Atlanta History Center acquires Gen. Sherman's field orders

AP ^ | 12/26/5

[Crackingham]

The Atlanta History Center has obtained Civil War field orders handwritten by Union General William T. Sherman. The history center got the field orders in a deal that was clinched with the offer of a bundle of Confederate currency that was donated to the center. Of the documents, 50 are field orders written by Sherman and two are orders written by his aides. They join another 12 orders the Atlanta History Center already had.

"Sherman surrendered," said history center president Jim Bruns, who likes the idea of Sherman's orders returning to the city the general ordered burned down.

The orders are so valuable because they "show Sherman's intentions, the deliberateness of his movements," Bruns said. "They make it clear that he wasn't going to camp here, and he wasn't going to garrison the city. So he had to destroy the city."

The documents will go on display by next September, Bruns said.

The deal for the 52 field orders was aided by the contribution of a stash of about 3,000 Confederate States of America notes that were discovered decades ago by developer Dick Myrick. Myrick, who kept the notes in a briefcase for 33 years, decided last summer to donate them to the cause of acquiring Sherman's orders.

"It really was the Confederate currency that got it started," said Seth Kaller, the historic documents dealer who had Sherman's orders. "Dick's contribution was one of the first that was significant enough for us to know the Atlanta History Center was going to be able to acquire Sherman's orders."

[Zeroisanumber]

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,

W.T. Sherman, Major-General commanding

Godspeed, General Sherman.

-Zeroisanumber

[Old Sarge]

A few statements jump ut at me, as applicable today as yesterday:

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.

Boy-howdy is THAT ever true...

I know I will make more sacrifices to-day than any of you to secure peace.

EVERY soldier can say that to EVERY reporter.

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

Which is what we did under The Reign Of Terror (1993-2001)...

I and this army become at once your protectors and supporters, shielding you from danger, let it come from what quarter it may.

Even back then, that's what we were, and America has largely forgotten - according to the Left...

I know that a few individuals cannot resist a torrent of error and passion

No kidding...

You have heretofore read public sentiment in your newspapers, that live by falsehood and excitement

As before, so now!

and the quicker you seek for truth in other quarters, the better.

[cowboyway]

and those who brought war into our country deserve all the curses and maledictions a people can pour out.

Excuse me General, but those who brought war into our country would be THE DAMNYANKEES!!!

[Old Sarge]

I was referring to Muslims.

You just don't get it.

[bmwcyle]

Sure they did. /sarcasm

[cowboyway]

I was referring to Muslims.

You just don't get it.

Easy now, old boy. My post should have went to Zeroisanumber, and my comment was in regards to Sherman's statement. It wasn't meant to go to you, so cool your jets.

Does that make me 'get it'?

Just damn.

[cowboyway]

Sure they did. /sarcasm

Question: If a foreign country landed troops in, let's say Virginia, today, what do you think would happen? Hmmmm?

[Rebelbase]

The south was spoiling for a fight. War was still full of glory and honor in the minds of the South and there were very few who thought it would last as long as it did.

Sherman in charge of fighting terrorism? Now that would be a short war!

[cowboyway]

The south was spoiling for a fight

DisHonest Abe was spoiling for a fight, also. Otherwise, he would have removed the foreign troops from Southern soil and used verbal diplomacy. Only one outcome could result from leaving Union troops in Sumter, and that is exactly what Lincoln was counting on.

Sherman in charge of fighting terrorism? Now that would be a short war!

That may be true; hell, it takes a terrorist to know one.

But actually, I kinda doubt it. After all, he would still be subject to the whims of politics and public opinion.

Furthermore, just because Sherman didn't hesitate to make war on noncombatants during his March to the Sea (women, children and the elderly), doesn't mean that he would have been effective against one of his own kind.

[Rebelbase]

" Furthermore, just because Sherman didn't hesitate to make war on noncombatants during his March to the Sea (women, children and the elderly), doesn't mean that he would have been effective against one of his own kind."

What are you talking about? A good general maneuvers his opponent out of position and that is exactly what Sherman did all the way from Chattanooga to Atlanta with but a few battles in between. He engaged and pushed Hood's army right out of Atlanta which opened up his march to Savannah virtually unimpeded except for calvary harassment. Then he maneuvered the confederate defenders out of Savannah by feigning towards Charleston.

As much as I love my Southern heritage I damn sure would have rather had Sherman as my general than Hood or Johnston.

[stand watie]

for SOUTHRONS there is no more hated person than sherman, the WAR CRIMINAL.

his "brave men" were at their "best" when they were abusing/torturing/raping/killing UNARMED civilians (both slave & free), burning homes & farms, looting private property, plundering churches/synagogues, etc.

free dixie,sw

[Old Sarge]

I regret to see that your thread has been hijacked by the south-shall-rise-again crowd.

[stand watie]

well, if sherman was in charge in Iraq, there would certainly be MANY plundered places of worship,looted/burned homes of civilians (particularly those that were in the care of women & elderly men, too old to resist), hundreds of thousands of raped & tortured civilians, etc.

eventually, the army would get around to fighting the armed forces.

what sherman did in the southland will NEVER be forgotten. he was FILTH.

free dixie,sw

[stand watie]

if you don't want threads to be "hijacked", stop posting anti-southren PROPAGANDA, which are straight out of the REVISIONIST,"poison ivy league screwls" of the ARROGANT, hate-FILLED, elitist northeast.

sherman's legacy was WAR CRIMINALITY. he should have been HANGED.

fwiw, we southrons call it the RISEN South.

free dixie,sw

[Rebelbase]

Everyone is well aware that Sherman is hated by those nostalgic for the Old South. That is news as old as the day Atlanta burned.

That bias fails to divert attention from the fact that the man was a brilliant military tactician whose accomplishments drove a stake though the heart of the the Confederacy.

[Old Sarge]

If you had bothered to notice, I didn't post this thread, but once again, you use it as a convenient excuse to launch an attack against an American soldier - not a confederate or a northerner, but an American - a fact you have, over countless threads and posts, chosen to ignore in your enthusiasm to spit on me, my flag, my country, and my uniform.

Your personal animus against me might be excusable - but constantly tearing down the country that sheltered my immigrant ancestors, and wrapping yourself in your senior FReeper status has finally crossed the line. I don't care if "some FReepers are more equal than others", and it may result in my banishment from the forum, but enough is enough.

You so blithely run down my country and preach division and hate speech and direct it against me, covering your hatred of America. Your bigotry against America shows in each and every post you leave on this forum, and you're never called on it. I can only assume that the management of Free Republic advocates and supports what you say.

I demand to know: does Free Republic hide its hatred under the mask of patriotism? It's the only possible explanation for the continued tolerance of hate speech such as I have experienced.

I await the deafening silence to follow. Or the lightning.

[darkwing104]

Sad, Really sad. Why does anyone want to glum on to the darkest point in American History is beyond me. I can appreciate the re-enactors who enjoy the history as a hobby, I even worked with quite a few while on active duty.

Right or wrong, all of the soldiers did their jobs and there was plenty of war-crimes and atrocities on both sides. After that time, If I remember my history correctly, whenever a national crisis arose we all become Americans first and foremost.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[StarCMC]

BTTT - well said darkwing.