in Ohio. I am satisfied that General S[herman's] physical and mental system is so completely broken by labor and care as to render him for the present entirely unfit for duty. Perhaps a few weeks' rest may restore him. I am satisfied that in his present condition it would be dangerous to give him a command here. Can't you send me a brigadier-general of high rank capable of commanding a corps d'armée of three or four divisions? Say Heintzelman, F. J. Porter, Franklin, or McCall. Those of lower grades would be ranked by others here. Grant cannot be taken from Cairo, nor Curtis from this place at present. Sigel is sick, and Prentiss operating against insurgents in Northern Missouri. I dare not intrust the "mustangs" with high commands in the face of the enemy.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

 H. W. HALLECK,               

Major-General.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 52, Part 1 (Serial No. 109), p. 198

Brigadier-General William T. Sherman to Major-General Henry W. Halleck, December 12, 1861

LANCASTER, OHIO, December 12, 1861.

Major-General HALLECK, Saint Louis, Mo.:

DEAR SIR: I believe you will be frank enough to answer me if you deem the steps I took at Sedalia as evidence of a want of mind.

They may have been the result of an excess of caution on my part, but I do think the troops were too much strung out, and should be concentrated, with more men left along to guard the track. The animals, cattle especially, will be much exposed this winter.

I set a much higher measure of danger on the acts of unfriendly inhabitants than most officers do, because I have lived in Missouri and the South, and know that in their individual characters they will do more acts of hostility than Northern farmers or people could bring themselves to perpetrate. In my judgment Price's army in the aggregate is less to be feared than when in scattered bands.

I write to you because a Cincinnati paper, whose reporter I imprisoned in Louisville for visiting our camps after I had forbidden him leave to go, has announced that I am insane, and alleges as a reason that at Sedalia my acts were so mad that subordinate officers refused to obey. I know of no order I gave that was not obeyed, except General Pope's, to advance his division to Sedalia, which order was countermanded by you, and the fact communicated to me.

These newspapers have us in their power, and can destroy us as they please, and this one can destroy my usefulness by depriving me of the confidence of officers and men.

I will be in Saint Louis next week, and will be guided by your commands and judgment.

I am, &c.,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Brigadier-General.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 8 (Serial No. 8), p. 819

Major-General Henry W. Halleck to Brigadier-General William T. Sherman, December 18, 1861

SAINT LOUIS, December 18, 1861.

Brig. Gen. W. T. SHERMAN,  Lancaster, Ohio:

MY DEAR GENERAL: Yours of the 12th* was received a day or two ago, but was mislaid for the moment among private papers, or I should have answered sooner. The newspaper attacks are certainly shameless and scandalous, but I cannot agree with you that they have us in their power “to destroy us as they please.” I certainly get my share of abuse, but it will not disturb me.

Your movement of the troops was not countermanded by me because I thought it an unwise one in itself, but because I was not then ready for it. I had better information of Price's movements than you had, and I had no apprehension of an attack. I intended to concentrate the forces on that line, but I wished the movement delayed until I could determine on a better position. After receiving Lieutenant-Colonel McPherson's report I made precisely the location you had ordered. I was desirous at the time not to prevent the advance of Price by any movement on our part, hoping that he would move on Lexington, but finding that he had determined to remain at Osceola for some time at least, I made the movement you proposed. As you could not know my plans, you and others may have misconstrued the reason of my countermanding your orders.

I deem it my duty, however, to say to you, general, in all frankness and kindness, that remarks made by you, both at Sedalia and in this city (if I am correctly informed), about our defenseless condition and the probability that the enemy would take this city, have led to unfair and harsh comments by those who did not know. I say this merely to put you on your guard in future.

I hope to see you well enough for duty soon. Our reorganization goes on slowly, but we will effect it in time.

Yours, truly,

H. W. HALLECK.

_______________

* See Appendix, p. 819.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 8 (Serial No. 8), p. 445-6

Brigadier-General William T. Sherman to Ellen Ewing Sherman, December 18 or 19, 1861

St. Louis, Dec. 17 [18 or 19], 61¹

Dearest Ellen,

I arrived here today at noon without interruption—saw Halleck at once and the copy of the letter he wrote to me, and which you will see.²  My movement at Sedalia was premature, the Same that is now going on save that I think Price should be attacked in his camp at Osceola.  Pope has been intercepting parties of recruits bound to prices camp and is on his way back to Sedalia.  I cannot see that affairs here are materially changed in my absence.  Charley is at the Barracks, and I suppose will be up in a day or so.  I will drop him a note, for he complained to Hammond³ that neither I or you wrote to him.

Matters here look gloomy & unnatural.

Thomas was not on the list, but Mr. Lucas was, but got off on some representations.  He I suppose would not like to be classified as a Secessionist lest it affect the body of his property.

I am not yet assigned a command and hardly know whether to push it or take it easy, leaving Halleck time to assign me.  I will try to be more punctual in my duties to you, who really deserve a better husband than I have been.  How I envy the bawling crowd that passes by that care not for the morrow.  If I could see any end to this war, save ruin to us all, I could occasionally feel better, but I see no hope at all.  You can trust in Providence, and why he has visited us with this terrible judgment is incomprehensible.  As soon as I know my destination I will write again.

Affectionately.

W. T. Sherman

_______________

¹ Misdated. Halleck's letter to Sherman is dated December 18, 1862.

² Major-General Henry W. Halleck to Brigadier-General William T. Sherman, December 18, 1861.

³ Captain John Henry Hammond (1833-1890), a member of Sherman’s staff.

SOURCES: Brooks D. Simpson, Jean V. Berlin, Editors, Sherman's Civil War: Selected Correspondence of William T. Sherman, 1860-1865, p. 170-1; William Tecumseh Sherman Family Papers, Archives of the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, Box 1, Folder 140, image #’s 02-1020 & 02-1020