Sherwood's Memories...

[Private Watkins]

A while back on a road trip I found a neat little book tucked away in a dark corner of a used bookstore; it was titled Memories of the War, written by Gen. Isaac R. Sherwood.

I had never heard of it, so I opened it up and found that it was self-published by the author in December 1923 in Toledo, Ohio. I knew I would buy it when I saw the inscription on the front fly leaf made out in a clear but trembling hand:

To My Esteemed Friend
Irving B. Hiett
From the Author
Isaac R. Sherwood
Toledo, Sept 1924
​

General Isaac Ruth Sherwood was born in August 1835. Raised in New York, he later moved to Ohio to study law. In April 1861, he resigned from a judgeship to which he had recently been elected, and enlisted as a private in the 14th Ohio Infantry. He later transferred to the 111th Ohio Infantry, initially served as adjutant, earned numerous promotions, and eventually mustered out as colonel of the regiment. He was ultimately promoted to brevet brigadier general for conspicuous service during the Battle of Franklin.

(Sherwood standing in the middle)

In 1868 and again in 1870 he was elected as Secretary of State of Ohio. In 1872 he was elected to the Forty-third Congress and served in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was elected again to the Sixtieth and to the six succeeding Congresses, serving 1907 to 1921 and reelected to the Sixty-eighth Congress, serving 1923 to 1925.

He was 88 years old when he published his Memories, 89 when his trembling hand wrote a note to his friend in the book I found on a forgotten and dusty shelf, and 90 when he passed away on October 15, 1925.

I have very much enjoyed reading the old boy's memoirs, and I'd like to share a couple of brief samples of his excellent writing...

Elimination of the general on horseback has taken all of the chivalry out of war. Chivalry derives its name from the French word Cheval - a horse. During the war I saw many generals riding war horses along the battle lines and I believe these game steeds that helped make heroic history are worthy of mention. The coal black stallion Rienzi is entitled to first mention... Sheridan never would have evoked a great dramatic poem or won the victory at Cedar Creek had he gone in an automobile with a busted tire. Had General Pershing used a red-nostriled war horse at St. Mihiel instead of reclining on a soft-cushioned out-of-sight limousine, he might have been President today.​

and...

During the 58 years since the war I have been asked by curious citizens, old and young, probably a thousand times, how does it feel to be under fire in battle the first time? I have only one answer: The terrible uproar of the guns; the crash of human bones by solid shot, the reddening of the trembling earth as a brave comrade is rent by infernal shrapnel; while the all the blizzards of death are flying amid the stifling battle smoke, made me feel like John Howard Payne when he wrote, "There's no place like home."​

I'll leave it at that for now... I would very much recommend General Sherwood's book to any of you who enjoy reading veterans' memoirs. He was an excellent writer, often humorous, sometimes poignant, a proud Union veteran, and always full of the grace and insight of a grand old gentleman.

I'd love to hear about General Sherwood from any of you who may have more information about him or his regiment, or from any of you who might also have read his book...

 

[Private Watkins]

For what it's worth, I think this is the "esteemed friend" and former owner of the book...

The book is in such nice condition, I daresay he never read it...! Could be wrong... maybe he read it once and that's it...
http://www.onlinebiographies.info/oh/lucas/hiett-ib.htm
http://www.realtor.org/bios/irving-b-hiett

 

[Private Watkins]

Here's another interesting excerpt from Sherwood's Memories, and I'm wondering what you folks think about his statement relative to the wildlife at or near the Shiloh battlefield...? Remember he wrote this in the early 1920's...

One significant feature of Shiloh has never been mentioned by any historian. The terrific roar of 100,000 muskets and the big guns drove all the wild birds, bewildered and in panic, 40 miles away. The short song linnets, the shy red wings, the rare cardinal birds, the blue herons, the purple martins, the yellow flecked orioles and the wild mocking birds flew away from the mad racket of Shiloh's bloody field, never to return.

Even the sand hill cranes, that have lived a full life among the marshes and lagoons of the river for thousands of years before the advent of the man with a gun, stretched their long necks in terror and flew away to a new home of sweet silence.

When the roar of battle penetrated the cedar thicket along the river scores of wild rabbits rushed out into the open field, utterly bewildered, and some nestled safely under the coats of soldiers, who were lying down on the battlefield to escape the rain of grape and canister and the shrapnel of the big guns.​

So what do you think, was there any factual basis for his statements? Did he take a little bit of fact and infuse a big bit of legend...?

 

[38th OVI]

The judgeship Sherwood resigned from was in the Ohio county I live in west of Toledo. A town a few miles from here is named Sherwood. It never ceases to amaze me the small treasures to be found in out of the way places like you did!

 

[Private Watkins]

The judgeship Sherwood resigned from was in the Ohio county I live in west of Toledo. A town a few miles from here is named Sherwood. It never ceases to amaze me the small treasures to be found in out of the way places like you did!

That's awesome... we'll put that one in the "small world" bucket...!!!