The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-17

Letters Of Cen. Sherman and His Wife
in Reply to Charges Against the
General.

To the Editor OF the Louisville CourierJournAl.
In your edition Of Thursday, June oath,
under the head of Georgia Affairs, there
was published a long letter from your cor
respondent in Atlanta, Ca, in which,
among other matter, were the following
paragraphs;
SHERMAN AS AN INUENDIARY.
There are many facts connected with
his march through Georgia which Sher-
man failed to record in his book. One
was the burning of the Eatonton factory,
small cotton-mill, from which 200 women
and children wholly substituted. When
the Federal troops captured it detail was
made to apply the torch, but upon its ap-
proach the poor women so piteously beg
ged that they turned away and left. A
second and third detail succumed to the
entreaties of the factory women and girls,
who truthfully told them that it was the
only way in the wide world they had to get
their bread and clothing. Sherman heard
of it, and never was hyena more furious on
the smell of blood.
Mounting his horse he rode to the fac
tory, when the women made the same ap-
peal to him, to which he, as he had done
in hundreds of other instances, listened,
not as man who had heart. but q de-
mon who glories in human misery. When
they had finished he made sort of a
stump speech, interlarded with blasphemy,
and at its conclusion directed in person the
torch to be applied, which was done, and
the factory in half an hour was pile Of
ashes. Instead of protecting these women
he was personally cognizant of their then
and there being robbed of the last mouth
full Of provisions they had in their humble
homes, and such articles of common jewel
ry as that class of people have, torn from
their pockets and drawers.
THE CURSE OF A CATHOLIC SISTER UPON
SHERMAN.
1T is well known that Mrs, Sherman has
been doing everything in her power since
the war to help the Catholic church in the
south. There was Catholic fair in Au
gusta last winter, to which she made some
valuable contributions, accompanied by Q
pathetic letter. Knowing the vindictive
tiger she has for husband, and that ht
would now blast the south if he had thu
power, these acts of Mrs. Sherman were
thought strangely of. But there was ;
scene and an act on the night Of the burn
ing of Columbia which rises like ghostly
internal apparition before the soul OF Thu
lady, and no doubt fills her with an awfu
dread Of what will be the eternity OF he
husband.
1T was this: There was a Catholic mon
astery in Columbia, place no less sacred
to all its members Of that religious faitl
than heaven ITSELF TIC it the plate ant
jewels of every Catholic church of Charles
ton, and every other one in the state, tn
holy images, and every other holy thin
connected with the worship, had been sent
No one knew what was there better tina
Sherman. He had been told of it b
many priests, by Sisters of Mercy, by hur
dreds of members Of the church, befor
and after he entered South Carolina, the
all thinking that no modern warrior woul
for a moment think of touching them,-
When he rode into the city he was aske
for q guard to protect the sacred building
and his answer was an oath, and riding d
rectly to the spot to superintend the burr
ing of the monastery in person. Whe
the lurid glare of the flames shot high I'M
the heavens, and while Sherman was 81
ting upon his horse in front, watching the
with grim, demoniac satisfaction, the lac
superioress collected the inmates who ha
fed from the burning monastery, marchC
them to the front, and there, with upliftF
hands, in which was held a cross, Or
nounced and called upon heaven to pr
nounce curse upon him"
took the opportunity of sending yo
paper to Gen. Sherman, and asked him
to the truth or untruth of the allegation
My letter found the general absent in Ne
England, at the Boston, Lexington, et
celebrations. AS your Augusta correspc
dent refers largely to Mrs. Sherman, S
at once communicated to me the followir
which l place before you for the benefit
your readers, in justice to brave sold
and his amiable wife. L doubt not,
soon as William Tecumseh Sherman !
turns to ST. Louis, he will himself adore
me as to the facts. Elk SOLDIER.