Sherman, William Tecumseh

Autograph letter signed ("W.T. Sherman"), 2 pages (10 x 7 5/8 in.; 255 x 194mm), "Head Qrs. 15 Army Corps. Camp upon Vicksburg," 4 March [1863], [Sherman mistakenly writes "1862" but, in fact, he was at Paducah, Kentucky. The correct year is 1863, when Sherman was building the ill-fated canal along the Mississippi River in order to bypass the guns at Vicksburg.], to General Irvin McDowell; very slight browning. Beige linen folding case, tan and brown morocco spine lettered gilt.

Support for a General and contempt for the press. Sherman sides with General McDowell in his political battle against a "Court of Inquiry" for his actions in the Second Battle of Bull Run. He writes: " I have been pleased to observe in all the perplexities that have surrounded you, you have given hearty and cheerful support to all who were clothed with power and authority. I regret the fact, but do not find fault with Mr. Lincoln who is no doubt bewildered by the vast amount of crimination and recrimination which reaches him from all sides. He will himself find out how much he gains by the constant change of leaders as well as Policy. The truth is simply that our People filled with self complacent conceit are resolved to learn lessons of wisdom by means of actual experience instead of reading the lessons of European Revolutions and profiting by the experience of others."

Sherman's hatred of the press is legendary. He strongly believed their efforts to report on the war from the field of battle gave the enemy crucial and privileged intelligence, hampering the prosecution of war, and more importantly, jeopardizing the lives of his men. Here, he closes his letter angrily condemning  the press yet again: "Inasmuch as our country is now well supplied with Generals of great popular and newspaper Fame, I will gladly avail myself of the first good opportunity to seek that retirement which would be far more agreeable than to hold a transient power and be the mark of every dismissed officer and sneaking newspaper spy that chooses to assail."