memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第30章
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J。 B。 HOOD； General。
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI IN THE FIELD； ATLANTA； GEORGIA； September 10； 1864。
General J。 B。 HOOD； commanding Army of Tennessee； Confederate Army。
GENERAL： I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this date； at the hands of Messrs。 Ball and Crew； consenting to the arrangements I had proposed to facilitate the removal south of the people of Atlanta； who prefer to go in that direction。 I inclose you a copy of my orders； which will； I am satisfied； accomplish my purpose perfectly。
You style the measures proposed 〃unprecedented；〃 and appeal to the dark history of war for a parallel； as an act of 〃studied and ingenious cruelty。〃 It is not unprecedented； for General Johnston himself very wisely and properly removed the families all the way from Dalton down； and I see no reason why Atlanta should be excepted。 Nor is it necessary to appeal to the dark history of war； when recent and modern examples are so handy。 You yourself burned dwelling…houses along your parapet； and I have seen to…day fifty houses that you have rendered uninhabitable because they stood in the way of your forts and men。 You defended Atlanta on a line so close to town that every cannon…shot and many musket…shots from our line of investment； that overshot their mark； went into the habitations of women and children。 General Hardee did the same at Jonesboro； and General Johnston did the same； last summer； at Jackson； Mississippi。 I have not accused you of heartless cruelty； but merely instance these cases of very recent occurrence； and could go on and enumerate hundreds of others； and challenge any fair man to judge which of us has the heart of pity for the families of a 〃brave people。〃
I say that it is kindness to these families of Atlanta to remove them now； at once； from scenes that women and children should not be exposed to； and the 〃brave people〃 should scorn to commit their wives and children to the rude barbarians 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 you not to appeal to a just God in such a sacrilegious manner。 You who； in the midst of peace and prosperity； have plunged a nation into wardark and cruel warwho dared and badgered us to battle； insulted 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 Indians； long before any overt act was committed by the （to you） hated Lincoln Government； tried to force Kentucky and Missouri into rebellion； spite of themselves； falsified the vote of Louisiana； turned loose your privateers to plunder unarmed ships； expelled Union families by the thousands； burned their houses； and declared； by an act of your Congress； the confiscation of all debts due Northern men for goods had and received！ Talk thus to the marines； but not to me； who have seen these things； and who will this day make as much sacrifice for the peace and honor of the South as the best…born Southerner among you！ If we must be enemies； let us be men； and fight it out as we propose to do； and not deal in arch hypocritical appeals to God and humanity。 God will judge us in due time； and he will pronounce whether it be more humane to fight with a town full of women 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。 I am； very respectfully； your obedient servant；
W。 T。 SHERMAN； Major…General commanding。
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE September 12； 1864
Major…General W。 T； SHERMAN； commanding Military Division of the Mississippi。
GENERAL： I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th inst。； with its inclosure in reference to the women； children； and others； 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； I would gladly have allowed your letter to close this correspondence； and； without your expressing it in words； would have been willing to believe that； while 〃the interests of the United States；〃 in 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 statements which I feel compelled to notice； at least so far as to signify my dissent； and not allow silence in regard to them to be construed as acquiescence。
I see nothing in your communication which induces me to modify the language of condemnation with which I characterized your order。 It but strengthens me in the opinion that it stands 〃preeminent in the dark history of war for studied and ingenious cruelty。〃 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 civilized world as an all…sufficient reason for disregarding the laws of God and man。 You say that 〃General Johnston himself very wisely and properly removed the families all the way from Dalton down。〃 It 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 upon his conduct。 He depopulated no villages； nor towns； nor cities； either friendly or hostile。 He offered and extended friendly aid to his unfortunate fellow…citizens who desired to flee from your fraternal embraces。 You are equally unfortunate in your attempt to find a justification for this act of cruelty； either in the defense of Jonesboro； by General Hardee； or of Atlanta； by myself。 General Hardee defended his position in front of Jonesboro at the expense of injury to the houses； an ordinary； proper； and justifiable act of war。 I defended Atlanta at the same risk and coSt。 If there was any fault in either case； it was your own； in not giving notice； especially in the case of Atlanta； of your purpose to shell the town； which is usual in war among civilized nations。 No inhabitant was expelled from his home and fireside by the orders of General Hardee or myself； and therefore your recent order can find no support from the conduct of either of us。 I feel no other emotion other than pain in reading that portion of your letter which attempts to justify your shelling Atlanta without notice under pretense that I defended Atlanta upon a line so close to town that every cannon…shot and many musket… balls from your line of investment； that overshot their mark； went into the habitations of women and children。 I made no complaint of your firing into Atlanta in any way you thought proper。 I make none now； but there are a hundred thousand witnesses that you fired into the habitations of women and children for weeks； firing far above and miles beyond my line of defense。 I have too good an opinion； founded both upon observation and experience； of the skill of your artillerists； to credit the insinuation that they for several weeks unintentionally fired too high for my modest field… works； and slaughtered women and children by accident and want of skill。
The residue of your letter is rather discussion。 It opens a wide field for the discussion of questions which I do not feel are committed to me。 I am only a general of one of the armies of the Confederate States； charged with military operations in the field； under the direction of my superior officers； and I am not called upon to discuss with you the causes of the present war； or the political questions which led to or resulted from it。 These grave and important questions have been committed to far abler hands than mine； and I shall only refer to them so far as to repel any unjust conclusion which might be drawn from my silence。 You charge my country with 〃daring and badgering you to battle。〃 The truth is； we sent commissioners to you； respectfully offering a peaceful separation； before the first gun was fired on either aide。 You say we insulted your flag。 The truth is； we fired upon it； and those who fought under it； when you came to our doors upon the mission of subjuga
