Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-08-15
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The following Ia the letter of JEEE. DAVIS to
General LEE, instructiug him to communicate
10 the Commander in, Chief Of the armies Of
the United States the contents of tbeletter and
a copy Of the general retalistory order, issued
by the rebel Government, and heretofore pub
lished among our telegraphic dispatches
tl,.s RIcHMoNp. Va, July 81, 1862.
SR: On the 23d Of this month cartel for a
general exchange.of prisoners Of war was signed
between Mai Gen. d. Fl Hill, IN bebalfof the
Confederate States, and Maj lien. John A. Dix,
In behalf of the United States. By the terms
OF that cartel Il 10 stipulated that all prisoners
OF war hereafter taken shall be discharged on
parole till exchanged. Scarcely had that cartel
been signed when the military authorities Of the
United States commenced practice of chang.
ing the character Of the war from such % be.
6omea oivilIzed nations into campaign Of In.
discriminate robbery and murder. The general
order issued by the Secretary Of War of the
United States, In the City Of Washington. on
the very day that the cartel was signed 10 Vlr.
Rlnia, directs military commanders of the United
States to take the private property Of our peo.
pie for the convenience and use OF their armies
without compensation. -1.-
Z The General Order issued by MsIor. General
Pope on the 23d Of July, the day after the sign
Ing Of the cartel, directs the murder of our
peaceful inhabitants as spies, II found quietly
tilllpg the farms In bis rear, even outside Of bis
lines; and one Of his Brigadier- Generals, Stein
wehr, has seized upon innocent and peaceful In.
habltants to be held az hostages, to the end that
they may be murdered in cold blood II any Of
bis soldiers are killed by some unknown persons
whom he desIgnates as bushwhaekers" - -
Under this state of facts this Government
has issued the inclosed General Order, recog-
nizipg General Pope and his commissioned OFF,
GERS to be In the position which they have chosen
for themselves: that Of robbers and murderers,
and not that of public enemies, entitled, If CAP
tured, to be considered 90 prisoners Of war
We fnd ourselves driven by our enemies, BY
steady progress toward practice which we ab-
hor, and which we are vainly struggling to
avoid. Some of the military authorities Of the
United States seem to suppose that better sue
cess will attend savage war, In which noquar-
ter 10 to be given, and no age or sex Is 10 be
spared, than has hitherto been secured by such
hostilities as are alone recognized toSbe lawful
by civilized men In modern times.
For the present, we renounce our right Of re-
taliation on the innocent, and shall continue to
dCbb tuo pkANneo ouAbsoN pOtuiOhp VI oVhOtoh
Pope's army as prisoners Of war; but If after
notice to the Government at Washington, Of our
continuing repressive measures to the punish
ment only of commissioned officers, who are
willing participants In these crimes, the savage
practices are continued, we shall reluctantly be
forced 70 the last resort Of accepting the war on
the terms chosen by our foes, until the outrag
ed voice Of common humanity forces respect
for the recognized rules of war.
While these acts would justify our refusal tc
execute the generous cartel by which we have
consented to liberate an excess of thousands ol
prisoners held by US beyond the number helt
by the enemy, o sacred regard TO plighted faith
shrinking from the mere semblanoe Of break
ing promise, prevents our resort to this e1
tEomity.
Nor do we desire to extend to any other force
Of the enemy the punishment meted BY Genera
Pope aud such commissioned officers as choos'
to participate In the execution Of his infamoul
orders.
You are therefore instructed to communicate
to the Commander in Chief Of the armies Of thu
United States the contents Of this letter, and {
copy Of the inolosed General Order, TO the enG
that be may be notified Of our intention not L
consider any officers hereafter captured from
Gen. Pope's army as prisoners Of war.
.- Very respectfully yours, etc.,
''r. JEFF. DAVIS.
Gen. R. g. LEE, Commanding, etc.