Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-06-07
General w. T. Sherman.

April, 1902, Mr.. Root, the secretary OF
war, placed IN the hands of the senate
committee on the Philippines several
reports from our officers In the field
Here are a few words quoted from
report by Gen. ]. Il, Bell, commanding
the department Of Batangas--a believer
in concentration on the Weyler and
Kitchener plans:
THE brigadier commander therefore
announces for the information OF all
concerned that wherever prisoners or
unarmed or defenceless Americans or
natives friendly 90 the United States
government are murdered or assasslnat-
ed for political reasons and this fact
can be established, II Is his purpose to
execute a prisoner OF war under the
authority contained In sections SO and
i4S This prisoner OF war will be selcct-
ed by lot from among the officers or
prominent citizens held as prisoners
OF war, and will be chosen when prac-
ticable from those who belong TO the
town where the murder or assasslna-
ton has occurred"
We read today the private lives OF
Grant, sherman Sheridan--we admire
them for the domestic virtues they
cultivated, for the human sympathles
they awakened on all sides.
But their joint opinion OF paclfying
the Southern States was well epitom-
lied IN the words, War is hell"
War may or may not be that-we
shall know all about II some of these
dsys-but OF war II Is safe to say that
all human testimony unites In con-
demning 1t as the nearest approach to
what our imagination delights to pic
ture as the opposite OF Christian en-
deayor.
Sheridan was a witness to many bat
ties in the Franco German war, and
spoke in SORROW Of German retaliation
al Bazeilles What will a German say
who reads the account OF his operations
in the Valley Of Virginia In 1852 In
the fall of that year, hearing that one
of his lieutenants had been murdered
let me quote his own words, II or
dered all the houses within an area OF
Ave miles TO be burned"
Sheridan does not inquire whether
the alleged murderer lived within thus
territory, or whether II was fair that
hundreds Of innocent women and chill
dren should be turned out OF doors In
the face Of an approaching winter. IT
was war, and the mare hellish war
could be made the better.
Gen. Smith who today exctes the
simulated Indignation of politicians.
can console himself by reading In the
memoirs OF Gen. Sheridan The following
letters from Gen. Grant, written within
10 days one Of the other;
City Point, Va.
Aug 10, $3.50 p. m. 1864
Mai. Gen. Sheridan Winchester Va.
II you can possibly spare q division
OF cavalry send them through Loudon
county TO destroy and carry off the
crops, animals, negroes and all men
under 80 years Of age capable Of beay-
ing arms.
All male citizens under so can fairly
be held prisoners of war; not as ciu-
zen prisoners.
In this way you win get many OF
Npsby's men. II not already soldiers,
they viii be made so the moment the
rebel army gets hold OF them
Signed IT, s. GRANT
Lieutenant General.
From Grant to Sheridan, Aug. &C.
1854
City Point, Va.
DO all the damage to railroads
and crops you can. Carry of stock Of
all description and negroes so as 10
prevent further planting.
II the war Is to last another year we
want the Shenandoah Valley to remain
barren waste.
(Signed) U. S. GRANT,
Lieutenant General.
To this Sheridan said (p. 4S7, vol. ~:
II Endorsed the program in all its
parts"
Stripped Of its physiological mock
cry, these letters, In effect, tell the SOL
diers TO 60 ahead and raise hell" on
all sides In such campaign there Is
little time 10 pull out the Ten Com.
man gets down to the lev
ell OF savage very rapidly.