第 29 节
作者:猫王      更新:2022-07-12 16:19      字数:9322
  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 families from Atlanta; and in the exchange of prisoners; is fully approved by the War Department。 Not only are you justified by the laws and usages of war in removing these people; but I think it was your duty to your own army to do so。  Moreover; I am fully of opinion that the nature of your position; the character of the war; the conduct of the enemy (and especially of non…combatants and women of the territory which we have heretofore conquered and occupied); will justify you in gathering up all the forage and provisions which your army may require; both for a siege of Atlanta and for your supply in your march farther into the enemy's country。  Let the disloyal families of the country; thus stripped; go to their husbands; fathers; and natural protectors; in the rebel ranks; we have tried three years of conciliation and kindness without any reciprocation; on the contrary; those thus treated have acted as spies and guerrillas in our rear and within our lines。  The safety of our armies; and a proper regard for the lives of our soldiers; require that we apply to our inexorable foes the severe rules of war。  We certainly are not required to treat the so…called non…combatant rebels better than they themselves treat each other。  Even herein Virginia; within fifty miles of Washington; they strip their own families of provisions; leaving them; as our army advances; to be fed by us; or to starve within our lines。  We have fed this class of people long enough。  Let them go with their husbands and fathers in the rebel ranks; and if they won't go; we must send them to their friends and natural protectors。  I would destroy every mill and factory within reach which I did not want for my own use。  This the rebels have done; not only in Maryland and Pennsylvania; but also in Virginia and other rebel States; when compelled to fall back before our armies。  In many sections of the country they have not left a mill to grind grain for their own suffering families; lest we might use them to supply our armies。  We most do the same。
  I have endeavored to impress these views upon our commanders for the last two years。  You are almost the only one who has properly applied them。  I do not approve of General Hunter's course in burning private homes or uselessly destroying private property。 That is barbarous。  But I approve of taking or destroying whatever may serve as supplies to us or to the enemy's army。
  Very respectfully; your obedient servant;
  H。 W。 HALLECK; Major…General; Chief of Staff
  In order to effect the exchange of prisoners; to facilitate the exodus of the people of Atlanta; and to keep open communication with the South; we established a neutral camp; at and about the railroad…station next south of Atlanta; known as 〃Rough and Ready;〃 to which point I dispatched Lieutenant…Colonel Willard Warner; of my staff; with a guard of one hundred men; and General Hood sent Colonel Clare; of his staff; with a similar guard; these officers and men harmonized perfectly; and parted good friends when their work was done。  In the mean time I also had reconnoitred the entire rebel lines about Atlanta; which were well built; but were entirely too extensive to be held by a single corps or division of troops; so I instructed Colonel Poe; United States Engineers; on my staff; to lay off an inner and shorter line; susceptible of defense by a smaller garrison。
  By the middle of September all these matters were in progress; the reports of the past campaign were written up and dispatched to Washington; and our thoughts began to turn toward the future。 Admiral Farragut had boldly and successfully run the forts at the entrance to Mobile Bay; which resulted in the capture of Fort Morgan; so that General Canby was enabled to begin his regular operations against Mobile City; with a view to open the Alabama River to navigation。  My first thoughts were to concert operations with him; either by way of Montgomery; Alabama; or by the Appalachicula; but so long a line; to be used as a base for further operations eastward; was not advisable; and I concluded to await the initiative of the enemy; supposing that he would be forced to resort to some desperate campaign by the clamor raised at the South on account of the great loss to them of the city of Atlanta。
  General Thomas occupied a house on Marietta Streets which had a veranda with high pillars。  We were sitting there one evening; talking about things generally; when General Thomas asked leave to send his trains back to Chattanooga; for the convenience and economy of forage。  I inquired of him if he supposed we would be allowed much rest at Atlanta; and he said he thought we would; or that at all events it would not be prudent for us to go much farther into Georgia because of our already long line of communication; viz。; three hundred miles from Nashville。  This was true; but there we were; and we could not afford to remain on the defensive; simply holding Atlanta and fighting for the safety of its railroad。  I insisted on his retaining all trains; and on keeping all his divisions ready to move at a m