Year: 1872

into two classes. One class he sent
North, the other he droUe South, in
order that he might burn TIER houses
The Mayor of Atlanta, with two
members of the City Council, the
only members then present, address
ed to the victorious leader of the
United States army then surrounding
them, the following eloquent, simple,
and touching appeal:


Sir-The undersigned, Mayor, and
two members of Council for the city
Of Btlanta, for the time being the
only legal organ of the people of the
said city to express their wants and
wishes, ask leave, most earnestly,
but respectfully, to petition you to
reconsider the order requiring them
to leave Atlanta.


At first view, it struck us that the
measure wonid involve extraordina-
~ hardship and loss; but since we
have seen the practical execution of
it, so far as it has progressed, and
the individual condition of many Of
the people, and heard their state
ments as to the inconvenience, loss
and suffering attending it, we are
satisfied that it will involve, in the
aggregate, consequences appalling
and heartrending.


Many poorwomen are in q critical
condition; others, now having young
children, and whose husbands are
either in the army, prisoners, or
dead. Some say: have such a one
sick at home, who will wait on them
when I am gone? Others say:
''What are we to dor We have no
houses to go to, and no means to buy,
build, or to rent any-no parents,
friends, or relatives TO go to-" An
other says: 81 will try to take this
or that article of property, but such
and such things I must leave behind,
though need them much" We're
ply to them; General Sherman will
carry your property to Rough and
Ready, and Gen. Hood Will take it
from there on. And they will reply
to that: But I want to leave the
railway at such point, and cannot
get conveyance from there on.


We only refer to a few facts, to il
lustrate, in part, how this measure
viii operate in practice, AS you
advanced, the peoplenorth of us fell
back, and before your arrival here,
a large portion of the people had re-
tired south; so that the country
south Of this is already crowded, and
without houses to accommodate the
people, and we are informed that
many are now starving in churches
and other out-buildiRgs. This being
so, how is it possible for the people
still here (mostly women and chill
dren) to find any shelter? And how
can they live through the winter in
the woods-no shelter or subsist
ance-in the midst of strangers who
know them not, and without the
power to assistthem, if they are will
ing to do so?


= =


This is but feeble picture of the
of this measure. You
know thewoe, the horror, and the
suffering cannot be described by
words. Imagination can only con
ceive of it; and we ask you to take
these things into consideration.


We know your mind and time are
occupied with the duties
of your command, which almost de
ters us frem asking your attention
to this matter; but we thought it
might be that you had not consider
ed the subject in ali its awful conse-
and that on more reflection
you, we hope, would not make this
people an exception to all mankind;
for We know of no such instance ev-
or having oecurred-surely none
such in the United States. And what
has this helpless people done that
they should be driven from their
homes, to wander as strangers, out
casts and exiles, and to subsist on



We do not know, as yet, the mum
Der Of people stin here. or those
who are here, we are satisfied a re-
spectacle number, if allowed to re-
main at home, could subsist for sew
eraI months without assistance, and