Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-09-30
Gen. Sherman's Reply to Gen.
Hood.
PLAIN TRUTHS FoRcIBLY PUT.

LAIN tOhSibLA " -
Gen. Sherman's reply to Gen. Hoods
recent charge of "Studied and ungenerous
cruelty" was received in Washington
Wednesday, and is as follows -
"Gen. ]. E. Hood: have the honor
to acknowledge the receipt of your letter
of this date, concerning the arrangements
l had proposed to facilitate the removal
south of the people of Atlanta, who pre-
fer to go in that direction. enclose you
a copy of my orders, which will ! am
satisfied, accomplish my purpose perfect
ly. You style the measure "unprecedent>
ed" and appeal to the dark history Of
war for parallel as an act of "studied
and ungenerous cruelty, II is not IN
precedented, for Gen. Johnston himself,
very wisely and properly removed fami-
lies all the way from Dalton down, and
see no reason why Atlanta should be ex-
cepted. Nor is it necessary to appeal to
the dark history OF war, when recent and
modern examples are so handy, you
yourself burned dwelling houses along
your parapet, and | have seen to-day fifty
houses that you have rendered uninhab.
liable because they stood in the way OF
your forts and men. You defended At
lanta on line so close to the town that
every cannon shot and many musket
shots from our line of investments that
overshot their mark went into the habit
atoms of women and children. Gen.
Hardee did the same at Jonesboro and
Gen. Johnston did the same last summer
at Jackson, Mis-.
l have not accused you Of heartless
cruelty, but merely instance those cases
Of very recent occurrence and could 60
on and enumerate hundreds Of others and
challenge any fair man to judge which
of US has heart Of pity for the many
families of "brave people, | say it is
kindness TO these families of Atlanta to
remove them at once from scenes that
women and children should not be expos
ed to. And brave people should scorn
to commit their wives and children to
rude barbarians who thus as you say Vi
olate the laws of war as illustrated in the
pages of its dark history.
In the name of common sense l ask
you not to appeal to just God in such ii
sacr eligious manner. You, who in the
midst Of peace and prosperity have plum
ged nation into civil war; who dared
and badgered US to battle, insulted our
flag, seized our arsenals and forts that
were left in honorable custody of peace
full ordinance sergeants; siezed and made
prisoners of war the very garrisons sent
to protect your people against negroes
and Indians, long before any overt act
was committed by the to you hateful
Lincoln government; tried to force Ken
lucky and Mississippi into rebellion in
spite of themselves falsifed the vote Of
Louisiana ; turned loose your privateers
to plumber unarmed ships expelled Un>
ion families by the thousands, burned
their homes and declared by act of your
bonfscation of all debts due
northern men FOR goods had and receiv-
ed. 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 South as the best born southerner
among you.
If we must be enemies, let us be men,
and fight 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
it be more humane to fight With
a town full of women "of brave people"
at our back, or to remove them in time to
places of safety among their own friends
and people.
l am, very respectfully, your obe1ient
servant,
W. T. SHERMAN.