Sherman Sherman was a hero

[SpartanGSG]

Shane,
As a relative newbie to the community I have been meaning to compliment you on not only your role as a moderator(and I cite recent specific incidents in support of Ami whose lines of communication have been temporarily broken) and of course what you bring to the table on a regular basis. I am sure long time members already know this but I wanted to throw in my two cents. Now, for the purposes of educating us recent wanderers into this camp-pls do explain your moniker.
Best regards,
Spartan

 

[30th_il]

whatcha need

Okay Shane...scotch is good...Speyburn, Famous Grouse...and the best tobacco I've had in a pipe is Pine Creek. Ole...hmmm, lager or ale?

 

[SpartanGSG]

Hey 30th I'am in too. It's about 100 frickin degrees in Missouri, I will take a cold ale. Best regards, Spartan

 

[Battalion]

To the People of Georgia:

Arise for the defense of your native soil! Rally around your patriotic Governor and gallant soldiers! Obstruct and destroy all the roads in Sherman's front, flank, and rear, and his army will soon starve in your midt. Be confident. Be resolute. Trust in an overruling Providence, and success will soon crown your efforts. I hasten to join you in the defense of your homes and firesides.

G. T. BEAUREGARD

To the People of Georgia:

You have now the best opportunity ever yet presented to destroy the enemy. Put every thing at the disposal of our generals; remove all provisions from the path of the, invader, and put all obstructions in his path.

Every citizen with his gun, and every negro with his spade and axe, can do the work of a soldier. You can destroy the enemy by retarding his march.

Georgians, be firm! Act promptly, and fear not!

B. H. Hill, Senator.

To the People of Georgia:

We have had a special conference with President Davis and the Secretary of War, and are able to assure you that they have done and are still doing all that can be done to meet the emergency that presses upon you. Let every man fly to arms! Remove your negroes, horses, cattle, and provisions from Sherman's army, and burn what you cannot carry. Burn all bridges, and block up the roads in his route. Assail the invader in front, flank, and rear, by night and by day. Let him have no rest.

JULIAN HARTRIDGE
MARK BLANDFORD
J. H. ECHOLS
GEO. N. LESTER
JOHN T. SHUEMAKE
JAS. M. SMITH

Just as a note, this is a CLEAR call from the CS govt to civilians to fire upon US troops thus inviting retaliation upon the civilian populace. Not very responsible... or honorable.

It's called MILITIA...

...every white male in the State of Georgia (ages 16 to 60) was enrolled and subject to militia duty....with few exemptions.

 

[johan_steele]

It's called MILITIA...

...every white male in the State of Georgia (ages 16 to 60) was enrolled and subject to militia duty....with few exemptions.

Funny that... no mention of militia there. Are you saying all males in Georgia were militia... aka combatants.

Well Battalion, every male in Georgia agaed 16-60 failed miserably to slow Sherman and his march to the sea. The people of Georgia were let down by their state govt, their CS govt and most of all by the leadership that put them in the situation of having to face 60,000 irritated veteran US soldiers marching through their state. Add 7,000 or so men under Wheeler who had received no rations or pay from their govt in most of a year... they were supplied off the people they were to protect through foraging not unlike that of Sherman's men. Now add as many as 10,000 CS deserters (most trying to get home because they saw the foolishness of a continuing Rebellion or were unwilling conscripts in the first place) and at least 25,000 irritable freed slaves. Figure at least 100,000 men in the state of Georgia with very little sympathy for the plight of the average Georgian and very little love for the wealthy slaveowners who got the whole mess started in the first place. Not exactly a recipe for cordial dinner parties.

IMHO probably something around 1-3% of all involved were likely to have creative morals of the kind to make life hard for any innocent that crossed their path. It really is amazing what happens when you read the letters & diaries of the men who actually participated... who were really on the Sharp End. You start to understand & sympathize w/ them & realize just how much of what they did has been exagerated.

Have a pleasent day Battalion

 

[johan_steele]

Shane,
As a relative newbie to the community I have been meaning to compliment you on not only your role as a moderator(and I cite recent specific incidents in support of Ami whose lines of communication have been temporarily broken) and of course what you bring to the table on a regular basis. I am sure long time members already know this but I wanted to throw in my two cents. Now, for the purposes of educating us recent wanderers into this camp-pls do explain your moniker.
Best regards,
Spartan

Thank You for the compliment. Johan Steele is my Living History persona. A composite of two real men who served in Minnesota Regiments. I have enough living people peeved at me no need to irritate the dead.

Ami & Mike put a lot of time, money & effort into this site and get very little appreciation. Least I can do is try to help out. And contrary to the belief of a chosen few on the site those two show NO favoritism. I typically visit the site twice a day and often see more posts than Ami or Mike. I still miss quite a lot... especially on the political threads which I don't often follow very well. THough they have proven to me that politics in 1860 were every bit as partisan and nasty as today; in some cases worse.

My own knowledge of the CW... is the knowledge of just how little I really know. I've concentrated so long on the western theatre that I often sell short the work of those pesky easterners in the AoP & ANV. After all the war was won or lost in the west... why study the sideshow the press was so hung up on?

 

[Rad2duhbone53]

It never ceases to amaze me when I hear Sherman referred to as brilliant for waging war on old men, women and children. Rather than square off in front of the Confederate army, he chose to attack their defenseless women and children, mothers and fathers. Perhaps some call that "brilliant tactics", but it is immoral and disgusting. If you don't understand why the South faults him so much, perhaps if you read some of the personal Southern accounts of the results of his "scorched earth" policy you would begin to understand. As someone pointed out, you can find plenty about Sherman on this message board, also, you can find as many excuses for his behavior as imagination will allow, but no excuse will hold up for starving women and their children, actually destroying thier food that Sherman didn't want or need, and sometimes burning their houses down in front of them.

Regards,
Rose

If you don't watch yourself you could easily repeat history.Sherman's main plan was to demoralize the population so as not to give comfort to thier soldier boys..........same as the Liberal Media doing thier best to demoralize the US population so as not to give comfort to OUR boys overseas. hmmmmmmmm.

 

[johan_steele]

Whoa, keep it polite. I don't know Wild Roses politics and don't care to. But I rather suspect any kind of charge that she does anything but supports our troops is unfair. Regardless; I hope I misread & misunderstood the post.

 

[SpartanGSG]

Rad,
What in the **** does Sherman have to do with your twisted spin on the alleged "liberal media bias" in this country? As a political progressive I see the benefits and the weakenesses of the "Conservative Movement as well as those of the "Liberal Movement" Whty is it that you have to put a stain on a subject that is offered as as an exellent debate offered in turn by an excellent venue? Comments like this are as offensive to the mainstream as any of the extremie right. Why must you reduce interesting dialogue on Sherman to partisan vomit?
Respectfully,
Spartan

 

[ole]

It's hot (not 100, Spartan, but 93 in the shade), let's talk about really cold beer. When it's this hot, I'd cheerfully settle for Old Milwaukee.
Ole

 

[Battalion]

Funny that... no mention of militia there. Are you saying all males in Georgia were militia... aka combatants.

Yes, with few exemptions

Age 16, 50-60.........Militia (55-60 Home Guard)
Age 17, 45-50.........Confederate Reserves
Age 18-45..............Confederate Army

This proclamation called on just about everyone not already serving in the Confederate Army or Reserves-
http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-...otisid=ANU4519-0111&coll=moa&frames=1&view=50

 

[johan_steele]

Okay Shane...scotch is good...Speyburn, Famous Grouse...and the best tobacco I've had in a pipe is Pine Creek. Ole...hmmm, lager or ale?

I'm cheap... Johnnie Walker Red Label will do for me. Best Tobacco I have ever smoked was from a farmer outside Fayettville NC. I had to cut it as it was so strong. Gent retired last year so my source dried up... now I am relegated to the generic. As to Ole's choice in beers... just make sure it's cold and I doubt he'll complain too much.

 

[SpartanGSG]

Ok boys, we'll meet in Lousville. Ole will bring the cooler of Old Milwaukee, I'll bring a few liters of Johnny Walker Black(sorry Shane, if we're gonna indulge gotta go high end JW), 30th will bring the ceegars and we'll work our way to Savannah. Perhaps we can be ringers in a few reenactments along the way. Man thats living!
Best regards,
Spartan

 

[IAmHistory]

What I have learned

Well, I know this was a very general post (hence many responses), but I have enjoyed hearing the feedback from everyone, so thank you. It was my understanding that Sherman gave Hood adequate notice of his intent so Atlanta's civilians could be evacuated and that there were very few documented reports that casualties resulted (destruction of personal property excluded.) I really would like to see some first hand documentation about all these rapes and killings of innocent women and children that certain people continue to mention. I have heard little of this. Of course you hear that rapes occured, but were definitely not ordered by the military. Maybe it is true that a blind eye was turned to them. Sherman almost admitted that in some of his letters...afterall, his purpose was to end that part of the conflict and he did do a fine job. I wonder how much of this was actually Sherman's idea though, and how much of it came from Lincoln, Grant or others in Lincoln's cabinet.

 

[Miss Markie]

Rad,
What in the **** does Sherman have to do with your twisted spin on the alleged "liberal media bias" in this country? As a political progressive I see the benefits and the weakenesses of the "Conservative Movement as well as those of the "Liberal Movement" Whty is it that you have to put a stain on a subject that is offered as as an exellent debate offered in turn by an excellent venue? Comments like this are as offensive to the mainstream as any of the extremie right. Why must you reduce interesting dialogue on Sherman to partisan vomit?
Respectfully,
Spartan

Dear Spartan and Johan,
I feel the same way as your post describes, and that is, for some reason people on CW boards tend to 'assume' your politics of today based on whether or not you think Lee was a saint or Sherman a devil or vice versa. As a 'veteran' of more boards than I can remember, I can tell you that my main reason for dropping out of those I no longer visit is because I can't stand the inferences that people draw about one based on their posts pro or con for one side or the other in the WBTS. Me? Well, let's just say I am a former 'flower child' of the 70's, have a progressive outlook, but that doesn't mean I don't support the troops, etc. I am fascinated with Robert E. Lee *sigh* but my one traceable CW ancestor fought with Sherman all the way to the sea. His dad was a militia captain in Illinois during the Black Hawk War (not a very noble war in the end) and his dad spent a winter at Valley Forge, and the list goes on. I could be whipsawed around from left to right, in all that those terms mean, but I try here to be neutral so as to not set off any fire bombs.
I enjoy the discussions and I think the esteemed moderator is right, we just get ourselves in too much needless tumult when we assume things.... and we all know what assume stands for!:laugh1:
Miss Markie
PS~ all you moderators, keep up the good work!!

 

[Miss Markie]

Oh, and fellas, let me know where I can send you an extra ten bucks to keep you off the Old Milwaukee!!

 

[SpartanGSG]

Thanks Miss Markie, ok being the true patriot I am perhaps we can throw in some Sam Adams summer pale ale into the fray.
With kind regards,
Spartan

 

[Miss Markie]

Love it! Tell me where to send my donation to the 'ale needy'!!
And you are welcome.

 

[ole]

Oh, and fellas, let me know where I can send you an extra ten bucks to keep you off the Old Milwaukee!!

My expression of preference wasn't very clear. What I meant was, when it is as hot as it is, I'd settle for Old Milwaukee. I forgot to add "one." Two I couldn't handle. Back around 2000, an in-law brought a case to a family get-together we were hosting. 22 cans remained in my pantry until I threw them out this spring.

Domestic beer of choice is Old Style; import is Beck's (light colored band).

Sorry about your having yankee ancestors. You are still free to admire Bobby Lee if you'd like. A lot of yankees do.
Ole

 

[Miss Markie]

Ah yes, now I see that only the extreme heat would drive you to an Old Mil. Whew! I was concerned that an intervention would have to take place right here and now!!
Now don't go picking on my yankee relatives, they are all dead now!

And Bobby Lee? what more can I say, dash and panache, and a surprising sense of humor. My hero worship made me climb the fence at the Franklin Street house in Richmond just to see the back of the house's lower level where my favorite Lee picture was taken. Luckily I have good climbing skills yet and an indulgent husband (yet :laugh1: )