Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1865-03-15
HEADQUARTERS IN THE FIELD,
February 81, 1865,

HEADQUARTERS IN TIE FIELD,
February 81, 1866,
Maj. Gen. ". T. Sherman, o. s. Army:
GENERAL: Your communication of the oath
inst reached me to day. In it you state that your
foraging parties were murdered after capture
and you 90 on to say that yeu bad " ordered
similar nun,der of prisoners in our hands to be dis
posed of in like manner" That is to say, you have
ordered number of Confederate soldiers to be
murdered"
You characterize your order in proper terms, for
the public voice even in your own country, where
it seldom dares to express itself in vindication of
truth, honor or justice, will surely agree with you
in pronouncng you guilty of murder, if your order
is carried out.
Before dismissing' this portion of your letter, 1
beg to assure you that for every soldier Of mine
murdered" by you, shall have executed at once
tuo OF yours, glving in all cases. preference to any
officers who may be in my hands.
In reference to the statement you make regard
ing the death Of your foragers, have only to say
that know nothing of it; that orders given by
me authorize the killing OF prisoners after capture
and that do not believe that my men killed any
Of yours except under circumstances in which it
was perfectly legitimate and proper they should
kill them.
1t is part of the system of the thieves whom
you designate as your foragers, to fire the dwell
ipgs of those citizens whom they have robbed
10 check this inhunan system, which is Justly
execrated by every civilized nation have directed
my men to shoot down all of your men who are
caught burning houses. This order shall remain
in force as long as you disgrace the profession of
arms by allowing your men to destroy private
dwellings,
You say that cannot, Of course, question your
right to forage on the country. cit is right as
old as history" do not, sir, question this right
But there is right older even than this, and one
more inaenabe-the right that every man has to
defend his home, and to protect those who are de-
pendent upon him. And from my heart l wish
that every old man and boy in my country, who
wild beast, the men who are desolating their land,
burning their houses, and insulting their women.
You are particular in defining and claiming
war rights" May ask if you enumerate among
them the right to fire upon a defenceess city with
out notice. to burn that city to the ground after it
had been surrendered by the authorities, who
claimed, though in vain, that protection which is
tants to fire the dweling-houses of citizens, after
robbing them, and to perpetrate darker crimes
than these-crimes too black to be mentioned?
You have permitted if you have not ordered the
commission of these offences against humanity and
the rules of war. You fred into the city of Co
lumbia without word of warning. After its sur.
| render by the Mayor, who demanded protection to
private properly you Aalo the Wnoe city IN aShes,
| leaving amid its ruins thousands of old men and
helpless women and children, who are likely to
perish of starvation and exposure. Your line Of
march can be traced by the lurid light of burning
| houses and in more than one household there is
an agony far more bitter than that of death.
| The Indian scalped his victim regardless of sex
or age. but with all his barbarity, be always res.
pected the persons of his female captives Your
soldiers, savage than the Indian insult those
| whose natural protectors are absent
In conclusion, 1 have only to request that when
ever you have any of my men disposed Of" o.
"nurdered," for the terms appear to be synony
nous With you, you willie me hear ofi in order tina
may know what action to take in the matter. II