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Union Orders, Reports and Letters -- Georgia-- Page 2



The Atlanta Campaign


OFFICIAL RECORDS: Series 1, vol 38, Part 5 (The Atlanta Campaign) Page 837 Chapter L. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.


SPECIAL
HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF THE MISSISSIPPI, FIELD ORDERS,
In the Field, Atlanta, Ga., No. 67. September 8, 1864.

I. The City of Atlanta, being exclusively required for warlike purposes, will at once be vacated by all except the armies of the United States and such civilian employees as may be retired by the proper departments of government.

II. The chief quartermaster, Colonel Easton, will at once take possession of buildings of all kinds, and of all staple articles, such as cotton, tobacco, &c., and will make such disposition of them as is required by existing regulations, or such orders as he may receive from time to time from the proper authorities

III. The chief engineer will promptly reconnoiter the city and suburbs, and indicate the sites needed for the permanent defense of the place, together with any houses, sheds, or shanties that stand in his way, that they may be set apart for destruction.



OFFICIAL RECORDS: Series 1, vol 38, Part 5 (The Atlanta Campaign) Page 838 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.


[SEPTEMBER 8, 1864.-For Special Field Orders, No. 104, headquarters Army of the Ohio (congratulatory, &c.), see Part II, p.521.]

NOTICE.] ATLANTA, GA., September 8, 1864.

To the Citizens of Atlanta:

Major-General Sherman instructs me to say to you that you must all leave Atlanta; that as many of you as want to go North can do so, and that as many as want to go South can do so, and that all can take with them their movable property, servants included, if they want to go, but that no force is to be used, and that he will furnish transportation for persons and property as far as Rough and Ready, from whence it is expected General Hood will assist in carrying it on. Like transportation will be furnished for people and property going North, and it is required that all contemplated by this notice will be carried into execution as soon as possible.

All persons are requested to leave their names and number in their families with the undersigned as early as possible, that estimates may be made of the quantity of transportation required.

JAMES M. CALHOUN,
Mayor.



OFFICIAL RECORDS: Series 1, vol 38, Part 5 (The Atlanta Campaign) Page 839 Chapter L. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.

ATLANTA, GA., September 9, 1864-10 a.m. (Received 8 p.m.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Washington, D. C.:

All our troops are now in position, comfortable and well. In a day or two I will have telegraphic communication from Roswell round to Sandtown, and can act promptly. A few of the enemy's cavalry followed us as far as Rough and Ready, and last evening General Hood sent in a flag of truce asking to exchange prisoners. I have about 2,000 in hand, and will exchange if he will make a fair deal. I have sent out my inspector-general to confer and agree, and to make arrangements for the exodus of citizens. I am not willing to have Atlanta encumbered by the families of our enemies. I want it a pure Gibraltar, and will have it so by October 1. I think General Rousseau and Steedman are stirring Wheeler up pretty well, and hope they will make an end of him, as Gillem has of Morgan. I have ordered renewed activity, and to show no mercy to guerrillas or railroad breakers. It makes a world of difference if "my bull gores your ox, or yours mine." Weather beautiful and all things seem bright.

W. T. SHERMAN,
Major-General.



OFFICIAL RECORDS: Series 1, vol 38, Part 4 (The Atlanta Campaign) Page 579 Chapter L. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.


HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, Big Shanty, June 23, 1864.

Major General J. B. STEEDMAN,

Commanding District of the Etowah, Chattanooga:

GENERAL: As the question may arise, and you have a right to the support of my authority, I now decide that the use of the torpedo is justifiable in war in advance of an army, so as to make his advance up a river or over a road more dangerous and difficult. But after the adversary has gained the country by fair warlike means, then the case entirely changes. The use of torpedoes in blowing up our cars and the road after they are in our possession, is simply malicious. It cannot alter the great problem, but simply make trouble. Now, if torpedoes are found in the possession of an enemy to our rear, you may cause them to be put on the ground and tested by wagon-loads of prisoners, or, if need be, citizens implicated in their use. In like manner, if a torpedo is suspected on any part of the road, order the point to be tested by a car-load of prisoners, or citizens implicated, drawn by a long rope. Of course an enemy cannot complain of his own traps.

I am, &c.,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.



OFFICIAL RECORDS: Series 1, vol 38, Part 5 (The Atlanta Campaign) Page 140 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, near Chattahoochee River, July 14, 1864.

Commanding Officer of the Troops ordered from Allatoona to Kenesaw:
--------Show no mercy to guerrillas or persons threatening our road or telegraph. Remove to the rear all suspicious persons and families, and bear in mind that the safety of this army is not be imperiled by any citizens, no matter how hard their friends may plead. -------

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.



Series 1 - Volume 39 (Part III) Page 494 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.



MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, In the Field, Rome, Ga., October 29, 1864. Brigadier-General WATKINS, Calhoun, Ga.: Cannot you send over about Fairmount and Adairsville burn ten or twelve houses of known secessionists, kill a few at random, and let them know that it will be repeated every time a train is fired on from Resaca to Kingston
W. T. SHERMAN,
Major. General, Commanding.



Series 1 - Volume 39 (Part III) Page 511 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.

CALHOUN,, October 30, 1864.

Major-General SHERMAN: My men killed some of those fellows two or three days since and I had their houses burned. Watkins is not here, but I will carry out your instructions thoroughly and leave the country east of the road uninhabitable, if necessary. E. M. MuCOOK, Brigadier- General.



Series 1 - Volume 39 (Part III) Page 740 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.

KINGSTON, GA., November 11, 1864 midnight. (Received 5.30 a. m. 12th.)
Major-General HALLEOK, Chief of Staff:
My arrangements are now all complete, and the railroad cars are being sent to the rear. Last night we burned all foundries, mills, and shops of every kind in Rome, and to-morrow I leave Kingston with the rear guard for Atlanta, which 1 propose to dispose of in a similar manner, and to start on the 10th on the projected grand raid. ---------



OFFICIAL RECORDS: Series 1, vol 43, Part 2 (Shenanoah Valley Campaign)

Page 552 -553 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LV.


HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, Kingston, Ga., November 6, 1864.

Major General PHILIP H. SHERIDAN,
Commanding Middle Division:

DEAR GENERAL:
-------------

I am satisfied, and have been all the time, that the problem of this war consists in the awful fact that the present class of men who rule the South must be killed outright rather than in the conquest of territory, so that hard, bull-dog fighting, and a great deal of it, yet remains to be done, and it matters little whether it be done close to the borders, where you are, or farther in the interior, where I happen to be; therefore, I shall expect you on any and all occasions to make bloody results. I beg to assure you of my warm personal attachment and respect.

I am, with respect, your friend,

W. T. SHERMAN,




OFFICIAL RECORDS: Series 1, vol 39, Part 3 (Allatoona) Page 713 - 714 Chapter LI] CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. -UNION.

SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS,
HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF THE MISS., In the Field, Kingston, Ga., Numbers 120.
November 9, 1864.

-------------
IV. The army will forage liberally on the country during the march. To this end, each brigade commander will organize a good and sufficient foraging party, under the command of one or more discreet officers, who will gather, near the route traveled, corn or forage of any kind, meat of any kind, vegetables, corn-meal, or whatever is needed by the command, aiming at all times to keep in the wagons at least ten day's provisions for the command and three days' forage.

V. To army corps commanders alone is instursted the power to destroy mills, houses, cotton-gins, &c., and for them this general principle is laid down: In districts and neighborhoods where the army is unmolested no destruction of such property should be permitted; but should guerrillas or bushwhackers molest our march, or should the inhabitants burn bridges, obstruct roads, or otherwise manifest local hostility, then army commanders should order and enforce a devastation more or less relentless according to the measure of such hostility.

VI. As for horses, mules, wagons, &c., belonging to the inhabitants, the cavalry and artillery may appropriate freely and without limit, discriminating, however, between the rich, who are usually hostile, and the poor or industrious, usually neutral or friendly. Foraging parties may also take mules or horses to replace the jaded animals of their trains, or to serve as pack-mules for the regiments or bridges. In all foraging, of whatever kind, the parties engaged will refrain form abusive or threatening language, and may, where the officer in command thinks proper, give written certificates of the facts, but no receipts, and they will endeavor to leave with each family a reasonable portion for their maintenance.

VII. Negroes who are able-bodies and can be of service to the several columns may be taken along, but each army commander will bear in mind that the question of supplies is a very important one and that his first duty is to see to them who bear arms. -------

By order of Major General W. T. Sherman:

L. M. DAYTON,

Aide-de-Camp



HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION of the MISSISSIPPI in the FIELD
Atlanta, Georgia,
James M. Calhoun, Mayor,
E.E. Rawson and S.C. Wells, representing City Council of Atlanta.

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

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