Genocide is the mass killing of a group of people, as defined by Article 2 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (CPPCG) as “any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life, calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part….”
“When I go through South Carolina it will be one of the most horrible things in the history of the world.”
-US General William T. Sherman
Sherman’s March Through South Carolina
“South Carolina is reaping at last the consequence of her treason…”
-US General George W. Pepper (speaking of the Burning of Columbia)
“You know less then any woman I ever saw, but none of this will save you. Our forces are throughout your state. We’ll soon see the proud women of Carolina, like those of Georgia, with tears in their eyes begging crusts of bread from our men for their famishing children. Oh it was a Glorious Sight.”
-US General Atkins to a SC woman
“With Savannah in our possession at some future time, if not now, we can punish South Carolina as she deserves, and as thousands of people in Georgia hoped we would do. I do sincerely believe that the whole United States, North and South, would rejoice to have this army turned loose on South Carolina to devastate that State, in the manner we have done in Georgia, and it would have a direct and immediate bearing on your campaign in Virginia.”
-US General William T. Sherman
“South Carolina cried out the first for war and she shall have it to her hearts content. She sowed the wind and she shall reap the whirlwind.”
-An Iowa soldier at Savannah
“One thing for certain S Carolina is about to feel the Iron Hand of War placed on her and it will be no gentle manner, all soldiers know that it was the birth place of dark treason and we will make it the death place of some Traitors.”
-Illinois cavalry trooper
“I have never burnt a house down yet, but if we go into South Carolina I will burn some down if I can get the chance.”
-Federal soldier
“Should you capture Charleston, I hope that by some accident the place may be destroyed, and if a little salt should be sown upon its site it may prevent the growth of future crops of nullification and secession.” Sherman responded with an even more grim pronouncement that ”I will bear in mind your hint as to Charleston, and don’t think salt will be necessary. When I move the Fifteenth Corps will be on the right of the Right Wing, and their position will bring them, naturally, into Charleston first; and if you have watched the history of that corps you will have remarked that they generally do their work up pretty well. The truth is the whole army is burning with an insatiable desire to wreak vengeance upon South Carolina. I almost tremble at her fate, but feel that she deserves all that seems in store for her….”
-US Army Chief of Staff Major General Halleck with US General William T. Sherman’s reply
