memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第70章
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ou can better use these detachments at Bull's Bay； Georgetown； etc。
I will instruct General McCallum； of the Railroad Department； to take his men up to Beaufort； North Carolina； and employ them on the road out。 I do not know that he can use them on any road here。 I did instruct him； while awaiting information from North Carolina； to have them build a good trestle…bridge across Port Royal ferry； but I now suppose the pontoon…bridge will do。 If you move the pontoons； be sure to make a good road out to Garden's Corners； and mark it with sign…boardsobstructing the old road； so that； should I send back any detachments； they would not be misled。
I prefer that Hatch's force should not be materially weakened until I am near Columbia； when you may be governed by the situation of affairs about Charleston。 If you can break the railroad between this and Charleston； then this force could be reduced。
I am； with respect； etc。；
W。 T。 SHERMAN； Major…General commanding。
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI； IN THE FIELD； POCOTALIGO； SOUTH CAROLINA； January 18； 1865。
Hon。 EDWIN M。 STANTON； Secretary of War； Washington； D。 C。
SIR： When you left Savannah a few days ago； you forgot the map which General Geary had prepared for you； showing the route by which his division entered the city of Savannah； being the first troops to occupy that city。 I now send it to you。
I avail myself of the opportunity also to inclose you copies of all my official orders touching trade and intercourse with the people of Georgia； as well as for the establishment of the negro settlements。
Delegations of the people of Georgia continue to come in； and I am satisfied that； by judicious handling and by a little respect shown to their prejudices； we can create a schism in Jeff。 Davis's dominions。 All that I have conversed with realize the truth that slavery as an institution is defunct； and the only questions that remain are what disposition shall be made of the negroes themselves。 I confess myself unable to offer a complete solution for these questions； and prefer to leave it to the slower operations of time。 We have given the initiative； and can afford to await the working of the experiment。
As to trade…matters； I also think it is to our interest to keep the Southern people somewhat dependent on the articles of commerce to which they have hitherto been accustomed。 General Grover is now here； and will； I think； be able to handle this matter judiciously； and may gradually relax； and invite cotton to come in in large quantities。 But at first we should manifest no undue anxiety on that score； for the rebels would at once make use of it as a power against us。 We should assume； a tone of perfect contempt for cotton and every thing else in comparison with the great object of the warthe restoration of the Union； with all its rights and power。 It the rebels burn cotton as a war measure； they simply play into our hands by taking away the only product of value they have to exchange in foreign ports for war…ships and munitions。 By such a course； also； they alienate the feelings of a large class of small farmers who look to their little parcels of cotton to exchange for food and clothing for their families。 I hope the Government will not manifest too much anxiety to obtain cotton in large quantities； and especially that the President will not indorse the contracts for the purchase of large quantities of cotton。 Several contracts； involving from six to ten thousand bales； indorsed by Mr。 Lincoln； have been shown me； but were not in such a form as to amount to an order to compel me to facilitate their execution。
As to Treasury agents； and agents to take charge of confiscated and abandoned property； whose salaries depend on their fees； I can only say that； as a general rule； they are mischievous and disturbing elements to a military government； and it is almost impossible for us to study the law and regulations so as to understand fully their powers and duties。 I rather think the Quartermaster's Department of the army could better fulfill all their duties and accomplish all that is aimed at by the law。 Yet on this subject I will leave Generals Foster and Grover to do the best they can。
I am； with great respect； your obedient servant；
W。 T。 SHERMAN； Major…General commanding。
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI； IN THE FIELD； POCOTALIGO； SOUTH CAROLINA； January 2； 1865。
Hon。 EDWIN M。 STANTON； Secretary of War； Washington； D。 C。
SIR： I have just received from Lieutenant…General Grant a copy of that part of your telegram to him of December 26th relating to cotton； a copy of which has been immediately furnished to General Easton； chief…quartermaster； who will be strictly governed by it。
I had already been approached by all the consuls and half the people of Savannah on this cotton； question； and my invariable answer was that all the cotton in Savannah was prize of war； belonged to the United States； and nobody should recover a bale of it with my consent； that； as cotton had been one of the chief causes of this war； it should help to pay its expenses； that all cotton became tainted with treason from the hour the first act of hostility was committed against the United States some time in December； 1860； and that no bill of sale subsequent to that date could convey title。
My orders were that an officer of the Quartermaster's Department； United States Army； might furnish the holder； agent； or attorney； a mere certificate of the fact of seizure； with description of the bales' marks； etc。； the cotton then to be turned over to the agent of the Treasury Department； to be shipped to New York for sale。 But； since the receipt of your dispatch； I have ordered General Easton to make the shipment himself to the quartermaster at New York； where you can dispose of it at pleasure。 I do not think the Treasury Department ought to bother itself with the prizes or captures of war。
Mr。 Barclay； former consul at New York； representing Mr。 Molyneux； former consul here； but absent a long time； called on me with 。 reference to cotton claimed by English subjects。 He seemed amazed when I told him I should pay no respect to consular certificates； that in no event would I treat an English subject with more favor than one of our own deluded citizens； and that for my part I was unwilling to fight for cotton for the benefit of Englishmen openly engaged in smuggling arms and instruments of war to kill us； that； on the contrary； it would afford me great satisfaction to conduct my army to Nassau； and wipe out that nest of pirates。 I explained to him； however； that I was not a diplomatic agent of the General Government of the United States； but that my opinion； so frankly expressed； was that of a soldier； which it would be well for him to heed。 It appeared； also； that he owned a plantation on the line of investment of Savannah； which； of course； was pillaged； and for which he expected me to give some certificate entitling him to indemnification； which I declined emphatically。
I have adopted in Savannah rules concerning propertysevere but justfounded upon the laws of nations and the practice of civilized governments； and am clearly of opinion that we should claim all the belligerent rights over conquered countries； that the people may realize the truth that war is no child's play。
I embrace in this a copy of a letter； dated December 31； 1864； in answer to one from Solomon Cohen （a rich lawyer） to General Blair； his personal friend； as follows：
Major…General F。 P。 BLAIR； commanding Seventeenth Army Corps。
GENERAL ： Your note； inclosing Mr。 Cohen's of this date； is received； and I answer frankly through you his inquiries。
1。 No one can practise law as an attorney in the United States without acknowledging the supremacy of our Government。 If I am not in error； an attorney is as much an officer of the court as the clerk； and it would be a novel thing in a government to have a court to administer law which denied the supremacy of the government itself。
2。 No one will be allowed the privileges of a merchant； or； rather； to trade is a privilege which no one should seek of the Government without in like manner ack
