Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-17
SHERMAN AND ATLANTA.
The Fall OF the City and It's Occupation by
tile Union Forces.

4 the Union Forces.
From the Atlantis Constitution
In the spring Of 1864, having command Of
the military division of the Mississippi, Sher-
man began his campaign against Gen. Joseph
T. Johnston at Dalton. Ga His force amounted
to so,7T men and "a pieces of cannon. His
policy all along was to flank Johnston, but he
was not able to do this without engaging in
notable battles at Resaca, Allatoona. Dallas. New
Hope Church and Kennesaw mountain. About
the middle of July the confederates fell back
into their works around Atlanta and Johnston
was superseded by Hood.
On the 18th of July the great movement
against Atlanta commenced, and on the Goth
Sherman's first shell fell into Atlanta at the
intersection of East Ellis and Ivy streets, where
1T killed a little child 1t was seen to fall by
Mr. Z. Lawshe and Col. Sam Williams. Later
| in the day two other shells fell in the city. On
| the I'D occurred great battle in which Gen.
Mcpherson on the federal side and Gen.
| Walker on the confederate side were killed.
After the battle of Ezra Church, on the 2Sth.
the siege commenced in earnest. 1t lasted
over a month, and the destruction of life and
| property in the city was terrific.
| Gen. Hood in a letter to Gen. Sherman. pro-
tested against the unnecessary cruelty OF she'll
| ing city full OF women and children. Sher-
mans reply was one of the sharpest and most
| brutal letters in our war literature. He took
| the position that Hood was deliberately con-
Quoting wholly unjustifiable struggle, and
| charged him with cowardice in seeking the
shelter of a crowded city, and then appealing
TO the enemy for mercy. He reminded him
that that was the science of barbarisrr, and that
It's principal aim was to slay and destroy. After
this remarkable correspondence the Smelling
| went on more briskly than ever.
On the 3lst Of August the federals succeeded
| In cutting off the city from all communication
with the outside world and the bloody battle
| OF Jonesboro was fought. The next day found
fav.$e 81, -. -. -
| the confederates evacuated the place, after
blowing up seventy carloads of ammunition,
| and on the next day Shermans troops entered.
Mayor James G. Calhoun and committee of
citizens called on General Sherman to form
| ally surrender the CITY. They man of
forty-five, who looked fully ten years older
His bronzed face was scanned with lines of care
and his eyes told a tale of seepless nights. His
wrinkled brow and his closely trimmed beard
together with his weather-beaten field uniform
made him look like anything but holiday SOL
der and his appearance cOntrasted strikingly
with the glitter aud glaring colors of the i'm
posing staff around him. STILL he had the air
of leadership and command He looked down
| ut the ground while Mayor Calhoun surren-
dered the city upon the condition that life,
liberty and private property should be pro-
tected. Then tine general looked up, and in a
curt, buslness-lke way said that be would grant
the conditions.
But this is war, you know" he said in his
abrupt way. "Yes, Cd d-n it, this is war,
and must place your town under martial law
That won't hurt good citizens but it will play
the devil with bad ones"
With few words Of parting, the committee
prepared to retire.
''One word MORE" said the general 81 sup
pose it is understood that none of your people
will fire on my soldiers?'
He was assured that nothing of the kind
would occur, and the committee left his pres
ence.
In the course Of a few DAYS Sherman issued
his famous order directing all the citizens to go
south or north. This caused general exodus
and turned the city into vast fortified camp
| occupied by about so coo soldiers
During the ten weeks of his sojourn in At
lanta Gen. Sherman met many prominent citi-
zens. More than once he stated that the fed
erals would hold the place until the war was
over. His idea was to make the city military
post-a camp-and maintain it as such until
the return of peace. He made his headquar-
tiers at Judge X. F. Lyons house, the present
higl school building. and moved about the
| streets every day almost unattended.
When the general took possession of the Lyon
house he found it occupied by Mrs. WEIGH. a
widow with several small: children in her
charge. Sherman permitted Mrs. WEIGH to re-
main in the capacity of housekeeper and made
himself very pleasant to the unfortunate family.
In the course of few days. at his suggestion
one of the federal bands gave a series Of con-
certs for the benefit Of the WEIGH family in
which Mrs. WEIGH and the children participated.
These entertainments were very popular and
| quite handsome sum was raised fO- the family.
Mr.. William Markham a prominent citizen
of Union sympathies, sent the general a bottle
| OF fine brandy. In acknowledgment. of the
| courtesy Sherman called at his residence one
evening and spent an hour or two in social con-
versation. To Mr. Markham he said that At
lanta would be held until the wa ended and
that Grants army would probably continue its
march to the city.
While preparations for the removal of the
citizens were in progress. the mayor and coun-
cilmen, Z. E. Rawson and L. G. Wells, remon-
| strated. In response Gen. Sherman said I'VE
| must have peace; not only peace in Atlanta.
but in all America; to secure peace we must
stop the war, and to stop the war we must de-
feat the rebel armies that keep up the war.
Now, know the vindictive character
OF our enemy, and that we may have many
years of military operations from this quarter,
and therefore deem it wise and prudent to
prepare in time The use OF Atlanta for war;
like purposes is inconsistent with its character
| as a home for families There will be no man.
ufactures, commerce or agriculture here for
their support, and sooner or later want would
compel the inhabitants to go, and it would be
better to send them ont while the arrangements
we're complete for thei- transfer than to wait
until circumstances became inconvenient.
The facts OF history too well known to
need repetition here. About the middle of
November Gen. Sherman burned Atlanta to
| the ground and started on his march to the sea.
iit Acit uiStulDONtltu. Out VI
$500 houses only about 400 being left standing.
All this, however, is familiar to our readers.
Sherman continued his march to the sea. cap
tured savannah and in North Carolina received
the final surrender of Johnstons forces.
In 1869, when Gen. Grant was President, he
WIS made commander-in-chief of the army,
but in the course Of few years resigned and
retired to private life.
Gen. Sherman was man of tremendous
nervous energy. This characteristic appeared
to dominate him at all times and in the midst
of great privations and trials made him supe-
rioi to the men around him. Since the war his
career las not brought him into favorable no.
tice. His controversy with jefferson Davis
and his article i'll The North American Review,
| suggesting new crusade in the south in the
interest of the negroes, was, to say the least,
unfortunate. However, much may he forgiven
in the case Of an old soldier after he had out
lived the period Of his active usefulness. The
verdict OF po.terity will be that William Te-
cumseh Sherman was great man.
A SLEEPING WONDER.