The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-10-16
Did sherman Destroy AItauiae


The TRUE STORY AS TO ITS PLUNDERINe.
A correspondent of the New York Eoeniag
Mail sends to that paper an interesting letter
from Atlanta, Ca, IN which he combats the
very common impression that that place was
wantonly destroyed by the army of General
Sherman in 1864. The writer thinks there
is no subject connected with the war concern
ing which there has been so much nisrepre-
sentation and downright lying as touching
the so-called destruction OF Atlanta. He
says:
Sherman took Atlanta in August 1864, and
remained there until November 18th, when
he lett it, it is said, heap of smouldering
ruins.
Stories were current, and are still told, of
his swearing that ha"gucssed these id Teb-
el would find out there was no fuh 10 war, by
c." and of his indi nation at seeing a whole
house as he lett the town, and how he cursed
his staff at not obey ing his orders. which were
mot 10 leave two bricks together" And
these stories have been repeated hot only by
Southern but by Northern papers, and even
correspondents OF loyal journals have kept up
the impression by their letters that the des-
tructon OF Atlanta was complete.
THE TRUTH
Is, that all such statements as these are gross
exaggerations. l do not at all DOUBT that
many persons who have merely passed
through Atlanta may have written In gJUd
faith that Atlanta was heap of ruins, Or at
a later per'od that all the houses seep were
built since the war. You arrive in Atlanta
at the railroad depot, situated in the lower
part OF the town in a sort of dsh-like pld-
tedu, from which you see little or pothing Of
1t. Now what Sherman did destroy was rust
| about this point-depots, factories, locomo-
tive works, all in short that would render At
lanta useful to the rebels as q base OF sup
plies or OF operations. j know whereof l as
seIt, for coming 10 Atlanta shortly after the
war have spent here at different periods
nearly two years, and have a thorough know
edge OF the place. l dispose then generally
OF the wholesale misrepresentarops concern
ing Sherman's destruction OF the CIT by the
statement that not one dpsLting-hpuSe N tea
,oas burnt or destroyed 6y his order, when
he left, although ct course, some in the out
potts were destroyed by both Union and rebel
armies to build earthworks obtain euage for
artillery and other military necessities and oil
| the seven churches standing woen sherman
entered the place the same seven still stand
to this day.
WHO WERE THE vANDALs?
All the destruction effected by Sherman was
legitimate war. None of it was gratuitous.
The vandalism exhibited in Atlanta was hat
OF the Georgia people themselves toward their
own brethren. As soon as ShermaD's rear
guard lett the place, plunder, theft, and rob
berry we're the order of the day. Do you ask
for the proof? You shall have it, and of
kind hol easily questioned.
On receipt Of intelligence that the place was
evacuated, The then Governor oil Georgia,
Brown, despatched, an officer 10 Atlanta to
inspect and report upon the condition of
things there. That officers repori has passed
into the history oil Georgia, and is ar hom
being complimentary to its people. Here IS
an extract from it: "There were about Two
hundred and fifty wagons in the CT, On my
arrival loaded with plunder-pi mos, mirrors,
and furniture of all kinds and a lar.e amount
OF property, very valuable at the present
time. This work has beer gong ON ever since
| the place had been abandoned BY the enemv.
| Bushwhackers, robbers, dese tels, and citizens
| from the surrounding country, for distance
| of fifty miles, have been engaged in this dirty
work. l.
| Now this is testimony not easily gainsayed
| The impression has gone abroad that Sher-
| mans army sacked and ruined The p ace. The
| truth is, the place was sacked by the iehels,
| both before and after Sherman occupancy.
| Ask any one who was in Atlanta ut the time
| as TO the performances of Wheeler's cavalry
| (rebeD the night before our army entered,
| Tue extract above quoted shows what took
| place later. You will note that not only two
hundred and fifty wagons were then busy in
hauling away plunder, but that this thing had
been going un for some time. And YOU Will
note further that all this valuable property
was left untouched by our army. 1t is really
high time that the cackle about Sheru an
utter destruction" oil Atlanta should be some
what modified if not put an end to.