memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第24部分

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ed；　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　power　to　expedite　the　transportation　of　citizens　in　this　direction。　　I　suggest　that　a　staff…officer　be　appointed　by　you　to　superintend　the　removal　from　the　city　to　Rough　and　Ready；　while　I　appoint　a　like　officer　to　control　their　removal　farther　south；　that　a　guard　of　one　hundred　men　be　sent　by　either　party　as　you　propose；　to　maintain　order　at　that　place；　and　that　the　removal　begin　on　Monday　next。

And　now；　sir；　permit　me　to　say　that　the　unprecedented　measure　you　propose　transcends；　in　studied　and　ingenious　cruelty；　all　acts　ever　before　brought　to　my　attention　in　the　dark　history　of　war。

In　the　name　of　God　and　humanity；　I　protest；　believing　that　you　will　find　that　you　are　expelling　from　their　homes　and　firesides　the　wives　and　children　of　a　brave　people。　　I　am；　general；　very　respectfully；　your　obedient　servant；

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　subjugation。　　You　say　we　seized　upon　your　forts　and　arsenals；　and　made　prisoners　of　the　garrisons　sent　to