Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-01-24


through the Confederate lines, as the only
means he had of liquidating the demand.
There have been no further particulars
from General Thomas. All is quiet below.
ST. Louis, January 23-The following
correspondence has taken place between
Generals Price and Halleck. The material
points of Prices letters are as follows:
HEAD. QUARTERS Missouri STATE GUARD,
SPRINGFIELD, January IL.
GENERAL: / have received inform alton
that, as Major General commanding this
department you have either ordered or al
lowed the arrest of citizens in the pursuit of
their usual and peaceful avocations; that
men, officers and privates, belonging to this
army, have been taken prisoners on the Kan
sas border and conveyed to Fort Leaven-
worth; and as such, and for no other estab-
lisbed Offense or crime, have been shot. In
some cases have learned that my discharged
soldiers have been seized whenever and
wherever they have shown themselves, and
that they have been, by military coercion,
forced into a servitude unknown to interna-
tional and civilized usage in such cases.
have obtained information that individuals
and parties of men especially appointed
and instructed by me to destroy railroads,
culverts and bridges, by tearing them up,
burning, sc, have been arrested and
SUBJECTED to general court. martial, for
alleged crimes which all the laws of war
| fare heretofore recognized by the civilized
world have regarded as distinctly proper and
lawful. have learned that such persons,
when tried, if convicted of the offense or Of
| fenses as stated, are viewed as lawful subjects
for capital punishment These statements |
can not believe to be correct; but let US un-
| deTstand each other on this subject. Do you
intend to continue the arrest of citizens en-
in thntr rAt nc,I
and treat them as traitors and rebels2 Ifso,
will you make exchanges with me for such
as may or will make for similar causes2
Do you intend TO regard members of this
army as persons deserving death, whenever
or wherever they may be captured, or will
you extend to them the recognized rights of
| prisoners of war by the code of the civilized
world? Do you regard the destruction of
important roads, transportation facilities for
military purposes, es the legal right of bel
ligerenJ power? Do you intend to regard
men whom l have specially dispatched to
destroy roads, burn bridges, tear up culverts,
etc, as amenabe to the enemy's court mar
tial or will you have them tried as usual by
proper civil authorities according to the
statutes of the State?
[Signed1 STERLING PRICE,
Major General Commanding NJ. S. G.
The following embraces the main portions
of General Halleck's reply:
HEAD QUARTERS DEP'T OF Missouri,
ST. Louis, Jan. %, 1862.
General Sterling Price, commanding, DC:
GENERAL-Your letter, dated Springfield,
January IL, is received The troops of
which you complain on the Kansas frontier
and at Fort Leavenworth, are not under
my command. 10 regard to them | re-
specttully refer you to Major General David
Hunter, Commanding Department of Kan
sss, headquarters Fort Leavenworth. You
also complain that individuals and parties of
men specially appointed and instructed by
you to destroy railroads, culverts and
bridges, by tearing them up, burning &C.,
have been arrested and subjected to gen.
eral court martial for alleged crimes. This
statement is in the main correct. These in
dividuals and parties OF men violate the laws
of war; they will be tried, and if found
guilty, will certainly be punished, whether
, acting under your special appointment aud
instructions or not. You must be aware
, General, that no orders of yours can save
from punishment spies, marauders, robbers
, incendiariesr guerrilla bands, &c who violate
the laws of war. You can not give immu.
, nifty to crime: but let us fully understand
each other on this point. If you send armed
forces wearing the garb OF soldiers, and
duly organized and enrolled as legitimate
belligerents, TO destroy railroads, bridges
0CY no luAllball dSbf buail hlti tiout II
possible in open warfare, or if we capture
them, we will treat them as prisoners Of
war.
But it is well understood that you have
sent numbers of your Rdherents in the gart
of peaceful citizens and under false pretenseI
through our lines into Northern Missouri u
rob and destroy the property of Union men
and burn and destroy railroad bridges, thu
endapgering the lives of thousands, and thiI
too without any military necessity or posi-
BILE military advantage. Moreover, peaceful
citizens of Missouri, quietly working on thei
7 farms have been instigated by your emissa
0 ries to take up arms as insurgents, and rob
7 plundersn and commit arson and murder. The!
8 de not even act under the garb of soldiers
s but under false pretenses, and in the guise O
,. peaceful citizens.
You certainly will not pretend that me-
o guilty Of such crimes although specially ap
$ pointed and instructed by you, are entitle
Z to the rights and immunities of ordinar
prisoners of war. If you do, will you refe
me to single authority on the laws of wa
L which recognizes such claim2 am dali
: expecting Instructions respecting the eI
: change of prisoners of war, which l VII
communicate with you on that subject 0
i soon as they are received.
d TSigned1 F.. ". HALLECK,
n 1 - "A naTtN