In　the　name　of　common…sense；　I　ask　you　not　to　appeal　to　a　just　God　in　such　a　sacrilegious　manner。　　You　who；　in　the　midst　of　peace　and　prosperity；　have　plunged　a　nation　into　wardark　and　cruel　warwho　dared　and　badgered　us　to　battle；　insulted　our　flag；　seized　our　arsenals　and　forts　that　were　left　in　the　honorable　custody　of　peaceful　ordnance…sergeants；　seized　and　made　〃prisoners　of　war〃　the　very　garrisons　sent　to　protect　your　people　against　negroes　and　Indians；　long　before　any　overt　act　was　committed　by　the　（to　you）　hated　Lincoln　Government；　tried　to　force　Kentucky　and　Missouri　into　rebellion；　spite　of　themselves；　falsified　the　vote　of　Louisiana；　turned　loose　your　privateers　to　plunder　unarmed　ships；　expelled　Union　families　by　the　thousands；　burned　their　houses；　and　declared；　by　an　act　of　your　Congress；　the　confiscation　of　all　debts　due　Northern　men　for　goods　had　and　received！　　Talk　thus　to　the　marines；　but　not　to　me；　who　have　seen　these　things；　and　who　will　this　day　make　as　much　sacrifice　for　the　peace　and　honor　of　the　South　as　the　best…born　Southerner　among　you！　If　we　must　be　enemies；　let　us　be　men；　and　fight　it　out　as　we　propose　to　do；　and　not　deal　in　arch　hypocritical　appeals　to　God　and　humanity。　　God　will　judge　us　in　due　time；　and　he　will　pronounce　whether　it　be　more　humane　to　fight　with　a　town　full　of　women　and　the　families　of　a　brave　people　at　our　back　or　to　remove　them　in　time　to　places　of　safety　among　their　own　friends　and　people。　I　am；　very　respectfully；　your　obedient　servant；
  W。　T。　　SHERMAN；　Major…General　commanding。
  HEADQUARTERS　ARMY　OF　THE　TENNESSEE　September　12；　1864
  Major…General　W。　T；　SHERMAN；　commanding　Military　Division　of　the　Mississippi。
  GENERAL：　I　have　the　honor　to　acknowledge　the　receipt　of　your　letter　of　the　9th　inst。；　with　its　inclosure　in　reference　to　the　women；　children；　and　others；　whom　you　have　thought　proper　to　expel　from　their　homes　in　the　city　of　Atlanta。　　Had　you　seen　proper　to　let　the　matter　rest　there；　I　would　gladly　have　allowed　your　letter　to　close　this　correspondence；　and；　without　your　expressing　it　in　words；　would　have　been　willing　to　believe　that；　while　〃the　interests　of　the　United　States；〃　in　your　opinion；　compelled　you　to　an　act　of　barbarous　cruelty；　you　regretted　the　necessity；　and　we　would　have　dropped　the　subject；　but　you　have　chosen　to　indulge　in　statements　which　I　feel　compelled　to　notice；　at　least　so　far　as　to　signify　my　dissent；　and　not　allow　silence　in　regard　to　them　to　be　construed　as　acquiescence。
  I　see　nothing　in　your　communication　which　induces　me　to　modify　the　language　of　condemnation　with　which　I　characterized　your　order。　　It　but　strengthens　me　in　the　opinion　that　it　stands　〃preeminent　in　the　dark　history　of　war　for　studied　and　ingenious　cruelty。〃　　Your　original　order　was　stripped　of　all　pretenses；　you　announced　the　edict　for　the　sole　reason　that　it　was　〃to　the　interest　of　the　United　States。〃　　This　alone　you　offered　to　us　and　the　civilized　world　as　an　all…sufficient　reason　for　disregarding　the　laws　of　God　and　man。　　You　say　that　〃General　Johnston　himself　very　wisely　and　properly　removed　the　families　all　the　way　from　Dalton　down。〃　　It　is　due　to　that　gallant　soldier　and　gentleman　to　say　that　no　act　of　his　distinguished　career　gives　the　least　color　to　your　unfounded　aspersions　upon　his　conduct。　　He　depopulated　no　villages；　nor　towns；　nor　cities；　either　friendly　or　hostile。　　He　offered　and　extended　friendly　aid　to　his　unfortunate　fellow…citizens　who　desired　to　flee　from　your　fraternal　embraces。　　You　are　equally　unfortunate　in　your　attempt　to　find　a　justification　for　this　act　of　cruelty；　either　in　the　defense　of　Jonesboro；　by　General　Hardee；　or　of　Atlanta；　by　myself。　　General　Hardee　defended　his　position　in　front　of　Jonesboro　at　the　expense　of　injury　to　the　houses；　an　ordinary；　proper；　and　justifiable　act　of　war。　　I　defended　Atlanta　at　the　same　risk　and　coSt。　If　there　was　any　fault　in　either　case；　it　was　your　own；　in　not　giving　notice；　especially　in　the　case　of　Atlanta；　of　your　purpose　to　shell　the　town；　which　is　usual　in　war　among　civilized　nations。　　No　inhabitant　was　expelled　from　his　home　and　fireside　by　the　orders　of　General　Hardee　or　myself；　and　therefore　your　recent　order　can　find　no　support　from　the　conduct　of　either　of　us。　　I　feel　no　other　emotion　other　than　pain　in　reading　that　portion　of　your　letter　which　attempts　to　justify　your　shelling　Atlanta　without　notice　under　pretense　that　I　defended　Atlanta　upon　a　line　so　close　to　town　that　every　cannon…shot　and　many　musket…　balls　from　your　line　of　investment；　that　overshot　their　mark；　went　into　the　habitations　of　women　and　children。　　I　made　no　complaint　of　your　firing　into　Atlanta　in　any　way　you　thought　proper。　　I　make　none　now；　but　there　are　a　hundred　thousand　witnesses　that　you　fired　into　the　habitations　of　women　and　children　for　weeks；　firing　far　above　and　miles　beyond　my　line　of　defense。　　I　have　too　good　an　opinion；　founded　both　upon　observation　and　experience；　of　the　skill　of　your　artillerists；　to　credit　the　insinuation　that　they　for　several　weeks　unintentionally　fired　too　high　for　my　modest　field…　works；　and　slaughtered　women　and　children　by　accident　and　want　of　skill。
  The　residue　of　your　letter　is　rather　discussion。　　It　opens　a　wide　field　for　the　discussion　of　questions　which　I　do　not　feel　are　committed　to　me。　　I　am　only　a　general　of　one　of　the　armies　of　the　Confederate　States；　charged　with　military　operations　in　the　field；　under　the　direction　of　my　superior　officers；　and　I　am　not　called　upon　to　discuss　with　you　the　causes　of　the　present　war；　or　the　political　questions　which　led　to　or　resulted　from　it。　　These　grave　and　important　questions　have　been　committed　to　far　abler　hands　than　mine；　and　I　shall　only　refer　to　them　so　far　as　to　repel　any　unjust　conclusion　which　might　be　drawn　from　my　silence。　　You　charge　my　country　with　〃daring　and　badgering　you　to　battle。〃　　The　truth　is；　we　sent　commissioners　to　you；　respectfully　offering　a　peaceful　separation；　before　the　first　gun　was　fired　on　either　aide。　　You　say　we　insulted　your　flag。　　The　truth　is；　we　fired　upon　it；　and　those　who　fought　under　it；　when　you　came　to　our　doors　upon　the　mission　of　subjugation。　　You　say　we　seized　upon　your　forts　and　arsenals；　and　made　prisoners　of　the　garrisons　sent　to　protect　us　against　negroes　and　Indians。　　The　truth　is；　we；　by　force　of　arms；　drove　out　insolent　intruders　and　took　possession　of　our　own　forts　and　arsenals；　to　resist　your　claims　to　dominion　over　masters；　slaves；　and　Indians；　all　of　whom　are　to　this　day；　with　a　unanimity　unexampled　in　the　history　of　the　world；　warring　against　your　attempts　to　become　their　masters。　　You　say　that　we　tried　to　force　Missouri　and　Kentucky　into　rebellion　in　spite　of　themselves。　　The　truth　is；　my　Government；　from　the　beginning　of　this　struggle　to　this　hour；　has　again　and　again　offered；　before　the　whole　world；　to　leave　it　to　the　unbiased　will　of　these　States；　and　all　others；　to　determine　for　themselves　whether　they　will　cast　their　destiny　with　your　Government　or　ours；　and　your　Government　has　resisted　this　fundamental　principle　of　free　institutions　with　the　bayouet；　and　labors　daily；　by　force　and　fraud；　to　fasten　its　hateful　tyranny　upon　the　unfortunate　freemen　of　these　States。　　You　say　we　falsified　the　vote　of　Louisiana。　　The　truth　is；　Louisiana　not　only　separated　herself　from　your　Government　by　nearly　a　unanimous　vote　of　her　people；　but　has　vindicated　the　act　upon　every　battle…field　from　Gettysburg　to　the　Sabine；　and　has　exhibited　an　heroic　devotion　to　her　decision　which　challenges　the　admiration　and　respect　of　every　man　capable　of　feeling　sympathy　for　the　oppressed　or　admiration　for　heroic　valor。　　You　say　that　we　turned　loose　pirates　to　plunder　your　unarmed　ships。　　The　truth　is；　when　you　robbed　us　of　our　part　of　the　navy；　we　built　and　bought　a　few　vessels；　hoisted　the　flag　of　our　country；　and　swept　the　seas；　in　defiance　of　your　navy；　around　the　whole　circumference　of　the　globe。　　You　say　we　have　expelled　Union　families　by　thousands。　　The　truth　is；　not　a　single　family　has　been　expelled　from　the　Confederate　States；　that　I　am　aware　of；　but；　on　the　contrary；　the　moderation　of　our　Government　toward　traitors　has　been　a　fruitful　theme　of　denunciation　by　its　enemies　and　well…meaning　friends　of　our　cause。　　You　say　my　Government；　by　acts　of　Congress；　has　confiscated　〃all　debts　due　Northern　men　for　goods　sold　and　delivered。〃　　The　truth　is；　our　Congress　gave　due　and　ample　time　to　your　merchants　and　traders　to　depart　from　our　shores　with　their　ships；　goods；　and　effects；　and　only　sequestrated　the　property　of　our　enemies　in　retaliation　for　their　actsdeclaring　us　traitors；　and　confiscating　our　property　wherever　their　power　extended；　either　in　their　country　or　our　own。　　Such　are　your　accusations；　and　such　are　the　facts　known　of　all　men　to　be　true。
  You　order　into　exile　the　whole　population　of　a　city；　drive　men；　women　and　children　from　their　homes　at　the　point　of　the　bayouet；　under　the　plea　that　it　is　to　the　interest　of　pour　Government；　and　on　the　claim　that　it　is　an　act　of　kindness　to　these　families　of　Atlanta。〃　　Butler　only　banished　from　New　Orleans　the　registered　enemies　of　his　Government；　and　acknowledged　that　he　did　it　as　a　punishment。　　You　issue　a　sweeping　edict；　covering　all　the　inhabitants　of　a　city；　and