Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-10-04
A Letter from Gen. Sherman to the Mayor
and other Gentlemen OF Atlanta.

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION J
Or rHk MISSISSIPPI, IN rHI frILD,
ATLANTA, Ga, Sept Il, 1864.
Jane, N. Calhoun, Mayor, E. Z. RaloSon and
S. c. Well, rsprss,niing CHy Council Of
.filsHfs:
GIsrLxnN have your letter OF the 18th
in the nature Of . petition 10 revoke my orders
removing all the Inhabitants from Atlanta.
have read i, carefully and give full credit TO
your statements Of the distress that will bs
Occasioned by It, and YET shall not revoke my
order, simply because my orders are NOT designed
to meet the humantles OF the case, but to pre-
pare for the future struggles In which millions,
yea hundreds OF millions Of good people outside
of Atlanta have a deep interest We must
have Pace, not Only At Atlanta, bat in all
America 10 secure this We must stop the war
that now desolales our once happy aud favored
country. 10 stop war We must defeat the rebel
armies that are arrayed sgains. The laws ami the
Constitution which all must respect and obey.
70 defeat these armies We must prepare the
way to reach them in their recesses provided With
Tie arms and instruments which enable US 10
accomplish our purpose.
Now, know the vndiciiyo nature Of cur
enemy, and that we may have many years Of
military operations from this quarter, and there
fore deem it wise aud prudent to prepare in
time. The use Of Atlanta Tor wsrlike purposes
10 inconsistent with its character as home for
families. There will be no manufactures, com
merce or agriculture here for the maintenance
of families, and sooner or later want will compel
the inhabitants to 90. Why no, 70 no,o, when
oil the arrangements are completed for the
transfer, instead Of waiting until the plunging
shot OF contending armies will renew the scene
of the past month"; 0loourse do not apprehend
any such thing at this moment, but you do not
suppose that this army will be here until the
war 10 over. cannot discuss this subject with
you fairly, because | cannot impart 10 you wha,
propose TO do, but assert that my military
plans make il necessary for the inhabitants to
20 away, and | can only renew my offer OF
services to make their exodus in any directio'
as easy and comfortable as possible. You can
not qualify war in hanher terms than will.
War Is cruelty, aud you sannos refine it
aud those who brought war on our country
deserve oil the curses and maledictioos people
can pour out. know had no hand in making
this war, and know | will make more sacrifices
TO day than any of you to secure peace. But
you cannot have peace and division Of our
country. If the United States submits 10 4
division now, it will not stop, but will 20 on
till we reap the fate OF Mexico, which is eternal
war. The United States does and must assert
its authority wherever II has power il il relaxes
one bit TO pressure 1t is gone, and know that
such is not the national feeling. This feeling
assumes various shapes, bu, always comes back
TO that Of Union. Once admit tho Union, one,
more acknowledge the authority OF the NationA
Government, and instead Of devoIing your
houses and streets and roads to the dread usei
of war, |, and this army, become at once youl
protectors and supporters, shielding you frou
danger, lot 1t CONS from what quarter it may
| know that a few individuals cannot resist ,
torrent Of error and passion such as has swsp
the South into rebellion but you can poin
out, so tina, we may know those who desire
Government aud those who Insist on war snt
its desolation.
You might as well appeal against the .hundo
storm as against these terrible hardships ci war
They are inevitable, and the only way tn