Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-08-16
Recruiting in Rebel States.

Tho following letter from General Sherman,
gives bis views on the subject OF r cruiting in
the rebel states and the necessity of "a draft
Headquarters MILITARY DIVISION uF THE
MISSISSIPPI, IL Tar FlkLD MAR
ATLANTA, ga, July 80, 1864
John 4 Spooaer Esg. Ageni Jorihe Common.
weam " Hassachus rs Nashede, Tenn:
SIR: Yours from Chattanooga, July %, is
received, notifying me OF your appoI tine t by
your state as Bteuienant-COl1nel and Provost
Marshal OF Georgia, Alabama aud Misiss ppl,
undr the act Of Congress approved July 4,
ls64, to recruit volunteers 10 be credited 10 the
state respectively.
0u applying 20 General Webster, st Nash
vile, be Will grant YOU pass through our lines
to hose states, and as nave mad considerable
experience IN those states, would suggest re-
crultng depo,s 10 be established ~ Macon and
Columbus, Miss Selma, Montgomery and Mo-
BILE, Alabama, aud Columbus. Milledgvlle and
Savannah, Georgia.
| do not see thaE the law restricts you to black
recruits, bat you are at lbery to collect white
recruits also It is waste OF time and money
TO open rendt zvous IN Northwest Georgia, for |
assure YOU nave not seen an able-bodled man,
black or wnite, there, fit or solder who was
not in this army or the one opposed TO it.
You speak OF the impression going abroad
thai am opposed 70 the organization of coIored
reglmens.
My opinions are usually very positive, and
there is no reason why you should not know
them
though entertaining profound reverence for
our Congress, | do doubt their wisdom IN the
passage OF tins law
lst. Because civilian agents about an ar my
are nuisance
"a. The duty Of citizens to fight for their
country ID tou sacred an one to be peddled oil,
by buying up the refuse OF other states.
3d. IL Is unjust to the brave soldiers aud
volunteers who are fighting, as those VINO COM
pose this army do, to place them on par with
the class OF recruits you are after.
4th The negro is IN a transition state, and
| is not the equal OF the white man
5th. de is liberated from his bondage by act
of war and the armies IN the helj are emitted
to all his assistance in labor and lighting in am-
bition to the prouer quotas OF the states.
9th This bidding and bantering for recruits
white and black, has delayed the reinforcement
| Of our srmles at the times wnen such reini0rce-
ments would have enabled us to make our sue
A
cesses permanent
7th. The law is an experiment which, pend
Jog war, is unwise and unsafe, aad has delayed
TIE ulirersdi draft ohich firmly beiieUe oiti be-
come necessary 10 ore, come The Cids sp'edd re-
ssianee offered US and also beiiepe the ua'uer-
sal draft toiii be lcisc and beneficial; tor under
the Providence OF God lt will 81 arate the sheep
| from the goats, and demonstrate wha citizens
will fight for their country, and what will only
ak
NJ one will infer from this that am not q
friend ol the negro as well as the white race |
contend that the treason and rebellion of the
master freed tbe!slave, and the armies have
Commanded have conducted to safe points more
negroes than those OF any general olhcer in the
.tmy but prefer negroes Tor pioneers, team
sters. cooks and servants, Others gradually to
experiment in the art of the soldier, beginning
with the duties OF local garrisOns such rs we
had at Memphis, Vloksburg, Natchez, Nashville,
aud Chattanooga but would not draw on the
poor race Tor t,o large proport on oi lts active
athletic young men, for some must remain to
seek new homes and provide for the old and
young-the feeble and helpless.
These are some OF NV peculiar notions, ut
| assurs you they are shared by large proper
tion of our fighting men.
You may show this tn the agents OF tho other
states in the same business Us yourself.
| am, &C.,
I. ", SngRMAN, Major.General.
Official copy L. NJ. DAYTON, Aide-de-camp.
/