The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-06-14

from scenes that women and children
snouId not be exposed to- and the brave
people should scorn to commit their
wives and children to the rude barbar-
1ans who thus, as you say, violate the
laws OF war, as illustrated in the pages
OF its dark history.
In the name of common sense I ask
a sacrilegious manner. You who, in
the midst Of peace and prosperity. have
plunged a Nation into war-dark and
cruel war-who dared and badgered us
TO battle. .tnsulted our flag seized our
arsenals and forts that were left In the
honorable custody Of peaceful Ordnance
Sergeants. seized and made prisoners OF
war the very garrisons sent to protect
your people against negroes and In
dams long before any overt act was
committed by the Ito you) hated Lin.
coin Government: tried to force Ken
lucky and Missouri into rebellion, spite
OF themselves; falsined the vote Of LOU
isiana; turned loose your prixateers to
plunder ,unarmed shipss expelled Union
families by the thousands, burned their
houses, and declared, by an act OF your
Congress. the confscation Of all debts
due Northern men for goods had and
reeaiyed. Talk thus to the marines. but
not to me, who have sseen these things,
and who Will this day make as much
South as the best born Southerner
among you! II we must be enemies, let
us be men, and fight It out as we pro-
pose to do and not deal In such fypo-
critical appeals to God and humanity.
God Will Judge US in due time. and He
will pronounce whether 1t be more hu-
name to fight with a town full OF wo-
men and the families of a brave people
at our back, or to remove them in time
to places Of safety among their own
friends and people.
Il am, very respectfully. your obe-
dent servant
wv. T. Sherman. Major-General Com
handing"
Hoods Reply.
Headquarters Army of Tennessee. Sept
IL, 1864.
"Maj.-Gen. w. r. Sherman, Command
ing Military Division Of the Missis-
sippi.
General: have the honor to ac-
knowledge the receipt Of your letter OF
the 9th inst, with its Enclosure in ref
erence to the women. children and 9TH
ers whom you have thought proper to
expel from their homes in the city Of
Atlanta. Had you seen proper to let the
matter rest there. / would gladly have
allowed your letter to close this corre-
spondence, and, without your express
ing to believe that while the interests
Of the United States I'm your opinion
compelled you to an act of barbarous
cruelty, you regretted the necessity, and
we would have dropped the subject: but
you have chosen to indulge in state
ments which feel compelled to notice.
at least so far az to signify my dissent
and not allow silence In regard to them
to be construed as acquiescence.
Il see nothing fn your communication
which induces me to modify the Ian
guage OF condemnation with which
characterized your, order: It but
strengthens me In the opinion that II
stands 'pre-eminent in the dark history
OF war for studied and ingenious cruel
w.. Your original order was stripped Of
all pretenses: you announced the edict
for the sole reason that it was to the
interest of the United States This
| alone you offered to us and the civil
| lied world as an all-sufficient reason
for disregarding the laws of God and
man. You say that Gen. Johnston him.
self very wisely and properly removed
the families all the way from Dalton
down. 1t Is due TO that gallant soldier
and gentleman to say that no act OF his
| distinguished career gives the least
color to your unfounded aspersions up
on his conduct. He depOpulated no vii.
/ lagos. nor towns, nor cities, either
friendly or hostile. He offered and ex-
tended friendly aid to his unfortunate
| fellow-citizens who desired to flee from
your fraternal embraces. You are
equally unfortunate In your attempt to
find justification for this act OF cruelty,
either I'm the defense OF Jonesboro, by
Gen. Hardee, or OF Atlanta, by myself.
Gen. Hardee defended his position in
| front OF Jonesboro at the expense OF
injury to the houses: an ordinary. prop
er and justifiable act OF war. defend
L Atlanta ~ ali nj
II there was any fault in either case. II
was your own. In not giving notice, es-
pecially In the case OF Atlanta, OF your
purpose to shell the town which n
usual In war among civilized Ma
dams and negroes. The truth II we, by