Historical Letter: Sherman's Famous Field Order
Subject
Forty Acres and a Mule
Title
Historical Letter: Sherman's Famous Field Order
Date
02/02/1866
Type
Historical Letter
Description
Note: See the top of the third column on page eight. Some language may be offensive to readers.
Chronicling America provides a letter from Union General William Tecumseh Sherman to President Andrew Johnson on February 2, 1866, which was published in The Evening Telegraph the following day, that briefly details the origin and reasons for the issuing of Special Field Order No. 15 on January 16, 1865. The phrase "Forty Acres and a Mule," was derived from this order, which intended to provide allotted land and leftover Army mules to formerly enslaved African American families. In the letter, Sherman described how he and Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, drafted the order, knowing that they did not have the power to convey land titles, but that they merely "aimed to make provision for the negroes who were absolutely dependent upon us."
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Chronicling America provides a letter from Union General William Tecumseh Sherman to President Andrew Johnson on February 2, 1866, which was published in The Evening Telegraph the following day, that briefly details the origin and reasons for the issuing of Special Field Order No. 15 on January 16, 1865. The phrase "Forty Acres and a Mule," was derived from this order, which intended to provide allotted land and leftover Army mules to formerly enslaved African American families. In the letter, Sherman described how he and Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, drafted the order, knowing that they did not have the power to convey land titles, but that they merely "aimed to make provision for the negroes who were absolutely dependent upon us."
View Source Here
Publisher
Library of Congress - Chronicling America (The Evening Telegraph, PA)
Rights
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Insensitive Language/Images: Some sources may include insensitive language or images that were created just before, during or after the Reconstruction Era. We try our best to include advisory “notes” in the description section of each source to inform site visitors about potentially insensitive material.
Fairness & Accuracy Statement: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that seems inaccurate or doesn't look right, please contact us.
Collection
Tags
Citation
“Historical Letter: Sherman's Famous Field Order,” Project Reconstruction, accessed October 18, 2024, https://projectreconstructionus.com/items/show/27.