Why did some southerners reject William Tecumseh Sherman plan t give land to former slaves?

Some Southerners rejected William Tecumseh Sherman's plan to give land to former slaves, known as Special Field Orders No. 15, because they viewed it as an infringement on their property rights and a threat to their social and economic order. Many believed that land redistribution would undermine the agricultural system that relied on enslaved labor, leading to economic instability. Additionally, the idea of freed slaves owning land challenged deeply entrenched racial hierarchies and social norms in the South.