GENERAL:IhavethehonorherewithtosubmitcopiesofacorrespondencebetweenGeneralHood，oftheConfederateArmy，theMayorofAtlanta，andmyself，touchingtheremovaloftheinhabitantsofAtlanta。
Inexplanationofthetonewhichmarkssomeoftheseletters，I
willonlycallyourattentiontothefactthat，afterIhadannouncedmydetermination，GeneralHoodtookuponhimselftoquestionmymotives。Icouldnottamelysubmittosuchimpertinence;andIhavealsoseenthat，inviolationofallofficialusage，hehaspublishedintheMaconnewspaperssuchpartsofthecorrespondenceassuitedhispurpose。Thiscouldhavehadnootherobjectthantocreateafeelingonthepartofthepeople;
butifheexpectstoresorttosuchartifices，IthinkIcanmeethimtheretoo。
ItissufficientformyGovernmenttoknowthattheremovaloftheinhabitantshasbeenmadewithliberalityandfairness，thatithasbeenattendedwithnoforce，andthatnowomenorchildrenhavesuffered，unlessforwantofprovisionsbytheirnaturalprotectorsandfriends。