The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-04-10
Two Historic Documents.
Wade Hampton's Eloquent Re.
ply to sherman's Infamous
Letter.

Duke Of AlVa, aGd General "ade
Hampton. shcu;d be CT interest to the
young man not oaly Of the South,
but Of the North as welt Il shows
something OF the firm and desperate
determination Of the Confederate
soldiers 70 protect the honor Of South
ern ladies even ct the risk Of var 10
the death
TIE incident to which allusion is
made by General Hampton in this
correspondence was an outrage coo
uitted at Feastervilie by lieutenant
80 Sherman's army. who was soon
sfterwsrd shot for il He killed the
father Of the house and the outrage
which followed lef: the beautiful
daughter white haired imbeci:e
Il is because Of on;rages like this
ehas Soulhern men cannos understand
why some Nor,bern people greet
Southern guests With the air. March
ing through Georgia y They seem
70 think /, appropriate They would
not iFthey knew wbss inhuman deeds
It recalls:
24.h, 1865
L!euteuaut General Wade Hampton,
Commanding Calvary Forces Goa
fsderase States Army
General: e is officially reported
80 ne that oar foraging parties are
murdered after capture and labeled
death to all foragers One IN
stance of lieutenant aud seven men
near Chesservilie, and another OF
twenty soear a ravine eighty rods
from the msin road" about three
miles from Feastervi;le have
ordered similar number Of prisoners
in onr hands to be disposed Of 10 like
manner / hold about / 900 prison
ers, captured in various ways, and
can stand It as long as you, and
would suggest that you give notice
to the people at large that every life
taken By them simply results in the
death OF one of your Gonfedesates.
Of course. you cannot question ny
right to "forage on the county :"
1t is var right as old as history
TIE nanner of exercising It varies
with circumstances, and If the civil
authorities viii supply ICY reqoisi-
tions will forbid ali foraging But
/ can fnd no civil au;hori.ies VINO
can respond 10 nv calls for forage or
provisions; therefore, must collect
directly Of the people. | have no
doubt this is tie occasion Of much
misDehavicr on the part OF our men !;
but ! cannot permit an enemy to
Judge or punish with wholesale mug-
der Personally. | regret the bitter
feelings engendered By this war, but
they were to be expected, and |
simply allege that those VINO stEnck
the frss blow and made war inevi
table. ought not 10 fairness 10 re
proach US for the pstural conse.
quences merely assert our war
right TO forage aud ny resolve 20
protec; ny forsgers 20 the extent OF
life for life
| am, with respect. your cbedieut
servant w T Sherman
Major General United States Army
To this oombassic Elimination Gen
eral Hampton returned the following
answer;
Headquarters IN tas Field, Feb.
IS. 1865.
Major General u T shernaa.
United States Ar@y
General: Year communication Of
the 24:h Instant reached me toda7
In it you state fast ii cas- been efi
c;a'iy reported that your torag ng
parties are "uardered after cap;n:e
You go ou 20 say that you haze
ordered similar number of prison
ers IN our hands TO be disposed Of io
ike msnner," that is 20 say, yoa
have ordered number Of Confederate
soldiers TO be murdered 7 u
characterize your order il proper
terms FOR she public voice, even in
your own country where It eldou'
dsres to express Itself io v;adica;iop
oftrueh, hoaor. or jcssice will sareIy
agree with 7ou in p7oaouncfog you
guilty Of mlrder Il your order is
carried OF: Before 4;smissing this
portion Of yoar letter, l beg to assure
you that ior every soldier Of mine
murdered" by you, shall aave ex
ecuted at once :@o Of yours, giving
ia ell cases preference to any oficers
who nay Be IN mg hands
In reference to the statement you
make regarding the death Ct year
goragers, bs7e on'y 10 say that
know nothing a5 ct Il: ;ba' 10
orders given by ne authorize She
killing Of prisoners after capture, and
that / do nes oe!iere :hat by men
=