The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1862-12-30
A PROCLAMATION
By the President of the Confederate s

Otn gay OF July last, (IOo-) Dy Ueneral hobt f..
Lee, acting under the instructions of the Secretary
of War of the Confederate States of America, to
General H. W. Halleck, General-in- Chief of the
United States army, informing the latter that a
report had reached this Government that Vim B.
Mumford, citizen of the Confederate States. had
been executed by the United States authorities at
New Orleans, for having pulled down the United
States flag in that city before its occupation bv
the forces of the United States, and calling for a
statement of the facts, with view to retaliation
if such an outrage had really been committed un
der sanction of the authorities of the United
States:
And whereas, Ono answer having been received
to said letter., another letter was, on the 20 Au-
gust last, (1862,) addressed by Gen. Lee, under
my instructions to Gen. Halleck, renewing the in
quiry in relation to the said execution of said Mum
ford with the information that in the event of not
receiving a reply within fifteen days, it would be
assumed that the fact alleged was true, and was
sanctioned by the Government of the United
States:
And whereas an answer dated on the 7th Au
gust last, 0S62,) addressed to General Lee
by Gen. Ii. w. Halleck, the said General-n-
Chief of the armies of the United States, alleging
sufficient for failure to make early reply to
said letter of 9th July, asserting that ''no anthem
tic information had been received in relation to
Immediately taken to ascertain the facts of the
alleged execution and promising that Gen. Lee
should be duly Informed thereof:
And whereas, on the Goth November last (1S62)
another letter was addressed under my instruc-
tions by Robert Ould, Confederate agent for the
exchange of prisoners under the cartel between
the two Governments, to Lieut-Colonel W. II.
Ludlow, agent of the United States 1nder said
cartel informing him that the explanations
IL IL l. ~ IL
7th August last, had not yet been received, and
that if no answer was sent to the Government
within fifteen days from the delivery of this last
communication, it would be considered that an
answer is declined:
And whereas, by letter, dated on the Sd day of
the present month of December, the said Lt-Col.
Ludlow appraised the said Robert Ould that the
above recited communication of Goth of Novem-
Der, had been received and forwarded TO the Sec
rotary of War Of the United States:
And whereas, this last delay of fifteen days,
allowed for answer has elapsed, and no answer has
been received:
And whereas, in addition to the tac admission
resulting from the above refusal to answer, have
received evidence fully establishing the truth of
the fact that the said VIM. B. Mumford, a citizen
of this Confederacy, was actually and publicly
executed in cold blood by hanging after the &C.
cupation of the city of New Orleans by the forces
under the command of Gen. Benjamin f. Butler
when said Mumford was unresisting and nom
combatve captive, and for no offence even alleged
to have been committed by him subsequent to the
date Of the capture Of said city:
Aud whereas, the silence of the Government of
the United States and it's maintaining of said But
Ter in high office under its authority, for many
months after his commission Of an act that can be
viewed in no other light than as d deliberate MUIR
der, as well of numerous other outrages and
atrocities hereafter to be mentioned, afford evil
Gence only too conclusive that the said Govern
ment sanctions the conduct of said Butler, and is
determined that he shall remain unpublished for
his crimes:
Now, therefore, I, JEFFERSON DAVIS, Presi-
dent of the Confederate States of America, and in
their name, do pronounce and declare the said
Benjamin +. Butler to be felon, deserving Of
capital punishment. l do order that he be no
longer considered treated simply as public
enemy of the Confederate States of America, but
as an outlaw and common enemy of mankind and
that in the event of his capture, the officer in
command of the capturing force do cause him to
be Immediately executed by hanging; and [ do
further order that no commissioned officer of the
United States, taken captive shall be released on
parole before exchange until the said Butler shall
have met with due punishment for his crimes:
And whereas the hostilite. waged against this
Couleceiacy ny Tie FORCES or the United States
under the command of said Benjamin F. Butler
have borne no resemblance to such warfare as is
alone permissible by the rules of international
law or the usages of civilization, but have been
by repeated atrocities and outrages
among the large number of which, the following
may be cited as examples:
Peaceful and aged citizens unresisting captives
and non combatants have been confined at hard
labor with balls and chains attached to their limbs
and are still so held in dungeons and Tortre.scs
Others have been subjected to like degrading
punishment for selling medicines to the sick
soldiers Of the Confederacy.
The soldiers Of the United States have been
invited and encouraged by general orders to insult
and outrage the wives the mothers and the sisters
Of our citizens,
Helpless women have been torn from their
homes and subjected to solitary confinement, some
n tortresses and prisons, and especially, an
sland of barren sand, under tropical sun, have
been fed with loa.hsome rations that had been
as unfit for soldiers, and have been ex- |
posed to the viest insults.
Prisoners of war who surrendered to the naval
orces of the United States agreement that thew
should be released on parole have been seized and
Kept in close confinement.
Repeated pretexts have been sought or invented |
or plunderng the inhabitants of the captured civ
~ fines levied and exacted under threat of inn |
orisoniug recusants at hard labor with ball and !
,haIn.
The entire population of the city of New Or
cans have been forced to elect between starvation
~ the con6scaton of all their properly and taking
m oath aUainSt tn boar o1la a . |