General William T. Sherman to Senator John Sherman, July 2, 1881—8:45 a.m.

WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH Co.,        

Dated, WASHINGTON, D.C., July 2, 1881.    

Received at MANSFIELD, OHIO,

8.45 A.M.                    

To Honorable John Sherman:

Dispatch received. Just come from White House. Saw and talked with General Garfield. Mind and memory clear, and he is personally hopeful. The doctors shake their heads. Situation most serious, but I cannot help hoping that the ball has not traversed the cavity of the stomach, as the wound indicates. Mrs. Garfield and all the family are with him.

W. T. SHERMAN.

SOURCE: Rachel Sherman Thorndike, Editor, The Sherman Letters: Correspondence Between General and Senator Sherman from 1837 to 1891, p. 350-1

General William T. Sherman to Senator John Sherman, July 2, 1881—3 p.m.

THE WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH Co.,        

Dated, WASHINGTON, D.C., July 2, 1881.    

Received at MANSFIELD, OHIO,

3 P.M.                    

To Honorable John Sherman :

President Garfield was shot in the back toward the right side, the ball ranging downwards - not yet found. Pulse good and appearances favorable.

Has been brought to the White House. The assassin is from Chicago, an ex-consul at Marseilles, described as a lawyer, politician, and theologian. He is in custody. All sorts of rumors afloat, but the above is all that is known to me. I went in person to the depot immediately, and found all his Cabinet present.

W. T. SHERMAN,        

General.

SOURCE: Rachel Sherman Thorndike, Editor, The Sherman Letters: Correspondence Between General and Senator Sherman from 1837 to 1891, p. 350

General William T. Sherman to Senator John Sherman, July 3, 1881—4:15 p.m.

WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH CO.,        

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 3, 1881.    

Received at MANSFIELD, OHIO,

4.15 P.M.                    

To Honorable John Sherman:

Dispatch received, I am this minute back from the White House. Doctor Bliss surgeon, in attendance on President Garfield, authorized me to report that all the symptoms continued most favorable, and that he believed in ultimate recovery.

W. T. SHERMAN.

SOURCE: Rachel Sherman Thorndike, Editor, The Sherman Letters: Correspondence Between General and Senator Sherman from 1837 to 1891, p. 351

General William T. Sherman to Senator John Sherman, July 4, 1881—1:40 p.m.

WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH Co.,        

Dated, WASHINGTON, D.C., July 4, 1881.    

Received at MANSFIELD, OHIO, 1.40.

To Honorable John Sherman:

I am just back from the White House. The President is reported to have passed a night of pain, which gave rise to unfavorable reports; but the attending physicians, Bliss, Barnes, Woodward, and Reyburn, have made public the bulletins. Each warrants us to hope for recovery. Everything here is as quiet as the Sabbath.

W. T. SHERMAN,        

General.

SOURCE: Rachel Sherman Thorndike, Editor, The Sherman Letters: Correspondence Between General and Senator Sherman from 1837 to 1891, p. 351