Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-09-22
FROM GEORGIA.

Reply of Gen. Sherman to Gen. Hoods
charge OF ''StudIed and Unsenerous Cru.
elty''-An Overwhelming Rebuke.
The following is the reply OF Major General
Sherman TO Gen. Hoods charge OF "studied and
nngenerous cruelty" which was received in
Headquarters Military Division of the Missis-
sippi, in the Field, Atlanta, Ca, Sept. TO- 1S6i-
General j. b. Hood, Commanding Army of the
Tennessee, Confederate Army-General:
have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of
your letter Of this date, at the hands of Messrs,
Ball and Crew, consenting to the arrangement
1 had proposed to facilitate the removal South
OF tns people OF Atlanta, who prefer to go in
enclose you copy Of my orders, which
will, ! am satisfied, accomplish my purpose
You style the measures proposed sunprece-
denied" and appeal to the tsdark history of
war" for parallel las an act OF studied and
ingenious cruelty"
1t is not unprecedented, for Gen. Johnston
himself very wisely and properly removed the
families all the way from Dalton down, and
see no reason why Atlanta should be excepted.
Nor is it necessary to appeal to the "dark his
tory OF war" when recent and modern exam.
pies are so handy. You, yourself, burned
dwelling houses along your parapet, and
rendered uninhabitable because they stood in
the way OF your forts and men. You defended
Atanta on line so close to the town that every
line OF investment that overshot their mark
went into the habifations of women and chIl-
dren Gen, Hardee did the same at Jonesboro',
to Jackson, Mississippi.
1 have not accused you of heartless cruelty,
but merely instance those cases Of very re-
merate hundreds of others, and challenge
any fair man to Judge which of us has
the heart of pity for the families Of q s'brave
people,
/ say it is kindness to these families of At.
lanta to remove them now at once from scenes
that woman and children should not be ex-
to commit their wives and children to the rude
barbarians who thus, as you say, violate the
laws OF war as illustrated In the pages Of its
ssdark history"
In the name of common sense ask Won not
to "appeal to just God" in such a sacriligious
manner. You who, in the midst Of peace and
prosperity, have plunged a nation into war
dark and cruel war who dared and badgered
rs to battle iDsulted our flag; seized our ARISEN.
ais and forts that were left in the honorable
custody Of peaceful ordnance sergeant; seized
AND made prisoners OF even the very first gar.
risons sent to protect your people against ne
groes and Indians, long before any other act
was committed by the, to you, "hateful Lin.
coin government" tried TO force Kentucky and
Missouri into rebellion, in spite OF themselves;
falsified the vote OF Louisiana; turned loose
your prlvateers to plumber unarmed ships; ex-
PEELED Union families by the thousands, burned
their houses, and declared by act of your Con-
gress the confscation Of all debts due Northern
men for goods had and received. Talk thus to
the Mornons, but not to me, who has seen these
sacrifice for the peace and honor of the South
AZ the best born Southerner among you. If we
must be enemies let Us be men, and fight it out
as we propoce to-day. and not deal in such n.y.
pocritioal appeals to God and humanity.
God will Judge us in due time, and He will
pronounce whether il be more humane to fight
with q town full OF women and the families of
I" a brave people" at our back, or to remove
them in time to places OF safety among their
owp friends and people.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient SER
want, w. T. SHERMAN,
Mai. Gen. Commanding.
OGcial copy-L. M. DAYTON, Aid de Camp.