Why did some southerners reject Sherman and plan to give land to former slaves?

Some Southerners rejected General William Tecumseh Sherman's proposal to allocate land to former slaves, specifically the idea of "40 acres and a mule," because they believed it undermined their social and economic systems. Many feared that land redistribution would disrupt the traditional plantation economy and threaten their way of life. Additionally, there were deep-seated racial prejudices that influenced their views, as many white Southerners were opposed to the idea of African Americans owning land or gaining economic independence. This resistance was part of a broader struggle over the future of the South during Reconstruction.