Litchfield enquirer., 1864-09-29
Yours, in haste.
 w. T. SHERMAN, Major. Gen.
GEN. SHERMAN'S REPLY TO GEN
 HOOD


 GEN. sHERMAN's REPLY TO GEN.
 HOOD
 The following is the reply of Gen. Sherman to Gen. Hoods charge of the studied and un- generous cruelty, which has been received in Washington:
 HEApo'Rs MILITARY Div. OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
 In the Field, Atlanta, Ga., Sept. 8th.
 Gen. J. R. Hood, ,-General have the hon. or to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this date. Messrs Ball and Crew consent ing to the arrangements I had proposed to facilitate the removal south of the people at Atlanta who prefer to go in that direction. l enclose you copy of my orders which, will Fam satisfied, accomplish my purpose perfectly.
 You style the measure proposed 'uupreced- ented,' and you appeal to the dark history of the war for barrel as an act of Studied and ungenerous cruelty It is not unprecedented for General Johnston himself, very wisely and properly removed all the families from Dalton Ga, and see no reason why Atlanta should bo excepted. Nor is it necessary to appeal to the dark history of the 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 uninhabitable, because they stood in the way ot your forts and men. You defended Atlanta 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 habitations of women and children. Gen. Hardee did the same at Jonssboro and Gen. Johnston did the same last summer at Jackson, Mississippi. have not accused you Of heartless cruelty, but merely instance those cases of recent occurrence. and can give hundreds of others and challenge any fair man to judge which of us has a heart of pity for families of brave people, I say it is kindness to those families of Atlanta to remove then now, at once from scenes that women and children should not be exposed. to and brave people should scorn to commit their wives and children to rude barbarians who thus, as you say, violate the laws of war as illustrated in the pages of it's dark history. In the name of common sense, ask you not to appeal to the Great God in such sacrlegious manner; you who in the midst of peace and prosperity have plunged nation into civil war, a dark and cruel war. you who dared and badgered us to battle. insulted our flags, seized our arsenals and forts that were left in the honorable cus. tody ofa peaceful ordnance Sergeant, seized and made, prisoners of war the very garrison sent to protect your people against negroes and indians, long before any overt act was commit ted by the Ito you) hateful Lincoln govern ment, tried to force Kentucky and Missouri into rebellion in Jpite of themselves, falsifed the sote of Louisiana, turned loose your priva tssrs to plumber unarmed ships, expelled Uni on families by the thousand, burned their hou sss end declared by act of your Congress ths connscasion of all debts due northern men fol gooos had and received. Talk thus to the l.nses, but not to me, who have seen these tnings and who will this day make as muct saclsaGs a ior the peace and honor ofsthe Soutl as11s \, se Oess as born southernor among you.
 s.ss ;t on. ass De enemies. let us be .men, ant in nnce>hygocritieal appeals to to, God u and md M hu. Isnisy, S God will judge us in due a tims, @ aa ani ss sh.p @ ns aa whether eth it be more human, families of "brave people" at our bacs ., ..s .s remove them in time to places of safatv v, '. their own friends and people. -''o0l
 am very respectfully,
 Your ohedient servant
 w. T Sur,,.