On August 4, 1863, W.T.Sherman in Camp on Big Black River, Mississippi, wrote to Grant at Vicksburg, "the Amount of burning, stealing and plundering done by our army makes me ashamed of it. 

I would rather quit the service if I could, because I fear that we are drifting to the worst sort of vandalism....You and I and every commander must go through the war, justly charged with crimes at which we blush."

Federal Official Records ( O.R.) vol. XXIV, pt. III 574  3/12