ket； and there were five or six companies of United States troops in the arsenal； commanded by Captain N。 Lyon； throughout the city； there had been organized； almost exclusively out of the German part of the population； four or five regiments of 〃Home Guards；〃 with which movement Frank Blair； B。 Gratz Brown； John M。 Schofield； Clinton B。 Fisk； and others； were most active on the part of the national authorities。 Frank Blair's brother Montgomery was in the cabinet of Mr。 Lincoln at Washington； and to him seemed committed the general management of affairs in Missouri。
The newspapers fanned the public excitement to the highest pitch； and threats of attacking the arsenal on the one hand； and the mob of dd rebels in Camp Jackson on the other； were bandied about。 I tried my best to keep out of the current； and only talked freely with a few men； among them Colonel John O'Fallon； a wealthy gentleman who resided above St。 Louis。 He daily came down to my office in Bremen； and we walked up and down the pavement by the hour； deploring the sad condition of our country； and the seeming drift toward dissolution and anarchy。 I used also to go down to the arsenal occasionally to see Lyon； Totten； and other of my army acquaintance； and was glad to see them making preparations to defend their post； if not to assume the offensive。
The bombardment of Fort Sumter； which was announced by telegraph； began April 12th； and ended on the 14th。 We then knew that the war was actually begun； and though the South was openly； manifestly the aggressor； yet her friends and apologists insisted that she was simply acting on a justifiable defensive； and that in the forcible seizure of； the public forts within her limits the people were acting with reasonable prudence and foresight。 Yet neither party seemed willing to invade； or cross the border。 Davis； who ordered the bombardment of Sumter； knew the temper of his people well； and foresaw that it would precipitate the action of the border States； for almost immediately Virginia； North Carolina； Arkansas； and Tennessee； followed the lead of the cotton States； and conventions were deliberating in Kentucky and Missouri。
On the night of Saturday； April 6th； I received the following； dispatch：
Washington； April 6；1861。
Major W。 T。 Sherman：
Will you accept the chief clerkship of the War Department？ We will make you assistant Secretary of War when Congress meets。
M。 Blair； Postmaster…General。
To which I replied by telegraph； Monday morning； 〃I cannot accept；〃 and by mail as follows：
Monday； Apil 8； 1861。 Office of the St。 Louis Railroad Company
Hon。 M。 Blair； Washington； D。 C。
I received； about nine o'clock Saturday night； your telegraph dispatch； which I have this moment answered； 〃I cannot accept。〃
I have quite a large family； and when I resigned my place in Louisiana； on account of secession； I had no time to lose； and； therefore； after my hasty visit to Washington； where I saw no chance of employment； I came to St。 Louis； have accepted a place in this company； have rented a house； and incurred other obligations； so that I am not at liberty to change。
I thank you for the compliment contained in your offer； and assure you that I wish the Administration all success in its almost impossible task of governing this distracted and anarchical people。
Yours truly；
W。T。 SHERMAN
I was afterward told that this letter gave offense； and that some of Mr。 Lincoln's cabinet concluded that I too would prove false to the country。
Later in that month； after the capture of Fort Sumter by the Confederate authorities； a Dr。 Cornyn came to our house on Locust Street； one night after I had gone to bed； and told me he had been sent by Frank Blair； who was not well； and wanted to see me that night at his house。 I dressed and walked over to his house on Washington Avenue； near Fourteenth； and found there； in the front…room； several gentlemen； among whom I recall Henry T。 Blow。 Blair was in the back…room； closeted with some gentleman； who soon left； and I was called in。 He there told me that the Government was mistrustful of General Harvey； that a change in the command of the department was to be made； that he held it in his power to appoint a brigadier…general； and put him in command of the department； and he offered me the place。 I told him I had once offered my services； and they were declined； that I had made business engagements in St。 Louis； which I could not throw off at pleasure； that I had long deliberated on my course of action； and must decline his offer； however tempting and complimentary。 He reasoned with me； but I persisted。 He told me； in that event； he should appoint Lyon； and he did so。
Finding that even my best friends were uneasy as to my political status； on the 8th of May I addressed the following official letter to the Secretary of War：
Office of the St。 Louis Railroad Company； May 8；1881。
Hon。 S。 Cameron； Secretary of War； Washington； D。 C。
Dear Sir： I hold myself now； as always； prepared to serve my country in the capacity for which I was trained。 I did not and will not volunteer for three months； because I cannot throw my family on the cold charity of the world。 But for the three…years call； made by the President； an officer can prepare his command and do good service。
I will not volunteer as a soldier； because rightfully or wrongfully I feel unwilling to take a mere private's place； and； having for many years lived in California and Louisiana； the men are not well enough acquainted with me to elect me to my appropriate place。
Should my services be needed； the records of the War Department will enable you to designate the station in which I can render most service。
Yours truly； W。 T。 SHERMAN。
To this I do not think I received a direct answer； but； on the 10th of the same month； I was appointed colonel of the Thirteenth Regular Infantry。
I remember going to the arsenal on the 9th of May； taking my children with me in the street…cars。 Within the arsenal wall were drawn up in parallel lines four regiments of the 〃Home Guards；〃 and I saw men distributing cartridges to the boxes。 I also saw General Lyon running about with his hair in the wind； his pockets full of papers； wild and irregular； but I knew him to be a man of vehement purpose and of determined action。 I saw of course that it meant business； but whether for defense or offense I did not know。 The next morning I went up to the railroad…office in Bremen； as usual； and heard at every corner of the streets that the 〃Dutch〃 were moving on Camp Jackson。 People were barricading their houses； and men were running in that direction。 I hurried through my business as quickly as I could； and got back to my house on Locust Street by twelve o'clock。 Charles Ewing and Hunter were there； and insisted on going out to the camp to see 〃the fun。〃 I tried to dissuade them； saying that in case of conflict the bystanders were more likely to be killed than the men engaged； but they would go。 I felt as much interest as anybody else； but staid at home； took my little son Willie； who was about seven years old； and walked up and down the pavement in front of our house； listening for the sound of musketry or cannon in the direction of Camp Jackson。 While so engaged Miss Eliza Dean； who lived opposite us； called me across the street； told me that her brother…in…law； Dr。 Scott； was a surgeon in Frost's camp； and she was dreadfully afraid he would be killed。 I reasoned with her that General Lyon was a regular officer； that if he had gone out； as reported； to Camp Jackson； he would take with him such a force as would make resistance impossible； but she would not be comforted； saying that the camp was made up of the young men from the first and best families of St。 Louis； and that they were proud； and would fight。 I explained that young men of the best families did not like to be killed better than ordinary people。 Edging gradually up the street； I was in Olive Street just about Twelfth； when I saw a man running from the direction of Camp Jackson at full speed； calling； as he went； 〃They've surrendered； they've surrendered！〃 So I turned back and rang the bell at Mrs。 Dean's。 Eliza came to the door； and I explained what I had heard； but she angrily slammed the door in my face！ Evidently she was disappointed to find she was mistaken in her estimate of the rash courage of the best families。
I again turned in the direction of Camp Jackson； my boy Willie with me still。 At the head of Olive Street； abreast of Lindell's Grove； I found Frank Blair's regiment in the street； with ranks opened； and the Camp Jackson prisoners inside。 A crowd of people was gathered around； calling to the prisoners by name； some hurrahing for Jeff Davis； and others encouraging the troops。 Men； women； and children； were in the crowd。 I passed along till I found myself inside the grove； where I met Charles Ewing and John Hunter； and we stood looking at the troops on the road； heading toward the city。 A band of music was playing at the head； and the column made one or two ineffectual starts； but for some reason was halted。 The battalion of regulars was abreast of me； of which Major Rufus Saxton was in command； and I gav