memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第21章

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od；　and　by　mere　threatening　to　do　so；　I　hold　a　rod　over　the　Georgians；　who　are　not　over…loyal　to　the　South。　　I　will　therefore　give　it　as　my　opinion　that　your　army　and　Canby's　should　be　reinforced　to　the　maximum；　that；　after　you　get　Wilmington；　you　should　strike　for　Savannah　and　its　river；　that　General　Canby　should　hold　the　Mississippi　River；　and　send　a　force　to　take　Columbus；　Georgia；　either　by　way　of　the　Alabama　or　Appalachicola　River；　that　I　should　keep　Hood　employed　and　put　my　army　in　fine　order　for　a　march　on　Augusta；　Columbia；　and　Charleston；　and　start　as　soon　as　Wilmington　is　sealed　to　commerce；　and　the　city　of　Savannah　is　in　our　possession。

I　think　it　will　be　found　that　the　movements　of　Price　and　Shelby；　west　of　the　Mississippi；　are　mere　diversions。　　They　cannot　hope　to　enter　Missouri　except　as　raiders；　and　the　truth　is；　that　General　Rosecrans　should　be　ashamed　to　take　my　troops　for　such　a　purpose。　If　you　will　secure　Wilmington　and　the　city　of　Savannah　from　your　centre；　and　let　General　Canby　leave　command　over　the　Mississippi　River　and　country　west　of　it；　I　will　send　a　force　to　the　Alabama　and　Appalachicola；　provided　you　give　me　one　hundred　thousand　of　the　drafted　men　to　fill　up　my　old　regiments；　and　if　you　will　fix　a　day　to　be　in　Savannah；　I　will　insure　our　possession　of　Macon　and　a　point　on　the　river　below　Augusta。　　The　possession　of　the　Savannah　River　is　more　than　fatal　to　the　possibility　of　Southern　independence。　　They　may　stand　the　fall　of　Richmond；　but　not　of　all　Georgia。

I　will　have　a　long　talk　with　Colonel　Porter；　and　tell　him　every　thing　that　may　occur　to　me　of　interest　to　you。

In　the　mean　time；　know　that　I　admire　your　dogged　perseverance　and　pluck　more　than　ever。　　If　you　can　whip　Lee　and　I　can　march　to　the　Atlantic；　I　think　Uncle　Abe　will　give　us　a　twenty　days'　leave　of　absence　to　see　the　young　folks。

Yours　as　ever；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General。


HEADQUARTERS　OF　THE　ARMY；　WASHINGTON；　September　16；　1864。

General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Atlanta；　Georgia。

My　DEAR　GENERAL：　Your　very　interesting　letter　of　the　4th　is　just　received。　　Its　perusal　has　given　me　the　greatest　pleasure。　　I　have　not　written　before　to　congratulate　you　on　the　capture　of　Atlanta；　the　objective　point　of　your　brilliant　campaign；　for　the　reason　that　I　have　been　suffering　from　my　annual　attack　of　〃coryza；〃　or　hay…cold。　　It　affects　my　eyes　so　much　that　I　can　scarcely　see　to　write。　　As　you　suppose；　I　have　watched　your　movements　most　attentively　and　critically；　and　I　do　not　hesitate　to　say　that　your　campaign　has　been　the　most　brilliant　of　the　war。　　Its　results　are　less　striking　and　less　complete　than　those　of　General　Grant　at　Vicksburg；　but　then　you　have　had　greater　difficulties　to　encounter；　a　longer　line　of　communications　to　keep　up；　and　a　longer　and　more　continuous　strain　upon　yourself　and　upon　your　army。

You　must　have　been　very　considerably　annoyed　by　the　State　negro　recruiting…agents。　　Your　letter　was　a　capital　one；　and　did　much　good。　　The　law　was　a　ridiculous　one；　it　was　opposed　by　the　War　Department；　but　passed　through　the　influence　of　Eastern　manufacturers；　who　hoped　to　escape　the　draft　in　that　way。　　They　were　making　immense　fortunes　out　of　the　war；　and　could　well　afford　to　purchase　negro　recruits；　and　thus　save　their　employees　at　home。

I　fully　agree　with　you　in　regard　to　the　policy　of　a　stringent　draft；　but；　unfortunately；　political　influences　are　against　us；　and　I　fear　it　will　not　amount　to　much。　　Mr。　Seward's　speech　at　Auburn；　again　prophesying；　for　the　twentieth　time；　that　the　rebellion　would　be　crushed　in　a　few　months；　and　saying　that　there　would　be　no　draft；　as　we　now　had　enough　soldiers　to　end　the　war；　etc。；　has　done　much　harm；　in　a　military　point　of　view。　　I　have　seen　enough　of　politics　here　to　last　me　for　life。　　You　are　right　in　avoiding　them。　McClellan　may　possibly　reach　the　White　House；　but　he　will　lose　the　respect　of　all　honest；　high…minded　patriots；　by　his　affiliation　with　such　traitors　and　Copperheads　as　B…；　V…；　W…；　S…；　&　Co。　He　would　not　stand　upon　the　traitorous　Chicago　platform；　but　he　had　not　the　manliness　to　oppose　it。　　A　major…general　in　the　United　States　Army；　and　yet　not　one　word　to　utter　against　rebels　or　the　rebellion！　　I　had　much　respect　for　McClellan　before　he　became　a　politician；　but　very　little　after　reading　his　letter　accepting　the　nomination。

Hooker　certainly　made　a　mistake　in　leaving　before　the　capture　of　Atlanta。　　I　understand　that；　when　here；　he　said　that　you　would　fail；　your　army　was　discouraged　and　dissatisfied；　etc。；　etc。　　He　is　most　unmeasured　in　his　abuse　of　me。　　I　inclose　you　a　specimen　of　what　he　publishes　in　Northern　papers；　wherever　he　goes。　　They　are　dictated　by　himself　and　written　by　W。　B。　　and　such　worthies。　　The　funny　part　of　the　business　is；　that　I　had　nothing　whatever　to　do　with　his　being　relieved　on　either　occasion。　　Moreover；　I　have　never　said　any　thing　to　the　President　or　Secretary　of　War　to　injure　him　in　the　slightest　degree；　and　he　knows　that　perfectly　well。　　His　animosity　arises　from　another　source。　　He　is　aware　that　I　know　some　things　about　his　character　and　conduct　in　California；　and；　fearing　that　I　may　use　that　information　against　him；　he　seeks　to　ward　off　its　effect　by　making　it　appear　that　I　am　his　personal　enemy；　am　jealous　of　him；　etc。　　I　know　of　no　other　reason　for　his　hostility　to　me。　　He　is　welcome　to　abuse　me　as　much　as　he　pleases；　I　don't　think　it　will　do　him　much　good；　or　me　much　harm。　　I　know　very　little　of　General　Howard；　but　believe　him　to　be　a　true；　honorable　man。　　Thomas　is　also　a　noble　old　war…horse。　　It　is　true；　as　you　say；　that　he　is　slow；　but　he　is　always　sure。

I　have　not　seen　General　Grant　since　the　fall　of　Atlanta；　and　do　not　know　what　instructions　he　has　sent　you。　　I　fear　that　Canby　has　not　the　means　to　do　much　by　way　of　Mobile。　　The　military　effects　of　Banks's　disaster　are　now　showing　themselves　by　the　threatened　operations　of　Price　&　Co。　toward　Missouri；　thus　keeping　in　check　our　armies　west　of　the　Mississippi。

With　many　thanks　for　your　kind　letter；　and　wishes　for　your　future　success；　yours　truly；

H。　W。　　HALLECK。


HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OF　THE　MISSISSIPPI　ATLANTA；　GEORGIA；　September　20；　1864。

Major　General　HALLECK；　Chief　of　Staff；　Washington　D。C。

GENERAL：　I　have　the　honor　herewith　to　submit　copies　of　a　correspondence　between　General　Hood；　of　the　Confederate　Army；　the　Mayor　of　Atlanta；　and　myself；　touching　the　removal　of　the　inhabitants　of　Atlanta。

In　explanation　of　the　tone　which　marks　some　of　these　letters；　I　will　only　call　your　attention　to　the　fact　that；　after　I　had　announced　my　determination；　General　Hood　took　upon　himself　to　question　my　motives。　　I　could　not　tamely　submit　to　such　impertinence；　and　I　have　also　seen　that；　in　violation　of　all　official　usage；　he　has　published　in　the　Macon　newspapers　such　parts　of　the　correspondence　as　suited　his　purpose。　　This　could　have　had　no　other　object　than　to　create　a　feeling　on　the　part　of　the　people；　but　if　he　expects　to　resort　to　such　artifices；　I　think　I　can　meet　him　there　too。

It　is　sufficient　for　my　Government　to　know　that　the　removal　of　the　inhabitants　has　been　made　with　liberality　and　fairness；　that　it　has　been　attended　with　no　force；　and　that　no　women　or　children　have　suffered；　unless　for　want　of　provisions　by　their　natural　protectors　and　friends。

My　real　reasons　for　this　step　were：

We　want　all　the　houses　of　Atlanta　for　military　storage　and　occupation。

We　want　to　contract　the　lines　of　defense；　so　as　to　diminish　the　garrison　to　the　limit　necessary　to　defend　its　narrow　and　vital　parts；　instead　of　embracing；　as　the　lines　now　do；　the　vast　suburbs。　This　contraction　of　the　lines；　with　the　necessary　citadels　and　redoubts；　will　make　it　necessary　to　destroy　the　very　houses　used　by　families　as　residences。

Atlanta　is　a　fortified　town；　was　stubbornly　defended；　and　fairly　captured。　　As　captors；　we　have　a　right　to　it。

The　residence　here　of　a　poor　population　would　compel　us；　sooner　or　later；　to　feed　them　or　to　see　them　starve　under　our　eyes。

The　residence　here　of　the　families　of　our　enemies　would　be　a　temptation　and　a　means　to　keep　up　a　correspondence　dangerous　and　hurtful　to　our　cause；　a　civil　population　calls　for　provost…guards；　and　absorbs　the　attention　of　officers　in　listening　to　everlasting　complaints　and　special　grievances　that　are　not　military。

These　are　my　reasons；　and；　if　satisfactory　to　the　Government　of　the　United　States；　it　makes　no　difference　whether　it　pleases　General　Hood　and　his　people　or　not。　　I　am；　with　respect；　your　obedient　servant；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General　commanding。


HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OF　THE　MISSISSIPPI　IN　THE　FIELD；　ATLANTA；　GEORGIA；　September　7；　1864。

General　HOOD；　commanding　Confederate　Army。

GENERAL：　I　have　deemed　it　to　the　interest　of　the　United　States　that　the　citizens　now　residing　in　Atlanta　should　remove；　those　who　prefer　it　to　go　south；　and　the　rest　north。　　For　the　latter　I　can　provide　food　and　transportation　to　points　of　their　election　in　Tennessee；　Kentucky；　or　farther　north。　　For　the　former　I　can　provide　transportation　by　cars　as　far　as　Rough　and　Ready；　and　also　wagons；　but；　that　their　removal　may　be　made　with　as　little　discomfort　as　possible；　it　will　be　necessary　for　you　to　help　the　familes　from　Rough　and　Ready　to　the　care　at　Lovejoy's。　　If　you　consent；　I　will　undertake　to　remove　all　the　families　in　Atlanta　who　prefer　to　go　south　to　Rough　and　Ready；　with　all　their　movable　effects；　viz。；　clothing；　trunks；　reasonable　furniture；　bedding；　etc。；　with　their　servants；　white　and　black；　with　the　proviso　that　no　force　shall　be　used　toward　the　blacks；　one　way　or　the　other。　　If　they　want　to　go　with　their　masters　or　mistresses；　they　may　do　so；　otherwise　they　will　be　sent　away；　unless　they　be　men；　when　they　may　be　employed　by　our　quartermaster。　　Atlanta　is　no　place　for　families　or　non…combatants；　and　I　have　no　desire　to　send　them　north　if　you　will　assist　in　conveying　them　south。　　If　this　proposition　meets　your　views；　I　will　consent　to　a　truce　in　the　neighborhood　of　Rough　and　Ready；　stipulating　that　any　wagons；　horses；　animals；　or　persons　sent　there　for　the　purposes　herein　stated；　shall　in　no　manner　be　harmed　or　molested；　you　in　your　turn　agreeing　that　any　care；　wagons；　or　carriages；　persons　or　animals　sent　to　the　same　point；　shall　not　be　interfered　with。　　Each　of　us　might　send　a　guard　of；　say；　one　hundred　men；　to　maintain　order；　and　limit　the　truce　to；　say；　two　days　after　a　certain　time　appointed。

I　have　authorized　the　mayor　to　choose　two　citizens　to　convey　to　you　this　letter；　with　such　documents　as　the　mayor　may　forward　in　explanation；　and　shall　await　your　reply。　　I　have　the　honor　to　be　your　obedient　servant。

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General　commanding。


Major　General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　commanding　United　States　Forces　in　Georgia

GENERAL：　Your　letter　of　yesterday's　date；　borne　by　James　M。　Ball　and　James　R。　Crew；　citizens　of　Atlanta；　is　received。　　You　say　therein；　〃I　deem　it　to　be　to　the　interest　of　the　United　States　that　the　citizens　now　residing　in　Atlanta　should　remove；〃　etc。　　I　do　not　consider　that　I　have　any　alternative　in　this　matter。　　I　therefore　accept　your　proposition　to　declare　a　trace　of　two　days；　or　such　time　as　may　be　necessary　to　accomplish　the　purpose　mentioned；　and　shall　render　all　assistance　in　my　p