The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-10-06
Gen. ShernaaM's Letter TO the
Council Of Atlanta.

orders removing all the inhabitants from At
lanta. have read it carefully, and give
full credit to your statements of the dis
tress that viii be occasioned by it. and yet
shall not revoke my order, simply because
my orders are not designed o meet the hu
manities Of the case, but to prepare for the
future struggles in which millions of good
people outside OF Atlanta have deep in
terest. We emust have Peace not only at
Atlanta. but in all America. To secure
this, we must stop the war that now Desc
lates our orce happy and favored country.
To stop war we must defeat the Rebel arm
les that are arrayed against the laws and
Constitution which all must respect and
obey. To defeat these armies we must pre-
pare the way to reach them in their recesses,
provided with the arms and instruments
which enable us to accomplish our purpose
Now, know the vindictve nature OF
our enemy, and that we may have many
years Of military operations from this quar-
ter, and therefore deem it wise and prudent
to prepare in time. The use of Atlanta for
wariike purposes is inconsistent with its
character as home for families. There viii!
be no manufactures, commerce or agrictllt-
ure here for the maintenance of families.
and sooner or later waut will compel the in
habitants to 60. Why not 60 now, when
all the arrangements are completed for the
transfer, instead of waiting till the plung-
ing shot Of contending armies will renew
the scene of the past month? OF course I
do not apprehcnd any such thing at this
moment, bit You do not suppose that this
army will be here tin the war is over. I
cannot discuss this subject with you fairly,
because cannot inpart to you what pre-
pose to do, but assert that my military
plans make it necessary for the inhabitants
to go away, and can only renew my offer
of services TO make their exodus in any di-
rection as es sy and comfortable as possible.
You cannot qualify war in harsher terms
than I will z
, War IS cruelty, and you canrot refine il;
and those who brought war on the country
deserve all the curses and m,led ictions a
people can pour out know had no
hand in making this war, and know will
make more sacrifices to-day than any os
you to secure peace. But you cannot have
peace and division Of our country. IF the
United States submits to division now, it
will not stop, but vii, 90 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 1T re-
lakes one bit the pressure it is gone, and
know that such is NOT the national feeling
This feeling assumes various shapes. but al.
ways comes back to that of Union. Once
admit the Union, once more ackEowiedge
the authority ofthe National Government,
and instead of devoting your houses and
streets and roads to the dread uses Of war,
], and this army, become at once your pro-
tectors and supporters, shielding you from
danger, let it come from what quarter it
may know that few individuals can
not resist 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 desire Government and those
who insist on warand its desolation sa
You might as well appeal against the
as against these terrible hard
ships Of war They are inevitable. and the
only way the people of Atlanta can hope
once more to l,vein peace and quiet at home
is to stop this war, which can alone be done
by admitting thatit began in error and is
In pride We don't want your.
negroes or your horses, oryour houses or
yonr land, or anything you have; but we do
want and will have Just obedience to the
laws of the United States. That we will
have, and If it involves the destruction Of
your improvements, we cannot help H.
You have heretofore read public sentiment
in your newspapers, that live by falsehood
and excitement, and the quicker you seek
for truth in other quarters the better for
you. tf2Ao f a5'" Saa" g is
! repeat, then, that, by the original CON-
pact Of the government, the United States
bad certain rights in Georgia which have
never been relinquished, and never win be-
that the South began war by seizing forts,
arsenals, mints, custom houses, etc, etc,
long before Mr.. Lincoln was installed, and
before the South had one jot or little Of
myself have seen in Missou-
ri, Kentucky. Tennessee, and Mississippi,
hundreds and thousands Of women and chill
dren fleeing from your armies and despera-
does, hungry and with bleeding feet. Tn
Memphis. Vicksburg, and Mississippi we
fed thousands upon thousands ofthe FAINT
lies of Rebel soldiers left on our hands. and
whom we could not see starve Now that
war comes home 10 you. you feel very differ
ent-you depreciate its horrors, but did not
feel them when you sent carloads of sol
diers and ammunition and mol,ied shell and
shot to carry war into Kentucky and Ten
nessee, and desolate the homes Of hundreds
and thousands ofgpod people, who only
asked to live in peace at their old homes.
and under the government Of their inherit
ance But these comparisons are idle. |
want peace, AMI believe it can only be reac.
ed through Union and war, AMI will ever
conduct war purely with view to perfect
and early success.
But, my dear slrs, when that peace does
come, you may call on me for anything
Then will share with you the last cracker.
and watch with you to shield your homes