Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-08-06
MCLANAHAN & DILL.
IMPORTANT OFFICIAL CORRE-
sPONDENCH.
HEADQUARTERS FIRST DISTRICT. DEPARTMENT
EAST LOUISIANA AND MISSISSIPPI,
TANgTPAHDA La July rs. 1862

Forces New Orleans, La
GENERAL: 1 have received petitions from
officers Of the Ist regiment Louisiana partisan
rangers, touching the case Of Henry Castle, IT.,
a private of Company II, OF that regiment, and
also an application respecting Tho. G. Penning
TON a private of Capt Wilson Tate's company
of the same regiment, and deem it expedient
TO request your eally consideration Of the sub
ject.
1t appears that Private Castle was captured
by detachment Of Federal troops in the vlcln-
ity Of Baton Rouge, on or about tEe seventh
(7th) Of the present month, and private Pen
ninqton on or about the 2Sth day Of June, that
they were taken to New Orleans and are now
held either there or at one OF the forts IN the VI
ciniiv, in close confinement, with ths threat that
they are to be tried and executed IS members OF
a military organization not sanctioned By the
laws of civilized warfare.
II is to be observed that the FIRST great law OF
nature. the right Of self-defense, is inherent in
communities as well es individuals. No law
condemns the individual who Stays The robbsr
or the assassin and no Just law can condemn a
community for using sll its power to resist The
invaders and drive him from their soil.
The exercise of this right, so universally re-
cognized, becomes an imperative duty when the
invader, as hes been the case with the Federal
troops in this district, disTegaTds those rules OF
WBTfare reGOg UlAeu GlN HctiCNtSN 90 SA'-AN-
nations and adopts that code which has hereto
fore been confined to the rudest ssvRges.
The proof Of this, is unfortunately too aoun-
dapt in the vicinity of Baton Rouge. Il IS at
tested By helpless women and children flying
from their burning homes; by the desolatlon OF
plantations, by the plunder of private property,
and the wanton destruction of growing crops.
Such acts are crimes against humanity, ana jas
tify all men in taking up arms against their per-
petratOr5.
The independence of nations hiss rarely been
achieved bv regular armies. Our own Kevoiu-
tion. that Revolution which successfully estab-
lished the great principle Tor Whlca Ins C2ille-
crate States are now contending, that AL gov
ernments derive their Just powers from the con
sent of the governed" :" was mainly fought oat
by men who left the plOw at the news OF Inc
enerny's approach, and returned to II When ne
had been driven back. It may be coGcoGeo
that in Europe, where the governments man
" rely upon large standing armies, Whch
are as much as possible, disconnected WIN
the people; and where the policy Is 70 pre-
vent the people from bearing arms uEuer
almost any circumstances, some very absurd re-
fnements on this sUbjcct have been asserted,
and to some extent tolerated; but sUcn dec
trines have never been recognized on TINS con
| tincut-the United States especially have al
wsvs repadisted them.
i,be various revolutions which have agitated
/ the Central and South American States, have
been conducted by tie people frequently without
organization, and without leaders other than
those chosen upon the spur Of the OCCASION, to
direct q single enterprise. And to Tecur 10 the
revolution Of cur fcTel2tbeIs the history or that
immortal struggle abouuds with instances where
the hardy yeomen, GS at Lexington and Banker
Hill, were like the clausmen Of Roderick Dhu,
| called by a concerted signal to some Lsnorick
Mead. =" and then selected their officers upon the
very field of battle But whatever difference OF
opinion may exist On this point, 1t las reTeT
| been claimed even by the most stringent adVo-
cate Of legitimacy, that one belligerent has any
rigbt TO complain of the name CT toIm which
tho other NAV choose to give TO its military or
panizstions Ths right to cdapt these to the
1 peculiar service required, has been universally
conceded so far indeed has this practice been
carried IN navsl warfare that prvateeTSmeI, the
&" militia of the seas" with charters ss broad ss
the oceans bounds, are recognized as legitimate
among belligereuts. And ROW, indeed, the eX-
traordina1y spectacle Is presented to the con
temptation of civilized man, in this boasted nine
tsenth century, Of the Christian world, Of
nation claiming 70 be civilized, in violation OF
It's constitutional obligations inauguIG'Ing, de-
iheretelv. servile war by stimulating the half
civilized African to raise his hand against MS
master and bensfactor, and thus make war upon
the Arr'C-Ssxon race-w2r en- human nature .
This, with the Federal government, is leg innate
warfare; but the defense Of their hresldeS by
! Southern citizeus is treason and murder. In
military organizations the Polish lanceTs, the
| French zousves and British corps CT scouts and
guides in the late East Indian war, are cases IN
! point. The Confederate States claim and have
! exercised this undoubtsd right. Tho formation
/ of companies, battsli0ns and regiments OF par
tisan rangers has been specially authorized by
an act of Congress. The officers Of this corps
are commissioned; the men are regularly mus
/ tered into service, receive pay, Tatons and
/ equipments from the government, and are emil
lied to the same privileges aud governed by the
| same regulations as all other troops in the Con
federste service. It is not perceived, therefore
what prstext can be offered by the enemy FOL
| subiecting the members Of this corps to differ
ent treatment from that extended to other prls
4 oneys Of war, certainly no such distinction car
be recognized OF tolerated by US. The govern
ment having called these men into service }:
bound By every obligation of good faith to pro
tect them to the extent Of its power. And
| found necessary foT their protection, Gs well a.
for that Of numerous u armed citizens who have
been subjected to outrages unparalleled IN CIV
iized warfare VIII not hesitate, feel cOnstTain
cd to declare to resort to retaliation, even to to-
extent sanctioned by the Jewish Law" an ey'
for an eve, tooth for tooth, and life for lie
Iswait al answer containing an explicit dc
claration of the intentions Of the United States
government respecting these prisoners.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
RUGGLES, Brig-Gen. Com.