Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

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“ [76] the United States, England, and France; reduction of weights, measures, and so forth; vulgar and decimal fractions, and ratios and proportions. Fourth. Algebra, to include the solution and discussion of equations of the second degree. Fifth, Geometry, to comprise the principal theorems and problems of plane geometry which treat of right lines, angles, triangles, polygons, and the circle. That the President may, from time to time, upon the recommendation of the Annual Board of Visitors and the Academic Board of the Military Academy, make such changes in the qualifications for admission provided for in the preceding section as may be deemed necessary. That on and after the first day of July, 1866, no person shall be admitted a cadet at the Military Academy, nor shall any cadet receive a commission in the army, who has not undergone a medical examination, and been pronounced physically qualified for the duties of a soldier.” The bill was not reported back from the Military Committee.

No. Lxxv.--The Joint Resolution tendering the Thanks of the People and of Congress to Major-General William T. Sherman, and the Officers and Soldiers of his Command, for their gallant Conduct in their brilliant Movement through Georgia.

In the House, on the fifth of January, 1865, Mr. Cole, of California, introduced a joint resolution tendering the thanks of Congress to Major-General William T. Sherman. The resolution declared: That the thanks of the people and of Congress be tendered to Major-General William T. Sherman, and through him to the officers and men under his command, for their gallantry and good conduct in their brilliant expedition through Georgia. On motion of Mr. Garfield, the resolution was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

On the sixth, Mr. Schenck, from the Military Committee, reported back the resolution with a substitute, enlarging its scope so as to include the campaign from Chattanooga to Atlanta. The substitute provided: “That the thanks of the people and of the Congress of the United States be tendered to Major-General William T. Sherman, and through him to the officers and men under his command, for their gallantry and good conduct in their campaign from Chattanooga to Atlanta, and the triumphal march thence through Georgia to Savannah, terminating in the capture and occupation of that city; and that the President cause a copy of the resolution to be engrossed and forwarded to General Sherman.” The substitute was agreed to, and the joint resolution as amended passed.

In the Senate, a message was received from the House announcing the passage of the joint resolution tendering the thanks of the people and of Congress to Major-General Sherman, his officers and men. On motion of Mr. Lane, of Indiana, the resolution was taken up for consideration. Mr. Trumbull moved its reference to the Committee on Military Affairs. In making the motion, he said: “The whole country appreciates — I certainly do — the distinguished services of Major-General Sherman; but I think we had better not take the resolution out of the ordinary course.” Mr. Johnson declared that, “however proper it might have been, even if there were a uniform rule, to make the reference suggested by the Senator from Illinois, yet, as the motion of the Senator from Indiana was to take the resolution up that it might be acted upon at once, a delay now in acting upon it, (although I am sure such is not the motive that governs the Senator from Illinois, or would govern any other member of the Senate,) would be considered, perhaps, by the public as an intimation or an indication that there was, on the part of some one member of the Senate, an unwillingness to award this tribute to that gallant officer and his men.” Mr. Foster said: “The thanks of Congress to an officer for gallant service I deem to be an honor and a great honor; but it is only when they are cordially and without hesitation offered. If we are to hesitate and higgle about thanking an officer or an army, I think we had better do nothing about it. I hope we shall act upon this resolution without a reference.” “When General Sherman,” said Mr. Clark, “cut loose from Atlanta, and marched upon the coast, it was said that he violated all the proprieties and rules of the military service. I would be glad, in this instance, to violate the practice of the Senate, and give him the thanks of Congress.” Mr. Davis said the vote of thanks would have more moral value to the hero it was intended to honor if it were done deliberately and according to the practice of the Senate. The motion to refer was lost, and the joint resolution was unanimously passed, and approved by the President on the tenth of January, 1865.

No. Lxxvi.--The Resolution to present the Thanks of Congress to Major-General Alfred H. Terry, and the Officers and Men under his Command.

In the Senate, on the eighteenth of January, 1865, Mr. Dixon, of Connecticut, introduced a joint resolution tendering the thanks of Congress to Major-General Alfred H. Terry for the brilliant victory of Fort Fisher, and it was read twice and referred to the Military Committee. On the nineteenth, Mr. Wilson, from the Military Committee, reported it back in a new draft. The amendment of the Committee was to strike out after the resolving clause, and insert: “That the thanks of Congress be presented to Major-General Alfred H. Terry, and to the officers and men under his command, for the unsurpassed gallantry and skill exhibited by them in the attack upon Fort Fisher, and the brilliant and decisive victory by which that important work had been captured from the rebel forces, and placed in the possession and under the authority of the United States, and for their long and faithful service and unwavering devotion to the cause of the country in the midst of the greatest difficulties and dangers.”