The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1865-03-08
McGREG0R, IOWA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH, g. 1866
l Letter From Gen. Sherman.

A letter written by Gen. Sherman, ant
which reveals the character of the man ir
most acceptable manner, is just pub
lished. 1tis aprivate letter, written ir
camp, yet it relates to public affairs, and
what is not less important, it reveals the
inner nature of man who forms, at this
day, the most conspicuous figure in ou,
history: ... .#
MARIETTA, Ca, JUNE 80, 1864.
Mrs Anna Gilman Boscen, Baltimore Md
| DEAR MADAM-Your welcome letter oi
June 18th came to me here amid the sound
Of battle; and, as you say, little did
dream when knew you playing as q
school girl on Sullivan's Island beach. that
| should control vast army, pointing,
like the swarm Of Alaric, toward the plains
Of the south.
Why, oh why is this? IF know my
own heart, it beats as warmly as ever
toward those kind and generous families
that greeted US with such warm hospitality
in days long pest, but still present in mem
ory; and TO- day, were Frank and Mrs.
Porcher, and Eliza Gilman, and Mary
Lamb, and Margaret Blake, the Bark sdales,
the Quashis, the Drydas-indeed, any and
oil Of our cherished circle, their children or
even their children's children, to come to
me as Of old, the stern feelings Of duty and
conviction would melt as snow before the
genial sun, and believe would strip my
own children that they might be sheltered:
and yet they call me barbarian, vandal and
monster, and all the epithets language can
invent that are Insignificant of m mAlignity
and hate.
All pretended to say, on earth as in
heaven, man must submit to some arbiter.
He must not throw off his allegiance to his
government or his God without just reason
and cause. The south had no cause-not
even pretext Indeed, by her unjusti6
able course she has thrown away the proud
history of the past, and laid open her fair
country to the tread of devastating war;
She bantered and bullied US to the conflict.
Had we declined battle, America would
have sunk back, coward and craven, merit.
ing the contempt Of all mankind. Asa
nation, we were forced to accept battle, and
that once begun, it has gone on till the war
has assumed proportions at which even we,
IN the hurry. .burly, sometimes stand
aghast. l would not subjugate the south
in the sense SO Extensively assumed, but I
would make every citizen Of the land obey
the common law, submit to the same that
we do--no worse, no better-our equals
and not our superiors.
l know, and you know, that there were
young menin our day, now no longer
young, but who control their fellows, who
assume for gentlemen Of the south a
superiority OF courage and manhood, and
boastingly defied US Of northern birth tc
arms. God knows how reluctantly we &C.
cePted the issue but once the issue Joined,
like in other ages, the northern races
though slow to anger, are more terrible
than the more infammable Of the south.
Even yet my heart bleeds when I see the
carnage Of battle, the desolation Of homes,
the bitter anguish of families, but the verv
moment the men OF the south say that in
stead Of appealing to war, they should have
appealed to reason, to our congress, to our
courts, to religion, and to the experience of
history, then will say P.ace-Peace; go
back 70 your point of error, and resume
your places as American citizens, with all
their proud hcrtages.
Whether shall hveto see this period is
problematical; but you may, and may tell
your mother and sisters that never forgot
one kind look or greeting, or ever wished
to etface its remembrance; but in putting
on the armor of war did it that our com.
mon country should not perish in infamy
and dishonor. am married, have wife
and six children living in Lancaster, Ohio.
Ny course has been an eventful one, but
hope when the clouds Of anger and passion
are dispersed and truth emerges bright and
clear, you and all who know me in early
years will not blush that we were once
dear friends. Tell Eliza for me that hope
she may live to realize that the doctrine of
secession" is as monstrous in our civil
code as disobedience was in the divine law.
And should the fortunes of war ever bring
you or your sisters or any Of our old clique
under the shelter Of my authority, do not
believe they will have cause to regret it,
Give my love to your children, and the as.
suraaces Of my respect to your honorable
husband.
Truly, W. T. SHERMAN.