Journal and confederate. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-05-05
Letter from Sherman.
4; :HEApo'ss MIL: DIV. OF THE MISS,
the Field near Marietta Ga, June 80.

In the FIELD near hlarietta, I'D, oune oo'
Nrs,IAnna Gilman Bo,cen, Baltimore, Md:
DEAR MADAME: Your welcome letter Of
June 18th came to ME amid the sound of bat
tie, .and, as YOU say, little did 1 dream, when
j knew you playing as school girl on Sulllvans
Island beach. that should control a vast army,
pointing like the swan Of Alaric towards the
plains of the South. Why, oh why IS this
If know my own heart it beats as warmly, as
kindly as ever towards those kind and gener-
'ous families that greeted us with such warm.
hospitality in DAYS long past, but still present
in memory; and to-day were Frank and Miss
Porcher, and Eliza Gilman, and Mary Lamb,
and Margaret Blake, the Barksdules Quash's,
the Pryors, indeed any and all OF our cherish
led circle, their children, or even their chill
drcn's children, to ccme to ME as OF old, the
ptern feelings of duty and conviction would
melt as snow before the geula sun, and l. be-
lieve would strip my own children that they
might be sheltered; aud yet they cali me par
hsrian vandal; and monster, and all the cpl
, tllcts that language c>n invent that are s'gn'a
cant of malignity and hate. All pretend to
say, on earth AS III heaven, man must submit
to some arbtcr. He must not throw OF his
allegiance to his Government or his God with
out lust reasons and cause d; not even a preteXt.
Indeed, Ly her nnjustfablc conrse,' she has
thrown away the proud history OF the past, and
laid open her fair cnnutry to the tread OF
devastating war. She uantcred snd bribed LIS
to the conflict. Had we declined battle, Amer
ica wonld have sunk back, coward and craven,
meritiug the contempt OF all mankind. AS =
nation, We were forced to accept battle, and
tllatnnce begun, it has gone on ill the war
has assumed proportions at which even We in
tile hurry burlv sometimes stand agiIast.
would not subingate the South in the sense 50
Extensively assumed, but would make every
citizen Of the land obey the common law, SUBJ
INIT to the same tLat we do-no worse, no bet.
ter our equals and to Our supcrior'. l know
aud YOU khuw that there were young men IN
our 'ay>, now no longer yonng, but WAC con-
troll their fellows, who assumed to the gentle.
men ot the Suuth superiority OF course and
manhood. and boasiugIy defed lis OF Nortlers
hirlh 10 arms. God knows how reluctently We
acccp,cdthe kour, lat oaoc the issue joined,
like in other ages, the Northern race, though
slow to anger, once arousod are more
terrible than the more iufaemable of the
South. Even vet my heart hIccds when see
the carnugc of battIc the dcso'ation Of homes,
tho bitter anguish of families; but the very
moment the ulca of the South say that instead
ofapI.csIing TO war they should have appealed
ITO rr;,son, to. our Congress, to our courts, to
scIigiuu, and to shc experience of history, then
will say Peace-Peace; 20 hack to point, OF
error, aud resume your places as American
cit,zeus, with all their proud herltages--
Whether. I shall live to see this perod'1s prob
lematicas but yon may, and may tell your
mother and sisters that never forgot one kind
look or greeting, or ever wished to eface its
y. remembrance; but in putting on :armor OF OF
war I did it that our common country should
not perish iu iufsmy and disbonor. am nar-
ried, have wife and six children living In
Lancaster, Ohio. Ny course has been an
:erentful one, but I hope when the clouds OF
anger and passion are, dispersed, and truth
,emeges brig ght and clear, you and all who
knew me in early years will not blush that we