You came into our country with your army, avowedly for the purpose of subjugating free white men, women, and children, and not only intend to rule over them, but you make Negroes your allies and desire to place over us an inferior race, which we have raised from barbarism to its present position, which is the highest ever attained by that race, in any country, in all time. I must, therefore, decline to accept your statements in reference to your kindness toward the people of Atlanta and your willingness to sacrifice everything for the peace and honor of the South, and refuse to be governed by your decision in regard to matters between myself, my country, and my God.
You say, “Let us fight it out like men.” To this my reply is—for myself, and I believe for all the true men, ay, and women and children, in my country—we will fight you to the death! Better die a thousand deaths than submit to live under you or your government and your Negro allies!
Having answered the points forced upon me by your letter of the ninth of September, I close this correspondence with you and, notwithstanding your comments upon my appeal to God in the cause of humanity, I again humbly and reverently invoke His almighty aid in defense of justice and right.
Respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
J.B. Hood,
General
Headquarters Military Division of the Mississippi, in the Field, Atlanta, Georgia, September 14
General J.B. Hood, Commanding Army of Tennessee, Confederate Army
GENERAL: Yours of September 12 is received and has been carefully perused. I agree with you that this discussion by two soldiers is out of place and profitless; but you must admit that you began the controversy by characterizing an official act of mine in unfair and improper terms. I reiterate my former answer, and to the only new matter contained in your rejoinder add: we have no “Negro allies” in this army; not a single Negro soldier left Chattanooga with this army or is with it now.
I was not bound by the laws of war to give notice of the shelling of Atlanta, a “fortified town with magazines, arsenals, foundries, and public stores;” you were bound to take notice. See the books.
This is the conclusion of our correspondence, which I did not begin, and terminate with satisfaction.
I am, with respect,
Your obedient servant,
W.T. Sherman,
Major-General, commanding
Two months after the exchange of letters, Sherman, having burned Atlanta to the ground, marched his scorched-earth policy eastward through Georgia to the sea.