General Sherman Dont Make Me Come Down There Again
"You cannot qualify state of war in harsher terms than I will. War is cruelty, and you lot cannot refine it; and those who brought war into our land deserve all the curses and maledictions a people can pour out. I know I had no hand in making this war, and I know I will make more sacrifices to-day than whatsoever of you to secure peace."
Full general William Tecumseh Sherman
to the Mayor and Councilmen of Atlanta
In the mind of General William Tecumseh Sherman, who made famous the phrase "War is hell," there was no doubt as to the integrity of the North's cause. Sherman was renowned as a fierce - some would say tyrannical - military leader, and in September 1864 he gave orders for the city of Atlanta to be evacuated and burned. Despite appeals from the citizens of Atlanta, including reminders that there were elderly and meaning women whom it would exist difficult and even perilous to movement, Sherman'southward decision was concluding. He explained himself to the mayor and council members of the city.
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION of the MISSISSIPPI in the FIELD
Atlanta, Georgia,
James G. Calhoun, Mayor,
E.E. Rawson and Southward.C. Wells, representing City Council of Atlanta.
Admirer: I have your letter of the 11th, in the nature of a petition to revoke my orders removing all the inhabitants from Atlanta. I have read it carefully, and requite full credit to your statements of distress that will be occasioned, and notwithstanding shall non revoke my orders, because they were not designed to meet the humanities of the cause, but to prepare for the time to come struggles in which millions of practiced people outside of Atlanta have a deep interest. We must have peace, not only at Atlanta, simply in all America. To secure this, we must finish the war that now desolates our in one case happy and favored country. To stop war, we must defeat the insubordinate armies which are arrayed against the laws and Constitution that all must respect and obey. To defeat those armies, we must ready the way to accomplish them in their recesses, provided with the artillery and instruments which enable us to attain our purpose. Now, I know the vindictive nature of our enemy, that we may have many years of military operations from this quarter; and, therefore, deem information technology wise and prudent to prepare in time. The use of Atlanta for warlike purposes in inconsistent with its character as a home for families. There will exist no manufacturers, commerce, or agriculture here, for the maintenance of families, and sooner or after desire will compel the inhabitants to go. Why not go now, when all the arrangements are completed for the transfer, instead of waiting till the plunging shot of contending armies will renew the scenes of the past month? Of course, I do not auscultate any such things at this moment, but you do not suppose this army will be here until the war is over. I cannot discuss this subject with yous fairly, considering I cannot impart to you what we propose to do, but I affirm that our war machine plans brand information technology necessary for the inhabitants to go abroad, and I can simply renew my offer of services to make their exodus in any management as piece of cake and comfortable as possible.
You lot cannot qualify war in harsher terms than I volition. War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it; and those who brought state of war into our state deserve all the curses and maledictions a people can pour out. I know I had no mitt in making this war, and I know I will make more than sacrifices to-solar day than any of yous to secure peace. But you cannot accept peace and a division of our country. If the Us submits to a division now, it volition non stop, but will keep until we reap the fate of Mexico, which is eternal war. The U.s. does and must assert its authority, wherever information technology in one case had power; for, if information technology relaxes one bit to force per unit area, information technology is gone, and I believe that such is the national feeling. This feeling assumes various shapes, but ever comes back to that of Union. Once acknowledge the Wedlock, over again admit the authority of the national Government, and, instead of devoting your houses and streets and roads to the dread uses of war, I and this army become at one time your protectors and supporters, shielding you from danger, let information technology come up from what quarter it may. I know that a few individuals cannot resist a torrent of mistake and passion, such as swept the S into rebellion, just you can bespeak out, then that nosotros may know those who desire a government, and those who insist on war and its desolation.
You lot might as well appeal confronting the thunder-storm as against these terrible hardships of war. They are inevitable, and the only way the people of Atlanta can promise again to alive in peace and quiet at abode, is to terminate the war, which can only exist done past admitting that it began in error and is perpetuated in pride.
We don't want your Negroes, or your horses, or your lands, or any thing you lot take, but we do want and will have a just obedience to the laws of the United States. That nosotros will have, and if it involved the destruction of your improvements, we cannot help it.
Y'all have heretofore read public sentiment in your newspapers, that live past falsehood and excitement; and the quicker y'all seek for truth in other quarters, the better. I echo and so that, bu the original compact of government, the United States had certain rights in Georgia, which accept never been relinquished and never volition be; that the South began the state of war by seizing forts, arsenals, mints, custom-houses, etc., etc., long earlier Mr. Lincoln was installed, and earlier the South had i jot or title of provocation. I myself take seen in Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi, hundreds and thousands of women and children fleeing from your armies and desperadoes, hungry and with bleeding anxiety. In Memphis, Vicksburg, and Mississippi, nosotros fed thousands and thousands of the families of rebel soldiers left on our hands, and whom we could not see starve. At present that state of war comes to you, you feel very different. You deprecate its horrors, but did not feel them when you sent car-loads of soldiers and armament, and moulded shells and shot, to carry war into Kentucky and Tennessee, to desolate the homes of hundreds and thousands of skilful people who but asked to live in peace at their quondam homes, and under the Government of their inheritance. But these comparisons are idle. I desire peace, and believe it tin can only be reached through union and war, and I will ever carry war with a view to perfect an early success.
Only, my dear sirs, when peace does come, you may call on me for any thing. And so will I share with y'all the last cracker, and watch with you to shield your homes and families confronting danger from every quarter.
Now you must go, and take with you lot the old and feeble, feed and nurse them, and build for them, in more than quiet places, proper habitations to shield them against the conditions until the mad passions of men cool downward, and allow the Union and peace one time more to settle over your old homes in Atlanta. Yours in haste,
W.T. Sherman, Major-General commanding
Source: https://www.rjgeib.com/thoughts/sherman/sherman-to-burn-atlanta.html
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