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ivilian； knew better； and appreciated my motives and character。 Though this letter of General Halleck has always been treated by me as confidential； I now insert it here at length：
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY WASHINGTON； D。C。； December 30； 1864。
Major…General W。 T。 SHERMAN； Savannah。
MY DEAR GENERAL： I take the liberty of calling your attention； in this private and friendly way； to a matter which may possibly hereafter be of more importance to you than either of us may now anticipate。
While almost every one is praising your great march through Georgia； and the capture of Savannah； there is a certain class having now great influence with the President； and very probably anticipating still more on a change of cabinet； who are decidedly disposed to make a point against you。 I mean in regard to 〃inevitable Sambo。〃 They say that you have manifested an almost criminal dislike to the negro； and that you are not willing to carry out the wishes of the Government in regard to him； but repulse him with contempt！ They say you might have brought with you to Savannah more than fifty thousand； thus stripping Georgia of that number of laborers； and opening a road by which as many more could have escaped from their masters； but that； instead of this； you drove them from your ranks； prevented their following you by cutting the bridges in your rear； and thus caused the massacre of large numbers by Wheeler's cavalry。
To those who know you as I do； such accusation will pass as the idle winds； for we presume that you discouraged the negroes from following you because you had not the means of supporting them； and feared they might seriously embarrass your march。 But there are others； and among them some in high authority； who think or pretend to think otherwise； and they are decidedly disposed to make a point against you。
I do not write this to induce you to conciliate this class of men by doing any thing which you do not deem right and proper； and for the interest of the Government and the country； but simply to call your attention to certain things which are viewed here somewhat differently than from your stand…point。 I will explain as briefly as possible：
Some here think that； in view of the scarcity of labor in the South； and the probability that a part； at least； of the able… bodied slaves will be called into the military service of the rebels； it is of the greatest importance to open outlets by which these slaves can escape into our lines； and they say that the route you have passed over should be made the route of escape； and Savannah the great plane of refuge。 These； I know； are the views of some of the leading men in the Administration； and they now express dissatisfaction that you did not carry them out in your great raid。
Now that you are in possession of Savannah； and there can be no further fears about supplies； would it not be possible for you to reopen these avenues of escape for the negroes； without interfering with your military operations？ Could not such escaped slaves find at least a partial supply of food in the rice…fields about Savannah； and cotton plantations on the coast？
I merely throw out these suggestions。 I know that such a course would be approved by the Government； and I believe that a manifestation on your part of a desire to bring the slaves within our lines will do much to silence your opponents。 You will appreciate my motives in writing this private letter。 Yours truly；
H。 W。 HALLECK。
There is no doubt that Mr。 Stanton； when he reached Savannah； shared these thoughts； but luckily the negroes themselves convinced him that he was in error； and that they understood their own interests far better than did the men in Washington； who tried to make political capital out of this negro question。 The idea that such men should have been permitted to hang around Mr。 Lincoln； to torture his life by suspicions of the officers who were toiling with the single purpose to bring the war to a successful end； and thereby to liberate all slaves； is a fair illustration of the influences that poison a political capital。
My aim then was； to whip the rebels； to humble their pride； to follow them to their inmost recesses； and make them fear and dread us。 〃Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom。〃 I did not want them to cast in our teeth what General Hood had once done in Atlanta； that we had to call on their slaves to help us to subdue them。 But； as regards kindness to the race； encouraging them to patience and forbearance； procuring them food and clothing； and providing them with land whereon to labor； I assert that no army ever did more for that race than the one I commanded in Savannah。 When we reached Savannah； we were beset by ravenous State agents from Hilton Head； who enticed and carried away our servants； and the corps of pioneers which we had organized； and which had done such excellent service。 On one occasion； my own aide…de…camp； Colonel Audenried； found at least a hundred poor negroes shut up in a house and pen； waiting for the night； to be conveyed stealthily to Hilton Head。 They appealed to him for protection； alleging that they had been told that they must be soldiers； that 〃Massa Lincoln〃 wanted them； etc。 I never denied the slaves a full opportunity for voluntary enlistment； but I did prohibit force to be used； for I knew that the State agents were more influenced by the profit they derived from the large bounties then being paid than by any love of country or of the colored race。 In the language of Mr。 Frazier； the enlistment of every black man 〃did not strengthen the army； but took away one white man from the ranks。〃
During Mr。 Stanton's stay in Savannah we discussed this negro question very fully； he asked me to draft an order on the subject； in accordance with my own views； that would meet the pressing necessities of the case； and I did so。 We went over this order； No。 15； of January 16； 1865； very carefully。 The secretary made some verbal modifications； when it was approved by him in all its details； I published it； and it went into operation at once。 It provided fully for the enlistment of colored troops； and gave the freedmen certain possessory rights to land； which afterward became matters of judicial inquiry and decision。 Of course； the military authorities at that day； when war prevailed； had a perfect right to grant the possession of any vacant land to which they could extend military protection； but we did not undertake to give a fee…simple title； and all that was designed by these special field orders was to make temporary provisions for the freedmen and their families during the rest of the war； or until Congress should take action in the premises。 All that I now propose to assert is； that Mr。 Stanton； Secretary of War； saw these orders in the rough； and approved every paragraph thereof； before they were made public：
＇Special Field Orders； No。 15。＇
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OE THE MISSISSIPPI； IN THE FIELD； NEAR SAVANNAH； GEORGIA； January 16； 1865。
1。 The islands from Charleston south； the abandoned rice…fields along the rivers for thirty miles back from the sea； and the country bordering the St。 John's River； Florida； are reser