Sherman I am amongst you simply as one of you

SWMODave

Sergeant Major
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Location
Southwest Missouri
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SPEECH OF GEN W. T. SHERMAN,

Gentlemen: Be quiet and I will speak to you a few words. I have no doubt from the sounds I hear that a good many of my old soldiers are down in the crowd (cheers), and as they are very quick to pitch in when I tell them, I hope they with be as obedient in keeping quiet for it is a great strain for a voice to attempt to reach the limits of this vast crowd.

I was in hopes that you would let Mr McPherson tell you the whole story - he would save me some trouble. I claim to be an older citizen of St. Louis than he gave me credit for. I came here in 1843 and then wade the circuit by way of New Orleans to Charleston, from where I came here, and now again return from the same place under slightly different circumstances. (Cheers and laughter)

I then traveled in a steamboat to New Orleans, from there to Mobile, and up the river to Montgomery, by way of Macon, and thence to Charleston; this time I took some friends ‘along’ and we had a nice time. (Cheers and laughter)

But I know perfectly well that in this crowd, and throughout this city almost in every house, is one of the men who likes to tell, and can tell, the story better than I can, therefore I don’t intend to talk any more to you about it, or to strain my voice to tell you of the march recently made from Atlanta to the sea coast, and soon to Washington City. I would far prefer to call your attention to the thing which surround you here in St. Louis; to the advantages which you enjoy here; to the duties that devolve upon you, now that the war is over; to the great future, undeveloped, which you must meet. The past is gone; you cannot mend it; all we can do now is to record its history. The future is yet for us to meet, that you and I, and all of us, must meet, and meet it manfully and well.

I hope no war is in reserve for us, but there may be other, dangers, labors quite as important to our country as war; the daily duties of citizen, the labors of the day, the duties of the week, month and year are just as important to the American people as the war has been. You have cities and railroads to build, commerce to extend, agriculture to develop, everything to do to build up this great nation. (A voice. And Jeff. Davis to hang.)

Hang him as much as you please. (Cheers.)

On that subject, I tell my soldiers this: A soldier’s duty is to fight. Let the sheriff and jailer do their executions; that is none of our business. For my part, I and all my soldiers hold ourselves too highly to be mere hangmen. Here in St. Louis you have more advantages than on any point on the whole American continent. You have three rivers coming together, you are the centre of the best agricultural region in the world, and almost in sight of the finest mineral region in the world. I doubt not that here, on this fair spot where we now stand, is destined, probably, to be the second city of America. You of this very crowd must give form and of this very crowd must give form and shape to this community growing up.

(A voice, “I ask you this question, did the Irish do their duty?” and much confusion.) I don’t command a noisy crowd.
[The General was evidently annoyed by the noise and confusion in the crowd, and concluded his speech substantially as follows:

Now, my fellow-citizens, I will conclude by saying that I am amongst you simply as one of you. I am here on duty, but my duties will call my mind to the distant regions of the plains and the South. With you here I have nothing but social relations - these I will cultivate to the extent of my power, and I hope to be permitted to live a long time among you in peace and, quiet, and enjoy my books, my leisure and my friends. I will be happy to welcome you all as friends and companions. For the present I can only bid you good night, and thank you. I thank you.

Liberty Tribune July 28, 1865
 
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