In that regard, he continued, if any soldier had a grievance, he would be glad to hear him out. The men were happy.Īfter he finished his brief remarks, Lincoln went on to say, that as President he was also responsible for the soldiers’ welfare and to see that they were treated fairly. All in all, according to Sherman, it was a dandy of a morale booster. Then he ended with encouragement, believing that “better days” were sure to come. Then he continued, perhaps remembering Sherman’s wise counsel, stressing the need for the volunteer soldiers to devote themselves to their new trade: soldiering – and how it involved discipline, training and obedience to military order. Then he exhorted them to be mindful of their purpose: to preserve the Union and to renew their efforts and commitment. He began by commiserating with their disappointment at Bull Run. In the memoirs he wrote several years later, Sherman said that Lincoln’s “speech” was exactly right. They did not expect a long-winded oration, or deep philosophical thought. But a few words to the soldiers was a different matter. President Lincoln visited soldiers in the field many times during the Civil War.Ībraham Lincoln was a well-practiced speaker, but seldom liked to speak off-the-cuff. What the soldiers needed to hear, was some firm encouragement toward hard training and obedience to military order. But, he added, they’ve already had enough of the huzzahs, and it got them nowhere. The Colonel offered to guide them into camp, adding that the soldiers would indeed like hearing a few words from the President. Lincoln recognized him and asked for directions, remarking that he thought “the boys” could use a few words from their Commander-in-Chief to boost their morale. Sherman rode up and asked if he could be of service. He rode closer, and saw that its passengers were none other than President Lincoln and Secretary of State Seward. At Sherman’s request, he was reinstated into the Union Army, and also by his specific request, as second-in-command.Ī few hours after his skirmish with the New York Captain, Colonel Sherman was riding far out around his lines and noticed an approaching carriage. Sherman had met Abraham Lincoln shortly after the firing on Fort Sumter, courtesy of his brother, Ohio Republican Senator John Sherman. Sherman was puzzled, since he did not recall signing a pass for him. Sherman was greeted by a Captain on his staff, who came to “say goodbye,” adding that he was going to New York. Only a few days after the Bull Run fiasco, Colonel William T. Now it was scorned as “the great skedaddle.” It was a total humiliation for the Union, as the “green” soldiers were routed in disarray – while the cream of Washington society, with binoculars and picnic baskets, were there to witness what they thought would be an easy victory. It was a bigger brouhaha than any believed possible, with casualties numbering in the thousands. The Union forces, mostly short term volunteers, had little training or experience, perhaps too much hoo-rahing, and a belief that one big brouhaha would be fought, the Rebs whipped, and the so-called “war” would be over, to be resolved peacefully. The Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861, was an eye-opener on many levels. The first Battle of Bull Run was a disaster for the Union Army.
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