Vigilance.

This is coolbert:

Here with some insight into the thought process and the mentality of William T. Sherman? Sherman not finding to his liking the activities of the Vigilance Committee of San Francisco. Sherman, while serving as a commander of local militia, taking exception to the draconian methods of the Committee, finding their activities distressing.

We are able to infer that Sherman was NOT ONE therefore to adopt harsh and unremitting methods even if needed? Rather preferred the legal and agreed upon approach!

From the wiki entry: "San Francisco Committee of Vigilance"

"One prominent critic of the San Francisco vigilantes was General W. T. Sherman, who resigned from his position as major-general of the Second Division of Militia in San Francisco. In his memoirs, Sherman wrote:

"As they [the vigilantes] controlled the press,

they wrote their own history, and the world

generally gives them the credit of having purged

San Francisco of rowdies and roughs;

but their success has given great stimulus

to a dangerous principle, that would at any

time justify the mob in seizing all the power

of government; and who is to say that the

Vigilance Committee may not be composed of the worst,

instead of the best, elements of a community?

Indeed, in San Francisco, as soon as it was demonstrated

that the real power had passed from the City Hall

to the committee room, the same set of bailiffs, constables,

and rowdies that had infested the City Hall were

found in the employment of the 'Vigilantes.'"

Sherman was not a man given over to excessive methods in pursuit of higher goal? Convention and established mores were to prevail regardless? This can be inferred reasonably.

Recall also the admonitions regarding the Kiowa renegades and Sherman desirous that no extra-legal action taken, only due process to be done!

Obtain and read the memoirs of Sherman here for free! Grant and Sherman were noted for their writing ability! The memoirs of both men are quite good!

coolbert.