Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-01-01

their feelings on reading the following
letter, to which Gen. Sherman refers
above:
HEApo'Rs MID. DIV. eF THE MISSISSIPPI,
BIG sHANTy. GA, June q. 1864. }
General S. G.. Burbridge. Commanding Dis
trict of Kentucky:
GENERAL. The recent raid of Morgan
and the concurrent acts of men styling
themselves Confederate partisans," or
"guerrillas,' call for determined action
on your part. Even on the Southern
Estate rights" theory Kentucky has not
seeded. Her people, by their vote and
by their actions, have adhered to their
allegiance to the National Government;
and the South would now coerce her out
of our Union and theirs-the very dogma
of coercion upon which so much stress
was laid at the outset of the war, and
which carried into rebellion the people
of the middle or border States.
But politics aside, these acts of the
So called "partsans or "guerrilas :"
are nothing but simple murder, base
stealing, arson, and other weii.defiHed
crimes, which do not sound so we'll
under their true names, as the more
agreeable ones of warlike meaning.
Now before starting on this campaign,
| fsresaw, as you remember, that this
very case would arise, and asked Gov.
Bramlette to at once organize in every
county small trustworthy band, under
the sheriff, if possible, and at one dash
to arrest every man in the community
who was dangerous to 1t, and also every
fellow hanging about the towns, villages
and crossroads who had no honest call
ing (the materials out of which guer-
rillas are made). But this sweeping
exhibition of power, doubtless, seemed
to the Governor rather arbitrary.
The fact is, in our country personal
liberty has been so we'll secured that
public safety is lost sight Of in eur laws
and constitutions, and the result is we are
thrown back hundred years in civliza-
ton, law and everything else, and will
20 right straight to anarchy and the devil
if somebody don't arrest our downward
progress. We, the military, must do it,
and we have right and law on our side.
All governments and communities have
right to guard against real or even sup.
posed danger. The whole people Of
Kentucky must not be kept in state OF
suspense and real danger lest few inno-
cent men should be wrongfully accused.
First-You may order all your post,
district and other commanders that guer
rillas are not soldiers, but wild beasts
unknown to the usages of war. To be
recognized as soldiers they must be en-
listed, enrolled, differed, uniformed
ar med and equipped by some recognized
bel'igerent power, and must, if detached
from a main army, be of sufficient
strength, with written orders from some
army co .umander, to do some military
thing.
Of course we have recognized the Con
federate government as belligerent
power, but we deny their right to our
lands, territories, rivers, coasts and ma
tionsiity; admitting their rebellion and
the right to move to some other country
where lands and customs are more in
accordance with their own ideas and
prejudices. >
Second-The civil power being insui-
fioient to protect life and property, ca
necessitate rel to prevent anarchy
(which nature abhors," the military
steps in, and is rightful, constitutional
and lawful.
Under this law everybody can be made
to stay at home and mind his own busl-
ness" and if they won't do that, can be
sent away where they won't keep their
honest neighbors in fear of danger, rob-
berry and insult.
Third-Your military commanders,
provost marshals and other agents may
arrest all males and females who have
encouraged or harbored guerrillas and
robbers, and you may cause t! m to be
collected in Louisville, and when you
have enough, say three or four hundred,
| will cause them to be sent down the
Mississippi, through the guerrilla gaunt-
let, and by q sailing ship send them to a
land where they may take their niggers
and make a colony, with laws and a
future of their own. If they won't live
in peace in such garden as Kentucky,
why, then we will kindly send them to
another, if not better land, and surely
this would be kindness and blessing
to Kentucky.
wish you to be careful that no per-
sonalities are mixed up in this, nor
does full and generous love OF country,
"of the South" of their State or county,
form cause for banishment; but that
devilish spirit which will not be satisfied
and that makes war the pretext for
murder, arson, and theft in all its grades,
perjury and all the crimes of human
nature.
Ny own preference was and is that the
civil authorities of Kentucky would do
this in the State, but if they will not or
cannot, then we must, for it must be
done. There must be an lend to strife,
and honest, industrious people of Ken
lucky and the whole world will be bene-
fited and rejoiced at the conclusion, how
ever arrived at.
use no cencealment in saying that l
do not object to men and women having
what they call "Southern feelings" if
confined TO love of country and Of peace,
honor and security, and even of little
family pride but these become crime
when enlarged to mean a love OF war,
desolation, famine and all the horrid at
tendants of anarchy.
/ am, with respect, General, your
friend, W. I. SHERMAN,
Major General Commanding.
[0Aicial copy
f. A. NICHOLS, A. A. G.
There, guerrillas, barn-burners, muir
derers, horse-thieves, and stay-at-home
rebels of Kentucky, put that in your
pipes and smoke it. Who now do you
think it was that would not allow you to
steal horses, rob hen-roosts and murder
Union men at pleasure Was it Gene
raj Burbridge or General Sherman M 1t
you have any doubts, read the letter over
again. Burbridge did not execute the
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