Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-09-27
REPLY OF GENERAL SHERMAN TO GEN
HOODS CHARGE OF "STUDIED AND UN.
GENEROUS ORUELTY"-AN OVER
WHELMINQ REBUKE.

dENEkOUS ORUELTY"--AN OVER
WHELMINd REBUKE.
WAsufsdroS Sept. 2l.-The following is The
reply Of Major General Sherman to ueH. Hoods
charge OF 'Htudied ami ungenerous cruelty"
which was received in Washington tn day:
Hsadquarters Military Dipisson of fhs Mis,i,.
iiPpi, IN The Field, AHdafd, Ga, Sept 10, 1864
= Gentrat !. n Hood, Commanding Armv offie
1tnHfIsee, CONFEDERATE army -General-I have
the honor to acknowledge the recent Of your
letter Of this date at the hands Of Messrs Bull
aud Grow, conssntiBg to the arrangements had
proposed to facilitate the removal South OF the
people OF Atlanta, who prefer to 20 in that
direction.
l enclose you copy Of my orders, which will
am satisfied accomplish my purpose perfeotlv
You style the measures proposed 'iunprene-
dented," and appeal to "ihe dark history Of
war" for parallel ''as an act Of studied and
ungenerous cruelty" II is not Unprecedented
for General Johnston himself very wisely ami
properly removed the families all the way from
Dalton down, aud see no reason why Atlanta
should be excepted. Nor is il necessary Ia an
peal to the "dark history of war;" when recent
and modern examples arc so handy. You
yourself burned dwelling houses along your
parapet and have seen to-day fifty houses
that you have rendered uninhabltablo beoapse
they stood In the way of your forts and men,
You defended Atlanta ca u line so close to town
that every cannon shot, and many muskst sbota
from our line OF Investment thai overshot their
mark went into the hAbitations of woman and
children. General liardee did the saipe nj
Jonesboro,' aud General Johnston did the same
last summer to Jackson, Miss.
have not accused you OF heartless cruolty
Out merely Instance these cases Of very recent
occurrence, anu could 90 on and ouumerate
hundreds Of others and challenge any fair man
to judge which of us has the heart Of pity for
the families of "a brave people,"
say u Is n kindness to these families Of At.
lanta 10 remove them now Mt once from scenes
that women and children should mot b. exposed
To and Tho "brave people, should soorn TO
commit their wives and children 20 the rude
barbanans who thus. as you SAY, violate the
laws OF war, Rs Illustrated ~ the page of it's
'dark history" In the name uf comman souee.
ask you not 10 'appsal 20 a lust God" in sn oh
Il stcrellgi,ns iaanner
1Uu, whn in tho mids. Of pr,oe and urospcrit,
have pinueed nation Into war --,lnrk 4ui crusl
wAr-who dared aud hadgettd us to battle. in.
suited our nag, seized our arseaals and forts
that were lrit ia the honorable custody cf a
peaceful ordnance sergeant, seized and mads
prisoners Of even the very first gariisons sem Ia
protect yonr people ngaiusl negroes and Indians
long before unY other act WA committed by
ihr, to you, "baIetul Lincoln Government :
~ iNiNN hthAuuhy anu Mtd3Qutl INTO rebel
non 10 spite Ct themselves, f4lsilsl tho vote If
Louiairna' turned loose your Imiyateers to plum.
der uoaFmed ships, expelled UAion families by
the taeusaud, burned their Louaes, and declared
Dy hct el your Congress, the oOuGscat Of ali
ueots due Northern men for goods La aud re
ceiyet Talk this to the Mormous, but not to
me- who have seen ihese things; aud who viii
this day make as much sacrifice for tue peace
anu nohor oi Tue South as lhs best born Southern
~ .
men. aud fight it out, us VIZ propose, to-day,
and noe deal in such hypccritical appeals to God
and bumanity.
God will judge us in due time aud lie viii
pronounce whether it be more humans TO fight
with town full of women aud the families oi
"a brave people" at our back, or to remove
them IN time to places Of safety among their own
friends and people.
am very respectfully, your obedieut scr
want W. 7. SHERMAN,
Major General Commanding.
ofhelal copy -. NJ. DAYTON, A. d. c.