“The land of the brave, and the home of the free.”
CHAPTER XX.
The Tidings of Victory at Washington—The President’s Messages to the People and to the Army—General Sherman congratulates his Battalions—The Rebel General is indignant—The Correspondence between him and General Sherman—The authorities of Atlanta also unreconciled to the new order of things—The noble Letters and Conduct of the Conquerer.
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TLANTA has fallen!” flew on lightning-wing over the country, making the wildest rejoicing of the loyal millions, and darkening with despondency and wrath the faces of traitors in their own camps and those among the patriots of the north. “Atlanta is ours, and fairly won!” was the sublimely simple message of General Sherman. The importance and grandeur of the achievement called forth an enthusiastic expression of rejoicing in the Executive mansion, and of gratitude to God.
We can almost imagine our calm and excellent President gathering about him his Cabinet, and proposing three cheers for Sherman; then retiring to his private apartment, raising his tearful eye upward to the “King of kings,” in thankful recognition of the source of strength and conquest, before he took the pen to send over the land the brief and stirring messages given below:
“To Major-General Dix, New York:
“The President has issued the following recommendations and orders in relation to the recent successes by the United States forces at Mobile and Atlanta.
“Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War.”