Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-09-28
Sherman tn H00d,


The following is the letter of Gent
Sherman in answer to the rebel denl
Hoods assertion, that the removal OF the
people of Atlanta, was IAN outrage &c
Sherman views are sound
Headquarters Nil Div OF the Miss,
In the Field Atlanta, Sept 10
Gen. J. Is Hood Com i e Army OF the
Tennessee, Z. s a:
GESERAL-i have the honor to acknowI-
edge the receipt o. your letter OF tins Date
at the hands of Messrs Ball " Crew, ana
consentin3 20 the arrangements | had pro.
nosed to facilitate the removal South of
the people Of Atlanta, who prefer to 60 10
that direction. | enclose you a copy OF my
order which viii, | am satisfied, accom-
plish my purpose perfectly.
You style the measure proposed UMPIRE
cedented and appeal to the dark history
| of war, for a parallel, as an act OF STUDIED
| and unEenerous cruelty 1t IS not unprc-
! cedented, for Sen Johnson himself very
| wisely and properly removed the tamllieS
| all the way from Dalton down, and L see
no reason why Atlanta should be excepted,
Nor Is it necessary to appeal to the dark
| history Of war when recent ana modern
examples are 50 handy-you yourself burn,
! ed dwelling houses along your parapat ana
/ have seen to day fifty houses that you
have rendered uninhabitable because they
stood in the way Of your forts and men.
You defended Atlanta on a line 50 close
to the town Jhat every cannon shot, ana
many musket, showed from our line OF IN
trencament that overshot that mark, went
into the habitatons Of women and children
Gen Hardee did the same at ''onesboro,
and Gen johnson did the same at jackson,
Miss
| have not accused you Of heartless cru
! city, bat mercy instance these cases OF
verv recent occurrence, and could enum-
crate hundreds Of others. and challenge
any fair man to Judge which of US has the
heart Of pity for the families Of a brave
people.
! say it is kindness to these families
OF Atlanta to remove them now at once
from scenes that women and children
should not be exposed to, and the brave
people should scorn to commit their wives
ana children to the rude barbarians who
thus. as Won say, violate the laws Of war
as illustrated in the pages of It's dark his
tory,
In the name Of common sense | ask you
not to appeal to o just God in such sac
RELIGIOUS manner You who, in midst oil
uaace and prosperity, have plunged ma
ton into civil war, dark and cruel war;
who dared and badgered Us to battle; in"
suited our flag; sliced our arsenals and
forts, that were left in honorable custody
seized and made prisoners of war the guar
dams sent to protect your people again It
Indians and uegros, long before any overt
act was committed by the, to you, hateful
Lincoln Government. y on tried to force
Kentucky and Missouri in spite Of them
selves: faIsifed the vote Of Louisiana
sent priyateers to p3unlor' unarmcd ships
expelled Union families by the thousands
burned their houses, and declared by an
act o. ,0ur Congress the coniiscation of al
debts due Northern men for goods. on
may talk this 70 Marines, but not to me
who has seen these things and who vii
this day make as much sacrifice for the
peace and honor Of the South as the best
born Southerner among you.
IF we must be enemies, let us be men
and fight it out as we propose to-day, and
not deal in such hyp0critical appeals tc
God and humanity God viii judge us IL
due time, and he VIII pronounce whether
it be more humane to fight it with towr
full Of women and the families of a bravo
people ut cur back, or to remove them II
time to places of safety among their OWL
friends and people.
/ am, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
W. I. SHERMAN
Mai. Gen Com Dig
Official copy signed by L. NJ. DAYTON