HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF
TENNESSEE, OFFICE CHIEF OF STAFF,
September 9th, 1864.
Maj.-Gen. WILLIAM 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 truce 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 further South; that a guard of one
hundred men be sent by either party as you propose, to maintain order at the
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.
SOURCES: John Bell Hood, Advance and Retreat, p.
230; The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union
and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 3, Part 2 (Serial No. 78), p.
415
No comments:
Post a Comment