Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-01-25
GENERAL HALLECK TO STERLING
PRICE.

T0lCEs
ST. LOUIS, Jan. 23.-The following CORES.
pondence has taken pace between General
HaIleck and General Price The material
points of Prices letter are as follows.-
"HEADQUARTERs MISSOURI STATE GUARD.
SPRINGFIELD, Jan. 12.- General: l have re-
ceived Information that, as major general
commanding this department, you have either
ordered or allowed the arrest of citizens in
pursuit OF their usual peaceful avocations--that
men, officers, and privates belonging to this
army have been taken prisoners on the Kansas
border, and conveyed to Fort LeavenwOrth-
and chat for such, and for no other established
otense or crime, they have been shot In
some cases l have learned that my discharged
soldiers have been subject to arrest whenever
they have shown themselves, and have been
by military coercion forced into a servitude
unknown to International civilized usages
| have obtained information that men in
strueted by me to destroy railroad culverts
and bridges by tearing them up, burning, &C.,
have been arrested and subjected to general
court martial for the alleged crimes, which all
the laws of war heretofore have recognized as
distinctly proper and lawful. | learn that if
convicted they are viewed as lawful subjects
Tor capital punishment.
These statements | cannot believe to be cor
rect; but let us understand each other on this
suDJSCI OO yOu lnlenu W COullDue To arrest
citizens engaged in their ordinary peaceful
pursuits, and treat them as traitors and rebels
II so, will you make exchanges with me for
such as / may or will make for similar cases
do you intend to regard members of this army
as persons deserving death, whenever and
wherever they may be captured, or will you
extend to them the recognized rights of pris.
oners of war by the code Of civilized warfare
Do you regard the destruction of important
roads of transportation and facilities for militia
ry purposes as legally the right of a beliger
ent power DO you intend to regard men
whom l have specially dispatched to destroy
roads, burn bridges, tear up culverts, Sc, as
amenable to an enemy court martial, or will
you have them tried as usual by the proper
civil authorizes according to the statutes of
the state? Signed STERLING PRICE.
The following is the main portion of Gen.
Halleck's reply -
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF Missouri,
ST., LOUIS, Jan. 22-GEN. STERLING Price
commanding, etc. Your letter is received.
The troops of which you complain on the
Kansas frontiers, and at Fort Leavenworth
are not under my command. In regard to
them, respectfully refer you to Maj. General
Hunter, commanding the department of Kan
sas, head quarters at Fort LeavenwOrth. You
also complain that individuals specially APP
and bridges by tearing them up, burning, &C.,
have been arrested and subjected to general
court martial for the alleged crimes. This
statement in the main is correct. Where in
dvlduals violate laws of war, they will be
tried, and, ii found guilty, will certainly be
punished, whether acting under your special
appointment aud instructions CT not You
must be aware that no orders of yours IN
save from punishment spies, marauders, rob
bers, ineendiaries, guerrilla bands, &C., who
violate the laws of war. You cannot give
immunity to crimes.
But let us fully understand each other on
this point. If you send an armed force, wear
ing the garb OF soldiers, duly organized and
enrolled rs legitimate belligerentj to destroy
railroads, bridges, &c, as a military act, we
shall Kill them If possible, in open warfare, or
. II we capture them, we will treat them as
prisoners OF war. But it is well understood
that you have sent numbers Of your adher-
ents, iii the garb OF peaceful citizens, and under
false pretenceS, through our lines into northern
Missouri, to rob and destroy the property of
union men, and burn and destroy railroad
bridges, thus endangering the lives OF thou
sands, and this TOO, without military necessity
or possible military advantage.
Moreover, peaceful citizens of Missouri,
quietly working on their farms, have been
instigated by your emissaries to take up arms
as insurgents, and rob, plumber, and commit
arson and murder. They do not even act
under the garb of soldiers, but under false
pretenses, and in the guisc of private citizens
You certainly will not pretend that men guilty
of such crimes although especially appointed
and instructed by you, are entitled to the
rights and immunities of ordinary prisoners
of war. If you do, will you refer me to one
single authority in the laws that recognize
such claim?
am daily expecting instructions respecting
an exchange OF prisoners of war. l will com.
intricate with you on that subject as soon as
they are received.
(Signed) II. w. HALLEcK,
Major General Commanding.