Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-08-11
Plan of Retaliation upon the Enemy.

RICHMOND, Virginia, July 81, 1859. !
SIR: On the 22d of this month a. cartel
for a general exchange of prisoners of war
was signed between Major General D. H..
HILL, in behalf of the Confederate States.
and Major-General JOHN A. DIX, in behalf of
the United States.
By the terms of that cartel it is stipulated
that all prisbaes of war hereafter taken shall
be discharged On parole til exchanged.
Scarcely had,1hat cartel been signed when
the military authorities Of the United States
commenced a practice changing the character
of. the war from such as becomes civilized
nations into a campaign of in~discrimihate
robbery and murder. ;
The general order issued by the Secretary
of War Of the United States. in the city Of
Washington, on the very day that the cartel
was signed in Virginia, directs the military
commanders of the United States to take the
private property of our people for the conve-
nlence and use OF their armies without cOm-
pensation.
The general order issued by Major-General
Pope on the 23d of July, the day after the
signing of the cartel, directs the murder of
our peaceful inhabitants as spies, If found
quietly taling the farms in his rear, eoen out
side Of has lines and one of his Brigadier-
lGeneralS@Steinwehr has seized upon inno-
cent and peaceful inhabitants to be held as
hostages to the end that they may be MUIR
dered in cold blood If any of his soldiers are
killed by some unknown persons whom he
designates as "bushwhackers."
Under this state of facts this government has
issued the enclosed general order recognizing
General Pope and his commissioned officers
to be in the position which they have cho-
sen for themselyes, that of robbers and of
murdercrs, and hot that Of public enemies,
entitled, if captured, to be considered as pris-
, oners of war.
We find ourselves driven by our enemies
by steady progress towards a practice which
we abhor, and which we are vainly strug-
Igling to avoid. Some of the military author
t tiles of the United States seem to suppose
: that better success will attend a savage war,
in which no quarter is to lie given and no
age or sex to be spared, than has hitherto
been secured by such hostilities as are alone
recognized to be lawful by civilized inen in
modern times.
For the present We fenounee our right of
retaliation ON the innocent, and shall con-
, tinue to treat the private enlisted soldiers of
d General Pope's army as prisoners of war,
but il, after notice to the Government at
Washington of our combining repressiye meas.
ures to the punishment. only of commission
ed officers who are willing participants in
these crimes, these savage practices are con-
tlnued, e shall reluctantly be forced to the
last resort OF accepting the war on the terms
chosen by our foes, until the outraged voice
! OF a common humanity -fsrces a respect for
! the recognized rules of war.
: While these facts wouldjustify our refusal
, to execute the generous cartel by which we
have consented to liberate an excess of thou.
> sands Of prisoners held by as beyond the
number held by the enemy, a sacred regard
resort to this extremity. Nor do we desire
to extend to any other forces of the enemy
! the punishment merited alone by General
Pope, and such commissioned off GERS as
) choose to pa%rticipate,in the execution of his
infamous orders.
You are therefore, instructed to commune
!, cate to the commander-in.chief of the armies
! of the United States the contents of this let
: ter and a copy of the enclosed general order,
! = to the end that he may be notified of our
l intention not to consider the officers hereaf.
= = ter captured from General Pope's army as
prisoners of war.
: q, Very respectfully, yours, ETC.,
T TSigned] JEFFERSON DAVIS.
/ General r. E. LEE, commanding, &c.
ADJurANr AND INsp'R GEMS OFFICE, /
. RICHMOND, August l, 1862.
sa5-GENRRAL ORDERS, No. 81.
|. The following orders are published for
the information and observance of all concern.
se ed:
Il. II. Whereas, By o General Order, dated
~ ~ the 22d July, 1862, issued by the Secretary
L of War of the United States, under the order
s. of the President of the United States, the
? military commanders of that government
'ui within the States of Virginia, South Carolina
e, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi. Lou.
y iSiana, Texas, and Arkansas, are directd tt
= seize and use any property, real or personal
e belonging to the inhabitants of this Confed-
eracy which may be necessary or convenien
for their several commands, and no provision
" is made for any compensation to the owner.
90 of private party thus seized and appropria
np ted by the military commanders Of the en-
envy;
III. And achereas, by General Order No
10 II, issued on the 23d July, 1862, by Major
- General PoPey SozaHaasaiRS the forces of tn
We enemy in Northern Virginia, it is ordere'
Ill that "all commanders OF any army corps
division, brigade, and detached commands
ou will proceed immediately to arrest ali disloy
al male citizens within their lines or within
their reach in rear Of their respective com
: mandS. Such as are willing to take the oatl
re- Of allegiance to the United States, and viii
re- furnish sufficient security for its observance
HE shall be Permitted to remain at their home
- and pursue in good faith their accustomed a,
ma %ocations. Those who refuse shall be condue
'u- ted South, beyond the extreme pickets {
ent this army, and be notified that, if foun
again anywhere within our lines, or ct an.
Eis- point in rear, they will be considered spie
and Subjected TO the extreme Eigor OF mill