Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-06-03
A CHATTER OF HISTORY.
General Sherman Explains The
Character and Design of an
Order Giving the Use OF
Lands TO Freedmen.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE
UNITED STATES. WASHINGTON, ID. g.,
May IS, lSSl.-Judge Charles Cowley,
Lowell, Mass.-Dear JUDGE was
glad to receive your letter of May Z,
informing me hat you were to deliver
the annual grafton of decoration day
at the National cemetery at Beaufort,
S. g.. on the Both inst.
| don't think l can give a better
account Of the facts and reasons for
special field order No. Is, dated Sayan-
nah, Ca, Jan. Is, 1865, than you will
find 10 "Sherman's memoirs" from
page 245 to 252, volume 2, Of which [.
invite your perusal.
Those orders were made after a full
conference with the secretary of war.
who had come to Savannah for the
purpose OF recreation and eonsuIta-
ton. Those orders went as far as
existing Law and the constitution
warranted, and would have provided
homes and occupation to the vast
numbers OF freedmen-men, women
aud children-who already occupied
those lands, as also those who had
followed my army from Georgia to the
sea coast. The reason why those
orders did not fulfill the full measure
OF u intentions we're that the war
terminated a few months after-yiz..
in April-and the constitution re-.
gained its full force. See section 3.
article iii-"The congress shall have
power to declare the punishment Of
treason, but no attainder of treason
shall work corruption Of blood, or
forfeiture except during the life Of
the person attainted."
Therefore, l could not and did not
attempt to give more than possessory
titles, to continue only as long as war
existed and as long as we had power
to enforce possession. Even congress
cannot divest the heir of his title to
the land owned By a rebel father. much
less a military commander.
My army was far away from our sun
plies, and it was with infinite difficulty
| could procure for it the food, cloth
ing and stores necessary for daily
maintenance, much less to gil our
wagons for the next campaign across
the Carolinas to Virginia, which cam
paien, | contend, was one of the prin-
cipal causes Of the sudden collapse Of
the Southern Confederacy. Had |
postponed the execution Of that cam
paign, in order to feed the vast crowd
Of refugees at and near Savannah, we
might have been forced to wait an
other year under a load of expense.
which might have proved fatal to the
government itself. At least such was
the expressed opinion Of Mr.. Stanton.
who had come to Savannah partly TO |
represent this fact, to stimulate my
movements and to give me the
full benefit Of his official authority to
hurry up the Necessary preparations.
Some people at the south, as we'll as
at the north, were 80 wrapped with
the humanitarian idea to help the
poor slave that they would have ignor-
the greater purpose, TO use our
magnificent armies, then full OF conf
ience, strength and experience. to
conquer our defiant enemy thus TO
create peace and give ample time to
all the civil questions resulting
rom the wal itself.
l have always felt most kindly
.owards the colored people of the Uni
ed States, and wish them all success
n their laudable efforts to maintain
he status Of free and equal citizens"
" our great republic. Wherever it
las been my duty TO speak to them.
have generally advised them 10 shake
IT their old feeling Of dependence on
he white race; to depend on them.
elves and on the practice Of industry.
and the virtues common 10 all
mankind to reach that higher plane
II civilization TO which they have a
perfect right to aspire, and now agood
opportunity to gain. Truly your
w. T. SHERMGE