The Placer herald., 1862-07-12
WAR AND ITS USAGES.

people when engaged in hostilities; and
state or nation, does not govern its armies
by these regulations, its people are branded
as barbarous, and the state looses cast. In
olJen times the conqueror was priviedged
to take the life of the conquered. make them
servie, or do with them whatever else was
desired-without restraint. This is yet the
usage among the unenligh ghtened- is par.
ticulsrlv true of the tribes of Africa. With
in the past hundred years. in modern Europe
strongly fortified cities when taken by storm
have been given over to the ruffian license
Of the bloody handed conquerors. These
however were exceptional cases,-the mod,
ern rule requiring the personal rights of the
conquered, to be religilously respected. |,
has been the pride of gallant victors to pro
tect from wrong and insult, non combatants
old age, childhood. and woman.
1t was but few months since that all the
papers in the country were commenting in
terms Of censure upon the "indisrriminate
loot" wrenched from warehouse and palace,
by the English and French troops in China
This, however, was but an infraction of the
property rights of the defeated. Our h-to
ry makes it charge agans, the British,
that the generals Of their invading army, in
the war of 1912, melted the soldiery in the
attack upon New Orleans, by adopting as
the watchword: "Beoutv and Booty" |, is
said that the evidences of the fact were found
in An Orderly Book picked up on the battle
field. January sth, 1915, and all Americans
refer to the order with feelings of horror and
indignation. whilst English gentlemen per,
sisrenty deny the truth of the charge. We
have arrived at our time, to suffer in Nation
al character, under similar charges. The
following is one of General Butler's orders:
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
NEW ORLEANS, May, Is, 1862.
General orders No. IS.
As the officers and soldiers of the United States
have been subject to repeated insults from the
women calling themselves lades) OF New Or
leans in return Tor the most scrupuOus non-in-
terfercncc and courtesy part, it is ordered
that hereafter when any female shall, by word,
gesture or movement. insult or sho,c contempt
for any officer or soldier OF the United States.
she shall be regarded and held liable to DC treat
ed as Woman Of the to,cn, plying her ayoca-
ton. By command of
MAJOR-GENERAL BUTLER.
G.. G. SRToNG, A. A. G., Chief of Staff.
When this order first found its way north,
it was embraced in one from General Beau
regard; and thereupon it was pronounced
fabrication of that rebel, and the above or
der declared infamous. The New York
Daily Times, leading Republican paper,
heads an article referring to it, May Goth, as
IAN Infamous Falsehood, or an Infamous
Order" and the editor says:
If Gen. Butler has issued any such order. he
shOu l1 hyvith ba diSch0rooI fho
1t would be a disgrace to the servce-an nfa-
nous outrage upon the morality and decency of
the country and the age. 1t purports to he a
warning addressed to the ladies', but is really
license expressly given to the soldier to treat
as woman Of the town. every female who may
"by word, movement or gesture, insult or show
for any officer or soldier OF the United
States" Such insults may be very annoying
and may deserve punishment. at least
sures Of repression, though we believe that as yea
they are not offences against any code of laws
either civil or military. But to commit their
punishment to the unrestricted and sanctioned
license OF rough sodiery, would be stride to-
ward the brutality Of the most bGrbar0us ages
from which we trust the Union cause will be pro-
tected Such an order would inf1ct lasting dis
grace the officer who should Issue it, and bring
the cause he professed to serve into just and
general contempt.
He, the editoi, however come to tie con.
clusion that it is all a fal rication, got up by
Beauregard to stimulate the decsying arior of
his troops, aud compliments the Louisanian
in this wise:
Floyd may be greater thief, Wise may be
A bigger braggart, and Magruder may drink more
whiskey; but in solid, substantial and serviceabe
lying, Beauregard is clearly the ablest and most
General in the rebel camp.
Many other papers commented on the mat
Ter in similar spirit; in fact the suggestion
that SO infamous an order could by any
chance have been issued 10y Butler, aroused
the horror and Indignation, North and South,
Of ali honorable men.
Strange to say, this order is historical fact
not only was it issued, but General Butler
on the l6th of MAY, in note to the Mayor
of New Orleans, says; ut was we'll consi.ll
ere l. and he shall not abate single word
of it," and for protesting against it the Mayor
to Fort Jackson.
The Providence Post says: 1--WE pro
nounce the new remedy of Buuer-if really
this proclamation is not forgery infamous
and deylish' Yet, the abolition press of
this State, and some indeed East. fud it ex
actly right. We notice the Sacramento Bee
endorses it to the fulI--a pretty character
such papers would make for people. 1t is
said the English Minister at Washington has
protested against the rufIianIy barbsrity Of
the order, but we are yet to see if the ad
ministration approves of it or not. But
what are the terrible things that thess New
Orleans ladies do, so offensive to the fastid-
Gus Butier2 The correspondent of the New
York Herald thus enumerates their high
crimes and misdemeanors:
"They turn their backs without the customary
desire to be excused. They describe three quart
ers OF a circle around an officer by walking into
the middle of the street, and regain the sdewail;
at distance sufficient to express their fear Of