The National tribune., 1903-04-23

GEN. sEAUnEaNkD AND OTHERS APPEAL
TO THE PEoeLE OF GEORGIA TO RISE.
'Corsath, Miss, Nov. 10, 1864.
.'To the Peop3esof Georgia: -
i Arise for the defense of your native
soil! Rally agoQnd your patriotic Cover.
nor and gallant soldiers! Obstruct and
destroy all the roads in Sherman's front,
flank, and rearg ard his army will soon
starve in your midst. Be confident. BE
resolute. Trust in an overriding Provi-
deuce. and sYesfss. will soon crown your
Il hasten b 5o in you in the defense of
your homes md firesides.
i''rs "is3<h.iffs &c. 4. BEAuREGARD."
..Richmond, Nov. 10, 1864.
TO the People of Georgia:
You have now the best opportunity
ever yet presented to destroy the enemy.
1 Put everything at the disposal of your
Generals; remove all provisions from the
path of the invader. and put all obstruc-
tons in his path. Every citizen with his
gun, and every negro with his spade and
AK can do tile work of n soldier. You
can destroy the enemy by retarding his
march. GeOrgians, be firm! Act prompt
ly, and fear mott!
49,. ----15 p ''B. H. HILL, Senator"
II most cordially approve the above.
| Secretary of War"
:. ssRichmond, Nov. 10, 1864.
''To the People of Georgia:
1--WE have had special conference with
President Davis and the Secretary of
War, and are able to assure you that they
have done and are still doing all that can
be done to meet this emergency that
presses upon You. Let every man fly to
arms! Remove your negroes, horses, cat
tie. and provisions from Sherman's army,
and burn what you cannot carry. Burn
all bridges, and block up the roads in his
route. Assail the invader in front, flank
and rear, by night and day. Let him have
no rest.
JULIAN HARTRIDGE, J. H. REYNOLDS,
JOHN Il. SHOEMAKER. MARK BLANFoRD,
GEN. n. LESTER JOSEPH Nj. SMITH,
Members Of Congress"
These appeals to the people of Georgia
made by her most distinguished citizens
and representatives, and given sanction
by the highest military authority of the
Confederacy, We're designed, of course, to
compass the destruction of the Union
army. The plans suggested were very
like those adopted by Alexander of Rus
| sia against Napoleon's army at Moscow,
when in Midwipter every yestige of food
and forage for many miles around the
city, was destroyed. and the city itself
was set Oh fire and became raging
fame, thus forcing Napoleon, for the
safety of his army and for want of sup
plies. to abandon Moscow, and, while
unrelentingly pursued and beset by his
enemies, retreat with his army into the
Snow storms of an almost arctic Winter,
from which a mere remnant of that inn
peral army emerged.
Such radical military methods were not
| Stafn nd
not possible in the mild climate of central
Georgia, mOrei than $50 miles south
| of Moscow. Er
When it wab made known to Gen. Sher-
| man that certain Confederate forces were
destroying oiifn; and forage on his front,
| he infOrme6prDminent citizens that such
acts must stOpior he would unrelentingly
| lay waste tbnshe country. This no doubt
put an end tU9such proceedings.
But the fh6Dfemained that the State of
Georgia was THE. theater Of great military
operations Ahac that both the Onion and
COnfederatdi ARMIES would be subsisted-
both men AID animals Of the country.
The farmers, and planters Of the State
had been OvtrfAEen with evil times; they,
indeed, were the victims of the great hard
ships of wat!;> ~ at-'i, ~ "a" -"
Gen. ShepfflXf started out with the we'll
considered plan OF, infiicting all the dam
age possible OF the military resources of
the State. Not only were the railroads.
| the means. lf ltrnnsportation-to be de-
stroyed, bit ffa1l. the factories. machine
shops and mills that could. contribute sup
tplies to file Confederate army were to be
DESTROYED, soIthat Georgia would praeti-
cally cease to. be an important factor in
continuing the war. This was war in its
sternest form, and brought the war sadly
home to the people of the whole State.
| These earnest appeals We're made in
vain. The great body of the people of
Georgia who7wdre not in the Confederate
army, did not take up arms to tassail the
invader" They We're, apprised of. the
fact that Gen. Johnston and Gen, Hood
at the head of a large welEorganized and
valiant army had been pOwerless to drive
back the forces under Gen. Sherman;
they therefore wisely concluded that it
would be useless, for an unorganized body
of citizens, however numerous and brave,
to attempt to stand before such an army
as Gen. Sherman was then advancing
with. go. ---l -',.r "r-
While this was SO, the daily papers of
Georgia. which constantly fell into our
hands, declared in the most confident and
vehement manner that the Union army
| would be destroyed; that the forces were
gathering to overwhelm it, and that such
an army could not subsist on the march,
and would become an easy prey, because
of starvation.
SPIRIT OF UNIVERSAL CONFIDENCE.
The experience of these nine days
Nov. 10 to %. inclusive-had not been
such as to lead the most timid soldier in
our army to conclude that disaster lurked
near our path. There was spirit of uni
versal confidence pervading the whole
rank and file Of our army. Every officer
and soldier felt that We could take care
of ourselves-not only In battle, but in
the way of food and forage. During these
nine days even this veteran army, many of
whom were on their fourth year of sery-
ice, had learned something.
Marching the troops habitually on the
side, while the wagons occupied the road,
afforded more complete protection to the
trains, while at the same time shortening
the length of the column.
The standing order was for the columns
to move at Z, o'clock a. IN. The condi-
ton of the roads in front was always
asccrtained the evening before; if repairs
were required the Pioneer Corps. under
the protection of troops, pushed forward
at an early hour and repaired or made
bridges, and corduroyed the road when
found necessary. r.-.
The foraging parties moved out at day
light, taking empty wagons along to con-
-; ~, 60 nd fnr