memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第32章

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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　Mississippi；　hundreds　and　thousands　of　women　and　children　fleeing　from　your　armies　and　desperadoes；　hungry　and　with　bleeding　feet。　　In　Memphis；　Vicksburg；　and　Mississippi；　we　fed　thousands　upon　thousands　of　the　families　of　rebel　soldiers　left　on　our　hands；　and　whom　we　could　not　see　starve。　　Now　that　war　comes　home　to　you；　you　feel　very　different。　　You　deprecate　its　horrors；　but　did　not　feel　them　when　you　sent　car…loads　of　soldiers　and　ammunition；　and　moulded　shells　and　shot；　to　carry　war　into　Kentucky　and　Tennessee；　to　desolate　the　homes　of　hundreds　and　thousands　of　good　people　who　only　asked　to　live　in　peace　at　their　old　homes；　and　under　the　Government　of　their　inheritance。　　But　these　comparisons　are　idle。　I　want　peace；　and　believe　it　can　only　be　reached　through　union　and　war；　and　I　will　ever　conduct　war　with　a　view　to　perfect　and　early　success。

But；　my　dear　sirs；　when　peace　does　come；　you　may　call　on　me　for　any　thing。　　Then　will　I　share　with　you　the　last　cracker；　and　watch　with　you　to　shield　your　homes　and　families　against　danger　from　every　quarter。

Now　you　must　go；　and　take　with　you　the　old　and　feeble；　feed　and　nurse　them；　and　build　for　them；　in　more　quiet　places；　proper　habitations　to　shield　them　against　the　weather　until　the　mad　passions　of　men　cool　down；　and　allow　the　Union　and　peace　once　more　to　settle　over　your　old　homes　at　Atlanta。　　Yours　in　haste；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General　commanding。



HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OF　THE　MISSISSIPPI　IN　THE　FIELD；　ATLANTA；　GEORGIA；　September　14；　1864。

General　J。　B。　HOOD；　commanding　Army　of　the　Tennessee；　Confederate　Army。

GENERAL：　Yours　of　September　12th　is　received；　and　has　been　carefully　perused。　　I　agree　with　you　that　this　discussion　by　two　soldiers　is　out　of　place；　and　profitless；　but　you　must　admit　that　you　began　the　controversy　by　characterizing　an　official　act　of　mine　in　unfair　and　improper　terms。　　I　reiterate　my　former　answer；　and　to　the　only　new　matter　contained　in　your　rejoinder　add：　We　have　no　〃negro　allies〃　in　this　army；　not　a　single　negro　soldier　left　Chattanooga　with　this　army；　or　is　with　it　now。　　There　are　a　few　guarding　Chattanooga；　which　General　Steedman　sent　at　one　time　to　drive　Wheeler　out　of　Dalton。

I　was　not　bound　by　the　laws　of　war　to　give　notice　of　the　shelling　of　Atlanta；　a　〃fortified　town；　with　magazines；　arsenals；　founderies；　and　public　stores；〃　you　were　bound　to　take　notice。　　See　the　books。

This　is　the　conclusion　of　our　correspondence；　which　I　did　not　begin；　and　terminate　with　satisfaction。　　I　am；　with　respect；　your　obedient　servant；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General　commanding。


HEADQUARTERS　OF　THE　ARMY　WASHINGTON；　September　28；　1864；

Major…General　SHERMAN；　Atlanta；　Georgia。

GENERAL：　Your　communications　of　the　20th　in　regard　to　the　removal　of　families　from　Atlanta；　and　the　exchange　of　prisoners；　and　also　the　official　report　of　your　campaign；　are　just　received。　　I　have　not　had　time　as　yet　to　examine　your　report。　　The　course　which　you　have　pursued　in　removing　rebel　fam