BY ADMIRAL PORTER.

DMIRAL PORTER, in one of his books, gives a racy account of the meeting and a good portrait of Sherman. They had never before met. "Thinking," says the admiral, that Sherman would be dressed in full feather, I put on my uniform coat, the splendor of which rivaled that of a drum major. Sherman, hearing that I was indifferent to appearances and generally dressed in working clothes, thought he would not annoy me by fixing up and so kept on his blue flannel suit, and we met, both a little surprised at the appearance of the other.

"Halloo, Porter,' said the General. I am glad to see you; you got here sooner than I expected, but we'll get off to-night. (They were preparing for the second attack on Vicksburg.) Devilish cold, isn't it? Sit down and warm up.' And he stirred up the coal in the grate. Here, Captain,' to one of his aides, 'tell General Blair to

get his men on board at once. Tell the Quartermaster to report as soon as he has 600,000 rations embarked. Here Dick,' to his servant, 'put me up some shirts and underclothes in a bag, and don't bother me with a trunk and traps enough for a regiment. Here, Captain,' another aide, 'tell the steamboat captain to have steam up at 6 o'clock, and to lay in plenty of fuel, for I'm not going to stop every few hours to cut wood. Tell the officer in charge of embarkation to allow no picking and choosing of boats-the Generals in command must take what is given them-there, that will do. Glad to see you, Porter; how's Grant?'"

“I

BY GENERAL HORACE PORTER.

FIRST saw General Sherman a few weeks

after he had entered Atlanta, when the laurels of its capture were fresh upon his brow. After he and General Grant had corresponded for more than a month as to the project of Sherman's cutting loose from his base and striking for some point on the coast, General Grant, after discussing with me his plans in great detail, designated me as the staff officer who was to visit General Sherman, communicate to him the contemplated movements of the armies in front of Richmond, the intended operations upon the sea-coast, including the probability of an expedition for the capture of Wilmington, etc., and ascertain his views as to his movements beyond Atlanta under the various contingencies which might arise. Starting from City Point, I reached Atlanta on the morning of September 18, 1864, and found the captor of that stronghold seated on the porch of a house which he was

Occupying as
Street.

headquarters

on Peach-tree

"My mind was naturally wrought up to a high pitch of curiosity to see this famous soldier of the West. He sat tilted back in a large chair reading a newspaper, his coat was unbuttoned, his hat slouched over his brow, and on his feet were a pair of slippers very much down at the heel. He was the perfection of physical health, in the prime of life, being just forty-four years of age, and almost at the summit of his military fame. With his wiry frame, tall gaunt form, restless hazel eyes, and crisp beard, he looked the picture of 'grim-visaged war.' After he had read a letter with which General Grant had provided me, he entered at once upon an animated discussion of the military situation East and West, and as he waxed more intense in his manner the nervous energy of his nature soon began to manifest itself. He twisted the newspaper which he held into every possible geometrical shape, and from time to time he drew first one foot and then the other out of its slipper, and followed up the movement by shoving out its leg so that his foot could