The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-07-03

that the gen tlemen who bore your flag have
been received with every courtesy by our oiti-
zens, we'll rs by ourselves. l have the
nonor TO be, very respec fully, &c,
j. BASKHEAp MAaRUDsK, Uoi. Cong.
Gen. butler TO Cot 4R0gruder.
HEApaUAsTRRs DEPARTxgzT OF Va,
Fortress Monroe, June Is, '6l.
Col j. b. Maquder, Comd K Forces at Y orktown:
STA ~ our favor OF June 18th, by Captain
Davies, with a tag Of truce, was this morn
ing received. l desire first TO thank you for
the courtesy shown to the flag and. it's Mes
sengeTs. will accept the exchange tor private
Car ter. The two citizens, Whiting ana Live
ly, were taken with arms in their hands, one
OF which was discharged from the house of
Whiting upon the column of our troops
when all resistance was useless, and when his
attack vas simply an assassination, and when
no offence had been committed against him
The house from which the shot WAS fred
and "A building which formed par. of your
outposts, are the only conIdgratious caused
by the troops under my command, and he light
OF these had ceased hours before your men
ventured out from under their earthWorks
and di tches to do us the courtesy OF burying
our dead-fOr which act you have my sincer-
est thanks. After our troops returned from
the iieid-hours AFTER building was burned
which furnished our wounded some shelter
and from which We had moved them, but was
not burned by our men. For your kind treat
ment of any of our wounded you may have,
ton, and with the certainty that at any and
every opportunity, each courtesy and kind
ness will be reciprocated.
l am sorry that officer 80 dis tirguished
i'll the service of the United States as yourself
could, for a moment, suppose that the wantnn
destruc ton OF private property would in any
way be authorized or tolerated by the Federal
Government and its officers, many of whom
are your late associates. Even now, while
your letter Is being ans wared, and this is on
lite way to you, most ignominious and severe
punishment, in the presence of all the troops
near this post, is being inflicted men who
have enlis ted in the service of the United States,
mot soldiers for plundering private property.
ALI the private property wlioh could not,
by the 3tri..test construction, be considered
contraband of war, or means of feeding
aiding the enemy, which has been brought
within my line, or in any way has come
into the hands of my troops, aud discovered
with the stricteBt examination, has been
taken account of, collected together to De
given up to those peaceable citizens who
have come forward to make claim for it.
Board of Secretary has been organized, and
has already reported indemnity for The pro-
perty Of peaceable citizens, necessarily de
stroyed. In order TO convince you that no
wrong has been done to private property by
any one in authority in the service Of the U
States, do myself the honor to enclose q copy
of a general order from this Department.,
which will sufficiently explain itself; aud tie
most active meas ureS have been taken rigiiIy
TO enforce il, and To punish violations there
Of That there have hean to-. ...aI = sporadic
cases CT grohs 10 private property, commit
ted by bad men under my command, l admit,
and most sincerely regret, and believe they
will in he future be subs tan tally prevent
ed, and mean they shall be repaired, III ia
vor of all loyal citizens as far as lies in my
power.
You have done me the honor to ihform me
that yidette Garter is not a mi one. to aeii III
battle. That IL Cutie true~-hs was asleep
his post, and informs me that his three com
ami rs oft in nnh hoe tho4 .hA,, ta
wake him up, and they being mounted and ms
men on foot, the race was Il difficult one. II
it is not the intention of your authorities to
treat the citizens OF Virginia, taken in actual
conflict with the United States, soldiers, in
what light shall they be coEsideredS Please
inform me i'll what light you regard them If
not soldiers, must they not De assassins?
A sergeant OF Capt. Davies command will
be charged to meet your sergeant, at o'clk.
at the village of Hampton, for the purpose OF
the exchange of private Oartar.
! need not call your atten ton to the fact
that there will be unauthorized acts Of VIC.
lenoe committed by those who are not sutfi-
GENTLY under the restraint of their comm and
ing officers. My men complain that IN ambu-
lance having the wounded was fired into by
your cavalry and am informed thatif you
have any prisoners they were taken while
engaged in the pious duty to their wounded
comrades and not in battle. 1t has never
CURED to my mind that either firing into the
ambulance. or capturing persons In charge OF
ccgnized or sanctioned by any gen tleman in
command of the forces in Virgins. uefora
this unhappy strife had not been SO aeeus-
toned to regard the acts of my late associate
citizens OF the United States, and have seen
nothing in the course of this contest, in The
acts of those in authority, to lead me to a diff.
ferent conclusion.
l have the honor TO be, most respectfully,
your obedent servant.
BgSJAxlN v. BgrbEE.
II 81
Whiting which will show you that they, at
least, received no harm from the Federal
troops. Is. r. Is.
lCol. Nagrude, to Gen. Butler
SIR: have just received yours Of the 18th
inst. With respect to the firing ON he ambu =
lance by my cavalry, have simply To say
that the statement of your informant IL en- :
tireiy untrue. Ny cavalry was never ahead
Of your column, whose retreat was so rapid
AS TO cause many of your wounded to be left
on the field, while others were carried or in
the rear instead OF in the front of your COL
umn las they ought TO have been,) and over
bridges which were Immediately broken down
to prevent pursuit.
You say the citizens who defended their
homes must be considered either soldiers or
assassins. They are neither; but men defend
ing their Iiresides against piratieal iny asion
apd ara entitled to the respect OF all good
| men Messrs. Whiting and Lively, whose
certificate you have obtained while in duress,
We're captured before Writings house was
burned
stated that they knew the deprada tions
which had been committed on their neg hbors
These dspredations are acknow ledged by you
both In your order and In your letter to me.-
The last paragraph Of your order guaran tee.
ing protection only to citizens at peace with
tho United States-that IL, only To pervons
who think al you think. destroys whatever
merit there may have been In tina previous
| clauses. With respect to the videtts privat1
Garter, ! desire respectfully to Inform you
that When picket Of four Il placed opt fQl