New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-08-14

them will be required " render military services.
| Should your Government treat the rendition o
such service by those persona a. breach of parole
and punishment It accordingly, this Government
will resort TO retsstOry measures az the only
OF compelling the Observance Of sbe rules Of civlzs'
warfare.
Ihsvs the honor to be, very respectfully.
Your obediens servsnt,
Z. LEE, General Commanding.
To M.j Gen: @. B. MCCLELLAN. Commanding Army
Of tho Potomac.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE AMY, ,,,o
WA.HN6ToS. AUG. IL, 1862
Majo, Gess,ol GEO. B. MACMILLAN, Co~m1s ing Army
the Psamde. .
GENERAL: bsve just received from the Adjutan'
Gene els Office your letter Of July 80 iuclosing
letter from Gen. X. T.. Lee Of July 81. The l7tters
OF Gen. Dix and Major Wood will furnish yon with
the proper information for a reply TO Gen. Lee's
complaints in regard to The treatment Of prisoners at
Fort Monroe.
The Government of the United States has never
authorized any extorion OF oaths Of allegiance or
military paroles, and has forbidden any measures TO
be resorted ~ tending 10 that end Instead OF ex'
torng oaths Of allegiance and paroles, 1t bar 70.
fustd the application Of 'eversl thousand prisoners
10 be- permitted to take them and return to their
homes in the Rebel States.
At the same time, the Government claims, and
will exercie, tile right TO arrest imprisop, or place
beyond hs military lines. any persons suspected OF
giving aid and information TO its enemies, Of shy
other reasonable act. And if Iers0ns SO arrested
voluntarily take the oath Of ars ,Dce, or give then
military parole, and aiterward violate their pllghted
faith, they will be punished according 10 the laws
AID usa2es Of war.
God will assure Gen. Lee that no nnseemiy threats
OF retaliation on his part will deter this Governnn nj
from exercising it's lawful rights over both the per-
sons aud property Of whatsoever name or Character.
Very respectfully Your ob~dieDt servant.
W. bALLECK. 0~neralipChi~f u. s. A.
HsADauAarHHs o. rHx AMY. wAsnIxerox.}
August :. lSS2
General LEE, Commanding. Dr.!
GEsERAL: Your letter Of July 6 was received ct
the Adjutsn. Generals Office on the IA b. but sup
posing from lie Endorsement that il required fur
Their reply il was filed W thout being shown 10 the
President or Secretary Of War.
learn to day for tns iirst time that such letter
had been revived and hasten 10 reply.
No autben'ic information has been received in re-
lation to the execution Of either John Owen or
Mumfori, but measures will be imme lately taken
TO ascertain tie facts of tb-se alleged executions Of
which you will be duly informed.
need hardly Assure You, General, that 80 Tar as
the Uuiied States authorities are concerned this
contest will be carried on in strict accordance with
the laws and usages Of modern ~ariar-, and that
eYcessrs will be duly pun ished. In regard t. the
burning Of bridges, &C., within our lines by persons
in disguise peaceful cinzeDs, / refer 'ou 10 my
lei ter Of the 30 OF JANUARY last 10 G.. n. Price.
think you will Grd the views there expressed as
not materially differing from those stated in your
letter.
In regard to retaliation by taking the lives of
innocent persons, know Of no modern authority
which jusIItes it, except IN the extreme care OF
war with any un,ivlzed foe. which has imself
firft established such barbsrous rule. The Uuited
State. will never coubtenance such proceeding un-
sss forced TO do by the barbarous duet Of an
enemy who frat applies such rule to own
ciiiZenS.
Very respectfully your ohe5l-nt servant,
II. W. HALLECK. GeOsrslin-t hef U. 5; Army.
HKADorARTEss ARMY ~ IBs {. So
N Aur
To hs Gsanal Cem"asd,ss ne A,"y ne Uai''d Stase',
GysERLL--Qn the 18th of june last was in
sirucr.d BY the Secretary Of War 10 inquire OF
Mai Gen. Mcclellan ~ 10 the truth Of ALLEGED
MURDERS committed On our citizens BY officers Of the
u. s. Army.
Tie cases of VIM. D. Mnmford, reported TO have
been murdered ri NewOrl.sns by order Of Major.
Gen. b. +. Butler, and Col. John Owen, reported
10 have been murdered III Missouri by order Of
Msior.(ien. Pope were those referred TO. Lad the
onor 10 be informed by Ma Or.Gen. Mcclellan that
lie had referred these inquiries to bis Government
for reply.
dept of the Confederate States las since been credi
bly informed that numerous other officers Of the !
army of the United States, within the Confederacy,
have been guilty OF f,lonies and capital ofebses
bch are punishable by all laws, human and divine
am directed BY him to bring 10 yOnr notice few II
those best authenticated. Newspapers received from
-
Hunter has armed slaves Tor the mui der OF their
nasters and has done all in his power TO inaug
urae a rcrve war, which Is Wore than tina, 81 the
savage inasmuch IL snpersdds other horrors to The
discriminate daughter Of ali az o. se,e-, and con-
dtions. Brig Gen. Phelps is r.ported TO have in.
L. uted a. New Orleans the example Get by Maj -Gcn
Hunter OH the coast VI Sonth Carolina.
Biladirr-(;en. q. w. FIsch Ia stated IN the came
journal to have murdered 10 cold blood two peaceful
citizens becs usc Of his men, while Invading our
country was killed by solne unknown person while
defending his hume.
Am instructed by the President of the Confed
crate States to repeat the Inquiry relative to the
cases Of Mnmford and Owen, and to ask whereby
the statements in relation TO the actions OF Gems.
Hunter, Z. elpe, and Fitch adm,,ci TO he true,
and whether the conduct of these Generals IL sane
toned by their Government.
] AIN further directed by his eXceleDcy the Presi-
dent give notice that In tue event Of not receiving
a reply TO Theses inquiiis within Is days from tue
delivery Of this letter that will be assumed that
the ALLEGED facts src true ana are sanctioned by the
Government Of the United States.
Ia such event, ON that Government will rect the
responsibility Of the retributivs or retastory Meas
ures which sball be adopted to put AN END TO the
merciless atrocities which cbaracterizes the
against the Con le0erate States.
am, nos. respectfully, your obedient servsnt,
II. l.. LEE, General comwsndiny
Hs.pauAg,Ess Amy rHH CosvEpKRsrs SrArss,
MAR klcnsosp, Va. Aug iOo2. 5
To ihc General cos SANDING ASs u ffmy, "anngfcns
GENERAL: In obedience to the order IT his
Excell-ncy, the President Of the Confederate
have the honor TO make you the Il lowing
On the I'D of July last, cartel
for general e1 hanse Of prisoners was signed by
Major.Gen. John A. Dix on behalf OF the United
States, and by Major.Gen. d. H. Hill on The part of
this Government.
By the terms of that cartel it il stipulated that all
prisoners OF war hereafter taken shall be discharged
On parole until exchanged. Scarcely bad the cartel
been signed ~heu the military authorities OF the
United States commenced "a practice changing the
character of the from such becomes civilized
nations into n campaign OF indiscriminate robbery