The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-09-30
'heIman's Defense of the Dcpopula :
tion Of Atlanta.


The following is the reply of Gen.
Sherman to Gen. Hoods charge of
studied and ungenerous cruelty, which
was received in Washington to-day
HEADQR's MILITARY Div. OF THE Miss.
In THE FIELD, ATLANTA, Sept. 10
General J, b Hood, Commanding the
Army If the Tenn, Confederate army !:
GENERAL | have the honor to ac-
knowledge the receipt of your letter
of this date, at the hands OF 1lessrs.
Ball IL Crew, consenting to the ar
rangements had proposed to facili-
tate the removal south of the people
of Atlanta who prefer to go in that
direction. | inclose you copy of
my orders, which will, am satisfied,
accomplish my purpose perfectly. "
You style the measure proposed un-
precedented, and appeal to the dark
history of war for n parallel as an
act Of studied and ungenerous cruelty.
1t is not unprecedented, for General
Johnston himself very wisely and
properly removed the families all the
way from Dalton down, and | see no
reason why Atlanta should be eXcep-
ted. Nor is it necessary to appeal
to the dark history Of war, when re
cent and modern examples are so han
Idly. You yourself burned dwelling
houses along your parapet, and have
seen to day fifty houses that you have
rendered uninhabitable, because they
stood in the way Of your forts and
men You depended on line SO
close to the town that evey cannon
shot, and many of the musket. shots,
from our line of investment that over
shot their mark went into the habita-
tions of women and children. Gen.
eral Hardee did the same at Jones'
bero, and Gen. Johnston did the same
last summer ut ackson, Miss. have
not accused you of heartless cruelty,
but merely instance these cases of
very recent occurrence, and could 90
on and enumerate hundreds of 9th
ers, and challenge any fair man to
Judge which of us has the heart OF
pity for the families OF Il brave peo
pie. 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 comm it their wives and children
to the rude barbarians, who thus, as
you say, violate the laws Of war, IS
| illustrated IN the pages Of its dark
history. In the name of common
sense ask you not to appeal to a
just God in such sacreligious way.
You. who in the midst of peace and
prosperity have plunged a nation in
to civil war, dlrt and cruel war, who
dared and badgered us to battle. in.
suited our flag, seized our arsenals
and forts that were left in the honor
able custody Of peaceful ordnance
sergeant, seized an made prisoners
of war the very garrisons sent to pro
tect your people against negroes and
Indians, long before any overt act
was committed by the, to you, hate
ful Lincoln Government; tried to
force Kentucky and Missouri into the
rebellion in spite OF themselves fal
sliied the vote of Louisiana; turned
loose your privateers to plunder un-
armed ships expelled Union families
by the thousands, burned their hous-
es, and declared by act Of your Con
gress the contiscation of all debts due
to Northern men for goods had and
received. Talk thus to the marines,
but not to me, who have seen these
things, and who will this day make
as much sacrifice for the peace and
honor of the South as the best born
Southerners among you. II we must
be enemies, let us be men, and light
it out as we propose to day, and not
deal in such hypocritical appeals to
God and humanity. God will judge
us in due time, and he will pronounce
whether it be more humane to fight
with a town full of women, and the
families Of brave people at our
BE- elk, or to remove them in time TO d
place Of safety among their own
friends and people.
am very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
w. L. SHERMAN,
Major General Commandinr