Sherman Letters to the Generals

Sherman’s Philosophy of War In Memoirs of General William T. Sherman, it reveals Sherman letters to the Union generals. Sherman letter to General Ulysses S. Grant, commander in chief of all Union forces in the Civil War, he discusses his belief about the size of armies and how that plays into of the nature modern warfare. “We ought to ask our country for the largest possible armies that can be raised...” (McFeely 114). Sherman feels it is important thing as the self- existence of a great nation should not chance war (114). He believes the bigger the army the better. The letter to General John Bell Hood, commander of Confederate Army of Tennessee, discusses their wrangle over the city of Atlanta. Sherman has deemed that citizens now residing in Atlanta should remove. Since Sherman believes that Atlanta is no place for families and his real reasons are they want all houses of Atlanta for military storage and occupation and to contract the lines of defense. Because of these reasons he is providing food and transportation for further north and transportation by cars for Rough and Ready. Sherman letter to General Hood is hoping this proposition of his meets Hood views. Hood response to Sherman letter was he does not consider that he has any alternative in this matter. He describes Sherman removing proposal as “the “unprecedented” measures transcends, in studied and ingenious cruelty, all acts ever before brought to my attention in the dark history of war” (119). Sherman justifies his “unprecedented” measures by referring to General Johnston whom very wise and properly removed the families all the way from Dalton down. Sherman also feels it was unnecessary to appeal to the dark history, when recant and modern examples are so handy. Sherman feels he has not once judged General Hood for his cruelty, so why is his proposal a major concern. “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