Beschreibung:

SHERMAN, WILLIAM TECUMSEH, General. Autograph letter signed ("W.T. Sherman") to A. Coppee, "Camp near Alexandria, Va.," 21 May 1865. 4 full pages, 8vo, on "Head Quarters, Military Division of the Mississippi" stationery, closely written, neatly tipped to a larger sheet. SHERMAN DEFENDS THE SURRENDER TERMS HE POSED TO J.E. JOHNSTON FOR THE SURRENDER OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMIES A long, resolute defence of the controversial terms Sherman granted the rebel army under Johnston which surrendered on 26 April, less than a month prior to this letter. Sherman, who had been severely stung by criticism from the press and Congress for the terms he proposed, writes: "As you know, I have an army on my hands that needs my personal attention and cannot [I] cannot pause even to fend off personal attacks, much less furnish materials for History. I have preserved copies of all official letters...In looking them over...I am even myself astonished at the fullness & frankness of my official correspondence. That famous 'Memorandum' so falsified & misconstrued is not the blunder the Press would make it. We must make a legal connection between the dead Past and the living Present. The time and occasion demand it. And let Statesmen undertake it, and do it better than I did by a mere dash of my pen, before howling against me. It is easy to pull down, but hard to build up. I penned that Memorandum in three minutes. Breckinridge had nothing to do with it, & [Jefferson] Davis never saw oer heard of it....[General Joseph Eggleston] Johnston having acknowledged the Confederate Cause lost and asked some general expressions that would enable him to keep his hold on his men until he had accomplished the Surrender of which he was extremely anxious, I threw off the memorandumas rapidly as I do this letter. It was not an ultimatum. It admitted of modification & change. It was on its face a mere naked memorandum for the new President [Andrew Johnson] to manipulate and give me what I had a right to ask--some definite idea of the status of the surrendered Armies. I sent it to Washington with extreme celerity & secrecy, and its publicity was not made by me...All matters have been reported by me with extreme punctuality, fullness & clearness, but not a word of mine is made public, whereas even the silly comments of non-correspondents have been issued in semi-official shape to my prejudice. But time will reveal all...Of course the general public cares not for my fair fame, but the military world should, for my history is a part of their own property....As to the vindication of my personal motives and honor, I ask no help of the public,,,for I can and will vindicate that in my own time, and in my own way..." Sherman had telegraphed the proposed surrender terms to Washington on April 21. They included a recognition of existing Confederate state governments and a universal amnesty, and made no mention of emancipation. President Johnson and the Cabinet, naturally, found them unacceptable and U.S. Grant was sent to meet with Johnston and Sherman and formulate new terms, which were then agreed, but the press furor, fed by Secretary of War Stanton's objections to Sherman's terms, angered and outraged the general. As promised, Sherman penned a detailed account of the affair for his memoirs.