Devon Bowers

Professor Krista Maroudas

March 21, 2017

History 1700-002

Shermans March to the Sea

Union General William T. Sherman led an army from Atlanta, Georgia to the port of

Savannah (Lecture, 3/10/2017). Shermans campaign was in hopes that he would be able to break

the morale of the southerners and destroy anything that could aide in the war efforts of the south.

The people of Atlanta saw this act as a terrible disdain that had come upon them. General

Shermans March to the Sea was a highly controversial move during the Civil War.

The Northern States morale during the Civil War were low, General Sherman and other

union leaders devised a strategy to try to demoralize the south by using a total warfare strategy

(We the People, Page 219). General Shermans army had captured the city of Atlanta, Georgia

and then ordered the evacuation of all civilians from the city without telling the population or

city leaders about what they planned to do (Sherman, Letter to Hood).

The Mayor of Atlanta and city councilor replied to Shermans evacuation order and

respectively petitioned him to revoke his orders to evacuate. They cited that there were many

women in the advanced stages of pregnancy, there were others who were sick that could not

make the journey, and families who had husbands fighting in the war. They also complained that

what Sherman was doing was an awful thing to do to the people of Atlanta for having them leave

behind so many things (Sherman, Letter to Sherman). Sherman insisted the population to be
removed from Atlanta and take themselves to the south or to the north, and he was willing to

help them get there. Sherman noted to the city that war is cruelty and that his orders were not

designed to meet the humanities of the case. After burning down or destroying the factories and

buildings in Atlanta, Sherman and his forces proceeded to the Port of Savannah where they

continued to destroy anything that might come their way between Atlanta and Savannah

(Sherman, Letter to Atlanta).

The importance of this document is that it showed the cruelty of war. Even during the

time of the Civil War, there were certain things that made it look like a gentlemans game. But

now General Sherman showed that nobody can be safe from the cruelty of warfare. General

Sherman coined the phrase War is cruelty otherwise known as War is Hell (Sherman,

Sherman to Atlanta). From these letters, and actions made on the battlefield, the Civil War

changed how the rules of future wars were fought between other countries.
 Reflection
The hardest part of this assignment was actually trying to get it started. I wanted to do a
topic about George Washington, I searched online for any primary sources I had of him and I did
find a few things that were interesting but there wasnt much of what I wanted. I turned my
attention to other sources around the internet, specifically about the Civil War. I thought I could
maybe find a better topic sometime during the Civil War. After all, it was a war that was very
controversial and involved many different people during that time. I thought I could narrow
down a topic to Abraham Lincoln, but after some consideration, I opted to not write an essay on
Abraham Lincoln.
I went to the library to find some kind of book that might give me an idea. To my surprise
I was able to find a book about primary sources during the Civil War. After looking through the
book, I thought that I should make my topic on General Shermans March to the Sea. I was a
little reluctant to use the book because it seemed to be made for high school students, but
fortunately I was able to find the letters I needed specific to the topic on the internet. I thought
Shermans March to the Sea was a good topic because of how controversial it was, not to
mention just how much destruction and devastation that was brought upon the people in Georgia
and other states.
I learned about Shermans March to the Sea in countless history classes before coming to
college, except I did not know all the details. I agree that the amount of destruction that was
made by Shermans army was quite destructive. From the side of the southerners point of view it
must have been the most devastating thing of their lives as I could imagine. The strategy
implemented by Sherman during the Civil War seemed to be the very last resort of the Northern
Union. Shermans March to the Sea definitely changed my view, after reading the journals of
some southerners who experienced Shermans March. Ive come to learn that some of these
people lost everything.
The primary sources for this topic has helped further my own knowledge, it helped me
gain more knowledge about what life must have been like during that time. Also, pictures of that
time frame were particularly interesting to see. I had forgotten that photographs of that time were
probably rare or just beginning to become more common. The Civil War was probably the first
war to be documented with photographs and it gives us a look as to what the Civil War looked
like back then.
 Works Cited

Sherman (March 23, 2017) Correspondence of Sherman, Hood, and the Mayor of

Atlanta. Furman University. Retrieved from:

http://history.furman.edu/benson/docs/atlanta1.htm

Correspondence of Sherman, Hood, and the

Mayor of Atlanta
Source: Official Records, Series I--Volume XXXIX/2, 414-
422.
Letter from Sherman to Hood

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,

In the Field, Atlanta, Ga., September 7, 1864.

General HOOD, Commanding Confederate Army:

GENERAL: I have deemed it to the interest of the United States that the
citizens now residing in Atlanta should remove, those who prefer it to go south
and the rest north. For the latter I can provide food and transportation to points
of their election in Tennessee, Kentucky, or farther north. For the former I can
provide transportation by cars as far as Rough and Ready, and also wagons; but
that their removal may be made with as little discomfort as possible it will be
necessary for you to help the families from Rough and Ready to the cars at
Lovejoy's. If you consent I will undertake to remove all families in Atlanta who
prefer to go South to Rough and Ready, with all their movable effects, viz,
clothing, trunks, reasonable furniture, bedding, &c., with their servants, white
and black, with the proviso that no force shall be used toward the blacks one
way or the other. If they want to go with their masters or mistresses they may
do so, otherwise they will be sent away, unless they be men, when they may be
employed by our quartermaster. Atlanta is no place for families or non-
combatants, and I have no desire to send them North if you will assist in
conveying them South. If this proposition meets your views I will consent to a
truce in the neighborhood of Rough and Ready, stipulating that any wagons,
horses, or animals, or persons sent there for the purposes herein stated shall in
 no manner be harmed or molested, you in your turn agreeing that any cars,
wagons, carriages, persons, or animals sent to the same point shall not be
interfered with. Each of us might send a guard of, say, 100 men, to maintain
order and limit the truce to, say, two days after a certain time appointed. I have
authorized the mayor to choose two citizens to convey to you this letter and
such documents as the mayor may forward in explanation, and shall await your
reply.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

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Mayor and Council of Atlanta to Sherman

ATLANTA, GA., September 11, 1864.

Maj. Gen. W. T. SHERMAN:

SIR: We, the undersigned, mayor and two of the council for the city of Atlanta,
for the time being the only legal organ of the people of the said city to express
their wants and wishes, ask leave most earnestly, but respectfully, to petition
you to reconsider the order requiring them to leave Atlanta. At first view it
struck us that the measure would involve extraordinary hardship and loss, but
since we have seen the practical execution of it so far as it has progressed, and
the individual condition of the people, and heard their statements as to the
inconveniences, loss, and suffering attending it, we are satisfied that the amount
of it will involve in the aggregate consequences appalling and heart-rending.
Many poor women are in advanced state of pregnancy; others now having
young children, and whose husbands, for the greater part, are either in the army,
prisoners, or dead. Some say, "I have such an one sick at my house; who will
wait on them when I am gone?" Others say, "what are we to do? We have no
house to go to, and no means to buy, build, or rent any; no parents, relatives, or
friends to go to." Another says, "I will try and take this or that article of
property, but such and such things I must leave behind, though I need them
much." We reply to them, "General Sherman will carry your property to Rough
and Ready, and General Hood will take it thence on," and they will reply to
 that, "but I want to leave the railroad at such place and cannot get conveyance
from there on."

We only refer to a few facts to try to illustrate in part how this measure will
operate in practice. As you advanced the people north of this fell back, and
before your arrival here a large portion of the people had retired south, so that
the country south of this is already crowded and without houses enough to
accommodate the people, and we are informed that many are now staying in
churches and other outbuildings. This being so, how is it possible for the people
still here (mostly women and children) to find any shelter? And how can they
live through the winter in the woods? No shelter or subsistence, in the midst of
strangers who know them not, and without the power to assist them much, if
they were willing to do so. This is but a feeble picture of the consequences of
this measure. You know the woe, the horrors and the suffering cannot be
described by words; imagination can only conceive of it, and we ask you to
take these things into consideration. We know your mind and time are
constantly occupied with the duties of your command, which almost deters us
from asking your attention to this matter, but thought it might be that you had
not considered this subject in all of its awful consequences, and that on more
reflection you, we hope, would not make this people an exception to all
mankind, for we know of no such instance ever having occurred; surely none
such in the United States, and what has this helpless people done, that they
should be driven from their homes to wander strangers and outcasts and exiles,
and to subsist on charity? We do not know as yet the number of people still
here; of those who are here, we are satisfied a respectable number, if allowed to
remain at home, could subsist for several months without assistance, and a
respectable number for a much longer time, and who might not need assistance
at any time. In conclusion, we most earnestly and solemnly petition you to
reconsider this order, or modify it, and suffer this unfortunate people to remain
at home and enjoy what little means they have.

Respectfully submitted.

JAMES M. CALHOUN,

Mayor.

E. E. RAWSON,

S.C. WELLS,

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 Letter from Sherman to the Mayor and Council of Atlanta

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,

In the Field, Atlanta, Ga., September 12, 1864.

JAMES M. CALHOUN, Mayor, E. E. RAWSON, and S. C. WELLS,

Representing City Council of Atlanta:

GENTLEMEN: 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 the distress that will be
occasioned by it, and yet shall not revoke my orders, simply because my orders
are not designed to meet the humanities of the case, 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 that are arrayed against
the laws and Constitution, which all must respect and obey. To defeat these
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, and 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 is inconsistent with its
character as a home for families. There will be no manufactures, 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 thing 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 I propose to do, but I assert that my
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. If it
relaxes one bit to pressure it is gone, and I know 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, 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 part 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 alone 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 houses or your lands or
anything 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 involves 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 for you. I repeat then that
by 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 war by seizing forts, arsenals, mints, custom-houses, &c., long before
Mr. Lincoln was installed and before the South had one jot or tittle 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 upon thousands of the families of
rebel soldiers left on our hands and whom we could not see starve. Now that
war comes home 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
molded shells and shot to carry war into Kentucky and Tennessee, and 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 now 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 that peace does come, you
may call on me for anything. 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 at Atlanta.

Yours, in haste,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.