Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-08-11
VOLUME XIII, NO. 1870.
a ..Fnet ClearIy A.eertaIned.,,

LrOrl the MOUAe AQftfLLacE alQ IKE BlnlrEl
owe shall deplore the necessity Of retaliation
as adding greatly to the miseTies Of the war
without advancing its objects; and, therefore,
we shall act with great eircumspection, and only
upon facts clearly ascertained; but if it is our
only means Of compelling the observance Of the
usages Of civilized WsrfGIe, we cannot hesitate
to resort to it.when the proper time arrives. ~
Secretary Randolph.
The quotation we have given above relates to
the protection to be afforded TO citizens Of Mis-
sour, but we do not know that the lives of Ar
kansians or Tennessee8ns. or FHgiHiau5 have
less claim upon the care Of the Confederate gov
eminent than those of Miss0urians. A para
graph has been copied from one newspaper into
another, headed "gusrriIlss hung" tbs reading
which shows that it is not gusuillss at all that
were hung, but quiet citizens, by Fitch the man
that started to relieve Curtis aud couldn't do it.
The facts are fully detailed in the following ex-
tract from the correspondence Of the Chicago
Tribune, dated "Gayo5O House, Memphis July
I2th, 1862, and published in the Tribzas Of
July Dist:
GENERAL FITCH RETALIATING.
Il viii be reeollected that in a recent letter
stated that Gen. Fitch had captured seven Of the
prominent residents IN the vicinity of ST. Charles
and held them as hostages for the good behavior
Of guerrilla bands known to be on the river
banks. For g time, after these men had been pa
raded upon the docks Of the transports, dressed
IN Federal Uniforms aud exposed to all the dan
gers of the common soldiers who kept them com
pany, the rebels did not fire upon the STEAMERS
es they Piled the stream above and below St.
Charles. But subsequently, from hssdles5ness
or reeklessness, or because they had not been
made acquainted with the generals promise,
some guerTillas fired upon the Lexington last
week, almost instantly killing her first engineer,
who chaneed to be sitting 1T en- open port at
the time As good as bis word the general i'm
mediately selected two of the most Tabid rebels
OF the seven hostages, and hung them by the
neck until dead, in sight Of the Arkansas shore,
and undoubtedly in view Of their own neighbOrs
and friends. Il was hard duty fer q man Of
Gen. tItch's humane nature TO perform. But
he had given his word Of honor that be le0uid
do it, and he was not the man 10 sTery8 to the
night 81 to the left when duty called. Fair and
timely warning had been given the people all
along the shores OF White river where the boats
had been, that the men uOuid be hung should
another Unien soldier be shot by them, and it is
not for any man TO say that the sacrifice was un-
called for and unneriied. After few Of their
best men have suffered the death penalty, per
maps the country will be aroused 20 the necessity
OF at least si3ing the Union force to rid the Vi
cinity Of their Gu! throats aud midnight assas-
sins.
We are anxious to know, and shall look earn
estly for the action of the government that we
may know, whether our government considered
the fact clearly ascertained that a Yankee gen
eral, who cannot find his way where fighting is
to be done, has first resOrtsd TO the Cowardiy ex-
pedient Of kidnapping Confsderats citizens and
making their bodies his shield sgains: the bull
letes OF an outraged and indignant people, and
not finding that sufficient protection has &C
tually hung them.
This is ar from being the first act Of this
kind-we mean the FIRST act Of downright muir
der, committed upon our citizens, not By law
less soldiers, bu, by the direct act or under the
authority Of Yankee generals. II tho soil Of
France or England were either 70 be invaded by
the armies Of tho other would France or En-
gland submit Tor q moment TO such Ouuages
upon all the laws of warfare aad of humanity
No, at the first iutim8tiou thai such 2 deed had
been perpetTated, Napoleon or Lord Palmer
stoC--as the case might 5e-w0uld speedily, if
not clearly ascertain the fact, and ten lives
would Immediately atone for one, and that ire
spectiys Of any consideration how many priso-
neTs the enemy might have in his hands.
Our people are impatient for demonstrative
assurance that the government Of their own
choice viii protect them. J. is but a day or two
since cur citizens focked to look upon two gal
liant Arkansas regiments, which were pronounced
the finest regiments that ever passed through
Mobile They were bound for distant theater
of war. With what heart caa they turn their
backs upon their homes, knowing that their
brothers and fathers are exposed 90 be murdered
in their absence, and that no hand IS stretched
forth for their efficient protection
We bus speak the universal feeling Of the
Southern heart, when we say that they look to
the Confederate authorities for prompt and sig
nal RETRIBUTON.