Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-10-17
Gtustnl sherrhnn,s Letter.

oy telegraph, ana II was very SeheAAiy NJ
knowledged and approved as "paster'
Below We give his letter, on the same SUD
ject, to the Mayor and City Council OF At
lanta. In our humble estimation land we
think our readers will agree with u.s. rs a
heavy document. We think it has never De-
fore been published ON this side Of the land:
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF
THE MISSISSIPPI, IN THE FIELD
-2h7 ATLANTA, Ga, September is leo4.
James u. Calhoun, Mayor, E. =. RaIosO ;i
and S. c. Wells, representing Cty Go"'o"
Of atlanta:
GENTLEMBN-I have your lletter OF the
18th in the nature of petition to revoke III!
orders removing all the inhabitants from Az =,
lanta. l have read it carefully, ana give iu.I
credit to your statements OF the distress 'I"'
will be occasioned by it, and yet shall not re-
woke my order-simply because my oIue[s ;
ure not designed to meet the humanltles OF
the case. but TO prepare for the future strug-
giles in which millions, yes, hundreds Of
millions o. good people outside OF Atlanta
have deep interest. We must have PEACE,
not only at Atlanta, but in all America. 10
secure this we must stop theSwar that now
desolatcs our once happy and favored country
To stop war we must defeat the rebel armies
that are arrayed against the laws ana Con-
stitution which all must respect ana ooey'
To defeat these armies we must prepare tne
way to reach them in their recesSes PROVIDED
with the arms and instruments when ehaole
us to accomplish our purpose.
Now, know the vindictiye nature oil our
enemy, and that we may have many years OF
military operations from this quarter, and,
therefore, deem it wise and prudent to pre-
pare in time. The use OF Atlanta for warlike
purposes is inconsistent with its character
as home for families. There will be no
manufactures, commerce, or agriculture here
for the maintenance Of families, and sooner
or later want will compel the inhabitants to
90. Why not 90 now, when all the arrange.
ments are completed for the transfer, in
stead of waiting till the plunging shot of con-
tending armies will renew the scenes OF the
past month? Of course do not apprehend
any such thing at this moment, but you do
not suppose this army will be here till the
war is over. / cannot discuss this subject
with you fairly, because cannot lmpart to
you what l propose to do, but assert my
military plans make it necessary for the in
| habitants to 60 away, and can only renew
my offer Of services to make their exodus IN
any direction as easy and comfortable as
possible. You cannot qualify war in harsh
er terms than will.
War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it +;
! and those who brought war on our country
deserve all the curses and malediction peo-
pie can pour out. know had no hand IN
making this war, and l know will make
more sacrifices to-day than any of you to Sc
cure peace. But you can not have peace and
I Il & hn
States submits to division now, it will not
stop, but will 60 on till We reap the fate OF
Mexico, which is eternal war. The United
States does and must assert its authority
wherever it has power if it relaxes one bit to
pressure it is gone, and l know that such Is
not the national feeling. This feeling assumes
various shapes, but always comes back to that
of Union. Once admit the Union, once more
acknowledge 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 once your
protectors and supporters, shielding you from
danger, let it come from what quarter 1t may.
| know that few individuals cannot resist q
torrent OF error and passion such as has
swept the South into rebellion but you can
point out SO that we may know those who de-
Sire a government and those who insist on
war and its desolation.
You might as well appeal against the
thunder storm as against these terrible hard
ships of war. They are inevitable, and the
only way the people of Atlanta can hope once
more to live in peace and quiet at home is to
stop this war, which can alone be done BY ad-
hitting that it began in error and is perpetu-
ated in pride. We don't want your negroes
or YOUR horses, or your houses or your land
or anything you have; but we do want and
will have a Just obedience to the laws OF the
United States. That we will have, and If II
involves the destruction of your improve
ments, we cannot help it. You have hereto
fore read public sentiment in your news
papers, that live by falsehood and excitement,
and the quicker you look for truth in other
| quarters the better for you.
repeat, then, that, BY the original com:
| pact of government, the United States had
certain rights in Georgia which have never
| been relinquished, and never will be; that
the South began war by Selling forts, arse
nails, mints, custom-houses, etc., etc., long
before Mr.. Lincoln was installed, and before
the South had one jot or title of provoca-
| ton. l, myself, have seen in Missouri, Ken
lucky, Tennessee and Mississippi, hundreds
/ and thousands of women and children flee.
| ing from your armies and desperadoes, hun
cry, and with bleeding feet. In Memphis,
! Vicksburg and Mississippi, we fed thousands
upon thousands of the families Of rebel sol.
| diers left on our hands, and whom We could
not see starve. Now, that war comes home
to you, you feel very different-you depre
cate its horrors, but did not feel them when
you sent car loads of soldiers aud ammuni
! ton and moulded shells and shot to carry
war into Kentucky and Tennessee, and desc
late the homes of hundreds and thousands o.
good people who only asked to live in peace
at their old homes and under the government
| of their inheritance. But these comparisons
are idle. I want peace, and believe it car
only be reached through Union and war, ant
| l will ever conduct war purely with view Il
perfect and early success. ..'
But, my dear sirs, when that peace doe'
come, you may call on me for any thing
Then will I share with you the last cracker
and watch with you to shield your homes ant
families against danger from every quarter
Now you must go and take with you the OLE
and feeble, feed and nurse them, and built
for them in more quiet places proper habita
tons to shield them against tho weather un
I'll the mad passions Of men cool down, anC
allow the Union and peace once more to set
tie on your old homes at Atlanta.
Yours, in haste, 49,.
w, T, SHERMAN, Major General.