The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-09-20

sons be treated 40 ordinary belligerents, and
when captured they have extended to them the
same rights IS other prisoners Of war; and
they also threaten that If such persons be pun
ished az marauders and spies, they will retaliate
by executing our prisoners of war in their pos
session. rs
particularly request your views on this
question. ,ss
Very respectfully,
--.-...s 3d Your obsdieDt servant,
H. w. HAlLIcK,
General in Chief U. 9. A.,
Dr.. Lieber takes, ~ was TO be expected, the
broadeet and most humane view Of the QUIT
ton. He discusses, with an abundant knewl-
edge Of the history Of wars, all the varieties Of
opposition offered to an enemy. The following
quotations will show as what conclusion he ar
rives: ~
1.-THE subject is substantially new topic in
the Law Of war, and It 10 besides exposed 70 the
mischievous process, % often employed in our
day, Of throwing the mantle Of novel term
around an old and well known ofense, in the ex-
pectation that legalixing effect will result from
the adoption of new word having technical
sound IN illustration Of which occurred in the
introduction of the Latin and rarer term Repu-
diation to designate the old practice Of dishon-
estly declining the payment Of debts-an Of
Tense with which the world has been acquainted
ever since men united in the bonds Of society.
We find that self.constituted bands In the South
who destroy the cotton stored BY their own
neiRhbors, are styled In the journals Of the
North a. veil % those Of the South, guerrillss
while, in truth, they are according to the CON-
men iaw-not Of war only, but that o. every 90.
ciety-simply armed robbers, against shom ev-
cry person 10 permitted, or 10 in duty oound, to
use al the means Of defense At biz D poeal; %
| in late instance, even Gen. ToombA. Of. 6sor-
gis, declared to certain COMMITTEES SAFETY
Of bis State, thst he would defend the planting
| end producing Of cotton; though I must own,
be did not call the self.eonstituted COMMITTEES
scoundrele."
WHAT 10 A auIRRuLA PA13Y?
*~ "A guerrilla party means On ire
gular band of armed men, carrying on an IRE
Sulsr var, not being able, according TO theiI
character % guerrilla party, 70 carry on what
the Law terms regular wa,. The irregularity
of the guerrilla party consists 10 it, origin, for
it is either self-consttuted or constituted BY the
| call o. single individual, not according to the
general Law Of levy, conscripticn or volunteer
! ing it consists in ito disconnection with the
army, 40 to its pay, provision and movements,
! and it IL Irregular ~ to tho permsnepcy Of The
band, which may be dismissed and called sgain
together at any time These are, believe,
lc constituent ideas Of the tern guerrilla - nov
used. Other idess are associated With the term
differently BY different persona. Thus many
persons associate the idea Of pillage with the
guerrilla band, because, not being connected
with the regular army, the men cannot provide
for themselves, except BY pillage, even In theft
own countsy--aets Of violence with the Spanish
qu.yriueros sorely anioted their own oountsymer
in the Penipsular War. Others connect It with
the idea of intentional destruction for the cake
Of destruction, because The guerrilla chief car
not aim ct any strategic advantage or any regu
lar fruits Of victory. Others, again, associate
\ with it the idea Of the danger With which th'
spy surrounds us, because hs that to-day psssei
you in the garb and misn Of peaceful citizen
may tomorrow, - guerrilla man, IRE you'
house or murder yoa from behind The hedge :
Others connect With the 9seyrilero the idea o.
necessitated murder, because guerrilla band.
cannot cucumber themselves with prisoners o
war they have therefore, frequently, perhaps
generally, killed their prisoners, and Of cours'
! have been killed In turn when made prisoners
l thus introducing system Of barharity which
becomes intepser In iN disqualification - i
4 spreads and IL prolonged. ass III. ~.
2 He then enumerates the various names undel
which men make irregular war:
The law Of war ~ we'll - the NV. Of peac'
has treated many Of these and kindred subject
l-acts justifsble, offensive or criminsl-sDde
Acknowledged terms, namely: the freebooter
VAA HhA hvs h. AT =