Making Light of Sherman's War Crimes Not Appreciated

David Anderson

David Anderson is a dedicated activist who lives in Conyers. He's the Chief Heritage Officer for the Georgia Division of Sons of Confederate Veterans and he's a volunteer contributor to the Georgia Heritage Council.

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Making Light of Sherman's War Crimes Not Appreciated - Commentary by David Anderson

This commentary is to call on all Georgia citizens to protest an outrage that should offend all people of goodwill, but especially all Southerners.

I'm writing about the Lions Club of Covington. They have chosen to promote a fundraising event---which may indeed be for a good cause----by making light of the war crimes committed by General William T. Sherman. It's reasonable to presume that the orgnanizers of an event named for Sherman must approve of Sherman's actions and seek to honor him by their use of his name. They have named their barbeque event "Sherman's Last burning." See it for yourself at the following links:

Covington Lions - Sherman's Last Burning Barbeque

badams@airconspec.com - email address listed on flyer

Chamber of Commerce community calendar

This is more that just bad taste...this is an outrage and an insult. It is making light of real war crimes committed right here in Georgia and the Carolinas. Anyone with moral compassion should be offended.

Please let these people know your thoughts on the matter. We ask that you do so in a respectful but firm way in keeping with traditional Southern honor and tradition. Below is a sample letter to use and modify as you deem appropriate.

Your help in protesting this outrage will be greatly appreciated. Our ancestors who were victims of Sherman's crimes deserve much more than an apology. The least we can do is discourage others from making a mockery of their suffering.

UPDATE

Folks it looks like the massive letter, e-mails and phone calls campaign might have worked. I was contacted by Buddy Adams by phone today.

Seems there might be a misunderstanding (his words, not mine) on Sherman’s Last Burning. There seems to be two different flyers out on this statewide BBQ contest event, which leads to the national BBQ Contest in Tennessee, sponsored by Jack Daniels).

One with what everyone has seen via their website and another one that has an effigy of Sherman being roasted by a hog. I told him that the usage of English in the title gives a different view and that they should consider renaming it “BBQ Sherman.” He also hinted that they (Lions Club) thought it might cause a controversy, well it did and it was more that they thought, hence the thought of renaming it. It maybe a little to late now to rename it, since the massive advertisement of it went out. He stated it was indeed an education for him and the Lions, and they never thought that the SCV was as strong as they were.

I’ve also received word that there might be an onsite protest. Now that is a different matter altogether. The Georgia Division has not sanctioned a protest at their function nor would I recommend doing so. The Covington Police Department has stated they would arrest anyone that did so without a permit.

However, I would recommend that the letters continue, asking for clarification of their definition of the title and recommend changing the title for a better understanding.

Sample Letter

Ken Royston, Pres.
Covington Lions Club
PO Box 829
Covington, GA 30015

Mr. Royston:

From the recent write up in the Newton Citizen, Rockdale Citizen and many other newspapers and websites around the state, we see that your organization has decided to name its BBQ Cook-off after a person whom many Southerners believe committed the worst criminal acts on its citizenry during the War Between the States. By international standards of 1860-1865, Sherman was a war criminal who caused the deaths of untold thousands of civilians including my family members. Sherman even bragged about causing non-combatant damage and deaths that can today clearly be called genocide. A few Sherman quotes are in order here:

"There is a class of people [in the South], men, women, and children, who must be killed or banished before you can hope for peace and order." ---General William T. Sherman
"Until we can repopulate Georgia, it is useless to occupy it, but the utter destruction of its roads, houses, and people will cripple their military resources. I can make the march, and make Georgia howl." -- General William T. Sherman (to General Grant)

Your actions are not only in bad taste, they are absolutely disrespectful to the descendants of the victims living in Covington and Newton County and all of Georgia in Sherman's path of destruction. Such callous disregard for your neighbors and the citizens of Georgia is shocking.

If perhaps, your intent was something different, perhaps you will enlighten the public with a clarification.

I, __________(NAME)_______________ would ask that the Covington Lions Club consider renaming the event and also consider learning more about the historical events that shaped Newton County, Covington and Oxford during the war. There are historical-hereditary organizations that are willing to help in educating about the events that took place around there and the surrounding areas.

Sincerely,

(Your name)
City, State

"People separated from their history are easily persuaded." --Karl Marx

"A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday does not know where it is today...The reputation of an individual is of minor importance to the opinion posterity may form of the motives which governed the South in their late struggle for the maintenance of the principles of the Constitution. I hope therefore, a true history will be written, and justice will be done them."
--Gen. Robert E. Lee

"If you don't know history, you don't know anything. You're a leaf that doesn't know it's part of a tree." ---Michael Crichton