I hate newspapermen. They come into camp and pick up their camp rumors and print them as facts. I regard them as spies, which, in truth, they are.

Sherman’s remark expresses a soldier’s distrust of wartime journalism, especially reporting that relies on overheard “camp rumors” rather than verified information. In his view, such stories can mislead the public, compromise operations, and damage morale or reputations. Calling newspapermen “spies” underscores how information itself functions as a military asset: even unintentional disclosures can aid an enemy by revealing movements, strength, or intentions. The quote also reflects the broader Civil War tension between commanders who wanted operational secrecy and correspondents who claimed a public right to know—an early instance of the enduring conflict between press freedom and military security.