The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1902-04-25
HISTORIC LEI'IlERS
Which Passed between Gen shcr-
man and Gen. Hampton
JUST BEFORE THE WAR CLOSED.
That OF General Hampton Correct
~ Voices tho spirit oi' I,s 5
Author and Is Now or
Interest.

Tho following correspondence be-
tween Hampton and Sherman passed
into history years ago, but the letters
VIII be read With peculiar interest tn.
day, when the people Of south Caro-
lina and the entire South are mourn.
Ing tho death Of one of their greatest,
chicftainB and defenders. unionfor-
ayers had been shotfo dastardly ont
RACES upon 1cfcncclcss women, and the
Incidents called forth Shcrlnhn's letter
which was MS follows:
Headquarters In tile Field.
February ~ 1865.
Lieut. Gen. Wade Hampton, Com
manding Cavalry Forces. Confederate
States Army Gcncral: IT Is oliclally
reported to me that our foraging par
ties are m,ltdered after capture and
labelled Death TO AL foragels.n One
instance Oia llGntcnantand seven men
near Chcstcrvillc, and anothcrOf twcn-
ty 'ncara raNino eighty rods from the
mn!n road, about three miles from
number Of prisoners In OnT hands2tO he
disposed Of In Ike mannrY. i hold
about 900 prisoners, captured In yari-
o,ls ways, and can stand II as long az
you, and would suggest that yOii give
notice to the people AT large that every
life taken by them simply results In
tho deatll Of orNe ofyour COnfcderatcs.
or course, you cannot question my
right TO forage an The country" IL
Is a war right us old as history. The
manner OF exercising Il tyaries with CIR
ft1 ta,..
ties VIII supply, my rcanisitions I
| find no civil authorities Who can
respond 10 my calls for forage
Of provisions; therefore. I. must col
lcct directly OF tbc people, |
have no. doubt tliis Is the occ;isionof
much mlSbehayipr on the part OF cur
men; but I cannot permit apcnnmy to
Judge or punish with Wnqiesnie nllr-
der. Personally / regret tho bitter
feeling Cngcndcrod BY this war, but
they were to llosexpectcd, ,and n simp-
! IS allcge that those who struck the
first blow and made war inevitable
ought liOt In fairness To rcpfoac)i ils
lfor tntnalunl consequences. merely
assert our war right TO f0rage and my
rcsoiyest q PIC, 4 nly forag to tlle,
Ifcxtcnt or life fori life. 5'5 S5
seryani 11i NM Sherpsa,a' p1ga,s1s
iAipior General United 4, ta tes ~ mn /, g
a iilinsl ss,Y
feau untigf tefs iii the i9si Ri S
5 February 20, 1855. az
Major Gen. w. T.%Shernlan. united
States Army Generals: Your COM
lmunicatlon OF the 24tf instant reached
llnc today. In ityon state that it has
been officially reported that your forag-
| Ing parties are "ln,rlercd after CUP
turc.3 YOU 90 on TO say that sou have
''Ordcrcd Il similar number OF prisoners
In Our hands TO bc disposed ofln like
manner that Is To say, sou have or
dcrcd Il number or Confederate soldiers
To bc murdered" Ion characterize
your order in proper terms, FOR tito
public voice, even IN your own coun.
TRY, where II seldom darcs TO express
Itself IN yindicatlDn Of truth, honor,
or Justice, Viii surely agree With you
In pronouncing you guilty Of murder
dismissing this porl ion OF your letter
beg to assure you M that for every sol, Of
dicr OF mine murdered by you /
shall liavc executed at once two Of
yours, giving IN all cases preference 10
any officers who may be IN my hands.
~ reference to tho statement ypli
make regarding the death Of your for.
ayers, ! have only to say that know
nothing about II; that no orders given
BY me authorizes the killing Of prison
~ M, I'm i, NIX III, "a ns,,,,r
IMAM, ,,ndnr ,,ircrn,n, n,,rns i, svlinh
!, ,as ,nren,., i, ,n,ri,,,,,a'a "a ,,rn,,n,.
I'M, thnv shn;,lG 1,iil ,nnr ~" It'Is', y !,
nnrt nf ,hn NO, nn of 'thn ti,j.wns :
whom voii dcaitnatn nc vnnr f,,rn,,n,s
Ia ira ihr Ivy"5i;mys nf itEns, ctd iynna,
whom ihey hnyn robhed fro r,e,I' chccI,
this lnhuminn svst an, whjrh is ,I,~ ,ust,"
chccratod hy every ciyiljzcd IN tinm. ti i
have directed nv men "a shoot down
nh of your mon who arc catirh, bnrn.
lng houses. This order shall remain
in force us long ne Won disprucn thn
profession oi arms hy nllo,Wing your
men m 70 DESTROY private dWciilngs.
on shy that cannot, or course,
luestion your right 70 forage on thc,
country ~ - n}r,ght as Old history
: uo loo' ~, gucSlion tnls fignt. Bnt
1iiGtc y Y rlsnt oldcr even than this,
and one more iha'icnanicsT tile right
4