Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-03-14

tls,ll q G7esueFaI SHERMAN On 8ekoAAetAons
The letter. from Gen, sherman 70 Wade
% azsmlptons he rebel cavalry commando,
= 'sssznnOuncing thAtohsgWin FeBAliasss upon
ssPrIsousrs in kis hands fot the murderaof
his tOrsging parties, h, Ike al his utter
sucea, terse pointed and expressive. He
& s5asyS Just what he means, and vii, we nsy'
-l be sure, DO exactly what be says. It b.
IN, his intention to lake at once the most. de-
icided stspS 80 prevent the outrage Of the
laws Of war BY She murder Of his soldiers.
The facts that be rehesrses are simply AoE-
,rible- They VIII thrill gvery heart with 3
profounder Indignation and deeper sense
of the atrocity and barbarian Of this slave
---, holders rebellion. They amply justify the
aunouncenent Of General Sherman that be
wfllretaliAteupo theSouthern prisoners in
IN tAndE BE will do it, and it win prove
IN nencIent means TO put stop 70 thess
rebel barbarities,- General Sherman, Of all
ourGsnersla was the hrat 70 come 70 cor
rect apprehension Of the trus spirit, mAlig-
nifty and power Of the rebellion. he un-
bo asataads perfectly how to deal with .reb-
- Cd, and he VII do It thoroughly g. 81
General Hampton's response Is an SWk-
( ward astsnpE 70 defend the course taken
-sby citizens in Wandering our soldiers. TO
2 do this, he charges upon Sherman's army
AL thsoatrAges that the most tbUtal rufHans
could commit, and upon this false assump-
ton fOunds his argument as to The right Of
citizens 70 bushwhack our forsgers, The
assumptioniz, as Hampton well knows an
utter fslsehood. The history Of Sherman's
army shows that It has CONFIRMED most
strictly to the laws Of war, and respected
every right Of the territory through which
they passed. No wanton outrage wss
!. eommittsd in the march through Georgia.
Property was destroyed, but only such
property IS was valuable TO she enemy.
Food was taken because 1t wss necessary
70 the support of our army. These were
acts Of war, and justified by the laws Of
war. Since our occupation OF Savannah.
Charleston and Wilmington, the people Of
these cities have been treated with singular
olsnieney, and have even been fed and
clothed by our authorities. The history Of
the campaign in South Carolina il Of the
same character. The accounts Of the eVacr
nation Of Columbia published IN Richmond
papers make no charges Whatever against
our troops, but, on the contrary, the Rich;
fmond Wing SAYS thst such outrsges t0ers
scoImitted by Wheeiers cavslry-men un-
der command Of this very Hsmpton-thA
she inhabitants feared him more than
than the Yankees or old Satan himself
The whole history Of the war has been one
of moderation and kindess on our part and
syStematized atrocity and barbsrity on the
part of the rebels. And yet with the.
Fsoord of AnderssnviIle and Belle Isle and
Salisbury confronting them, while our re-
turned prisoners, themselves living wit
nsnesses Of the truth of what they tell,
sss taking to every hreside of the North
the sicksring story Of their horrible suffer
ingt, while the memory of the butcheries
Of Forests cavalry sre fresh in our meme
ories, Hampton attempts this miserable de-
fsnss Of added rebel atrocities. he has
met his match in General Sherman, and his
boastfol threatenings viii soon be reduced
topiteous waiIngs by the action Of that
stem commander.