Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-07-04
General Butler 10 Colonel 6faqrudsr.
HsADQUARrERs DfP'r OF VIRGINIA,
Eoftrtss Monroe. June l3. 1861

Gsnsrai Butler 10 Colonel 5fasrudsr.
HsApQUARrgRs Drp'r OF VIRGlsrA, !
Fortress Monroe, June l3, 1861 I
Col J. b Msgruior, commanding the forces at York
town:
sr-Your favor of June l2th by Captain Davies, win
aIg OF truce, was this morning received. desire rt
TO Thank you for he courtesy shown the dag and H.
messenger. will accept the exchange for private Car
ter The two citizens, Whiting and Lively taken
with in their nards one OF which Was discharged
from the home Of Whiting upon the column Of our
troops when all resistance useless and when bis o.:
tack simply assassination, and when of nee had
been committed against hin. The house from which
the shot was f-ed, and building which formed part
Of your cu.posis, the only coDigraons caused by
the troops under my command, aud the light Of these
had ceased hours before your meu ventured out from
their earthwoss aud bitches TO do rs tie courtesy OF
burning our dead--for which act you have NV since
thanks After troops returned from Tue nua -ivU
aftpr-a building burned which furnished our Souu
ed some shelter aud from which We bad removed the IA,
but not burned by our men. For your KIND trea
meut Ct any wouaded you may have, please to sccept
nv assurances of deep oOgat ~ aud With the certsuty
that at aay and every opportunity, such confesy AID
kindness will be reciprocated.
am sorry that gu officer distinguished In the ser.
vice of the United States yourself could Tor mtnent,
suppose tina, the destruction Of private property
would 10 any way be authorized tolerated by the
Federal Government aud its officers, many OF WHOM
are your late associates Even ROW, while your lett
is being answ rej aud this is its wsy 10 you, mot
iguomnious and punishment, In the presence Of
ali the troops near this post, is being lh.ced on meo
who have enlisted in the service Of the United States
loot sndier) for plundeog private property All the
Or yale prop rty which could uot by the srcest Coz.
sucton be- cousd red contrbaId Of war, or means OF
feeding or aiding the enemy, which has been brought
within NV line, ia airy wy has como into the hands
OF nv troops and discovered with the slrctrst erana
tou has been taken account ofand collected together 10
be given up to those pesceable czeDs who have come
forward to make claim for it. board of s.crccy has
been organic, and has slready reported indemnify for
the property Of peacesbe ctz ns necessarily destroyed
In order convince yol that no wrong has been done
to private properly by any one in authority 10 the GER
vice Of the United States, do myself the honor to in
close copy Of a general order from this Department,
which will sutci. nty iaei' and the IN 81 aclie
measures have heen taken rightly 10 enforce IT, and 10
punish violations thereof. That there have been TOO
MANY sporadic cases Of wrong private property, com
mitted by bad men ucd'r ny conmand admit, and
most sincerely regret and believe they will In the iu
ture be substantially prevented, aud mean they shall
be repaired in favor OF all loyal citizens as far as lies in
my mower.
You have done me the honor to inform me chat Vdette
Carter is not prisoner taken IN battle. That Is quite
true-he was asleep on hs post and informs that bis
three companions left 10 fuch taste that they forgot 10
wake him up, and they heicg mountcu and my men on
foot the race Difficult: one. Ii u is not the inten'
ton Of your authorities 10 treat the citizens OF 'reh
in what light shall they be considered! Please inform
me in vbs. light you regard them II not soldiers must
they not be asslsslnsy
4 sergeant OF CAPT. Dayie, command will be charged
10 meet your sergeant, AZ o'clock, at the village q
Hampton for the purpose Of the exchange Of private
Garter.
need no. call your attention 10 the fact that there
will be uusuhorjzad acts Of violence committed by these
who are not sufficiently under the restraints oil their
commanding ofcsrs. Ny men complain that an ambu-
lance having the wounded fired into by your casa
~ and am informed that II you have any prisoners
ia y we're sken while engaged In pious duty to their
wounded comrades end not in battle. IL has never &C.
Cured 10 my mind that either firing into the ambulance
or capturing persons u charge Of the wounded men, WA
an act auhorzsJ recognized or sancon,d BY any gem
teman in command Of the forces in Virginia. Before
this unhappy STRIFE had not been GO accustomed 10 re-
gard the acts Of my ae associate citzsns Of the United
Satea aud have nothing 10 the course OF this con-
test, ia the OF those in authority 10 lead NE TO d
ferent conclusion.
have the honor to be, most respectfully, your obe
dent servsut BENJAMIN +. BUTLER.
PS-IncIosed certificate, by Lively and Wiring,
which will show you that they at east received 10 harm
f,om the Federal uoo,s. d. T. ID.
COL N1yriller 10 Gen. Butler.
STA: have just received yours OF the 18th instant
With respect 10 the firing on the ambulance by my
cavalry have simply TO say that the statement OF your
ahead Of your column hos, retreat rapid as to
cause msny Of your wounded to be left on the field,
while others were carried off in the instead OF In
trout Of your column, (as they ought to have beeo)
and over bridges which we're Immediately broken down
to preveot pursuii.
You soy the citizens Sho defended their homes must
be considered either soldiers essassips They are
neither but defending tn r resides sganst pratt
cl invssiop and entitled the respect Of all good
men. hessrs Whiting aud Lively. whose certificate you
have obtained while in duresP were captured before
Writings house was burned. ...
stated that they knew the depredaons which Gao
been committed on their nejghbor These Expectations
are by you both In your order aod In your
letter to me- Tie last paragraph 10 your order gusran
teeiog projection only 60 citizens OF peace win the Unit
ted that Is only to persons who think 90 you
tbnL DESTROYS whatever merit there msy lave been in
the clauses With respect TO the vidette pri
yats Cartr desire respectfully to inform you that when
in ibis case at least o-e permitted oEleep The picket
had orders to retreat before large force Of the