William T. Sherman

In September of 1864, Union army major-general William T. Sherman prepared to destroy the crucial Confederate railway junction and manufacturing center of Atlanta, Georgia. Before burning Atlanta, Sherman issued an order for the city to be completely evacuated. The order brought an appeal from city officials, who asked Sherman to reconsider for the sake of civilian women, children, and the elderly. In the following letter to Mayor James M. Calhoun and city council members E.E. Rawson and S.C. Wells, Sherman refuses to delay the evacuation and explains why Atlanta must be destroyed. Sherman's harsh philosophy of war-making is later summed up in history books by his most famous saying, "War is hell!"

Headquarters Military Division of the Mississippi in the Field, Atlanta, Georgia, James M. Calhoun, Mayor, E.E. Rawson and S.C. Wells, representing City...