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I'm a little tired of counterfactual threads so I am going to periodically post historic speeches from time to time. So let's see how this goes.
Gentleman: 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 distress that will be occasioned, and yet shall not revoke my orders, because they were not designed to meet the humanities of the cause, 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 in inconsistent with its character as a home for families. There will be no manufacturers, 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 month? Of course, I do not apprehend any such things 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 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 involved 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, bu 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 the war by seizing forts, arsenals, mints, custom-houses, etc., etc., long before Mr. Lincoln was installed, and before the South had one jot or title 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 and thousands of the families of rebel soldiers left on our hands, and whom we could not see starve. Now that war comes 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 an 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 in Atlanta. Yours in haste,
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 an early success.
Interesting speech. A no-nonsense warning speech for sure. Sherman's remarks are in the tradition of Vegetius....and Grant for that matter. No doubt he would not have agreed to what Sherman said when Atlanta was under the Union flag........'Atlanta is ours and fairly won'.
Interesting speech. A no-nonsense warning speech for sure. Sherman's remarks are in the tradition of Vegetius....and Grant for that matter. No doubt he would not have agreed to what Sherman said when Atlanta was under the Union flag........'Atlanta is ours and fairly won'.
I wouldn't say it was a "no-nonsense" speech with a simple warning. He may have been direct, but the letter flows very well and builds a great case that echoes sentiments Sherman was known for from the moment the threat of war loomed. Sherman thought war was horrible and would much prefer to not have to wage it. However, if wage it he must, then he would do so in total.
The "Letter to Atlanta" is great because it captures the entire ethos of Sherman succicntly. Sherman thought the entire Southern cause was foolish from the beginning. It was born out of haste and brashness and prosecuted solely on the basis of pride. Sherman is echoing the foolishness of continuing to fight for a "lost cause", a cause he thought was lost in 1860...
I also like it because of the imagery the letter protrays. He is almost pleading through most of it for them to simply give up and not make him do what he feels he must. Then in the last long paragraph...
Quote:
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, bu 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 the war by seizing forts, arsenals, mints, custom-houses, etc., etc., long before Mr. Lincoln was installed, and before the South had one jot or title 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 and thousands of the families of rebel soldiers left on our hands, and whom we could not see starve. Now that war comes 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 an early success.
He starts to lose it and thunder and rage before finally composing himself again and putting the "dark passenger" away and appealing for sensibility one last time. The letter belies a bit of a duality in Sherman's character that is very interesting. This letter would make for a great oratory performance.
Sherman lived for many years in the South, as the commandant/headmaster of a military school in Louisiana, I think. He resigned because of secession, although he liked the South.
Of all the major generals of the Civil War, Sherman is my favorite.
Was there a disagreement about this that I either have forgotten of never known??
I think Sherman bombed the heck out of Atlanta before he took it. That wasn't pretty nor his 'march' after that to Savannah. After Atlanta, Sherman had a lot of how can I say it 'publicity' following him and it wasn't for the good. Calhoun, who was the mayor, I'm sure probably muttered a few things when Sherman, the 'total war' advocate, came blasting in.
I think Sherman bombed the heck out of Atlanta before he took it. That wasn't pretty nor his 'march' after that to Savannah. After Atlanta, Sherman had a lot of how can I say it 'publicity' following him and it wasn't for the good. Calhoun, who was the mayor, I'm sure probably muttered a few things when Sherman, the 'total war' advocate, came blasting in.
What you write may be true but what Sherman and his Army visited upon Georgia was nothing compared to the fury that was unleashed upon South Carolina by the Federal Army's of Georgia and Mississippi a rampage that ended as quickly as it started when they reach North Carolina.
As for the publicity, his victories were instrumental in helping Lincoln defeat McClellan in the 1864 elections.
I think Sherman bombed the heck out of Atlanta before he took it. That wasn't pretty nor his 'march' after that to Savannah. After Atlanta, Sherman had a lot of how can I say it 'publicity' following him and it wasn't for the good. Calhoun, who was the mayor, I'm sure probably muttered a few things when Sherman, the 'total war' advocate, came blasting in.
You have to place it all in chronological order. Sherman was writing that letter as the occupier of Atlanta.
The city was heavily defended and Sherman besieged it for over five weeks fighting a series of battles. Eventually Hood withdrew when Sherman severed his supply lines. During the siege parts of Atlanta were damaged by shelling. HOWEVER, most of the damage to the city was caused by Hood lighting fires to destroy anything of military value before he left. This resulted in a huge fire that spread to many parts of the city. This is the scene depicted in "Gone With the Wind". The civilians of Atlanta were in the city when Hood started burning it down to deny anything of value to the Union.
After Hood left, the mayor of Atlanta rode out to surrender the city. This is when Sherman sent his "fairly won" message. At that time all he had done was lay siege to a city defended by an entire Confederate Army, which then set fire to the city before they withdrew. The city was very much "fairly won".
Sherman than moved his headquarters into the smoldering city on September 7th. On the same day he ordered the entire civilian population of Atlanta to leave. The city leaders appealed that leaving would be to great a burden and the reply to that appeal is the letter that ovcatto posted. Sherman occupied Atlanta for around two months and the entire civilian population was evacuated. The evacuation was actually coordinated with General Hood to allow the people to flee South and assure their safety.
When he left Atlanta, Sherman set fire to all public buildings save the churches and hospitals as well as remaining war resources such as machine shops, foundries, rail yards, etc.
Hood chose to construct his defenses around a city full of civilians. Hood chose to light that same city on fire while it was full of said civilians. Sherman ordered the people of Atlanta to leave the burned city, guaranteed their safety while they left and then burned what was left that may have been of use to the CSA.
In the letter Sherman is basically stating his position as thus...war inevitably causes destruction and death and the only way to end the destruction and death is to end the war. The war can only be ended when the people are unable to make war, and so you must do whatever it takes to stop those who are contributing to the war effort. The more thoroughly you destroy the people’s ability to make war, the shorter the war is, and the fewer casualties you’ll experience overall. If you want to end a war, wage it thoroughly so you will be successful and your enemy will surrender as quickly as possible. He is not and his actions do not represent a mentality of "war is hell and I'll do whatever I want."
Conveniently the neo-Confederates forget that Hood is the one who started the fire that destroyed most of the city...
In the letter Sherman is basically stating his position as thus...war inevitably causes destruction and death and the only way to end the destruction and death is to end the war. The war can only be ended when the people are unable to make war, and so you must do whatever it takes to stop those who are contributing to the war effort. The more thoroughly you destroy the people’s ability to make war, the shorter the war is, and the fewer casualties you’ll experience overall. If you want to end a war, wage it thoroughly so you will be successful and your enemy will surrender as quickly as possible. He is not and his actions do not represent a mentality of "war is hell and I'll do whatever I want."
You know I've read that essentially what Sherman did on 'campaign' arguably was a 'new' way of waging modern warfare and that was to destroy the will of the civilians who sustained it. He certainly tried to 'make war terrible' so that thjey would be 'sick' of it. The South, of course, vilified him for that attitude when he prosecuted the war there. After taking Savannah the South was virtually done. They hated him knowing that as he had just passed through with his army.
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