Lee left I.O.U.'s for supplies and he burned nothing. Contrast this with Sherman who had acquired by force the best of every kind of provision and the finest steeds in the nation by the time he ended his "March to the Sea"
"And when Early's men burned Chambersburg"
This was Early's decision alone as a revenge for atrocities by the Union in the Shenandoah Valley. Early asked for compensation first to pay for homes that were destroyed. The town refused, he burned it. Interesting that it did not happen again and you do not know what Lee said to Early. Either way it is a far cry from Sherman's plan to put innocent civilians in freight cars then pull them "by means of a long rope" across places where explosive charges were suspected so they could blow themselves up.
"As for the Indians, you seem to forget that the Cherokee nation was uprooted and sent west on their Trail of Tears in the 1820's at the behest of the people of North Carolina and Georgia. Most of the initial troops were Georgia militia."
Although I would dispute your facts, I will accept them for the sake that you make my point. NC and GA were part of the Union so it was a Union act. Committed under the flag of our Nation. We do not hate "Old Glory" or our early heritage it is ridiculous to do so. Yet, you would have me hate my history. Why can you not adopt Sherman's view of Slavery if you love him so much? His words.. "the people of Louisiana were hardly responsible for slavery, as they had inherited it" I submit to you I too inherited slavery as did most of the South and her fighting men.
" Neither side has clean hands where that is concerned."
Sorry, there were no sides then. This was a U.S. atrocity, but I still wave the American Flag. There were Indians fighting for the Confederacy though, but I am sure you know that.
Here is a link to the website for the Carlisle Barracks in Pennsylvania. It details the occupation of the town by southern forces under several of Lee's subordinate commanders, the demand for food and provisions without mention of payment, the seach of private homes by confederate soldiers when the demanded provisions were not forthcoming. This is only one such instance. Gettysburgh itself came about when Harry Heth went there to loot a shoe factory, unaware that Ewell's troops had stripped it clean a few days earlier. You claim that there was no foraging by confederate troops is clearly false.
This was Early's decision alone as a revenge for atrocities by the Union in the Shenandoah Valley.
Actually, Sheridan's campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, which caused the widespread distruction you seem to be referring to, took place in the fall of 1864 while Chambersburg was burned in the early summer. But in any cans I suppose that means that if Sherman said that his burning of Atlanta was in response for the destruction of Chambersburg then that would be OK with you?
I submit to you I too inherited slavery as did most of the South and her fighting men.
Sherman did say that Louisiana inherited slavery and I can't disagree with that. Slavery existed in Louisiana and other parts of the country - north and south - long before any of the men who fought in the Civil War were ever born. I don't doubt that. But the men of the south went to war in large part to defend that institution of slavery and that is where your troubles came from.
As for your flag and your 'heritage' I don't hate it, I don't hate anyone who supports it. Treasure it all you want. But I have a flag and a heritage, too, and don't be surprised if I defend it.