ARMY OPERATIONS. 



43 



with parties ia hostility, they are spies, and can be 

 punished with death or minor punishment. 



These are well-established principles of war, and 

 the people of the South having appealed to war, are 

 barred from appealing to our Constitution, which 

 they have practically and publicly defied. They 

 hare appealed to war, and must abide its rules and 

 laws. The United States, us a belligerent party 

 claiming right in the soil as the ultimate sovereign, 

 have a right to change the population, and it may be 

 and is, both politic and just, we should do so in cer- 

 tain districts. When the inhabitants persist too 

 long in hostility, it may be both politic and right we 

 should banish them and appropriate their lands to a 

 more loyal and useful population. No man will deny 

 that the United States would be benefited by dis- 

 possessing a single prejudiced, hard-headed, and dis- 

 loyal planter, and substituting in his place a dozen or 

 more patient, industrious, good families, even if they 

 be of foreign birth. I think it does good to present 

 this view of the case to many Southern gentlemen, 

 who g_rew rich and wealthy, not by virtue alone of 

 their industry and skill, but by reason of the pro- 

 tection and impetus to prosp_erity given by our hith- 

 erto moderate and magnanimous Government. It 

 is all idle nonsense for these Southern planters to 

 say that they made the South, that they own it, and 

 that they can do as they please even to break up 

 our Government, and to shut up the natural avenues 

 of trade, intercourse, and commerce. 



We know, and they know, if they are intelligent 

 beings, that, as compared with the whole world, they 

 are but as five millions are to one thousand millions 

 that they did not create the land that their only 

 title to its use and usufruct is the deed of the United 

 States ; and if they appeal to war, they hold their all 

 by a very insecure tenure. 



For my part I believe that this war is the result of 

 false political doctrine, for which we are all as a peo- 

 ple responsible, viz. : that any and every people have 

 a right to self-government ; and I would give all a 

 chance to reflect, and when in error to recant. I 

 know slave owners finding themselves in possession 

 of a species of property in opposition to the growing 

 sentiment of the whole civilized world, conceived 

 their property in danger, and foolishly appealed to 

 war ; and by skilful political handling involved with 

 themselves the whole South on the doctrines of error 

 and prejudice. I believe that some of the rich and 

 slaveholding are prejudiced to an extent that nothing 

 but death and rum will extinguish, but hope that as 

 thejjoorer and industrial classes of the South realize 

 their relative weakness, and their dependence upon the 

 fruits of the earth and good will of their fellow-men, 

 they will not only discover the error of their ways, 

 and" repent of their hasty action, but bless those who 

 persistently maintained a Constitutional Government, 

 strong enough to sustain itself, protect its citizens, 

 and promise peaceful homes to millions yet unborn. 



In this belief, whilst I assert for our Government 

 the highest military prerogatives, I am willing to 

 bear in patience that politicalnonsense of slave rights, 

 State rights, freedom of conscience, freedom of press, 

 and such other trash as have deluded the Southern 

 people into war, anarchy, bloodshed, and the foulest 

 crimes that have disgraced any time or any people. 



I would advise the commanding officers at Hunts- 

 ville, and such other towns as are occupied by our 

 troops, to assemble the inhabitants and expla'in to 

 them these plain, self-evident propositions, and tell 

 them that it is for them now to say, whether they 

 and their children shall inherit the beautiful land, 

 which, by the accident of nature, has fallen to their 

 share. The Government of the United States has in 

 North Alabama any and all rights which they choose 

 to enforce in w_ar, to take their lives, their homes, 

 their lands, their every thing, because they cannot 

 deny that war does exist there, and war is simply 

 power unrestrained by constitution or compact. If 

 they want eternal war, well and good we will accept 



the issue and dispossess them, and put our friends in 

 possession. I know thousands and millions of good 

 people who, at simple notice, would come to iNorth 

 Alabama and accept the elegant houses and planta- 

 tions now there. If the people of Huntsville think 

 different, let them persist in war three years longer, 

 and then they will not be consulted. Three years 

 ago, by a little reflection and patience they could 

 have had a hundred years of peace and prosperity, 

 but they preferred war; very well, last year they 

 could have saved their slaves, but now it is too late 

 all the powers of earth cannot restore to them their 

 slaves any more than their dead grandfathers. Next 

 year their lands will be taken, for in war we can take 

 them, and rightfully, too, and in another year they 

 may beg in vain for their lives. A people who will 

 persevere in war beyond a certain limit, ought to 

 know the consequences. Many, many people, with 

 less pertinacity than the South, have been wiped out 

 of national existence. 



My own belief is, that even now the non-slavehold- 

 ing classes of the South are alienating from their as- 

 sociates in war. Already I hear crimination. Those 

 who have property left, should take warning in time. 



Since I have come down here, I have seen many 

 Southern planters who now hire their negroes, and 

 acknowledge that they knew not the earthquake they 

 were to make by appealing to secession. They 

 thought that the politicians nad prepared the way, 

 and that they could part in peace. They now see 

 that we are bound together as one nation, by indis- 

 soluble ties, and that any interest or any people that 

 set themselves up in antagonism to the nation, must 

 perish. 



While I would not remit one jot or tittle of our 

 nation's rights, in peace or war, I do make allow- 

 ances for past political errors and false prejudices. 

 Our national Congress and Supreme Courts are the 

 proper arenas in which to discuss conflicting opin- 

 ions and not the battle-field. 



You may not hear from me again, and if you think 

 it will do any good, call some of the people together, 

 and explain these my views. You may even read 

 to them this letter, and let them use it, so as to pre- 

 pare them for my coming. 



To those who submit to the rightful law and au- 

 thority, all gentleness and forbearance, but to the 

 petulant and persistent secessionists, why, death is 

 mercy, and the quicker he or she is disposed of, the 

 better. Satan, and the rebellious saints of heaven, 

 were allowed a continuance of existence in hell, 

 merely to swell their just punishment. To such as 

 would rebel against a Government so mild and just 

 as ours was in peace, a punishment equal would not 

 be unjust. 



We are progressing well in this quarter. Though 

 I have not changed my opinion that we may soon as- 

 sume the existence of our National Government, yet 

 years will pass before ruffianism, murder, and rob- 

 bery will cease to afflict this region of our country. 



Truly your friend, 

 (Signed) W. T. SHERMAN, 



Major-General Commanding. 



The advance of Gen. Sherman's movement, 

 consisting of the 17th corps, under Gen. Mc- 

 Pherson, left Yicksburg on February 3d, in 

 light marching order, with rations for some 

 days. The enemy -were encountered after 

 crossing the Big Black River, during the day, 

 and some skirmishing ensued. The encamp- 

 ment was made that night on the west side of 

 Baker's Creek, the enemy appearing in line of 

 battle on the opposite side. The Confederate 

 force consisted of about two thousand cavalry 

 under Gen. Whitworth, who was in command 

 from Jackson westward. At Canton there was 



