memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第23章

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iation　by　its　enemies　and　well…meaning　friends　of　our　cause。　　You　say　my　Government；　by　acts　of　Congress；　has　confiscated　〃all　debts　due　Northern　men　for　goods　sold　and　delivered。〃　　The　truth　is；　our　Congress　gave　due　and　ample　time　to　your　merchants　and　traders　to　depart　from　our　shores　with　their　ships；　goods；　and　effects；　and　only　sequestrated　the　property　of　our　enemies　in　retaliation　for　their　actsdeclaring　us　traitors；　and　confiscating　our　property　wherever　their　power　extended；　either　in　their　country　or　our　own。　　Such　are　your　accusations；　and　such　are　the　facts　known　of　all　men　to　be　true。

You　order　into　exile　the　whole　population　of　a　city；　drive　men；　women　and　children　from　their　homes　at　the　point　of　the　bayouet；　under　the　plea　that　it　is　to　the　interest　of　pour　Government；　and　on　the　claim　that　it　is　an　act　of　kindness　to　these　families　of　Atlanta。〃　　Butler　only　banished　from　New　Orleans　the　registered　enemies　of　his　Government；　and　acknowledged　that　he　did　it　as　a　punishment。　　You　issue　a　sweeping　edict；　covering　all　the　inhabitants　of　a　city；　and　add　insult　to　the　injury　heaped　upon　the　defenseless　by　assuming　that　you　have　done　them　a　kindness。　　This　you　follow　by　the　assertion　that　you　will　〃make　as　much　sacrifice　for　the　peace　and　honor　of　the　South　as　the　best…born　Southerner。〃　And；　because　I　characterize　what　you　call　as　kindness　as　being　real　cruelty；　you　presume　to　sit　in　judgment　between　me　and　my　God；　and　you　decide　that　my　earnest　prayer　to　the　Almighty　Father　to　save　our　women　and　children　from　what　you　call　kindness；　is　a　〃sacrilegious；　hypocritical　appeal。〃

You　came　into　our　country　with　your　army；　avowedly　for　the　purpose　of　subjugating　free　white　men；　women；　and　children；　and　not　only　intend　to　rule　over　them；　but　you　make　negroes　your　allies；　and　desire　to　place　over　us　an　inferior　race；　which　we　have　raised　from　barbarism　to　its　present　position；　which　is　the　highest　ever　attained　by　that　race；　in　any　country；　in　all　time。　　I　must；　therefore；　decline　to　accept　your　statements　in　reference　to　your　kindness　toward　the　people　of　Atlanta；　and　your　willingness　to　sacrifice　every　thing　for　the　peace　and　honor　of　the　South；　and　refuse　to　be　governed　by　your　decision　in　regard　to　matters　between　myself；　my　country；　and　my　God。

You　say；　〃Let　us　fight　it　out　like　men。〃　　To　this　my　reply　isfor　myself；　and　I　believe　for　all　the　free　men；　ay；　and　women　and　children；　in　my　countrywe　will　fight　you　to　the　death！　　Better　die　a　thousand　deaths　than　submit　to　live　under　you　or　your　Government　and　your　negro　allies！

Having　answered　the　points　forced　upon　me　by　your　letter　of　the　9th　of　September；　I　close　this　correspondence　with　you；　and；　notwithstanding　your　comments　upon　my　appeal　to　God　in　the　cause　of　humanity；　I　again　humbly　and　reverently　invoke　his　almighty　aid　in　defense　of　justice　and　right。　Respectfully；　your　obedient　servant；

J。　B。　HOOD；　General。


ATLANTA；　GEORGIA；　September　11；　1864　Major…General　W。　T。　SHERMAN。

Sir：　We　the　undersigned；　Mayor　and　two　of　the　Council　for　the　city　of　Atlanta；　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　world　involve　extraordinary　hardship　and　loss；　but　since　we　have　seen　the　practical　execution　of　it　so　far　as　it　has　progressed；　and　the　individual　condition　of　the　people；　and　heard　their　statements　as　to　the　inconveniences；　loss；　and　suffering　attending　it；　we　are　satisfied　that　the　amount　of　it　will　involve　in　the　aggregate　consequences　appalling　and　heart…rending。

Many　poor　women　are　in　advanced　state　of　pregnancy；　others　now　having　young　children；　and　whose　husbands　for　the　greater　part　are　either　in　the　army；　prisoners；　or　dead。　　Some　say：　〃I　have　such　a　one　sick　at　my　house；　who　will　wait　on　them　when　I　am　gone？〃　Others　say：　〃What　are　we　to　do？　We　have　no　house　to　go　to；　and　no　means　to　buy；　build；　or　rent　any；　no　parents；　relatives；　or　friends；　to　go　to。〃　　Another　says：　〃I　will　try　and　take　this　or　that　article　of　property；　but　such　and　such　things　I　must　leave　behind；　though　I　need　them　much。〃　　We　reply　to　them：　〃General　Sherman　will　carry　your　property　to　Rough　and　Ready；　and　General　Hood　will　take　it　thence　on。〃　　And　they　will　reply　to　that：　〃But　I　want　to　leave　the　railroad　at　such　a　place；　and　cannot　get　conveyance　from　there　on。〃

We　only　refer　to　a　few　facts；　to　try　to　illustrate　in　part　how　this　measure　will　operate　in　practice。　　As　you　advanced；　the　people　north　of　this　fell　back；　and　before　your　arrival　here；　a　large　portion　of　the　people　had　retired　south；　so　that　the　country　south　of　this　is　already　crowded；　and　without　houses　enough　to　accommodate　the　people；　and　we　are　informed　that　many　are　now　staying　in　churches　and　other　out…buildings。

This　being　so；　how　is　it　possible　for　the　people　still　here　（mostly　women　and　children）　to　find　any　shelter？　　And　how　can　they　live　through　the　winter　in　the　woodsno　shelter　or　subsistence；　in　the　midst　of　strangers　who　know　them　not；　and　without　the　power　to　assist　them　much；　if　they　were　willing　to　do　so？

This　is　but　a　feeble　picture　of　the　consequences　of　this　measure。　You　know　the　woe；　the　horrors；　and　the　suffering；　cannot　be　described　by　words；　imagination　can　only　conceive　of　it；　and　we　ask　you　to　take　these　things　into　consideration。

We　know　your　mind　and　time　are　constantly　occupied　with　the　duties　of　your　command；　which　almost　deters　us　from　asking　your　attention　to　this　matter；　but　thought　it　might　be　that　you　had　not　considered　this　subject　in　all　of　its　awful　consequences；　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　ever　having　occurred　surely　never　in　the　United　Statesand　what　has　this　helpless　people　done；　that　they　should　be　driven　from　their　homes；　to　wander　strangers　and　outcasts；　and　exiles；　and　to　subsist　on　charity？

We　do　not　know　as　yet　the　number　of　people　still　here；　of　those　who　are　here；　we　are　satisfied　a　respectable　number；　if　allowed　to　remain　at　home；　could　subsist　for　several　months　without　assistance；　and　a　respectable　number　for　a　much　longer　time；　and　who　might　not　need　assistance　at　any　time。

In　conclusion；　we　most　earnestly　and　solemnly　petition　you　to　reconsider　this　order；　or　modify　it；　and　suffer　this　unfortunate　people　to　remain　at　home；　and　enjoy　what　little　means　they　have。　Respectfully　submitted　JAMES　M。　　CALHOUN；　Mayor。　E。　　E。　　RAWSON；　Councilman。　S。　　C。　　Warns；　Councilman。



HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OF　THE　MISSISSIPPI　IN　THE　FIELD；　ATLANTA；　GEORGIA；　September　12；　1864。

JAMES　M。　CALHOUN；　Mayor；　E。　E。　RAWSON　and　S。　C。　Wares；　representing　City　Council　of　Atlanta。

GENTLEMEN：　I　have　your　letter　of　the　11th；　in　the　nature　of　a　petition　to　revoke　my　orders　removing　all　the　inhabitants　from　Atlanta。　　I　have　read　it　carefully；　and　give　full　credit　to　your　statements　of　the　distress　that　will　be　occasioned；　and　yet　shall　not　revoke　my　orders；　because　they　were　not　designed　to　meet　the　humanities　of　the　case；　but　to　prepare　for　the　future　struggles　in　which　millions　of　good　people　outside　of　Atlanta　have　a　deep　intereSt。　We　must　have　peace；　not　only　at　Atlanta；　but　in　all　America。　　To　secure　this；　we　must　stop　the　war　that　now　desolates　our　once　happy　and　favored　country。　　To　stop　war；　we　must　defeat　the　rebel　armies　which　are　arrayed　against　the　laws　and　Constitution　that　all　must　respect　and　obey。　　To　defeat　those　armies；　we　must　prepare　the　way　to　reach　them　in　their　recesses；　provided　with　the　arms　and　instruments　which　enable　us　to　accomplish　our　purpose。　　Now；　I　know　the　vindictive　nature　of　our　enemy；　that　we　may　have　many　years　of　military　operations　from　this　quarter；　and；　therefore；　deem　it　wise　and　prudent　to　prepare　in　time。　　The　use　of　Atlanta　for　warlike　purposes　is　inconsistent　with　its　character　as　a　home　for　families。　　There　will　be　no　manufactures；　commerce；　or　agriculture　here；　for　the　maintenance　of　families；　and　sooner　or　later　want　will　compel　the　inhabitants　to　go。　　Why　not　go　now；　when　all　the　arrangements　are　completed　for　the　transfer；instead　of　waiting　till　the　plunging　shot　of　contending　armies　will　renew　the　scenes　of　the　past　months。　　Of　course；　I　do　not　apprehend　any　such　thing　at　this　moment；　but　you　do　not　suppose　this　army　will　be　here　until　the　war　is　over。　　I　cannot　discuss　this　subject　with　you　fairly；　because　I　cannot　impart　to　you　what　we　propose　to　do；　but　I　assert　that　our　military　plans　make　it　necessary　for　the　inhabitants　to　go　away；　and　I　can　only　renew　my　offer　of　services　to　make　their　exodus　in　any　direction　as　easy　and　comfortable　as　possible。

You　cannot　qualify　war　in　harsher　terms　than　I　will。　　War　is　cruelty；　and　you　cannot　refine　it；　and　those　who　brought　war　into　our　country　deserve　all　the　curses　and　maledictions　a　people　can　pour　out。　　I　know　I　had　no　hand　in　making　this　war；　and　I　know　I　will　make　more　sacrifices　to…day　than　any　of　you　to　secure　peace。　But　you　cannot　have　peace　and　a　division　of　our　country。　　If　the　United　States　submits　to　a　division　now；　it　will　not　stop；　but　will　go　on　until　we　reap　the　fate　of　Mexico；　which　is　eternal　war。　　The　United　States　does　and　must　assert　its　authority；　wherever　it　once　had　power；　for；　if　it　relaxes　one　bit　to　pressure；　it　is　gone；　and　I　believe　that　such　is　the　national　feeling。　　This　feeling　assumes　various　shapes；　but　always　comes　back　to　that　of　Union。　　Once　admit　the　Union；　once　more　acknowledge　the　authority　of　the　national　Government；　and；　instead　of　devoting　your　houses　and　streets　and　roads　to　the　dread　uses　of　war；　I　and　this　army　become　at　once　your　protectors　and　supporters；　shielding　you　from　danger；　let　it　come　from　what　quarter　it　may。　　I　know　that　a　few　individuals　cannot　resist　a　torrent　of　error　and　passion；　such　as　swept　the　South　into　rebellion；　but　you　can　point　out；　so　that　we　may　know　those　who　desire　a　government；　and　those　who　insist　on　war　and　its　desolation。

You　might　as　well　appeal　against　the　thunder…storm　as　against　these　terrible　hardships　of　war。　　They　are　inevitable；　and　the　only　way　the　people　of　Atlanta　can　hope　once　more　to　live　in　peace　and　quiet　at　home；　is　to　stop　the　war；　which　can　only　be　done　by　admitting　that　it　began　in　error　and　is　perpetuated　in　pride。

We　don't　want　your　negroes；　or　your　horses；　or　your　houses；　or　your　lands；　or　any　thing　you　have；　but　we　do　want　and　will　have　a　just　obedience　to　the　laws　of　the　United　States。　　That　we　will　have；　and；　if　it　involves　the　destruction　of　your　improvements；　we　cannot　help　it。

You　have　heretofore　read　public　sentiment　in　your　newspapers；　that　live　by　falsehood　and　excitement；　and　the　quicker　you　seek　for　truth　in　other　quarters；　the　better。　　I　repeat　then　that；　by　the　original　compact　of　Government；　the　United　States　had　certain　rights　in　Georgia；　which　have　never　been　relinquished　and　never　will　be；　that　the　South　began　war　by　seizing　forts；　arsenals；　mints；　custom…houses；　etc。；　etc。；　long　before　Mr。　Lincoln　was　installed；　and　before　the　South　had　one　jot　or　tittle　of　provocation。　　I　myself　have　seen　in　Missouri；　Kentucky；　Tennessee；　and