In　thus　severing　relations　which　have　hitherto　existed　between　us；　he　thanks　all　officers　and　men　for　their　fidelity　to　the　high　trust　imposed　on　them　during　his　official　life；　and　will；　in　his　retirement；　watch　with　parental　solicitude　their　progress　upward　in　the　noble　profession　to　which　they　have　devoted　their　lives。
  W。　T。　SHERMAN；　General。
  Official：　R。　C。　DRUM；　Adjutant…General。
  HEADQUARTERS　OF　THE　ARMY　WASHINGTON；　November　1；　1885。
  General　Orders　No。　78：
  In　obedience　to　orders　of　the　President；　promulgated　in　General　Orders　No。　71；　October　13；　1883；　from　these　headquarters；　the　undersigned　hereby　assumes　command　of　the　Army　of　the　United　States。。。。
  P。　H。　SHERIDAN；　Lieutenant…General。
  Official：　R。　　C。　　DRUM；　adjutant…General。
  After　a　few　days　in　which　to　complete　my　social　visits；　and　after　a　short　visit　to　my　daughter；　Mrs。　A。　M。　Thackara；　at　Philadelphia；　I　quietly　departed　for　St。　Louis；　and；　as　I　hope；　for　〃good　and　all；〃　the　family　was　again　reunited　in　the　same　place　from　which　we　were　driven　by　a　cruel；　unnecessary　civil　war　initiated　in　Charleston　Harbor　in　April；　1861。
  On　the　8th　day　of　February；　1884；　I　was　sixty…four　years　of　age；　and　therefore　retired　by　the　operation　of　the　act　of　Congress；　approved　June　30；　1882；　but　the　fact　was　gracefully　noticed　by　President　Arthur　in　the　following　general　orders：
  WAR　DEPARTMENT；　ADJUTANT　GENERAL'S　OFFICE；　WASHINGTON；　February　8；　1984。
  The　following　order　of　the　President　is　published　to　the　army：
  EXECUTIVE　MANSION；　February　8；　1884。
  General　William　T。　Sherman；　General　of　the　Army；　having　this　day　reached　the　age　of　sixty…four　years；　is；　in　accordance　with　the　law；　placed　upon　the　retired　list　of　the　army；　without　reduction　in　his　current　pay　and　allowances。
  The　announcement　of　the　severance　from　the　command　of　the　army　of　one　who　has　been　for　so　many　years　its　distinguished　chief；　can　but　awaken　in　the　minds；　not　only　of　the　army；　but　of　the　people　of　the　United　States；　mingled　emotions　of　regret　and　gratituderegret　at　the　withdrawal　from　active　military　service　of　an　officer　whose　lofty　sense　of　duty　has　been　a　model　for　all　soldiers　since　he　first　entered　the　army　in　July；　1840；　and　gratitude；　freshly　awakened；　for　the　services　of　incalculable　value　rendered　by　him　in　the　war　for　the　Union；　which　his　great　military　genius　and　daring　did　so　much　to　end。
  The　President　deems　this　a　fitting　occasion　to　give　expression；　in　this　manner；　to　the　gratitude　felt　toward　General　Sherman　by　his　fellow…citizens；　and　to　the　hope　that　Providence　may　grant　him　many　years　of　health　and　happiness　in　the　relief　from　the　active　duties　of　his　profession。
  By　order　of　the　Secretary　of　War：
  CHESTER　A。　ARTHUR。
  R。　C。　DRUM；　Adjutant…General。
  To　which　I　replied：
  St。　Louis；　February　9；　1884。
  His　Excellency　CHESTER　A。　ARTHUR；　President　of　the　United　States。
  DEAR　SIR：　Permit　me　with　a　soldier's　frankness　to　thank　you　personally　for　the　handsome　compliment　bestowed　in　general　orders　of　yesterday；　which　are　reported　in　the　journals　of　the　day。　　To　me　it　was　a　surprise　and　a　most　agreeable　one。　　I　had　supposed　the　actual　date　of　my　retirement　would　form　a　short　paragraph　in　the　common　series　of　special　orders　of　the　War　Department；　but　as　the　honored　Executive　of　our　country　has　made　it　the　occasion　for　his　own　hand　to　pen　a　tribute　of　respect　and　affection　to　an　officer　passing　from　the　active　stage　of　life　to　one　of　ease　and　rest；　I　can　only　say　I　feel　highly　honored；　and　congratulate　myself　in　thus　rounding　out　my　record　of　service　in　a　manner　most　gratifying　to　my　family　and　friends。　　Not　only　this；　but　I　feel　sure；　when　the　orders　of　yesterday　are　read　on　parade　to　the　regiments　and　garrisons　of　the　United　States；　many　a　young　hero　will　tighten　his　belt；　and　resolve　anew　to　be　brave　and　true　to　the　starry　flag；　which　we　of　our　day　have　carried　safely　through　one　epoch　of　danger；　but　which　may　yet　be　subjected　to　other　trials；　which　may　demand　similar　sacrifices；　equal　fidelity　and　courage；　and　a　larger　measure　of　intelligence。　　Again　thanking　you　for　so　marked　a　compliment；　and　reciprocating　the　kind　wishes　for　the　future；
  I　am；　with　profound　respect；　your　friend　and　servant；
  W。　T。　SHERMAN；　General。
  This　I　construe　as　the　end　of　my　military　career。　　In　looking　back　upon　the　past　I　can　only　say；　with　millions　of　others；　that　I　have　done　many　things　I　should　not　have　done；　and　have　left　undone　still　more　which　ought　to　have　been　done；　that　I　can　see　where　hundreds　of　opportunities　have　been　neglected；　but　on　the　whole　am　content；　and　feel　sure　that　I　can　travel　this　broad　country　of　ours；　and　be　each　night　the　welcome　guest　in　palace　or　cabin；　and；　as
  〃all　the　world‘s　stage；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　all　the　men　and　women　merely　players；〃
  I　claim　the　privilege　to　ring　down　the　curtain。
  W。　T。　SHERMAN；　General。
  End　of　Volume　Two