The National tribune., 1911-03-30
sHERMAN's FORESIGHT.

ii. w. Cheney, Co. E, 18th Iowa,
keosauqua, Iowa.
SHERMAN'S FORESIGHT.
The Grand March Thru Georgia and Its
Tremendous Resuits-Sentineis Still
Stand.
Editor National Tribune: When jeff
Davis made his visit to Macon, Ga. he
said in a speech delivered there Sept.
%. 1864: Tho misfortune has befallen
our arms from Decatur to Jonesboro,
our cause is not lost. Sherman cannot
| keep up his long line of communion
tions and retreat sooner or later he
must When that day comes the fate
that befell the army of the French En-
pire in its retreat from Moscow VIII be
repeated. Our cavalry and our people
will harass and destroy his army assdid
the Cossacks that of Napoleon. and the
Yankee General. like him, will escape
! with only a bodyguard."
| Sherman's foresight was almost pro-
phetic. At the beginning of the war.
when politicians and even military men
| declared the war would be brief ana
| 10000 men would finish the job. Sher-
man was laughed at and called insane
when he said it would require 100000
men in the West alone. Time proved
that he was right.
Sherman was not apprehensive of any
desperate fighting after he began his
| march. He was positive his army
would have a good time. He wrote to
Gen. IIalleck as If he were going on
| foraging expedition. This movement"
| ne wrote, lis not purely military or
strategic, but it will illustrate the vul-
| ncra bility of the South. They don't
know what war means. but when the
rich planters on the Oconee and
| the Savannah see their FENCES
and corn and hogs and sheep
vanish before their eyes they will have
something more than a mean opinion
of the Yanks. Even now our poor
mules laugh as they anticipate the fine
cornfields and our soldiers the chest
nuts, sweet potatoes, pigs. chickens,
| etc"
Sherman was determined to make
Georgia feel the horrors of war. In
| writing to Gen. Wilson he said: Il am
going into the bowels of the Confeder-
| acy, and propose to leave a trail that
| will be recognized so years hence"
Georgia howled. A track of desola-
ton reached to the sea, and to-day one
can follow either of the three columns
| which left Atlanta by what are called
Sherman's sentinels-the chimneys left
standing in the fields or by the side Of
the road to mark the spot where Sher-
mans bummers burned the dwellings,
cotton gins, mills or factories.
On Nov. 16. 1864, Sherman started
from Atlanta with $4,000 tried and true
men. The wires were cut. and moving
| thru the State in three seaprate col
| umns they foraged upon the country.
A few days before Slocum's left wing
| reached MilledgeTille the Legislature
of the State had been in session there.
The lawmakers dispersed without for
1
| occupied the Executive Mansion, Gov
Brown having fed with all his belong
| ings. Sherman made the march in "a
days, having marched 256 miles.
President Lincoln. under date of Dec;
26, 1864, wrote: when you were
about to leave Atlanta for the Atlantic
coast I was anxious. If not fearful; but
| feeling that you were the better judge.
and remembering nothing risked MOTH
ing gained did not interfere. Now
the undertaking Is a success the honor
| Is all yours, for l believe none of US
went farther than to acquiesce, and,
| taking the word of Gen. Thomas into
account as 1t should be taken, 1t Is in
deed a great success. Not only does 1t
afford the obvious and important mill
tary advantages, but In showing to the
| world that your army could be divided.
putting the stronger part to an impor-
tant new service and yet leaving enough
| to vanish the old opposing force, the
whole of Hoods army, 1t brings those
who sat in darkness to see great light.
But what next? I suppose 1t will be
safer If I leave Gen. Grant and yourself
| to decide"
Sherman regarded the march as Of
paramount importance in Fastening the
end of the war. He expressed himself
that this grand march to Savannah and
| from Savannah to Raleigh was an i'm
/ in the final raqlilf the
overwhelming victory at Appomattox.
Sherman estimated the damage done
the State of Georgia by his army pass
ing thru az amounting to fully $780,
900, 900, one-fifth Of which had been
used by his army and the rest de-
stroyed.
Seven thousand negros followed his
army. His troops captured 10000
horses and mules; they destroyed 1000
bales of cotton before they reached Sa-
vannah; they gathered 100000
pounds Of corn and as much more Of
| fodder; they confiscated 1,217.526 ra-
lions of meat 919, 900 rations of bread
$4,000 Of coffee, 5s1,5s4 Of sugar, l.
146, 500 bars of soap and 137, 900 sacks
| OF salt This amount was captured
| alone by Slocum's command. Howard
estimated the breadsruffs, beef, sugar
and coffee captured by his command of
the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Corps as
amounting to $283,202.
| Gen. Sherman accomplished just what
he said he would do: Smash things gen.
orally and make Georgia howl. While
from a peace view such damage seems
wanton and cruel, yet 1t was the means
| to an end, and ultimately far better for
the country, for it forced the rebellion
into narrower limits and more access
ible to the Union armies. Time has
justified the grand march.-T. q
| Knapp, Montpelier, o.