Senator John Sherman, of Ohio, introduced his brother, William T. Sherman (then a civilian) to President Lincoln in March, 1861. Sherman had offered his services, but, as in the case of Grant, they had been refused.
After the Senator had transacted his business with the President, he said: “Mr. President, this is my brother, Colonel Sherman, who is just up from Louisiana; he may give you some information you want.”
To this Lincoln replied, as reported by Senator Sherman himself: “Ah! How are they getting along down there?”
Sherman answered: “They think they are getting along swimmingly; they are prepared for war.”
To which Lincoln responded: “Oh, well, I guess we’ll manage to keep the house.”
“Tecump,” whose temper was not the mildest, broke out on “Brother John” as soon as they were out of the White House, cursed the politicians roundly, and wound up with, “You have got things in a h—l of a fix, and you may get out as best you can.”
Sherman was one of the very few generals who gave Lincoln little or no worry.
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