Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-11-06
Letter rrnm shermnn.

Rev. DR.. j. P. Thompson, of New
York, contributes to Hours at Home a
spirited sketch of Major General Sherman,
in the course of which he says:
During the campaign from Chattanooga
to Atlanta General Sherman was openly
denounced as heaftless and cruel in his
measures towards rebel non-combatants,
and in his prescriptions of civilians as a
nuisance" A clergyman of New York
sent the General a copy of a sermon of
thanksgiving for his victories, and q vim
dication of his policy, accompanied with
the following letter:
New York. October 3, 1s64-Msior
General Sherman:-I have the honor to
submit my report of your illustrious CAM
paign from Chattanooga to Atlanta. I
trust it viii satisfy you that one civilian
within your lines, iii May last, did not
prove himselfan unmitigated nuisance"
and that neither he nor his report will be
remanded to the nearest provost marshal.
In the service of the Christian and SAM
tary Commissions, l ministered to your
wounded and dying on the field of Resaca,
for which our party received the thanks
of Major General Schofeld. Such is my
appreciation of your services, General,
that 1 pray God daily for your prosperity
and success.
With high regard, etc.
The reply of the General is not only a
complete defense of his stringent orders
which his correspondent had justified
but makes incidentally so beautiful a rev.
citation of his intellectual and moral char
acter, his quickness, his frmness, his
breadth of view, his patriotism and phi
lantropy, his gentleness, his patience and
his piety withal, that we make no apology
for printing it without his consent,
emitting oRly a few lines of a strictly
personal character.
GAINESVILLE, ALA, Oct. 21, 1864.
Dear Sir: l have received your letter
of October ,, and acknowledge the hit. :
: can safely devote to you a part
of my midnights labor. When the SOL
der sleeps the General is watchful, and
such are my habits. And if, as you say,
you spent some time in my camps, 1 beg
you to bear testimony to a fact never no.
ticed-that in my camps the soldier sleeps
quietly and undisturbed by long rolls or
false alarms. This is not accident but a
truth for which l feel sure all soldiers will
| give me credit. As you say 1 am not the
heartless boor l am often represented. 1
rarely see my children: but were YOU to
behold them watching for my expected
coming, and rush to meet me with arms all
love, you would not say that 1 am heart
less.
Again, when the final day of reckoning
comes, l will risk a comparison with more
protesting men for example, of acts of
charity where the left hand knoweth not
what the right hand gives. But when
my mind is intent on a purpose, it is jeal-
Gus of all clogs and distractions. How
many of our plans have been defeated,
how many lives lost, because our columns
have been clogged with useless baggage
and civilians? Goto our camps and towns,
as you say you have done, and if the COM
mander thinks of destroying our enemy,
or is engaged in answering complaints of
women, cotton and trade spectators, Of
citizens who study to use the cover of an
army to buy cheap commodities, and an
swer on your conscience, if l am not
right, as a rule, to declare citizens about
an army q nuisance" The rule is
right, and is proved by the excep-
tons. Let every thought of the mind,
every feeling of the heart every move
ment of the human muscle, be directed to
one sole object-successful war and.con-
sequent peace, and you know the ideal l
aim at. All ideals are dreams, but they
form the direction of real results; and the
closer they can be followed the better.
But l trust you will do this noble army
Justice. Who can know the daily tolls,
the dangers, the hopes and fears of this
vast army? 1 know them, and all here
know them; and the time will come when
they will return to their homes and be the
living witnesses of the acts of their fell
lows and leaders. For my reward l trust
to them; and still more in my confidence
that God viii not permit this fair land
and this brave people to subside into the
anarchy and despotism that JEFF. Davis
has cut out for them. ! have this faith as
clear and distinct as you see the sacrifices
of Gods own Son in your mental vision,
to secure to US immortal rewards.
You may assure your congregation that
this army fights that they may sleep in
peace, and enjoy the protection of a civil
lied Government.
Yours, w. I. SHERMAN,
Major General.