Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-09-29
gen. sherman ON the War.
HIs LETTER TO THE CITY Authorities OF
ATLANTA,

Common Council of the city OF Atlanta
on the / lth inst, addressed letter TO
Gen. Sherman, representing the hard
ships that would result from the execu-
tion Of his order requiring the removal
of the inhabitants from that place, and
petitioning him to revoke or modify it.
Gen. Sherman replied in the following
words which every one should read ;1f
HEADaUARTERs MILITARY DIVISION
OF the Mississippi, in the Field,
Atlanta, Ca, Sept. Y, 1864
Japts ". Calhoun, Mayor. E. T. Ra,os0a and
S.5GaUeRs representing cay CsuaeR Of
l atlanta .'5 F.cts
Gentlemen-I have your letter of the
llth in the nature OF petition TO re-
woke my orders removing ali the inhab
itants from Atlanta. / have read it
carefully, and give fdll credit to your
statements OF the distress that will be
occasioned by it, ana yet shall not re-
woke my order, simply because my or
ders are not designed to meet the hu-
manities OF the case, but to prepare for
the future struggles IN which millions,
yea hundreds OF millions of good people
outside OF Atlanta have deep interest.
We must have Peacs, not only at Atlanta
but in all America. To secure this we
must stop the war that now desolates
our once happy and favored country -
To stop the war We must defeat the reb-
ell armies that are arrayed against the
laws and Constitution which all must
respect and obey. TO defeat these ar
mics we must prepare the way to reach
them in their recesses provided with the
arms aud instruments which, enable US
10 accomplish our purpose. s .. ~
Now, | know the vindictiye nature OF
! our enemy, and that we may have many
years of military operations from this
| quarter and therefore deem it wise and
! prudent to prepare in time. The use OF
Atlanta for warlike purposes is incon-
| sistent with its character as home for
families There will be no manufac,
lures, commerce or agriculture here foI
! the maintenance of families, and sooner
/ or later want will COMPEL the inhabi
tants TO go. Why not 90 aoU, when al
the arrangements are completed for the
transfer, Instead of waiting till tht
plunging shot of contending armies vii
renew the scene of the past month O
course do not apprehend any sucf
thing at this moment, but you do no
suppose that this army will be here til
the war is over. | cannot discuss thii
subject with you fairly, because can
not impart to you what / propose to dc
but ! assert that my military plan
make it necessary for the inhabitants Il
go away, and | can only renew my otfe
of services TO make their exodus in an,
direction as easy and as comfortable a
possible. You cannot qualify war il
harsher terms than | will. War is cru
; city, and you cannot refine it ; an
those who brought war on our countr
deserve all the curses and malediction
people can pour out. know l had n
1 hand in making this war, and | know
will make more sacrifices to-day than an
of you to secure peace. But you cannc
have peace and division of our cour
try, If the United States submit to
division now, it will not stop, but wi
go on till we reap the fate of Mexic'
which is eternal war
The United States does and must a:
i sert its authority wherever it has pow
er if it relaxes one bit to pressure it
i gone, and know that such is not tf
national feeling. This feeling assume
= 4 various shapes, but always comes bac
: to that of Union. Once admit the Unio
once more acknowledge the authorit
of the National Government, and instea
l of devoting your houses and streets an
roads to the dread uses of war, /, al
i this army, become at once your prote,
t tors, shielding you from danger let
come from what quarterit may / kno
that few individuals cannot resist
n torrent of error and passion such as h;
swept the South into rebellion; bat "
can point out, so that we may kno
: those who desire a Government al
= those who insist on war and its desol
d ton. W
n You might as well appeal against t
- thunder storm as against these territ
: hardships of war. They are iuevitab
and the only way the people OF Allan
~ can hope once more to live in peace al
D. quiet at home is to stop this war, viii
r can.alone be done by admitting that
II began in error and is perpetuated
i pride We don't want your negroes
y your horses, or your houses or yo
IL land, or anything you have but we
want and will hayea just obedience
a the laws of the United States. That
10 will have, and lift involves the destrl
ba tion of your improvements, we canr
~ help it. You have heretofore read pr
AZ lie sentiment in your newspapers, I'll
live by falsehood and excitement. a
MT the quicker you seek for truth In otl
rs quarters the better for you,
ed repeat, then, that, by the Origin
od compact of government, the Unit
~ States had certain rights in Geor,
ne which have never been relinquished, a
It's never will be, that the South began "
BY seizing forts, arsenals, mints, custo
81 houses, &C., &C., long before Mr.. L
- coin was installed, and before the Sor
el- had one jot or little Of provocation.
In myself have seen in Missouri, Kentucl
ed Tennessee and Mississippi, hundreds a
IN thousands of women and children fl
in ing from your armies and desperate
Nd hungry and with bleeding feet. In Me
~ phis, Vicksburg and Mississippi we
ln- thousands upon thousands of the fal
DO, lies of rebel soldiers left on our han
lp- and whom we could not see starve
h. 4