Sherman's War

I simply cannot get my head around anything this morning... however, I would like to leave you with this...

You cannot qualify war in harsher terms than I will. War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it; and those who brought war into our country deserve all the curses and maledictions a people can pour out. - General W.T. Sherman

The debate that I cannot get into for the lack of capability is whether or not Total War is a reasoned approach. Horrific, terrible but perhaps if folks were busy rebuilding their homes, farms and villages they would have less time making War. Perhaps?