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General William T. Sherman, a man of the people
...or better, why Sherman couldn't run for President.
After the war, the Army of the Potomac did a grand review before an applauding capital. The next day, Sherman's Army held their review.
Sherman dismounted and took his place at the review stand. As he was leaving...
The crowd surged around the stand to get a nearer view of the great Generals and the great men of the nation. We maintained our position near the foot of the stairs as they came down the steps, and here we saw another striking illustration of the characteristics of General Sherman. As he attempted to descend, the crowd pushed up the stairway to grasp him by the hand and to load him down with flowers. He accepted all the flowers that he could hold in one hand and under his arm, and to gratify the people, shook hands, as is ever the desire of a crowd in meeting great men. The General was very affable at first, patiently shaking hands with his admirers, and the crowd all the while seemingly to grow more dense. The hand shakes became less and less cordial, and the General's affability apparently departing.
He pushed down step by step - we could see that his patience was exhausted, and refusing the offered hands, forced his way down, brushing aside the men in front of him, finally exclaiming angrily, 'Damn you, get out of the way! Get out of the way!'
The crowd concluding that he meant just what he said, gave way for him to descend, and mounting his horse, he rode away."
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Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. Molon Labe!
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