Life of Wm. Tecumseh Sherman.: Late Retired General. U. S. A.Johnson, Willis Fletcher
History
Life of Wm. Tecumseh Sherman.: Late Retired General. U. S. A.
Johnson, Willis Fletcher
Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891
"Not until spoken to, and I doubt if he recognizes them even then. I
doubt if he has recognized me in the last two days."
"Yet he talks to them?"
"He does not talk much. The tongue is much swollen and the jaw is
stiff, and he can speak only with difficulty."
"Does he realize the serious character of the disease?"
"It is hard to say. He has given no evidence of uneasiness, except when
he called for 'Cump' (P. T. Sherman, his son), on Thursday. It then
occurred to me that he wanted to say a last word to the young man. But
I may have been mistaken. At any rate, when 'Cump' went to him he was
unable to tell him what was on his mind."
The illustrious patient grew weak again at midnight, and at an early
hour Saturday morning, February 14, it was known that his death was
only a question of a few hours. At four o'clock his family was all
summoned to his room and never left it, except for a few minutes,
until the end. The alarming attack which seized the patient soon after
six o'clock precipitated death. The doctors hurriedly held another
consultation, did what they could to relieve his distress and then
decided that hope must be abandoned.
The chloroform plasters which had been placed on Sherman's chest,
failed to help. The police officers then cleared the sidewalk and
streets of all passengers, and people began to wait for the end. At
8.35 o'clock Dr. Janeway left the house, to which he did not again
return. His face and his few words told plainly that he had no hope.
About half an hour before the General's death the watchers discerned
signs of approaching dissolution. First the old soldier's fingers began
to grow cold, then the fatal coldness crept slowly up his arms, and
over his body. As the end approached, the General's head, which had
been resting on a large pillow, was lowered gradually in the hope
that he might be enabled to breathe easier. Although he died from
suffocation, caused by the mucus from his inflamed throat filling his
lungs, there were no longer indications of suffering on his part. Those
who were nearest his head say that they heard a gentle sigh escape his
lips and then all was over. It was just 1.50 o'clock when the famous
soldier expired. There was no clergyman of any denomination in the
house during the day.
Within a minute or two after General Sherman's death one of his
men-servants stepped outside of the front door and said: "It is all
over."
Kneeling at the bedside, as the soldier's spirit left its earthly
tenement, were the General's son, P. T. Sherman, his four daughters,
the Misses Rachel and Lizzie Sherman, Mrs. Fitch and Mrs Thackara; his
brother, Senator John Sherman; his sons-in-law, Lieutenants Fitch and
Thackara; his brother-in-law, General Thomas Ewing; his physician, Dr.
Alexander, U. S. A., and his nurse, Miss Elizabeth Price, of the New
York Hospital. The other son, the Rev. Thomas E. Sherman, was on the
ocean, hastening homeward, but too late. Generals Slocum and Howard
were then in the room below.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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