Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-07-14

Military Instructions for Georgia
and Tennessee.


The following letter is published to
tho people Of Tennessee and Georgia, living
within the limits Of the Department Of the
Cumberland, for their information, as ex-
pressing the sentiments OF the Department
Commander:
HEApoTERs NIL. DRY. OF TUE Miss,
In TIE FIELD,
Bro SnANTY. Ca, June II, 1864
Gen. BmJridge, Commanding Din of Ky.'
General: The recent raid of Morgan,
and the concurrent acts Of men styling
themselves Confederate partissns or guer-
iilIas, calls for determined action on your
part.
Even on the Southern Estate Rights"
theory, Kentucky has not seeded. Her
people, by their vote and their actions,
have adhered to their allegiance to the Ma
tional Government, and the South would
now cocrce her out Of our Union and into
theirs, by the very dogma Of coercion"
upon which 50 much stress was laid at the
outset of the war, and which carried into
rebellion the people Of the Middle or Dor.
der slave States %.
But politics aside these acts of the 80.
called partisans or guerrillas. are nothing
but simple murder, horse stealing, arson,
and other well-defned crimes, which do not
sound as well under their true name, as
more agreeable ones OF warlike meaning.
Now, before starring on this campaign,
foresaw it, as you remember, that this very
case would arise, aud asked Gov. Bram-
lctte to at once organize in each county a
small trustworthy band, under tn, sheriffs,
and at one dash arrest every man in the
community who was dangerous to it and
also every fellow hanging about the towns,
villages and cross roads who had no honest
calling, the material out of which guerrillas
are made up; but this sweeping exhibition
of power doubtless seemed to the Governor
rather arbitrary.
The fact ID, in our country, personal lber
~ has been so we'll secured that public safety
is lost sight of in our laws and institutions,
and the fact is, we are thrswn back one
hundred years in civilization, law and every
thing else. and will 20 right straight to
anarchy and the devil, ii somebody DOM t
arrest our downward progress.
We, the military. must do it, and We have
right and law on our side. All Governments
and committees have right to. guard
The whole people of Kentucky must not be
kepyi in n state of suspense, aud real danger,
lntt few innocent men should be WRONG
fully accused t.f ..E
lst You may order all your Post and
District Commanders that guerrilas are not
soldiers, but wild beasts, unknown to the
usages of war. To be recognized as sol.
diers, they must be enlisted, enrolled. off
lx,
recognized helligerent power, and must, il
detailed from a main army, be OF sufficient
strength with written orderstrom some army
commander, to some military thing. Ol
course we have recogniz, ID the Confederate
Government as a belligerent power, but
deny their right to our lands, territories
rivers, coasts. and nationality admitting
the right to rebel and move to some Other
country, where laws and customs are MGR.
in accordance with their own ideas and pre-
judices. a-- .
ID The civil power being insufficient tr
protect life and property co nccessifate rel tC
prevent anarchy, (which nature abhors.
the military steps in. and Is rightful, con
stitutirnal nd.lawiul. Under thi>law every
body can be made to "stay at home and
mind his and her own business. and il they
wont do that can be sent away where they
must keep their honest neighbors in fear Of
danger. robbery and Insult.
3D.. Your Military Commanders, Provost
MaIshals, and other agents, may arrest al
males and females who have encouraged ol
harbored guerrillas and robbers, and you
may cause them to be collected in Louis
vile, and when you have ehough--say three
or FOUR huudred-l will cause them to be
sent down the Mississippi, through theil
guerrilla gauntlet. and 10y sailing shir
send them TO a land where they may take
their negroes and make colony, with law:
and future Of their own, II they won,
live in peace in such garden as Kentucky
why, we will send them to another, If not q
heter land, and surely this would be .
kindness to them, and Gods blessing tc
Kentucky
wish you to he careful that no person
ali,ies are mixed up in this, nor does full
aud generous ''love of country" "of the
South" of their State or country, form q
cause of banishfnent, but that devilsh spirit
which will not be satisfied, and that makes
war the pretext OF murder. arson, theft ir
all its grades, perjury, and all the crimes Of
human nature.
My own preference was, and is, that the
civil authorities in Kentucky would ahd
could do this in that State but, If they
will not, or cannot, then we must, f.y it mus,
be done. There must he an i'end To strife, >
and the honest, industrious people OF Ken
lucky, and the whole world, will be benefit
ed and rejoiced at the conclusion, however
arrived at.
| nse no concealment in saying that dc
not object to men or women having what
they call Southern feeling" if confined tt
1--we Of country, and of pence. honor and
security, and even little family pride, hni
these become ''criInes" when enlarged tc
mean love of murder, of war, desolation
famine. and all the horrid attendants o
anarchy. / lam, with respect,
Your friend.
(Signedy w. I. SHERMAN.