Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-08-10
order from the Rebel GOyeTnment-
Retail 4. linn


WAsHINeroN, , Aug. 8.-The Richmond Dlspatch
Of Monday. the 4ih, says: A day of retrlbution
10 at band for the ortrages which 80 long char
scterized the conduct of the enemy in their
prosecution of the war
AD1urASr AND lssPEcroR GENERALS 0FFIoE,(
RICHMOND, August l.
General Order No. 81
First. The following orders are published
Tor the Information and observance OF all con.
cerned:
Whereas, by a general order dated 22d Juiy,
1862, issued by the Secretary of War of the
United States. under the order of the President
OF the United States, the military commanders
OF that Government within the States of Viz
ginia, South Carolina, Georgia. Florids, Ala
bama, mississippi, Louisians, Texas and Ar.
kansas, are directed to seize and use aDv prop
efty, real or personal, belonging to the inhab-
isants of this Confederacy, which NAV be neces-
sary or convenient for their several commands I:
and no provision is made for any compensation
to the owners OF such private properly seized
and appropriated by the military commanders
oi the enemy.
second. Whereas, by general order No. IL d,
issued on the 23d of July, 1862, by Mai Gen.
Pope, commanding the forces of the enemy in
Northern Virginia, it Is ordered that all com
msnders OF any army corps, division, brigade
and detached commanders, will proceed lmme-
dately to arrest all disloyal male citizeus with
In their limits or within their reach, In the rear
of their respective commands. Such as are will
Ing to take the oath of allegiance to the United
States, and will furnish sufficient security for
its observance, shall be permitted to remain at
their homes and pursue In good faith their &C
oustomed avocationa; those who refuse shall be
Conducted South beyond the extreme pickets OF
the army, and be notified that II found again
10 the rear they will be considered as spies and
subjected to the extreme rigor Of military law.
II any person having taken the oath as above
specified, be found to have violated 1t, he ehall
be shot and his property seized and spproptia-
ted to the public use.
18th of July, 1862, by Brigadier-G General A.
SteinWehr, Major William Stedman. cavalry
officer OF his brigade, has been ordered to ar.
rest five of the most prominent citizens OF Page
county, Virginia, to be held as hostages and to
suffer death in the event of any Of the soldiers
OF said Stein6ebr being shot by bushwhackers,
by which term is meant the citizens Of the Con-
tederacy, who have taken up arms to defend
| their homes and families
Fourth. Whereas, IL result from the sb1ye
| order that some OF the military authorities OF
| the United States, not content with the uDjust
| and aggressive warfare hitherto waged with
cruelty against an unoffending people, and exas-
perated by the failure of their efforts to spbju-
gate them, have nov determined to violate the
rules and usaRes Of war and to convert the hcs-
tilities--hitherto waged against armed forces
into campaign OF robbery and murder against
unarmed citizens and peaceful tillers OF the
soil.
Fifth. Whereas, this government, bound By
the highest obligations of duty of its citizens,
is thus driven TO the necessity of adopting auch
just measures Of retribution and retaliation as
shall seem adequate to redress and punish these
bArbaritiea; and, whereas, the orders above re-
cited have only been published and made known
to this government, since the signature of a
cartel for the exchange of prisoners of war,
which cartel, In 30 far as it provides ON ex,
change of prisoners hereafter captured, would
never have been signed or agreed to by the
| g0vel nment, 1t the intention to change the wal
| Into O system Of indlscriminate murder and
robbery had been made known to it; and
whereas, just regard 10 humanity forbids thai
the repression Of crime which this government
10 thus compelled to enforce, should be unneces
sarily extended to retaliation on the enlisted
men In the army, of the United States, who
may be unwilling instruments of the savagt
cruelty Of their cormanders, 80 long as ther,
Is hope that the excesses Of the enemy may b,
checked or prevented by retribution on tn,
commissioned officers, who have the power Z,
avoid guilty action, BY refusing service under
government which seeks their aid, and in til
perpetration Of such infamous baEbaritiea.
Sixth. Therefore, 1t is ordered, that Major
General Pope, Brigsdier- General Stenwehr
and all commissioned officers serving unde
their respective commands, be and they or
hereby expressly and specially declared to b
NOT entitled TO be considered as soldiers, an
therefore not entitled to the benefit of the cal
tel for the parole Of future prisoners Of war.
Ordered, further, that In the event of tn
capture Of Major-G General Pope or Brigadier
General Slienwehr, oriany commissioned office
aerviDg under them. the captive 90 taken shaI
be held In close confinement so long as the OF
ders aforesaid shall continue In force and unrs
futed by the competent military authority Of til
United States; and that In the event Of the mul
der OF any unarmed citizen or inhabitant Of thI
confedstdcy, BY virtue or under pretext Of on
Of the orders herein before recltcd, II ehall b
the duty OF the commanding General 81 th
L akn ~ = a L.