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, April 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.
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