I asked #DeepSeek about Field order 15:

Field Order 15, issued by General William Tecumseh Sherman during the American Civil War on January 16, 1865, is one of the most significant and controversial directives in U.S. history. It is often associated with the phrase **"40 acres and a mule,"** which became a symbol of reparations for freed enslaved people.

### Key Points of Field Order 15:
1. **Land Redistribution**: The order designated a large tract of land along the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida (roughly 400,000 acres) for redistribution to newly freed African American families. Each family was to receive up to 40 acres of land.
   
2. **Settlement**: The order allowed freedmen to settle on the land and cultivate it for their own benefit. The land was to be governed by the freedmen themselves, with the U.S. military providing protection.

3. **Mules**: While the order did not explicitly mention mules, the Union Army had surplus mules, and some were distributed to the settlers, leading to the popular phrase "40 acres and a mule."

4. **Purpose**: The order aimed to address the economic plight of freed slaves by providing them with the means to achieve self-sufficiency and independence. It was also intended to weaken the economic power of the Confederacy by redistributing land previously owned by slaveholders.

### Aftermath and Reversal:
- **Initial Implementation**: Approximately 10,000 freedmen settled on the land and began farming.
- **Reversal by President Andrew Johnson**: After President Abraham Lincoln's assassination, his successor, Andrew Johnson, reversed Field Order 15 in the fall of 1865. He pardoned many former Confederates and restored their land, forcing the freedmen to abandon their claims.
- **Legacy**: The reversal of Field Order 15 left many African Americans without the promised land, contributing to long-term economic disparities. The phrase "40 acres and a mule" remains a powerful symbol of unfulfilled promises and the struggle for reparations.

Field Order 15 is a pivotal moment in U.S. history, reflecting both the potential for radical change during Reconstruction and the challenges of achieving racial and economic justice.